#Cambodia - Phnom Topcheang community turned into eco-tourism magnet

 At about three in the afternoon, Pich Longneth is ready to welcome the clients he has booked in for his guide service.

He has prepared the necessary materials for the trip – a water container, a rice pot, rice, vegetables, meat, fish and beverages, as well as tents and plastic mats to protect themselves from the rain.

“Tourists from one tour company travelling from Phnom Penh arrived in the afternoon. They then packed their luggage for trekking to the top of the mountain because they need to camp near there,” says Longneth, 40, a local guide for the Community-Based Eco-tourism Phnom Tobcheang with 10 years experience.

“Tour groups range from 10 or 20 people and sometimes from 50 to 60 people. They walk on the snake-like concrete road built for the transportation of Kirirom III Hydroelectricity’s construction materials for about one and a half hours to reach the camp site. For materials and food, we use motorbikes to take them there.”

Reaching the summit of Tob Cheang Mountain, visitors are treated to a spectacular view.

“At dusk, if we start hiking at 5:30pm there is a chance to see the mist cloud. When we walk up to the top of the mountain, we can see the cloud lowering down on top of roofs and farms,” says Longneth.

Walking another 30 minutes on the concrete road by the hydrodam, visitors reach an open space with jungle flowers where they spend the night. The flowers are called Chahouy and start to blossom in the rainy season, a sign to welcome the new season and attract campers.

Phnom Tobcheang Community is on the southwest side of the Cardamom Mountains, located in Srae Ambel district’s Dang Peng commune in Koh Kong province.

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With the help of NGOs and the government, in 2001 the community was transformed into an eco-tourism destination for camping, waterfalls, trekking, fishing and bird watching.

The project promotes agriculture, healthcare and natural resource protection for the 300 locals living in Preah Angkeo and Bak Angrel villages.

Phnom Tobcheang Community was recognised and supported by the provincial authority in 2003, and in 2010 the community signed a 15-year contract to control 364ha of land.

“We charge on the basis of the number of local guides. If a tour needs only one guide, we charge $10 for a day and if they need a motordup, we charge them $30 or $35 per guide and motorbike,” says Longneth.

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Nob Koy, Phnom Tobcheang Ecotourism chief, said the community was established to protect natural resources and provide work for local people in the tourism sector.

“Phnom Tobcheang Community was launched in 2001 to protect the forest for the younger generation,” says Koy, 66, adding that during the rainy season, as the jungle flowers blossom and the trees become green, the number of tourists starts to increase.

Koy says that most tourists visiting Phnom Tobcheang community are Cambodian.

“We rarely see expats coming here. We should also attract foreigners, but maybe we do not promote ourselves well enough to reach an international audience,” he says. 

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Seeing the potential of Phnom Tobcheang ecotourism, Seang Makara, founder of tour group Cambodia Camping, set up their first tour package to the area in 2016.

“I have organised tours many times since 2016. I wanted to help the community to create new tourism sites because I see that it has potential with its waterfalls, flowers, river and good geography,” Makara says.

“The biggest tour package I organised had more than 170 people. Now I am preparing to set up a resort up there. In fact, today Phnom Tobcheang Community has one completed resort and four other resorts in construction.”

The community also offers a homestay ($3 per room for two people), breakfast ($2.50 per person), lunch ($3 per person) and dinner ($3 per person).

According to their website, a local guide costs $10 per day, renting a tractor costs $25 per day, hiring a motorbike costs $10 per day, a bicycle $5 per day, a boat trip at $5 per person and a tent is $5 per night.

To reach the community, travel down National Road 48 until you are 50m from Srae Ambel Bridge, at which point you turn right at the sign saying Hydroelectricity Plant Kirirom III. After two kilometres you then reach Longneth’s home, from where you will start trekking. 

Sourse - PhnomPhenPost

Laos - New Road Connects Thai Border to Luang Prabang, Reduces Travel Time

A new sealed road from the Thai border to the Lao province of Luang Prabang has opened to traffic, reducing travel time from Nan province to Luang Prabang from nine to five hours.

Perames Vudthitornetiraks, president of the Neighbouring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency, said on Thursday that the new 114-kilometre road runs from Hongsa district in northwestern Laos to Luang Prabang, extending the road network from the Huai Kon border checkpoint in Nan province to Luang Prabang.

The two-lane road shortens the trip from Nan to Luang Prabang from nine to five hours. It is expected to draw 10-20% more visitors to the two Thai and Lao provinces, especially from China, Vietnam and Europe, he said.

Construction cost 1.98 billion baht. Thailand contributed 395.4 million baht towards it and provided a soft loan of 1.58 billion baht, accounting for 80% of the cost.

Pheng Douangngeun, director-general of the Lao Department of Roads, said local communities had long wanted the new road, which made for more convenient transport and gave access to natural tourist attractions along the route.

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Source - Laotian Times

#Vietnam a top holiday draw in Southeast Asia

South China Morning Post has listed Vietnam among six Southeast Asian countries whose beauty is largely undiscovered.

The Hong Kong newspaper said "from stunning beaches and elephant sanctuaries to adventurous underwater activities, much of the region’s beauty has yet to be discovered" and Vietnam is recommended for those seeking "authentic travel experiences".

It described Hue, the country's ancient imperial capital that witnessed the glories and collapse of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945), the last feudal rulers of Vietnam, as a must-visit place for more historical activities.

"Visitors can embark on tours to explore the old temples and pagodas that make up most of the city and explore central Vietnamese cuisine with a street food tour." 

To the north of Ho Chi Minh City is the mountain town of Da Lat where adventure lovers can indulge themselves with canyoneering, white water rafting and a high ropes course, it said.

Da Lat, situated 1,500 meters above sea level in the Central Highlands, was a summer getaway for French officials who built villas to escape the heat and humidity of the lowlands during colonial times. It is now a top holiday destination providing cool respite from the year-round hot weather.

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"In the mountains northwest of Hanoi lies Sapa where nature lovers can embrace the serenity of the mountains with a tour to the Love and Silver waterfalls and the historic Cat Cat village," SCMP said.

Tourists can also visit the Saturday night "love market," the Gothic stone church at the town center which is a reminder of the French missionary influence. Cat Cat village, two kilometers from Sa Pa, is home to the H’Mong ethnic people.

The SCMP list also includes Thailand, where elephant sanctuaries for rehabilitation and enticing cooking classes await visitors, the Philippines, famous for its dolphin watching, paddle yoga and mountain biking, and Cambodia, which offers travelers a snorkeling tour to see bioluminescent marine life and scuba diving.

Myanmar "is home to shiny gems that are rarely visited," the newspaper said. It also has UNESCO heritage sites and centuries-old temples.

Laos, "often overlooked when it comes to travel within Southeast Asia," it said, urging holiday-goers to visit the town of Vang Vieng north of Vientiane to experience bike tours and zip lines in the hills, cave exploration and rock climbing.

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Southeast Asia is composed of 11 countries, namely Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Earlier this year, British travel magazine Rough Guides included Hue in its list of six lesser-known Asian destinations.

The New York Times recently recommended Da Lat among 52 places to go in 2019, describing it as "an agricultural El Dorado" with unique scenes of pine forests, locally grown avocados, and artichoke tea.

Vietnam received 7.3 million visitors in January-May this year, up 8.8 percent from a year ago, putting the country on track to meet its annual target of 18 million arrivals this year, according to the General Statistics Office.

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Sourse - VN Express
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Thailand - Fast and Furious 9 cars arrive in Krabi

Cars to be used in the filming of Fast and Furious 9 have arrived in Krabi.

An auto parts supply firm in Krabi, with some knowledge of the production schedule for the film, posted photos of some of the vehicles likely to be used when filming starts next month.

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The producers said the production is spending Bt340 million in Krabi, Phang Ngan and Phuket, using Thai crews as support.

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Thai production manager Piya Pestonji last week met Kitibadee Prawit, the governor of Krabi, to discuss logistics with the Tourism Authority of Thailand boss in Krabi, Apichai Aranyik.

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The Krabi governor has said the film is hoped to be a “great advertisement for the nature, culture and history of the kingdom”.

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 The governor has probably not seen the other films which showcase illegal street racing, dangerous driving and criminal activity conducted by the “heroes”. 

Tony Jaa, the Thai action star, appeared in Fast and Furious 7, taking on Paul Walker.

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Source - TheNation

Miracle of 'Wild Boars' rescue transforms Thai cave into tourist draw

Tourists snap selfies by a bronze statue of the diver who died trying to save the 'Wild Boars' football team from a flooded cave, while momentos from their rescue fly off the shelves -- scooped up by the 1.3 million people who have descended on a once serene mountainside in northern Thailand.

"It's amazing what happened here. I followed everything from Australia," tourist John McGowan told AFP after taking photos at the visitor centre around 100 metres from the Tham Luang cave entrance.

"I wanted to see it with my own eyes," the 60-year-old said, adding he was a little disappointed the cave is still off limits to visitors.

For a few dollars tourists can get framed photos at the site, pick up posters of the footballers and take home a souvenir t-shirt  -- some printed with the face of Saman Gunan the Thai diver who died in the bid to save the group.

There has been extraordinary global interest in the picturesque rural backwater of Mae Sai since 12 youngsters -- aged between 11 and 16 -- and their coach entered the Tham Luang cave on June 23, 2018.

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They quickly became trapped by rising water levels and the daring, unprecedented mission to extract them through twisting flooded passageways captivated the world for 18 nail-biting days.

When they emerged -- after being heavily sedated and manoeuvered out by expert divers -- they did so into the centre of a global media frenzy.

The cave, which previously received around 5,000 visitors a year, has since been inundated by visitors both Thai and foreign.

"A miracle has happened here with these children," Singaporean tourist Cheong, giving one name, said but adding Tham Luang "must still have a spiritual side" despite the mass popularity.

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- Tragedy and luck -

Mae Sai district, where the cave is located, was considered off the beaten track for foreign visitors. 

But between October 2018 and April this year alone "1.3 million people visited," site manager Kawee Prasomphol told AFP.

The government now has big plans for the area around the storied cave, Kawee added, allocating a total of 50 million baht ($1.6 million) including a shopping complex, restaurants, hotels and several campsites outside the national park.

Vans disgorge streams of tourists who explore a visitor hub where the centrepiece is a mural entitled "The Heroes".

It depicts the young footballers, stars of the rescue, and junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha -- a reminder of the governmental fingerprints in aiding their cause.

At the heart of the mural is the beaming face of Saman Gunan, the Thai Navy SEAL diver who ran out off oxygen attempting to establish an air line to the children and their coach -- the only fatality across the near three-week rescue mission. 

Laying white flowers at the foot of his bronze statue, Thai nurse Sumalee, who travelled four hours to the site, described him as "the hero of the whole country" in a sobering reminder of the risks involved in the rescue amid the blizzard of marketing opportunities now attached to the cave story. 

Nearby lottery ticket vendors are capitalising on the perceived good fortune linked to the boys' survival and the folkloric appeal of a nearby shrine. The number of stalls has mushroomed from a few dozen to around 250. 

Kraingkrai Kamsuwan, 60, who moved his stall to the site weeks after the rescue, sells 4,000 tickets a month ($2.5) but reckons more will visitors will arrive once the cave reopens. 

He told AFP: "People want to gamble after wishing for luck from the shrine."

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Thailand’s prostitution laws out of step with reality

Despite firm denials that prostitution is a ‘thing’ in Thailand and the high-level narrative that prostitution in the Land of Smiles is just an outdated type-cast, the evidence to the contrary remains obvious, in plain sight, any night of the week.

Yesterday a “Review of the prevention and suppression of prostitution laws project” seminar was held at the Thammasat University Tha Prachan campus which aims to formalise and zone sex-related activities in Thailand. The report recommends the country’s sex industry be controlled under the authority of the Department of Local Administration.

Thai PBS reports that Law lecturer Akawat Laowonsiri says Thailand is obliged to protect the rights of sex workers and is a signatory to  international commitments like the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

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The researcher said that updating the laws will tackle the issue of the health and well-being of all stakeholders in the sex industry. For example, a law to protect the rights of a wife whose husband has a sexually-transmitted disease is needed, in accordance with the principle of universal coverage. Sex workers should be free to refuse to provide a service and they should have the right to be fairly treated and paid in the workplace.

In response to those who fear a rise in the number of people entering the sex industry if the laws are amended, Dr. Akawat Laowonsiri confirmed that his study shows a steady decline prostitution in Thailand since the Vietnam War, when the industry was at its peak.

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He added that people in the sex industry face many challenges to which most Thais are not exposed, such as organised crime, drug dealers, human traffickers and more. This situation remains due to the hush-hush nature of the work they do.

“From the conservative point of view, it is necessary to have this kind of law in place to improve society. We have to find a way to adapt to the changing world,” says Dr. Akawat.

Source - The Thaiger and Thai PBS

#Vietnam emerges top Asia-Pacific travel choice for Russians

Russian traveling to the Asia-Pacific region heavily favor Vietnam and neighbor Thailand, says global travel analysis firm ForwardKeys.

From May 2018 to April 2019, Russian arrivals to the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region rose 54.5 percent, far outstripping the 3.8 percent growth of international arrivals to the region, according to ForwardKeys data.

The huge spike in Russian travelers has been prompted by a doubling of direct flights from Russia to Asian tourist destinations, mainly in Vietnam and Thailand, with air seat capacity increasing by 38 percent overall.

The ForwardKeys survey shows Vietnam saw the highest increase in Russian market seat capacity at 153 percent, followed by Thailand and the Maldives, which saw a growth of 125 percent and 58 percent respectively. South Korea and India also saw seat capacity rising by more than 30 percent.

Vietnam has emerged as a favorite destination for Russian holiday-goers in recent years and is expected to surpass its neighbor Thailand, a favored Russian haunt for a long time.

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Market observers say the launch of direct air connections from multiple secondary and tertiary cities in Russia to Vietnam's popular beach towns have propped up the Russian tourism boom.

Russia's S7 Airlines last year launched a direct flight connecting Irkutsk City with Cam Ranh, an hour south of its much busier sister Nha Trang in the central province of Khanh Hoa, while Vladivostok Air had begun operating daily flights from major cities of Vladivostok and Khabarovsk to Vietnam's Cam Ranh Bay even earlier.

Khanh Hoa, home to the famous beach town of Nha Trang, has been much loved by Russian tourists, accounting for one fifth of total foreign arrivals. Last year, Russian tourist arrivals to Khanh Hoa reached nearly 400,000, up 1.5 percent year-on-year, making it the second biggest feeder market for local tourism after China.

"Vietnam is certainly going through a tremendous growth in demand from the Russian market," global media company Skift quoted Stephan Roemer, CEO of Diethelm Travel Group, as saying.

Russia is the sixth largest source market for Vietnam’s tourism, with mainland China topping the list, followed by South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and the U.S.

Vietnam received a record high of 606,000 Russians last year, accounting for 4 percent of total foreign tourist arrivals.

Apart from visa exemptions for tourists from the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), Vietnam offers 15-day visa exemptions for visitors from the U.K., France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden and Belarus.

Russian tourists spend an average of $1,600 per stay in Vietnam while the average for foreign visitors overall is $900, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.

The country welcomed 7.3 million arrivals during January-May, up 8.8 percent from a year ago, putting the it on track to meet its annual target of receiving 18 million foreigners this year, according to the General Statistics Office.

With the changes to the visa policies, the tourism industry hopes to get 17-20 million foreign visitors by 2020 and revenues of $35 billion a year, contributing 10 percent to the country’s GDP compared to 7.5 percent last year.

Last year a record 15.4 million visitors came to the country, a whopping 20 percent increase from 2017.

Many travel agencies have said that Vietnam should further relax its visa policies and simplify procedures to attract high spending tourists from Japan, North America, Northern Europe, China and South Korea.

They have called for the current 15-day visa exemption extended to 30 days.

Source - VN EXPRESS