Lush lotus flowers in Northern Thai province draw tourists

Lush pink lotus flowers in one northern Thai province are drawing tourists. Bueng Boraphet, a lake and swamp in Nakhon Sawan province, currently has lotuses covering an area of over 100 rai.

A staffer at the Bueng Boraphet Wildlife Sanctuary Office said the lotuses have been blooming since early this month. The staffer said the lotuses are expected to bloom throughout swamps in early December. Bueng Boraphet is the largest freshwater swamp and lake in Thailand.

Flower lovers can hire a private boat operator to see the lotuses up close. Prices start from 600 baht per hour for a 12-seater boat.

Those interested in getting a view of the stunning lotuses can call the Bueng Boraphet Wildlife Sanctuary Office via at 056-009-717.

Nakhon Sawan isn’t the only northern Thai province where flowers are blooming. Seasonal golden flowers in Mae Hong Son province also have tourists flocking. The provincial tourism office chief said that hotels and resorts are reporting up to 75% occupancy. This, he said, is a much higher occupancy rate than the rates seen during other times of the year.

Tourists are flocking to the Khun Yuam district to gaze at the scenic Dok Bua Tong flowers, also known as Mexican sunflowers.

With cool winter weather, this is a good time to camp and go outside in Mae Hong Son and other northern Thai provinces. Last week, the glorious view of one mountain in Thailand’s iconic northern province of Chiang Mai drew hundreds of tourists.

If you’re thinking of visiting northern Thailand, Nakhon Sawan’s lotuses, Mae Hong Son’s golden flowers, and views in Chiang Mai are beautiful sites to see.

Source - The Thaiger

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Thousands STRANDED as Jetstar cancels flights

Jetstar is desperately working to get its planes back in the air after engineering issues forced the company to ground almost half of its fleet, leaving thousands of Australians stranded overseas.
The budget airline confirmed that, by the end of Tuesday, four of its 11 long haul Boeing 787 Dreamliners would be grounded to undergo emergency repairs.

One plane will return to service later this week with two more 787s to take to the skies next week, leaving only one plane out of operation.

A Jetstar spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia the fleet had been impacted by ‘a number of issues’, including a lightning strike, a collision with a bird, damage from an item on the runway and issues sourcing a part from the US.

‘The team is working hard to return these aircraft to service as quickly as possible however, safety remains our first priority,’ they said.

It’s understood more than 4,000 passengers have spent extra time in Bali after seeing their return flights with Jetstar either cancelled or delayed.  For the latest stories follow Bangkok Jack News on Twitter.

Some of those passengers were forced to wait up to five days to be put on another flight while others paid thousands of dollars to travel home with a different airline.

One woman from Melbourne, Meagan Mulder, said she, her husband and their two kids had a seven-hour delay in getting home, but the situation was much worse for the friends they’d travelled with around the Indonesian country.

‘We had 12 friends who were on the midnight flight (on Sunday) night, they had their flight cancelled, they can’t get another flight anywhere for seven people until Friday this week, so they’ve had to get more accommodation and everything,’ she told NCA Newswire.

Other friends she knew ended up spending $10,000 to fly via Kuala Lumpur with another airline.

Similar issues have been seen in Thailand with one woman from Brisbane due to fly home with her husband and two kids from Phuket on Saturday night only to find out their flight had been cancelled.

The family was told the next available flight was on September 12 – nine days after their original return trip, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

For those stranded overseas, passengers will be given $150 per hotel room by Jetstar and $30 per person for food.

‘Our teams are working hard to get passengers on their way as soon as possible – we are putting on five special services to bring people home and booking seats on Qantas flights also,’ a Jetstar spokesperson said.

Flight credits or refunds have also been offered.

Source - BangkokJack

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Travel from Europe to Bangkok by TRAIN

The construction of a new train line in Laos means that it is now possible to travel from Portugal to Bangkok and on to Singapore by train.
The route is thought to be the longest train journey in the world spanning some 18,755km and would take an estimated 21 days to complete the journey.

Travelling from Lagos in southern Portugal to Singapore, the journey requires a number of changes to hop on and hop off trains in cities such as Paris, Moscow, Beijing, Vientiane, Bangkok, Hua Hin, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Prior to the opening of the new train line in Laos, the route would have ended in Vietnam, before passengers would need to catch a connecting bus to Saigon and onto Cambodia and Vietnam.

However, as of 2nd December 2021, Laos’ new high speed rail network that connects Kunming in China to the capital Vientiane means that it is now possible to continue on to Bangkok and south to Hua Hin before continuing on to Padang Besar in Malaysia and finally, Singapore.

The whole trip would take in 13 different countries, according to rail expert Mark Smith from the train travel booking website Seat 61 who first publicised the epic trip.

There would of course be a few overnight stops required to allow for immigration and visa processing, as well as some short hops across cities to different train stations.

Currently two of the longest sections of the route – Paris to Moscow and Moscow to Beijing – are not operating due to the pandemic.

But if you are looking for a once in a life time experience, and particularly if you enjoy train travel, this could be the perfect trip and something worth trying as and when COVID-19 travel restrictions are eased. – Hua Hin Today

Source - BangkokJack

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Tourist faces huge bill, separation from family after testing positive on arrival in Thailand

A tourist has revealed his anguish at the possibility of being hit with a large bill after falling foul of Thailand’s test on arrival policy.

The tourist, named only as Kirovs, told blogger Richard Barrow how he had arrived in Thailand on Nov 7.

Kirovs tested positive on arrival in Thailand and was sent to hospital, where he will have to stay for at least 10 days, despite not having any symptoms.

His family - wife and two children - were sent to hotel quarantine and are due to take another test on day 3 or 4. If they test negative they may be able to continue on their holiday without him.

Kirovs estimates he may have to pay 350,000 Baht towards hospital and quarantine fees if his insurance provider won’t cover it.

“I knew that I was taking a gamble when I chose to buy plane tickets as soon as the Thailand reopening was announced,” Kirovs told Richard.

“We lost that bet.”

Richard Barrow also highlighted the plight of a man named James who found himself in an equally unfortunate situation after arriving in Thailand.

Despite himself testing negative, James shared a car from the airport with someone who tested positive, which for James meant he also had to go to hotel quarantine.

James said he was travelling to Thailand to be reunited with his wife. He was travelling with his friend who was visiting his girlfriend. It was his friend who tested positive.

“Upon arriving at the hotel, we both were tested at 2:30 p.m. and sent to our separate rooms. At midnight we both received a message, James said.

“His said that he had tested positive and will be transferred to hospital, and mine said that mine is negative, but I’d need to stay in quarantine for 14 days”.

James said both he and his friend were not showing any symptoms.

While the chances of testing positive on arrival in Thailand are small, it is perhaps a risk simply not worth taking for some tourists.

To date, approximately 25,000 tourists have entered Thailand since the country reopened to tourists on Nov 1.

Only 26 tourists have tested positive.

However, the issue is compounded by the fact that there is next to no official information about the risks of travelling to Thailand and testing positive on arrival.

Despite the myriad of infographics, Facebook posts and tweets from the Tourism Authority of Thailand and other related agencies on the requirements for foreigners to enter Thailand, there is very little about what a positive test on arrival could mean for foreigners, especially those travelling in groups, as a family or with young children.

Information regarding the impact of a positive test on arrival could (and should) be clearly publicised on the Thailand Pass website, which foreigners are required to upload documents to prior to travelling to Thailand.

Foreigners should also be urged to check with their insurance companies if their policy covers them for quarantine and other expenses in the event of a positive test.

Source - ASIAN NOW

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Tourists looking to enter Thailand past November 1 still told to book quarantine accommodations

Foreign travellers looking to enter Thailand after November 1 are still being told by overseas Thai embassies to book quarantine accomodations, multiple sources told Thai Enquirer this week, despite statements by the government saying that the country was partially opening up.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha said earlier this month in a nationally televised address that Thailand will open its doors to vaccinated travelers from a list of ten “safe” countries starting November 1.

The prime minister said that it was time for the country to gradually reopen in accordance with his government’s plans. Prayut said that the decision was made with the economy in mind even though Covid-related repercussions were likely.

The United States, the United Kingdom, China, Singapore, and Germany were among the countries mentioned by Prayut as being on the list. He said more countries would be announced within days but so far no more additions to the lists have been revealed.

According to multiple travelers looking to enter the kingdom, Thai embassies overseas have told visa applicants that they have received no instructions from the foreign ministry in Bangkok about the lifting of restrictions for vaccinated travellers.

“The embassy told us we will still need a certificate of entry and still need to book quarantine accomodations,” said one foreign traveller looking to enter Thailand from the United States.

Another tourist shared a email from the London embassy which reads:

“We have not been officially advised regarding November yet. If you are planning to travel to Thailand soon, you may prepare as if you are going into a quarantine hotel.”

The tourist said he was unable to obtain a visa without booking accomodations.

Queries to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were not immediately answered. It is unclear why a key communication delivered by the prime minister to the nation was not forwarded to foreign mission overseas.

Source - Thai Enquirer

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#Vietnam - Once a barrier against invaders, now a beautiful valley

Chi Lang Passage in Lang Son Province used to be a strategic bulwark for Vietnam and now boasts tourist attractions.

Chi Lang Passage is a narrow valley between the Bao Dai mountain range in the east and the Cai Kinh range in the west in the northern province. The mountains form two natural barriers. 

Running zigzag along the valley is the Thuong River. Historical accounts show the valley was once regarded as an impenetrable barrier that keep out invaders from the north. King Le Dai Hanh (941-1005) once said the area helped destroy enemies no matter how large and powerful their armies were.

From Hanoi, you can follow National Highway 1A to get to the place. It stretches for around 20 km, with the main sights being Chi Lang and Quang Lang communes in Chi Lang District, Lang Son Province.

 Bai Hao Lake, one of the sights in Chi Lang, is surrounded by undulating mountains.

The Chi Lang Temple is currently being built by the lake as a spiritual and cultural complex to cherish the historical values of Chi Lang.

 The train runs through Bac Thuy Bridge in Chi Lang District on the Hanoi - Dong Dang (Lang Son Province) route. 

The train also connects with Dong Mo and Ban Thi stations in Chi Lang District.

 About 30 km from the center of Chi Lang District is Khau Sao hill (Khau Slao), a popular destination for visitors. Situated in Suoi Ma A Village, Huu Kien Commune, it is dubbed the ‘Green steppe of Lang Son’.

The hill is 760 meters high and its terrain makes it a strenuous climb. Locals allow their horses and cattle to graze there. There are more than 1,700 horses being raised here, of which nearly 700 are pure white.

 The Tay and Nung ethnic minorities here mainly make a living by raising horses. The abundant grass, clean water and salubrious climate help the horses breed rapidly.

The animals are left completely free. In the morning people bring their horses to the hill and leave them there until afternoon when they are taken to each family’s private area to drink water.

Custard apples are another Chi Lang specialty. They are grown throughout Chi Lang and the trees are ubiquitous along National Highway 1A.

One of the most famous places where the fruit is grown in Chi Lang is Dong Banh rock mountain, which is about 200 m tall. The harvest is transported in baskets by pulley from the top to the foot of the hill.

he custard apples are then delivered over a bamboo bridge by farmers to Dong Banh Market next to National Highway 1A. A lot of them are also sent to markets elsewhere including in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

On Sunday the third Chi Lang custard apple festival took place with many promotional activities and tips on growing the fruit. There were competitions between farmers to see who grew the best custard apples.

Source - VN Express

Crossing Siberia, from Moscow to Mongolia

In 1891, Nicholas II made a grand voyage across what was then the Russian Empire on what was called The Tsar’s Train. The potentate ventured from the imperial capital of Saint Petersburg to Vladivostok, on the frozen rim of Siberia, more than 9,000 kilometers away.

The same route, now known as the Trans-Siberia Railroad, exists today, with branch lines that allow journeys to destinations as far as China and Mongolia.

All aboard

Unlike Tsar Nicholas II, I would begin by voyage in Moscow, where I landed at Domodedovo Airport in October. First pro tip: Dress warmly: the temperature was about -3 degrees! Used to tropical weather, I was chilled, wearing only a thin jacket, winter hat and hand-knit gloves.

Two months before leaving for Russia, I had purchased my tickets, spending US$285 for an 87-hour passage from Moscow to Irkutsk on the Trans-Siberia Railway and $200 for the 22-hour journey from Irkutsk to Ulaanbaatar, the Mongolian capital. Purchase can also be made in Moscow, or via websites such as russianrail.com or expresstorussia.com, which will deliver tickets to your hotel.

Before departing, I stopped at a supermarket. Three days on a train traveling second class meant I had to lay in a supply of food and sundries, such as instant noodles, flip flops for the shower and five cans of beer. (Second pro tip: Russian Rail officers say that you can’t bring more than five cans on the train.

 

 

 I was at Moscow Yaroslavskaya Station, which forms a rail terminus shared with Kazansky and Leningradsky Stations, about three hours before departure, as suggested. Each car of my train had from six to nine (quite clean) passenger compartments, a toilet/shower room and an officer space. 

 In my second-class compartment, towels, blankets, mattresses and pillows were neatly stacked. There was ample space for four to sleep, two on upper berths, which folded away during the daytime, and two on lower berths. We left Moscow just before midnight, starting my Siberian adventure.

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#Indonesia - Kei Islands still a hidden gem waiting to be explored

Kei Islands in the southeastern part of Maluku are reportedly attracting more and more tourists.

Home to Kei Kecil and Kei Besar islands, they can be reached by air via Karel Satsuitubun International Airport, which is located in Langgur district. Travelers can access the airport by hopping on a plane from Jakarta to Ambon, the fare starts from Rp 2.5 million (US$187).

In terms of accommodation, both islands have three-star hotels with starting rates of of Rp 400,000 per night. Affordable homestays are also available.

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When on the islands, visitors can opt to stroll the soft, white sand on the beach or snorkel deep into the Banda Sea. They can also travel to Tanimbar Kei Island, which is only one hour away from Kei Besar Island, and explore a village where the majority of residents are Hindu.

Those planning to visit Kei Islands are recommended to go during Meti Kei from Oct. 22 to 23.

“Meti Kei is a phenomenon where the seawater recedes up to 6 kilometers,” Roy Rahajaan, the Southeast Maluku Tourism Agency, told kompas.com, adding that travelers can reach the other islands by foot during this period instead of using a boat.

Dubbed “the most popular hidden gem in Indonesia” by the Tourism Ministry in 2016, Kei Islands are still less known compared with other similar destinations, such as Raja Ampat and Wakatobi. Only 300 travelers reportedly visited the place in 2016 -- which is an increase compared to 2015 when it only welcomed 40 tourists.

 

Source - TheJakartaPost

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Bangkok, First look at Mangmoom Card

First look at Mangmoom Card, only all-in-one public transport card you’ll need

.No more fumbling for BTS, MRT and Airport Rail Link tickets. The Ministry of Transport has released the first look of the Mangmoom Card, the versatile ticketing system that works on several public transportation systems..
Just when we thought the news about Mangmoom Card from eight months ago was all a dream, the officials said they are testing the new system and preparing to launch the card by the end of the year, Chaiwat Thongkamkoon, Director of Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning, told Channel 3 News..
Introduced under the name "mangmoom” card or "spider” card in English, the universal ticket can be used as payment for several public transportation systems including the BTS, MRT and Airport Rail Link..
Why mangmoom? Just like spiders that spin webs that reach everywhere, this ticket can be used to travel anywhere.

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 Chaiwat said the office has also prepared 200,000 cards to give away to citizens as a trial. While information about how you can register for a free card is not yet available, Chaiwat said officials will select people who use the trains regularly..
The Mangmoom Card, whose release date has been pushed back from August, can also be used at the MRT Purple Line, which will open on August 12..
In the future, officials will develop the system further so that holders can use the card to pay for the fares on buses, boats, expressways, and even government services.

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Source: Coconuts

Rayavadee Hotel, Railay Beach #Krabi

 Luxurious beachfront accommodation along Krabi's Andaman Coast is provided at the 5-star Rayavadee, just next to Krabi Marine National Park. It has a full-service spa, 4 dining options and an outdoor pool.

 Surrounded on all sides by tropical gardens and beaches, Rayavadee features free-standing 2-storey pavilions and beachfront pool villas.
Each room has a terrace, a flat-screen TV and a minibar.

 Via speedboat, Rayavadee is a 25-minute journey from Bamboo Island and a 35-minute journey from Phi Phi Island. It is less than 2 hours’ driving from Phuket International Airport.

 Guests can enjoy the resort’s natural setting, which is home to wildlife like monkeys and exotic birds. Massages, facial and body treatments are available at The Rayavadee Spa. Designer items and souvenirs are available at Rayavadee Boutique.

 Fresh lobster and Western dishes are served at the Raya Dining Restaurant, while Krua Phranang offers traditional Thai fare. 

 Raitalay Terrace features international dishes and views of Railay Beach.

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Football fans ready for historic match, #Thailand

The fans of Thailand's national football team are ready for the Asian Qualifier game against Iraq.

Both teams are vying to qualify for the World Cup. A large number of Thai fans were seen at Rajamangala National Stadium, starting from late 4pm, preparing for the match which starts at 7pm.

The Iraqi team is now ranked the 82nd in the FIFA rankings, while Thailand is at the 137th.

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We help you with your ‪#‎Bookings 
BOOK NOW SIMPLE CLICK ON THIS LINK ON OR THE BANNER
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