Anything & Everything About Thailand

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Wednesday 6 September 2006 :-

Siam Square land the most expensive

Siam Square has beaten Yaowarat to become the most expensive area in Bangkok in terms of land prices due to the opening of two major shopping complexes - Siam Paragon and Central World.

Local property consulting firm Agency for Real Estate Affairs Co Ltd (AREA) Tuesday revealed that areas along the Skytrain route and Sukhumvit Road had encouraged many property developers to develop projects there. This had helped bring land prices up.

The firm said land prices in the Siam Square area had jumped 16 per cent to Bt640,000 per square wah (four square metres) this year, which tops the Bt630,000 per square wah being asked for land in the Yaowarat area. The third most expansive area in Bangkok is Silom, with land selling at Bt560,000 per square wah
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Thursday 7 September 2006 :-

Eased traffic woes at Suvarnabhumi Airport may be short-lived : Suvarnabhumi may be full in two years

Suvarnabhumi Airport is likely to provide only brief relief to air-traffic congestion over Bangkok before it becomes crowded again _ less than two years after its Sept 28 opening.

That scenario has become likely based on the recent statistics and trends that point to traffic volume through one of Asia's busiest air hubs reaching 42 million passengers towards the end of this year.

That means there will be little room to grow before Suvarnabhumi reaches its annual capacity of 45 million passengers, probably in less than two years.

''Suvarnabhumi could be full in 18 months,'' said AoT president Chotisak Asapaviriya, adding that Don Muang already deals with 38 million passengers.

Don Muang airport has for several years exceeded its designed capacity of 36.5 million passengers a year, with one flight taking off or landing every minute during peak hours.

The congestion has forced jetliners to wait in the takeoff queue or circle the airport for 15-20 minutes before receiving clearance to land.

At the moment, about 90 international carriers operate 600-700 flights a day, dealing with about 110,000 passengers a day, through Don Muang.

Traffic buildup at Bangkok's new airport, built at a cost of 125 billion baht, is expected to gain pace, as more airlines seek to fly through Suvarnabhumi for the first time.

In addition, airlines that already call at Bangkok will seek to increase frequencies in the knowledge that there will be no bottlenecks as at Don Muang.

Mr Chotisak said seven or eight airlines including Batavia Air, a private Indonesian airline from Indonesia, had asked to launch services through Suvarnabhumi, while the German airline Lufthansa and budget airline AirAsia had sought to step up their frequencies.

Until now, 100 airlines have confirmed their intention to operate through Suvarnabhumi showing confidence in the airport's readiness, he noted.

The AoT envisages a plan to build a passenger terminal for low-cost carriers (LCCs) as an annex to Suvarnabhumi's main terminal as a crucial factor to enable the airport to cope with the influx of traffic through Bangkok in the short term.

Mr Chotisak has single-handedly been pushing for the realisation of the LCC terminal over the next 16 months at an estimated cost of 800 million baht.

The self-contained LCC terminal will have usable space of 20,000 square metres, the size of three standard football pitches, and be capable of handling 15 million passengers a year. It will also have a four-storey car park for 1,000 cars.

AoT expects LCC traffic to double from 7-8 million passengers in its first year to 15 million in the next two years.

The construction of the LCC terminal provides leeway to the plan to immediately proceed with expansion at an estimated cost of 48 billion baht, which was put on hold by caretaker prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

In the first phase of the plan, a satellite building, also known as a midfield concourse, a third runway and a host of supporting facilities would be built, raising the capacity to 54 million in 2011.

According to the master plan, two subsequent expansion plans would follow that to ultimately raise Suvarnabhumi's capacity to 120 million passengers a year in 2026 while doubling its cargo-handling capacity to 6.4 million tonnes a year from three million tonnes.

Industry analysts said the extent of the expected congestion at Suvarnabhumi was unlikely to be as bad as at Don Muang, as far as aircraft movement is concerned, due to the fact that the new airport has two runways.

But although Suvarnabhumi has two runways, their close proximity places certain limits on simultaneous movements.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Friday 8 September 2006 :-

The Mall sees sales slowdown : Revenue to grow 25 per cent this year but next three years look gloomy

Local shopping mall operator, The Mall Group Co Ltd, expects its revenue to grow by only single digits for the next three years because of the economic gloom and political uncertainty.

The company, which operates The Mall department stores and The Emporium and Siam Paragon shopping complexes, has enjoyed double-digit growth for many years, on one occasion surpassing 30 per cent, according to the group's chief merchandising officer for women's fashion goods, Malinee Subboriboon.

This year's revenue growth is still expected to be well into the double digits at 25 per cent, ringing up sales of Bt35 billion, but the crunch is expected next year.

She said yesterday that the company had noticed a decrease in the number of customers' purchases per visit and also a decrease in overall buying frequency. However, good spending by foreigner shoppers saves the company from a big impact to its performance.

Foreigners represent 40 per cent of the group's overall shoppers in its downtown branches and 85 per cent of all shoppers in its suburban branches.

Nevertheless, to stimulate local custom, the company has increased the frequency of its promotional campaigns to one every month.

Currently, the first anniversary of Shoes and Bags Salons at The Emporium and The Mall is a reason for discounts between 10 per cent and 70 per cent until September 21. The event will also feature autumn-winter fashion shows from six designers.

The company has invested between Bt5 million and Bt6 million in the campaign and expects sales of Bt50 million as a result.

The Shoes and Bags Salons were launched in September last year with a "modern chic" concept, offering 90 brands of bags, shoes and accessories from both local and international designers.

Last year, the salons posted 15-per-cent growth and this year the this is expected to be 33 per cent, after a good performance in the first eight months, Malinee said.

The Shoes and Bags Salons contribute only 5 per cent to The Mall Group's overall performance. Yet women's fashion sales account for 32 per cent of the group's revenue. "Beauty Hall" claims the biggest contribution at 10 per cent, followed by women's clothing, 7 per cent; lingerie, 5 per cent; and ornaments, 2 per cent.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Saturday 9 september 2006 :-

Foreign diplomats fear travel links to city won't measure up

Foreign diplomats have expressed concern about the lack of efficient transport links between Suvarnabhumi airport and central Bangkok. ''It is normal for a new airport to have hiccups. But the point is, to be a global aviation hub, you strongly need good infrastructure links,'' said Jonas Hafstrom, Swedish ambassador to Thailand.

He was among more than 100 diplomats from 46 countries who made a tour of the airport yesterday, prior to its official opening on Sept 28.

The diplomats took a 90-minute walking tour of the airport, led by Airports of Thailand (AoT) board chairman Srisook Chandrangsu.

Mr Hafstrom said the new airport was spacious. He expressed confidence in the airport's security and safety, saying Thailand could not afford to have a poor facility.

''Don Muang is safe and has good connections with other centres in Bangkok. That's the image people coming to Thailand have and you have to live up to that legacy,'' he said.

Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon said diplomats also raised questions about inadequate road signs on the way to the airport.

He conceded there were not enough road signs in English.

Thettalil Seetharam, a counsellor at the Indian embassy, shared the views of his colleagues that the airport was beautifully designed. But he said, information signs, particularly those concerning flights and baggage claims, were too small.

A diplomat from an Asean nation said she has asked senior officials from her country not to fly to Thailand during the hectic opening period.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Saturday 9 September 2006 :-

Diplomats DAZZLED - VIPs heap praise as government shows off Suvarnabumi Airport in countdown to September 28 opening

The government yesterday launched a new international publicity blitz by showing off the ultra-modern and high-tech Suvarnabhumi Airport to members of the Bangkok-based diplomatic crops.

The multi-billion-dollar project is getting the final touches ahead of its commercial opening on September 28.

During a VIP tour of the new airport, Ignazio Di Pace, the Italian ambassador to Bangkok, said: "It's very nice, big and impressive, reflecting the growing importance of Thailand [in the global economy]. It will boost the tourism sector, business and industry here. The appearance or form is really impressive, but we'll have to see if it also functions impressively."

The new airport has been hailed as Asia's second largest, with an annual capacity of 45 million passengers and over three million tonnes of cargo. It is about five times larger than Don Muang airport, the country's major aviation gateway for the past four decades.

Srisook Chandrangsu, chairman of Airports of Thailand (AOT), said that Don Muang would be permanently closed for scheduled commercial flights on September 28.

"Chartered flights may use either Don Muang or Suvarnabhumi. Don Muang will also house a new pilot-training school. It will also serve small private aircraft. Its terminal buildings will be turned into exhibition halls," he said.

As for Suvarnabhumi, AOT is planning to build a new terminal for budget carriers whose business has been growing rapidly in the past few years.

As of yesterday, most of the facilities inside the passenger terminals appeared to be nearly ready for the commercial opening, even though some technicians were still busy working at some of the 460 check-in counters. At the passport control section, new digital cameras have been installed at every counter to electronically match passport holders with photos stored on the immigration division's database.

There will be long stretches of shops and facilities catering to visitors in the various concourses. For instance, concourses B, D and F will have a one-kilometre long stretch of duty-free shops, while concourse G will be filled with entertainment outlets and services especially designed for transit passengers.

"For those who have to wait for five or six hours or longer, they may visit a movie theatre, a karaoke bar, a bowling alley, a traditional Thai massage parlour or a beauty salon," said an AOT official who asked not to be named.

David Guardia V, the ambassador of Panama, said Suvarnabhumi had pioneered a concept not yet seen at any other international airport in the world.

"Once you're here, the feel is rather different from other airports. I feel very good and feel free inside due to the good architectural design and internal structure. We'll have to see if it will also work efficiently and smoothly when it's open. I think it should help turn Thailand into an aviation centre in this region," he said.

Jean Francois Cautain, counsellor of the European Union, said: "The new airport is very impressive. It's quite an achievement. Now it's a challenge as to how it would work on September 28, as there is still a little bit of work to do."

Jonas Hafstrom, the Swedish envoy, said he was positive that Thailand would be able to handle security issues at Suvarnabhumi based on the good record at the Don Muang airport.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Saturday 9 September 2006 :-

New Suvarnabhumi Airport to sport taxi stands

Heeding passenger concerns, a taxi stand will be installed on the second floor of Suvarnabhumi Airport's passenger terminal.

Somchai Sawasdeepon, Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT) general manager, said the decision was in response to problems during the September 1 test flights when many travellers had difficulty catching taxis from the public bus terminal.

The AOT's previous plan was to only allow taxi drop-offs at the passenger terminal. Pick-up service was conducted at the public bus terminal, 2.5 kilometres from the main terminal. A shuttle runs between the bus and passenger terminals.

AOT officials came to the realisation that this system would be inconvenient for passengers arriving with heavy luggage.

A stand will be established at the passenger terminal with at least 20 taxis available at all times. Somchai said officials would ensure that there are enough vehicles to serve passengers.

People will still be able to take a shuttle to the public bus terminal to catch a cab. Shuttles will be available every three to five minutes.

From the bus terminal, the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority will provide service along six routes between Suvarnabhumi Airport and Bangkok.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Tuesday 12 September 2006 :-

Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel is opened for business

The official hotel at Bangkok's new airport, the Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel, has opened in preparation for the airport's official launch on September 28.

Being the first major component of the airport precinct, the hotel has already been serving meals at its restaurants for airport officials and visitors, and will now take its first guests.

According to Accor Asia-Pacific managing director Michael Issenberg, the hotel sets a new standard for four-star hotels in Bangkok and will make a significant contribution to Thailand's tourism industry, which is enjoying unprecedented growth.

"The hotel will be a stylish addition to the new airport and its opening reflects the growing importance of Bangkok as the primary entry point to Thailand and to Southeast Asia as a whole," he said. "It will provide an ideal base for business, leisure or transit travellers, as well as being a major new venue for conferences and events."

For its first few weeks, room rates at the Novotel will start at Bt2,380. After the airport opens, rates will rise by Bt1,000 per night, exclusive of tax and service charges.

The Novotel has 612 rooms. Its two buildings are joined by a massive glass atrium designed as the hotel's lobby. A five-storey lobby covering 2,800 square metres is one of the largest airport-hotel lobbies in the world.

The hotel will also cater to Bangkok's meeting and event markets, with more than 2,400 square metres of space including a ballroom and six meeting rooms.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Tuesday 12 September 2006 :-

Central captivated by retail market in China

Local retailing and hotel giant the Central Group is studying the feasibility of expanding its business into China.

The group's interest was revealed during the opening of its 10th HomeWorks speciality store in South Pattaya at the weekend.

As well, Central is finalising the retail composition for the development of its newly acquired 1.5 hectares of land in what was formerly the British Embassy compound, next to the Central Chidlom complex. The new project is expected to consist of a premium department store that will be an extension of the Chidlom branch, as well as a high-end hotel.

The resulting commercial area could be as large as 150,000 square metres. Details will be concluded within two months.

Central Retail Corp executive Likit Fahpyochon said Central representatives visited many cities in China recently at the invitation of shopping-mall operators. It now sees China as good for business expansion.

Likit said earlier that the Chinese operators had visited Thailand to inspect Central's businesses and were so impressed that they asked Central to invest in the same business model in China.

He said China had a large population with an average per-person income higher than that in Thailand in some cities, such as Shanghai and Beijing. Many malls there could generate a better performance than could those in Thailand.

Above all, most department stores in China are pitched at the medium market level, leaving a lot of room for the likes of Central Group to penetrate the market by developing high-end shopping malls like those in Thailand.

Likit said the group would conduct an in-depth study to see what types of shopping malls should be opened in China and whether Central should join with local investment partners in any Chinese venture. But a concern was the Chinese did not know the Central name, so that would require a lot of planning.

Central Group's possible competitors in shopping-mall developments in China are local companies Orient and Number One, Japan's Yaohan and Isetan and Malaysia's Parkson.

Locally, Central has four retail projects scheduled to open in 2008. One will be in Bangkok's Chaeng Wattana area and another in central Pattaya.

This past weekend, Central opened its 10th HomeWorks speciality store, in South Pattaya, occupying 34,000 square metres of floor space. The store cost Bt500 million, will take five to eight years to break even and is operated by Central subsidiary CRC Power Retail Co Ltd.

CRC Power Retail vice president Pong Skuntanaga said the new branch was the first built on land owned by Central. It is also Pattaya's biggest outlet for home-decoration items and furniture.

The branch had a soft launch on August 12 and has had sales of about Bt50 million a month.

He said Pattaya had a very good business potential for HomeWorks, because of consistent increases in numbers of housing projects and condominiums for buyers in the medium-to-high-end market that in turn bring high demand for high-cost home-decoration items and furniture. The branch contains five departments, featuring bathroom products, kitchenware, furniture, home-decoration items and mechanical tools, both locally manufactured and imported.

Pong said the new HomeWorks branch is near a Big C Supercentre, which is another Central Group unit, and customers can enjoy one-stop shopping for home products and consumer goods.

Next year, CRC plans to open two more HomeWorks, one in Bangkok and one upcountry.

It expects eventually to have 30 branches around the country and is currently renovating its Rama II and Bang Na branches.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Saturday 16 september 2006 :-

Thailand tightens visa regulation

Thailand has announced visa regulations for tourists limiting visitors to a maximum stay of 90 days every six months, in an effort to put prevent foreigners from remaining in the kingdom on a long-term basis.

Immigration Police Chief Lieutenant General Suwat Thamrongsrisakul said the new enforcement was aimed at blocking foreigners who created social problems and posed internal security treats from living in the country indefinitely.

"Some people were using the loopholes in the old regulations to work in Thailand, while others were staying here to engage in criminal activities," said Suwat.

Under the old system, foreigners from 41 countries that have good relations with Thailand, were granted 30-day tourist visas that could be extended twice within the country.

With a quick trip abroad, one could pick up another tourist visa and thereby live in Thailand on an annual basis.

There is a heavy flow of foreigners living in Thailand to neighbouring countries such as Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia on cheap "visa runs."

Under the new system to go into effect on Oct 1, nationals from the same 41 countries will be allowed 30-day tourist visas which may be extended twice, after which the tourists will have to stay out of Thailand for at least 90 days before returning again.

The 41 favoured countries include most European nations, China, Japan, Canada, the United States and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations among others.

"Tourists (from the 41 countries) will not be allowed to stay in Thailand more than 90 days every six months," said a statement issued by the Immigration Department.

Nationals from other countries are only allowed 30-day tourist visas, non-extendable in the country.

The new regulation will likely affect hundreds of English-language teachers who work semi-legally in Thailand, and other foreigners working in Thailand without the requisite working papers.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Saturday 16 september 2006 :-

Big impact expected from tougher visa-free entry rules

The days of foreign visitors doing endless "border runs" in order to live - and often work - in Thailand are over, the Immigration Police announced yesterday.

The Kingdom will tighten its immigration rules for tourists who exploit visa-free regulations, starting from the end of the month.

The move will affect tens of thousands of visitors from 41 countries who have been allowed to stay in Thailand for up to 30 days without a visa - often for many months or years.

The 41 visa-exempt countries include Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the United States.

Tourists have been able to extend their stay by travelling to neighbouring countries - Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos and Burma - and returning with a further 30-day entry stamp.

But new rules have been issued because an increasing number of tourists have stayed for extended periods - without paying proper amounts of tax. This has also helped them avoid close scrutiny by authorities here and in their homeland.

"We are trying to make it more difficult for bad people to get in," Immigration Police chief Lt General Suwat Thamrongsrisakul said at a press conference yesterday.

"I don't think it's going to hurt good people because they can apply for a tourist visa [in their homeland]," he said.

The move is expected to have a big impact on the foreign community and some sectors such as teaching and diving, plus places where there are many bars run by foreigners, such as Pattaya and Chiang Mai.

From October 1, tourists from the 41 visa-exempt countries may still enter Thailand without visas and stay for up to 30 days, but they will only be able to extend their stay here two times - that is, for a maximum of 90 days.

And tourists who stay for 90 days must leave the Kingdom for at least 90 days before being permitted to re-enter Thailand.

Suwat denied the crackdown was related to the arrest in Bangkok last month of John Mark Karr, the American teacher who was thought to have been involved in the high-profile JonBenet Ramsey murder case. He said there were many reasons that extended back for a long period.

Suwat conceded the move may cause some problems, but said "maybe we have to do something to make it better [later]".

However, if foreigners wanted to work here they should get a work visa, he said.

A source added: "Under the current rules, people from these countries can stay in Thailand for as long as they want. Some even stay here for one year. Many work illegally in Thailand."

Instead of sightseeing, these tourists have taken advantage of the visa exemption by getting married to Thai women "for reasons other than love", and have conducted business here. Many of them have not paid tax.

The immigration move is a hot topic among foreign residents, and comes at a time when many are fearful about possible changes in regard to firms with local nominees.

Hundreds of comments were logged on local Web boards within hours of the Immigration Department press conference. Some said foreigners should abandon Thailand for neighbouring countries, while others predicted it might force school bosses to pay foreign teachers a proper wage or cause a boom in men wanting to marry Thai women.

Most believed the move could cost Thailand a small fortune.

Meanwhile, plans are under way to simplify the process for foreign teachers to work here as the current system requires 13 separate steps, which take many months to complete.

Heads of international schools have been meeting with the Immigration Department to try to simplify the process.

Thailand recently simplified the process for foreigners who want to become permanent residents. The amount of paperwork required has been slashed and the time involved reportedly cut from more than a year to about four months.

Last year Thailand tightened its immigration rules for South Asian tourists, who were allowed to apply for visas on arrival that permitted them to stay for 30 days. Many of them took advantage by travelling to neighbouring countries and returning to get a new visa on arrival at the airport.

Under the new rules, they are allowed to obtain a visa on arrival only twice from neighbouring countries. They are then required to return to their country of origin to obtain an entry visa to Thailand.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Saturday 16 september 2006 :-

Singha boss enters noodle business

Santi Bhirombhakdi, president of Singha Corp, has entered into a joint venture with local restaurant operator Gastronome and Japan's YS Food Co Ltd to set up a Japanese ramen restaurant business in Thailand.

The first Yamagoya noodle restaurant has been officially opened on Soi Thong Lor 13 in Bangkok.

Named Yamagoya (Thailand) Co Ltd, the joint venture will also be in charge of franchising Yamagoya restaurants in the Kingdom, the rest of Asia and Australia.

YS Food, which operates 280 ramen restaurants in Japan, holds a 49-per-cent stake in the JV, while Santi has 25 per cent, and Gastronome - a subsidiary of Bara Windsor & Co Ltd - holds the remaining 26 per cent. Gastronome operates Le Vendome French restaurant in All Seasons Place.

"I believe the Yamagoya ramen restaurant business in Thailand has potential because of its quality product. It is famous in Japan and listed on the Japanese stock market," Santi said at Thursday evening's press conference.

He added that between 10 and 15 restaurants would be opened by the joint venture at prime Bangkok locations, including Siam Square and Surawong Road, and in other major provinces such as Chiang Mai, Phuket and Chon Buri (Pattaya).

All other outlets will be run via individual-investor franchisees. The initial investment for franchisees will be between Bt300,000 and Bt500,000, excluding land and premises. The franchises should break even within two to four years.

Masatoshi Ogata, president of YS Food, said the company had been in the noodle restaurant business for almost 40 years and has almost 280 outlets in Japan. The company has already expanded its restaurant business to Malaysia.

"In addition to Thai customers, we also would like to serve more than 60,000 Japanese who stay in Thailand, so that they can enjoy the feel of the original ramen restaurant just like they would at home in Japan. Our new joint venture in Bangkok will take care of franchising our Yamagoya ramen restaurants in Thailand, the entire Asian market and Australia," said Ogata.

Virawat Dangsubutra, managing director of Yamagoya (Thailand), said about 100 restaurants would be opened in the Kingdom in the next five years. The company will next year expand the franchised outlets of Yamagoya restaurants to potential markets such as Singapore and Hong Kong, which have a similar, noodle-eating culture to Japan.

To save on production costs, YS Food is considering whether to relocate its factory from Japan to Thailand. If so, the local plant would produce ramen noodles and supply all Yamagoya outlets in Thailand, other Asian markets and Australia, besides exporting to Japan.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from The Nation dated Saturday 16 September 2006 :-

Thais can now use ATM cards in Malaysia

Nine banks join new scheme in a prelude to similar service throughout Asean

Customers of nine Thai banks will be able to use ATMs in Malaysia from next month as part of a cross-border scheme that aims to provide the service across Asean countries.

National ITMX (Interbank Transaction Management and Exchange) yesterday joined forces with Malaysian Electronic Payment System (1997) Sdn Bhd (MEPS) to offer cross-border ATM transactions at 5,900 ATM machines in Malaysia.

The operation will be expanded to Singapore and Indonesia in the first quarter of next year.

Both Thai and Malaysian travellers will be able to withdraw money at ATM machines throughout Malaysia and Thailand that bear the ATM Pool logo.

The nine local banks - Krung Thai Bank, Bank of Ayudhya, Kasikornbank, Siam Commercial Bank, TMB Bank, Siam City Bank, BankThai, UOB Bank (Thai) and Bangkok Bank - have a total of around 10,000 ATMs nationwide, while MEPS will provide around 5,900 ATMs through its MEPS shared ATM network in Malaysia.

To begin with from next month, Malaysia's Hong Leong Bank will team up with the nine Thai banks to offer the service to its customers. By the end of this year six more local Malaysian banks - Maybank Berhad, RHB Bank Berhad, Affin Bank Berhad, EON Bank Berhad, Bank Islam Berhad and Southern Bank Berhad - are expected to have joined the scheme.

"This collaboration agreement will provide convenience for both Thais and Malaysians travelling in Malaysian and Thailand," said Teera Aphaiwongse, National ITMX chairman.

Dato Mohammed Hata Robani, managing director of MEPS, said he expected that by the end of next year around 1 per cent of Thai visitors would make at least one transaction via ATMs in Malaysia.

He said visitor arrival statistics in 2005 showed that almost two million Malaysians travelled to Thailand while around 1.3 million Thais visited Malaysia.

Teera said the fee per transaction would be in the range of Bt70-Bt100, depending on each bank's charges. The maximum withdrawal amount would depend on each bank's quota offered to its customers.

"The next step is to provide this cross-border service throughout Asean countries and offer other services such as fund transfers and billing payment," said Teera.

Thanachai Thanachaiary, senior executive vice president of UOB Bank (Thailand), said the service was likely to increase the number of ATM transactions because it had a number of customers in Malaysia and Singapore through its parent company, United Overseas Bank of Singapore.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Monday 18 September 2006 :-

Trouble spots identified at the new Suvarnabhumi Airport

The modern look and beautiful design of Suvarnabhumi airport are harbouring potential dangers for unaware passengers and the airport authority is doing its best to get rid of the problems.

A survey by the Bangkok Post found at least five spots where danger loomed and could stop air passengers from boarding the planes in time.

The potential danger spots include the car park building and its walkway leading to the terminal's third floor, revolving doors, sharp-edged air-conditioners fixed on the floor, escalators, and the slippery marble floor at the departure area for out-bound passengers.

Airport director Somchai Sawasdipol admitted yesterday that a design flaw was to blame for threatening passenger safety.

At the car park building, there are no long cement walls around each floor to prevent cars from plummeting to the ground. The building was just fenced by an aluminium structure and lines of iron at its sides.

Although the lines are beautiful and make it look like a "see-through" building, the safety of drivers has been brought into question because if they reverse their cars carelessly they could plunge to the ground. Mr Somchai said there might be a need to build cement walls around each floor to prevent accidents.

An unusually "large space" was also seen at the corner of the walkway, which is again fenced by an aluminium structure and slings. It connects the car park building and the terminal's third floor. The space is too wide and would put the life of small children in danger if they were around as they could accidentally fall through it.

To solve the problem, Mr Somchai said a strong plastic fence would be built along the walkway.

The 10 revolving doors at the terminal may cause problems for passengers not familiar with this type of door. Mr Somchai said the drawback was the doors stop moving and get locked if too many people use them at the same time.

In the first two years, he said airport staff would be on hand to advise passengers on how to use the doors. Technicians are also needed to regularly adjust their sensors because a malfunction could easily cause the doors to stop working and trap people.

Inside the terminal, several modern air-conditioners on the floor could harm careless people and their children with their sharp corners. Mr Somchai said tree pots might be placed near them to prevent people from hitting against their corners.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Monday 18 September 2006 :-

Bombs a blow to Hatyai tourism industry : Most visitors desert Hat Yai after blasts

Hat Yai- The bombs in the heart of Hat Yai district in Songkhla on Saturday have dealt a blow to the tourism industry, as most tourists immediately deserted the city and more cancelled plans to visit during festivals next month.

The immediate departure of foreign tourists, mostly Malaysians, started just after the series of bomb blasts.

"Those who arrived in their own cars drove back immediately. Others waited for transport in the morning and afternoon," said Nit Sawanitjamnian, owner of Chang Travel company, located on Sanehanusorn road near a bomb site.

"All buses between Hat Yai and Kuala Lumpur are fully booked today," she added, saying she expected that all tourists would have left by today.

The explosions happened as hundreds of people were shopping on the street.

Hat Yai was about to welcome many tourists next month for the Indian New Year holidays ( Deepavali ) and the annual Harir Rya Muslim festival at the end of the fasting period.

However, most reservations for tour packages next month were cancelled yesterday, Ms Nit said.

Chantra Longji, a 36-year-old tour guide, said the bombs were the harshest she had experienced during her seven years in Hat Yai.

The bombs went off in tourist areas which were full of shops and restaurants. Ms Chantra is planning to move to Phuket to be a tourist guide, as she thinks the tourism business in Hat Yai is over.

Chin Yidkhong, a 40-year-old Malaysian tourist who visits Hat Yai every weekend to see his girlfriend, said he left Hat Yai yesterday as his friends did not want to stay.

He would think twice about whether to return.

Withaya Lim, another tour guide in Hat Yai, said safety was a key factor for visitors and the impact on tourism would be inevitable because visitors would no longer feel confident about their safety.

"Those five or six bombs right at the heart of the city have killed the tourism business. I know I am losing my job," he said.

Somchart Pimthanapoonporn, president of the Hat Yai-Songkhla Hotels Association, said local hotels were 80% occupied with 7,000 visitors when the bombs went off.

He expects the immediate impact to last at least three months and that local tourism businesses would lose income opportunities worth hundreds of millions of baht.

Songkhla authorities had warned hoteliers of possible attacks in the heart of Hat Yai, Mr Somchart said.

Pornsiri Manoharn, deputy governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), said the impact would be great as Hat Yai was a major tourist attraction which welcomed more than 1.3 million Malaysian visitors a year.

TAT had promoted Hat Yai as a holiday destination ahead of the high season.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork

[KatoeyLover69]

Report from Bangkok Post dated Monday 18 September 2006 :-

Ground transport at Suvarnabhumi Airport causes concern

Inconvenient transport at Suvarnabhumi Airport is the biggest worry tour operators have as they prepare for the airport's opening 10 days from now.

The airport's operator, Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT), needs to resolve a number of issues over the next two weeks in order to avoid chaos, says the 1,300-member Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA).

ATTA president Apichart Sankary said the problem of picking up arriving tourists at the airport remained unresolved.

For example, he said, only registered taxis - which must pay a 15,000-baht fee for the privilege - are allowed to pick up arrivals at the airport. This would discourage non-registered cabbies from driving 40 kilometres from downtown to drop off passengers if they know they will have to return empty.

Buses are also prohibited from parking close to the airport terminal. Most will have to park in a designated area three kilometres away and passengers will have to take shuttles from the terminal.

Mr Apichart foresees major inconveniences for group tours, which account for an average of 7,000 to 8,000 arriving tourists per day and can top 10,000 in the high season.

About half of the tourists who visit Thailand are customers of ATTA members.

Mr Apichart said that to address potential problems, ATTA members plan to increase the number of staff stationed at the airport, from the current two or three people each on three shifts a day. Its members have also given as much information as they can to their business partners overseas to help them familiarise customers with Thailand's new airport.

Maiyarat Pheeratyakoses, the managing director of Lee Ben Travel Services Co, said that it was normal to see difficulties at a new airport.

"For Hong Kong, it took a year for the problems to settle down but we hope for a shorter time in the Thai airport," Ms Maiyarat said.

Ms Maiyarat said that the sooner the problems were solved, the more tourism revenue Thailand could expect to earn.

She said that by showing the world good management at Suvarnabhumi, AoT would draw back some airlines that had bypassed the congested Don Muang Airport, potentially raising aviation traffic by 10%.

The ATTA estimates that the number of foreign tourist arrivals could rise to 14.5 million next year, from around 13.2 million projected this year.
--- KatoeyNewsNetwork