"Moo Baan Thorn" is a seaside village located along soft white sandy Baan Thorn Beach. A naturally pristine location, the village is inhabited by Muslim fishermen. In their free time. Baan Thorn villagers produce local handicrafts like Ko Lae boat miniatures and Kra Jud mats. Which are among the outstanding souvenirs of Narathiwas Province. Apart from being recognised as symbols of Baan Thron village. Ko Lae boat miniatures and Kra Jud mats have become distinguished elements in the eidentity of Narathiwas Province.
Thus. Baan thron was selected as an "OTOP" (One Tambol, One Product) village. Its famous products include Ko Lae boat miniatures, Kra Jud mats, other handicrafts woven from Kra Jud leaves, and Bu Du fish condiment. Baan Thron has a beautiful beach and its villagers live a simple life with fisheries as their main occupation. This kind of location and lifestyle lifestyle are also good prospects for tourism.
The selection of Baan Thorn as an OTOP village is a means of strengthening the community. The people there are encouraged to use their local resources to produce quality products that reflect their cultural identity. Plus they can promote their village to become another tourist attraction. The development process ionvolves getting all the villagers to cooperate in attracting outsiders to visit the village for cultural tours and study purposes. The project enables villagers to earn their living and considerable sums of money flow through the village on a daily basis.
The Pvovincial Top Product Selection Committee of Narathiwas worked to select the province's most distinguished products in tearms of cultural identity, local intellectual capital, application of local resources, local capability and marketing, and creativity prospects. Five products were selected, one of which is a product from Baan Thorn.
The five most distinguished products of Narithiwas include Ko Lae boat miniatures, Batik and Sarong cloth, processed gardenias, artificial gold leaf and Kra Jud handicrafts.
As fisheries is the main occupation, villatgers in Baan Thorn live a very simple life without devastating their natural resources. They make additional income from handicraft products. Baan thorn has been promoted by several government agencies for development in many areas, including the Demonstration Farm Project in line with Sufficiency Economy practices.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand's Southern Office Area 3 has promoted the village as a centre for handicraft production and selling. Ten demonstration pavilion were built for village artists to work in the same area so that tourists can conveniently shop for Baan Thorn's outstanding souvenirs.
Baan Thorn became famous for local handicrafts, particularly Ko Lae boat miniatures that feature beautiful, delicate designs. The designs can tell visitors that Baan Thorn is inhabited by Thai-Muslims who have decorated their boats with these designs for generations.
The Ko Lae designs are a combination of Malay. Java and Thai patterns. Thai designs are mostly used with Lai Kanok, drawings to represent flames: Bua Khawam-Bua Ngai, to represent lotuses: Lai Hua Phaya Nak, to represent naga heads: and flying Hanuman. In addition, many brids in literature have become designs for Ko Lae such as Burong Si Ngor-a creature with the body of a lion and the head of a bird carrying a fish in its beak
The art of Ko Lae is regarded as fine art moving across the waves of the sea. It is living art, as Ko Lae is not just for beauty but for making a living. It is said that if Bang Nara River were without Ko Lae, its children would go without clothes.
Baan Thorn's Ko Lae miniatures are recognised as valuable souvenirs among both Thai and foreign vistors, particularly tourists from Malaysia. Presently, Baan Thorn has a lot of orders for Ko Lae from Malaysia.
Apart from Ko Lae and Kra Jud, Baan Thorn produces other local handicrafts such as bird cages, Bu Du fish condiment and crispy fish-cakes are among other products made in the village from fish, Bu Du from Baan Thorn is delicious hygienic and made without preservatives. Crispy fish cakes are made of a mixture of different kinds of fish which are mashed together then sliced into very thin medallions. They are then dried in the sun and deep, fried. They make an ecellent snack for many occasions and are popular souvenirs.
Visitors to Baan Thorn are always impressed with the beauty of Ko Lae boats mored along the beach. Each Ko Lae owner takes good care of his boat. Vistors love to take photographs of beautiful Kol Lae with the seascape as a backdrop.
Villagers love their Baan Thorn Beach. They help to keep the beach clean and serene. The sea is always clear and blue while the villagers are always kind and warmly welcome visitors. Baan Thorn Village is located at Moo 5, Tambol Khok Khian, Muang District. Narathiwas Province, just 16 kilometres from the narathiwas administration centre by the 4136 highway. Here you will encounter the beauty of nature and the kindness of our Baan Thorn brothers and sisters.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
ATTA TRIMS PROJECTION ON ARRIVALS
The Association of Thai Travel Agents has revised this year's forecast for international arrivals down to 11.5 million due to a pessimistic tourism outlook.
ATTA president Surapol Sritrakul said the conservative figure was based on surveys conducted among the agency's members.
"We haven't seen any positive factors or advance bookings for the upcoming high season," he said yesterday.
Though the number of tourists from Iran, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, India and China is on the rise, arrivals from Europe and the United States are still low. Between January and July, ATTA members catered to 900,000 travellers, a 40-per-cent decrease from the same period last year.
Figures produced by the ATTA are lower than those of the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT). The TAT recently revised its forecast from 13.2 million to 14 million arrivals because it believes the tourism industry will recover in the high season. Meanwhile, the TCT recently revised up its forecast from 12 million to 13.1 million, expecting tourists to return as political unrest subsides.
According to Surapol, arrivals are so low that some small operators have been forced to shut down or sell their businesses. "The sector is not expected to recover until the middle of next year, and full recovery will only be seen late next year," he said.
He added that the government should help tour operators through soft loans. So far only 30 small operators have received financial assistance, even though 300 applied for it. The ATTA and other key tourism associations are planning to ask the Finance and Tourism and Sports ministries for help.
Surapol said the ATTA would hire two specialists to come up with new tourism schemes as well as marketing and sales strategies.
Pradech Payakvichain, a TAT consultant, said tourism operators needed new strategies to compete with other countries, especially once the Asean Economic Community comes into effect.
Thailand is not the only country suffering from a slump in tourist arrivals. According to the International Air Transport Association, passengers in July had declined 2.9 per cent compared to the same month last year, while freight demand was down 11.3 per cent. The international passenger-load factor stood at 80.3 per cent.
The drop in July passenger demand was a relative improvement compared to the 7.2-per-cent drop in June and the 6.8-per-cent decline recorded over the first seven months of the year. The July capacity was more in line with reduced demand than in previous months and load factors were similar to those recorded in July 2008.
These developments, however, have come at the expense of yields that continue to fall sharply.
ATTA president Surapol Sritrakul said the conservative figure was based on surveys conducted among the agency's members.
"We haven't seen any positive factors or advance bookings for the upcoming high season," he said yesterday.
Though the number of tourists from Iran, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, India and China is on the rise, arrivals from Europe and the United States are still low. Between January and July, ATTA members catered to 900,000 travellers, a 40-per-cent decrease from the same period last year.
Figures produced by the ATTA are lower than those of the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT). The TAT recently revised its forecast from 13.2 million to 14 million arrivals because it believes the tourism industry will recover in the high season. Meanwhile, the TCT recently revised up its forecast from 12 million to 13.1 million, expecting tourists to return as political unrest subsides.
According to Surapol, arrivals are so low that some small operators have been forced to shut down or sell their businesses. "The sector is not expected to recover until the middle of next year, and full recovery will only be seen late next year," he said.
He added that the government should help tour operators through soft loans. So far only 30 small operators have received financial assistance, even though 300 applied for it. The ATTA and other key tourism associations are planning to ask the Finance and Tourism and Sports ministries for help.
Surapol said the ATTA would hire two specialists to come up with new tourism schemes as well as marketing and sales strategies.
Pradech Payakvichain, a TAT consultant, said tourism operators needed new strategies to compete with other countries, especially once the Asean Economic Community comes into effect.
Thailand is not the only country suffering from a slump in tourist arrivals. According to the International Air Transport Association, passengers in July had declined 2.9 per cent compared to the same month last year, while freight demand was down 11.3 per cent. The international passenger-load factor stood at 80.3 per cent.
The drop in July passenger demand was a relative improvement compared to the 7.2-per-cent drop in June and the 6.8-per-cent decline recorded over the first seven months of the year. The July capacity was more in line with reduced demand than in previous months and load factors were similar to those recorded in July 2008.
These developments, however, have come at the expense of yields that continue to fall sharply.
Film festival pair "turned TAT into a piggy bank"
A film-making couple devised an intricate system of bribes to Thai officials in order to land lucrative projects such as the Bangkok International Film Festival, a federal prosecutor has told a US court in his opening statement at their trial.
Gerald and Patricia Green created shell companies and paid off the former governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Juthamas Siriwan, by transferring money into bank accounts of Mrs Juthamas's daughter and a friend so they would be awarded business contracts,Jonathan Lopez, a senior trial lawyer with the US Department of Justice, said.
The "bribes-for-contracts" scheme netted the Los Angeles couple about $13.5 million (460 million baht), he said.
"This case is about greed, it's about corruption and it's about deceit," Mr Lopez told the jury composed of seven men and five women. The Greens "turned TAT into their own personal piggy bank", he said.
The couple have pleaded not guilty to charges including conspiracy and money laundering. If convicted, they each could receive up to life in prison.Both are free on bond.
Mrs Juthamas has denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged in the US or Thailand.
The Greens are the first entertainment industry figures who have been charged under the Foreign Juthamas: Case was Corrupt Practices "all about greed"Act, a federal statute prohibiting corrupt payments to foreign officials for business purposes.
Prosecutors contend the Greens paid Mrs Juthamas about 60 million baht to help secure the Bangkok film festival and tourism-related deals between 2002 and 2007.
The payments, some of which were paid in cash to Mrs Juthamas directly,were often disguised as sales commissions, ranging from 10% to 20%, Mr Lopez said. The Greens inflated their budgets so Mrs Juthamas could be paid off, prosecutors said.
"The simple question for you as jurors is whether all these payments to overseas accounts were bribes so they [Greens]could get the inside track for those contracts," Mr Lopez said.
Lawyer Jerome Mooney, who represents Gerald Green, said the payments made to Mrs Juthamas's daughter were legitimate because his 77-year-old client had entered into a consulting agreement with her.
Marilyn Bednarski, Patricia Green's lawyer, shot down Mr Lopez's contention that the couple profited heavily from the contracts. She showed jurors tax returns from 2000- before the couple ran the film festival - and from 2006,the festival's most successful year. The difference was only about $100,000(3.4 million baht), she said.
The couple helped transform the festival into a rising star on the international circuit for screening new films, attracting the likes of Michael Douglas, Jeremy Irons and director Oliver Stone to Thailand.
Gerald and Patricia Green created shell companies and paid off the former governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Juthamas Siriwan, by transferring money into bank accounts of Mrs Juthamas's daughter and a friend so they would be awarded business contracts,Jonathan Lopez, a senior trial lawyer with the US Department of Justice, said.
The "bribes-for-contracts" scheme netted the Los Angeles couple about $13.5 million (460 million baht), he said.
"This case is about greed, it's about corruption and it's about deceit," Mr Lopez told the jury composed of seven men and five women. The Greens "turned TAT into their own personal piggy bank", he said.
The couple have pleaded not guilty to charges including conspiracy and money laundering. If convicted, they each could receive up to life in prison.Both are free on bond.
Mrs Juthamas has denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged in the US or Thailand.
The Greens are the first entertainment industry figures who have been charged under the Foreign Juthamas: Case was Corrupt Practices "all about greed"Act, a federal statute prohibiting corrupt payments to foreign officials for business purposes.
Prosecutors contend the Greens paid Mrs Juthamas about 60 million baht to help secure the Bangkok film festival and tourism-related deals between 2002 and 2007.
The payments, some of which were paid in cash to Mrs Juthamas directly,were often disguised as sales commissions, ranging from 10% to 20%, Mr Lopez said. The Greens inflated their budgets so Mrs Juthamas could be paid off, prosecutors said.
"The simple question for you as jurors is whether all these payments to overseas accounts were bribes so they [Greens]could get the inside track for those contracts," Mr Lopez said.
Lawyer Jerome Mooney, who represents Gerald Green, said the payments made to Mrs Juthamas's daughter were legitimate because his 77-year-old client had entered into a consulting agreement with her.
Marilyn Bednarski, Patricia Green's lawyer, shot down Mr Lopez's contention that the couple profited heavily from the contracts. She showed jurors tax returns from 2000- before the couple ran the film festival - and from 2006,the festival's most successful year. The difference was only about $100,000(3.4 million baht), she said.
The couple helped transform the festival into a rising star on the international circuit for screening new films, attracting the likes of Michael Douglas, Jeremy Irons and director Oliver Stone to Thailand.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Nip violence in the bud
The government's decision to invoke the Internal Security Act in Dusit district of Bangkok to deal with the mass protest planned this Sunday by the pro-Thaksin United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), is strictly in line with the famous adage that prevention is better than cure.
Under the law, which was successfully enforced in Phuket during the recent meetings between Asean member countries and their dialogue partners, the responsibility to maintain law and order in Dusit district will be shifted from the police to the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc), which is empowered to impose appropriate and stringent measures such as restrictions on travel and public demonstration in the designated zone, in order to pre-empt any chance of violence.
Negative reaction against the enforcement of this law from the tourism sector and the opposition Puea Thai Party is not unexpected. Concern expressed by Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silpa-archa at the cabinet meeting on Tuesday that the tough law might affect confidence in the tourism industry, is justified. But this problem can be addressed if the ministry and the Tourism Authority of Thailand immediately launch a publicity campaign to clarify to tourism agencies and related businesses here and abroad, of the need for this law and that its impact will hardly be felt by the public in general, let alone tourists. Unless, of course, the protest turns violent and certain appropriately stringent measures have to be applied to maintain peace and order, which could cause inconvenience to tourists and locals alike.
While the concern of the tourism sector is acceptable, the one expressed by the opposition Puea Thai Party is rather sceptical. Puea Thai spokesman Prompong Nop-parith has asked the government to rethink its enforcement of the security law, claiming that "third hand" elements might incite violence and put the blame on the red-shirt protesters. Instead, the party should be telling the UDD to call off its planned protest so there would be no need for the government to invoke the security law and thus shut out any chances for "third hand" elements to undermine the cause of the UDD.
Despite assurances from UDD leaders that the protest will be peaceful, the Songkran riots in Bangkok perpetrated by red-shirt mobs and the storming of the venue of the Asean summit in Pattaya, also by the red shirts - which successfully forced the postponement of the summit and made the country a laughing stock in the eyes of the international community - have served as costly lessons regarding the UDD leaders' credibility or the lack of it. Not only can these UDD leaders not be trusted, but the dismal performance of the police in dealing with the red-shirt protesters during the Songkran riots, made it necessary for the government to rethink its overall approach towards future protests; in other words, it would be prudent to nip potentially violent demonstrations in the bud.
It should also be noted that without the pre-emptive measures made possible by the Internal Security Act, the only legal avenues available to deal with unruly protesters are traffic and criminal laws, which have proven time and again to be ineffective in mob control or in preventing violence resulting from protests.
If anyone at all is to shoulder the blame for any negative impact that may result from the enforcement of this security law, it must be those persons who first stoke the fires, and not those taking precautions to prevent the flames from spreading.
Under the law, which was successfully enforced in Phuket during the recent meetings between Asean member countries and their dialogue partners, the responsibility to maintain law and order in Dusit district will be shifted from the police to the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc), which is empowered to impose appropriate and stringent measures such as restrictions on travel and public demonstration in the designated zone, in order to pre-empt any chance of violence.
Negative reaction against the enforcement of this law from the tourism sector and the opposition Puea Thai Party is not unexpected. Concern expressed by Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silpa-archa at the cabinet meeting on Tuesday that the tough law might affect confidence in the tourism industry, is justified. But this problem can be addressed if the ministry and the Tourism Authority of Thailand immediately launch a publicity campaign to clarify to tourism agencies and related businesses here and abroad, of the need for this law and that its impact will hardly be felt by the public in general, let alone tourists. Unless, of course, the protest turns violent and certain appropriately stringent measures have to be applied to maintain peace and order, which could cause inconvenience to tourists and locals alike.
While the concern of the tourism sector is acceptable, the one expressed by the opposition Puea Thai Party is rather sceptical. Puea Thai spokesman Prompong Nop-parith has asked the government to rethink its enforcement of the security law, claiming that "third hand" elements might incite violence and put the blame on the red-shirt protesters. Instead, the party should be telling the UDD to call off its planned protest so there would be no need for the government to invoke the security law and thus shut out any chances for "third hand" elements to undermine the cause of the UDD.
Despite assurances from UDD leaders that the protest will be peaceful, the Songkran riots in Bangkok perpetrated by red-shirt mobs and the storming of the venue of the Asean summit in Pattaya, also by the red shirts - which successfully forced the postponement of the summit and made the country a laughing stock in the eyes of the international community - have served as costly lessons regarding the UDD leaders' credibility or the lack of it. Not only can these UDD leaders not be trusted, but the dismal performance of the police in dealing with the red-shirt protesters during the Songkran riots, made it necessary for the government to rethink its overall approach towards future protests; in other words, it would be prudent to nip potentially violent demonstrations in the bud.
It should also be noted that without the pre-emptive measures made possible by the Internal Security Act, the only legal avenues available to deal with unruly protesters are traffic and criminal laws, which have proven time and again to be ineffective in mob control or in preventing violence resulting from protests.
If anyone at all is to shoulder the blame for any negative impact that may result from the enforcement of this security law, it must be those persons who first stoke the fires, and not those taking precautions to prevent the flames from spreading.
Diamond in the rough
It's gritty, it's hip and it's downtown in one of the most dangerous cities in the world.Johannesburg's Newtown cultural precinct is at the heart of life in this city, and a visit reveals just why this is one of Africa's great metropolitan centres.
Newtown is home to a theatre famed for its role in the fight against apartheid,one of the continent's premier jazz clubs,and a restaurant offering up a taste of South Africa in all its flavours.
Its roads are named after some of the country's best writers, painters and voices such as the late African songbird Miriam Makeba, whose face adorns the walls in colourful murals.
There are galleries nestled besides derelict red brick warehouses, a museum in an old electric workshop and an open square with cafes. Framing it all is a dramatic view of Johannesburg's skyscrapers and the freeway that rings the city.
Johannesburg is the commercial capital of the country and an economic hub of the continent. It is a world-class city that will host the opening and closing matches of 2010 football World Cup.
But because of its reputation for violent crime, few visitors make it beyond the swanky hotels, high walls and sprawling malls of the north.
Only a handful of tourists stay more than a couple of days in Johannesburg,preferring instead to head for the Cape or the many nearby game parks.
For those staying longer, a trip downtown presents a different perspective, and Newtown is a safe starting point.
The precinct was home to workers of all races who settled on the fringes of the mining town that sprang up soon after gold was discovered in the area in 1886.
These slums were torched by the fire brigade to prevent the spread of bubonic plague in 1904. On the razed land, Newtown was built and with its fresh produce market,power station and railway yard, it drove the development of the city.
By the 1970s, actors, artists and musicians moved into the industrial buildings as they became defunct and the cultural precinct began to take shape.
During the 1980s and the early 1990s, it was Johannesburg's most fashionable spot where black and white trendsetters broke down racial barriers over coffee and beers.
The last decade and a half has seen much of downtown Johannesburg become rundown and derelict. But efforts by local authorities to stop the decay are starting to show results.
More visitors are crossing the elegant white Nelson Mandela Bridge into the city.New bars are attracting nightlife, warehouses are being converted into loft apartments and there is a sense of renewal about Newtown.
Presiding over the culture precinct is the regal Market Theater. Built in the city's original fruit and vegetable market, it features graceful Edwardian girders and giant curved windows.
The theatre was established in 1976 as opposition to apartheid mounted. It flouted laws on racial segregation, allowing black and white actors to perform together in front of a mixed audience.
The theatre continues to be at the frontline of productions that touch on the new realities of life in South Africa. Veteran thespian John Kani's Nothing But The Truth ,a moving play about a middle-aged man who has to come to terms with freedom after a lifetime of subservience, has just finished a second run. Works by directors such as Mike van Graan and Lara Foot Newton are also regularly shown.
Next to the theatre is another Johannesburg institution Gramadoelas, a restaurant known for its genuine South African fare.
On the menu are deep-fried crocodile nuggets, ostrich fillets and marinated slices of kudu, the majestic southern African antelope. There are traditional dishes such as Mopani worms,mogodu or unbleached tripe; and umngqusho , which is braised beef shin with maize porridge, billed as former President Nelson Mandela's favourite dish. Its curries, a spicy beef souffle dish known as bobotie, and tomato lamb stew are a tribute to the country's Malaysian settlers.
Owners Brian Shalkoff and Eduan Naude add their affable charms to the restaurant's ambience, which includes walls crowded with paintings and kitchen bric-a-brac.Tip: the best spot is a seat in the alcove with the bay windows.
The restaurant shares what was once a produce market building with the Museum Africa. Exhibits here have become sadly neglected, though the gift shop is worth a look. The museum faces Mary Fitzgerald Square, named after a particularly feisty trade unionist. The square often hosts concerts and some of the continent's greats have performed there, including Senegal's Ismael Lo, Fema Kuti from Nigeria and the late Lucky Dube, a South African reggae star.
For more music head to The Bassline,which over the years has hosted local legends such as jazz maestro Abdullah Ibrahim, guitarist Louis Mhlanga and the haunting voice of Vusi Mahlasela. The Bassline is located in an attractive turn of the century brick warehouse on the edge of the Newtown lawns.
On a sunny afternoon, fashionably dressed artistes can be seen strolling across the grass or relaxing under its few trees along with other city dwellers. Nearby,young girls snap pictures of each other posing next to the bronze statue of the late Brenda Fassie, a local pop singer known as the Madonna of the Townships.
A visit to Newtown makes a great morning outing. You can browse among the stalls on the plaza in front of the theatre or stop in at the small craft market at the Bus Factory, a renovated bus terminus.
Popping in at Xarra, an independent book store that specialises in African writers,is a must. as is taking in the scene from one the restaurants overlooking Mary Fitzgerald Square, which serve basics like burgers, salads and pizza.
Situated in an impressive old electric workshop, the Sci-Bono museum with its interactive displays will be enjoyed by children and adults of all ages.
Look out for the wooden posts carved into evocative faces and the other public art that adds to Newtown's arty vibe.
Shabby in parts and gentrified in others,Newtown is a bit like New York's East Village with Covent Garden aspirations.Full of creative potential, it has an exciting energy that is the spirit of Johannesburg.
Newtown is home to a theatre famed for its role in the fight against apartheid,one of the continent's premier jazz clubs,and a restaurant offering up a taste of South Africa in all its flavours.
Its roads are named after some of the country's best writers, painters and voices such as the late African songbird Miriam Makeba, whose face adorns the walls in colourful murals.
There are galleries nestled besides derelict red brick warehouses, a museum in an old electric workshop and an open square with cafes. Framing it all is a dramatic view of Johannesburg's skyscrapers and the freeway that rings the city.
Johannesburg is the commercial capital of the country and an economic hub of the continent. It is a world-class city that will host the opening and closing matches of 2010 football World Cup.
But because of its reputation for violent crime, few visitors make it beyond the swanky hotels, high walls and sprawling malls of the north.
Only a handful of tourists stay more than a couple of days in Johannesburg,preferring instead to head for the Cape or the many nearby game parks.
For those staying longer, a trip downtown presents a different perspective, and Newtown is a safe starting point.
The precinct was home to workers of all races who settled on the fringes of the mining town that sprang up soon after gold was discovered in the area in 1886.
These slums were torched by the fire brigade to prevent the spread of bubonic plague in 1904. On the razed land, Newtown was built and with its fresh produce market,power station and railway yard, it drove the development of the city.
By the 1970s, actors, artists and musicians moved into the industrial buildings as they became defunct and the cultural precinct began to take shape.
During the 1980s and the early 1990s, it was Johannesburg's most fashionable spot where black and white trendsetters broke down racial barriers over coffee and beers.
The last decade and a half has seen much of downtown Johannesburg become rundown and derelict. But efforts by local authorities to stop the decay are starting to show results.
More visitors are crossing the elegant white Nelson Mandela Bridge into the city.New bars are attracting nightlife, warehouses are being converted into loft apartments and there is a sense of renewal about Newtown.
Presiding over the culture precinct is the regal Market Theater. Built in the city's original fruit and vegetable market, it features graceful Edwardian girders and giant curved windows.
The theatre was established in 1976 as opposition to apartheid mounted. It flouted laws on racial segregation, allowing black and white actors to perform together in front of a mixed audience.
The theatre continues to be at the frontline of productions that touch on the new realities of life in South Africa. Veteran thespian John Kani's Nothing But The Truth ,a moving play about a middle-aged man who has to come to terms with freedom after a lifetime of subservience, has just finished a second run. Works by directors such as Mike van Graan and Lara Foot Newton are also regularly shown.
Next to the theatre is another Johannesburg institution Gramadoelas, a restaurant known for its genuine South African fare.
On the menu are deep-fried crocodile nuggets, ostrich fillets and marinated slices of kudu, the majestic southern African antelope. There are traditional dishes such as Mopani worms,mogodu or unbleached tripe; and umngqusho , which is braised beef shin with maize porridge, billed as former President Nelson Mandela's favourite dish. Its curries, a spicy beef souffle dish known as bobotie, and tomato lamb stew are a tribute to the country's Malaysian settlers.
Owners Brian Shalkoff and Eduan Naude add their affable charms to the restaurant's ambience, which includes walls crowded with paintings and kitchen bric-a-brac.Tip: the best spot is a seat in the alcove with the bay windows.
The restaurant shares what was once a produce market building with the Museum Africa. Exhibits here have become sadly neglected, though the gift shop is worth a look. The museum faces Mary Fitzgerald Square, named after a particularly feisty trade unionist. The square often hosts concerts and some of the continent's greats have performed there, including Senegal's Ismael Lo, Fema Kuti from Nigeria and the late Lucky Dube, a South African reggae star.
For more music head to The Bassline,which over the years has hosted local legends such as jazz maestro Abdullah Ibrahim, guitarist Louis Mhlanga and the haunting voice of Vusi Mahlasela. The Bassline is located in an attractive turn of the century brick warehouse on the edge of the Newtown lawns.
On a sunny afternoon, fashionably dressed artistes can be seen strolling across the grass or relaxing under its few trees along with other city dwellers. Nearby,young girls snap pictures of each other posing next to the bronze statue of the late Brenda Fassie, a local pop singer known as the Madonna of the Townships.
A visit to Newtown makes a great morning outing. You can browse among the stalls on the plaza in front of the theatre or stop in at the small craft market at the Bus Factory, a renovated bus terminus.
Popping in at Xarra, an independent book store that specialises in African writers,is a must. as is taking in the scene from one the restaurants overlooking Mary Fitzgerald Square, which serve basics like burgers, salads and pizza.
Situated in an impressive old electric workshop, the Sci-Bono museum with its interactive displays will be enjoyed by children and adults of all ages.
Look out for the wooden posts carved into evocative faces and the other public art that adds to Newtown's arty vibe.
Shabby in parts and gentrified in others,Newtown is a bit like New York's East Village with Covent Garden aspirations.Full of creative potential, it has an exciting energy that is the spirit of Johannesburg.
RURAL RELIEF
There is more to picturesque provinces of Nakhon Nayok and Prachin Buri than the adrenaline pumping activities we generally know them for. The former also boasts a slew of farming communities, but only a handful offer visitors close encounters with their simple way of life and beautiful natural surroundings.
Our tour began in Nongsang, a village in Pak Phli district of Nakhon Nayok, which for last seven years has been offering visitors an opportunity to tour their community in ox-driven carts, something that these days is a rarity, thanks to Kamron Wongyah,59, a retired school teacher.
It is an activity popular particularly among European tourists. The kilometre-long ride is bumpy,taking riders through a maze of forest and rice paddies to Kamron's hideout where apart from rice, he also keeps farm animals such as horses,cows and ostriches.
Reaching his farm we spotted cows and buffaloes grazing in pastures next to his hideout, which also doubles as guesthouse, where greeting us were Kamron's dogs barking at full throttle.
His farm occupies 100 rai , and the guesthouse provides visitors with only the most basic of amenities such as mattresses, pillows and mosquito nets to ensure the atmosphere and ambience remain truly rustic.
After a leisurely stroll among farm animals we made our way to Hub Moey, a village in tambon Hintang of Muang district with a population of just 560, a majority of them elderly farmers and children and some construction workers. The village sits in a valley near Khao Yai National Park.
Hub Moey offers visitors a wider choice of activities to indulge in, starting with a museum that is repository of local culture, followed by a trek through a jungle dotted with towering trees, to the Hindad Waterfall in the company of student tour guides.This is a good place to while away the afternoon.
Visitors can also go bicycling and enjoy the natural beauty of the area. If you wish to observe the villagers at work making products accorded OTOP status, look up uncle Jampa Boonman, a man in his late 70s whose expertise is making wicker baskets,chicken coops and fishing nets: he will be more than happy to oblige, you can also buy the products from him.
A few metres from his house lives aunty Thanom Seema. Her specialty include crispy banana fries and rice crackers with fruit and vegetable flavouring.Most residents in this part of village speak Lao and follow the traditional way of life. Also worth checking out is Wat Takinaram located in Muang district,built by Lao craftsmen around 1780.
Neighboring Prachin Buri, meanwhile, is famous not only for its natural attractions but also archaeological sites, like the ruins of Sa Morakot in Si Mohosot district, where the highlight is a pair of Lord Buddha's footprints believed to be from the Dvaravati period (8th -11th centuries).
According to the local office of the Department of Fine Arts, the footprints are carved on laterite stones. Close by is a Khmer-style religious ruin dating between 12th-13th centuries, but very little of the original structure is still standing.
Nakhon Nayok and neighbour Prachin Buri are fascinating provinces worth exploring. The former,106 kilometres from Bangkok, is a popular adventure destination.
Nakhon Nayok and Prachin Buri are connected by regular buses. For information on bus schedule, call 037-311-932.
For tour packages, call the Tourism Authority of Thailand's Nakhon Nayok office at 037-312-282 and 037-312-284 or its call centre at 1672.
Mr Kamron Wongyah can be reached at 089-793-7654.
Our tour began in Nongsang, a village in Pak Phli district of Nakhon Nayok, which for last seven years has been offering visitors an opportunity to tour their community in ox-driven carts, something that these days is a rarity, thanks to Kamron Wongyah,59, a retired school teacher.
It is an activity popular particularly among European tourists. The kilometre-long ride is bumpy,taking riders through a maze of forest and rice paddies to Kamron's hideout where apart from rice, he also keeps farm animals such as horses,cows and ostriches.
Reaching his farm we spotted cows and buffaloes grazing in pastures next to his hideout, which also doubles as guesthouse, where greeting us were Kamron's dogs barking at full throttle.
His farm occupies 100 rai , and the guesthouse provides visitors with only the most basic of amenities such as mattresses, pillows and mosquito nets to ensure the atmosphere and ambience remain truly rustic.
After a leisurely stroll among farm animals we made our way to Hub Moey, a village in tambon Hintang of Muang district with a population of just 560, a majority of them elderly farmers and children and some construction workers. The village sits in a valley near Khao Yai National Park.
Hub Moey offers visitors a wider choice of activities to indulge in, starting with a museum that is repository of local culture, followed by a trek through a jungle dotted with towering trees, to the Hindad Waterfall in the company of student tour guides.This is a good place to while away the afternoon.
Visitors can also go bicycling and enjoy the natural beauty of the area. If you wish to observe the villagers at work making products accorded OTOP status, look up uncle Jampa Boonman, a man in his late 70s whose expertise is making wicker baskets,chicken coops and fishing nets: he will be more than happy to oblige, you can also buy the products from him.
A few metres from his house lives aunty Thanom Seema. Her specialty include crispy banana fries and rice crackers with fruit and vegetable flavouring.Most residents in this part of village speak Lao and follow the traditional way of life. Also worth checking out is Wat Takinaram located in Muang district,built by Lao craftsmen around 1780.
Neighboring Prachin Buri, meanwhile, is famous not only for its natural attractions but also archaeological sites, like the ruins of Sa Morakot in Si Mohosot district, where the highlight is a pair of Lord Buddha's footprints believed to be from the Dvaravati period (8th -11th centuries).
According to the local office of the Department of Fine Arts, the footprints are carved on laterite stones. Close by is a Khmer-style religious ruin dating between 12th-13th centuries, but very little of the original structure is still standing.
Nakhon Nayok and neighbour Prachin Buri are fascinating provinces worth exploring. The former,106 kilometres from Bangkok, is a popular adventure destination.
Nakhon Nayok and Prachin Buri are connected by regular buses. For information on bus schedule, call 037-311-932.
For tour packages, call the Tourism Authority of Thailand's Nakhon Nayok office at 037-312-282 and 037-312-284 or its call centre at 1672.
Mr Kamron Wongyah can be reached at 089-793-7654.
TPC fires executive VP over dubious deals
Beleaguered Thailand Privilege Card on Tuesday sacked an executive vice president over two dubious service contracts worth Bt102 million, including an IT project that never materialised.
"Everyone knows that TPC is in crisis. Management was suspicious why someone could enter into such a big project," TPC chairman Thongchai Sridama said yesterday.
Yodchai Dejvithak, head of TPC's distribution and marketing department, was asked to quit immediately while attending the board of directors' meeting on Tuesday.
He was suspected of making unfair purchasing contracts with Advance Information Technology, an IT firm, and JC Decaux, an outdoor advertising agency.
TPC signed a Bt78-million contract with Advance Information Technology early this year to use an integrated office automation and customer-relations management system installed by the company. However, the IT firm has not performed any service at TPC.
TPC's board agreed to freeze the project since TPC was ordered by the government to halt operations and purchasing jobs. It also asked for a cost reduction.
TPC then received a notice from Advance Information Technology, asking for compensation of Bt28 million.
The board gave Yodchai seven days to negotiate with Advance Information Technology to lower the claim for damages, which should be only Bt3 million-Bt8 million. If the two parties could reach the lower figure, they both could end the conflict, or they could go to court if talks failed.
"Thus, the company has not formed any investigative committee to seek the truth of the contract. The company preferred to negotiate first," Thongchai said.
Yodchai's involvement in the purchase of the system was during the time that Weerasak Kowsurat was tourism minister and Surapong Triamchanchai was acting president.
The Tourism Ministry supervises TPC.
During that time, Yodchai also signed a one-year contract with JC Decaux for Bt24 million to use outdoor ads at Suvarnabhumi Airport. TPC has been paying a monthly fee of Bt2 million and the contract ends next month.
"The board wondered why TPC chose JC Decaux although another firm had offered a lower price," Thongchai said.
TPC later wanted to end the contract early, but failed as it ran for a full year and it would have to pay the remaining monthly fees.
Thongchai said it was another unfair contract entered into by previous management.
TPC earlier shelved a plan to hire six Toyota Alphards with drivers at a total cost of Bt20 million per year.
A representative of TPC said the board had also tried to force Udom Methathomrongsiri, an official from the Tourism Authority of Thailand, who is acting president of TPC, to resign, but he refused.
The representative said Udom would step down only when the TAT ordered him to do so. There was a report that the board would hold an urgent meeting today to dismiss Udom.
TPC plans for further cost reduction by cutting its staff along with opening a second early-retirement programme soon targeting 10 persons, Thongchai said.
On Tuesday it cut back another executive vice president, Nutthapol Keawpensri, who handled members' privileges and relations.
TPC has Bt376 million remaining in cash and 2,500 members from around the world.
The company is preparing four options for its future.
They are closing down, going ahead with a new structure, privatising and returning to the TAT.
The Tourism Ministry will soon propose the choices to the Cabinet.
"Everyone knows that TPC is in crisis. Management was suspicious why someone could enter into such a big project," TPC chairman Thongchai Sridama said yesterday.
Yodchai Dejvithak, head of TPC's distribution and marketing department, was asked to quit immediately while attending the board of directors' meeting on Tuesday.
He was suspected of making unfair purchasing contracts with Advance Information Technology, an IT firm, and JC Decaux, an outdoor advertising agency.
TPC signed a Bt78-million contract with Advance Information Technology early this year to use an integrated office automation and customer-relations management system installed by the company. However, the IT firm has not performed any service at TPC.
TPC's board agreed to freeze the project since TPC was ordered by the government to halt operations and purchasing jobs. It also asked for a cost reduction.
TPC then received a notice from Advance Information Technology, asking for compensation of Bt28 million.
The board gave Yodchai seven days to negotiate with Advance Information Technology to lower the claim for damages, which should be only Bt3 million-Bt8 million. If the two parties could reach the lower figure, they both could end the conflict, or they could go to court if talks failed.
"Thus, the company has not formed any investigative committee to seek the truth of the contract. The company preferred to negotiate first," Thongchai said.
Yodchai's involvement in the purchase of the system was during the time that Weerasak Kowsurat was tourism minister and Surapong Triamchanchai was acting president.
The Tourism Ministry supervises TPC.
During that time, Yodchai also signed a one-year contract with JC Decaux for Bt24 million to use outdoor ads at Suvarnabhumi Airport. TPC has been paying a monthly fee of Bt2 million and the contract ends next month.
"The board wondered why TPC chose JC Decaux although another firm had offered a lower price," Thongchai said.
TPC later wanted to end the contract early, but failed as it ran for a full year and it would have to pay the remaining monthly fees.
Thongchai said it was another unfair contract entered into by previous management.
TPC earlier shelved a plan to hire six Toyota Alphards with drivers at a total cost of Bt20 million per year.
A representative of TPC said the board had also tried to force Udom Methathomrongsiri, an official from the Tourism Authority of Thailand, who is acting president of TPC, to resign, but he refused.
The representative said Udom would step down only when the TAT ordered him to do so. There was a report that the board would hold an urgent meeting today to dismiss Udom.
TPC plans for further cost reduction by cutting its staff along with opening a second early-retirement programme soon targeting 10 persons, Thongchai said.
On Tuesday it cut back another executive vice president, Nutthapol Keawpensri, who handled members' privileges and relations.
TPC has Bt376 million remaining in cash and 2,500 members from around the world.
The company is preparing four options for its future.
They are closing down, going ahead with a new structure, privatising and returning to the TAT.
The Tourism Ministry will soon propose the choices to the Cabinet.
TAT lures Thais to central region
The Tourism Authority of Thailand yesterday launched a campaign to encourage locals to visit the Central region in the low season.
"The soaring oil price is raising the cost of transportation so people should travel to nearer destinations instead of remote provinces," said Wansadet Thavornsuk, TAT's deputy governor for domestic marketing.
Altogether 38 routes in 22 provinces throughout the Central region including Bangkok were introduced to local people to lure them into the region.
Packages ranging from day trips to three days/two nights - priced Bt800-2,000 per person, much lower than general rates - are expected to increase travel movements by 10-15 per cent during this low season.
Ayutthaya, Hua Hin and the Ampawa Floating Market are becoming more popular for locals as places located near the capital. Many people could reach them easily.
"Some major markets like Japan have been drooping due to many problems. However, this offering is expected to attract more locals into the provinces," he said.
Weerasak Kowsurat, chairman of TAT, said the promotion would help operators gain more tourists during this low season.
The campaign is part of the national tourism strategy to boost the domestic market during these trying times. TAT is keeping its domestic tourism target at 87 million trips this year despite the political uncertainty. TAT would continue the promotion in other regions in order to encourage domestic tourism.
Meanwhile, the recruiting committee for the new governor of TAT said it would open for applications next week.
Kongkit Hiranyakij, chairman of the Tourism Council of Thailand and also a committee member, said the committee is now laying down qualifications for whoever applies to become the next TAT governor to ensure they are compatible with the change in rules and regulations, following state enterprise policy.
"The new criteria for the new TAT governor's qualifications are expected to be ready next week," he said.
"The soaring oil price is raising the cost of transportation so people should travel to nearer destinations instead of remote provinces," said Wansadet Thavornsuk, TAT's deputy governor for domestic marketing.
Altogether 38 routes in 22 provinces throughout the Central region including Bangkok were introduced to local people to lure them into the region.
Packages ranging from day trips to three days/two nights - priced Bt800-2,000 per person, much lower than general rates - are expected to increase travel movements by 10-15 per cent during this low season.
Ayutthaya, Hua Hin and the Ampawa Floating Market are becoming more popular for locals as places located near the capital. Many people could reach them easily.
"Some major markets like Japan have been drooping due to many problems. However, this offering is expected to attract more locals into the provinces," he said.
Weerasak Kowsurat, chairman of TAT, said the promotion would help operators gain more tourists during this low season.
The campaign is part of the national tourism strategy to boost the domestic market during these trying times. TAT is keeping its domestic tourism target at 87 million trips this year despite the political uncertainty. TAT would continue the promotion in other regions in order to encourage domestic tourism.
Meanwhile, the recruiting committee for the new governor of TAT said it would open for applications next week.
Kongkit Hiranyakij, chairman of the Tourism Council of Thailand and also a committee member, said the committee is now laying down qualifications for whoever applies to become the next TAT governor to ensure they are compatible with the change in rules and regulations, following state enterprise policy.
"The new criteria for the new TAT governor's qualifications are expected to be ready next week," he said.
Dead Sea among 7 Natural Wonders finalists
The Dead Sea is among 14 finalists in a global internet vote next year to choose the 7 wonders of the natural world, organisers said yesterday.
The famously salty lake at the lowest point in the world is in the running for a place alongside spectacular natural phenomena such as the Amazon River,the Galapagos Islands, the Grand Canyon and the Great Barrier Reef.
Others include Venezuela's Angel Falls,Canada's Bay of Fundy, the Maldives Islands, Italy's Vesuvius volcano, Halong Bay in Vietnam, Iguazu Falls on the border between Brazil and Argentina, Lebanon's Jeita Grotto, Indonesia's Komodo national park and the Puerto Princesa underground river in the Philippines.
The Dead Sea is shared by Israel,Jordan and the occupied West Bank.
Over 100 million people participated in choosing the seven new, man-made wonders of the world announced in July 2007. Winning the title nearly tripled tourist visits to Jordan's ancient ruins of Petra, to the east of the Dead Sea.
The famously salty lake at the lowest point in the world is in the running for a place alongside spectacular natural phenomena such as the Amazon River,the Galapagos Islands, the Grand Canyon and the Great Barrier Reef.
Others include Venezuela's Angel Falls,Canada's Bay of Fundy, the Maldives Islands, Italy's Vesuvius volcano, Halong Bay in Vietnam, Iguazu Falls on the border between Brazil and Argentina, Lebanon's Jeita Grotto, Indonesia's Komodo national park and the Puerto Princesa underground river in the Philippines.
The Dead Sea is shared by Israel,Jordan and the occupied West Bank.
Over 100 million people participated in choosing the seven new, man-made wonders of the world announced in July 2007. Winning the title nearly tripled tourist visits to Jordan's ancient ruins of Petra, to the east of the Dead Sea.
Booze, drugs land Brits in jail overseas
Nearly 1,000 British holidaymakers were arrested for drugs offences abroad last year, with many more held by police or hospitalised for excessive drinking, the British Foreign Office said yesterday.
A third of the 991 drug arrests took place in Spain and the US.
Hospital cases were often the result of moped accidents and drink-related accidents. Such incidents escalated dramatically in the summer months, which the Foreign Office said was linked to the increased consumption of drugs and alcohol over the holiday season.
"Researching the local laws and customs before you travel could avoid time in a foreign jail," said Chris Bryant,Foreign Office Minister.
British travellers also reported 116 cases of rape and 158 cases of sexual assault, including 28 rapes in Greece.
Consular advice was sought almost 20,000 times to help out British travellers abroad who had run into trouble.
Nearly 30,000 Britons also lost their passports overseas during the 12-month period to March this year covered by the Foreign Office figures.
The excesses of British drinking abroad were highlighted earlier this month when the mayor of the Latvian capital Riga called for an end to visits by stag and hen parties after several British visitors urinated on Riga's Freedom Monument.
Total arrests rose year-on-year in both Spain and the US, which together accounted for more than half of the 6,919 reported arrests of Britons, the Foreign Office said.
There are currently eight British nationals awaiting the death penalty abroad,including four in the US and one each in Ghana, China, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
A third of the 991 drug arrests took place in Spain and the US.
Hospital cases were often the result of moped accidents and drink-related accidents. Such incidents escalated dramatically in the summer months, which the Foreign Office said was linked to the increased consumption of drugs and alcohol over the holiday season.
"Researching the local laws and customs before you travel could avoid time in a foreign jail," said Chris Bryant,Foreign Office Minister.
British travellers also reported 116 cases of rape and 158 cases of sexual assault, including 28 rapes in Greece.
Consular advice was sought almost 20,000 times to help out British travellers abroad who had run into trouble.
Nearly 30,000 Britons also lost their passports overseas during the 12-month period to March this year covered by the Foreign Office figures.
The excesses of British drinking abroad were highlighted earlier this month when the mayor of the Latvian capital Riga called for an end to visits by stag and hen parties after several British visitors urinated on Riga's Freedom Monument.
Total arrests rose year-on-year in both Spain and the US, which together accounted for more than half of the 6,919 reported arrests of Britons, the Foreign Office said.
There are currently eight British nationals awaiting the death penalty abroad,including four in the US and one each in Ghana, China, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Navy campaigns to curb diving deaths
The navy has launched a scuba safety campaign to reduce the number of accidents claiming divers' lives.
The campaign's first leg will take place at the popular diving site of Samaesarn near the navy base in Chon Buri.
Rescue officers and volunteers will be trained to improve rescue operations at sea, said Thapol Somsakul, an officer at the Naval Civil Affairs Department.
"Delays to life-saving operations are caused by confusing information about an accident's location and other related data." he said."Precise and rapid information will help improve such operations."
The initiative follows a recent incident when a diving instructor and his students died during a diving course in Samaesarn.
Officers from the 1st Naval Area Command, which initiated the campaign,last month met local diving operators in Chon Buri and Rayong to draft guidelines,as operators play a crucial role in reducing diving-related accidents.
The campaign's first leg will take place at the popular diving site of Samaesarn near the navy base in Chon Buri.
Rescue officers and volunteers will be trained to improve rescue operations at sea, said Thapol Somsakul, an officer at the Naval Civil Affairs Department.
"Delays to life-saving operations are caused by confusing information about an accident's location and other related data." he said."Precise and rapid information will help improve such operations."
The initiative follows a recent incident when a diving instructor and his students died during a diving course in Samaesarn.
Officers from the 1st Naval Area Command, which initiated the campaign,last month met local diving operators in Chon Buri and Rayong to draft guidelines,as operators play a crucial role in reducing diving-related accidents.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Dalai Lamas home renovated
China has completed a seven-year renovation of Tibet's Potala Palace - home to the Dalai Lamas until the region's current spiritual leader fled during an aborted uprising against communist rule 50 years ago.
China says the project is part of its plan to promote Tibetan culture and language in the region as it develops its economy, of which tourism forms a major part. The renovation, which also repaired the Norbu Lingka, a summer palace for the Dalai Lamas, cost 300 million yuan (1.5 billion baht), according to a report on Monday from the state-run news agency.
But many Tibetan exiles say the Himalayan region's cultural heritage has been threatened by Beijing's restrictions on the native Buddhist religion and the Tibetan language as well as agovernment-orchestrated mass migration of Han Chinese in the last three decades. A large number of monasteries and other artifacts also were destroyed during China's Cultural Revolution, from 1966 to 1976, although the Potala was spared in the violence.
In March 2008, riots erupted in Lhasa,the Tibetan capital, to protest Chinese rule. In response, Beijing poured troops into Tibetan areas and intensified its vilification of the Dalai Lama, accusing him of instigating the unrest.
The spiritual leader, who fled China in 1959 and now lives in exile in India,has said that restrictions on Tibet's religious practices have resulted in a "cul-tural genocide".
A ceremony was held on Sunday on the square in front of the Potala - whose facade looms over the city of Lhasa according to the Xinhua News Agency.
"The reparation of the three key cultural relics is an important part in the conservation of the Tibetan culture,"said Liu Yandong, a member of the Communist Party's Politburo, who attended the ceremony.
More than 189,000 workers were involved, and the government also spent 94.74 million yuan (473 million baht)repairing the Sagya Monastery, which houses classical Buddhist texts, Xinhua said.
Xinhua quoted a former director of the Potala's administration office saying the palace could now accommodate1,000 visitors a day.
The renovations are part of a 570 million yuan (2.8 billion baht) plan to promote tourism to Tibet, a mainstay of the region's economy, and include the repair to 22 cultural sites.
Earlier this year China tightened restrictions on advertising and construction outside the palace, following calls from the United Nations to better preserve the Unesco World Heritage Site's natural setting.
Although palaces have existed on the grounds of the Potala since the seventh century, the current building dates from the rule of the fifth Dalai Lama, known as the "Great Fifth", who started its construction in 1645. It was then used as living quarters and a winter palace by the Dalai Lamas.
China says the project is part of its plan to promote Tibetan culture and language in the region as it develops its economy, of which tourism forms a major part. The renovation, which also repaired the Norbu Lingka, a summer palace for the Dalai Lamas, cost 300 million yuan (1.5 billion baht), according to a report on Monday from the state-run news agency.
But many Tibetan exiles say the Himalayan region's cultural heritage has been threatened by Beijing's restrictions on the native Buddhist religion and the Tibetan language as well as agovernment-orchestrated mass migration of Han Chinese in the last three decades. A large number of monasteries and other artifacts also were destroyed during China's Cultural Revolution, from 1966 to 1976, although the Potala was spared in the violence.
In March 2008, riots erupted in Lhasa,the Tibetan capital, to protest Chinese rule. In response, Beijing poured troops into Tibetan areas and intensified its vilification of the Dalai Lama, accusing him of instigating the unrest.
The spiritual leader, who fled China in 1959 and now lives in exile in India,has said that restrictions on Tibet's religious practices have resulted in a "cul-tural genocide".
A ceremony was held on Sunday on the square in front of the Potala - whose facade looms over the city of Lhasa according to the Xinhua News Agency.
"The reparation of the three key cultural relics is an important part in the conservation of the Tibetan culture,"said Liu Yandong, a member of the Communist Party's Politburo, who attended the ceremony.
More than 189,000 workers were involved, and the government also spent 94.74 million yuan (473 million baht)repairing the Sagya Monastery, which houses classical Buddhist texts, Xinhua said.
Xinhua quoted a former director of the Potala's administration office saying the palace could now accommodate1,000 visitors a day.
The renovations are part of a 570 million yuan (2.8 billion baht) plan to promote tourism to Tibet, a mainstay of the region's economy, and include the repair to 22 cultural sites.
Earlier this year China tightened restrictions on advertising and construction outside the palace, following calls from the United Nations to better preserve the Unesco World Heritage Site's natural setting.
Although palaces have existed on the grounds of the Potala since the seventh century, the current building dates from the rule of the fifth Dalai Lama, known as the "Great Fifth", who started its construction in 1645. It was then used as living quarters and a winter palace by the Dalai Lamas.
THAI FOOD A TOURISM DRAWCARD
Allied organisations in the tourism industry will stage two major events next month aimed at boosting domestic toruism and promoting Thai products in global markets.
The events, both concerning Thai cisine, will be called "Amazing Taste of Thailand" and "Thailand Brand".
The first, to be held in Bangkok from september 24-28, will be staged by the Toruism Authority of Thailand (TAT),the Department of Export Promotion, the Thai Hotels Association, the Association of Domestic Travel and the Thai Restaurants Association.
Juthaporn Rerngronasa, deputy governor for marketing communications at the TAT, said Thai cuisine was one of the authority's foremost priorities linked with trave and tourism.
The Commerce Ministry plans to increase the number of Thai restaurants abroad form 13,000 now to 15,000 next year as part of the second phase of Thailand's Kitchen of the World" project, she said.
Many of the restaurants, ranging from elegant upmarket outlets to fast-food takeaways, are set up by This living abroad, Thai wives of expats and former students, as well as foreign entrepreneurs who simply fall in lovewith Thai food.
In 2007, vistors to Thailand spent an average of Bt4,120 per person per day, of which Bt731, or 17.74 per cent, was spent on food and beverages.
The second event will be held simultaneously in Bangkok and other leading tourist destination. It will be targeted at chefs and owners of Thai restaurants abroad who will meet local restaurant owners, chefs and companies invloved in the production and distribution of Thai agricultural products.
"About 500 participants will join this campaign, including woners, managers, chefs of Thai restaurants abroad, famous chefs from man parts of the world and food critics and writers," Juthaporn said. "The two events will provide opportunites for operators to expand their businesses, both in Thailand and abroad."
The events, both concerning Thai cisine, will be called "Amazing Taste of Thailand" and "Thailand Brand".
The first, to be held in Bangkok from september 24-28, will be staged by the Toruism Authority of Thailand (TAT),the Department of Export Promotion, the Thai Hotels Association, the Association of Domestic Travel and the Thai Restaurants Association.
Juthaporn Rerngronasa, deputy governor for marketing communications at the TAT, said Thai cuisine was one of the authority's foremost priorities linked with trave and tourism.
The Commerce Ministry plans to increase the number of Thai restaurants abroad form 13,000 now to 15,000 next year as part of the second phase of Thailand's Kitchen of the World" project, she said.
Many of the restaurants, ranging from elegant upmarket outlets to fast-food takeaways, are set up by This living abroad, Thai wives of expats and former students, as well as foreign entrepreneurs who simply fall in lovewith Thai food.
In 2007, vistors to Thailand spent an average of Bt4,120 per person per day, of which Bt731, or 17.74 per cent, was spent on food and beverages.
The second event will be held simultaneously in Bangkok and other leading tourist destination. It will be targeted at chefs and owners of Thai restaurants abroad who will meet local restaurant owners, chefs and companies invloved in the production and distribution of Thai agricultural products.
"About 500 participants will join this campaign, including woners, managers, chefs of Thai restaurants abroad, famous chefs from man parts of the world and food critics and writers," Juthaporn said. "The two events will provide opportunites for operators to expand their businesses, both in Thailand and abroad."
Monday, August 24, 2009
TOURISM INDUSTRY STILL THRIVING IN MALAYSIA
Domestic tourism players are upbeat about the prospects of their industry for the remainder of this year on promising industry figures up to July and as the sector enters peak season period.
The optimism is despite critical challenges facing the sector, such as the worsening type-A (H1N1) swineflu pandemic amid a global economic downturn.
According to the Tourism Ministry, tourist arrivals from January to May this year totalled 9.4 million, an increase of 2.6 per cent compared with the corresponding period in 2008.
And despite the rising numbe of type-A (H1N1) cases, Malaysia recorded slightly over two million tourist arrivals for July, an increase of 3.9 per cent from the same month in 2008.
There were 13.35 million tourist arrivals from January to July 2009, a rise of 3.6 per cent from a year earlier. The Association of Tourism Attractions' (ATA) Penang chapter chairman, Eddy Low, said the tourism sector would remain strong going forward, although he acknowledged that swine flu remained a real threat to the industry.
"Domestic and short haul markets will rule the day," he said, adding, "outbound and ground services were still attractive. Airfares were dirt cheap".
He said connectivity was shaping up well on a regional basis as well as in the country itself.
Reliance Pacific managing director Tan Sin Chong was also optimistic about the outlook of the domestic tourism industry.
"Domestic and short haul markets will rule the day," he said, adding, "outbound and ground services were still attractive. Airfares were dirt cheap".
He said connectivity was shaping up well on a regional basis as well as in the country itself.
Reliance pacific managing director Tan Sin Chong was also optimistic about the outlook of the domestic tourism industry.
Visitor arrivals to Malaysia for the first and second quarters saw growth, he said.
"There has been a 2.2-per-cent growth in the first quarter of 2009 compared with [the same quarter of] 2008. The second quarter registered an even stronger growth of 4.7 per cent," he said, adding that indications of stronger tourist arrivals projected a brighter outlook from September, which is traditionally the peak travel season.
Given these promising signs and evidence of some recovery in the global economy, the outlook for the domestic tourism sector for the remainder of the year had definitely improved despite the growing threat of swine flu, he said.
The optimism is despite critical challenges facing the sector, such as the worsening type-A (H1N1) swineflu pandemic amid a global economic downturn.
According to the Tourism Ministry, tourist arrivals from January to May this year totalled 9.4 million, an increase of 2.6 per cent compared with the corresponding period in 2008.
And despite the rising numbe of type-A (H1N1) cases, Malaysia recorded slightly over two million tourist arrivals for July, an increase of 3.9 per cent from the same month in 2008.
There were 13.35 million tourist arrivals from January to July 2009, a rise of 3.6 per cent from a year earlier. The Association of Tourism Attractions' (ATA) Penang chapter chairman, Eddy Low, said the tourism sector would remain strong going forward, although he acknowledged that swine flu remained a real threat to the industry.
"Domestic and short haul markets will rule the day," he said, adding, "outbound and ground services were still attractive. Airfares were dirt cheap".
He said connectivity was shaping up well on a regional basis as well as in the country itself.
Reliance Pacific managing director Tan Sin Chong was also optimistic about the outlook of the domestic tourism industry.
"Domestic and short haul markets will rule the day," he said, adding, "outbound and ground services were still attractive. Airfares were dirt cheap".
He said connectivity was shaping up well on a regional basis as well as in the country itself.
Reliance pacific managing director Tan Sin Chong was also optimistic about the outlook of the domestic tourism industry.
Visitor arrivals to Malaysia for the first and second quarters saw growth, he said.
"There has been a 2.2-per-cent growth in the first quarter of 2009 compared with [the same quarter of] 2008. The second quarter registered an even stronger growth of 4.7 per cent," he said, adding that indications of stronger tourist arrivals projected a brighter outlook from September, which is traditionally the peak travel season.
Given these promising signs and evidence of some recovery in the global economy, the outlook for the domestic tourism sector for the remainder of the year had definitely improved despite the growing threat of swine flu, he said.
Khon Kaen defies downturn thanks to local tourism
Khon Kaen's tourism industry has withstood the downturn in the global economy, due to its reliance on local tourists and the business event market.
"More than 50 per cent of the province's tourism income is from meetings and seminars," Chookiet Potito, assistant director at Tourism Authority of Thailand's Khon Kaen Office, said. More than 90 per cent of tourists here are Thais, he said.
Hotels in this northeastern province were 44 per cent ofccupied in the second quarter, dipping 46 per cent year-on-year.
Tourism is expected to improve next quarter as the government has sped up the budget spending of state agencies.
This should result in more meetings and seminars organised by government offices in the province, he added.
Konlachai tongsopit, president of the Khon Kaen Tourism Council,said the government has encouraged all state officials to hold their seminars in Thailand, instead of in foreign countries.
Khon Kaen earned Bt5 billion from tourism last year.
Witoon Kamolnaruemeth, secretary of the Khon Kaen Federation of Thai Industries,said about 47 per cent of the economy in Khon Kaen is industrial, while 15 per cent is commercial,1 per cent tourism and 20 per cent agricultural.
Nattaphol Wichienplert, deputy governor of Khon Kaen, said the province is positioned by the government as the hub of Indochina as it is located on the East West Economic Corridor.
It will be the medical hub of the region.
"More than 50 per cent of the province's tourism income is from meetings and seminars," Chookiet Potito, assistant director at Tourism Authority of Thailand's Khon Kaen Office, said. More than 90 per cent of tourists here are Thais, he said.
Hotels in this northeastern province were 44 per cent ofccupied in the second quarter, dipping 46 per cent year-on-year.
Tourism is expected to improve next quarter as the government has sped up the budget spending of state agencies.
This should result in more meetings and seminars organised by government offices in the province, he added.
Konlachai tongsopit, president of the Khon Kaen Tourism Council,said the government has encouraged all state officials to hold their seminars in Thailand, instead of in foreign countries.
Khon Kaen earned Bt5 billion from tourism last year.
Witoon Kamolnaruemeth, secretary of the Khon Kaen Federation of Thai Industries,said about 47 per cent of the economy in Khon Kaen is industrial, while 15 per cent is commercial,1 per cent tourism and 20 per cent agricultural.
Nattaphol Wichienplert, deputy governor of Khon Kaen, said the province is positioned by the government as the hub of Indochina as it is located on the East West Economic Corridor.
It will be the medical hub of the region.
GETTING NAKED AND HIGH IN THE FIRE AND ICE OF KUSATSU
Sothere I was at an outdoor hot spring in the dead of winter in my birthday suit. It felt like a all of Japan was watching, even though Kusatsu town has a population of only 7,500 and just 40 or so were taking a dip.
Not exactly the way I ahd imagined my first trip to the Land of the Rising Sun.
Kusatsu is a tiny town in Gunma Prefecture, about 200km norhtwest of Tokyo. It sits in mountains, accessible only by bus up a windign road, and draws visitors for two things: ski slopes and onsen - hot springs. The people, polite to a fault, lead simple and quiet lives, though I quickly learn that in hot springs, everyone gets comfortably nude and chatty.
Kusatsu is one of three hotspots in Japan famous for sulphuric spings, along with Gero and Noboribetsu.
The water, which suffuses the whole town with an eggy smell, is acidic enough to corrode coins. It spurts up from the ground at temperatures of 90 degrees Celsius but cools to around 38 in the bathing pools.
Most importatly, it supposedly has healing properties which cure everything from muscle aches to skin problems.
Kusatsu is built around a large group of spring that gush more than 33,000 litres of water per minute.
Public onsen bathhouses are located throughout the twon. While the biggest usually charge an admission fee, 18 of these communal baths are frec fro public use.
The biggest one is Sainokawara, where nude men unabashedly sun themselves in natural surroundings, visible to all from the public path.
Most hotels also have their own onsen.
At Kustsu Now Resort Hotel, where I stayed, I entered its indoor women's hot spring and was immediately greeted by the sight of naked elderly Japanese women towellign themselves with vigour.
In contrast, I and two other girls from Singapore tittered nervously before eventually dropping our robes. Thankfully, no one stared and we quickly grew comfortable walking around in acrowd of women.
After a while, we even ventured outdoors to try the outdoor hot spring. Here, water gurgled down a tiny waterfall and itno smoking pools under the sky and trees. Lying lazily in the hot water with the cold night air buffeting my upturned face and ht sounds of rustling leaves and soft laughter, my awkwardness was a distant memory.
We emerged rosy, glowing and woderfully relaxed.
If nudity isn't your thing, head to the centre of the town for the yumomi ceremony to watch the onsen waters being cooled by hand. Every day, frail-looking Japanese women clad in kimonos beat the water with heavy wooden paddles while singing in unison. Later, they perform ceremonial dances with a slow and refined grace.
For those who prefer something more active than soaking in hte springs, Mount Shirane has ski slopes that operate during winter and spring and hiking trails for the rest of te year.
Ski snowboard equipment and attire can be rented from shops around the larger hotels for about 3,500 yen (Bt1,250). The slopes range from gentle ones where children slide around on tea trays or tubes to treacherously steep snowfields that even experienced skiers will thrill at.
Foxes, rabbits and deer live in the forests, but all I saw was trees and snow on my gondola and chair-lift rides up the mountain.
Surprising for a place in the mountains, the seafood is generally excellent. I enjoyed sashimi, including sea urchin, that were ocean-fresh.
Street snacks are also easy to find. Wandering through the town's narrow streets, I was surrounded by vendors grilling skewered fish, giant prawns, meat and vegtables.
Th scents dance in the cold air and I wa ssuprised when a vendor thrust a free smaple of piping-hot red bean bun in my direction, complete with a cup of green tea.
Moreover, little shops selling spiciality rice crackers and home-make cookies (ranging from Y500 to Y1,000) dot the town centre, as do small off-licences offering beer, sake and shochu (another kind of liquor made from rice).
Free from flashy tourist attractions, Kusatsu town offers a relaxing holiday about as far as you can get from afrenzied sightseeing tour. The wild, snowy peaks harbouring peaceful, seenic springs touched and stilled my heart.
The liberating xperience of public nudity only added to the experience of natural simplicity, leaving me with a new spring in my step.
Not exactly the way I ahd imagined my first trip to the Land of the Rising Sun.
Kusatsu is a tiny town in Gunma Prefecture, about 200km norhtwest of Tokyo. It sits in mountains, accessible only by bus up a windign road, and draws visitors for two things: ski slopes and onsen - hot springs. The people, polite to a fault, lead simple and quiet lives, though I quickly learn that in hot springs, everyone gets comfortably nude and chatty.
Kusatsu is one of three hotspots in Japan famous for sulphuric spings, along with Gero and Noboribetsu.
The water, which suffuses the whole town with an eggy smell, is acidic enough to corrode coins. It spurts up from the ground at temperatures of 90 degrees Celsius but cools to around 38 in the bathing pools.
Most importatly, it supposedly has healing properties which cure everything from muscle aches to skin problems.
Kusatsu is built around a large group of spring that gush more than 33,000 litres of water per minute.
Public onsen bathhouses are located throughout the twon. While the biggest usually charge an admission fee, 18 of these communal baths are frec fro public use.
The biggest one is Sainokawara, where nude men unabashedly sun themselves in natural surroundings, visible to all from the public path.
Most hotels also have their own onsen.
At Kustsu Now Resort Hotel, where I stayed, I entered its indoor women's hot spring and was immediately greeted by the sight of naked elderly Japanese women towellign themselves with vigour.
In contrast, I and two other girls from Singapore tittered nervously before eventually dropping our robes. Thankfully, no one stared and we quickly grew comfortable walking around in acrowd of women.
After a while, we even ventured outdoors to try the outdoor hot spring. Here, water gurgled down a tiny waterfall and itno smoking pools under the sky and trees. Lying lazily in the hot water with the cold night air buffeting my upturned face and ht sounds of rustling leaves and soft laughter, my awkwardness was a distant memory.
We emerged rosy, glowing and woderfully relaxed.
If nudity isn't your thing, head to the centre of the town for the yumomi ceremony to watch the onsen waters being cooled by hand. Every day, frail-looking Japanese women clad in kimonos beat the water with heavy wooden paddles while singing in unison. Later, they perform ceremonial dances with a slow and refined grace.
For those who prefer something more active than soaking in hte springs, Mount Shirane has ski slopes that operate during winter and spring and hiking trails for the rest of te year.
Ski snowboard equipment and attire can be rented from shops around the larger hotels for about 3,500 yen (Bt1,250). The slopes range from gentle ones where children slide around on tea trays or tubes to treacherously steep snowfields that even experienced skiers will thrill at.
Foxes, rabbits and deer live in the forests, but all I saw was trees and snow on my gondola and chair-lift rides up the mountain.
Surprising for a place in the mountains, the seafood is generally excellent. I enjoyed sashimi, including sea urchin, that were ocean-fresh.
Street snacks are also easy to find. Wandering through the town's narrow streets, I was surrounded by vendors grilling skewered fish, giant prawns, meat and vegtables.
Th scents dance in the cold air and I wa ssuprised when a vendor thrust a free smaple of piping-hot red bean bun in my direction, complete with a cup of green tea.
Moreover, little shops selling spiciality rice crackers and home-make cookies (ranging from Y500 to Y1,000) dot the town centre, as do small off-licences offering beer, sake and shochu (another kind of liquor made from rice).
Free from flashy tourist attractions, Kusatsu town offers a relaxing holiday about as far as you can get from afrenzied sightseeing tour. The wild, snowy peaks harbouring peaceful, seenic springs touched and stilled my heart.
The liberating xperience of public nudity only added to the experience of natural simplicity, leaving me with a new spring in my step.
THE INS AND OUTS OF LUCKNOW
To new arrivals it seems like any other city-roofs sprout forests of antennas, rickshaw drivers pester and politicians stare down from postes pasted everywhere.
But venture dehind the flimsy modern scenery and you enter the Lucknow of the nawabs, a centuries-old city built by Muslim rulers on foundations of Urdu poetry and gorgeous architectural grandeur.
Minarets soar from onion-domes shrines and mausoleums that dominate the horizon. Close up, the astounding creftsmanship is a feast for the eyes. Every brick outlines an era marked by pomp and ceremony, but also rebellion and revenge.
The extravagance spills over into the modern word, where wedding processions and their colourful chariots tempt even the most confirmed of bachelors.
Elsewhere elegant taangas (horse carriages for hire) skitter through the city's ornate gateways. Kite flying generates good business, too, replacing the cockfighting that enthralled residents in bygone days.
The traditional Lucknow biriyani and kebabs in the lanes of the Aminabad Bazaar compete for shoppers' palates with Chinese noodle stalls. This is also the place to hunt for Chikan, Lucknow's delicate embroidery, as well as intricately designed hookahs. Lifting their eyes to the shopfront facades visitors find a dilapidated charm that brings out the artist or historian in everyone.
Myth has it that Lucknow derives its name from Lakshman, who was gifted the fiefdom from his brother, the god Rama.
Its journey to grandeur began under Nawab Asaf-ud-Daulah's regin (1775-1797). A great famine brought out his generosity. His scheme was simple - initiate grand building projects and pay the starving population handsomely for work to complete them. It gave the world a host of architectural stunners.
To this nawab is credited the Great Imambara, built as a Muslim shrine, the Rumi Darwaja (the Turkish Gate) and the Chhota Imambara. The Great Imambara is famous for its Bhool Bhulaiya (maze of passages) and its grand display of opulence: myriad chandeliers and lanterns of gold, silver and crystal, mesmerising Indian and Chinese artworks and precious European artefacts.
Mini-concerts at the Naubat Khana, the old royal music hall opposite the Great Imamabra, provide even more insight into the atmosphere of a bygone era.
Other must-see treasures in the city include the Bibiapur Kothi, Jama Masjid, Maqbaraa of Sadaat Ali Khan, La Martiniere's Tomb, Kaiser Baagh, and the City Art Gallery.
Most of the stately monuments are located in the Husainabad area and within walking distance of each other.
Lucknow is also famed for its food, and the delicacies offered at the roadside dhabas (local restaurants) are delicious. I recommend ordering a half portion of biriyani in Aminabad as the helpings are huge. Try the sticky halwa for dessert.
The Hazratganj (MG Marg) district in teh heart of the city offers decent lodgings and abounds in restaurants, bars, banks and bookshops. Take to its small lanes for bargain salwaars (pants), leather items, Chikan, silverware and ittars (natural perfumes). But beware of the "ganga Jal" (holy water) sold in recycled bottles - it's certainly not for drinking.
The story of the nawabs' downfall is a familiar one to history. Most of them were feeble rulers, more interested in their harems, hookahs and banquets. The rot began with Nawab Wazir Ali Khan, who in 1798 managed to alienate both his people and the British and was forced to abdicate. The British took complete control in 1856, exiling the Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, then ruthlessly putting down a rebellion a year later.
AT A GLANCE
- Travel: Jet Airways flies from Bangkok to Lucknow via Delhi.
- Shopping: The city is famous for its unique Chikan embroidery and jewellery. Shopping areas include Aminabad, Kapoorthala, Hazratganj and Janpath.
- Sightseeing: Asafi Masjid, Bara Imambara, Shahnajaf Imambara, Chhatar Manzil, Chhota Immbara, Rumi Darwaza and Dilkusha, among others.
Close up, the astounding craftsmanship is a feast for the eyes. Every brick outlines an era marked by pomp and ceremony, but also rebellion and revenge.
But venture dehind the flimsy modern scenery and you enter the Lucknow of the nawabs, a centuries-old city built by Muslim rulers on foundations of Urdu poetry and gorgeous architectural grandeur.
Minarets soar from onion-domes shrines and mausoleums that dominate the horizon. Close up, the astounding creftsmanship is a feast for the eyes. Every brick outlines an era marked by pomp and ceremony, but also rebellion and revenge.
The extravagance spills over into the modern word, where wedding processions and their colourful chariots tempt even the most confirmed of bachelors.
Elsewhere elegant taangas (horse carriages for hire) skitter through the city's ornate gateways. Kite flying generates good business, too, replacing the cockfighting that enthralled residents in bygone days.
The traditional Lucknow biriyani and kebabs in the lanes of the Aminabad Bazaar compete for shoppers' palates with Chinese noodle stalls. This is also the place to hunt for Chikan, Lucknow's delicate embroidery, as well as intricately designed hookahs. Lifting their eyes to the shopfront facades visitors find a dilapidated charm that brings out the artist or historian in everyone.
Myth has it that Lucknow derives its name from Lakshman, who was gifted the fiefdom from his brother, the god Rama.
Its journey to grandeur began under Nawab Asaf-ud-Daulah's regin (1775-1797). A great famine brought out his generosity. His scheme was simple - initiate grand building projects and pay the starving population handsomely for work to complete them. It gave the world a host of architectural stunners.
To this nawab is credited the Great Imambara, built as a Muslim shrine, the Rumi Darwaja (the Turkish Gate) and the Chhota Imambara. The Great Imambara is famous for its Bhool Bhulaiya (maze of passages) and its grand display of opulence: myriad chandeliers and lanterns of gold, silver and crystal, mesmerising Indian and Chinese artworks and precious European artefacts.
Mini-concerts at the Naubat Khana, the old royal music hall opposite the Great Imamabra, provide even more insight into the atmosphere of a bygone era.
Other must-see treasures in the city include the Bibiapur Kothi, Jama Masjid, Maqbaraa of Sadaat Ali Khan, La Martiniere's Tomb, Kaiser Baagh, and the City Art Gallery.
Most of the stately monuments are located in the Husainabad area and within walking distance of each other.
Lucknow is also famed for its food, and the delicacies offered at the roadside dhabas (local restaurants) are delicious. I recommend ordering a half portion of biriyani in Aminabad as the helpings are huge. Try the sticky halwa for dessert.
The Hazratganj (MG Marg) district in teh heart of the city offers decent lodgings and abounds in restaurants, bars, banks and bookshops. Take to its small lanes for bargain salwaars (pants), leather items, Chikan, silverware and ittars (natural perfumes). But beware of the "ganga Jal" (holy water) sold in recycled bottles - it's certainly not for drinking.
The story of the nawabs' downfall is a familiar one to history. Most of them were feeble rulers, more interested in their harems, hookahs and banquets. The rot began with Nawab Wazir Ali Khan, who in 1798 managed to alienate both his people and the British and was forced to abdicate. The British took complete control in 1856, exiling the Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, then ruthlessly putting down a rebellion a year later.
AT A GLANCE
- Travel: Jet Airways flies from Bangkok to Lucknow via Delhi.
- Shopping: The city is famous for its unique Chikan embroidery and jewellery. Shopping areas include Aminabad, Kapoorthala, Hazratganj and Janpath.
- Sightseeing: Asafi Masjid, Bara Imambara, Shahnajaf Imambara, Chhatar Manzil, Chhota Immbara, Rumi Darwaza and Dilkusha, among others.
Close up, the astounding craftsmanship is a feast for the eyes. Every brick outlines an era marked by pomp and ceremony, but also rebellion and revenge.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
VIETNAM'S VITALITY, VIGOUR AND VIVACITY
This stunning country has made a full recovery from its wartorn past and is in top gear
By Nick Ray
If there is one country in Southeast Asia that everyone has heard about long before they discover the region,it's Vietnam. Of course, such infamy wasn't always for the right reasons,but this is the new Vietnam and it's one of the most intoxicating places on earth. It's a kaleidoscope of vivid colours and subtle shades, of exotic sights and curious sounds, of compelling history and contrasting cultures.
Nature has blessed Vietnam with a bountiful harvest. From the soaring mountains of the far north to the carpet of emerald-green rice paddies in the south,Vietnam is little short of stunning. The curvaceous coastline is defined by endless beaches, lovely lagoons and hidden coves.
Inland, peasant women in conical hats still tend to their fields, children ride buffalo along country paths, and minority people scratch out a living from impossible gradients.
If Vietnam has a soundtrack, it's the buzz of a million motorbikes, the cries of street hawkers plying their wares and the tinkle of pagodas drawing the faithful to prayer. Here, the modern and medieval collide. The big cities are strikingly sophisticated, with gourmet restaurants and designer boutiques, but turn a random corner and find yourself travelling back in time.
For culinary crusaders, Vietnam is a treasure trove of more than 500 different dishes. It's a wonderful world of pungent herbs and secret spices. Dip delicate spring rolls in nuoc mam , a fish sauce that, for the Vietnamese, is as compulsory as ketchup. Play down-in-one with ruou (pronounced xeo), the whisky of the mountains.Or embrace the street life with a bowl of pho at a pint-sized plastic table.Over the centuries locals have absorbed and adapted Chinese, Indian, French and even Japanese techniques and specialities to their own kitchens and palates, and,more recently, expatriates and those Vietnamese chefs who have spent time cooking overseas have breathed new life into whitetablecloth dining scenes in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
But sadly the sorrows of war weigh heavily on the consciousness of all who can remember it, and the Vietnamese side of the story is told at poignant sites across the country. Although fiercely protective of their independence and sovereignty,the Vietnamese are graciously welcoming of foreigners who come as guests, not would-be conquerors.
Of course, the country's history did not begin and end with the American war and the country is littered with vestiges of empires past and battles fought, all of which are elements in piecing together the story of Vietnam today.
Politically, Vietnam remains a perplexing place. Vietnam's population hovers at about 85.5 million, ranking it the 13th most populous country in the world, and with its population growth rate it could soon hit the top 10.
Either way, there is no doubt the latest Asian dragon has awoken from its slumber.Tourism has had a huge impact on Vietnam in the past two decades, helping plug the Vietnamese back into the world.
It has spread into areas that other businesses cannot reach, and empowered a new generation of young Viets to a better life. Dynamic in commerce and dedicated to their families. They love to share a joke,a story, and getting to know some Vietnamese beyond the tourism industry can be the highlight of a visit.
The Vietnamese have vitality as tangible as the traffic on the street. Vietnam is in top gear. Try and catch it before it reinvents itself as another Malaysia or Thailand. For now, it remains one of the most enriching,enlivening and enticing countries on earth.
By Nick Ray
If there is one country in Southeast Asia that everyone has heard about long before they discover the region,it's Vietnam. Of course, such infamy wasn't always for the right reasons,but this is the new Vietnam and it's one of the most intoxicating places on earth. It's a kaleidoscope of vivid colours and subtle shades, of exotic sights and curious sounds, of compelling history and contrasting cultures.
Nature has blessed Vietnam with a bountiful harvest. From the soaring mountains of the far north to the carpet of emerald-green rice paddies in the south,Vietnam is little short of stunning. The curvaceous coastline is defined by endless beaches, lovely lagoons and hidden coves.
Inland, peasant women in conical hats still tend to their fields, children ride buffalo along country paths, and minority people scratch out a living from impossible gradients.
If Vietnam has a soundtrack, it's the buzz of a million motorbikes, the cries of street hawkers plying their wares and the tinkle of pagodas drawing the faithful to prayer. Here, the modern and medieval collide. The big cities are strikingly sophisticated, with gourmet restaurants and designer boutiques, but turn a random corner and find yourself travelling back in time.
For culinary crusaders, Vietnam is a treasure trove of more than 500 different dishes. It's a wonderful world of pungent herbs and secret spices. Dip delicate spring rolls in nuoc mam , a fish sauce that, for the Vietnamese, is as compulsory as ketchup. Play down-in-one with ruou (pronounced xeo), the whisky of the mountains.Or embrace the street life with a bowl of pho at a pint-sized plastic table.Over the centuries locals have absorbed and adapted Chinese, Indian, French and even Japanese techniques and specialities to their own kitchens and palates, and,more recently, expatriates and those Vietnamese chefs who have spent time cooking overseas have breathed new life into whitetablecloth dining scenes in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
But sadly the sorrows of war weigh heavily on the consciousness of all who can remember it, and the Vietnamese side of the story is told at poignant sites across the country. Although fiercely protective of their independence and sovereignty,the Vietnamese are graciously welcoming of foreigners who come as guests, not would-be conquerors.
Of course, the country's history did not begin and end with the American war and the country is littered with vestiges of empires past and battles fought, all of which are elements in piecing together the story of Vietnam today.
Politically, Vietnam remains a perplexing place. Vietnam's population hovers at about 85.5 million, ranking it the 13th most populous country in the world, and with its population growth rate it could soon hit the top 10.
Either way, there is no doubt the latest Asian dragon has awoken from its slumber.Tourism has had a huge impact on Vietnam in the past two decades, helping plug the Vietnamese back into the world.
It has spread into areas that other businesses cannot reach, and empowered a new generation of young Viets to a better life. Dynamic in commerce and dedicated to their families. They love to share a joke,a story, and getting to know some Vietnamese beyond the tourism industry can be the highlight of a visit.
The Vietnamese have vitality as tangible as the traffic on the street. Vietnam is in top gear. Try and catch it before it reinvents itself as another Malaysia or Thailand. For now, it remains one of the most enriching,enlivening and enticing countries on earth.
THE SOUTHEAST ASIAN SAILORS'BIBLE
If you're travelling around the region by boat, there's one publication that you must have
By Alan Parkhouse
In the past 20 years Thailand has become the boating capital of Asia, with both locals and foreigners taking to the sea in large numbers. Some prefer to sail yachts and enter the many annual regattas held in Thailand, while others prefer a boat with a motor and go cruising along the coastlines or weave their way through the country's many small islands.
One thing both groups have in common - apart from being surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery in the world - is the need for a comprehensive guide book. They need to know where it's too shallow to go, where to drop anchor for the night, where to get fuel, food and water,and most importantly, where there are reefs or rocks that will send their boats down to Davy Jones' locker if they're not careful.
For many years the guide book many used and swore by was the Andaman Sea Pilot . Now the third edition of this book has been released and it has been updated and expanded to cover a much larger area,and given a new name. It went on sale last month after an official launch party aboard a boat, of course - during the annual Phuket Raceweek Regatta.
It is now called Southeast Asia Pilot ,and since its launch in Phuket last month orders have been flooding in from skippers and boat owners around the world.
"We call it the Sailors' Bible and I wouldn't go to sea anywhere in Southeast Asia without it," says Captain Marty Rijkuris, who runs the hugely popular internet sight www.asianyachting.com, which covers all aspects of sailing in Asia.
The latest edition of the book covers approximately two million square miles and nine countries, with detailed information about marine conditions in Thailand, Burma, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam,Cambodia, the Philippines, Hong Kong and India's Andaman Islands. There is also a lot of detail on the best east-west routes through southern Indonesia.
For those sailing to Thailand from Australia or New Zealand, or coming from Sri Lanka or India in the west, this book is a must have.
Between the maps and charts is a wealth of information, covering everything from where to anchor through the day and at night, if a water supply is available, seaside restaurants, transport and even diving and snorkling locations.
Even for a non-sailor this book makes fascinating reading, and it's easy to see that the two experienced men who wrote this book have really done their homework.
For example, one section on the sea gypsies, or the Moken people, in southern Burma, reads:"We occasionally come across the Moken in the Mergui Archipel-ago. They pull into a nearby beach in their flotilla of boats. Adults, children, cats, dogs,chickens and ducks leap off each boat and rush into the jungle to forage. Suddenly,at some hidden signal, people and animals come rushing back out of the forest and jump on the boats just before they leave for another anchorage.
"Sometimes the Mokens cautiously approach our yacht with a gift of rock oysters or the haunch of a wild bear after a successful hunt. They are always delighted when we give them a gift in return - a roll of cloth or a dive mask. If the Moken do not approach you they want to be left alone."
The book's two authors, Englishman Andy Dowden and Australian Bill O'Leary,who also took the beautiful pictures in the guide, are both colourful characters with a wealth of experience on the water.
O'Leary, a professional mariner, sailed to Thailand from Australia in 1987 aboard a sleek yacht called Stormvogel , which was featured in the Hollywood film Dead Calm .O'Leary helped with the filming off Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef before sailing the yacht to Phuket.
He then joined the up-market Amanresorts as founder and general manager of Amancruises, the original luxury powerboat charter business in Phuket which caters to the rich and famous.
For more than 20 years he built and commissioned scores of local and imported charter vessels and trained more than 150 Thai crew, before retiring early this year.
Dowden left the UK in 1981 aboard his own 46-foot sloop to cruise the world and arrived in Thailand for the first time in 1984 after several years of cruising Southeast Asia. In 1989 he set up a yacht services and boat building business in Phuket and wrote a number of cruising guides for the local waters.
Dowden has spent 25 years sailing the waters of Thailand and Malaysia and is still involved in the yachting industry, helping to organise two of the country's most popular regattas and running the annual International Boat Show in Phuket.
"Bill and I put a lot of hard work into every edition of this book because we both realise what a great advantage it is to have on a boat," Dowden told Brunch ."Apart from all our own research, we invited a select number of well qualified voyagers to update facilities and opportunities in this rapidly developing cruising destination.
"The best professionals have created detailed, helpful and accurate charts and a logical, easy to use, layout style."
Southeast Asia Pilot is available at most leading bookstores, or it can be ordered direct from the website, www.andamanseapilot.com.
By Alan Parkhouse
In the past 20 years Thailand has become the boating capital of Asia, with both locals and foreigners taking to the sea in large numbers. Some prefer to sail yachts and enter the many annual regattas held in Thailand, while others prefer a boat with a motor and go cruising along the coastlines or weave their way through the country's many small islands.
One thing both groups have in common - apart from being surrounded by some of the most beautiful scenery in the world - is the need for a comprehensive guide book. They need to know where it's too shallow to go, where to drop anchor for the night, where to get fuel, food and water,and most importantly, where there are reefs or rocks that will send their boats down to Davy Jones' locker if they're not careful.
For many years the guide book many used and swore by was the Andaman Sea Pilot . Now the third edition of this book has been released and it has been updated and expanded to cover a much larger area,and given a new name. It went on sale last month after an official launch party aboard a boat, of course - during the annual Phuket Raceweek Regatta.
It is now called Southeast Asia Pilot ,and since its launch in Phuket last month orders have been flooding in from skippers and boat owners around the world.
"We call it the Sailors' Bible and I wouldn't go to sea anywhere in Southeast Asia without it," says Captain Marty Rijkuris, who runs the hugely popular internet sight www.asianyachting.com, which covers all aspects of sailing in Asia.
The latest edition of the book covers approximately two million square miles and nine countries, with detailed information about marine conditions in Thailand, Burma, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam,Cambodia, the Philippines, Hong Kong and India's Andaman Islands. There is also a lot of detail on the best east-west routes through southern Indonesia.
For those sailing to Thailand from Australia or New Zealand, or coming from Sri Lanka or India in the west, this book is a must have.
Between the maps and charts is a wealth of information, covering everything from where to anchor through the day and at night, if a water supply is available, seaside restaurants, transport and even diving and snorkling locations.
Even for a non-sailor this book makes fascinating reading, and it's easy to see that the two experienced men who wrote this book have really done their homework.
For example, one section on the sea gypsies, or the Moken people, in southern Burma, reads:"We occasionally come across the Moken in the Mergui Archipel-ago. They pull into a nearby beach in their flotilla of boats. Adults, children, cats, dogs,chickens and ducks leap off each boat and rush into the jungle to forage. Suddenly,at some hidden signal, people and animals come rushing back out of the forest and jump on the boats just before they leave for another anchorage.
"Sometimes the Mokens cautiously approach our yacht with a gift of rock oysters or the haunch of a wild bear after a successful hunt. They are always delighted when we give them a gift in return - a roll of cloth or a dive mask. If the Moken do not approach you they want to be left alone."
The book's two authors, Englishman Andy Dowden and Australian Bill O'Leary,who also took the beautiful pictures in the guide, are both colourful characters with a wealth of experience on the water.
O'Leary, a professional mariner, sailed to Thailand from Australia in 1987 aboard a sleek yacht called Stormvogel , which was featured in the Hollywood film Dead Calm .O'Leary helped with the filming off Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef before sailing the yacht to Phuket.
He then joined the up-market Amanresorts as founder and general manager of Amancruises, the original luxury powerboat charter business in Phuket which caters to the rich and famous.
For more than 20 years he built and commissioned scores of local and imported charter vessels and trained more than 150 Thai crew, before retiring early this year.
Dowden left the UK in 1981 aboard his own 46-foot sloop to cruise the world and arrived in Thailand for the first time in 1984 after several years of cruising Southeast Asia. In 1989 he set up a yacht services and boat building business in Phuket and wrote a number of cruising guides for the local waters.
Dowden has spent 25 years sailing the waters of Thailand and Malaysia and is still involved in the yachting industry, helping to organise two of the country's most popular regattas and running the annual International Boat Show in Phuket.
"Bill and I put a lot of hard work into every edition of this book because we both realise what a great advantage it is to have on a boat," Dowden told Brunch ."Apart from all our own research, we invited a select number of well qualified voyagers to update facilities and opportunities in this rapidly developing cruising destination.
"The best professionals have created detailed, helpful and accurate charts and a logical, easy to use, layout style."
Southeast Asia Pilot is available at most leading bookstores, or it can be ordered direct from the website, www.andamanseapilot.com.
Just once in your life!
"Along the road, your steps may tumble, your thoughts may start to stray. But through it all a heart held humble, levels and lights your way. Joy at the start, fear in the journey. Joy in the coming home. A part of the heart gets lost in the learning somewhere along the road..."
Those are the lyrics of a beautiful song called "Along the road" by Dan Fogelberg. I couldn't stop singing it as I wrote about this intrepid expedition.
One fine evening at the super cool Jazz Blues Bar and Restaurant on Silom Road, I met Lukas and the team he assembled around himself for the "Volvo challenge -driving from Switzerland to Singapore across Australia overland".
This imaginative venture came from the initiative of Lukas and Shaun who felt inspired to live life to the fullest from what was going on around them. If you can survive a helicopter crash, as Shaun did in mid-February 2009, surviving a trip through several countries to Australia shouldn't be a big problem. Everything around them was telling them to "Seize the Day".
"My family likes to travel so much. My mother is Argentinean and she loves to travel by car. She told me that if I wanted her to go with me, I would have to drive! So I can truly say this is a family enterprise," said Lukas
Lukas Baumann lives in Switzerland and turns 39 this year. He recently resigned from his job as an executive board member, head of marketing and sales, for Gutzwiller Fonds Management AG. Shaun Rolevink lives in Australia, although he works as a radiographer and inspector on an oil field in Papua New Guinea. The two men are chasing their dreams and following their hearts to do a great thing together -drive across 16 countries, including Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Australia, over a distance of 25,000 kms.
They will drive a Volvo 940 Polar Estate. That's right! The 940 Polar Estate is fourteen years old already! The 4-speed automatic station wagon has almost 300,000 km on the clock. When I found out they were making the journey in this classic car, I got a big surprise. Then, I asked Lukas what parts and maintenance equipment they would need to take along and how they would keep the car running along the way.
"I'm so glad I picked this car to be my partner on this journey," he told me. "As eveyone knows Volvo has a good reputation for safety and security so I have great trust in driving one, especially one that belongs to my family. We all believe in this brand. Almost immediately on arriving here in Thailand, I contact Wearnes Automotive to support me with the maintenance and I got a great response and lots of kindness."
"They told me, my car needed regular checks and careful preparation to drive such a long distance. There was a strange sound I was hearing from the engine along the way and the engineers at Wearnes Automotive checked everything and found it was caused by poor quality gasoline (not in Thailand though). So they drained off the gasoline and put new stuff in the car. After that, the bad soundn totally disappeared. The only other thing I had to change were the brake pads on the rear wheels," said Lukas.
His answer underscored the famous Volvo brand values, namely safety, sustainability, quality, design & development, environment and lifestyle. It has been widely known for some time that Volvo is number on for safety. Putting all this information together, I had no trouble accepting that Lukas and Shaun could make their dreams come true driving such a car.
For the discerning car lover, Volvo is the most trustworthy brand. With a Volvo you can always be sure of driving safely and in style.
If you would like more information about Volvo, it's easy - just contact Wearnes Automotive, the biggest Volvo dealership in Bangkok, telephone +66 2 319 9800-9. Alternatively, drop by Wearnes' Volvo showroom at Huamark or Ladprao. If you do, you'll be sure to fall in love with them.
Anyway, the rally isn't a competitive event, although there are lots of fans supporting it. Really, it is just a way for the two men to chase their dreams. With the support of their relatives, colleagues, business associates, clients and friends, all should be well.
For myself, many thing about this project made me smile, even as the world around me was suffering from the financial crisis.
Find out more about just how inspiring it all is by clicking to their blog at www.LCBdirect. Perhaps next time it will be your turn to chase your dream, at least once in your life.
Those are the lyrics of a beautiful song called "Along the road" by Dan Fogelberg. I couldn't stop singing it as I wrote about this intrepid expedition.
One fine evening at the super cool Jazz Blues Bar and Restaurant on Silom Road, I met Lukas and the team he assembled around himself for the "Volvo challenge -driving from Switzerland to Singapore across Australia overland".
This imaginative venture came from the initiative of Lukas and Shaun who felt inspired to live life to the fullest from what was going on around them. If you can survive a helicopter crash, as Shaun did in mid-February 2009, surviving a trip through several countries to Australia shouldn't be a big problem. Everything around them was telling them to "Seize the Day".
"My family likes to travel so much. My mother is Argentinean and she loves to travel by car. She told me that if I wanted her to go with me, I would have to drive! So I can truly say this is a family enterprise," said Lukas
Lukas Baumann lives in Switzerland and turns 39 this year. He recently resigned from his job as an executive board member, head of marketing and sales, for Gutzwiller Fonds Management AG. Shaun Rolevink lives in Australia, although he works as a radiographer and inspector on an oil field in Papua New Guinea. The two men are chasing their dreams and following their hearts to do a great thing together -drive across 16 countries, including Switzerland, Lichtenstein, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Australia, over a distance of 25,000 kms.
They will drive a Volvo 940 Polar Estate. That's right! The 940 Polar Estate is fourteen years old already! The 4-speed automatic station wagon has almost 300,000 km on the clock. When I found out they were making the journey in this classic car, I got a big surprise. Then, I asked Lukas what parts and maintenance equipment they would need to take along and how they would keep the car running along the way.
"I'm so glad I picked this car to be my partner on this journey," he told me. "As eveyone knows Volvo has a good reputation for safety and security so I have great trust in driving one, especially one that belongs to my family. We all believe in this brand. Almost immediately on arriving here in Thailand, I contact Wearnes Automotive to support me with the maintenance and I got a great response and lots of kindness."
"They told me, my car needed regular checks and careful preparation to drive such a long distance. There was a strange sound I was hearing from the engine along the way and the engineers at Wearnes Automotive checked everything and found it was caused by poor quality gasoline (not in Thailand though). So they drained off the gasoline and put new stuff in the car. After that, the bad soundn totally disappeared. The only other thing I had to change were the brake pads on the rear wheels," said Lukas.
His answer underscored the famous Volvo brand values, namely safety, sustainability, quality, design & development, environment and lifestyle. It has been widely known for some time that Volvo is number on for safety. Putting all this information together, I had no trouble accepting that Lukas and Shaun could make their dreams come true driving such a car.
For the discerning car lover, Volvo is the most trustworthy brand. With a Volvo you can always be sure of driving safely and in style.
If you would like more information about Volvo, it's easy - just contact Wearnes Automotive, the biggest Volvo dealership in Bangkok, telephone +66 2 319 9800-9. Alternatively, drop by Wearnes' Volvo showroom at Huamark or Ladprao. If you do, you'll be sure to fall in love with them.
Anyway, the rally isn't a competitive event, although there are lots of fans supporting it. Really, it is just a way for the two men to chase their dreams. With the support of their relatives, colleagues, business associates, clients and friends, all should be well.
For myself, many thing about this project made me smile, even as the world around me was suffering from the financial crisis.
Find out more about just how inspiring it all is by clicking to their blog at www.LCBdirect. Perhaps next time it will be your turn to chase your dream, at least once in your life.
BANGKOK'S WATER WORLD
With the exception of the occasional escape-the-rain-as-fast-as-you-can event which we involuntarily partake in far too often, water sports are rarely, if ever, mentioned in connection with this otherwise multi-faceted city. But now we have Bueng Nong Bon, a public park and reservoir - two other things surely not synonymous with Bangkok - which features a water sports centre.
Located on Chalerm Phrakiat Soi 43, Bueng Nong Bon was originally created to help alleviate flooding in eastern Bangkok and actually encompasses three inter-connected reservoirs that have the capacity to hold up to five million cubic metres of water. Under the initiative of former governor Apirak Kosayodhin, the water sports centre at Bueng Nong Bon was opened in 2008 to honour His Majesty the King's 60th anniversary on the throne. There are also facilities available for various sports like cycling, basketball, football and sepak takraw in this serene public greenspace.
For a small yearly fee of 40 baht, members of the sports centre can rent out a variety of equipment free of charge, including sail boats, windsurfers and kayaks. Casual athletes are more than welcome to try their hand at these sports, and if you are a newbie there's a professional coach on hand to guide you along.
Bueng Nong Bon has only been open to the public for less than two years, but the water there has long been used by various Thai national teams for training, and it was the venue for the SEA games qualification trials.
"Before this we had to go all the way out to Bueng Taco in Samut Prakan," said Arpornpan Buapath, whose daughter is a canoe slalom athlete, "which is further out and much more expensive. Here the fee is so low and they have basically everything we need."
Father and daughter were busy at work setting up poles in the water to create a slalom course for her training.
"We're training for the upcoming Canoe Slalom event in Nakhon Nayok [which takes place this weekend], so we're setting up these poles," said Mr Arpornpan. "We're going to leave it up afterwards for everyone to use."
The action is not only on the water, however, as plenty of locals were sweating it out at the various facilities set up for sports played on a firmer foundation. A group of senior men were engaging in a variation of the regular sepak takraw, called hoop takraw or takraw laud huang, where instead of kicking the ball back and forth over a net as in volleyball, the objective is to get the ball into a basket suspended above the court, much like basketball.
The park is also popular amongst cyclists who like to go for a spin on the paths stretching across this 644-rai space.
"I try to come here at least a couple times a month to get some exercise and fresh air," says Ake Krainkah, a banker who was decked out in full gear and zipping along the pathways.
Bueng Nong Bon is still not well known among most Bangkok residents, but this peaceful and spacious park provides an excellent facility for trying out some new sports and getting some exercise and fresh air and is surely a welcome alternative to being stuck in a shopping mall for yet another weekend.
Relate Search: Bueng Nong Bon, Chalerm Phrakiat Soi 43, Apirak Kosayodhin
Located on Chalerm Phrakiat Soi 43, Bueng Nong Bon was originally created to help alleviate flooding in eastern Bangkok and actually encompasses three inter-connected reservoirs that have the capacity to hold up to five million cubic metres of water. Under the initiative of former governor Apirak Kosayodhin, the water sports centre at Bueng Nong Bon was opened in 2008 to honour His Majesty the King's 60th anniversary on the throne. There are also facilities available for various sports like cycling, basketball, football and sepak takraw in this serene public greenspace.
For a small yearly fee of 40 baht, members of the sports centre can rent out a variety of equipment free of charge, including sail boats, windsurfers and kayaks. Casual athletes are more than welcome to try their hand at these sports, and if you are a newbie there's a professional coach on hand to guide you along.
Bueng Nong Bon has only been open to the public for less than two years, but the water there has long been used by various Thai national teams for training, and it was the venue for the SEA games qualification trials.
"Before this we had to go all the way out to Bueng Taco in Samut Prakan," said Arpornpan Buapath, whose daughter is a canoe slalom athlete, "which is further out and much more expensive. Here the fee is so low and they have basically everything we need."
Father and daughter were busy at work setting up poles in the water to create a slalom course for her training.
"We're training for the upcoming Canoe Slalom event in Nakhon Nayok [which takes place this weekend], so we're setting up these poles," said Mr Arpornpan. "We're going to leave it up afterwards for everyone to use."
The action is not only on the water, however, as plenty of locals were sweating it out at the various facilities set up for sports played on a firmer foundation. A group of senior men were engaging in a variation of the regular sepak takraw, called hoop takraw or takraw laud huang, where instead of kicking the ball back and forth over a net as in volleyball, the objective is to get the ball into a basket suspended above the court, much like basketball.
The park is also popular amongst cyclists who like to go for a spin on the paths stretching across this 644-rai space.
"I try to come here at least a couple times a month to get some exercise and fresh air," says Ake Krainkah, a banker who was decked out in full gear and zipping along the pathways.
Bueng Nong Bon is still not well known among most Bangkok residents, but this peaceful and spacious park provides an excellent facility for trying out some new sports and getting some exercise and fresh air and is surely a welcome alternative to being stuck in a shopping mall for yet another weekend.
Relate Search: Bueng Nong Bon, Chalerm Phrakiat Soi 43, Apirak Kosayodhin
Travco gets bigger
The travel group Travco said on Thursday it had acquired Germany's Steigenberger Hotels as part of efforts to expand its international operations.
The Egyptian firm did not disclose a value for the deal, citing an agreement between the two family-owned firms.
Travco owns 43 hotels in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Steigenberger operates 81 hotels in Germany, Austria,Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands and Egypt.
The Egyptian firm did not disclose a value for the deal, citing an agreement between the two family-owned firms.
Travco owns 43 hotels in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Steigenberger operates 81 hotels in Germany, Austria,Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands and Egypt.
VENEZUELA? ARE YOU CARACAS?!
Venezuela should be a tourist mecca. It boasts the world's highest waterfall, snowcapped Andean mountain peaks and white-sand beaches dotting one of the longest coastlines in the Caribbean. But hurdles such as fly-by-night tour operators, the lack of qualified guides and mediocre accommodations in many remote regions keep many potential visitors away leaving some of Latin America's most diverse natural beauty for the most diverse natural beauty for the most adventuresome.
During more than a decade living in Venezuela, I've discovered that the hang-ups that come with exploring destinations off the beaten path are often eclipsed by the rewarding experiences.
Try trekking up Roraima, one of the flat-topped mountains called "tepuis" in southeastern Bolivar state.
The plateaus-among the world's most ancient rock formations, shaped cy heavy rains over millions of years-inspired "Up!", Pixar's latest computer-animated film, about a cranky old man who flies to South America in a floating house suspended from helium balloons.
Merciless biting flies - nick-names la plaga, or "the pague", by locals - can make the arduous twoday hike through surrounding savannahs to the top of Roraima harrowing, but visitors are awestruck upon reaching the summit. When sunshine bursts through the clouds, a fantastic landscape is unveiled: Beds of crystals and pink sand edge streams running through gorges and pools.
If Roraima sounds too tough,consider flying into the heart of Canaima National Park about 250 kilometres to the east for a visit to Angel Falls, the world's highest waterfall at 979 metres with an uninterrupted drop of 807 metres. Visitors can fly over the falls in small planes, but most choose to be ferried up the Churun River in dugout canoes and hike through the steamy jungle to the base of the falls for a refreshing swim among the rocks below.
The sun-baked southwestern plains known as Los Llanos that span the country's sparsely populated heartland are popular with ecotourists.
Stay at one of the numerous hatos, expansive cattle ranches catering to those eager to spot species such as long-snouted giant anteaters or capybaras, the world's hargest rodent, weighing as much as 68 kilograms.
The most courageous visitors fish for piranas in muddy rivers inhabited by Orinoco crocodiles reaching up to 6 metres or help guides pull one of the world's biggest snakes, the green anaconda, from swamplands. Their souvenir might be a photo in which they hold the fearsome reptile, which can weigh up to 227 kilograms and reach 9.1 metres.
Anglers will want to try their luck in the Orinoco River Basin - home to over 1,000 species of fish. The speckled peacock bass can grow close to one metre an dthe payara, featuring two long fangs protruding from its lower jaw, always put up a good fight, making them favourites among sport fisherman. A catfish called the "valenton" weighs up to 150 kilograms.
To escape the stifling heat, head west to Los Andes. The city of Merida is a charming, university town providing a perfect jumping off point for visits to nearby snowcapped mountains in Sierra Nevada National Park.
The world's longest and highest cable car normally brings travellers directly from the city to a lookout near Espejo Peak perched 4,765 metres above sea level. The cable car system is currently out of service, so visitors are taken up the mountain in jeeps. Serious mountaineers organise climbs of higher mountains such as Bolivar Peak-the country's highest at 5,007 metres - through local tour operators. Paragliding, hanggliding, mountain biking and rafting excursions are offered.
If you prefer wiggling your toes in the sand to jungle treks or adrenaline sports, the geaches dotting one of the longest coastlines in the Caribbean offer rest and relaxation for weary travellers. Or fly to Los Roques-an archipelago of tiny Caribbean islands offering snorkelling and scuba diving along numerous coral reefs and deserted white-sand beaches.
Located 150 kilometres off the mainland,Los Roques is a paradise for nature lovers. Over 280 fish species, including rainbowcoloured parrot fish and yellow striped angel fish, dance around divers in the crystalline waters. Brown boobies and scarlet ibises are among the dozens of bird species found on the islands.
IF YOU GO...
GETTING THERE: From Bangkok, your gateway into Venezuela is Europe. There are non-stop flights from Paris, Rome, Milan, Madrid and Frankfurt.
GETTING AROUND: Buses are the best way to get from city to city, but sevices to smaller towns can be irregular, there are no roads to Angel Falls, so visitors must arrange flights from Ciudad Bolivar, Small airplanes-called"aero-taxis" by locals-are the best way into the Ovinoco River Basin.
During more than a decade living in Venezuela, I've discovered that the hang-ups that come with exploring destinations off the beaten path are often eclipsed by the rewarding experiences.
Try trekking up Roraima, one of the flat-topped mountains called "tepuis" in southeastern Bolivar state.
The plateaus-among the world's most ancient rock formations, shaped cy heavy rains over millions of years-inspired "Up!", Pixar's latest computer-animated film, about a cranky old man who flies to South America in a floating house suspended from helium balloons.
Merciless biting flies - nick-names la plaga, or "the pague", by locals - can make the arduous twoday hike through surrounding savannahs to the top of Roraima harrowing, but visitors are awestruck upon reaching the summit. When sunshine bursts through the clouds, a fantastic landscape is unveiled: Beds of crystals and pink sand edge streams running through gorges and pools.
If Roraima sounds too tough,consider flying into the heart of Canaima National Park about 250 kilometres to the east for a visit to Angel Falls, the world's highest waterfall at 979 metres with an uninterrupted drop of 807 metres. Visitors can fly over the falls in small planes, but most choose to be ferried up the Churun River in dugout canoes and hike through the steamy jungle to the base of the falls for a refreshing swim among the rocks below.
The sun-baked southwestern plains known as Los Llanos that span the country's sparsely populated heartland are popular with ecotourists.
Stay at one of the numerous hatos, expansive cattle ranches catering to those eager to spot species such as long-snouted giant anteaters or capybaras, the world's hargest rodent, weighing as much as 68 kilograms.
The most courageous visitors fish for piranas in muddy rivers inhabited by Orinoco crocodiles reaching up to 6 metres or help guides pull one of the world's biggest snakes, the green anaconda, from swamplands. Their souvenir might be a photo in which they hold the fearsome reptile, which can weigh up to 227 kilograms and reach 9.1 metres.
Anglers will want to try their luck in the Orinoco River Basin - home to over 1,000 species of fish. The speckled peacock bass can grow close to one metre an dthe payara, featuring two long fangs protruding from its lower jaw, always put up a good fight, making them favourites among sport fisherman. A catfish called the "valenton" weighs up to 150 kilograms.
To escape the stifling heat, head west to Los Andes. The city of Merida is a charming, university town providing a perfect jumping off point for visits to nearby snowcapped mountains in Sierra Nevada National Park.
The world's longest and highest cable car normally brings travellers directly from the city to a lookout near Espejo Peak perched 4,765 metres above sea level. The cable car system is currently out of service, so visitors are taken up the mountain in jeeps. Serious mountaineers organise climbs of higher mountains such as Bolivar Peak-the country's highest at 5,007 metres - through local tour operators. Paragliding, hanggliding, mountain biking and rafting excursions are offered.
If you prefer wiggling your toes in the sand to jungle treks or adrenaline sports, the geaches dotting one of the longest coastlines in the Caribbean offer rest and relaxation for weary travellers. Or fly to Los Roques-an archipelago of tiny Caribbean islands offering snorkelling and scuba diving along numerous coral reefs and deserted white-sand beaches.
Located 150 kilometres off the mainland,Los Roques is a paradise for nature lovers. Over 280 fish species, including rainbowcoloured parrot fish and yellow striped angel fish, dance around divers in the crystalline waters. Brown boobies and scarlet ibises are among the dozens of bird species found on the islands.
IF YOU GO...
GETTING THERE: From Bangkok, your gateway into Venezuela is Europe. There are non-stop flights from Paris, Rome, Milan, Madrid and Frankfurt.
GETTING AROUND: Buses are the best way to get from city to city, but sevices to smaller towns can be irregular, there are no roads to Angel Falls, so visitors must arrange flights from Ciudad Bolivar, Small airplanes-called"aero-taxis" by locals-are the best way into the Ovinoco River Basin.
TROY STILL HOLDS ITS SECRETS
Alarge wooden horse stands at the archaeological site at Troy as a reminder of the legend that surrounds this ancient city. Every year hundreds of thousands of visitors pass by the horse, which is popular with children who never fail to climb the ladder into the belly of the 20-metre-high steed.
According to legend, Greek soldiers besieging the city of Troy in ancient times pretended to withdraw and left a wooden horse behind them. The citizens of Troy brought the horse into the city in northwest Turkey, and the rest is history.
Troy's downfall was first described in Homer's "Odyssey" : "For the city was doomed when it took in that horse, within which were all the bravest of the Greeks waiting to bring death and destruction on the Trojans."
the myth of Troy continues to attract visitors to the site. Many arrive after spending a night in the provincial capital of Canankkale, 30 kilometres away. Hotels of varying standards can be found around Canakkale's harbour.
Others arrive in Troy with package tours from Istanbul or the other main tourist centres along Turkey's Mediterranean coast.
"The story of the Trojan Horse as a military ruse is simple and memorable. Almost everyone has heard it at least once," says the leader of Troy's archaeological team, Professor Ernst Pernicka.
The topography of the surrounding countryside spurs the imagination, and it's easy to imagine the chaos of the Trojan Wars - even though there is no firm archaeological evidence they ever happened.
The archaeologists have laid out a walking tour that explains Troy's development as a city. Each episode of destruction was followed by one of reconstruction and expansion.
Located at the centre of the city was a hill with palaces. Ordinary Trojans lived around it.
For 3,500 years Troy was a living, functioning city. It was abandoned in the fifth century and then reoccupied in the 12th, but its final demise came in the 14th century. The archaeologists say Troy's history can be read in the excavation like a layered cake.
Troy's special wealth was due to its location on the Dardanellers, a narrow strait connecting the Aegenan Sea with the Sea of Marmara and then eventually the Black Sea.
In ancient times ships waited off Troy for the right wind and current conditions. Today the coastline is about six kilometres from the site of Troy, but in the Bronze Age the bay came as far as the city.
Briton Frank Calvert was the first to search there for Troy's remains. The German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann began excavating in 1871 and found the first ancient ruins.
Much has been learned about Troy since another German, Manfred Korfmann, began working there in 1988. Pernicka followed in Korfmann's footsteps after his death four years ago.
When touring the site, visitors will see a ramp paved with flagstones leading to the entrance of a house from the period of "Troy II".
To the left of the entrance Schliemann found a cache of ancient artefacts in May 1873 that became known as Priam's Treasure.
Schliemann decided the cache must date back to the time of the Trojan King Priam mentioned in Homer's "Iliad", and he smuggled it out of the country. Later studies established that the trasure dated back to an even earlier period.
Since the discovery of Troy's ruins in the 19th century on a hill called in Turkish Hisarlik, scientists have been trying to reveal its secrets. At the moment they are excavating a defensive ditch that could eventually reveal Troy's size.
"The archaeological evidence points to a regional centre with an unusually large, double defensive wall," says Pernicka.
"The city may have been 25 hectares, or perhaps 35 hectares. There is growing evidece to show it was relatively densely populated, so perhaps several thousand or even as many as 10,000 people lived there."
According to legend, Greek soldiers besieging the city of Troy in ancient times pretended to withdraw and left a wooden horse behind them. The citizens of Troy brought the horse into the city in northwest Turkey, and the rest is history.
Troy's downfall was first described in Homer's "Odyssey" : "For the city was doomed when it took in that horse, within which were all the bravest of the Greeks waiting to bring death and destruction on the Trojans."
the myth of Troy continues to attract visitors to the site. Many arrive after spending a night in the provincial capital of Canankkale, 30 kilometres away. Hotels of varying standards can be found around Canakkale's harbour.
Others arrive in Troy with package tours from Istanbul or the other main tourist centres along Turkey's Mediterranean coast.
"The story of the Trojan Horse as a military ruse is simple and memorable. Almost everyone has heard it at least once," says the leader of Troy's archaeological team, Professor Ernst Pernicka.
The topography of the surrounding countryside spurs the imagination, and it's easy to imagine the chaos of the Trojan Wars - even though there is no firm archaeological evidence they ever happened.
The archaeologists have laid out a walking tour that explains Troy's development as a city. Each episode of destruction was followed by one of reconstruction and expansion.
Located at the centre of the city was a hill with palaces. Ordinary Trojans lived around it.
For 3,500 years Troy was a living, functioning city. It was abandoned in the fifth century and then reoccupied in the 12th, but its final demise came in the 14th century. The archaeologists say Troy's history can be read in the excavation like a layered cake.
Troy's special wealth was due to its location on the Dardanellers, a narrow strait connecting the Aegenan Sea with the Sea of Marmara and then eventually the Black Sea.
In ancient times ships waited off Troy for the right wind and current conditions. Today the coastline is about six kilometres from the site of Troy, but in the Bronze Age the bay came as far as the city.
Briton Frank Calvert was the first to search there for Troy's remains. The German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann began excavating in 1871 and found the first ancient ruins.
Much has been learned about Troy since another German, Manfred Korfmann, began working there in 1988. Pernicka followed in Korfmann's footsteps after his death four years ago.
When touring the site, visitors will see a ramp paved with flagstones leading to the entrance of a house from the period of "Troy II".
To the left of the entrance Schliemann found a cache of ancient artefacts in May 1873 that became known as Priam's Treasure.
Schliemann decided the cache must date back to the time of the Trojan King Priam mentioned in Homer's "Iliad", and he smuggled it out of the country. Later studies established that the trasure dated back to an even earlier period.
Since the discovery of Troy's ruins in the 19th century on a hill called in Turkish Hisarlik, scientists have been trying to reveal its secrets. At the moment they are excavating a defensive ditch that could eventually reveal Troy's size.
"The archaeological evidence points to a regional centre with an unusually large, double defensive wall," says Pernicka.
"The city may have been 25 hectares, or perhaps 35 hectares. There is growing evidece to show it was relatively densely populated, so perhaps several thousand or even as many as 10,000 people lived there."
Fans tour Jackson's hometown
Before there was the sprawling Neverland ranch in California, before he became a superstar with the best-selling album of all time,Thriller ,a tiny house in the industrial city of Gary was home for Michael Jackson.
Since Jackson's death, two women from the Chicago area, about 30 miles (48 kilometres) from Gary, have started "The King of Pop Hometown Tour,"taking busloads of tourists on a fourhour trek through Jackson family landmarks in northwest Indiana. The highlight is 2300 Jackson Street, a small white-sided house as big as a two-anda-half car garage where the Jackson family lived - with nine children - nearly four decades ago.
"This is a tour of motivation and inspiration," guide Denise Jordan Walker tells riders, as her partner Tecora Rogers readies the bus to leave."We are not taking you to a gated community. We are not taking you to Neverland. We are taking you to Gary, Indiana."
On cue, a music video of the Jackson 5 plays on overhead screens as the bus pulls off from Chicago and travels south down the highway. A young Michael Jackson sings,"I'm going back to Indiana.Indiana here I come. I'm going back to Indiana. That is where my baby's from."
The women said they always wanted to host a Jackson-themed tour of Gary,but had put the idea aside to focus on a Chicago jazz music tour instead. After Michael Jackson's death in June, requests started pouring in, Walker said.
"It hasn't changed that much since the Jacksons lived here," Walker said."It's pretty much like time stood still.We want to paint a picture and let people really feel what the Jacksons went through on a day-to-day basis."
Off the highway in Indiana, the bus drives through a heavily industrial area along Lake Michigan before stopping in front of the steel mill where father Joe Jackson worked. The tour goes on to the hospital where the Jackson children were born and the elementary school they attended. It also highlights the beginnings of the Jackson 5, with stops at Mr. Lucky's Lounge, where the group first performed,and the house where the Jacksons recorded for Steeltown Records in 1967.
While stuffed animals, cards and signs still decorate the outside of the Jackson home, the inside remains closed. The tour, however, has partnered with the owners of a mirror-image house across the street, allowing for a walk-through to get a feel for the Jackson home.
Later on, some tour-goers point at the marquee next to Roosevelt High School in Gary, which reads,"We celebrate the life of Michael Jackson."
The ride is broken up with video interviews with Gary residents who knew the Jacksons and videos of Michael Jackson songs, like Remember the Time and Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough . The music has some riders bopping their heads and tapping their feet. When Jackson sings one of his high-pitched "Ooohs..." the tour-goers "Ooh..." along with him.
There's even Jackson trivia. Tour guides call out questions:"Who was Michael Jackson's first wife?" or "What song was about his favourite pet?" Riders yell back the answers,"Lisa Marie Presley" and "Ben."
The trip is taken on a smaller charter tour bus that seats about two dozen people to allow for Gary's narrow side streets and to fit underneath low-hanging electrical wires.
One rider, Mallorie Garner,58, said the tour offered her perspective on the beginnings of such a famous family.
"It helps you appreciate where they started and how far they came," Garner said.
Another rider, Danielle Smith, a 21-year-old student, said she attended memorials after Michael Jackson's death.Seeing his childhood home put the singer's career into perspective for her,Smith said.
"To truly understand Michael you have to go where it all started, his beginning, their experiences in Indiana," Smith said.
Since Jackson's death, two women from the Chicago area, about 30 miles (48 kilometres) from Gary, have started "The King of Pop Hometown Tour,"taking busloads of tourists on a fourhour trek through Jackson family landmarks in northwest Indiana. The highlight is 2300 Jackson Street, a small white-sided house as big as a two-anda-half car garage where the Jackson family lived - with nine children - nearly four decades ago.
"This is a tour of motivation and inspiration," guide Denise Jordan Walker tells riders, as her partner Tecora Rogers readies the bus to leave."We are not taking you to a gated community. We are not taking you to Neverland. We are taking you to Gary, Indiana."
On cue, a music video of the Jackson 5 plays on overhead screens as the bus pulls off from Chicago and travels south down the highway. A young Michael Jackson sings,"I'm going back to Indiana.Indiana here I come. I'm going back to Indiana. That is where my baby's from."
The women said they always wanted to host a Jackson-themed tour of Gary,but had put the idea aside to focus on a Chicago jazz music tour instead. After Michael Jackson's death in June, requests started pouring in, Walker said.
"It hasn't changed that much since the Jacksons lived here," Walker said."It's pretty much like time stood still.We want to paint a picture and let people really feel what the Jacksons went through on a day-to-day basis."
Off the highway in Indiana, the bus drives through a heavily industrial area along Lake Michigan before stopping in front of the steel mill where father Joe Jackson worked. The tour goes on to the hospital where the Jackson children were born and the elementary school they attended. It also highlights the beginnings of the Jackson 5, with stops at Mr. Lucky's Lounge, where the group first performed,and the house where the Jacksons recorded for Steeltown Records in 1967.
While stuffed animals, cards and signs still decorate the outside of the Jackson home, the inside remains closed. The tour, however, has partnered with the owners of a mirror-image house across the street, allowing for a walk-through to get a feel for the Jackson home.
Later on, some tour-goers point at the marquee next to Roosevelt High School in Gary, which reads,"We celebrate the life of Michael Jackson."
The ride is broken up with video interviews with Gary residents who knew the Jacksons and videos of Michael Jackson songs, like Remember the Time and Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough . The music has some riders bopping their heads and tapping their feet. When Jackson sings one of his high-pitched "Ooohs..." the tour-goers "Ooh..." along with him.
There's even Jackson trivia. Tour guides call out questions:"Who was Michael Jackson's first wife?" or "What song was about his favourite pet?" Riders yell back the answers,"Lisa Marie Presley" and "Ben."
The trip is taken on a smaller charter tour bus that seats about two dozen people to allow for Gary's narrow side streets and to fit underneath low-hanging electrical wires.
One rider, Mallorie Garner,58, said the tour offered her perspective on the beginnings of such a famous family.
"It helps you appreciate where they started and how far they came," Garner said.
Another rider, Danielle Smith, a 21-year-old student, said she attended memorials after Michael Jackson's death.Seeing his childhood home put the singer's career into perspective for her,Smith said.
"To truly understand Michael you have to go where it all started, his beginning, their experiences in Indiana," Smith said.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)