Phuket - The ultimate paradise for scuba diving

The largest and the most beautiful island in Thailand, Phuket is undoubtedly one of the top tourism destinations in the world. Southern Phuket has remarkable coral islands like Similan and Phi Phi which are suitable for scuba diving.

Scuba diving uses underwater apparatus for breathing and is used for viewing underwater spectacles like floras, faunas, beautiful fishes, coral reefs, especially in coral islands. ‘SCUBA’ is the short form of Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus.

Scuba diving is the main attraction of tourists in Phuket. There are many agencies which provide scuba diving gears and packages for tourists. Day trips as well as night trips to diving areas are also included in the packages. There are dive boats which will take you to the diving destinations.

Coral reefs in Phuket are some of the best spectacular reefs in the world. Over 200 species of hard corals in Phuket create an amazing underwater ecological kingdom. Some of the exotic fish varieties that are seen in Phuket are dolphins, whale shark, manta rays, pelagic and numerous reef fishes and some of the turtle varieties that enchant the Phuket are Olive Ridleys, Hawksbill, Green Turtles and Leather Back.

Scuba diving in Phuket can be done all the year round except during rainy season spanning from month of May to October. The best time though is December when the water temperature is normally of 26-29 degrees. In March- April it can plunge to 10 degrees temporarily due to thermo clines. Visibility in water of Phuket in dry season is around 40 metres. While the visibility range changes according to the rain during rainy season. Scuba diving in Phuket is an experience of a life time which you can cherish.

‘Shop Full Blast’ from Best Western International

Now you have a special package to have a shopping spree in the top tourist destinations of Thailand including Bangkok, Pattaya and Chiang Mai from the world’s largest hotel chain, Best Western International (BWI). The “Shop Full Blast” promotion features a special rate as low as US$66 for a three-day/two-night stay in any participating Best Western hotels and is available until February 28, 2009.

The package includes: three day/two-night accommodations for 2 persons; welcome drink upon arrival; one hour Thai massage for 2 persons; and a free shuttle bus service to downtown. Guests can also enjoy a privileged 10 % discount coupon for shopping at the King Power Downtown Duty Free Mall located on Sri Ayuthaya-Rangnam Road in Bangkok.

For a stay in the Best Western Mayfair Suites, package rate is at US$120.  The new hotel is located within close proximity to Bangkok’s leading shopping centers: Gaysorn Plaza, Central World Plaza and Pratunam.

In Pattaya, Best Western Bella Villa Cabana Hotel and Best Western Pattaya Hotel offer US$169 package rate for an option to choose from its varied room accommodations: deluxe, deluxe ocean view or the poolside room.

At Chiang Mai, Best Western presents an attractive package rate of US$66 for superior room accommodations.

Tashi Nencha to perform in Bangkok

Coronation and Centenary celebrations is the talk of the town these days in Bangkok. Reports have it that on invitation by the Bhutanese embassy in Thailand, the Thimphu-based Tashi Nencha group will perform for three days, starting November 6 at the Thai Pavilion in Bangkok. The group will perform national and regional traditional songs and dances, which the troupe has been preparing for months.

The first day of this performance is scheduled for only VIPs of the Thai government and Her Royal Highness, princess Chulabhorn, will be the chief guest. The following days will be for the public in Bangkok.

“One group will leave for Thailand on November 4 and the others will remain in Thimphu to perform for the Coronation here,” said Tashi Norbu, proprietor of Tashi Nencha.

“We have now every costume and material that we need to perform regional music and dances,” adds Tashi Norbu.

Tashi Nencha, the first entertainment company, was set up in 1987 to preserve the country’s traditional music and dances. The company was also a recipient of the art and culture award from *****uoka, Japan, in 2005.

1 million baht bell installed at Big Buddha in Phuket

Work on the 45-meter-high Buddha image at Phuket in the Nakkerd Hills is now about 90% complete. This Thursday on the King Chulalongkorn Memorial Day, a huge bronze bell was installed at the site. The one-million baht bell, which weighs one metric ton, was a gift from the Rassada Cooperative Credit Union. Vice Governor Worapot Ratthasima attended the Buddhist ceremony at which gold leaf was applied to the bell and it was struck for the first time on Chulalakorn Day.

The image is officially known as Phra Puttamingmongkol Akenakkiri and the project has been funded by funds raised by the Mingmongkol Faith 45 committee. The entire Mingmongkol Buddha project is expected to be complete by 2010, at a total cost in excess of 150 million baht.

Chiang Mai opens the world’s largest tunnel aquarium

On Sunday, Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand, saw the opening of world’s largest tunnel aquarium. This Zoo’s aquarium, set on a 10-rai (1.6 hectares) plot of land, is made up of freshwater and ocean sections. It is 133 meters long and 66.5 meters wide. The aquarium, being built by the Zoological Park Organization (ZPO), features the world’s longest tunnel aquarium which houses about 8,000 aquatic animals of 250 different species.

The opening ceremony was presided by the Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat. Somchai visited the northern province of Chiang Mai after he returned home from Beijing, where he attended the Asia-Europe Meeting. Chiang Mai is also expected to be the venue of the ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Summit to be held in December.

The Danish vote Thailand as the World’s Best Tourist Country

For the second time Thailand has been voted as the World’s Best Tourist Country by Danish people and Danish tourism firms. The result of the vote organized by tourism magazine, Stand By, was announced on October 9 at the Hilton Hotel in Copenhagen.

Manit Boonchim, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Stockholm office, said some 8,000 Danish people and representatives of Danish tourism firms voted Thailand as the best tourist country in the world.

Khaosan Road offers cheap accommodation in Thailand

If you have stepped in the land of Thais and are looking for a cheap accommodation, this one is the best place for you. Located at the Banglamphu, Phra Nakhon district in Bangkok, Thailand, Khaosan Road is just a 10-minute walk from Sanam Luang and The Grand Palace. Slowly but steadily, Khaosan Road has become one of Thailand most well-known destinations with relatively cheap accommodation.

Khaosan Road is the scene for “backpackers” looking for cheap hotels or for those who are arranging transport to their next destination in Thailand. There are many direct coaches from Khaosan Road to all major tourist destinations in Thailand.

At night, the street has stalls selling cheap clothes, handicrafts, souvenirs, second-hand books and many other items are useful for backpackers. The lights are turned on at many pubs, bars and restaurants where the travellers tell tales of the days adventures and discoveries and the plans for tomorrow. The pubs and bars found in abundance offer places for tourists where they can enjoy dancing and partying.

Not only with the tourists, Khaosan Road, in recent years, has also become popular among local people. During Songkran festival (Thai New Year) on April 13 to April 15, People wander all the streets with containers of water or water guns and drench each other and passersby.

Now all information on Thailand just a mouse-click away

Now, accessing any information about Thai culture, history, art, tourism and academic research is just a mouse click away for the National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre (Nectec) has completed “Digitised Thailand,” a project that marks the collaboration of several organisations.

The project has developed Thailand’s national digital archives by collecting and transforming all physical data scattered around the nation into digital form and allowing people at all levels to gain access to an enormous wealth of knowledge at any time and from anywhere over the Internet.

“The content goes beyond what have seen in video or audio content and Nectec will not cover the entertainment area, but will focus on knowledge-based content,” Nectec director Dr Pansak Siriruchatapong said.

The three-year project, which will be run from now until 2010, will start by collecting Thai-based data available on the Internet and will put it into the archive which concentrates on mainly five spheres of Thailand, namely, knowledge, language, culture, history and tribes. Apart from this, Nectec has also developed an encyclopaedia and dictionaries such as Thai-Japanese, Thai-Lanna and Thai-Malayoo so far.

In addition, Nectec has conducted pilot projects to develop digital content, starting by collecting data and knowledge related to Thai herbs under a project called “Knowledge Unifying Initiator for Herbal Information” (KUIHerb). This will be a herbal information resource that includes information about local medicines, photos, videos, medicine recipes and prescriptions and information about poisonous substances.

Dr Virach said, “We hope that once Thai-based data is converted and put into the digital archive, the country will have an enormous database that can be developed into sustainable knowledge and this will be invaluable information source, which will not only stimulate Thais to improve their self-learning but preserve Thai culture and offer new opportunities for business development.”

Koh Kong has more to offer than casinos

At the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) workshop on biodiversity conservation and tourism development in Bangkok, Mayuda Mang, deputy chief of the Tourism Department of Koh Kong, reminded the tourists that the 11,000 sq km province of Koh Kong had a wide variety of tourist attractions apart from its casino.

“Koh Kong is home to the country’s largest mangrove areas and we still have several small pristine islands eligible for ecotourism development,” said Ms Mayuda.

Though, situations have been tense between Thailand and Cambodia, Mayuda said Koh Kong and the opposite province of Trat have remained on good neighbourly terms. Trat has sent experts to help Koh Kong villagers preserve mangrove forests, said Ms Mayuda, adding: “We appreciate that cooperation and would like to see deepened collaboration on nature conservation in our country.”

However, she conceded that Road No 48, which was jointly opened by then-deputy prime minister Somchai Wongsawat and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, with a bridge linking the Thai border to Koh Kong and on to Phnom Penh, would inevitably attract all kinds of investors, traders and gamblers to Cambodia. The owners of the casino projects are Thais and Cambodians and gamblers come not only from Thailand, but also from China and Taiwan, as well as a few locals.

Phi Phi Don voted among Top 100 World Destinations?

Phi Phi Don in Krabi was voted as one of the Top 100 World Destinations on www.tripadvisor.com, a tourism website owing to its virgin natural beauty and tranquility winning the 82nd rank. The Tourism Authority of Thailand, Krabi Director Pornprapa Lorsuwan is overwhelmed and said tourists voted through this website which has over 25 million visitors per month. Phi Phi Don ranked 5th in the top 25 for Asia Tourist Destinations. Other Thai destinations which were also rated in the top 25 included Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Pha-Ngan Island, Koh Tao in Surat Thani and Krabi province itself, which ranked 25th.

Jennifer Ellison and her fiancé in Thailand

Jennifer Ellison and her fiance Tony travel to Thailand to shoot the cover of her new album ‘Jennifer Does Thailand’, and make a TV show directed by Richard Lightboy along the way. The shwo is hour-long, one-off programme for Sky One and it also featured Jennifer’s make-up artist, record company exec and their partners - all whom joined her, and the TV crew, on the trip. Pls have a look at the video below:

Jennifer Does Thailand

Have you visited the Uthai Thani in Thailand?

Uthai Thani province in Northern Thailand is less traveled but is richly endowed by nature with its large resource of forest and wildlife. “Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Reserve” which has forests, plains, many streams, and many rare and endangered animals was proclaimed a Nautral World Heritage Site on 13 December 1991.

Other attractions include the different lifestyles of locals, such as the life of raft residents on Sakae Krang River, a waterway that aided the birth of the province and which has been a lifeline for its people since ancient times. In addition, at the end of the Buddhist Lent, Buddhists from all directions congregate in the province for a major merry-making festival called Tak Bat Thewo at the foot of Khao Sakae Krang at Wat Sangkat Rattana Khiri.

The province is divided in to 8 Amphoe (districts), as follows:

Amphoe Muang Uthai Thani
Amphoe Lan Sak 58 kms. from the city
Amphoe Nong Kha Yang 11 kms. from the city
Amphoe Nong Chang 21 kms. from the city
Amphoe Thap Than 16 kms. from the city
Amphoe Ban Rai 79 kms. from the city
Amphoe Sawang Arom 30 kms. from the city
Amphoe Huai Khot 51 kms. from the city

North borders of the province are Amphoe Phayuha Khiri, Amphoe Krok Phra and Amphoe Lat Yao of Nakhon Sawan.

South borders include Amphoe Wat Sing and Amphoe Han Kha of Chai Nat and Amphoe Doem Bang Nang Buat of Suphan Buri.

East borders are Amphoe Phayuha Khiri of Nakhon Sawan and Amphoe Manorom of Chai Nat. The Chao Phraya River divides the provinces.

West borders are Amphoe Um Phang of Tak and Amphoe Sangkhla Buri and Amphoe Si Sawat of Kanchanaburi.

Experience the best of nature at Khao Lak

Khao Lak is famous for its spectacular natural surroundings which consist of a variety of landscapes. On one side of Khao Lak are the dazzling white sandy beaches of Andaman  and the famous Similan Islands, as well as abundant coral beds and wonderful marine life. On the other side are the rich and vibrant jungles, the home to the rare species of wildlife animals and plants.

Khao Lak offers a variety of activities and sightseeing opportunities for nature lovers. Here are some of the wonderful things to see and do there.

Large sandy beaches shaded by casuarinas and palm trees.

Offshore, coral forests are perfect for diving and snorkeling. You can reach here via long-tail boat, about 45 minutes from the shore.

Khao Lak National Park offers go trekking, swim in a waterfall, bird watch or have a picnic in the forest.

Located only one hour offshore from Khao Lak, there is an archipelago of nine islands called the Similan Islands.  Rated within the top ten dive spots in the world, it has to offer the reefs that surround the islands, which are home to giant sea turtles, manta rays as well as a huge variety of fish and sharks.  The islands are numbered Koh 1 - 9, with camping facilities and a restaurant on Koh 4.

There are a number of beautiful temples in Takua Pa, only 30 minutes drive north of Khao Lak.

Khao Lak is a diving heaven offering easy access to many outstanding diving spots in nearby marine parks such as Koh Surin and Koh Similan, two of the best diving spots in Thailand. Most dive companies offer ‘live-aboard’ trips (spending the night on the boat) and day trips.

The local bay is extremely sheltered, ideal for expeditions of sea canoes to explore the many fascinating caverns and hidden caves here, which are not possible to be explored through other boats.

You can also go trekking or elephant riding to discover the areas wild flora and fauna by trekking or riding on an elephant through the forest.

Rice goddess worship gets revived in Thailand

The relationship between rice and the Thai people is inextricable. In fact it has been grown in the kingdom since ages. According to many, growing rice is more than a crop or a livelihood. It gives rise to culture and traditions. Thus, it came as a pleasant surprise to most of the Thais, when the country announced the revival of the ceremonial worship of the Rice Goddess.

To boost the morale of the country’s 3.7 million rice-farming families, and to commemorate the queen’s upcoming birthday on Tuesday the 12th of August, The Ministry of Agriculture on Saturday held a ritual to worship Mae Phosop, or the Rice Goddess, at a demonstration farm in Ang Thong province. The ceremony was presided over by Queen Sirikit, the royal consort of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej

Worship of Mae Phosop was once common among Thai rice farmers, but the practice had greatly waned in recent years as Thailand’s rural population had become more modern and educated. The resurgence of the ceremony clearly portrays the strong undercurrent of Hindu and animism that suffuses Thailand’s traditional belief system and ceremonies.

Agriculture Minister Somsak Prissananatakul said the last time a Rice Goddess ritual was performed in front of a royal audience was in 1961. According to him the practice will help heighten the self-esteem of rice farmers all over the country.

disputes over the Preah Vihear Temple to resolve soon!

The much hyped controversy and disputes over the Preah Vihear Temple on the Thai Cambodian borders, had gripped much attention last month. The two south Asian neighbour’s foreign ministers had agreed to resolve the matter soon. The time seems to have come when both of them have decided to resolve all differences through bilateral mechanisms which include meetings between the foreign ministers, the Thai-Cambodian Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) and the General Border Committee (GBC).

Thailand and Cambodia have in common a 798-kilometre land border. To stay together as good neighbours for tens of thousands of years to come, it is understood that peaceful and amicable discussions will mutually benefit both countries’ economic, political, social and other spheres as also the people of both countries living along the Thai-Cambodian border. Thus, understanding the severity of the matter, Thailand’s foreign Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat announced the second ministerial meeting between Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag and his Cambodian counterpart Hor Nam Hong.

Thailand seems to have agreed with Combodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, that the second meeting between the two foreign ministers should be able to make good progress and pave the way for both sides to find a solution. It is scheduled to take place on August 18-19 at Hua Hin in Prachuap Khiri Khan. Keep watching this space to know if the two countries finally bridge up all differences.