Showing posts with label Wildlife. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wildlife. Show all posts

Thursday 17 November 2022

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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Saturday 18 December 2021

Heading to Maya Bay? You won’t be allowed in the water


 Tourists will not be allowed to play in the seawater in Maya Bay in Krabi’s Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park as it would affect blacktip reef sharks and coral reefs, Marine biologist Dr Thon Thamrongnawasawat announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday.
His post came after an official decision that the crescent-shaped Maya Bay – which became famous after it was featured in the 2000 Hollywood blockbuster “The Beach” – would be reopened from January 1. The beach has been closed to tourists since June 2018.

Thon said three proposals have been approved by provincial government agencies:

1. Boats carrying no more than 375 people will park at the pier located behind Maya Bay which is being constructed.

2. Tourists must make a reservation in advance to enter Maya Bay, while the number of boat trips depends on a decision by the national park.

3. Tourists will not be allowed to play in the Maya Bay seawater as the beach is considered a nursery for blacktip reef sharks, while coral reefs in the area are recovering.

“I would like to emphasise that the reopening of Maya Bay will not affect the coral reefs and creatures in the area,” Thon wrote.

He thanked the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation and Natural Resources as well as Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa for “taking good care of the environment”, which is considered a national treasure. – The Nation

Source  - BangkokJack

 

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Tuesday 12 May 2020

This Virtual Vacation to Australia Has an Itinerary Packed With Free Activities


I don't know about you, but I'd go for just about any vacation right now. Send me on a trip to middle-of-nowhere Indiana and I'd be jumping for joy (I can say that because I'm Midwestern, OK!?). But the whole travel thing is a no-go for the indefinite future, so we've gotta come up with creative ways to satisfy our wanderlust.

The solution? A virtual vacation to Australia. The country's tourism board is hosting a streamed travel activation, dubbed Live from Aus, for an entire weekend, kicking off Friday, May 15, at 5pm EST. Workout with Chris Hemsworth's trainers in Byron Bay, get up close and personal with crocs, and let your kids dance it out with The Wiggles, among other activities.

The itinerary also includes front row seats for the Penguin Parade -- which is exactly what it sounds like -- on Phillip Island and an underwater tour of the Great Barrier Reef. Because drinking and eating is unequivocally the best part about vacation (tell me I'm wrong), you'll learn how to throw an Aussie-style BBQ, hit up a dinner party with famed Chef Matt Moran, and experience a sommelier-led wine tasting.

The weekend-long event features free and live content every single hour on the hour and it's available to stream directly on the Tourism Australia's social media channels, including Facebook and YouTube. But if you've already got weekend plans (you shouldn't) the series will also be available on the Australia.com website afterwards.

Browse the full virtual itinerary and plan your days accordingly.
 

Source - Thrillist

Thursday 9 January 2020

Luxury #Cambodia getaways win worldwide deluxe resort awards


Cambodia used to have the unwanted reputation of a “land of conflict and sorrow”. But that has dramatically changed in recent years. The Kingdom is now known as the place where you can find dome of the best and most alluring luxury destinations in the world.

Last week, that new reputation was strengthened with reports that Shinta Mani Wild and Song Saa Private Island bagged more than a few recognitions in the Destination Deluxe Awards 2019.

The Destination Luxury Awards are the brainchild of Destination Deluxe, a travel and wellness publication that picks and recognizes the top hotels, spas, treatment, skincare and wellness brands in the world. This is the inaugural edition for the awards.

There are 28 categories for the awards. The winners are chosen by a group of distinguished industry experts based on quality, transparency and originality. There are three ranked winners for each category.

Song Saa Private Island is the top awardee in the Eco-Hotel of the Year category. Soneva Fushi in Maldives and Morgan’s Rock Hacienda & Ecolodge in Nicaragua are also on the list.

The Khmer Tonic Spa in Shinta Mani Wild is number one in the Eco-Spa of the Year category. The others in the list are Fivelements Retreat Bali in Indonesia and FieldSpa GoldenEye in Jamaica.

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Shinta Mani Wild itself is the runner-up in the New Hotel of the Year and Hotel Design of the Year awards.

The other winners in the New Hotel of the Year category are Rosewood Hong Kong in Hong Kong and Amarla Boutique Hotel in Colombia.

For the Hotel Design of the Year, the others on the list are Datai Langkawi in Malaysia and Joe Lalli Resort Hotel in China.

“It is both an honour and very humbling that Bensley Collection-Shinta Mani Wild has been the recipient of ten awards in its first year of operation and a tribute to the GM and his team for their dedication, commitment and hard work on a daily basis,” Bill Bensley, the world-renowned designer behind Shinta Mani Wild, said.

“Shinta Mani Wild has an important eco and sustainability message, especially with our Wildlife Alliance partnership and their daily patrols to protect the forest and its inhabitants. These awards also bring much-needed awareness to the work we do in this regard,” he added.

The two Cambodian luxury destinations have reaped numerous international awards between them in recent years.

Shinta Mani Wild, which sits on 160 hectares of land between the Cardamon, Bokor and Kirirom national parks, said that it “provides the highest level of luxury while also working to protect the environment around it”. It opened two years ago.

Last year, it was included in the National Geographic Traveller (UK) Big Sleep Awards 2019, Time magazine’s “100 Greatest Destinations on Earth”, Condé Nast Traveller (UK) Hot List 2019, Harper’s Bazaar Ultimate Travel Guide 2019 (UK) : 100 Greatest Experiences in The World, among other recognitions. Located in Preah Sihanouk province, Song Saa Private Island is an ultra-exclusive and luxury getaway said to be frequented by some of the richest and most famous people in the world.

Last month, Luxury Travel Intelligence named it as among the “top 10 best luxury hotels built this decade”.

Source - Khmer Times

Monday 18 November 2019

#Cambodia to ban elephant rides at Angkor temples


Cambodia will ban all elephant rides at the country's famed Angkor temple park by early next year, an official said Friday, a rare win for conservationists who have long decried the popular practice as cruel.

The Angkor archaeological complex in northern Siem Reap attracts the bulk of the kingdom's foreign tourists -- which topped six million in 2018 -- and many opt for elephants rides around the ancient temples.

But these rides "will end by the start of 2020", said Long Kosal, a spokesman with the Apsara Authority, which manages the park.

"Using elephants for business is not appropriate anymore," he told AFP, adding that some of the animals were "already old".
 
So far, five of the 14 working elephants have been transferred to a community forest about 40 kilometres (25 miles) away from the temples.

"They will live out their natural lives there," Kosal said.

The company that owns the elephants will continue to look after them, he added.

Cambodia has long come under fire from animal rights groups for ubiquitous elephant rides on offer for tourists, also seen in neighboring Thailand, Vietnam and Laos. 

The elephants are broken in during training and rights groups have accused handlers of overworking them.

In 2016, a female elephant died by the roadside after carrying tourists around the Angkor Wat temple complex in severely hot weather.

The animal had been working for around 45 minutes before she collapsed.

Source - TheJakartaPost

Monday 12 August 2019

Thailand’s Ang Thong National Marine Park, the ‘new’ Maya Bay


With Thailand’s Maya Bay in Koh Phi Phi Ley remains closed indefinitely to allow the tourist-magnet some much-needed time to recover, it’s time to look for another natural wonder.

One of Thailand’s astonishing natural wonders, not as well known as Maya Bay, is the Ang Thong National Marine Park, located about 40 kilometers north west of the coast of Koh Samui. Some would argue it’s even more spectacular and worthy of at least a full day visit. 

There are many tours available to the National Park.

The Ang Thong National Marine Park is made up of 42 islands spread over 102 square kilometers. Travelers will find beautiful beaches, limestone cliffs, caves, rock formations and countless photo opportunities. Enjoy some views from the air…
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It will take you about an hour to travel there from either the Surat Thani mainland or from Koh Samui by speedboat. There are slower ferry-style boat trips as well but you’ll lose a lot of time travelling there (usually for day trips) and the speedboats can get into much shallower waters.

Tours usually also squeeze in a visit to Koh Phaluai, the park’s biggest island, where there’s a popular  stilted restaurant in the island’s fishing village, serving a delicious seafood lunch.

Another popular island worth visiting is Koh Wua Talap, famed for wildlife spotting and what might just be the most beautiful viewpoint in the entire park.

FUN FACT: Though the 2000 movie “The Beach,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, was filmed in Koh Phi Phi’s Maya Bay in the Andaman Sea, the book by Alex Garland upon which the film was based was actually set in Ang Thong in the Gulf of Thailand.
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Source - The Thaiger 


Wednesday 15 May 2019

#Agoda reveals six exotic holiday destinations in Asia


Online travel booking platform Agoda revealed six exotic holiday destinations in the wild in Asia that provide guests individual and personal contact with nature.

The following nature escapes represent incomparable wildlife adventures just a short flight away. 

Slumber under the Bali sky

The Island of the Gods is famous for its natural beauty, picturesque beaches and magical sunsets. Enjoy a unique night under the stars accompanied by night animals in one of the transparent domes at the unconventional and minimalist Bubble Hotel Ubud. 

Get to know Malaysia´s homegrown species

Belum Temenggor rainforest in Perak, Malaysia, is one of the oldest of its kind in the world. Watch the wildlife or join activities such as jungle trekking, kayaking or camping in the wild. 

The area is home to some of the world´s most endangered animals, such as the Malayan tiger, Asiatic elephant or the white handed gibbon. The Belum Rainforest Resort offers the best view of the rainforest. 

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Swim with Miniloc Island´s marine life

The El Nido Resort on Miniloc Island, Philippines, is located in the middle of beautiful coves and sheer limestone cliffs. Apart from enjoying the Philippines’´ crystal clear water and vibrant marine life, the resort offers special activities such as guided sunrise and sunset hike tours, boat trips to the nearby lagoons and caves, as well as snorkeling excursions with the local fish.

If you’re lucky, you might see the massive talakitok, which weighs around 80 kilograms and measures 170 centimeters.
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Soar with Phuket's nature

Enjoy the natural view above the Phuket jungle of Thailand and spend your night in a Keemala Hotels villa, which was designed as a bird’s nest. 

The resort runs a strict “Anti Animal Exploitation Policy” and has rescued several animals onsite. It is home to goats, ducks, peacock and chickens, as well as a water buffalo rescued from Thai slaughterhouses.

Be a marine conservationist for a day

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If you are interested in the marine ecosystem, pay a visit to the Marine Ecology Research Center at Gayana Marine Resort in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.

As a learning and educational organization, it raises awareness on the increasing threats of marine life. Rehabilitation activities include replanting coral in the reef or getting close to sea creatures from seahorses to bamboo sharks.

Go off-grid with India's majestic predators

As one of the largest wildlife sanctuaries in Northern India, Ranthambore National Park is a popular attraction for wildlife admirers. The park’s highlight includes Royal Bengal Tigers, Indian leopards, nilgai, wild boars, striped hyenas, sloth bears and chitals.

At Obero Vanyavilas Ranthambhore Hotel, you can spend your nights in glamping tents and enjoy the natural bird life, including magpie robins, purple sun birds and oriental white eyes.

Source - TheJakartaPost 





Sunday 28 April 2019

#Cambodia - Royal Turtles return to the wild


The Royal Turtle, Cambodia’s National Reptile – per Royal Decree, is a critically endangered species.  A turn of twenty of them was released into Sre Ambel River in Preah Sihanouk Province on Friday, April 26 by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the Fisheries Administration.

The turtles’ release was made possible by the new EU-funded Counter Wildlife Trafficking Project, which is discharged by the WCS in partnership with the Wildlife Alliance, the Cambodian Rural Development Team and the Fisheries Administration.

The WCS commented, “This is the third Royal Turtle release since 2015, making a total of 66 turtles. Each turtle released today is 12 years old and weighs between 10 and 15 kilograms. They were cared for at the Koh Kong Reptile Conservation Centre after they hatched on the [banks of] Sre Ambel River.”

Eng Cheasan, Director General of the Fisheries Administration, led the action, which was attended by delegates from the EU, including George Edgar, the EU’s ambassador to Cambodia, and representatives from various government departments, local authorities, monks, villagers, teachers and students.
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Source - Khmer Times

Sunday 3 February 2019

Thai forest rangers train to tackle wildlife crime

This file photo shows forest rangers from Thailand together with Cambodian and Laos rangers holding two armed "poachers" during a mock raid in Khao Yai National Park, Nakhon Nayok province, as part of training to tackle wildlife rime.
 

Nakhon Nayok - Camo-clad rangers ambush a camp in a lush Thai national park, kicking away a machete and a firearm and pinning two suspected poachers to the ground -- part of a training exercise to counter a lucrative wildlife trade.

"Go!" team leader Kritkhajorn Tangon yells as the group tackles the actors, who had near them sambar deer antlers and a blade covered in fake blood.

Thailand's conservationists are struggling to stamp out the multibillion-dollar black market in animal parts, finding themselves outgunned by illegal hunters and outflanked by courts.

The country is a key transit point for smugglers moving on to Vietnam and China, two of the world's biggest markets for parts from endangered and protected species.
But efforts by its 14,000 rangers to take down illegal hunters and loggers are often stymied by a lack of resources and training, with about 15 rangers killed each year in deadly encounters.

Impunity also reigns for traffickers who are well connected politically and financially, dodging jail time when there is little iron-clad physical evidence to keep them behind bars.

Gathering evidence, protecting a crime scene and using forensic analysis were some of the skills developed by more than a dozen rangers who took part in the training week led by anti-trafficking group Freeland.
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Among the participants in the event at Khao Yai National Park, which culminated in Friday's mock scenario, were four officials from neighbouring Cambodia and Laos.

"Our investigation skills are still weak... when they (rangers) encounter these situations, they leave loopholes in the collection of evidence," Kritkhajorn told AFP.

"It could result in the suspect walking free."

Freeland has emphasised the need for material evidence as "it cannot be manipulated, whereas an eyewitness can retract his testimony", said country director Petcharat Sangchai, a retired police major-general.

- Transnational gangs -

The training, funded by the British embassy in Bangkok, comes the same week a Thai court dismissed charges against a suspected wildlife trafficking kingpin.

He was accused of smuggling $1 million worth of rhino horns to Thailand but the case unravelled when the sole eyewitness changed his testimony.

A successful conviction has to be handled "correctly from the forests to the courts", said Freeland's program director Tim Redford, adding that widespread wildlife poaching and smuggling involves transnational organised crime rings.

"These criminals are exploiting loopholes in the law, they are exploiting weakness of understanding in judges and prosecutors, and that's why they are winning," he said.

One case which left the Thai public incensed involved construction tycoon Premchai Karnasuta, who was arrested last February after rangers stumbled on his camp in a national park in Kanchanaburi province.

Animal carcasses -- including a rare black leopard -- and guns were found, but Premchai, one of Thailand's wealthiest moguls, denied he was poaching and was released on bail.

Investigation is pending and a court verdict is expected in March.

The tycoon's case was at the forefront of all the participants' minds on Friday as the clearest example of what the rich and powerful could get away with in Thailand.

"If you know who my boss is, you'll get shivers! My boss is Premchai!" shouted one of the "poachers" during the exercise, as the rangers laughed in a moment of levity.

Sourse - TheNation

Wednesday 23 January 2019

Investigation finds Thai wild tigers targeted by foreign professional gangs

Vietnamese poachers recorded their kills of wild tigers in Thailand

New findings from a three-month investigation have revealed that professional gangs were dispatched across Thailand’s borders to target the Kingdom’s wild tigers.


Freeland, a Bangkok-based international non-governmental organisation working in Asia on environmental conservation and human rights, on Tuesday congratulated Thai authorities for making this discovery and already arresting one of the gangs.

The investigation was initiated after the successful arrest of two Vietnamese men by Thai police in late October following a tip-off from a Thai driver-for-hire. 

The driver had been travelling between the west-central towns of Tak and Phitsanulok when he considered the baggage belonging to two foreign customers to be suspicious, so he called the police. 
 Thai police inspect the remains of a poached tiger

 They arrested the owners of the bag, took the suspects and the tiger remains to Nakhon Sawan police station, and inspected the suspects' belongings, including their phones.

Police then contacted Freeland for analytical assistance. 

The NGO’s forensics experts were dispatched to the scene and provided on-the-job training. 
Using Cellebrite digital forensics technology, police found evidence that the poachers, originating from Vietnam, had crossed Laos into Thailand for targeted hunting in the Kingdom's forests. 

The poachers documented their trips on their phones, including tiger kills.
Freeland believes the poachers were working on assignment from a Vietnamese criminal syndicate. 
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“We do not think this was the poachers’ first time in 
Thailand, and we have reason to believe they were planning to strike again,” said Sangchai, director of Freeland-Thailand.

Following the discovery of the gang and the poached tiger, Thai rangers were put on high alert. 
“This gang has been removed as a threat, but we should be aware that whoever employed them may dispatch more hunters to kill our country’s tigers,” said Petcharat, adding, “Police, rangers and the public must remain vigilant.”

Freeland is now trying to create an information exchange to suppress cross-border poaching and trafficking, which it believes extends to the criminal exploitation of rosewood trees.

Source - TheNation 
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Tuesday 25 December 2018

Cambodia - The Chhay Roka waterfall a hidden wonder

The Chhay Roka waterfall is estimated to be 40m high and 25m wide, with a swimming pool 2m deep. Tourists can organise hiking and camping trips to the area’s many waterfall, as well as wildlife spotting trips.

 Chhay Roka Waterfall, with its beautiful wild flower strewn waterfall and its natural swimming pool, is fast becoming a popular spot for both local and foreign tourists, and its isolated location down small, winding paths means that motorbikes are the transport of choice for those who venture to this glorious location.

Located near Veal Veng district’s O’Som commune, situated in Pursat province, Chhay Roka Waterfall is a natural wonder estimated to be 40m high and 25m wide, with its swimming pool 2m deep.

“Visitors can hire motorbike from nearby villagers or a homestay guesthouse. They reach the area by passing though banana plantations and forested areas."

“It only takes one hour, but drivers can easily lose their way if they do not have experience, so we recommend a guide,” said homestay owner and local guide Noun Lim. 
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Lim is head of Osoam Community Centre and runs a homestay guesthouse situated on the villages’ famously cold lake. 

He also acts as a local guide, helping tourists organise hiking and camping trips to the area’s many waterfalls, as well as wildlife spotting trips to Samkos Mountain (‘Ghost Mountain’). 

“Most of our visitors are foreigners who wish to camp at waterfalls over night . . . tourists also enjoy trekking to see wild elephants, bison and bovine in the Ghost Mountain too,” Lim said. 

Tourists who wish to visit this untouched waterfall must head along National Road 55, turning left at Veal Veng district’s Promouy Market until they reach O’Som commune. Sport-utility vehicles are recommended even during dry season. 

Source - PhnomPenhPost

Thursday 18 October 2018

#Thailand - Similan boss ignores tour operator appeals


The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plants Conservation is refusing to bow to pressure from tour operators in Phang-nga for it to ease restrictions on visitors to the Similan Islands.

Songtham Suksawang, director of the National Parks Division of the department, said the decision to limit the number of daily visitors to 3,325, plus another 525 visitors for scuba diving, was intended to preserve the environment.
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 Overnight Similan stays are also banned under the current guidelines.

 He said the department does not want a repeat of the situation of previous years when the number of daily visitors spiralled to 6,000 to 7,000 on some days, well beyond the capability of the islands to cope.

“The department doesn’t want to see the Similans end up like Maya Bay in nearby Krabi province, which was recently closed indefinitely due to extensive damage caused to coral reefs and the beach from unlimited visitors,” Songtham said. 

The parks division chief said he was not worried by the protest of tour operators, who claimed that their business would be affected by the restriction because they had already accepted advance bookings from tourists to visit the Similans and that they were given little notice about the restrictions.

Songtham said: “Park officials had been discussing with the representatives of the operators throughout the past year about the overcrowding problems and about measures to limit the numbers to preserve the environment for the long-term benefit of all parties.”

Only a few tourists visited the Similans yesterday – the second day of the two-day boycott imposed by tour operators to protest against the restrictions.

Tour operators have been taking tourists to Koh Surin over the past two days.

Source - TheNation

https://12go.asia/?z=581915
 

Monday 15 October 2018

#Thailand - Tour operators boycott visits to Similan and Surin islands to protest new restrictions


The tour operators have had enough of the winding back of tour boat operations and are now resorting to boycotting and ‘disrupting’ the tours in order to get their protests heard.

About 50 tour operators in Phuket and Phang nga say they’re suspending boat trips to Similan-Surin islands in the Andaman sea (off the coast of Phang-Nga) today and tomorrow to protest against the decision of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plants Conservation to limit the number of visitors to the islands to 3,850 a day. The number also includes 525 scuba divers.

Thai PBS reports that the limitation of visitors comes into force today after the two main islands re-opened to tourists after several months of closure during the monsoon season.
Besides the limitation of visitors, overnight stay-overs are not permitted.

Tour operators met yesterday in Ban Tap Lamu in Thai Muang district of Phang nga to discuss the new restrictions which they say they oppose.
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They say their objections are because the restrictions would affect their business and that they’ve already accepted advance bookings to tour the islands before the department issued its new restrictions.

They say they will take their tourists to other tourist attractions Monday and Tuesday this week while awaiting response from the department.

Tour operators have been notified of the reopening of the two islands for visitors and the restrictions and to get themselves prepared with their vessels being properly checked to ensure their sea worthiness and equipped with enough life vests for their passengers.

The PM’s Office Minister Kobsak Putrakul, who was in Phang nga over the weekend, received the tour operators’ complaint and promised to bring it to the attention of the department chief.

Source - Thai BPS

https://12go.asia/?z=581915
 

Tuesday 24 July 2018

#Thailand - Rafting added to ban on visiting Thi Lo Su Waterfall


Rafting trips have now been added to the travel ban for the Thi Lo Su Waterfall tourist destination in Tak province due to concerns about heavy run-off.

The road access to Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary in Tak’s Umphang district where the waterfall is located was closed from June to October for the rainy season and to allow natural rehabilitation.

The original closure allowed rafts to visit the waterfall and camp in the wildlife sanctuary.
But park officials have now shut down rafting starting on Tuesday due to the danger posted by heavy run-off
 
 
 Yutthachai Pattamasonthi, director of the 14th Conservation Area Management Office overseeing the Umphang wildlife sanctuary, on Tuesday issued an order totally banning access to the sanctuary and the waterfall, including by traveling on the creek.
 
 Access to the creek and waterfall will be indefinitely banned until the rains stop, he said.
 
Source - TheNation
 
https://12go.asia/?z=581915
 

Wednesday 7 February 2018

#Thailand - 'Famous Tiger Temple’ Reopen as Tiger Zoo


Update soon

#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
 

Monday 18 September 2017

#Bangkok - Tourism ministry participates in Incentive Travel and Convention Meeting Asia.


Tourism ministry is participating in the upcoming Incentive Travel and Convention Meeting (IT &CM) Asia at Bangkok Convention Centre, Central World Bangkok, Thailand slated to run from September 26 to 28.

The ministry is bringing 12 MICE tourism representatives from Jakarta, Bali, Yogyakarta and Bali to the exhibition where they will be stationed inside the 78-meter square area which consists of eight booths, that have been rented by the ministry.

IT &CM Asia is a regular international MICE exhibition organized by TTG Events that caters to business-to-business (B2B) model.


The ministry's Southeast Asia tourism promotion assistant deputy Rizki Handayani said it is important for Indonesia to participate in this event, the country has a lot to offer for MICE tourism. Not only does it have a lot of convention centers and halls, Indonesia’s culture and wildlife are also two forces to be reckoned with.

Rizki added that Indonesian booth will showcase the Coral Triangle area, archipelago textile and Phinisi boat. Visitors will also be pampered with spa service and refreshment corner.

According to the data from International Congress and Convention Association, in 2015 Indonesia took the 43rd spot in the world ranking with 78 meetings. The ministry is aiming for 119 events by 2019.
 
Source - TheJakartaPost

Monday 3 July 2017

Indonesia, Sulawesi - Life on the wild side

The Indonesia island of Sulawesi is not only a marine paradise, but also home to the critically endangered black crested macaque

THE CHUGGING of the converted fishing boat stops and the world is silent. The palm tree-lined coast of the Indonesian island is hundreds of metres away.

Although the reef edge is near, the water where we hover is 100m deep. The captain gestures to my family to jump off the boat. I wonder if this is right.

“What, here?” I ask. “Yes here, Turtle City,” he grins.



My trusting four-year-old daughter turns her wide eyes up to me. I flash her a smile and, together, we plunge into the bottomless blue.
Immediately, my sons, aged 11 and eight, are squealing through their snorkels.



 Right below us swims a 2m-long green turtle. Sunlight bounces off the ancient creature’s shell in every direction. The behemoth seems to fly as her front flippers haul her through the water. She is unafraid and, soon, we cannot keep pace and watch her glide into infinity.

The clarity of the water is breathtaking and I see several more turtles – to the left, right and far below.

The island of Sulawesi lies 600km north-east of Bali. I have flown from Singapore to Manado in Northern Sulawesi, intending to show my children the wild highlights of this zone.

Over the next nine days, we will be immersed in the underwater paradise of Bunaken Island and encounter monkeys in the Tangkoko Batuangus Nature Reserve.

Emerging from the airport, we take a 40-minute drive to Manado Port, the gateway to Bunaken and other islands.

I am eager for our adventure to begin but, at the port, I notice with great dismay that the water is bobbing with plastic. I find it astonishing that this polluted harbour is the gateway to a natural paradise.
 


The wooden boat we will take to Bunaken Island is filled with bags of rice, crates of vegetables, beer, crew and, lastly, my family. Once underway, the garbage of the port lessens and my eyes are soothed by mountainous, green views of the mainland.

We are in one of the most diverse coral reef ecosystems in the world, with approximately 2,000 species of tropical fish and 390 types of corals so far recorded from the area. There are still infringements of the fishing rules here, but on the whole, the reef is pristine.

On my first snorkel from the beach, I encounter a green turtle followed by a skittish whitetip reef shark. Reef fish of orange, blue and pink cloud my vision and it feels like I am in an aquarium dream.

I am inspired to dust off my dive certification and go out with a scuba tank.

The in-house divemaster is a local from Bunaken and a man of few words. However, under the water, he conducts my refresher course with confidence, then proudly leads me through his shimmering backyard.

Gently parting some rubbery soft coral, he shows me the tiny, delicate orangutan crab. No bigger than the nail on my pinky, its orange “fur” sways with the current.

A metallic “tap, tap” on the divemaster’s tank prompts me to look straight down.

About 15m below me, a 2m-long blue and green Napoleon wrasse darts upwards and flashes back down, followed by the sleek and silvery body of a shark.


The two dance aggressively and, as I watch, I am astonished to see a 1m-long giant trevally glide over to check out the action.

Dolphins accompany my boat as I bid farewell to Bunaken Island and, when they finally slide away into the glassy expanses, I turn my thoughts to the wild animals of the land.

Sulawesi and the neighbouring island of Borneo have been separated by deep water for more than 50 million years. An imaginary line was drawn between the two in 1859 by naturalist Alfred Wallace and is thus named the Wallace Line.

The animals on either side of the line are quite distinct, with only a few successfully crossing the line. Many native animals unique to Northern Sulawesi are still found in the forests and these are only a two-hour drive from Manado.

Emerging from my mosquito net at 4am the next morning, I hope it is worth the effort.
My torch lights the track as I follow our guide deep into the forest.

Shushing excited kids, I am surprised to hear leaves rustling and see shadowy figures up ahead.
A troupe of macaques is travelling in the same direction as us and, as the sunrise starts to penetrate the forest, they are suddenly, eerily, all around us.

The black crested macaque is one of 127 species of mammals found in Tangkoko Batuangus Nature Reserve. Still hunted for bush meat and threatened by deforestation, the monkey is critically endangered and lives only in Northern Sulawesi.

There are about 40 macaques in the group we are with, all with a distinctive black mohawk style.

Males squabble, chase and wrestle, showing off to females. Mothers piggy-back their babies and munch on bugs they pull from one another’s fur. Rowdy adolescents jump from branch to vine before scampering across the forest floor in play.

I return later that night for a second guided walk. This time, I am seeking the world’s smallest monkey – the tarsier.

Creeping through the dark jungle, I am quickly rewarded by our guides’ local knowledge.
The tiny furball is perched on a branch, having emerged from its daytime refuge.
It is impossibly cute, with enormous eyes, and I laugh as my daughter whispers: “Mum, can we get a tarsier?”

Source - TheNation

BOOKING YOUR HOTEL

Sunday 5 March 2017

Indonesia - Authorities rescue young orangutan being kept as pet.

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Officers from the West Kalimantan Natural Resource Conservation Agency (BKSDA) rescued a young orangutan from a local house in Sintang regency where it was being kept as a pet.
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The male 3-year-old orangutan named Andiki was bought by its owner about a month ago, West Kalimantan BKSDA head Margo Utomo said on Saturday.
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The owner told the agency personnel that the family bought the orangutan when they were having a meal in the Simpang Pinoh area in Makong.
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The agency received a tip off from local people about an orangutan being kept as a pet and then went to look for more information.
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Besides rescuing the orangutan, BKSDA officers also disseminated information on the 1990 Law on Natural Resources Conservation and Ecosystem that prohibits the capture of endangered wildlife.
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"After we spoke to the owner, the officers rescued Andiki in collaboration with the Sintang Orangutan Center," Margo said, as reported by Kompas.com.
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The orangutan has been taken to the rehabilitation unit at the Center's facility in Sintang before being released into its natural habitat.
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Margo added that the agency has pushed for public awareness in keeping the country's rich natural resources. The consumption of nature must be in line with conservation efforts.
"Therefore we must stop the illegal trade and ownership of protected wildlife," he added.
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Saturday 24 December 2016

Indigenous 'leopard cat' attacked by dog has recovered and been released into Phuket jungle

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Wildlife officials released a leopard cat into the wild on Wednesday near Bang Pae Waterfall in Phuket after the feline was rescued from a dog attack.

Jindarat Radchawongsa reported late last month that her sister had spotted the leopard cat while driving home, explained Piyawat Sukont, Chief of the Khao Phra Thaeo Wildlife Non-Hunting Area in Thalang.

“The sister saw a cat being attacked by a dog at Phanason Kathu Village, and called a rescue foundation to safely recover the cat,” he said.

The woman had no idea that the cat was a wildcat indigenous to the region, as it is no larger than a regular domesticated feline,” Chief Piyawat explained.

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“She learned the it was a leopard cat only after she got home and saw what people said after she posted photos on Facebook,” he added.

“After she learned what the cat really was, we received a call to come and collect it, and we took it to a wildlife rescue shelter in Phuket to be treated for its injuries,” Chief Piyawat added.
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Sourse: Coconuts.co



 

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