TRAVEL TITBITS
Army opens up rice field to visitors
Huai Tueng Thao reservoir in Chiang Mai’s Mae Rim district has opened new accommodation and a campsite in its rice field.
The royally-initiated project is managed by the 33rd Military Circle. It aims to promote the beauty of the rice paddy as a new attraction in Chiang Mai.
According to Col Supakorn Ruensati, manager of Huai Tueng Thao Reservoir Tourism Development Office, the area connects to Doi SuthepPui National Park so it offers a relaxing atmosphere for visitors. In addition, the accommodation site can facilitate those who want to visit the project for planting trees.
During the initial phase, the Civilian Affairs Section of the 33rd Military Circle built one bamboo house which can accommodate up to four guests. The house has a veranda and a private bathroom. Also provided are tents with pillows and blankets. Each tent can
accommodate up to four people. A night’s stay is 800 baht for the house and 400 baht for a tent. If visitors have their own tents, the pitching fee is 50 baht. Huai Tueng Thao reservoir is about 17km north of Chiang Mai airport.
Call 053-121-119.
Sanam Chandra Palace closes
Sanam Chandra Palace in Nakhon Pathom has been closed for renovation.
The palace is 106 years old and was built between 1907-1911 by Crown Prince Vajiravudh who later became King Rama VI as a royal retreat.
The colonial-style palace is located on an 888 rai plot and comprises five main buildings including Bhimarn Prathom Residence, Samakkeemukamartaya Hall and Chaleemongkolasana Residence. There is also a shrine of Ganesh, the Hindu deity.
The palace is located about 2km west of Phra Pathom Chedi, the country’s largest and one of the most sacred pagoda’s, a landmark of the province.
Hotels update
AccorHotels has officially launched the 3-star Ibis Styles Phuket City Hotel.
Soft-launched since December last year, the four-storey hotel features 137 rooms including nine suites and two rooms for travellers with wheelchairs. The room sizes range from 20m² to 27m². The hotel has a restaurant, bar, car park, complimentary Wi-Fi and babysitting on request.
The hotel is located on Thawornwongwong Road, about 1km from Phuket Old Town and about 35km south of Phuket International Airport.
Visit www.ibistyles.com/9929.
A total of 8,500kg of food, clothing and educational supplies have been donated by guests at 46 Movenpick Hotels & Resorts properties around the world.
The donation was part of the hotel’s “Kilo Of Kindness” charity campaign running from Sept 1-15 to mark UN International Day of Charity on Sept 5. The hotels asked guests and residents to drop off at least 1kg of goods to any participating hotel.
In Southeast Asia, Movenpick hotels and resorts collected 2,276kg of donations with Movenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu and Movenpick Siam Hotel Na Jomtien Pattaya together bringing in over 2,000kg.
In Thailand, Movenpick Residences Bangtao Beach Phuket will donate supplies to Child Care Holland House, which helps local street children, in Phuket. Movenpick Resort & Spa Karon Beach Phuket will pair with Phuket Child Watch, which helps children whose parents are in jail.
Movenpick Resort & Spa Pattaya will work with Banglamung Home for Boys, a charity that protects orphaned children.
Visit www.movenpick.com/ akiloofkindness.
Airlines update
Thai AirAsia has just recently launched its first flight from Bangkok to Tiruchirappalli in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Tiruchirappalli, or Trichy, is an ancient city and famous for religious sites such as the Rock Fort Temple and Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple. Surrounding the Kaveri River valley, the city is also famous for farmlands growing rice, sugarcane and betel. There are bus, train and air services linking the city to Chennai.
The airline flies four times a week and flies from Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
It departs Bangkok at 9.30pm and will arrive to Tiruchirappalli at 11.55pm. The return flight will be 11.50am and will land in Bangkok at 6.10am. The travel time is three hours and 55 minutes.
Visit www.airasia.com.
Thai Airways has opened Royal Orchid Lounges at Phuket International Airport.
The new lounges are located on the 4th floor of the International Terminal, in the North and South areas at Phuket International Airport. Each lounge offers wide seats, a selection of newspapers and magazines, high speed Wi-Fi, USB power ports, plus an array of freshly-cooked food, pastries, vegetarian and Halal food.
Visit www.thaiairways.com