Mall targets the health conscious
 

Report from The Nation dated Wednesday 19 July 2006 :-

Mall targets the health conscious

Siam Retail Development, an affiliate of Quality Houses and developer of the Fashion Island shopping complex on Ram-Indra Road, yesterday announced the opening of Bangkok's first shopping mall for health and wellness products.

The Life Centre, a new-concept lifestyle mall on Sathorn Road, will serve the modern Bangkokian, who tends to be more health-conscious and highly demanding when it comes to health and wellness products and services. It is also expected to help promote Bangkok as a regional medical hub.

Prasert Sriuranpong, vice president for marketing and business development at Siam Retail Development, said the 14,700-square-metre, four-storey shopping venue was developed by Quality Houses and is connected to its 58,000-square-metre, 30-floor Q House office complex on Sathorn. Quality Houses allocated Bt3 billion for the interior work.

"We've created this new innovation by developing a new retail concept, one that caters to the changing lifestyle of Thai consumers, who are addicted to health and well-being," said Prasert.

The Life Centre opened in mid-May. Siam Retail Development was awarded a five-year contract from Quality Houses to run the shopping complex and handle all marketing activities and leasing contracts with businesses that want to open outlets there.

"Thai consumers have changed their lifestyle, and health and wellness services and products have become a daily part of that lifestyle," said Prasert, giving regular trips to fitness centres as one example of how Bangkokians have grown increasingly health- and beauty-conscious. Health and wellness are serious issues to Bangkok residents, and related businesses enjoy a great future potential.

"The Life Centre is clearly positioned as Bangkok's boutique shopping mall with a difference. It's the only shopping centre where consumers can find an all-inclusive range of first-class health and beauty products and services. More than 40 principal outlets in the complex offer a variety of related products and services, such as specialised healthcare clinics, beauty centres, a fitness centre, a spa and several restaurants," said Prasert.

He said about 90 per cent of all retail space in the complex had already been leased, and 60 per cent of all retail outlets had already opened. All outlets should be open for business by October.

"We expect 4,000 to 5,000 shoppers will visit the Life Centre every day. Targeted are white-collar workers and residential consumers, including expats, who are in offices and homes within a three-kilometre radius from the complex," said Prasert.

He predicted the shopping centre would generate Bt87 million a year in revenues from leasing retail space.

Prasert said the shopping mall was divided into four zones that feature more than 40 major retail outlets.

On the ground floor is the Food, Beverage and Services Zone, while the Beauty and Cosmetics Zone can be found on the first floor.

The Healthcare Clinic and Spa Zone is located on the second floor and the Fitness Zone on the third.

Prasert said a co-promotional campaign that includes discount coupons and gift vouchers would focus on Quality Houses properties in Bangkok's Sukhumvit, Sala Daeng, Phetchaburi, Wireless and Thong Lor areas. The promotion is aimed at enticing residents of serviced apartments, particularly foreigners, to visit the shopping complex.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

Wellness venture
 

Report from The Nation dated Wednesday 19 July 2006 :-

Wellness venture

Absolute Yoga has joined hands with the Rasayana Retreat to launch their first Absolute Wellness health and well-being studio in Bangkok.

Absolute Yoga director and certified instructor Benjaporn Karoonkornsakul said yesterday registered capital for the new joint venture was Bt2 million, with each partner holding a 50-per-cent stake.

She said Absolute Yoga, which specialises in hot yoga, and the Rasayana Retreat, which provides detoxification and rejuvenation programmes, Pilates, yoga, spa treatments and health foods, had the same type of health-conscious customers.

The first branch of Absolute Wellness opened recently in the Amarin Building near the Rajprasong Intersection and is easily accessible by public transport. Occupying 1,000 square metres, it cost Bt12 million to open.

Absolute Wellness plans new branches through self-operating and franchise systems on six-year contracts. The next one, in Pinklao, will operate on its own.

Next year, the company expects to open three more branches in Bangkok - in Bang Na, on Rama III Road and in central Bangkok - plus one each in Chiang Mai, Phuket and Pattaya.

Benjaporn predicts accumulated annual growth rate of 20-30 per cent in the Bt250-million yoga and Bt200-million wellness markets in the next three years.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

CentralWorld opens today
 

Report from Bangkok Post dated Friday 21 July 2006 :-

CentralWorld opens today : Big budget set for promotion overseas

Central Pattana Plc (CPN), the listed property arm of the Central Group, has set an aggressive foreign promotion budget to draw tourists to visit its CentralWorld, Thailand's newest shopping complex that is due to open its doors today. CPN president Kobchai Chirathivat said the company would spend 300 million baht to promote its mixed-used lifestyle complex this year. Almost 40% of the budget would be spent on foreign campaigns including roadshows jointly held with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, and foreign media visits.

''In the past, we used only one-fifth of the promotion budget on foreign activities. But this time, we will spend much more on them because CentralWorld positions itself as an international shopping destination,'' he added.

CPN wants CentralWorld to be a showcase that will benefit the company as it undertakes international retail expansion by 2010.

CentralWorld has total space of 830,000 square metres divided into six individually designed zones including the debuts of 36 fashion stores, 50 restaurants and 21 cinemas.

About 200 shops or 60% of the complex are ready today and the remainder will be completed by the end of the year.

''We're confident of the [successful] opening of CentralWorld even the overall economy is not good. We built it for the future. Despite a decline in purchasing power, the average flow of shoppers at our complexes is on the rise,'' Mr Kobchai said.

Nattakit Tangpoonsinthana, CPN's executive vice-president for marketing, said CentralWorld, dubbed the largest shopping centre in Southeast Asia, was designed with a European influence, giving the whole complex a sense of transparency and making the mood inside light and joyful for shoppers.

''With our lively store design, we expect our shoppers will spend more time with us _ up to 4-5 hours from 2-3 hours previously,'' he said.

Chart Chirathivat, CPN's international leasing manager, said shoppers would today have a new shopping experience from Greek food dining to new fashions from brands such as Ted Baker from the UK, Country Road from Australia, G-Star Raw from the Netherlands, Castro from Israel and Camper shoes from Spain.

''You won't feel you're shopping in the old-style shopping atmosphere of the World Trade Center. We have already deleted this image,'' Mr Kobchai said.

Naris Cheyklin, CPN's chief financial officer, said the company would start realising income from CentralWorld in the third quarter. ''The opening of CentralWorld will help boost sales for CPN by 15% this year,'' he added.

CPN shares closed yesterday on the SET at 17.30 baht, up 50 satang, in trade worth 32.05 million baht.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

Budget terminal designed for Suvarnabhumi Airport
 

Report from Bangkok Post dated Saturday 22 July 2006 :-

Budget terminal designed for Suvarnabhumi Airport

Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) is quickly gearing up to build a special terminal for budget airlines - an idea first floated just one month ago - at Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

Management has completed the conceptual design and will seek approval within two weeks from the AoT board to start construction on the terminal.

It would be the third in Asia to serve the fast growing low-cost carrier (LCC) market, after those in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. The facility could be built in just six months at an estimated cost of 600 million baht, AoT president Chotisak Asapaviriya said yesterday.

Welcomed by no-frills carriers, the facility would be a single storey with usable space of 15,000 to 20,000 square metres, the size of 2.3 to three standard football pitches.

It would be capable of handling 15 million passengers a year, much larger than Malaysia's LCC Terminal (LCCT) and Singapore's Budget Terminal, both opened earlier this year, which can handle 10 million and 2.7 million passengers a year, respectively.

The facility would be located near concourse A of the main Suvarnabhumi passenger terminal and would be built using a simple construction technique.

AoT would attempt a design that would blend with the futuristic look of the overall airport, Mr Chotisak said.

He brushed aside suggestions that AoT had rushed into the LCC terminal to benefit a certain budget carrier with political influence.

The airport operator, he said, was moving rapidly to accommodate the fast-growing traffic of LCCs through Bangkok as well as ease the demand on the main terminal at Suvarnabhumi.

LCC traffic is expected to double from 7-8 million passengers this year to 15 million in the next two years, he said.

Transport authorities and aviation experts say the capacity of Suvarnabhumi's main terminal, at 45 million passengers a year, would be reached a few years after its opening, now slated for Sept 28.

Growing LCC traffic has already contributed to congestion at the existing Bangkok International Airport (Don Muang) which is stretched beyond its annual capacity of 37 million passengers.

Mr Chotisak said the original plan of the 125-billion-baht Suvarnabhumi airport did not take into account LCCs, which have emerged from nowhere over the last five years.

No-frills carriers, he said, did not require sophisticated reservation and IT systems such as those put in place for conventional airlines at the main terminal. As a result, they could keep their operating costs low by using a special terminal without the complex and costly facilities.

However, AoT said there would be no discounts on landing fees for LCCs as it was determined to apply a unified rate structure for all users of Suvarnabhumi.

The Suvarnabhumi budget terminal will have a similar operating concept as those in Malaysia and Singapore, in that passenger service facilities will be kept to a minimum with passengers having to walk on the tarmac to the aircraft.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

Operations at Suvarnabhumi Airport start Sept 28, 2006
 

Report from Bangkok Post dated Saturday 22 July 2006 :-

Operations at Suvarnabhumi Airport start Sept 28, 2006 : All systems will take off at 3am

All systems at Suvarnabhumi airport will be ready for the opening of its full-scale commercial service at 3am on Sept 28, 2006 when Don Muang airport will be closed to scheduled flights, caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said yesterday. Mr Thaksin was speaking after chairing a meeting of the government's committee supervising the airport's construction.

Airlines will bring their aircraft for departure at the new airport from that time.''Empty planes will wait for take-off at Suvarnabhumi that morning and that will start the full-scale commercial service,'' he said.

All systems at the new Bangkok airport had been completed, and tests had been a success. Faults detected in previous tests had been corrected.

Although tests had not integrated all operating systems and were done only through simulation, they reflected the readiness of the airport. Mr Thaksin said he was confident enough to announce the airport opening on Sept 28.

Suvarnabhumi airport will undergo real tests on July 29 when special flights of six domestic airlines land and take off there. Then on Sept 1, Thai Airways International (THAI) will test its international flights. Public buses will be available at Suvarnabhumi on July 29 and Sept 1 to take passengers to and from the city.

The government would now start public relations work to familiarise people with routes to the airport, he said.

From 3am on Sept 28, Don Muang airport would stop serving regular commercial flights. It will only handle chartered, VIP, private and military flights.

Suvarnabhumi airport boasts the world's largest single passenger terminal that can serve up to 45 million passengers annually.

With that capacity, Mr Thaksin said it may not be necessary to build a separate terminal for budget airlines or look at a second-phase terminal expansion right away. His deputy Gen Chainant Charoensiri said test flights on July 29 would prove if the airport was really ready.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

Credit card skimming rife at top tourist spots, Thai police warn
 

Report from Bangkok Post dated Thursday 27 July 2006 :-

Credit card skimming rife at top tourist spots, Thai police warn

Police are advising credit card users to be more cautious when using them at major tourist spots following the arrest of a criminal who stole electronic data through tapping of phonelines used to confirm payment. The information was then sent to Malaysia and used to make fake cards.

Pattaya, Hua Hin, Koh Samui, Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son top the list of popular tourist destinations where credit card fraud has recently been reported.

Caution is also being urged in Ayutthaya, Sukhothai and certain areas in Rayong, Trat and Prachuap Khiri Khan.

Businesses accepting cards are told to ensure they see some identification from foreigners presenting credit cards for payment and to make copies.

Police spokesman Pol Lt-Gen Achirawit Suphanphesat said many foreign tourists have complained of fraud to their credit card issuer.

The police warning follows the arrest of Thosapol Chaowanawut, 42, in Bangkok on Tuesday.

He was found to be using equipment to intercept the modulated signals containing the sensitive data which is sent from a terminal to a bank for verification. The information was recorded on MP3 players.

Mr Thosapol was identified as a member of a credit card fraud ring run by Malaysians. He was hired to skim the information through use of wire-taps and send it to Malaysia, where the bogus cards are made.

Tourism Police made the arrest after being contacted by banks in Hong Kong and by Visa International. They found wiretapping equipment in his home in Phuket.

It was estimated he stole data from more than 10,000 credit card users, resulting in losses totalling more than 400 million baht.

It is reported that Malaysian authorities have arrested a Canadian national with 2,000 credit cards in his possession, many of which contained data stolen by Mr Thosapol.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

Suvarnabhumi Airport has 'high risk' areas
 

Report from Bangkok Post dated Friday 28 July 2006 :-

Suvarnabhumi Airport has 'high risk' areas : Int'l civil aviation body questions its readiness

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has questioned the readiness of Suvarnabhumi airport for its official opening on Sept 28.

The ICAO report, based on its information collected and observations made between last month and early this month, identifies 29 high-risk areas - or about one-third of the 93 items on its checklist.

Forty-three are rated as medium-risk and the rest low-risk.

It defines a high-risk item as one which "will most probably not be possible to resolve" before the opening date and could delay the opening plan.

Its report, sent to Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT), a copy of which was obtained by the Bangkok Post, was leaked to the press yesterday ahead of key landing and operation tests for local flights set for tomorrow .

However, Suvarnabhumi airport general manager Somchai Sawasdeepon and caretaker Deputy Transport Minister Chainant Charoensiri yesterday confirmed the readiness of tomorrow's tests when Thai Airways International, Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, One-Two-Go Airlines, Nok Air, and PB Air will service 20 local flights in and out of the new international airport in Samut Prakan's Bang Phli district.

"Everything is ready [for the test flights]," Mr Somchai said.

AoT president Chotisak Asapaviriya refused to comment on the ICAO report, saying he had not seen it yet. Some people were trying to derail attempts to open the 155-billion-baht airport for commercial flights in September, he said.

The group's tactics included releasing false or fabricated information to serve their purpose, said the chief of AoT, an agency under the Transport Ministry overseeing international airports, including Suvarnabhumi.

Mr Somchai and Aviation Department chief Chaisak Angkasuwan said the ICAO report was an internal document used by airport officials to check on the progress of the project.

Both were confident that all problems identified by the United Nations-affiliated agency responsible for airport safety and security would be fixed in time for the official opening.

The report was made by the ICAO for AoT to check-list problems that need to be corrected, Mr Somchai said.

"It's like a warning for us to know which areas need to be improved.

"None of the listed problems are new.

"The report comes out every month for us to evaluate progress, and alert us to emergency issues," he said.

The airport agency also hired an independent firm, FAEZA, to double-check the readiness of all systems, said the Suvarnabhumi airport chief.

Outgoing Senator Chirmsak Pinthong said he was worried about the risks mentioned in the ICAO report, especially with landings taking place at the 155-billion-baht airport tomorrow.

He saw tomorrow's tests as events designed to boost the image of caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

He called on Mr Thaksin to take responsibility should any accident occur after all flight operations, both domestic and international, are moved from Don Muang to the new airport on Sept 28.

Among the high-risk items identified by the ICAO in its report are the "airfield visual aides" including taxiway, apron and airside road signs, lights and markings.

Failure to address them could lead to unsafe ground operations which "may contribute to an aircraft incident or accident", the report says.

Other identified risks outside the airport's terminal include a high antenna tower at the King Mongkut Institute of Technology's Lat Krabang campus which, the report says, could pose safety risks for planes approaching a runway, inadequate lighting for illuminating obstacles around the airport, insufficient safe areas at runway extremities, and the lack of an effective wildlife hazard control programme.

The institute's tower should be lowered and safe areas at runway ends expanded, according to the report.

Problems inside the building were identified as the baggage handling system and preparations for emergency situations, especially the fire alarm system.

Suvarnabhumi is being run under a temporary certificate issued by the Aviation Department.

It needs a permanent one approved by the ICAO for the Sept 28 opening.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

First commercial flight lands on Suvarnabhmi Airport
 

Report from Bangkok Post dated Saturday 29 July 2006 :-

First commercial flight lands on Suvarnabhmi Airport

The first commercial test flight from Don Muang Airport to Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi Airportof of Thai Airways International (THAI), the national flag carrier, landed successfully on the new airport Saturday morning as scheduled.

The THAI's Boeing 747-400 aircraft, TG181 flight, carrying Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, other cabinet members, senior government officials and other passengers, historically landed on Suvarnabhumi Airport's runway at 08:09 a.m.

THAI has offered a special airfare of Bt999 for the inaugural commercial flight from Don Muang Airport to Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Prime Minister Thaksin told journalists before boarding on the inaugural commercial flight that he was excited and delighted that finally the Bangkok's new internatinal airport was successfully developed after a four-decade plan.

Upon his arrival at the new airport, the prime minister is scheduled to take hours to visit and inspect the readiness of all facilities before flying back to Don Muang Airport.

THAI and other five commercial airlines, including Nok Air, Thai Air Asia, Orient Thai, P.B. Air and Bangkok Airways, join the commercial flight tests for Suvarnabhumi Airport with special flights on Saturday.

The first test flight of the national airline is to be followed by 21 other domestic flights all the day.

The Department of Civil Aviation has already issued the Interim Aerodome Certificate for the Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Many airlines, including THAI, Bangkok Airways and Air Asia, have announced that they plan to open new international routes to serve the commercial opening of Suvarnabhumi Airport on September 28.

With the scheduled opening of the country's new international airport only a few months away, complete testing of the new airport facilities has begun since July 3 to ensure that the national showcase is fully ready for the launch.

The tests include the airport's air-conditioning and lighting systems, passenger check-in counters, customs services and the operation of CTX bomb scanners.

The eight-storey airport complex, including an underground floor, where there will be electric mass transit facilities, and passenger terminals, has a total area of some 563,000 square metres and can cater to 45 million passengers annually.

Meanwhile, the Department of Land Transport has affirmed the readiness of transport service for passengers to the new international airport.

The department said that transport services to the new Bangkok interntional airport include limousines, airport buses and airport express service.

Airport buses, including inter-provincial bus service, will be run by the Transport Co., Ltd and the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA).

The airport express service, operated by the Thonburi Service Co., Ltd., will provide buses running through the capital's business areas and to downtown hotels in areas such as Silom and Wireless roads.

Prime Minister Thaksin said the transport service to the new airport is not aimed to reap benefit, but to promote the kingdom globally.

Bus access and seating is also modified to facilitate passengers with disabilities, according to the Thai leader.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

Travel agents among sceptics
 

Report from Bangkok Post dated Saturday 29 July 2006 :-

Travel agents among sceptics

Local travel agents have joined the sceptics who believe Suvarnabhumi International Airport will not be ready for its scheduled official opening on Sept 28. The airport's readiness to accommodate travellers in large numbers remains very much in doubt, according to the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA).

''Facilities for inbound and outbound tourists such as airport ground services, ATTA's counter services for tourist arrivals, and the parking area, are not yet completed, despite the fact that such facilities are very important because they represent the national image,'' ATTA president Apichart Sankary said yesterday.

Half of the tourists who visit Thailand are customers of ATTA members.

According to Mr Apichart, Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) had directed the association to develop counter services for arriving passengers on the third floor of the airport, despite the fact that the third floor area was not considered an appropriate area by the association.

He said ATTA had presented a much more appropriate proposal for first-floor space to AoT but had not yet received any response.

Mr Apichart suggested that the government should revise the airport's space allocation, a major concern for all operators. The association has invited AoT to explain various issues to 1,300 ATTA members on Aug 8.

Tour East Co managing director Prasert Aswapornchai said several airlines had also expressed concerns about the airport's readiness.

Mr Prasert also voiced a concern about the relatively high cost of using services at the new airport which worked out at around 65 baht per tourist compared with 8-10 baht currently at Don Muang airport.

He urged the authorities in charge of the airport to reconsider the issues, because high costs would directly affect both business operators and tourists.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

All systems go for historic Suvarnabhumi flights today
 

Report from Bangkok Post dated Saturday 29 July 2006 :-

All systems go for historic Suvarnabhumi flights today : Thaksin to touch down at 8:09 am

All systems are go for the first commercial flights by six airlines at Suvarnabhumi International Airport today, the president of Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) said yesterday. ''The airport is 100% ready for these historic flights,'' said Chotisak Asapaviriya, who has stayed at the airport for the past few nights to ensure its readiness.

Thai Airways International (THAI), Bangkok Airways, Thai AirAsia, One-Two-Go Airlines, Nok Air and PB Air will stage 20 flights in and out of the 125-billion-baht facility today.

The first and the largest airplane to touch down will be a THAI Boeing 747-400 jumbo jet with caretaker prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and cabinet members on board at 8.09 am.

The paid-for flight, TG 1881 with 375 passengers, is due to take off from Bangkok International Airport (Don Muang) at 7:45 am for the 24-minute trip.

By becoming a passenger himself, Mr Thaksin will personally see if the airport is up to scratch on arrival and departure.

He is due to fly back from Suvarnabhumi to Don Muang on flight TG 4555 at 11:19 am, according to officials.

Other flights will be taking off and landing throughout the day from Chiang Mai, Lampang, Udon Thani, Nakhon Phanom, Trat, Samui, Hat Yai, Phuket and Narathiwat.

Most of the aircraft will be Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s, capable of carrying 145 to 160 passengers each. The smallest plane is a narrow-bodied Brazilian-made Embraer 145 LR from PB Air, with 50 passengers.

Mr Chotisak said most of the 4,834 seats had already been booked.

All the navigation control systems, air and ground handling support and passenger service facilities such as restaurants and duty-free shops, and city-bound buses were in place, he said.

The Department of Civil Aviation has issued an interim operating licence for Suvarnabhumi in line with the operating and safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

The airport's operation was covered by a policy from Dhipaya Insurance, ''so there should be not any doubts in the public's minds that the airport is not ready or is unsafe,'' Mr Chotisak said.

Charuek Kungwanphanich, the managing director of SET-listed Dhipaya, said the industrial all-risks policy covered a sum insured worth 42 billion baht, and personal liability for third parties worth US$200 million per accident.

Given the high risk and relatively large amount, Mr Charuek said the company had sought reinsurance cover from both local and international companies.

Mr Chotisak's assurances came as aviation experts questioned the usefulness of today's flights as a gauge of readiness, since they were limited in number and all domestic.

''If you want to test something, you have to take it to its limits, not just a small fraction,'' said one industry executive, who asked not to be named.

Suvarnabhumi airport was designed to handle 45 million passengers a year, or about 125,000 a day, and 76 flights per hour.

''It is most likely that you will hear politicians and senior AoT officials come out to declare the test an unqualified success. Of course, it would be because the test is only superficial,'' the executive said.

Plagued by construction flaws, delays and corruption allegations, Suvarnabhumi missed its Sept 29, 2005 opening deadline, which was rescheduled to June and then to Sept 28 this year.

Symbolic first test flights involving two Thai Airways aircraft were held on Sept 29 last year.

Aviation groups, such as the International Air Transport Association and the Board of Airline Representatives in Thailand, remain sceptical about the new opening date, warning that a premature inauguration would cause embarassment to the country.

Cathay Pacific chief operating officer Antony Tyler was among those advocating a prudent approach.

''Often it is not what we see that matters, but it is more about systems _ the computers, IT and baggage systems. What you see is not always the most important thing,'' he said earlier this month.

Mr Tyler said Thailand should avoid making the same mistake as Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur, which opened their new airports early.

But Mr Chotisak yesterday expressed confidence that a Sept 28 opening was realistic and achievable.

Meanwhile, THAI, Thai AirAsia and Bangkok Airways have initially agreed to make their first international test flights in and out of Suvarnabhumi on Sept 1, according to Mr Chotisak.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

Traffic to get worse along Sukhumvit road
 

Report from Bangkok Post dated Monday 31 July 2006 :-

Traffic to get worse along Sukhumvit road

The traffic situation will worsen on Sukhumvit road when work on the extension of the skytrain to Soi 107 gets underway next month.

The work is due for completion in February 2009.

Public utilities between Sukhumvit Soi 85 and 107 will first be progressively relocated, with one outbound traffic lane to be closed from 10pm-5am during August and September.

Deputy Bangkok governor Bannasopit Mekwichai had discussions on the route extension with related agencies on Friday including the Office of Transport and Traffic Policy and Planning, the Metropolitan Electricity Authority and the contractor on how to ease the traffic problem when construction begins.

The city on June 20 signed a 3.8-billion-baht contract with the Italian-Thai Development Plc to build the extension.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

Bangkok, Chiang Mai - world favourites
 

Report from The Bangkok Post dated Tuesday 1 August 2006 :-

Bangkok, Chiang Mai - world favourites

Florence, Italy, has replaced Sydney, Australia, as the No. 1 city in the world for travelers, according to Travel+Leisure's annual "World's Best" awards.

Two cities in Thailand -- Bangkok and Chiang Mai -- were third and fifth.

The list of award-winners is based on an annual survey of 23,000 readers who provided evaluations for nearly 500,000 destinations, hotels, airlines, and other travel entitites.

Sydney came in at No. 4 on this year's list of best cities. Rome was second, and

Beirut, Lebanon, appeared in the top 10 list for the first time -- at No. 9. The survey was conducted before fighting broke out between Israel and Lebanon.

New York City was named best city in America for the sixth consecutive year, while JetBlue Airways ranked first among domestic airlines for the first time in survey history.

Singita Private Game Reserve in South Africa won for the world's best hotel, an award it also won in 2004.

Best large-ship cruise line was Crystal Cruises, while the survey named Yachts of Seabourn as the best small-ship cruise line. The award for best international airline went to Singapore Airlines, while best car rental agency went to Hertz.

The Inn at Montchanin Village in Montchanin, Del., was named the world's best hotel in the $250 or less category, while the Inverlochy Castle in Fort William, Scotland, won for Europe's best hotel. The Aerie in Malahat on Vancouver Island in Canada was named No. 1 among continental U.S. and Canadian hotels.

The list appears in the magazine's August issue and is also available online at http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

Hotels set to raise room rates by 10% in 2007
 

Report from The Nation dated Tuesday 1 August 2006 :-

Hotels set to raise room rates by 10% in 2007

Hotel operators plan to hike up room rates by an average of 10 per cent next year as a result of higher operational costs in the wake of the rise in oil prices.

"This rate increase will be substantially higher than the hikes of 5 to 7 per cent seen in previous years," said Prakit Shinamourpong, vice president of the Thai Hotels Association (THA), speaking after the its monthly members' meeting yesterday.

Prakit said that five-star hotels would be upping their room rates from either October or November. It was typical to make annual adjustments in the last quarter so that the new rates came in at the beginning of the high season, he said.

Some hotels have said they will increase rates by more than 10 per cent. Among these is the five-star JW Marriott Hotel in Bangkok, which plans to hike its prices by 15 per cent from January.

The THA hopes the tourism industry will pick up next year due to the clearer picture on the political situation and the opening of Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

"The opening of Suvarnabhumi will boost the hotel industry. Many hotels are being developed near the new airport, in Bangkok as well as in Pattaya," said Prakit.

The THA says it expects more than 2,000 new rooms to be available around the new airport.

From January to July, the average occupancy rate of hotels in Bangkok was 73.6 per cent, down from 74.4 per cent in the same period last year, while hotels in the North are running at 52 per cent occupancy, up from 45 per cent. Hotels in the Northeast have been 60 per cent full, down from 70 per cent, while hotels in the South are at 55 per cent, up from 25 per cent.

However, Prakit said the association is worried about the recent outbreak of bird flu in Phichit province, which could affect one of the country's mega events - the Royal Flora Horticultural Expo - scheduled to take place in Chiang Mai in November.

He said the government should restore the confidence of tourists by clarifying that Phichit is not near Chiang Mai.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

Thai Cabinet gives nod for three subway lines
 

Report from The Bangkok Post dated Wednesday 2 August 2006 :-

Thai Cabinet gives nod for three subway lines : Funding to be sourced domestically, overseas

The government yesterday gave three new mass transit subway lines the go-ahead with funding for them expected to be sourced both domestically and overseas.

The cabinet approved in principle the construction method for the three subway lines. Relevant agencies have started working on the project preparations and discussing the technical aspects.

The three lines were considered urgent as they would help ease traffic and save the travelling public time. They are the 40km Red Line from Phya Thai to Rangsit and Chiang Rak Noi; the 23km Purple Line from Bang Yai to Bang Sue; and the current subway route, the Blue Line.

The subway now runs from Hua Lamphong to Bang Sue. It will be lengthened by 14km from Hua Lamphong to Bang Khae and by 13km from Bang Sue to Tha Phra.

The Red Line will connect with the Airport Link train to Suvarnabhumi airport, which is now under construction.

Mr Pongsak said the Finance Ministry would be responsible for arranging the loans, both local and foreign. Bidding panels from the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) and the Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA) needed to speed up setting the bidding dates, he added.

The SRT will be responsible for the Red Line, construction which will cost 42 billion baht.

The MRTA, which runs the underground train now, will take charge of the expanded current route and the Purple Line. Some 103 billion baht is needed to build them.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

From teak house to skyrise
 

Report from Bangkok Post dated Wednesday 2 August 2006 :-

From teak house to skyrise : Bangkok's urban development has come a long way

Sixty years ago, Bangkok was only a small capital with a modest population of around 800,000, and the closest the building industry had come to a ''high-rise'' was a four-storey shophouse. The ''Venice of Asia'' at that time had room enough to accommodate its residents. Most Bangkok residents lived in traditional Thai houses and business was conducted in small one- or two-storey shophouses built from wood or a mix of wood and concrete.

Back then, a row of four-storey commercial buildings on Ratchadamnoen Avenue would have been the tallest public buildings in Bangkok. They were developed on the Crown Property Bureau's land around 100 years ago during the reign of King Rama V.

Beyond that period, palaces, mansions and residences belonging to royal families or aristocrats were exclusively designed and built by Italian architects, with most construction materials imported from Italy. Such buildings are of great cultural pride today.

Following World War II, the urbanisation of Bangkok began. The concept of high-rise buildings was introduced from areas such as Malaysia, in line with the establishment of new trade routes between Thailand and neighbouring countries.

The first ''high-rise'' building was a seven-storey shophouse for a gold merchant on Yaowarat Road, according to Assoc Prof Manop Bongsadadt, a lecturer at Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Architecture.

This started a trend for this type of building, influenced by Chinese architecture and using brick and sand, in the city's Chinatown area.

In that period, basic construction materials that could be produced locally were brick, terracotta and cement, while steel, glass and marble were imported from outside Thailand from regions such as Europe.

''Construction techniques in those days were so simple. We didn't have concrete piling like today. We tied several logs together in a chase-like style and laid them down tightly on the ground as the building foundation,'' said Assoc Prof Manop.

The property market was revolutionised in Thailand 30 years ago when true high-rise development was introduced with buildings such as the Dusit Thani Hotel and the Laemthong building. Architectural and construction-material businesses grew in line with the new property boom and construction techniques became increasingly more sophisticated.

The flourishing city that stands today is totally different from Bangkok in 1946. The rapid urbanisation catapulted the capital into the modern world and attracted more and more people, with the population currently standing at around 10 million.

The tallest building to be found in Bangkok now is Baiyoke Tower II in Pratunam. At a height of 304 metres spanning 85 floors, it is a symbol of the sort of progression that Bangkokians of 60 years ago would never have expected to see on their horizon.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork