#Thailand - Limiting tourists on the most popular islands

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation held a meeting at the Pearl Hotel on Phuket on Tuesday to discuss the excessive numbers of tourists visiting the famous islands and bays.

Songtham Suksawang, chief of the DNP’s National Parks Office, who chaired the meeting, said that the amount of tourists in marine national parks was directly affecting the environment.

“Those national parks, especially marine national parks, are suffering from an oversupply of visitors. There are many problems such as oil from boats, rubbish and the effect on the local lifestyle on the islands, which is difficult to rehabilitate in the short term. They [meeting participants] discussed rearranging of the marine national parks to better meet the demand, but by limiting supply and providing a more sustainable solution,” he said.

“There will be a study on the limiting of tourism. Some locations have already had these studies done. After sending the officers to check, we found that there’s a specific period of time when the islands are overcrowded, which is 11am to 2pm when the tourists come onshore to rest and have lunch. There are approximately 2,000 to 3,000 people visiting some of the islands each day,” he added.

The DNP has plans for a solution on the Similan Islands by spreading tourists around the other islands, as Island Four and Island Eight are way too overcrowded.

“We will spread tourists to other islands, apart from Islands Four and Eight, by installing piers to connect them. They will be floating piers to avoid disturbing the corals. There will be a floating centre, where tourists can rest in front of the island, as well.''

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 “The purchasing process of the centres will be completed by March 31. We will start this project near the islands that are highly overcrowded, such as Similan, Phi Phi and in Phang Nga Bay. The limitation of tourists according to the time of the day will also follow after the study is done,” Songtham explained.

  “The limiting of tourists and an increase in customer fees are possible if the environment continues to be damaged too much from tourism,” he pointed out.

The DNP will also create an e-ticket to enter the islands, which will possibly start with the Similans, Phi Phi and Phang Nga Bay, as this would also help solve the issue of transparency in national park management, the National Parks Office chief said.

For security, he said that he had approved budgets for ambulance and rescue boats and was currently coordinating with the Emergency Medical Institute of Thailand to provide assistance to tourists in the marine national park area.

In case of emergency, the 1669 hotline is also available 24/7.

Source - TheNation

 

#Indonesia - Palembang launches new tourist destinations ahead of 2018 Asian Games

The Palembang city administration in South Sumatra launched two new tourist destinations on Sunday, namely Tepian Sekanak Bersolek and Kampung Mural Gudang Bonjiet.

The city's Tourism Agency head Isnaini Madani said the two spots were part of Palembang's 13 highlighted tourist destinations prepared to welcome the 2018 Asian Games in August.

"Following its popularity on social media, now Tepian Sekanak Bersolek and Kampung Mural Gudang Bonjiet have officially become tourist destinations to welcome both domestic and foreign tourists," said Isnaini as quoted by Antara on Sunday.

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The development of the two places, which feature colorful images and patterns, is said to be the result of a collaboration with PT ICI Paint Indonesia in South Sumatra as part of its corporate social responsibility program. 

"Employees of Palembang city's Public Works Agency and student volunteers worked together to paint the destinations," added Isnaini.

Tepian Sekanak Bersolek is said to be a pilot project as the city administration seeks to beautify all rivers across Palembang. "We are targeting to make all river areas prettier, but considering the current budget we will focus on Sekanak River first."

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Indonesia - Bali Marathon 2018 to welcome runners in March

The annual Maybank Bali Marathon is set to return on Sept. 9.

Runners who seek to participate in the competition can enroll via online registration from March 1 until April 15.

Entering its seventh year, the race’s categories consist of a marathon (42,197 kilometers), half-marathon (21,097-km), 10k run and children sprint.

Prior to the competition, the committee will hold an exhibition on sports and health, RUNXHIBITION, on Feb. 24-25 at Sentral Senayan Building III in Senayan, South Jakarta.

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 “Through RUNXHIBITION, we encourage runners and sports enthusiasts to gain knowledge about running from an expert and sports apparel suppliers,” said Effendi Hengki, Maybank Bali Marathon 2018 project director, in a press release. 

 

Established in 2012, Maybank Bali Marathon is an international competition that has been included among the "Remarkable Races in the World that One Must Participate before You Die" by The Active and "The 52 Best Races on Earth 2016" by Runnersworld. 

 

Source - TheJakartaPost

 

Indonesia - Travel app makes exploring Cirebon easier

The Sunyaragi Cave is one of the tourist attractions of Cirebon, West Java

Thinking about visiting the city of Cirebon in West Java, only around 3.5 hours from Jakarta by car? The city administration has released an app that helps visitors plan their trip with information on where to go and what to eat.

Named Cirebon Wistakon, the app provides information in 10 categories: Attractions, Food, Hotels, Shopping, Events & News, Favorites, Religion, Healthcare, Finances and Services.

Although tempo.co reported that some of the categories are currently still empty, the Attractions category contains 10 places, namely Taman Sari Gua Sunyaragi, Kacirebonan Palace, Wisata Kera Plangon, Kanoman Cirebon Palace, Kasepohan Palace, British-American Tobacco Cirebon, Dewi Welas Asih Temple, Cirebon Waterland Ade Irma Suryani, Kejawanan Beach, and Setu Sedong. Meanwhile, the Food section recommends eateries for dishes like nasi jamblang (fried sambal for rice wrapped in teak leaves), mi koclok (a noodle dish), empal gentong (a curry-like beef soup) as well as signature snacks of Cirebon. There is also information on traditional and modern markets, such as Pasar Harjamukti, Pasar Batik Trusmi Cirebon, Pasar Pagi Cirebon,  the Manisan Sinta souvenir shop and Pasar Mundu Cirebon.

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 "Cirebon Wistakon is available on the Google Play Store and connected with Google Maps," said Cirebon Statistics, Information and Communications Agency head Iing Daiman in Cirebon on Wednesday, adding that the app aimed to help visitors explore the city's tourist destinations.

The app is part of the city's Smart City initiative. The Cirebon administration has released several apps and is aiming to develop eight more this year.

Source - TheJakartaPost

#China - Beijing inches closer to becoming the world's busiest airport

China is forecast to overtake the U.S. as the world’s biggest air-travel market as soon as 2022.

Beijing inched one step closer to taking the crown for the world’s busiest airport.

As the ranks of the Chinese middle class swell and more people take to the skies, passenger traffic at Beijing’s international airport rose to a new record of 95.8 million last year.

This increase at the world’s second-busiest air hub -- at least the fifth straight year of gains -- has allowed Beijing Capital International Airport to narrow the gap with top placed Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, whose passenger numbers fell in 2017.

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 China is forecast to overtake the U.S. as the world’s biggest air-travel market as soon as 2022. To cope with the surge in fliers, Beijing is building a $12.9 billion mega airport in a southern suburb that’s scheduled to open next year. It would accommodate as many as 100 million passengers annually, with the existing and new airports likely sharing 170 million travelers a year by 2025, according to official estimates. 

 The new airport has been designated by authorities as the hub for members of the SkyTeam alliance, a global group of airlines that includes China Eastern Airlines Corp. and China Southern Airlines Co. The two state-owned Chinese carriers will each be allowed to capture 40 percent of the airport’s passengers, gaining coveted time slots to Europe and the U.S. in flag carrier Air China Ltd.’s backyard.

Beijing will also be joining a select list of major cities with two or even three international airports, including London, New York, Tokyo and Paris. Unlike in Beijing, though, those airports usually take complementary roles, such as one serving international or intercontinental routes and the other focusing on domestic or regional flights.

Source - TheJakartaPost

 

#Laos - Luang Prabang focuses on Boosting cultural Tourism

The Luang Prabang tourism sector has been focusing on boosting cultural tourism and sustainable development to ensure socio-economic development in the province, according to a Luang Prabang tourism official.

Luang Prabang is one of the ancient cities of the Lao PDR that was established more than 1,200 years ago. It is endowed with rich, beautiful, natural scenery, historical culture, ancient temples, architecture and unique arts and crafts. Because of these unique qualities and attributes, UNESCO declared Luang Prabang a World Heritage Site in 1995.

“The tourism sector has provided a huge contribution to socio-economic development such as job creation and the improvement of livelihoods of local people, as well as to the reduction of poverty of people in rural areas,” said last week Luang Prabang Governor Khamkhan Chanthavisouk.

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“Over the past 20 years of preservation and development of the World Heritage Site, the Provincial Administration, together with Lao multi-ethnic people, businesses and entrepreneurs both domestic and foreign, as well as international organizations, have been working together to preserve and maintain the cultural values of this World Heritage Site in a sustainable manner,” said Mr Khamkhan.

As a result, lovely Luang Prabang has been a favorite tourist destination for many consecutive years, and was nominated as “Best City” in the Wanderlust Travel Awards.

Moreover, Luang Prabang has received the ASEAN Environmentally Sustainable City Award and has also become a non-smoking city to promote a healthy and smoke-free environment.

“Over the past years, Luang Prabang has been selected to host meetings at various levels including provincial, national, sub-regional, and ASEAN regional meetings with great success,” Mr Khamkhan said.

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We are honoured that at this time, Luang Prabang has once again been given the honour of hosting such important ASEAN related meetings and we do hope that we will have another opportunity to host important meetings like this in the near future, he said.

Luang Prabang is very proud of its peacefulness and safety, and its many cultural and natural tourist attractions.

The National Tourism Committee has approved a plan to develop routes along the Mekong River to link to Loei and Nong Khai in the northeast with Luang Prabang and Vientiane in Laos.

At the same time, the infrastructure of the province has been developed in order to ensure that it benefits from the ASEAN Economic Community integration which took place in 2015.

Source - Laotian Times

Vietnam - Tourists revel in rich Khmer culture

If you visit in mid-November to mid-December, the Ok Om Bok Festival, also called the Festival of Worshipping the Moon, takes place at the Ba Om Pond relic site.

Kim Ngọc Thái, deputy chairman of the province’s People’s Committee, said that the Ok Om Bok is one of the main traditional Khmer festivals in the south besides the Sene Dolta and Chol Chnam Thmay festivals.

The joyful and festive Ok Om Bok event has been recognised as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Vietnamese government.

The one-week festival includes cultural and sports events, trade fairs offering local specialties, traditional competitions such as tug-of-war and crossing of bamboo bridges, and a souvenir design contest.

But the standout activity is the exciting and colourful Ghe Ngo (Khmer boat) race on Bà Ôm Pond (which is actually as big as a lake)

Six rowing teams with nearly 400 athletes from different districts and cities in the province compete in a race that is seen as both a way to express solidarity and a traditional ritual to see off the God of Water to the ocean after the growing season.

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The Khmer believe that the Buddha blesses and protects them, so followers donate time, money and effort to build pagodas in their hamlets.

More than one million Khmer live in southern Việt Nam, which has a total of 600 Khmer pagodas. Some of them have existed for several centuries and have been recognised as national architectural relics, including the pagodas of Ang, Mẹt, Hang and Dơi.

The pagodas are always built on large areas surrounded by Dầu (Dipterocarpus alatus) trees, Palmyra palms or green cajuput forests.

A panoramic view of a typical Khmer pagoda includes a monastery, gate, fence, wall, main chamber, towers containing the ashes of dead monks, and the Sala, the place where monks and the Khmer gather to prepare for important ceremonies.
The main chamber of the Ang Pagoda, the most important part of the structure, is located in the centre and faces east. It is designed with a multi-layered roof decorated with four curved dragon’s tails on four of the roof’s corners.

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 Decorative reliefs on the pagoda’s walls include a fairy, statues of divine Krud birds, the ogress Yeak wearing armor, and the head of the Bayon with four faces, all expressing the spirit of the Khmer people. 

  The corridor outside the main chamber is decorated with Naga curving around the terrace that represent cruel forces subdued by the Buddha.

The Khmer, who account for 30 per cent of the province’s population, have enriched the local cuisine with traditional ingredients and distinctive flavours.

Bún Nước Lèo (noodle soup) is one of the most well-known. It consists of snakehead fish, roast pork and shrimp, with the essential “mắm bò hóc” (bò hóc sauce) to enrich the boldness and brackishness of the soup.
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Central: The pagoda’s main chamber, the most important part of the structure, is located in the centre of Khmer pagodas.

Source - Read Continue 
 

#Laos Golden Triangle Casino Hit with US Sanctions

The US Treasury officially placed the Kings Romans Casino based in Laos on its organised crime sanctions blacklist on Tuesday, naming it a hub for the trafficking of humans, drugs, and wildlife.

The sanctions involve a group based in Hong Kong, the Kings Romans Company, which operates casinos.

One of the sites operated by the company is a well known casino located in Laos, in its Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, on the Mekong River near Thailand and Myanmar.

“The Zhao Wei crime network engages in an array of horrendous illicit activities, including human trafficking and prostitution, drug trafficking, and wildlife trafficking,” said Sigal Mandelker, Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.

Tourists who have visited the casino report a menu full of protected species at the casino’s restaurant, including bear, tiger, and pangolin.

The US Treasury named four individuals as key players:

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 Abbas “Basu” Eberahim, 29, an Australian who owns residences in Kooringal in Australia, Chiang Rai, Thailand, and the Golden Triangle Economic Zone in Laos.

Nat Rungtawankhiri, a Thai national aged 41 and resident Chiang Rai.

Guiqin Su aka Zhao Su, or Madame Su, 69, a Hong Kong resident with Chinese nationality.

Zhao Wei, 66, a dual Chinese-Macau national and husband of Madame Su.

“All assets of those designated that are under US jurisdiction are frozen, and US persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them,” it said.

“Since 2014, Thai, Lao, and Chinese authorities have seized large narcotics shipments that have been traced to the Kings Romans Casino.”

Source - Laotian Times

#Vietnam - Lotus farm-tourism model faces market hurdles in Mekong

MEKONG DELTA — Nguyễn Văn Hơn has been a farmer all of his life. Now, in his mid 50s, he is working as a tour guide.  

He is one of the first lotus farmers in the Mekong Delta to adopt the lotus–ecotourism model as an alternative to growing an unsustainable third rice crop every year (called the autumn-winter crop).

The owner of 4ha of lotus in Mỹ Hòa Commune in Đồng Tháp Province’s Tháp Mười District, Hơn began offering tourism services in 2013 when locals set up the Đồng Sen (lotus farm) ecotourism zone.

His business began to take off about two to three years ago, and during peak season from June to August, he welcomes around 50-100 tourists a day.

Visitors at his farm can pick lotus flowers and enjoy lotus specialties like salted roasted lotus seeds, rice cooked with lotus, sweet lotus dessert, and fresh lotus seeds.

“When I was growing only rice and lotus, my income was quite good, but when I started the tourism business, it definitely improved,” he said. “Last year, visitors from HCM City, Đồng Nai Province and even the central and northern regions came here.”

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Over a period of four years, his business expanded by four-fold.

The Đồng Sen ecotourism zone has now expanded to 11ha, with tourism services the main source of income for local farmers taking part in the model, according to local authorities.

In the first half of 2017, the zone welcomed more than 36,000 local and international visitors and grossed more than VNĐ2.1 billion (US$92,000).

Though the province has encouraged more farmers to join the ecotourism model, not everyone has the skills needed to offer good services or the finances to invest in infrastructure.

Trần Văn Kịch, who has a 4.5ha area of lotus flowers only a 20-minute riverboat ride away from Hơn’s farm, has decided to breed fish on his lotus farm to increase income.

But unlike the lotus–ecotourism model in which the lotus output is bought by tourists, farmers like Kịch who rely on selling lotus seeds are worried about the price fluctuations of lotus.

“I’m not sure if I can sell lotus flowers at good prices this year,” he said. 

As he only sells fresh lotus seeds, he has to rely on prices offered by traders who visit his farm to buy lotus seeds and flowers directly from him.

Sometimes traders are willing to pay VNĐ12,000 per kilogramme, but later change their minds to VNĐ10,000 or even VNĐ8,000 after the lotus is picked, saying the plants are not “beautiful”, according to Kịch. 

Farmers have to sell the lotus plants soon after they picked, he said, because they could lose freshness if they are stored overnight.

“Unstable prices discourage farmers,” he said. “Besides, it’s not easy to find lotus pickers since many of them have moved to other places to work in factories or at construction sites.”

When asked why he still grows lotus even though many neighbours have stopped, he said: “My first thought was that I am doing this for the environment.”

Lotus leaves can also be a good source of organic fertiliser, he said. 

“After harvesting lotus and preparing for the next rice crop, I only need to use half of the fertiliser volume compared to other rice fields,” he added. 

The income from selling fish also helps him cover the expenses of growing lotus.

READ MORE - VIET NAM NEWS

Thailand - Bay Regatta returns to Phang Nga Bay

The 21st Bay Regatta will be held from January 31 to February 4, 2018 in and around the waters of beautiful Phang Nga Bay

The Bay Regatta is often referred to as ‘Asia’s fun regatta’, attracting both serious racing yachts and casual cruisers out to enjoy the picturesque maritime scenery. The hallmark of this popular sailing event is its fun-filled and welcoming atmosphere. 

The 21^st Bay Regatta features four days of sailing, from January 31 to February 4, with the start and finish in Phuket and the route making its way across the three provinces of Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi. Over 40 sailing yachts and some 250 competitors are set to take part.

This regatta offers a different sailing experience to the famous Phuket King’s Cup Regatta that takes place in December, as the race fleet spends each evening in a new anchorage and parties are held at nearby resorts. 

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 The competition starts on January 31 with registration and the regatta’s opening party at Chandara Resort & Spa overlooking Ao Po on Phuket’s northeast coast. The first day of racing will see the fleet head north from Ao Po Beach Bay to the top of Phang Nga Bay, with day two then travelling past the islands of Ko Pak Bia and east to Krabi. Day three’s racing is around Ko Dam before concluding at Ao Nang Beach, with a party that evening at the luxury resort The Shell Sea Krabi. Day four sees an early start from Ao Nang Beach for a final race around the islands, to be followed by the regatta’s closing party at Kan Eang II restaurant on Ao Chalong Beach complete with buffet dinner, live music and presentation of prizes.  

 The 21^st Bay Regatta fleet features six classes of yacht – ‘Racing’ including a number of new entries this year; ‘Bareboat Charter’; two ‘Cruising’ divisions; and ‘Multihull’ racing and cruising divisions in which current King’s Cup Regatta champions Henry Kaye’s Thor and John Newnham’s Twin Sharks will renew their battle from 2017.

Source - TheNation

 

Smoking to be stubbed out on Thai beaches

Smokers who flout a smoking ban on 20 of Thailand's most famous tourist beaches will face a $3,000 fine or up to a year in prison, Thai authorities have said.      

The ban, which comes into force in November, follows a clean-up of nearly 140,000 cigarette butts from a 2.5 kilometre (1.5 mile) stretch of the famed Patong beach in Phuket island province.

    Its introduction coincides with Thailand's peak tourist season and will be enforced in visitor hotspots including Krabi, Koh Samui, Pattaya, Phuket and Phang Nga.

    "These beaches are among the most beautiful in Southeast Asia, and the aim is to keep them that way," Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said in a statement on Monday.

    Smokers will have to use designated areas with proper waste disposal for cigarette butts, he added.

    Those caught lighting up on the beach could face jail or a 100,000 baht ($3,000) fine, according to TAT. 

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    The edict is the latest effort to rein in Thailand's free-wheeling tourism industry. 

    The sector is a crucial pillar of Thailand's economy, catering to more than 30 million travellers per year.

    But the huge numbers of arrivals have also threatened to spoil some of the kingdom's idyllic beaches, with litter and unchecked development damaging local ecosystems.

    Thailand is also trying to crack down on lax safety standards that riddle the tourism industry, after waves of complaints that visitors are overcharged or not adequately protected on boats and jet-skis.

                  

Travelers’ Choice Destinations on the Rise in 2018

Savvy, curious travelers who understand that Japan is more than just Tokyo have had Ishigaki, Japan on their travel radar, as the island has emerged the top trending spot in the 2018 edition of TripAdvisor’s annual Travelers’ Choice Destinations on the Rise ranking.

A stark contrast to the fast-paced, technologically-advanced society of fluorescent-lit Tokyo, Ishigaki is located in Japan’s southwestern Okinawa Prefecture, and is growing increasingly popular as a tourist destination for tired urbanites who can snorkel, dive, surf and soak along its beaches.

The area is also known for its colorful coral reefs, bright blue ocean waters, sugarcane fields, lush mountainside and mangroves.

Destinations on TripAdvisor’s annual list of top rising places are often lesser-known, emerging destinations set on the fringes of the mainstream tourist radar.

Winners are selected by measuring year-over-year increases in positive traveler review ratings. Winners have also experienced an increase in search traffic and booking interest.

Rounding out the top five spots on the list are Kapaa, Hawaii; Nairobi, Kenya; Halifax, Canada; and Gdansk, Poland.

Kapaa, Hawaii is also the top rising United States destination of 2018.

“The Travelers’ Choice Destinations on the Rise award winners are a great source of inspiration for travelers interested in going somewhere exciting that’s emerging in popularity,” said Brooke Ferencsik, senior director of communications for TripAdvisor in a statement.

“These winners were based on destination feedback and interest from the TripAdvisor community, and a common thread is that they all have outstanding accommodations, wonderful restaurants and exceptional attractions for every travel budget,” the TripAdvisor official added.

Here are the Travelers’ Choice Destinations on the Rise:

1. Ishigaki, Japan
2. Kapaa, Hawaii
3. Nairobi, Kenya
4. Halifax, Canada
5. Gdansk, Poland
6. San Jose, Costa Rica
7. Riga, Latvia
8. Rovinj, Croatia
9. Nerja, Spain

10. Boycott by our company

#Indonesia - Bali welcomes more American tourists

A path leading to the top of a lush, green hill in Ubud, Bali.

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 The number of American tourists arriving in Bali is said to have increased by 18.39 percent year-on-year (yoy) to 164,338 visitors between January and October 2017.

“Most of these US citizens entered through Ngurah Rai International Airport using direct flights; only 3,130 people came via cruise ship,” said Bali Central Statistics Agency (BPS) statistics distribution department head I Gede Nyoman Subadri in Denpasar on Sunday as quoted by Antara news agency.

Based on the number, the US ranked sixth among the top 10 countries that contributed the largest number of tourists to Bali, behind China, Australia, Japan, India and United Kingdom.

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Subadri said the US contributed up to 3.27 percent of the total foreign tourists to Bali, which reached 5.02 million during the January-October period. The figure represented a 23.30 percent increase from last year, which means the Island of the Gods welcomed an additional 948,917 foreign visitors this year.

“More Americans traveled to Bali after former US president Barack Obama and his family vacationed here for five days back in June,” Subadri said.

During their vacation, the Obamas visited several tourist attractions on the island, such as the Ubud arts village, Jati Luwih in Tabanan regency and Tirta Empul in Tampaksiring village, Gianyar regency.

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Saigon's ‘floating temple’

Like many other spiritual sites in this city, the year-end is the time when this floating temple is at its busiest.    

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It was built over 300 years ago with a touch of Chinese influence.

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This temple in Ho Chi Minh City covers an entire islet on Vam Thuat River in Go Vap District, making it look as if it were floating. The temple was originally known as Phu Chau, but nowadays people call it the Floating Temple.

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Legend has it that a fisherman found the body of a dead woman in the river back in the 18th century so he decided to bury her on the islet and build a temple to worship her. From that moment on, his life became much better. Locals have continued his work to expand and upgrade the temple to what it is now.

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At the beginning of the year, people come to pray for luck and peace, and to express their gratitude to the five goddesses they call “the Five Mothers”.

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Source - VN Express

Indonesia eyes China's Macao, Hong Kong markets to boost tourism

Indonesia has planned to hold events to sell tour packages in China's Macao and Hong Kong on Dec 12 and Dec 14 respectively, aimed at further tapping significant potentialities from the two markets, a senior official of the country's Tourism Ministry said.

Deputy Minister for International Marketing Development at the ministry Gde Pitana said the ministry would send 11 sellers from Bali, Surabaya, Lombok, Jakarta, Sabang, North Sulawesi, Papua and Riau Isles in the two events.

Most of Indonesian sellers would highlight marine and undersea tours with several tour packages in Indonesia's prominent diving and snorkeling spots.

Besides Bali, tour packages to be offered for potential tourists in Macao and Hong Kong among others were Bunaken, Raja Amat, Mansuar Island, Mike's Point and Manta's point, would be offered in the two events.

"Indonesia has plenty of beautiful undersea spots for diving and snorkeling. Indonesia had just earned The Best Dive Destination award in the recent World Travel Market event in London last month," Pitana said recently.

He said the upcoming sales mission events held in Macao's Royal Hotel and Hong Kong's Kimberly Hotel were highly expected to successfully tap the momentum prior to year-end vacation this year.

Indonesia's upcoming tour package sales events were particularly expected to attract more tourists from the Chinese mainland to visit Indonesia via Hong Kong.

Source - China Daily

#Thailand, Phuket - Join Asia’s top marathon festival.

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An international running event with a carnival atmosphere

The Phukethon is being billed as Asia’s major international marathon festival, being held for the first time ever in Thailand and welcoming runners from around the world. The event will have a range of international marathon running distances - 42.195 km, 21.1 km, 10 km, with courses certified by the Athletic Association of Thailand (AAT), Asian Athletics Association (AAA), and International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). The event is being held at Phuket’s Saphan Hin.

On top of the main running events, there will also be the Runtainment program; such as Jelly Beach Run 5 km, and Fun Run – Colour Fun Run and Running Expo with more than 80 international sports brands, music concerts and food festivals in the concept of a Fishermen’s Village, all gathered together in Phuket. The event will run for three consecutive days from December 8-10 at the Saphan Hin Park, a seaside park with a long history and a symbol of Phuket Island.

For further information and registration, contact 

http://www.phukethon.com/what-is-phukethon-en/

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#Thailand - Discovering the Royal Projects

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                             Dr Weerachai Nanakorn will lead a Siam Society study trip to the Royal Projects at Doi Ang Khang and Huai Hong Khrai as well as the small Chiang Mai village of Mae Kampong from January 5 to 7.

The Royal Agricultural Station Ang Khang is located in Fang district and is spread over some 2,000 rai. Within the station compound are nine villages inhabited by four different minority groups – Thai Yai, Black Lahu, Palong and Chinese Yunnanese.

The station is designed for conducting experiments on possible temperate plants to be grown in Thailand as cash substitutes for opium poppy. In 1969, His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej gave his private funds to establish the Royal Project Foundation under the directorship of HSH Bhisadej Rajani as the Chairman of Royal Project. The station mainly researches the temperate fruit, exotic flowers and vegetables that can be cultivated to provide a sustainable form of income for the hilltribes. 

Today, almost 50 years on, the valley is a thriving tourist attraction, replete with beautiful gardens and fruit orchards. The project produces a wide variety of temperate fruits including Chinese peaches, Chinese pears, persimmon, plums, grapes, apricots, strawberries, passion fruit, figs, kiwi fruit and pomegranates.
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Huai Hong Khrai Royal Development Study Centre is located in Doi Saket District and was established in 1982 under King Bhumibol’s initiative and driven largely as a result of drought and forest fires caused by extensive forest destruction and poaching. The centre is located in the Pa Khun Mae Kuang National Park, a mountainous and forested region that is heavily degraded where the study centre is located. Studies at the centre encompass watershed development as an appropriate model with forest areas designated for planting three types of forest with four applications: economic crops, fruit trees and firewood, soil conservation and watershed area to engender moisture and recover the degraded area.

The beautiful village of Mae Kampong in Mae On district has long been a source of enjoyment and inspiration to not only the locals that happily reside there, but also to fortunate visitors from around the world. Located just a short distance from the city of Chiang Mai – visitors to Mae Kampong will instantly feel they have stepped back in time, with traditional teak houses dotting the nearby mountains.

Source - The Nation

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#Thailand - Ko Phi Phi’s Maya Bay ranked 11th best beach in the world.

Phi Phi’s Maya Bay still ranks high among the world’s most beautiful beaches

Although nowadays Maya Beach is hardly considered remote, far from it, it does still rank high among the world’s best beaches, according to a listing of the World’s 50 Best Beaches compiled by FlightNetwork.

The agency consulted more than 600 of the world’s top travel journalists, editors, bloggers and agencies — the people who do this for a living — to gain insight from their opinions and expertise. 

By asking the top travel professionals, FlightNetwork has created the most trustworthy and accurate list out there to inspire travelers and help choose their upcoming winter holiday destinations.

According to the report Maya Beach “will make visitors feel as though they are on the set of a film, sheltered on silky white sands and surrounded by unbelievably memorizing green cliffs and vividly colorful coral. No wonder this has been the setting for many films and attracts thousands of tourists every day. 

Travelers can experience these beautiful and exciting surroundings by taking a private boat trip, snorkeling in aquamarine waters, or stretching out on pillow-like sand while they work on their tan in the usual 10 hours of sunshine a day. 

With an average day at a warm 29°C and water that welcomes you at 27°C, Maya Beach in Koh Phi Phi Le in Thailand is said to be one of the most stunning and accessible islands in the world.”

Source - TheNation

#Malaysian hotel industry in the spotlight over no-headscarf uniform policy

This combination of photographs shows Muslim girls wearing the "hijab" dressed as popular cosplay characters during the "Hijab Cosplay" event in Subang Jaya, outside of Kuala Lumpur.

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 The hotel industry here is under the spotlight over complaints that some female employees are not allowed to wear headscarves while at work.

The Union Network International-Malaysia Labour Centre (UNI-MLC) said in a statement on Monday (Nov 6) that it has received numerous complaints from female hotel employees saying that their management does not allow them to wear a headscarf at work. 

UNI-MLC said students in hospitality and tourism courses have also been instructed to remove their headscarves before going on internships or the company would not hire them.

As a result, some employees have no choice but to remove their headscarf during work before putting it back on after work.

“This policy is practiced in international hotel chains that use the same standard operating procedure on uniforms in all the hotels in their chain globally,” its chairman Samuel Cheah Swee Hee said.

He added that there are many other employment opportunities for Muslim employees including working in the backhouse or choosing to work with one of the many hotels that incorporate the headscarf in its uniform.

"The problem is everyone wants to join the 5-star global hotel brand, but they do not want to follow the uniform policy that is their worldwide standard," he said.

However, the International Women’s Alliance for Family Institution and Quality Education (Wafiq) sees the ban as discriminatory and unnecessary, questioning the need for such restrictions in Muslim-majority Malaysia.

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Wafiq secretary Hazlin Chong said the local owners of these international hotel chains have a responsibility to raise the issue to its headquarters and ask for flexibility that allows staff to fulfill both religious and work requirements.

“Wafiq does not see wearing the hijab as a deterrence to any Muslim woman to perform her best at work any more than a person who does not wear the headscarf,” Chong said in a statement, calling the move “religious discrimination”.

UNI-MLC has urged the Human Resources Ministry to address this issue and come up with a guideline to avoid any form of discrimination amongst women in the hotel industry.

"By not allowing female Muslim staff to wear headscarves to work, not only does this deny them of their rights to practice their religion freely but also limit them from pursuing a career of their choice," said UNI-MLC president Datuk Mohamed Shafie BP Mammal.

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Source - TheJakartaPost

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