Volvo unveils S80 2.5FT in Thailand

Volvo Car Thailand unveiled the country’s first and only locally-produced flexible fuel car, the Volvo S80 2.5FT, capable of running on E85 fuel, to the VIPs at the Bangkok Racing Circuit on November 26.

The new model uses less-polluting and renewable biofuels made from homegrown agricultural products. The announcement came in parallel with the efforts of the Ministry of Energy and Bangchak Petroleum to sell E85 commercially. This is a step from Thailand in its effort to conserve environment.

The two flex-fuel cars, the Volvo S80 2.5 FT and C30 1.8F, officially went on sale following a public debut at the Motor Expo 2008.

“For Volvo, environment has been core value of our brand for decades, and so we have always fully supported the efforts of the Royal Thai Government, and particularly the Ministry of Energy, in advancing renewable biofuels with an aim of energy security for Thailand from the very beginning,” said Paul Stokes, president of Volvo Car Thailand. “Today, Volvo announces yet another milestone in this journey as we will be the first car company to produce E85-compatible FlexiFuel cars locally here in Thailand.”

2,433 Chinese citizens return safely from Thailand

After the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) besieged and shut down two main airports of Bangkok, Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Don Mueang, nearly 1,00,000 passengers missed flights including many Chinese citizens.

This Monday, China brought back 2,433 Chinese citizens by 8:30 a.m. (0030 GMT), the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. A China Eastern Airbus-300 arrived at the Utapao Airport near Pattaya, about 150 km east of Bangkok, capital of Thailand. According to a statement on the ministry’s website, the government will send two more charter planes to Thailand, to fetch home the remaining citizens still stuck there. About 600 people from the Chinese mainland were still estimated to be trapped in Thailand.

The statement said the Foreign Ministry will keep coordination with relevant departments such as Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) and China’s National Tourism Administration, and direct the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok to closely watch the development of the event, so as to assist all the stranded Chinese citizens back safely as soon as possible.

LTO head Alberto Suansing stranded in Thailand

Among the many trapped in Thailand since the demonstrators blocked two of its international airports in Don Mueang and Swarnabhumi this week is a ranking Philippine official, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) head Alberto Suansing who was supposed to return home Thursday, and but could not do so because of the situation. Suansing had gone to Bangkok to attend a meeting in drawing up standards for motor vehicles along with representatives of motor vehicle makers in the Philippines.

“Marami kaming Pilipinong ganyan ang situation. Ang iba pumunta ng Phuket, then from Phuket mag-e-eroplano papunta Singapore. Okay naman kami rito walang dapat alalahanin ang kababayan natin diyan, ito nga lang kaunting gastos kasi naka-standby kami sa hotel (There are many of us Filipinos stranded in Thailand. Some went to Phuket where they would take a flight to Singapore. We’re okay here but we have to incur expenses because we’ve been holed up in our hotel),” Suansing said in an interview on dzBB radio.

Suansing said he is considering some options, including taking a bus from Chiang Mai to Laos, where he would take a flight to Saigon in Vietnam and then take a flight to Manila.

“Pauwi na sana ako kahapon eh hindi nangyari kasi nagsara ang airport ng Bangkok (I was supposed to be home Thursday but the airports were closed),” he said.

Foreign Affairs Department spokesman Claro Cristobal said at least 80 Filipinos from the Middle East using Bangkok as a transit point were also stranded there.

Thailand economy badly hit due to violence

The Singapore companies with operations in Thailand, majority of them involved in tourism are already feeling the impact of disturbances in Thailand as travellers from Singapore, :China, Britain, France, Japan, the United States, Australia and New Zealand already being warned by their governments to steer clear of Bangkok. Business is badly hit and tourism-related sectors like serviced apartments are already seeing some cancellations.

Frasers Hospitality has put personnel at its three serviced residences in Bangkok on alert. But a spokesman said: “Our serviced apartments operations experienced only a few cancellations and these are from short-term leisure guests. Unless the volatile situation persists, we do not expect our extended-stay market to be affected in the near term.”

Ascott Group spokesperson Joan Tan said that occupancy rates for the group’s Thai properties have not been badly hit so far. Even so, as a result of the airport closure, there were “three to four cancellations per property so far”. :

Companies not directly linked to tourism are concerned too. Mr Kenny Yap, managing director of Qian Hu Corporation, which deals with exports from Thailand, said: “Currently, the operations in Thailand are still going on fine for us. But if this drags on for another two to three months, it will affect our business. As for how deep the impact is, I will not know.”

Property developer Hup Soon Global Corporations has postponed the launch of one development project specifically because of the Thai political developments.

But investors do not appear to have given up hope. Thailand’s :main stock index rose yesterday afternoon, erasing earlier losses, following speculation that a meeting between military and business leaders might end the airport occupation.

Bangkok airport paralyzed due to PAD protests

Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport was paralyzed on Wednesday. Most of the filghts were cancelled after protesters led by the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) expanded their besiege on state agencies to the airport on Tuesday evening. This is a further blow to the country’s tourism image.

Thousands of passengers, many of them foreigners, were stranded at the airport after the AOT (Airports of Thailand) shut down the operations after (.00 p.m. on Tuesday.

In addition to this, four explosions happened early Wednesday morning near the Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Don Mueangdomestic airport, injuring at least 12 people.

The PAD announced Wednesday that the protesters would occupy and shut down the Suvanarbhumi airport until Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat resigns.

Some foreign embassies, including those of China and United States, have warned its citizens against travelling to Thailand for now or staying away from demonstration sites in the country to avoid possible harm.

Serirat Prasutanon, director of the Suvarnabhumi airport, said the PAD besiege caused the airport to lose about 50 million baht (1.43 million U.S. dollars) of income daily. Some 700 flights use the airport daily, but now most of them were canceled.

Protestors surround Parliament and cut off its electricity

Protestors in Thailand are crossing all limits in an attempt to unseat the government.

Anti-government protesters gathered outside Thailand’s parliament in Bangkok on Monday to demand PM’s resignation. The protestors, which included a mix of royalists, academics, the urban elite and the middle class surrounded the Parliament building and cut off its electricity, marched on the police headquarters and massed in front of the besieged government’s temporary offices at the city’s secondary airport.

As a result, the officials has to cancel an important session of Parliament and fled from the airport complex, where the prime minister, Somchai Wongsawat, and his cabinet have been meeting in recent months to shield themselves from the protests.

“We have agreed to cancel the session until the situation is back to normal,” Chai Chidchob, the speaker of the House of Representatives, said on Thai television.

Protesters were also seen marching toward the headquarters of Chart Thai, one of the political parties in the governing coalition. Others converged on the Finance Ministry. At nightfall, more protesters were massing at the airport. They set up a stage and chanted, “Resign!”

Mr. Somchai, who was attending the Asia-Pacific economic summit meeting in Lima, Peru, was not in Bangkok on Monday. In his absence, he put the army chief, Gen. Anupong Paochinda, in charge of security. There were no reports of violence on Monday, partly because the police allowed protesters to move around the city unhindered.

UN steps in to pacify upset Hmong families

The unearthing of hundreds of graves where thousands of Hmong refugees once lived near a Buddhist temple in Thailand has upset the Hmong families creating a big controversy.

United Nations has decided to step in and will send a human rights expert who will travel to the Twin Cities next month to listen to upset Hmong families. The expert will hear the testimony about whole episode and the hearing will be at the University of Minnesota, where the Human Rights Program has taken up a project to study and help resolve the issue.

Program director Barbara Frey says the hearing is next step. She says the U.N. expert is interested in the issue because it affects many indigenous communities throughout the world.

Hmong families are hoping for an agreement that would prevent grave desecration in the future.

Nikon lays off 1,500 sub-contractors in Thailand

Global financial crisis has hit Thailand hard to an extent that Japanese camera-maker Nikon has laid off 1,500 sub-contractors in Thailand owing to a fall in global demand. The news has been confirmed by a government official this Saturday.

Amporn Nitisiri, director general of the Labour ministry’s labour protection and welfare department, said most of those losing jobs at Nikon had worked at its manufacturing plant for less than a year. This plant in Ayutthaya, 76 kilometres (47 miles) from Bangkok, was usually staffed by 8,000 permanent staff and 4,000 sub-contractors.

“I have been informed by Nikon’s personnel department that 1,500 sub-contractors have been laid off and the company had paid them compensation,” she told Thai television.

“It’s increasingly drastic this year as there are now 348 companies who have laid off a total of 28,600 workers and we also think it is likely that a further 123 companies may lay off an estimated 56,000 workers,” she said.

SERC to go on indefinite nationwide strike

In response to the alleged violent means used by the Government in dealing with the demonstrators, Thailand’s State Enterprises Workers’ Relations Confederation (SERC) called on Friday for a nationwide strike by employees of all 43 state enterprises next week.

It has been reported that SERC Secretary-General Sawit Kaewwan said that his group wants to pressure Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat and the government to resign. He has urged State enterprise employees throughout the country to rally behind the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), starting on Nov.24, and go on strike indefinitely beginning the next day, until the government steps down.

Sawit claimed that it has been decided by SERC that the government repeatedly used violence and brutality to suppress demonstrators, with the most recent example being the Thursday grenade attack, which killed one PAD demonstrator at Government House and wounded more than 20.

The PAD have been staging anti-government protests since May 25in Bangkok and have occupied the Government House for rally since Aug. 26.

Tourism season high but dry in Thailand

The tourism season is high in Thailand now and will continue till February, but thanks to the political unrest in the country, so far the prospects for this year in one of the top destinations in southeast Asia are not promising.

Adding to the unstable political conditions are high fuel costs which led to the arrivals at Bangkok’s international airport fall by 33 per cent in August over the same month a year ago, down to 600,000. In July, the number of arrivals had increased by 5.5 per cent, Ministry of Tourism statistics show. September arrivals decreased by 21 per cent, as compared with September of 2007, and tourism experts are saying they expect the numbers to remain below normal as worsening financial conditions around the globe prompt travellers to stay at home.

In a country which thrives on tourism, this is a very bad blow for the economy. The chairman of the Tourism Council of Thailand, Kongkirt Hiranyakit, estimates that around one million Thais work in the tourism sector, with 700,000 involved in small- and medium-sized enterprises. He said: “The current crisis could hit around 10 percent of those or around 60,000 to 70,000 people.”

“We will probably have a very bad high season,” said a spokesman for the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), Oliver Martin.

“It’s going to be everyone - from the luxury resort right down to a small tour operator, a mom-and-pop shop or a restaurant,” he added.

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.

Political conditions reduce Japan investment in Thailand

Japan has always been an important investor and trade contributor for Thailand but recently Thai Chamber of Commerce President Pramon Sutivong said that Japan is slowing down its investment in Thailand because of political issues and differences in conditions proposed by each country. However, he expected that Japanese investor confidence would return soon.

Mr Pramon said progress under the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement (JTEPA) is obstructed by the difference in proposed conditions for Thai exports to Japan. Also, political disturbances in Thailand are a major factor in dwindling investor confidence

Japan-Thailand Economic and Trade Committee Chairman Uichiro Niwa believed Thai economic fundamentals remain strong, and said Japan would continue to monitor Thailand’s situation in order to make good investment decisions in the country. Moreover, he also expressed the chances of recession and stagnation in Japan’s economy this year.

However, Deputy Prime Minister for economics Olarn Chaipravat said the economic decline in Japan would not result in declining numbers of workers in Thailand as most Japanese operations in the country are high-tech industries that would be adversely affected by such lay-offs. He believed these operations would instead resort to reducing work hours.

Thai Federation of Industries President Santi Vilassakdanont said Thailand’s major exports to Japan are food and textile products, whose markets are expanding well in accordance with consumption demands in Japan. Mr Santi believed Thai exports to Japan would expand by 21 per cent this year.

The end of six-day funeral of Thai princess

The elaborate six-day funeral (with an estimation of about 8.9-million-dollar ceremony) of Princess Galyani, sister of King Bhumibol Adulyadej ended this Sunday as the royal family collected the ashes of the deceased.

As monks in saffron robes intoned Buddhist chants, the Thai crown prince and princess received a lacquered, diamond-encrusted urn containing the remains. A solemn procession of more than 800 soldiers dressed in red and dignitaries clad in white then accompanied the urn from the specially built crematorium at a parade ground to the Royal Palace in old Bangkok. Thousands of mourners turned out to watch the ceremony.

With the world’s longest reigning monarch and his family treated by Thais as semi-divine but also non-political, the funeral has been a temporary unifying influence amid the three-month-old political crisis.

The truce may hold until the king’s 81st birthday on December 5, but then the hostilities between the government and the opposition People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) are likely to reignite, analysts said.

Thailand’s monarchy officially plays no political role, but when the king’s wife Queen Sirikit donated thousands of dollars towards medical expenses and attended the funeral of one of the people killed in last month’s protests, the demonstrators hailed the move as proof of royal support.

Local residents unhappy with extension plans in Chiang Mai

The department of public works and town and country planning had made plans to to extend 30 roads in the municipality to serve the growing number of vehicles in Chiang Mai, but it seems that the idea has not gone down well with some of the local residents who feel that these extensions could ruin their community environment destroying neighbourhoods and historical sites in the community.

An owner of a roadside house in Thapae business area in Chiang Mai municipality is worried her house area might be expropriated for the road extension when the new town plan is put in effect.

“In the morning, monks must cross the road to receive alms. The road extensions come with speeding cars. Air pollution from exhaust fumes will be aggravated as the city is surrounded by mountains,” said Srisuda Chawachart, a local resident.

“Road extensions are not a long-term solution to the traffic problem. Many roads and elevated highways in Bangkok have not solved Bangkok’s traffic congestion,” said Pranom Tansukhanun, a local resident.

Meanwhile, real estate business executives think the land zoning under the new town planning is not practical. They say the “Green Area” zone is categorized for rural and farming areas, and will not allow land development. Development will be focused only in town. They are prepared to take legal action to oppose the new town planning.

Ring roads were built out of town to serve the urban expansion but these areas are classified under the new town planning as Yellow and Green area zones where urbanization is not allowed.

However, the officials from the department of public works and town and country planning have urged the local residents who will be affected by the new town planning to file complaints with the town planning development committee.

For example, Wat Ket community in Chiang Mai municipality called for an amendment to the town planning to change the community from commerce and township zoning to a residential conservation area. Their demands were accepted and the road extension was cancelled.

Thailand receives award for Eco Friendly Transportation

At the recent 7th Annual Skal International Ecotourism Awards, presented by the President of Skal International, Phillip Sims and Hulya Aslantas in the presence of the Minister of Communication and Transportation of R.O.C. Dr. C.K. Mao during the Opening Ceremony of the 69th Skal World Congress held in Taipei, Taiwan at the TICC (Taipei International Convention Centre), Thailand walked away with the top award of Eco Friendly Transportation.

Skal International initiated Eco Tourism awards had been introduced to help promote the development of responsible and sustainable tourism. It also emphasized the need of traveler’s responsibility and active community participation for Ecotourism. In their seventh year the awards have received continued support worldwide and this year 54 entries were received originating from 23 Countries; nine from Asia, 18 from the Americas, 15 from Europe, seven from Africa and five from Oceania. The applications were evaluated on the basis of points like contribution to the conservation of nature and cultural heritage, and community involvement by three independent judges and the scores given by each separately, are added up to find the winners.

Skal, founded in 1934 is the largest organisation of travel and tourism professionals in the world, embracing all sectors of the travel and tourism industry, in five Continents, 90 Countries and at over 500 locations, with 20,000 members from hoteliers to travel agents, Airlines, tourism media, tourism academies etc.