Anything & Everything About Thailand

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Friday 9 June 2006 :-

Royal Accession : Time for pomp and ceremony - An insight into the tradition and ritual that confirmed His Majesty the King

On this day 60 years ago, all the ancient royal and religious ceremonies associated with the grandiose celebrations of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej's accession as the Ninth King of the Chakri Throne took place.

The royal and religious ceremonies were executed precisely in the strict Ayutthaya tradition. King Yodfa, who ascended the throne in 1782 and founded Bangkok as the new capital of Siam, sought the advice from his court officials and learned men over how they should arrange the royal ceremonies to accompany his accession.

Bangkok might serve as the new capital, but he would like all the ceremonies to follow the Ayutthaya tradition so its image and its spirit would reflect
the grandeur that was Ayutthaya.

The royal ceremonies associated with the Chakri King's accession to the throne might be modified or adjusted to suit the situation at the time, but overall, there are five steps to follow: Preparation of the Royal Ceremony, Primary Royal Ceremony, Royal Accession Ceremony, End of the Ceremony, and Tour of the Capital.

According to Naphaporn Laosingwattana's "The Accession to the Throne: The Royal Ceremonies, the Ideas, Meanings, and Symbols of God-Kings" (Bangkok: Museum Press, 2006), the court officials have to make sure that they are in possession all of the necessary items for the Preparation of the Royal Ceremony. Sacred water would be sought specifically for the Royal Accession Ceremony.

In India's Brahmin tradition, the holy water was taken from the Five Great Indian Rivers, but in Thailand the water came from the Bang Pakong, Pasak, Chao Phya, Ratchaburi and Phetchaburi rivers.

The holy water would have been brought over to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha within the Royal Grand Palace and on the ceremony day, the holy water would have been used in a prayer service in the Dusita Bhirom Throne Hall.

During the Preparation of the Royal Ceremony, the court officials would have prepared a Golden Certificate with the Royal Signature and the Birthday Stars of the King. A new Royal Seal would also be carved out.

All the ceremonies to prepare these royal items would be carried out in the hall of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha amid the prayers of Buddhist monks, the trumpet of the Brahmins and music from a traditional Thai orchestra.

Upon completion, the Golden Certificate, the Birthday Stars of the King and the Royal Seal would then be taken to Phaisan Thaksin Throne Hall in preparation for the royal ceremony.

In the Primary Royal Ceremony, the Buddhist monks would light the candle and prepare the holy water. The Brahmins would also follow their ritual, presenting holy water from a Grand Shell and mango leaves, golden leaves and mayom leaves to His Majesty the King.

The King would use the leaves to fan his body as a symbol of directing all dangers away.

King Mongkut added another important ceremony by inviting the gods to convene and bear witness to the accession ceremony. Phra Siam Thevathiraj, or the City God, was introduced into the ceremony. The gods were asked to provide protection and welfare to the King, the Royal Family, and all other Thai people.

The next day the Accession Ceremony would have been held. This was the most important day involving the royal bathing with the holy water, the presentation of the holy water for the accession ceremony and the presentation of the royal regalia.

The King would proceed to the Phaisan Thaksin Throne Hall and light the candles and joss sticks to pray for the Three Gems. He would receive the blessing from the Supreme Patriarch, then he would go to change his clothes, to wear a white robe.

Holy water would be sprinkled down from the ceiling to bathe the King. Then the Supreme Patriarch would present the King with holy water kept in different vessels. The King would use the holy water to anoint his left and right shoulder.

The King would then change into a new costume in preparation for the accession ceremony. He would sit on a high throne under a seven-level canopy.

The King would be presented with the holy water for the accession ceremony. The King would then take the holy water with his hand, sip it and splash his face. He would then make a brief speech.

Then he would turn to face eight directions, so that officials standing at each direction could present him with the holy water.

This ceremony carried symbolic meaning. By presenting the King with the holy water, the officials were transferring the royal power to the King on behalf of all Thai people.

There would then be a formal blessing of the King, made in Pali and in Thai.

Afterwards the King would be presented with the royal regalia, the symbol of being the Raja Thipbodi. The five royal possessions - called Benja Rajakakutphand - consisted of the Phra Maha Pichai Mongkut or the Royal Crown, the Phra Saeng Khan Chaisri or Royal Sword, Tharn Phra Korn or the Royal Cane, Valvijnee or the Royal Fan, and Chalong Phra Baat Choen Ngon or the Royal Arched Footwear.

At the End of the Ceremony the King would appear with the Queen and proceed to make merit according to Buddhist tradition.

He would pay respect to the ashes of the previous kings and queens.

The King would also proceed to the bedroom of the Chakraphat Phiman Throne Hall, built during the reign of King Rama I.

The Royal Accession Ceremony would be completed with a grand tour of Bangkok in order to provide a chance for the Thai people to see their King. The King would also pay respect and worship the Buddha statues at the major temples.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated 5 June 2006 :-

Traffic-easing measures for royal event : Bangkok's traffic will be disrupted in some areas between June 8 and 13 as the country celebrates His Majesty's 60th year on the throne.

Parking will be banned in some areas and driving restricted in others.

No Parking

Parking will be banned from the following areas between June 8 and June 13.

U-Thong Nai Road: both sides

Sri Ayudhya Road: both sides from the Royal Plaza area to the intersection of the First Royal Guard Division

Dusit Palace: paved area around statue of King Rama V

Rajdamnoen Avenue: both sides from the Royal Plaza to Makawan Bridge

Pitsanuloke Road: both sides from Misakawan Garden intersection to Wang Daeng intersection


Road closures

The roads mentioned above will be closed to traffic from 6am to 1pm on June 9 and from noon to 6pm on June 12.

Roads in areas around the hotels of royal guests will also be closed to traffic at different times from June 11 to 14. These areas include Charoengkrung Road sois 42, 42/1, 44, 46 and 50 and roads around the Shangri La Hotel as well as the soi leading to Sathon Pier. In the Silom area, no parking will be allowed on either side of Sri Viang Road from Charoenkrung Road to the Silom elevated expressway.

Parking will be banned as well from Charoennakorn sois 11 and 12 from their beginning to the delta intersection at Charoennakorn Road sois 13 and 14.

From June 11 to 14, only outbound traffic will be permitted on Sukhumvit Road from Nana intersection to Asoke intersection. No south-bound traffic will be allowed.

During the period both sides of Rajdamri Road will become no-parking areas from Sala Daeng intersection to Rajprasong intersection.

Parking will be banned as well from both sides of Withayu Road from Withayu intersection to Ploenchit intersection, and only out-bound traffic will be permitted from Rajprasong intersection to the area beneath Ploenchit Expressway.

In the Thung Makamaek area, Rama IV Road will be closed from Sala Daeng intersection to Withayu intersection, from June 11 to 14.


June 12 and 13

On June 12 the New Arun Amarin Road will be closed from 2pm to midnight from Siriraj intersection to Anuthinsawat Bridge.

Wang Derm Road will also be shut from Pho Sam Thon intersection onward, and Isaraphab Road will be shut from Soi 42 to the Royal Navy Conference Hall. From 3pm to 9pm traffic will not be allowed on Maharaj, Thanon Chand, Phra Larn and Thay Wang roads.

The following roads will be closed to traffic from 4pm to midnight on June 13: Maharaj, Thay Wang, Sanam Chai, Rajdamnoen Nai, Nar Prathat, Nar Phralarn and Phra Chan.

On June 12 and 13 parking will be banned along Rajdamnoen Klang Road, including on Soi Damnoen Klang Tai, Soi Damnoen Klang Nua, Soi Buranasart, Soi Suan Phai and Soi Hotel 90. Areas around Rattakosin Hotel will also be closed to traffic.

On these days parking will also be banned from Rajini Road (from Charoen Sri Bridge to the front of Natasilpa College), Hab Phey Road, Lak Muang Road, Na Phra Larn Road, Maharaj Road, Phra Chan Road, Na Phra That Road, Trok Phaya Phen Road, Phra Athit Road (from the FAO office to Thammasat University gate), Chao Fah Road, Rambutri Road, Trok Roeng Mai, Visukasatri Road, Soi Khang Krung Thai Bank (Rajdamnoen Branch), Soi Khang Krung Thai Insurance, Soi Khang Withayasrom (near Kork Wua intersection) and Soi Khang Suksaphan.

All trucks with 10 or more wheels will also be banned from Bangkok from June 8 to 13 and can only use the Ring Road between 10am and 3pm.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Monday 12 June 2006 :-

Traffic keeps Impact from reaching regional potential

Impact Exhibition and Convention Centre is the largest conference centre in the country, with exhibition space of 140,000 square metres spread out over a huge complex in Muang Thong Thani.

But efforts by Impact Exhibition Management Co to raise the centre's profile as a leading events centre in Asia have been hindered by one of Bangkok's long-standing weaknesses - traffic congestion.

While the site offered convenient access to the expressway, traffic remained a major problem, said Paul Kanjanapas, the company's managing director.

Buses carrying tour and school groups crowd the Impact parking lot during the highly anticipated exhibition for His Majesty the King's diamond jubilee.
Mr Paul acknowledged the problems caused by congestion during the historic exhibition to mark the 60th anniversary celebrations of His Majesty the King's accession to the throne, which started on May 26 and finished yesterday.

"This great event has shown us our weak point. [Traffic] is a key problem limiting our venue as an Asian hub for exhibitions and conventions," he said.

Mr Paul said that, while Impact was designed to handle a maximum of 500,000people per day, up to 1.5 million visitors attended the King's exhibition last week, creating huge jams both inside and outside the arena.

He noted that while Impact currently was the leader in terms of exhibition space in the region, Singapore's Marina Bay project, scheduled to be completed in 2015, would have 200,000 sq m of space, as well as a casino resort, to attract the Asian meeting, incentive, convention, and exhibition (Mice) market.

"It is not easy to solve traffic congestion in a short period of time but we can improve conditions once the BTS Skytrain is linked to Muang Thong Thani under the megaproject programme," he said.

He said the company was moving forward to seek strategic partners to organise events at Impact year-round, aimed at boosting market awareness and the customer base not only in the country, but overseas.

Mr Paul said Impact needed to organise its own exhibitions to cut down its vacancy rate, currently around 25%.

The new Challenger Hall also has resulted in additional unoccupied space during the low season due to its huge usable area sized 60,000 square metres.

"The lower the vacancy rate, the more we can be counted as a regional centre for exhibitions and conventions as now we hold more events than the total number of big events in Singapore," said Mr Paul.

This year, Impact is booked for about 200 functions, 15 of which could be considered very large-scale.

Mr Paul said Impact employed approximately 700 people, excluding contracted cleaning and security companies. The company needs to generate income during the low season for Mice activities - between January and June - in order to pay salaries to its employees.

Impact projects to fill its vacant spaces with five of its own exhibitions this year.

The first two events are 'Exploring the World' on June 28, aimed at people interested in learning more about foreign countries, and 'Smart and Happy 50-Up' from Aug 9-13, a health and lifestyle fair aimed at more mature consumers.
---KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Monday 12 June 2006 :-

Australian court jails woman for keeping Thai sex slaves

MELBOURNE - An Australian court sentenced a woman to 10 years in prison on Friday for making five Thai women work as sex slaves in a brothel.

Tang Wei, 44, is the first person in Australia to be found guilty by a jury of possessing sex slaves, under federal anti-slavery laws introduced in 1999.

During the eight-week trial at the Victorian County Court, the prosecution said the five women were brought to Australia with the promise they would be able to work legally in the sex trade.

But the women, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were told they first had to work off debts worth thousands of dollars, which meant performing sex acts for no pay between August 2002 and May 2003 at Tang's Melbourne brothel, called Club 417.

Tang had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Judge Michael McInerney said while the women were not kept under lock and key, they could not run away as they had no money, no passport and limited English, Australian Associated Press reported.

In passing sentence, he said he took into account that Tang had no prior convictions and the five victims were well provisioned for and fed.

The judge recommended that Tang, who was found guilty of five charges of possessing a slave and five of owning a slave, serve at least six years in jail before being considered for parole.
---KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated thursday 15 June 2006 :-

Bamrung Muang Road : Picking up the pieces of our past on one of Bangkok's earliest and busiest roads

Bamrung Muang Road, one of the very firsts in Bangkok, runs through the old districts of the city. Many forgotten buildings and landmarks along the road reflect how fast the city has changed.

If we take the Grand Palace as the starting point, walking through the outbound road will lead us to witness many historical changes. Bamrung Muang Road starts from Chang Rong Si Bridge at the city moat behind the Ministry of Defence building and runs west to meet Rama I Road.

Around 140 years ago when Bangkok was still the "Venice of the East", it was quite easy for local people to get around by boat, but for foreigners living in the city it was a bit of a bother because they lacked paddling skill. So concrete roads were built. Bamrung Muang was one of first three roads built in the city using Western know-how complete with drainage pipes, the rudiments of a sewer system that would arrive much later.

One morning, I stood on Chang Rong Si Bridge and took note of something unusual. "Chang" is the Thai world for elephant and "Rong Si" can be a rice or flour mill, but how come the bridge bore the symbol of a dog's head. How do you explain that?

"In the past elephants were the main mode of travel by land. About 15 bridges were built in Bangkok around the time. This one was built in the year of the dog. That's why it is decorated with the head of a dog," Mr Prayook Bunnak, a historian explained.

Around the bridge, there are beautiful and important places worth visiting. On Kalaya Mitri Road, there is a beautiful white building of the Royal Thai Survey Department. The Western style building was constructed in 1885 during the reign of King Rama V who is credited for launching the country on the road to modern development. The department played a significant role in defining the boundaries of the land and its topography using modern scale.

Not far from the Grand Palace is the Ministry of Defence whose neo-classic architecture stands out, reflecting the strong Western influence prevalent in Thailand even a century ago. The ministry's muscle and its aura is reinforced by the presence of 40 ancient cannons in its front yard.

The more famous ones among them are the Phra Pirun Saenha, Plik Pasuta Ngay and Phaya Tani. The first two were built during the reign of King Rama I, but the longest one, Phaya Tani, is over six metres in length and 24 inches in diameter, probably the longest ancient cannon in Thailand. It was brought to Bangkok in 1846 from Pattani in southern Thailand.

Every major city or town in Thailand has a pillar or shrine that in effect is a formal declaration of a city or town's establishment. In the case of Bangkok, it is the City Pillar Shrine opposite the Grand Palace.It houses many sacred Buddha images. Actually the capital has two: the first one was built 224 years ago at the time of its founding. In 1853 a second was built - during the reign of King Rama IV - to replace the first one which was already crumbling.

I turned back on Bamrung Muang Road. It was stacked with shops selling bowls monks carry on their morning rounds, candles, incense sticks and related items, and others selling official attires and emblems for the men in uniform.

I stopped at a tea shop, Ong Iw Kee, at Si Kak Sao Ching Cha, the intersection where stands the Giant Swing. The tea shop has been around 80 years. It serves different flavours of tea from China and has created some of its own that are sold nationwide. It also has outlets in top department stores in the city like Siam Discovery and Siam Paragon.

But the tea shop doesn't exactly show its age. Apart from the traditional brew, it has kept pace with changing consumer preferences by serving more contemporary drinks like bottled green tea and so forth.

I turned a corner into a parking lot and came face to face with a building from the last century. The two-storey structure built in Victorian style in 1895 was the home of Kij Nukul Printing House, the most modern in the city in those days. Now it operates under the name Thammasan Printing. It looks rusty and cracks appear all over the building.

This section of Bangkok used to be the residence of the gentility and boasted a royal mansion whose occupant was Prince Sommut Amornphand, a son of King Rama IV. Today, that prime residential area is taken up by various businesses.

However, the royal mansion located at the end of a metre-wide lane fronted by shophouses still stands. The white two-storey structure built in Western style is a model of elegance, standing there in heroic loneliness flanked by drab looking rectangular houses whose occupants don't have the slightest idea of the prince who was in residence there.

Another ranking landmark around Bamrung Muang Road is the Devasthan Bosth Brahmana or the Brahmin Temple that is as old as Bangkok itself. Since the ancient times Brahmin priests have had a vital role when it comes to royal ceremonies. Hundreds of such priests once lived in the area, not any more.

"Not many people want to become Brahmin priests now. There are only eight of us here," Phra Rajaguru Vamadevamuni, a royal priest said.

After Thailand switched to constitutional monarchy, Brahmin rites have been gradually phased out. From the temple I moved to the Giant Swing, the official congregation point for annual Brahmin rites, the last of which were performed in 1933.

Keeping on Bamrung Muang Road, I turned right at Main Poon intersection and on to Ban Bat.

Main Poon means concrete crematory. The crematory was in Wat Saket temple next to Pratu Phee or the Ghost Gate. In the old days, funerals were forbidden in the city and the dead had to be brought through Pratu Phee and cremated at the temple.

The crematory at Wat Saket served its purpose until a permanent one was built at Dhebsirin Temple.

The narrow lane leading to Pratu Phee is the Ban Bat area whose residents are noted for making alms bowls that monks carry on their rounds every morning. They have been doing it for the last 200 years, their main source of income, by beating strips of metal into the shape of a bowl and follow it up with delicate carvings. The hand-made bowls looked elegant and though the process is time consuming, they fetch a decent price. However, the advent of machine has literally put them to pasture.

"A factory made bowl of seven-inch diameter costs just 200 baht, while a hand-made version of same size goes for 700 baht," said one worker, sweating profusely as he worked on the shine.

By now I was tired and headed for a much-needed rest in Rommanee Park that formerly served as the main prison in Bangkok. It is 103 years old and in 1993 it was turned into a public park.

Rustic cells, execution gear, brick walls as well as the tower are still there, but I chose the shade of trees and tried to give my tired legs some rest. The green lawn that spread out before me was a welcome relief from the cars belching black smoke and the din on Bamrung Muang Road.
---KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated thursday 15 June 2006 :-

Bamrung Muang Road : Picking up the pieces of our past on one of Bangkok's earliest and busiest roads

Bamrung Muang Road, one of the very firsts in Bangkok, runs through the old districts of the city. Many forgotten buildings and landmarks along the road reflect how fast the city has changed.

If we take the Grand Palace as the starting point, walking through the outbound road will lead us to witness many historical changes. Bamrung Muang Road starts from Chang Rong Si Bridge at the city moat behind the Ministry of Defence building and runs west to meet Rama I Road.

Around 140 years ago when Bangkok was still the "Venice of the East", it was quite easy for local people to get around by boat, but for foreigners living in the city it was a bit of a bother because they lacked paddling skill. So concrete roads were built. Bamrung Muang was one of first three roads built in the city using Western know-how complete with drainage pipes, the rudiments of a sewer system that would arrive much later.

One morning, I stood on Chang Rong Si Bridge and took note of something unusual. "Chang" is the Thai world for elephant and "Rong Si" can be a rice or flour mill, but how come the bridge bore the symbol of a dog's head. How do you explain that?

"In the past elephants were the main mode of travel by land. About 15 bridges were built in Bangkok around the time. This one was built in the year of the dog. That's why it is decorated with the head of a dog," Mr Prayook Bunnak, a historian explained.

Around the bridge, there are beautiful and important places worth visiting. On Kalaya Mitri Road, there is a beautiful white building of the Royal Thai Survey Department. The Western style building was constructed in 1885 during the reign of King Rama V who is credited for launching the country on the road to modern development. The department played a significant role in defining the boundaries of the land and its topography using modern scale.

Not far from the Grand Palace is the Ministry of Defence whose neo-classic architecture stands out, reflecting the strong Western influence prevalent in Thailand even a century ago. The ministry's muscle and its aura is reinforced by the presence of 40 ancient cannons in its front yard.

The more famous ones among them are the Phra Pirun Saenha, Plik Pasuta Ngay and Phaya Tani. The first two were built during the reign of King Rama I, but the longest one, Phaya Tani, is over six metres in length and 24 inches in diameter, probably the longest ancient cannon in Thailand. It was brought to Bangkok in 1846 from Pattani in southern Thailand.

Every major city or town in Thailand has a pillar or shrine that in effect is a formal declaration of a city or town's establishment. In the case of Bangkok, it is the City Pillar Shrine opposite the Grand Palace.It houses many sacred Buddha images. Actually the capital has two: the first one was built 224 years ago at the time of its founding. In 1853 a second was built - during the reign of King Rama IV - to replace the first one which was already crumbling.

I turned back on Bamrung Muang Road. It was stacked with shops selling bowls monks carry on their morning rounds, candles, incense sticks and related items, and others selling official attires and emblems for the men in uniform.

I stopped at a tea shop, Ong Iw Kee, at Si Kak Sao Ching Cha, the intersection where stands the Giant Swing. The tea shop has been around 80 years. It serves different flavours of tea from China and has created some of its own that are sold nationwide. It also has outlets in top department stores in the city like Siam Discovery and Siam Paragon.

But the tea shop doesn't exactly show its age. Apart from the traditional brew, it has kept pace with changing consumer preferences by serving more contemporary drinks like bottled green tea and so forth.

I turned a corner into a parking lot and came face to face with a building from the last century. The two-storey structure built in Victorian style in 1895 was the home of Kij Nukul Printing House, the most modern in the city in those days. Now it operates under the name Thammasan Printing. It looks rusty and cracks appear all over the building.

This section of Bangkok used to be the residence of the gentility and boasted a royal mansion whose occupant was Prince Sommut Amornphand, a son of King Rama IV. Today, that prime residential area is taken up by various businesses.

However, the royal mansion located at the end of a metre-wide lane fronted by shophouses still stands. The white two-storey structure built in Western style is a model of elegance, standing there in heroic loneliness flanked by drab looking rectangular houses whose occupants don't have the slightest idea of the prince who was in residence there.

Another ranking landmark around Bamrung Muang Road is the Devasthan Bosth Brahmana or the Brahmin Temple that is as old as Bangkok itself. Since the ancient times Brahmin priests have had a vital role when it comes to royal ceremonies. Hundreds of such priests once lived in the area, not any more.

"Not many people want to become Brahmin priests now. There are only eight of us here," Phra Rajaguru Vamadevamuni, a royal priest said.

After Thailand switched to constitutional monarchy, Brahmin rites have been gradually phased out. From the temple I moved to the Giant Swing, the official congregation point for annual Brahmin rites, the last of which were performed in 1933.

Keeping on Bamrung Muang Road, I turned right at Main Poon intersection and on to Ban Bat.

Main Poon means concrete crematory. The crematory was in Wat Saket temple next to Pratu Phee or the Ghost Gate. In the old days, funerals were forbidden in the city and the dead had to be brought through Pratu Phee and cremated at the temple.

The crematory at Wat Saket served its purpose until a permanent one was built at Dhebsirin Temple.

The narrow lane leading to Pratu Phee is the Ban Bat area whose residents are noted for making alms bowls that monks carry on their rounds every morning. They have been doing it for the last 200 years, their main source of income, by beating strips of metal into the shape of a bowl and follow it up with delicate carvings. The hand-made bowls looked elegant and though the process is time consuming, they fetch a decent price. However, the advent of machine has literally put them to pasture.

"A factory made bowl of seven-inch diameter costs just 200 baht, while a hand-made version of same size goes for 700 baht," said one worker, sweating profusely as he worked on the shine.

By now I was tired and headed for a much-needed rest in Rommanee Park that formerly served as the main prison in Bangkok. It is 103 years old and in 1993 it was turned into a public park.

Rustic cells, execution gear, brick walls as well as the tower are still there, but I chose the shade of trees and tried to give my tired legs some rest. The green lawn that spread out before me was a welcome relief from the cars belching black smoke and the din on Bamrung Muang Road.
---KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Friday 16 June 2006 :-

Noisy adverts annoy skytrain commuters : BTS claims most people like them

The skytrain operator says commuters like it. But passengers don't agree.

Tired of listening to TV commercials disturbing their ride, a group of BTS commuters yesterday kicked off a sign-up campaign against the "annoying and intrusive" broadcasts in the carriages.

Chomrom Khonkliad Siangdang (the Say-No-To-Noise club) and Chomrom Khonrak Khwam-ngiab (the Say-Yes-To-Quietness club) issued a joint press release expressing their disapproval of the Bangkok Mass Transit System's installation of television sets blaring commercials on its skytrains.

In the statement issued on the internet, they said the commercials annoyed commuters, who preferred reading to watching advertisements. Travellers were forced to listen to the noisy ads, which was stressful.They called on the skytrain operator to turn off the ads, end the noise pollution and stop trying to take advantage of passengers.

The BTS website, www.bts.co.th, says the service offers "both residents and visitors a comfortable ride through central Bangkok _ lifting commuters above the chronic congestion, noise and pollution of the streets below".

Noise protester Thip Sukvivat said Japan banned the use of mobile phones on its subways and skytrains because the cacophony created by phone conversations annoyed other commuters.

Thailand should similarly impose a ban on TV commercials on the skytrain, said Ms Thip, who expressed her view via the internet.

Colin Piprell, director of Artasia Press Co, had a similar view.

"I find it annoying and an intrusion on my privacy," he wrote on the internet.

"I've paid taxes in Thailand for 22 years, plus I pay my fare when I use the BTS, which is otherwise a fine system and a credit to Bangkok.

"It is not fair that I should be subject to noisy advertisements when I travel on the system," Mr Piprell said.

Most commuters wanted the BTS operator to improve the train service rather than add unwanted noise.

Surasri Arsairat, 33, said commuters paid their fare to use the BTS, not to listen to noisy ads on the trains.

Peeyawan Sirikasemsap, 30, said the operator should focus on improving its service and making travel easier, particularly during major events. Airing commercials on trains was just boring.

However, Patcharee Poramesyothin, a saleswoman, said she had no problems with the TV ads. She watched the commercials to kill time.

However, the BTS operator insisted most respondents of its two opinion surveys wanted TV commercials and news on the trains.

Anat Abhabirama, adviser to the BTS, said the firm had done two opinion polls of commuters. Most respondents had no beef with the ads.

He agreed some commuters may find the TV ads annoying and said the skytrain operator would find a solution to the problem. He denied any knowledge of the sign-up campaign against the noisy ads.
---KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Friday 16 June 2006 :-

B10bn budget for Embassy site : Central preparing four-year plan

Central Retail Corporation expects to spend 10 billion baht to turn a nine-rai plot, recently purchased from the UK government, into a mixed-use commercial complex over the next four years.

Tiang Chirathivat Real Estate, an affiliate of the Central Group, last month won the bid for the prime site on Phloen Chit Road at an undisclosed price. Reports suggest that the deal was priced as high as one million baht per square wah.

Tos Chirathivat, chief executive of CRC, said the project would have a maximum usable space of 160,000 square metres, which could include a plaza, a hotel, a condominium or serviced apartments.

"Everything is possible now. We will choose to develop what is lacking in the area and what can be done to complement Central Chidlom, our flagship store located a short walk away," he said.

CRC will finalise a development theme by the end of the year, with design and construction to take another four years.

"Once Bangkok cannot expand anymore in the next 20 years, this area will be better established as the most important shopping street linking Sukhumvit, Phloen Chit, Ratchaprasong and Siam Square, as has happened in New York, Paris and Singapore," Mr Tos said.

He said CRC would continue to expand its retail outlets in Thailand and overseas, and planned to open 500 new Tops Daily stores, a new format of Tops Supermarket, over the next five years.

Tops Daily is a combination of a convenience store and supermarket similar to Tesco Lotus Express. Each outlet will require an investment of three million baht for 300 square metres of space.

Mr Tos said three Tops Daily outlets had already been opened in Chiang Mai, Ang Thong and Chiang Rai, to test the market. Another one will open in Bangkok soon.

"We're interested in this retail segment because it has a lot of potential to grow. It's a new retail sector which many players are gearing up to," he said.

However, Tops Daily is different from Tesco Express as it will have a wider selection of products and place a greater importance on dried food over fresh food.

Yesterday, CRC announced it had spent 300 million baht introducing the 1 Card, its membership reward-points programme, aiming to boost retail sales in its network by 12-15% this year.

The launch of the new points programme was a joint effort between six business units of CRC _ Central and Robinson department stores, PowerBuy, SuperSports, B2S and HomeWorks.

Card members are entitled to one point for every 25 baht spent at most of the 230 outlets of the six retailers, except PowerBuy where customers gain a point for every 50 baht spent.

Allan Namchaisiri, senior vice-president for marketing of CRC, said the company, with 120 management staff from the six business units, had spent two years working on the 1 Card programme.

"The 1 Card scheme is a very special offering for loyal shoppers. We hope to have up to 2.8 million card holders in one year and six million in five years after the launch. The target sales via cards will reach 17 billion baht," he said.

Mr Tos said Tops would join the 1 Card scheme by the end of the year.

"This member reward scheme will help us better collect a database of shoppers. If it is really efficient, mass marketing activities will not be necessary anymore," he said.

Yuwadee Bhicharnchitr, president of Central Department Store, said the new programme would help boost sales at all stores, where sales growth has been below initial projections due mainly to political and economic uncertainties.
---KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Friday 16 June 2006 :-

15 carparks planned in Bangkok

Park-and-ride blocks will soon be built at 15 locations in outer Bangkok to encourage motorists to use public transport more, a deputy director of the Energy Policy & Planning Office said yesterday.

The locations are deemed appropriate as connecting points between suburban areas and road networks in the inner city in four directions around the capital: Rangsit in the north, Samut Prakan in the south, Thon Buri in the west and Bang Yai area in the northwest, Weeraphol Jirapraditkul said.

He said the park-and-ride car parks at Mor Chit terminal and Bang Sue area had proved effective in terms of traffic solutions and popular in terms of public use.


The 15 prospective locations are:

A site between Kalapraphruek and Ratchaphruek; near The Mall Bang Khae; a site near the western outer ring road and Boromratchonnanee Road; near the planned Bang Phai BTS station; near Future Park Rangsit; near Thoopataymee Stadium; near Bitec in Bang Na; near Samut Prakan provincial hall; a site between Route 9 and Rama II Road; underneath Ram-Indra-Art Narong expressway near Yothin Phatthana Road; a space in the 11th Infantry Regiment (Royal Guards) compound; near the Agricultural Museum in Kasetsart University; underneath the Asoke-Srinakarin expressway (facing Srinakarin Road); at Ramkhamhaeng Road and Route 9; and a block near Route 9.
---KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Friday 16 June 2006 :-

Central launches new loyalty card : Retailer expects 2.8m customers, Bt17 bn in sales

Central Retail Corp (CRC), Thailand's largest retail conglomerate, announ-ced yesterday the launch of its biggest-ever loyalty-card programme.

With an investment of Bt300 million, The 1 Card will become the most significant tool in retaining shoppers at the group's 230 branches of its six different retail companies: Central, Robinson, PowerBuy, SuperSports, B2S and Home Works.

The card was launched after two years of research and planning by 120 staff.

Senior vice president and head of marketing Allan Namchaisiri said CRC expected at least 2.8 million members with an estimated Bt17 billion in sales from the card in the first year. He predicted that more than 60 per cent of the cardholders would be active.

"We expect to have more than 6 million cardholders in the next five years," said Allan.

More than 1,000 strategic partners and suppliers are participating in the programme, and the card's official launch will be held next Tuesday at all branches of all stores.

Allan said it was the first card to receive total cooperation from all six of CRC's retail companies, and it would generate one of the largest customer databases in the retail industry.

A total of Bt130 million will be spent on marketing and promotions in the first six months.

"We believe the strength of The 1 Card will provide extra benefit to the existing cards and promotions in our stores," said Allan.

The card's accumulative points can be redeemed for gifts and services, including a cash coupon for purchasing millions of items on shelves at every branch. This will free shoppers from the limitation of gift redemption from catalogues.

Other benefits include discounts of up to 50 per cent, promotions, privileges, newsletters, exclusive activities during Central Card Preview Day and surprise gifts.

The card can be used in conjunction with any credit-cards brand, not only Central Cards. It will be available in six different designs relating to each affiliated company.

The card will also enable CRC and its business partners to understand their customers and analyse buying behaviour.

Vice president for marketing and customer relations Muenfun Ohyingcharoen said the card-loyalty programme would be the largest in Southeast Asia and target teenagers to senior citizens.
---KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Tuesday 20 June 2006 :-

All flights must use new airport from Sept 28, 2006

Suvarnabhumi international airport will handle all regular commercial flights into Bangkok from Sept 28, caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra announced yesterday.

Mr Thaksin, who chaired a meeting of the Suvarnabhumi airport development committee yesterday, based his announcement on briefings he received on progress in the airport's construction.

Progress and system checks justified the confidence that Suvarnabhumi could take over all regular commercial operations from Don Muang airport in one go at 3am on Sept 28, he said.

He had ordered Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) to inform all airlines flying into Bangkok of the decision.

A plan for Don Muang airport to serve low-cost airlines had been cancelled, Mr Thaksin said.

"All regular commercial flights will switch to Suvarnabhumi, while Don Muang airport will, from then on, serve only government and military flights, along with private and charter flights," he said.

Don Muang could be used to reduce the workload of Suvarnabhumi in the future if the new airport reaches its full capacity of serving 45 million passengers annually, he said.

Don Muang's air passenger volume stands at 39 million annually.

Caretaker Transport Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal expected Suvarnabhumi to be at full capacity in three years.

The first international terminal building and the domestic terminal at Don Muang would be maintained for possible future use. The second international terminal would be developed into a museum and exhibition complex.

Mr Pongsak said expanding Suvarnabhumi had not been discussed seriously yet to protect the price of AOT shares.

Ahead of Sept 28, Thai Airways International, Bangkok Airways, PB Air, Nok Air, One-Two-Go and Thai AirAsia would direct some of their non-connecting domestic flights to land at Suvarnabhumi from July 29 for real tests. But flights out of Bangkok would depart from Don Muang as usual.

There would be enough public transport services and facilities available to serve passengers of the selected flights from July 29 onwards, and the passengers would also receive special certificates to mark their early appearance at the new airport, said Mr Pongsak.
---KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Wednesday 21 June 2006 :-

Siam Centre & Siam discovery : Mall operator to up activities as sales slow - Traffic unchanged but shoppers spending less

With spending having dropped by 10 to 15 per cent this quarter at Siam Centre and Siam Discovery, Siam Piwat Co Ltd, which operates the two shopping complexes, has decided to up its marketing activities from once a quarter to every month.

Mayuree Chaipromprasith, Siam Piwat's assistant managing director for business promotion and development, said yesterday the decline from the first quarter had not actually affected revenue as it consistently earns rental fees from tenants.

Siam Piwat has not actually witnessed a decline in the number of shoppers, with traffic within the two malls about 80,000 to 100,000 people per day - 70 per cent of whom are locals.

Economic factors - chiefly the hike in oil prices and rising interest rates - as well as political uncertainty have contributed to the fall in spending. In addition, renovation of the two malls has meant parts have been closed for months at a time. The company, therefore, plans to arrange monthly activities to boost spending.

The first event, planned from June 29 to July 2, is a Shop Marathon campaign.

Siam Piwat has joined forces with four banks to offer privileges to their Visa credit-card holders. The offer is available for card customers of Citibank, Krungsri GE, Siam Commercial Bank, and Kasikornbank, as well as Total Access Communication Plc for DTAC Maximize package users and Siam Paragon Platinum card holders.

The company hopes these alliances will bring in new customers, both during the event and in the long run, from a total of 1.8 million credit-card holders, 250,000 Maximize package users, and about 10,000 Paragon Platinum card holders.

Mayuree said during the same event last year sales in tenants' shops were three to four times higher than normal. This year, she estimates the four-day event will bring in Bt500 million-Bt800 million in sales. Also, traffic within the shopping complexes is expected to increase to 200,000 visitors per day.

Last year the event generated Bt600 million sales.

Other events planned for the rest of the year include fashion shows of leading brands and The Luxury of Giving campaign during Christmas and New Year, as well as non-commercial ventures to maintain the image of the two shopping complexes. These will include charity, cultural and kids activities.

This year the company has allocated Bt80 million, up from Bt60 million, to cover all marketing activities at the two malls.

Mayuree said Siam Centre and Siam Discovery were not the only two shopping malls arranging marketing activities to increase sales, but she hopes the events will give a boost to the shopping atmosphere as a whole.

She added that she expected the economic atmosphere to improve after the general election, expected to be held later this year.

Referring to the Siam Discovery renovation plan, Mayuree said the fifth floor would be changed from a children's centre into a floor for information technology, sport, home decoration items - and male fashion products in an attempt to draw more men with high purchasing power, which is the mall's main target group.

Of the products sold in the two complexes, 40-50 per cent are fashion products, 25-30 per cent are home decoration items while the rest are IT products and sales from restaurants and other available services.
---KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Wednesday 21 June 2006 :-

Skytrain commuters want peace quiet

TV sets have been installed in some Skytrain carriages to show advertisements, much to the dismay of many passengers.

If Bangkok isn't already noisy enough, now there is TV inside the Skytrain

People fed up with noise pollution in Bangkok have turned their wrath on the operators of the Skytrain over loud television sets installed in train carriages.

They recently formed a group and issued their first statement yesterday calling on the mass transit operator to stop bombarding them with unwanted noise.

"It's tiring and we don't like the noise. We have to put up with visual pollution and now noise pollution," said Panchalie Sathirasas, a well-known potter who represents the newly-formed People Who Love Quiet Club.

Television monitors have been installed by BTS on six of its trains to show advertisements with the volume turned up. The test run, said a BTS public relations official, began earlier this month.

But Panchalie, who formed the group with 90 others, including academics, writers, office workers and media people, said it was time to oppose the new audio-visual ads inside the carriages.

It was bad enough that commuters had to listen to blaring television sets on the platforms while waiting for a train.

"It's loud outside [on the platform] but it used to be quiet inside [the carriage].

"We put up with it. But they're taking too much advantage of us now.

"It's also tasteless and perhaps illegal," she said.

The group's statement issued to The Nation said their peace of mind had been disturbed by this latest attempt to force advertising on commuters.

"When we go to work in the morning, our heads are still clear but we're forced to listen to these televisions.

"When we return home we are tired and need rest. Instead we have to put up with this irritating noise again which causes headaches and a bad mood," the group said.

"Please spare our ears . . . We have enough with other noise intrusion."

Other countries, Panchalie said, do not allow the volume to be turned on.

"We will wait for their response. But we shall continue [the protest] and the numbers will grow," she vowed, saying two weeks should be enough time for the BTS management to do something.

Panchalie said the group had contacted Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin but had received no reply from him.

The Skytrain management has made no response to the complaint, saying only that the matter was a "sensitive" issue.

"I'll inform you later," Kannikar Tor-trakul, a BTS public relations officer, said about the Skytrain management meeting to discuss the matter.

For now, it seems, the television are there to stay.
---KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Wednesday 21 June 2006 :-

Commentary : Golden rules for the new airport

By Boonsong Kositchotethana

Our Don Muang airport might not be a place where Victor Navorski, the lead character in Steven Spielberg's 2004 movie The Terminal, would like to be stranded.

Real-life frequent and occasional business and leisure travellers, as well as airline personnel, share a common frustration when they have to go through one of the world's oldest airports here in Bangkok.

Many of us have to put up with the deficiencies and inefficiency, which are very much in evidence at the airport, as parties involved do not seem to be making any serious effort to solve those chronic problems.

It is likely they have chosen to do little in the knowledge that Bangkok's main international airport will be moved to the much-delayed Suvarnabhumi Airport, hopefully on Sept 28 as lately promised.

But we can only pray that the state-controlled Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) and other parties involved will not carry over these unpleasant and sometimes nightmarish relics to the 125-billion-baht new facility.

What do we really want to avoid seeing recurring?

- The absolutely chaotic vehicular traffic conditions at the entrance to the departure halls of the terminals, unsystematically directed by security guards who seem addicted to unnecessary whistle-blowing and chasing off taxis with crude language on megaphones.

- The unjustified permission for "influential" people or those with connections to security guards to park their vehicles for extended periods at get-off areas.

- The sight of many armed security personnel at the entrance or on patrol. Plainclothesmen can perform the same duty without giving the jitters to passengers and tourists who might be scared off.

- Announcements, including those about flight departures, and paging, which are excessive to the point of becoming a form of noise pollution, as most of the world's airports have found out. Are we better with soothing light music?

- Those sorry trolleys whose wheels seem to be going in different directions or are broken from the axis.

- Long queues on the immigration lines due to insufficient numbers of duty officials and the reluctance on the part of Immigration authorities to put more men to work. This problem is compounded by the issue of processing proficiency among immigration officials, especially the elderly who take thrice the amount of time needed to complete one checking, which ideally should take 35 seconds. Furthermore, many of them are less than courteous and friendly.

- The inconvenience of having to pay the airport's passenger service charges at the departure halls. It should be included in the air ticket, a practice widely adopted throughout the world.

- Toilets with poor amenities i.e. lack of napkins, broken hand dryers, low quality toilet paper...

- The ingenuity of putting up small shops and stalls, Chatuchak market-style, in the hallways leading to the departure gates, creating bottlenecks to the otherwise smooth passenger flow and which are, indeed, an eyesore.

- Confusing, improperly placed or insufficient signs around the airport. Signs with internationally recognised symbols work better to overcome written language barriers.

- The inconvenience of boarding the plane through a crowded shuttle bus over a long distance to the remote aircraft parking area. Passengers should process directly to the aircraft through aerobridges connected to the gate.

- The extended delays in takeoffs and landings, which can be dealt with through improved air traffic management. Being made to circle the airport 15-20 minutes waiting to land is very wasteful and ruins passengers' travel experience.

- Slow baggage collection. Ideally, the first bag should arrive on the carousel less than 10 minutes after the aircraft door opens.

- The lack of places to lie down in the terminal's public area if we are exhausted, instead of just fixed, upright seating.

If many of these bottom-line issues are properly addressed, I have little doubt that Suvarnabhumi Airport will soon join the ranks as one of the world's best airports. After all, we pay for good services.

Boonsong Kositchotethana is Deputy Assignment Editor (Business), Bangkok Post.

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Friday 23 June 2006 :-

Taiwanese wins first Phuket International Marathon

Phuket - Taiwan's Ko Shih Chieh won the inaugural Phuket International Marathon hosted at Laguna Phuket last Sunday. The event was a tremendous success with more than 1,500 registered runners from 30 countries participating in the marathon, half-marathon and 10km fun run.

Ko Shih Chieh finished in a time of 3:00:36 followed by compatriot, Chi Ming Chan in 3:12:09 with Loke Wai Tse from Hong Kong in third place with a time of 3:14:20.

Thai SEA Games marathon gold medalist Boonchu Chandecha won the half marathon in a time of 1:18:04 followed by Niwat Oythip and Sitthipong Cherglai.

Winner of the women's marathon was Heather Gregg from the USA, whose time was 3:58:24, followed by Thailand's Nampetch Porntarakcharoen coming in at 4:09:56, and Yi-Mei Tsai from Taiwan not far behind in 4:11:14.

The top three female finishers in the half-marathon were Gillian Castka from the UK, Georgia Bamber from Australia, and Lynne Speirs from the UK.

For complete race results please see the Phuket International Marathon website at www.phuketmarathon.com or www.championchip-thailand.com
---KatoeyNewsNetwork