Myanmar - Uncontrolled development threatens Ngapali Beach

Ngapali, the former top beach in Southeast Asia, plunged to number 25 in the 2017 ranking of the top beaches of the world by American travel and restaurant website Trip Advisor. 

Travel and tours executives warn against over development, as Ngapali attracted increasing numbers local and foreign tourists because of its crystal clear waters and beautiful natural scenery. 

According to the Ministry of Hotel and Tourism statistics, the numbers of tourists going to Ngapali rose to more than 50, 000 in 2017 from only over 4, 000 in 2016. Domestic travelers who visited the place increased to over 39, 000 from 27,000 within the same period.

“This rating is made by satisfied customers who came and visited to Ngapali. It is very important issue when the tourists are coming to visit the country,” U Ye Tun Oo, CEO of Vivo Myanamr travel and tourism management company told The Myanmar Times on Wednesday.

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 Ngapali is one of the most important tourist attractions in Myanmar after four major destinations such Yangon, Mandalay, Inle Lake and Bagan.  

The  increasing the number of domestic travelers to Ngapali also resulted in the mushrooming of shops along the beach. There is also increase in waste and garbage that found into the sea and impacted on, U Ye Tun Oo said.

“There shouldn’t be much shops along the beach site. Myanmar is high-end market so the trip expense is high when compared with other neighbouring countries. So the tourist wants the value for money they spent and doesn’t like such kind of situation and services because they pay for much,” he said. 

The growing number of tourists have led to more developments in Ngapali, including  increase in the number of fishing boats, increase of vendors in beach sites, and more restaurants, hotel and guests houses have mushroomed in recent years according to U Ye Moe Aung, an officer from department of hotel and tourism in Thandwe told The Myanmar Times.  

“This also means increase in garbage and waste,” he said. ”The place is getting noisy too.”

Presently, there have 35 hotel and guesthouses with 1, 300 rooms in Ngapali according to the Department of Hotel and tourism in Thandwe. 

“When local travelers increased, they drink the alcohol and ate the food at the beach at night then sing a song. The noise disturb the tourists,” U Ye Moe Aung said. “The increasing number of restaurants, hotel and guesthouses will also impact the beach because of most of these establishments dig the sand from the beach areas to build their properties.” 

The township municipal does not have the capability to collect the increase rubbish at the beach because of lack of personnel and equipment, he added. 

He also called on concerned authorities to take action against those who dig the sand in the beach as it is against existing laws. 

 “The drop in the rating did not only affect Ngapali beach but also impacted the image of country,” U Ye Moe Aung said. “We need to have strong management organization together with relevant department and stakeholders. Then we can keep watch of the developments in the beach.”

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Suspended on #VK for NO reason

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I been suspended yesterday by VK.com for NO reason for one week.

Maybe the not like not Russians ?
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This is the second time into a week. (24 hours) 

Maybe the first time I invite to quickly new friends, but have my doubts. 
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Now this time the suspended me for one week for to much liking activity.

This look madness.
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Why you can not like nice pictures of others.

The whole site stay full of hookers, nude, naked girls with thousands of Likes.

Crazy how VK act on Liking.
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Is there a limit of Likes  ?
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This I want to know.

I think personally, the not like not-Russians or the are pro-islam. 
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I hope the see their mistakes and reactivate my account. 
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#Indonesia - Lombok records increase in tourist visits ahead of Nyepi

The number of domestic and foreign tourists in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), has significantly increased ahead of Nyepi, the Day of Silence in Bali, which falls on Saturday.

“Since yesterday [Wednesday], we’ve seen an increase in the flow of foreign tourists to Lombok. 

They want to spend the holiday in a relaxed atmosphere, as Bali and Lombok have really different atmospheres during Nyepi,” said the chairman of the Indonesian Hotel and Restaurant Association's (PHRI) NTB chapter, Lalu Abdul Hadi Faisal, in Mataram on Thursday.

He said the trend could be seen in the spike in occupancy rates of hotels in Lombok.

Currently, the average occupancy rate stands at 60 to 65 percent in Mataram and its surrounding areas and it can reach up to 75 percent in tourist resort areas such as Gili Trawangan in North Lombok and Senggigi, West Lombok.

Apart from Nyepi in Bali, Hadi said, the increase in visitors to Lombok also had to do with a string of conferences and research activities that would be conducted in the area over the weekend.

“Around 300 students of Muhammadiyah University from Sidoarjo, East Java, for example, will come to Lombok. Because of Nyepi in Bali, they have decided to stay in hotels in Lombok for their meeting,” he said.

Lombok International Airport (LIA) general manager I Gusti Ngurah Ardita said that on Nyepi, eight flights from Ngurah Rai International Airport to LIA and vice versa would be halted until Sunday.

 

Source - TheJakartaPost

Exploring Disney parks with Google Street View

Google has announced that its Street View feature now covers 11 Disney parks.

“We’re all about new fantastic points of view. Today, Street View is going the distance, from California to Florida, to make Disney part of your world. Be our guest at 11 Disney Parks, and with Street View, anything your heart desires will come to you – castles, rides, attractions to infinity and beyond," Google Street View program manager Deanna Yick said in a statement on Tuesday.

Visitors are welcome to explore Disney parks at their own leisure and can take self-guided tours to plan future visits. Those who dislike long lines and big crowds can also take advantage of enjoying the parks from home.

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The Verge reported that some of the destinations include Magic Kingdom, Guardians of the Galaxy, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Pandora – the World of Avatar and Epcot.

Google used for the feature Street View Trekker, a 360-degree camera mounted on a backpack worn by an operator moving through walkways and structures. According to the Disney Park website, images from the camera are digitally stitched together to create a 360-degree panorama effect. Images and videos of the parks captured and shared by users of the Street View app are also available for perusal.

For virtual access of the Disney parks through Google Street View, search for one of the 11 parks and then drag the yellow peg-man icon on the lower right corner of your map screen onto an area that will become highlighted in blue. From there, you’ll be able to pan around and utilize the 360-degree camera.

 

Source - TheJakartaPost 

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Test my Blogger Account

Test my Blogger Account 

My account is disabled / and I want it unlink this from google+

I found the solution.

Can go posting again 

#Indonesia - Five things to see in Labuan Bajo besides the Komodo dragon

Aerial view of Padar Island in between Komodo and Rinca Islands near Labuan Bajo in West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara. 

 The Komodo dragon is not the only interesting thing to see when you travel to Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

The picturesque town on the island of Flores offers the following attractions worth exploring, as compiled by kompas.com :

 Expect to marvel at paddy fields uniquely formed like a giant spiderweb in Cancar village. Travelers usually climb a hill named Puncak Weol to take in a fantastic view.

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Labuan Bajo also has a tourist destination for culture enthusiasts named Kampung, where visitors are welcomed with a traditional Manggarai caci dance.

Kampung Melo also offers a gorgeous view that is perfect for photos.

Source - TheJakartaPost

What’s happening to Bangkok’s air?

In the past week, the air quality in Bangkok has hit “unhealthy” levels, according to the Air Pollution Index, and the problem has worsened to the point that smog can be seen with the naked eye in the morning. 

The Department of Pollution Control has issued a warning for people to wear face masks or simply “go to the doctor” if they experience abnormalities with their breathing or respiratory system. 

Today, the department reported PM2.5 dust in Bangkok at 8am. It was measured at 47-70 micrograms per m3, higher than the level considered safe for Thailand, which is set at 50 micrograms per m3. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization suggested that the level of PM2.5 dust should be under 25 micrograms per m3. 

So no, you’re not imagining it.

 According to the department, the dust in four areas of Bangkok exceeded safe standards today. Those areas were: Wangthonglang district, Thanon Intharaphithak (located near the riverside), Rama IV Road (which stretches across business areas including Silom, Lumpini, and Khlong Toei), and Lat Phrao Road. 

Trinuch Kraiwit, a resident of Wangthonglang, told Coconuts: “When I get out of the house in the morning, I can see a thick smog… The sky is gray.

“I’ve been feeling that my allergy has been triggered. I’ve been having a sore throat — so does my colleague. So I’ve bought face masks just in case I have to work outdoors.” 

In a statement, the Department of Pollution Control blamed the temperature drop of 2-4 degrees Celsius and humidity as causes for dust to accumulate in the air.

Prof. Dr. Wanida Jinsart, an expert on environmental science and air pollution from Chulalongkorn University, told Coconuts that the high number of vehicles on Bangkok roads is a main contributor to city smog, and the cool weather caused the problem to become more prominent. 

FOR THE BEST GLOBAL HOTEL & FLIGHT BOOKINGS

 

“It’s more noticeable in the winter, where inversions normally occur. This means a layer of air is trapped, causing the smog,” she said, explaining that the gray smog we see is composed primarily of dust and steam trapped in the atmosphere.

She explained we can see that the smog disappears around 10am as the temperature becomes higher, which means we can expect the smog to go away as warmer weather approaches. 

“We’ll have to follow the weather prediction from the Department of Meteorology, but I think we won’t experience the smog next week.”

She added that the smog can be dangerous to your health if it continues to happen over the long term, and that, for now, we should be OK if we protect ourselves by wearing a face mask.

Source - Coconuts.co