Cambodia to attend ASEAN summit in Thailand

There may be tension and armed clashes between Thailand and Cambodia in the border area but Cambodia has shown maturity in making a decision to attend the attend the upcoming ASEAN Summit in Thailand, Chinese-language newspaper the Jian Hua Daily on Wednesday quoted an official as saying.

“We will not boycott the summit in December, even as we have border dispute,” Phay Siphan, secretary of state of the Cambodian Council of Ministers told a seminar here on Tuesday. “We want to keep the friendship and cooperative ties with our neighbor countries,” he added.

The clash in October killed two Cambodian soldiers and wounded two others, after Thai troops entered the disputed area over sovereignty claim. Talking about the border dispute, Phay Siphan said that both Cambodia and Thailand currently need to realize their border demarcation in accordance with the conventionally recognized maps 100 years ago by the French colonialist which was made with the agreement of the Thai authority then.

There are now 73 demarcation posts along the 805-km border between Cambodia and Thailand, 50 percent of which are recognized by the Thai side. Cambodia still plans to plant hundreds more posts there in order to specify the border line.

Chinese navy ship, Zhenghe, enters Bangkok port

Chinese navy ship (CNS) Zhenghe entered the Bangkok Port on November 10, Monday morning, starting its four-day official visit to the capital of Thailand. CNS Zhenghe was put into service in 1987 and had visited the United States, Thailand, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Russia.

On the reception ceremony, Thai officials welcomed all the crew on Zhenghe. A Chinese naval band performed on Chinese navy ship and Fan Kuiju, captain of Chinese navy ship shook hands with local Chinese at the Bangkok Port.

While docking here, this ocean-going training vessel with 411 crew members will be open for the public on Nov. 11 and 12. Its staff will hold volleyball and push-and-pull matches with the Thai navy troops based at Bangkok, said Captain of the ship Fan Kuiju.

The Thai officials have expressed their hopes that the visit will definitely deepening the understanding between the people of China and Thailand.

‘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.

Thailand emerges champion again at RWC

For the second time, Thailand has won the championship in Ragnarok Online World Championships (RWC) followed by South Korea and Indonesia in second and third place, respectively. They won in last year’s RWC held in their home country.

The event was held at the World Trade Center in Pasay City and the participating Thai team is composed of Ratchasak Kanchanasapha, Mana Pattharavilaloet, Minlawat Tararuthai, Somporn Sinsanguan, Hatsakan Santitaweechai, Ekkasit Nimket, and Narin Sukwisutthichot.

There were 12 teams from 21 participating countries. These included Korea, Philippines, Japan, Thailand, Brazil, Indonesia, Russia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Turkey, and Austria.

Thailand won US$15000, while Korea and Indonesia won US$7000, and US$5000, respectively.

TCEB develops World’s 1st Security Standard For Conventions & Exhibitions

Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has developed a comprehensive security management standard for ensuring safety of local and foreign participants partaking in the international meetings, conventions and exhibitions in the country. This system is the first of its kind in the world and is expected to make Thailand safer and more attractive destination for meetings, incentive travel, conventions and exhibitions (Mice) in Asia.

Named the Mice Security Management System (MSMS), the standard provides requirements or guidance to all the beneficiaries of the Mice industry on the tips required for efficient handling and responding to various security-related threats. It is especially tailored for hotels and other convention and exhibition venues to ensure safety of people in case of terrorist attacks or natural disasters like earthquake and tsunami.

“We believe the standard developed by us will heighten the confidence level of international event organisers and also help local companies to see the weaknesses in their system and eliminate them,” Natuwat Amornvivat, president of TCEB said at the function organised to launch the MSMS on Thursday (16 Oct).

Thailand Industrial Standard Institute, Thailand’s apex standards monitoring body, will accredit this MSMS upon verifying that the individual entities have fulfilled all the security requirements. Currently, Thailand’s three largest convention and exhibition venues—Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre, Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre and IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Centre—have implemented the MSMS in their organisations.

“We believe more will follow suit in the days to come,” Natuwat said.

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

SHINee growing in popularity in Thailand

Just four months since they debuted and SHINee has already registered their name on the list of Hallyu Stars. Their debut song Replay is gaining popularity in Thailand. SHINee’s management company SM Entertainment said “SHINee’s Replay has ranked 2nd on Thailand’s POP Channel International Chart.” SHINee’s popularity is not just overseas but on Korean online & offline charts as well.

On August 29th SHINee released 2 versions of their 1st album ‘The SHINee World’ and on the online album sales site Hot Trax Daily Chart SHINee ranked 1st and 3rd place. They also topped the live chart and is maintaining their popularity.

Love Like Oxygen ranked 2nd on Soribada’s popularity chart and 6th on Doshirak and is rising in popularity. They reconfirmed that they are the best new group in 2008.

Golden opportunity for photographers of South-east Asia

If you are an ardent photographer residing in south east Asia, then you just have this whole month to prove your caliber with some ultimate photography skills. The Second Annual FCCT Photojournalism Awards is here again to acknowledge both the pros and amateurs for whom clicking snaps is both a profession and passion…and what’s more…you don’t need to be a member with the FCCT to participate!

There are precisely 4 categories for which you can send in your entries. They are:

* Spot news - for the best photos taken at news events in Asia
* Feature photography - for the best non-news “feature” photos taken in Asia
* Photo essay - for the best collection of up to 12 photos on a single topic taken in Asia.
* “Environmental” photography - for the best photos focusing on the environment, climate change or natural resources in Asia

Photos must be submitted in compact disc or DVD to FCCT by Oct. 1, 2008. Winners will be announced in late 2008. Submissions can be published or unpublished work taken over the last year.

Now the most vital question, what do you get if you win?

Well here’s your answer

Photo of the year winner gets a new Canon EOS SLR camera (with lens kit), a $1,000 cash prize sponsored by Toyota, and a voucher for a 2 night stay in a luxurious Anantara Pool Villa at the soon to be opened Anantara Phuket Resort & Spa on Mai Kao beach in Thailand.

First-place winners in each category get a new Canon CP 760 mobile printer, a $250 cash prize sponsored by Toyota, and valuable vouchers for free dining at The Oriental Hotel in Bangkok.

Selected winners will also receive round-trip tickets for economy-class air travel in Asia, courtesy of Star Alliance, the global airline network whose members include Thai Airways and other international carriers. For further information contact The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand at:

Penthouse, Maneeya Centerive
518/5 Ploenchit Road, Pathumwan
Bangkok 10330 Thailand.

Thai protestors target national airports now

Their suitcases lying stranded near the cars lining the highway to Phuket’s airport and about 15,000 foreign tourists swinging their hands in utter frustration as the anti-government protesters marched Friday on the island’s airport, the nation’s second-busiest, forcing a cancellation of all the nearly 120 daily flights.

“We don’t know what happened, we don’t know anything about Thai politics,” said one German tourist. “They keep telling us we are on standby, but they are still not sure if our flight can take off.”

Similar protests closed down the airport in nearby Krabi and the southern commercial centre of Hat Yai, cutting off air traffic to much of southern Thailand. Though Hat Yai has re-opened Thailand’s prized tourist destination, Phuket, still remains plagued by the protests.

The anti-government protests are centered on Bangkok, where up to 25,000 people have occupied the main government complex calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej. The protests turned violent Friday, with skirmishes between activists and police.

This political turmoil is taking its toll on the tourism industry of Thailand as Australia, Britain, South Korea and the United States have warned their tourists against traveling to Thailand.

“The current political stand-off will absolutely have an adverse effect on our tourism industry but the extent of the damage will depend on how long the turmoil lasts,” said Prakit Chinamourphong, president of the Thai Hotel Association.

Thailand leads South Asian countries in Olympics 2008

29th Olympiad which ended this Sunday again saw Thailand as the leading winner among all its South Asian rivals with four medals—two golds and two silvers. Indonesia, with one gold, one silver and three bronzes, has the most number of medals with five. Malaysia, Singapore and even Vietnam have a silver each.

Thailand’s two golds came with the victory of veteran boxer Jongjohor Somnit and woman weightlifter P. Jaroenrattanatarakoon. With this, Jongjohor became the third Thai to win a boxing gold medal in the Olympics. Jaroenrattanatarakoon topped the women’s 53-kg division in weightlifting two days after the Aug. 8 opening ceremonies to become the first Southeast Asian gold medalist in Beijing.

The veteran Boonjumnong had won the light welterweight boxing title in Athens four years ago. However, this time he lost badly to Felix Diaz of the Dominican Republic, 12-4, in the gold medal match and had to be satisfied with a silver. Thailand’s other silver was won by Buttree Puedpong, who lost to China’s Wu Jingyu in the gold medal match of taekwondo’s women’s under-49kg category.

With its two golds in Beijing, Thailand overtook Indonesia in the number of golds won with seven. With four silvers and 10 bronzes and a total of 21, Thailand still trails Indonesia in the all-time medal count. The Philippines is third with nine medals consisting of two silvers and seven bronzes.

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.

Join the 12th Aerobics marathon for AIDS infected

Here is one event which brings charity and enjoyment jointly. Bangkok’s famous 34 storey Amari Watergate hotel’s Hatch Fitness centre is all set to host their fun filled annual ‘12th Aerobics Marathon for Aids Charity”. Purely aimed at encouraging people to make donations for the education of children whose parents have passed away due to HIV infection and HIV infected orphans, this 3-hour aerobics marathon will be led by fitness experts like Bankchart Kaewchompoo, Jirayu Somyoo, Ladda Pramote, Yodchai Ymmakup, and more.

The hotel’s Ballroom situated on the 8th floor, which will witness the event on the 28th of September, 2008, is being done up in style. Part of the proceeds which will be raised during the entire event will be distributed to ‘Chalerm Prakiat HRH Princess Sirindhorn School’ and the second beneficiary ‘Baan Gerda Children’s Project’, an Aids orphanage in Nongmuang, Lop Buri.

With more than 900 participants, who participated enthusiastically last year, the no. is bound to increase manifold for the 12th Aerobics Marathon. What’s more is that there will be various competitions like best female & male dancer, the most creative costume and the team with most participants. You can win grand prizes for your ardent moves!

If this really sounds interesting to you, then you still have the time to chip in. The tickets for the event are priced at 300 Bahts and are available with the reception desk of Amari Watergate Hotel’s Clark Hatch Fitness Center, on the 8th floor. So go ahead and prove your mettle!

Tourism authority of Thailand attracts Chinese visitors

In a bid to attract the high-spending Chinese tourists to the Kingdom, The Tourism Authority of Thailand [TAT] recently launched a new campaign called ‘Wonderful Thailand 2008’. With this they have specifically invited Select Chinese media to showcase the various top quality tourism products and services of Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai.

All the invitees will be given five star hotel rooms and will get to experience the magic of Thai Spa and other tailor-made health related products and services of Phuket. All in all, the Thai tourism department is leaving no stone unturned to lure the Chinese visitors to Thailand that reached over a million for the first time, last year, making it the fourth largest Asian market after Malaysia, Japan and Korea.

In March this year, a mega-familiarization trip was organized and all the invited operators had a chance to experience new travel routes to offer to their clients. TAT also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Shandong Provincial Tourism administration (SPTA) to boost tourism co operations.

With such initiatives it can be safely said that as soaring oil prices create an impact on the travel industry in general, possibly hurting the longer-haul markets, TAT has turned more of its attention to nearby high spending Asian markets trying its level best to improve tourism situations in Thailand by increasing the number of repeat visitors!

Gays compete at the Pride festival

Heard of the Dragoncastle’s Sexy Swimsuit Contest, the dinner cruise party, the Karaoke contest or the Miss Jumbo contest? Well it all happens at the infamous pride show in Thailand’s vibrant capital, Bangkok. It is Bangkok’s annual celebration of gay and lesbian identity which has grown to encompass a broad range of activities including art, film, sport, the Pride in the Park party and a parade. There are also several sporting events (volleyball, bike rides, badminton, and bowling), drag acts and plenty of parties in the Silom Soi district.

The show which began on a much smaller scale back in 2001, has by the year gained a lot of popularity. People from all over the country, flock to Bangkok to witness this week long extravaganza which usually takes place in November. Some of the more famous events at the venue are

* Pride Night Kick Off Party
* Pride Dinner Cruise
* White Nights Party
* Karaoke Contest
* Isaan Party
* Swimsuit contest

These are usually sponsored by famous night clubs, cafes and clothing companies, sport groups or fitness centers. The contests are usually followed by awards and trophies for the winners. Come here to witness some of the funkiest night parties with gay men dressed in the most bizarre fashion…something you wont get to behold elsewhere!