TRAVEL TITBITS
Thainess never sleeps
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has launched the “One And Only” online contest to promote Thainess.
The campaign follows the government’s tourism campaign in 2015 as the year to “Discover Thainess”, said TAT chief Thawatchai Arunyik.
“We believe this innovative and creative campaign will generate a positive buzz on social media networks all over the world,” said.
The contest is open for teams of two people who are non-Thais and have an age between 20-45 years old. They may either live in the Kingdom or abroad. To participate, each team needs to submit a one-minute video clip of themselves doing one of the following activities: muay Thai, traditional Thai dancing, Thai cooking, making Thai-style floral garlands or speaking Thai.
One team can submit as many clips as many as they like in one or all categories. All clips must be uploaded to YouTube, and the link then posted to www.tourismthailand.org/discoverthainess.
A panel of judges will select three teams from each category as finalists. Each team will then fly to Thailand to take part in the activity they performed in their video clip. They will also have a chance to travel for a month in the Kingdom. Each activity will be filmed and uploaded to www.tourismthailand. org/discoverthainess, where it will voted on by users. The winning team is the one who receives the highest number of votes.
The last day for submission video clips is April 30. TAT has also launched the Taste Of Thailand magazine in Italy.
The first issue was released at the Borsa Internazionale del Tourismo, Italy’s largest travel fair, last month. The magazine will be published twice a year, with a circulation of 20,000 copies. Twelve-thousand copies have been distributed to the trade sector; the remaining 8,000 copies will be given away at TAT events in Italy.
The next issue will be released at the TTG Incontri, another tourist trade fair in Italy and one of the top five in Europe, in October.
TAT expects to increase circulation to 60,000 copies and release the magazine three times per year in 2016.
Hotels update
Absolute Hotel Services will open its first resort near Koh Samui.
It will take over management of The Treasure hotel, rebranding the property to U Koh Madsum Samui. The hotel is located on Koh Madsum, a private island located to the south of Koh Samui. It offers 37 luxury villas, including eight pool villas, eight tented villas and beachfront pool villas.
There is also a spa, a pool, and a beach restaurant and bar.
The hotel can be accessed via boat from Thong Tanote Pier in Koh Samui. The slow boat will take about 20 minutes, while speedboat transfer will take about 10 minutes. Visit www.uhotelsresorts.com The family-run Romantic Resort and Spa Khao Yai has changed its management team to Thailand-based ONYX Hospitality Group. The hotel offers 130 rooms, meeting facilities and event spaces with a capacity for up to 500 guests, two restaurants, a swimming pool and a fitness centre. The property is located on Thanarat Road, not far from Khao Yai National Park, golf courses and other attractions.
The resort will broaden ONYX’s presence, said ONYX Hospitality Group president and CEO Peter Henley.
Visit www.romanticresortandspa.com/ khaoyai-resort/home/en.
Airlines update
Nok Air launched “Nok Transfer” services for its Chumphon and Samui routes on Monday.
In Chumphon, the airline offers the shuttle service from the airport to downtown. For passengers travelling to Samui, on the other hand, the airline has extended its existing transfer service from the airport and a ferry ride to a land transfer. The service will transport its passengers from the Samui pier to their accommodation. Both transfer services are now available through the “Manage Booking” menu on the airline’s website, at www.nokair.com Call 1318. Thai AirAsia will launch daily direct flights from Bangkok’s Don Mueang airport to Buri Ram on April 2.
The destination will be the airline’s fourth route launched since the beginning of this year, after the routes from Bangkok to Nan, Loei and Roi Et, according to the airline’s director of commercial operations Santisuk Klongchaiya.
“Don Mueang to Buri Ram is a route that we have been excitedly waiting to introduce for sometime as it builds on the airline’s connection to the wave of sporting fever that has developed over the past couples of years,” he said, adding that AirAsia will be able to help football fans of Buriram United travel to see their favourite team more comfortably.
The launch of the service will also be in time for the upcoming Phanom Rung festival when the Sun will rise through 15 doors of Phanom Rung, an old Khmer ruin in Chalerm Phrakiat district of Buri Ram province, from April 3-5.
Visit www.airasia.com or facebook. com/AirAsiaThailand.