TRAVELTITBITS
KARNJANA KARNJANATAWE
Arts of the Kingdom Museum.
Special bus service
The Tourism Authority of Thailand hasgot together with Siam HopGroup tooffera free ride to the Arts of the KingdomMuseum in Ayutthaya.
Siam Hop Group is the operator of thehop-on, hop-off tourist bus service in central Bangkok.
The company is a jointinvestment between Hongthong Enterprise, which provides tour buses for rent, and the CCT GROUP which is a tour operator focusing on the Chinese market.
The free shuttle service to themuseum in Ayutthaya is an extensionof its service. The company uses 50-seater buses. The museumservice will leave from Na Phralan Road, near the Grand Palace, to the museum twice a day.
The first leaves at10.30am,returning to Bangkok at 2pm. The secondleaves at noon, returning to Bangkok at 3pm. Theservice is availablefrom Tuesday to Sunday.
The Arts of the Kingdom Museum is situated within Koh Koet Artsand Crafts Centre in Ayutthaya’s Bang Pa-indistrict. Organised by the Sirikit Institute, the museum exhibits national artefacts, many of which are unique. Among them are the gold Niello Bhudthan Throne, the gold Damascene Bhudthan Throne, the model of the royal barge Suphannahongand the carved wood screen with the Legend of Bejaratana.
The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 3.30pm, withthe exceptionsofthe New Year period (Dec 28-Jan 6) and Songkran holidays. Entrance is 150baht foradults and 75 baht for students and senior citizens. For foreign tourists, an entrance ticket to the Grand Palace can also be used to enterthe museum.
Call Siam Hop Groupat 02-066-6600.
Treasure trip
Nakhonchai Air bus operator will operatethe final Treasure Bangkoktrip for this year on Dec 21. The one-day trip, launched in June, is an additional service from the company aiming to bring tourists to attractions in the capital twice a month.
A 16-seat minibus brings tourists to WatArun
(the Temple of Dawn), Wat Kanlayanamit and
Wat Prayun. Visitors are brought to KudiChin Community to taste kanom farang kudi chin or sponge cake topped with slices of sweetened pumpkin, dried persimmon andraisins.Tourists can check out the old Chinese community and its museum, Wat Prayun,Iconsiam and Yaowarat.
The bus leaves Nakhonchai Air bus terminal on Kamphaeng Phet 2Road, platform A at 8am and returns to the station at around 8pm.
The package is 1,299 baht per person,inclusive of breakfast, lunch and aThai-language guide.
Visit Facebook/nakhonchaiair.official, call 092415-5335 and Line ID:@ncatour.
AIRLINES UPDATE
Thai Smile will launch its code-shareservice with Nok Air on the Bangkok-Ranong route, starting Jan 3.
The service is operated by Nok Air twicea day. Flights depart Don Mueang Airport at 6.10am and 5.50pm, returning fromRanong at 8.05am and 7.50pm. Travel timeisone hour and 25 minutes.
Visit thaismileair.com or call 1181.
HOTELS DEALS & UPDATE
If staying in a century-old shophouse in Phuket’s old town is your idea of fun, you should check out Woo Gallery Boutique Hotel.
In operation since February of this year, the shophouse, which was originally the Moh Seng & Co watch shop, has been renovatedand converted into a boutiquehotel by the family’s third generation.
The property has 12roomsof three varieties.
Each features Chinese-style patterns. There is a common area, restaurant and the MohSeng Museum where the family displays its heirlooms.
Visit woogalleryhotel.com.
Amari Vogue Krabi on Tub Khaek Beach launches “Discover The New-LookAmariVogue Krabi” package.
Rates for a night’s stay start at 5,440++ baht for Superior King Roomand for a minimumstay of two nights, inclusive of breakfast for two.This special offer is available until the endofMarch.
Visit amari.com/vogue with the promo code VISITKRABI.
Villa De Pranakorn has opened. This boutique hotel is situated on Mahachai Road in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district, close to Rommaninat Park and the newly-opened Sam YotMRT station.
The hotel features 47 rooms, including two signature suites. The property is owned by the Kittisuan family who trade in diamonds and gems and also run alogistics and transportation business.
The property has a restaurant, swimming pool with pool bar and fitnesscentre.
Visit villadepranakorn.com.
Email karnjanak@bangkokpost.co.th if you have any comments to share.