Thailand — a survival guide
PROSPECTIVE visitors to Thailand are urged to check regularly on the state of affairs before travelling to the country. Flight Centre advised all its travellers this week to postpone non-essential travel to Bangkok for a day or two. However, the islands and resorts were unaffected by the change in government, said Andrew Stark, Flight Centre South Africa’s general manager.
Amazing Thailand, the official SA representative for the Tourism Authority of Thailand, also recommends that travellers check with their insurance providers that they will continue to cover for claims arising from the current situation.
Meanwhile, the Tourism Authority of Thailand has issued advice for people going to Bangkok.
Travellers must carry their passports at all times to present at security checks.
People arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport should use only taxis with an authorised AOT sticker displayed on the windshield as these cars are waved through checkpoints.
Shuttle-bus services between Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang International airports will run normally.
If you arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport during the current curfew hours, you are urged to make use of the CIP Lounges 1-4 on the third floor of the passenger terminal.
Earlier this week, army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha, after receiving royal appointment to the post of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), said the main mission was to maintain peace in the country.
CABBIES TO STRIKE
SOME 10 000 of London’s black-cab drivers plan to gridlock the capital’s streets on June 11 in protest against Uber, the US-based company that operates minicabs in more than 100 countries.
According to Travel Buyer, the London Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association (LTDA) is upset that Transport for London (TFL) allows Uber minicabs to operate without adhering to the strict regulations applied to London’s famous black taxis.
A simple cellphone app lets Uber users find the cab nearest to them and book it at a set fare.
SAA AND THE SOCIAL NETWORK
SOUTH African Airways has launched a Facebook-linked application called Social Check-In that lets travellers choose who they want to sit next to on their flight. Travellers check in online on flysaa.com after which they can share their Facebook details with other passengers. Using the seat map, passengers can view profiles of other passengers and select their seats accordingly.
The app can be used on both local and international flights.
NIGHT-TRAIN BEDS ARE BACK
LOCAL long-distance passenger train operator Shosholoza Meyl says the recent problems of trains running without bedding for passengers have been resolved. Railways Africa reports that the bedding on overnight trains is back — just in time for winter. There was a string of complaints last year from angry passengers who had had to endure cold nights on trains without any blankets or sheets following a dispute between the train operator and the bedding supplier.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS IN ANGOLA AND GABON
ANGOLA, Gabon and Iraq have been ranked by a UK survey as three destinations that should see a surge in tourism in the next few years, The Telegraph reports. Ranked according to the projected growth per annum of travel and tourism as a direct contribution to GDP, the list placed Angola and Gabon in the top 10, with tourism to those relatively little-visited countries expected to grow by 7.3% between now and 2024.
Although Luanda is regarded as one of the world’s most expensive cities, its game parks are slowly being restocked. Gabon, which boasts one of the highest wildlife densities in the world, also hopes to benefit from its natural attractions.