.
We provide you with all Travel, Hotel and Resorts information in Asia. Especially in Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Indonesia, .......
Monday 1 May 2017
Staffing Request
A big business development group offer me to set-up in Bangkok a (international) Staffing Network.
Sunday 30 April 2017
Bali regency of Klungkung launches app for #tourists
.
To commemorate the 109th anniversary of Puputan Klungkung, Klungkung regency in Bali has launched a smartphone app for tourists.
The Android-based app, called Klungkung Tourism, features information
on tourist destinations, accommodation, places to eat and public
services that may help tourists during their trip.
.
.
On the homepage of the app, users find some listicles on places to
go, as well as category options like Beach & Nature, Art &
Culture, Temple, Museum and Event & Festival; each accompanied by
photos and details about the place and GPS navigation.
“Tourists can comment on and give likes to destinations featured on
the app, which we will evaluate later,” said Klungkung Regent I Nyoman
Suwirta.
The app also acts as a platform for locals to market their businesses, “The local people can use it to promote their businesses, whether they are related to the tourism industry or micro, small and medium enterprises located in Klungkung,” added Suwirta.
The app also acts as a platform for locals to market their businesses, “The local people can use it to promote their businesses, whether they are related to the tourism industry or micro, small and medium enterprises located in Klungkung,” added Suwirta.
.
Source - TheJakartapost
Hungry elephants in Sumatra destroy local plantations
.
Locals have called on authorities to take action to drive away three
wild elephants, which came close to residential areas in Bengkalis
regency, Riau province and destroyed palm and crop plantations.
The herd of the endangered animal had visited Jl. Rangau, Pematang
Pudu subdistrict, Mandau district, in the past two weeks, but it was
only in the past week that they began eating the local’s plantations,
local Nimrot Sinaga said.
“They also destroyed an 8-hectare 3-year old palm plantation, which belongs to my parents,” he said on Friday.
The elephants usually came at night, he said, adding that he and the
other residents tried to drive the elephants away using firecrackers.
However, the elephants remained circling the area as other residents
also tried to cast them away from the opposite direction.
He predicted that the three elephants are one family as they comprised of two adults and one calf around five years old.
“We expect the Riau Natural Resource Conservation Agency [BKSDA] will
soon deploy a tamed elephant to lead the wild elephants away from the
plantations and residences,” he said.
.
.
Tamed elephants are usually used to mitigate conflict between wild elephants and humans.
Nimrot said if authorities did not take swift action, he feared the
local people would not be able to contain their anger as their palm
plantations were eaten by the elephants. He said the elephants ate the
palm shoots, which will kill the trees.
Besides palms, the elephants also ate other crops including sweet potatoes, beans and many other kinds of vegetables.
“If they keep causing restlessness among locals, I fear for their
safety. They are protected animals, but their lives could be at risk,”
he said.
Meanwhile, Mandau district head Djoko Edy Imhar said he had contacted Riau BKSDA to report the incident.
“BKSDA must lead the wild elephants away from local residences and plantations to prevent any possible conflicts,” he said.
.
.
Agency official R. Hutajulu said his office had assigned a team to
monitor the wild elephant’s movements. It was detected that they were
around the Jambon public cemetery and the team would try to lead them to
Talang Forest at night.
From this monitoring, it was known that the herds’ movements were
slow as one of the adult elephants could not walk properly. The
elephant’s leg was wounded from a trap, which struck it some time ago.
The agency’s team had treated the wound, but he said the healing process
might take a while as the wound was on the elephant’s foot.
Hutajulu urged people not to get panicky if the three wild elephants
passed their yards while they were herded to the Talang Forest.
“People must remain calm as Riau BKSDA is following their movements.
It is better for people to stay at a safe distance so the elephants do
not feel threatened and chase people instead,” he said.
The rampant conversion of forests into plantations has increased the
rate of human-elephant conflicts in the country. Data from the World
Wildlife Fund (WWF) Indonesia in 2015 showed that Indonesia had the
highest number of human-elephant conflicts in Asia.
.
Source - TheJakartaPost
Tonne of trash collected in clean-up at Hei Island in #Phuket
.
About a tonne of trash was collected during a beach clean-up at Hei Island (Coral Island) in Phuket yesterday.
More
than a 100 people, including students from Prince of Songkla
University’s Phuket campus, volunteer divers, local vendors and
operators, and company workers participated in the morning initiative.
The move involved collecting trash both on the beach and underwater.
Among the items collected were fishing nets, glass bottles and rubber
tyres.
“We are doing business on Hei island, so this effort is
our way of saying ‘thank you’. Cleaning up the island will not only help
preserve marine life, but also play a big part in improving tourism,”
said Suriya Thamchu, chairman of Nonthasak Marine Co Ltd, which
organised the clean-up.
“We received positive feedback so we plan to do this again in the near future,” he said.
Source - TheNation
.
FOR THE BEST GLOBAL HOTEL & FLIGHT BOOKINGS
“We received positive feedback so we plan to do this again in the near future,” he said.
Saturday 29 April 2017
#Thailand - Trang’s inland treasures
.
Beyond the beaches, the old walled town teems with historical and cultural charms
WHILE
MOST of the travelers arriving in Trang quickly find a perch on the
beach or head straight to the boats to go diving in the Andaman Sea, the
tranquil town itself offers all sorts of landlubber delights.
Trang was a thriving trading hub in the days when it was known as Muang Thub Thieng, a port established by Chinese merchants.
In the days of the Sumatra-based Melayu Kingdom between 600 and 1200
AD, vessels docked there laden with kerosene for lamps and ingredients
for making pastry. When they departed, they were filled with locally
grown pepper.
.
In 1899 the area became the first place where rubber was planted in
Siam. A man called Phraya Ratsadanupradit Mahison Phakdi brought the
saplings from Malaya and built up an export business.
.
.
On my first visit to Trang I’m impressed with the diversity of
culture, with Western-style churches sitting alongside Chinese shrines,
Thai temples and Muslim mosques, as if to demonstrate the benefits of
living in harmony.
My host is tourism promoter Ko Daeng, who
with his friends arranges day-trips around town for visitors, charging
Bt250 per hour or Bt650 for a four-hour tour. You get to see the sights
in a frog-nosed tuk-tuk imported from Japan.
“Some of our
vehicles were built 100 years ago,” Ko Daeng says. “We modify the
engines so they can carry people. It’s a way to conserve our heritage –
these kinds of vehicles were popular here in the past, so we thought it
would be a good way to promote tourism, using tuk-tuks.”
.
.
Ko Daeng ’s operation has a list of 17 destinations to choose among, and I pointed to the Tam Kong Yia Shrine.
Erected more than a century ago, the temple attracts worshipers seeking
success and good health. In its foundation are sacred ashes and a cloth
talisman that the founder brought with him from the Nine Dragons Temple
in Huizhou, China, to protect him on the voyage to Siam.
The
structure has some amazing craftsmanship that was carefully preserved
during a 1953 renovation. Sunlight pours in through the open roof to
illuminate statues of goddesses, lending the place a mystical
atmosphere.
A few minutes’ drive away is Wat Kaphang Surin,
designated a National Ancient Monument in 1999. Constructed in 1897 as
Wat Kaphang, it was renamed in honour of esteemed local developer Phraya
Surin Racha.
The original wood-and-cement ubosot reflects
traditional southern architecture. Inside is a series of 100-year-old
wood or metal figures depicting the Lord Buddha in different poses.
Sections of the ancient wall surrounding the old town have recently
been decorated with three-dimensional paintings. There are scenes of the
local life, rubber plantations and the Emerald Cave on Koh Mook, every
one a magnet for selfie shooters.
.
.
At the Tha Klang intersection nearby, a string of old two-storey
buildings are painted in pastel colours. At least there was some charm
to the Portuguese colonial era, when the architecture became a hybrid of
Chinese and European design and bright hues were the norm on exteriors.
But most of these buildings date to 1913, originally the homes of
wealthy Chinese merchants. They also have in common narrow entrances,
roofs open over a central courtyard and a shared arcade out front that
offers passers-by shade and shelter. The houses at the corners of the
block feature curving edges and diamond-shaped tiles on the roof.
Along Rama VI and Ratchadam- noen Roads is a shopping district that
includes the town’s oldest hotel, the Jing Jing, recognised by the
Associ- ation of Siamese Architects last year for its “valuable
architecture”.
There’s also the celebrated Chinese pharmacy Yin
Jiee Thong, home – along with its ancient medicines – to the original
Trang grilled pork, made with local spices and herbs. Classic shophouses
along the avenue are stocked with furniture, bicycles, apparel,
cosmetics and much more.
Also striving to conserve local culture,
a group called Trang Positive has the support of the Tourism Authority
in hosting the annual “Yan Kao Ngao A-deed”. It comprises an art
exhibition, student-orchestra performances and lively talks about, for
example, the local cuisine. Visitors can learn how to make Tae
Chew-style mee tiew, stewed chicken in red sauce and mor lao (deep-fried
dumplings).
.
.
The splendid natural scenes outside town are perhaps best at Baan
Khao Lak in Namphud district, where you can paddle a canoe along a
canal. The community has set itself up as a model of sufficiency living
and nature conservation.
Once finished their farm chores, the
residents take visitors on four-kilometre canoe “cruises” amid cool
forests and limestone bluffs sculpted by wind and water into interesting
shapes. Back in the village you can learn how to make local desserts or
a wicker souvenir.
“I started the project three years ago to
help people earn extra income,” village head Sawat Khunnui tells us. “We
take people trekking in a watershed forest or canoeing, and there will
be also a home-stay programme. It’s all about conserving the
environment. We set up a ‘waste bank’, too, and donate recycled material
to a school.”
Another great place to visit is Baan Na Por,
which has a factory full of skilled cutlers making knives, hoes and even
swords from the leaf springs of old buses. Prawet Chitjan, 58, a
fifth-generation member of a family of cutlers, runs the operation. Long
ago he left home to get a city job, but in 1987 decided to return and
do his part to salvage the local wisdom.
.
Artisans at Baan Na Por make knives that are in professional demand around the country.
.
The
factory produces the 55-brand and Three Star knives popular with rubber
tappers and farmers in the South and Northeast. The prices range from
Bt160 to Bt650.
“We use crafting techniques that have been
passed on from generation to generation for more than 100 years,” Uncle
Prawet says. “We believe that two villagers – Nai Petch and Nai Kong –
discovered one technique whereby ship spikes were turned into garden
tools, and then the quality is enhanced through different designs and
materials.
“Next, I’m building a museum to exhibit all the old types of agricultural tools and house a mock-up cutlery factory.”
.
Source - TheNation
Labels:
acred Tam Kong Yia Shrine,
Andaman Sea,
Asia,
Baan na por,
Beaches,
Best Hotels,
Bookings,
Chinese shrines,
Cultural charms,
Divin,
Historical,
Inland Treasures,
Ko Daeng,
Thailand,
Tourism,
Trang,
Travel
Friday 28 April 2017
Khao Lak - Bucolic adventure
.
Khao Lak Canal flows slowly from a mountain to the village of Ban
Khao Lak in Trang's Muang district. Both sides of the stream are green
forest. The canal later merges with another canal called Lam Phu Ra which ends at the Trang River.
.
"We have to protect our forest so there will be water for our
consumption all year round," said village headman Sawat Khunnui. The
water originating from the Khao Lak Waterfall has never run dry. It's always clear and cold. This inspired the village headman to open a little adventure service to promote the community.
.
His idea was to introduce a canoeing service along Khao Lak and Lam Phu Ra canals. The distance is about 4.5km.
.
About half of the villagers agreed with the idea while the rest held out. They were
afraid that their peaceful community would be changed while others were concerned that the small village couldn't attract any tourists. But the village head remained confident. He saw the successful model.
afraid that their peaceful community would be changed while others were concerned that the small village couldn't attract any tourists. But the village head remained confident. He saw the successful model.
.
Three years ago, he brought a team of his village committee to try
canoeing along Lam Lon Canal in Satun. "After the trip, we agreed to
give it a try. I was confident that our service would be able to attract tourists because our village has beautiful nature," he said.
.
.
The village committee also had an agreement with its villagers
that there would be only one canoeing operator and it must be owned by
the community, not any private investor, said Sawat.
.
They didn't have any money when they started the service three
years ago. They borrowed 15 canoes from Wang Sai Thong Homestay in Satun
without any fee for six months. When the contract ended, they had enough money to buy their own canoes. They started with eight. Today Ban Khao Lak has 40 canoes to service visitors.
.
"It's the word of mouth that bring tourists to our village," he
said, adding that today Ban Khao Lak welcomes at least three groups of
visitors a day, he said.
.
.
FOR THE BEST GLOBAL HOTEL & FLIGHT BOOKINGS
Thursday 27 April 2017
#Thailand - Mae Hong Son in the spotlights of child prostitution
.
More arrest warrants sought in child prostitution ring in Mae Hong Son
ANTI-HUMAN trafficking police will seek arrest warrants for at least two more persons in connection with the alleged prostitution of minors in Mae Hong Son.
Kornchai
Klayklueng, commander of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division,
declined to reveal the names of the suspects yesterday, saying his force
would not spare criminals no matter how influential they were.
The mother of one of the victims has claimed that several government
officials, including a police deputy superintendent and Mae Hong Song
Governor Suebsak Iamwichan, were customers of the ring.
“Her
latest interviews with media include new information, particularly the
parts regarding alleged sex buyers. I ordered her interviews
transcribed,” Kornchai said.
Three alleged procurers have already been charged with human
trafficking. They are Pol Senior Sgt-Major Yutthachai Thongchat, who
worked at the Nam Piang Din Police Station in Mae Hong Son until the
scandal broke, Piyawan Sukma and Piyathas Parpthiensuwan.
Pol
Colonel Montri Baothog, a superintendent at the anti-trafficking unit,
said there was clear evidence against these three suspects.
He downplayed concerns that one mother had deliberately exposed the ring to hurt three police with whom she had a conflict.
“We have not yet looked into those rumours. But we have handled the case based on evidence,” he said.
Deputy national police Commissioner-General Srivara Ransibrahmanakul
said he had already ordered a disciplinary inquiry into the three
implicated police.
“There is enough evidence to launch a probe as of now, but not yet to seek arrest warrants,” he said.
Pol Maj-General Panudej Boonruang, acting deputy Provincial Police
Region 5 chief, said an investigation was underway to determine whether
this case involved more victims and patrons. The mother, who used to
work as a police informant, firmly pointed her finger at Suebsak, saying
her daughter was forced into providing sex to this much older man.
.
.
The three alleged victims, now aged 17-19, were dragged into the flesh trade in late 2013 or early 2014.
The Interior Ministry has launched an investigation into Suebsak who
has denied any wrongdoing. “I don’t drink or smoke. I don’t visit night
entertainment venues either,” Suebsak said. A source said Interior
Minister Anupong Paochinda had phoned the Mae Hong Son governor and
rebuked him over the alleged human trade controversy in the northern
border province.
“I have asked the Mae Hong Son governor about
this. I told him that as the governor he has to know what’s going on in
his province.
“He can’t say he doesn’t know. It is just a small
province and the governor has to know everything,” Anupong was quoted as
saying.
He was speaking at a weekly meeting of senior Interior Ministry officials, according to the source.
The mother who is seeking justice for the girls lured into prostitution
said there were 11 sex-worker procurement rings in Mae Hong Son.
Atchariya Ruangrattanapong, president of the Help Crime Victim Club,
dismissed reports that his club had abandoned the mother after accepting
Bt15,000 from her.
“It’s not true. We have helped follow up her
case all along. Besides, the Bt15,000 that she gave to the club was for
travel expenses that the club’s team had incurred for their trip to
pursue the case in Mae Hong Son,” he said.
During the trip to Mae
Hong Son, the team talked to several local officials and members of
local non-governmental organisations while gathering evidence strongly
suggesting that Yutthachai was the head of a procurement ring, he said.
.
SOURCE - THE NATION
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)