Thailand faces internal and international conflict

Tourists in Thailand have been advised to exercise caution following a state of emergency being imposed in Bangkok yesterday after violent clashes between protesters.

At least one person was killed and dozens were injured as pro-government and anti-government demonstrators clashed with golf clubs, slings and pistols in the city centre early on Tuesday.

The Prime Minister, Samak Sundaravej, had said “I have a sword, but I have chosen not to use it,” in response to protesters who were calling for his government's resignation earlier in the week. The authorities estimate there to be around 30,000 protesters, apparently with an organized, well funded backing.

However, there was a surge in violence following threats from trade unions to cut off water and electricity supplies to show support for the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which has been occupying Government House for a week in protest at Mr Sundaravej’s government.

Tourists were stranded at Hat Yai airport, in the south of the country, as anti-government protests forced airport closures for the second time in recent days. Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said: “We are advising Australians to exercise a great deal of caution and if they are in Bangkok to keep away from demonstrations.”

However a British embassy spokesman said: “We are not advising people not to come.”

The state of emergency decree gives the military the right to restore order, allows authorities to suspend certain civil liberties, including travelling freely, bans public gatherings of more than five people and bars the media from reporting news that causes panic.

Military intervention has raised fears of a second coup in three years, but Gen Anupong Paochinda, the army chief, insists his forces will not take over again. However, it is thought the PAD, formed three years ago, may have some support from Thailand's armed forces.

Thailand also faces an escalation of tensions with neighbouring Cambodia, as a dispute rages over a 1,000-year-old temple on the border of the two Southeast Asian nations.

The Preah Vihear Temple straddles the Cambodian-Thai border atop the Dangrek Mountain and was listed as a World Heritage Site on July 7 by UNESCO's World Heritage Committee.

Although the site was awarded to Cambodia by the International Court of Justice in 1962, the only reliable maps of the jungle-covered region show that the temple ruins actually stand on Thai territory.

Thailand decided this week to stake its claim to the land around the site by moving in 1,500 troops and heavy artillery. Cambodia responded with a similar show of force, and the two sides now stand at an impasse as the Cambodian government spoke of an “imminent threat of war”.


By: Toby Cohen

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High end homes slated for Sihanoukville

A NEW luxury property development is under way in Sihanoukville with the US$40 million Hilton Park Villa, set for completion in 2010.

Built on a 13.8-hectare plot, the 324-unit housing project consists of 149 townhouses, 78 twin houses, 78 villas, and 24 hillside homes catering to the high-end segment, said the firm's marketing manager Socheat Yutharo.

The Hilton Park Villa is owned by four local business partners and started construction in May 9. Prices range from $73,000 to $335,000.As businesses flock to the seaside resort town, demand for executive housing has increased.

The city's poor infrastructure has also helped fuel demand for pre-built residential areas like Hilton Park. But high construction costs due to soaring steel and cement prices are forcing the project to increase prices.

"We will increase from seven to 10 percent ... by October because of the high price of construction materials," said Socheat Yutharo. "We have just constructed the internal concrete roads, the gate and some building infrastructure. But we have sold about 60 percent of the units," he said, adding that most customers are from Phnom Penh and overseas Cambodians.

"The hotels and guesthouses cannot meet the demand of tourists in the high season, so what happens when investors, business people and engineers who come to work [in Sihanoukville] and in the economic zones need places to live?" The company is also planning two condos on three hectares of land near the Hilton Park Villa, but has not yet determined the size of the investment.

Port development is making the town an increasingly important industrial hub.


Written by Hor Hab

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Laos, Cambodia firm up investment, tourism ties

CAMBODIA and Laos have agreed to open two new international checkpoints in an effort to boost tourism, trade and investment opportunities, officials from both countries told the Post.The checkpoints will be located along the border between Cambodia's Strung Treng province and Champassak province in Laos, and between Ratanakkiri province and Laos' Attapeu province, said Sonexay Siphandone, governor of Champassak province.

"We are preparing for two international gateways in areas where we currently have few border administration offices," Sonexay said during an interview at the Laotian embassy in Phnom Penh.He said both countries will build new terminals, border police offices and facilities for all related authorities.

The Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam (CLV) program is pushing for expanded service sector cooperation between Cambodian and Laos by making it easier for tourist and commercial vehicles to cross the border."In the future, we will build a modern international gateway for tourism, trade and investment," said Sonexay, who recently led a 90-member delegation on a caravan tour from Laos through Siem Reap and Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City and back to Laos - a trip covering more than 2,200 kilometers.



Written by Kay Kimsong
Source: Phnom Penh Post

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Regional tourism officials vow to protect environment

Greater Mekong Sub region members to draft comprehensive tourism development plan that highlights eco-tourism

Regional tourism and environmental officials have agreed to better protect their countries' natural resources in a bid to encourage eco-tourism, Tourism Minister Thong Khon told the Post Sunday following a meeting last week of members from the Greater Mekong Sub region (GMS).

"All beaches, mountains, protected forest areas, bird and animal sanctuaries are to be protected for a long-term and sustainable development," Thong Khon said. He added that participants at the GMS meeting pledged to work together towards a comprehensive tourism development plan.

"As tourism continues to play an important role in the development of Cambodia, it is essential to secure a framework that allows for dialogue across the instrumental sectors of tourism, environment and the private sector," said Arjun Goswami, country director for the Asian Development Bank, which was present at the meeting.

"I am very encouraged to see that steps are being taken to further strengthen this collaboration," he said. The Kingdom's tourism sector continues to post annual growth of around 20 percent, bringing millions of visitors and much-needed revenue to the country.

But some observers warn that rapid growth in the sector may come at the expense of Cambodia's natural attractions, which risk over-development if the sector is not properly regulated. Some large resort projects in protected areas or national parks have already raised the alarm for some.

However, their supporters say these can be integrated with their surroundings, while also bringing jobs and infrastructure to some of Cambodia's most isolated areas.

"Cambodia has so many untouched areas," Thong Khon said. "Fifty percent of world travelers target natural areas, so eco-tourism must be promoted," he added.

"Angkor Wat remains Cambodia's most popular attraction, but there are many eco-tourism destinations in the coastal areas or in the provinces near Vietnam and Laos that need to be protected."

Om Pharin, vice president of the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents (CATA), said the private sector was working with GMS members to broaden the region's tourism sector to take advantage of all that the countries have to offer.

"Not every tourist loves temples or other cultural attractions," Om Pharin said. “ Nature tourism is more attractive" to many people.The GMS is comprised of Cambodia, China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.


Written by Kay Kimsong

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Fares flying up across Asia Pacific

Airline fares across the Asia Pacific will be pressured upwards over the next twelve months, as business travel strengthens across the region.

A CFO Research Global Business and Spending Monitor survey conducted by American Express found that while oil price and capacity demand created a strong year-on-year growth for the first quarter this year, rising number of business travel will continue to impact fares through the rest of the year.

The research of chief financial officers at large companies in the region found that up to 57 percent of businesses will spend the same or more on travel this year, while 15 percent of that figure said they are likely to spend up to 10 percent more than the year before. “In the fourth quarter of 2010, we experienced a levelling in airfares, however, the data points to further expansion in 2011, with fares increasing one percent in the first quarter,” American Express Business Travel director of advisory services Dr Carl Jones said.

Strong demand for high-end European products and services is driving greater fare growth to the region, particularly in Hong Kong, where fares to Europe, the Middle East and Asia climbed eight percent over last year.”

Despite the Asia Pacific experience consecutive natural disasters during the first quarter, Dr Jones said fares, particularly to Japan will not “continue heading down in the long term”. “The tragic events in Japan have certainly had an effect on the market,” Dr Jones added. “Since the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in March, airfares to Japan are being slashed.

“However, there is still demand for travel to Japan, particularly from Europe.” Meanwhile flooding and storms in Queensland have not affected the Australian market, with business class fare rising by up to five percent over the last year. According to the survey, the cause for steady growth in Australia is pinned to the careful management of seat capacity and oil prices.

“The Australian economy is on solid footing, and increased competition to the Americas is boosting competition Down Under,” Dr Jones added. “Those competitive forces, however, can’t keep up with the pressures in terms of both supply and demand.”

Source : ETB

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Will there a wall around Preah Vihear Temple

According to reports from some agencies in Phnom Penh, Cambodia is planning to build a "Berlin-style" wall to shut-off Thailand and develop tourist facilities around the still disputed Preah Vihear Temple by its own.

The Cambodian government will build a series of walls at "complicated border areas," while still calling for talks to mark and properly demarcate the frontier, Camdodian Information Minister Khieu Kanharith and a government spokesman told reporters at a press conference.

"Both sides should start to discuss to plant border markers from undisputed border areas to the complicated border areas and some complicated border areas will be built with border markers or concrete walls," Khieu Kanharith said.

"Cambodia will allow private companies to invest at least $2 million dollars at the Preah Vihear Temple to set up cable cars for tourists," he explained, adding that the government is also trying to rebuild an existing road to the temple.

It seems that the Preah Vihear border gate to Thailand will only be opened again, when the situation there is stable, but foreign tourists could visit the temple from the Cambodian side. At the moment, authorities have closed the temple grounds to visitors. For decades, the only way to get to Preah Vihear was through Thailand, because the temple is situated atop a sharp cliff on the Cambodian side (http://www.tourismindochina.com/history-cambodia.htm).

Cambodia and Thailand share a border of over 800km with only 73 demarcation markers, the Cambodian official said on Sunday. At a meeting on Aug 18-19, Cambodian and Thai foreign ministers agreed to arrange second-phase troop redeployment at the disputed border area near the temple.

They agreed to a meeting of the Cambodian Temporary Coordinating Task Force and the Thai Regional Border Committee on Aug 29 in Cambodia to discuss the troop redeployment.The two foreign ministers also agreed to recommend to their governments that the next meeting of legal experts and the Thai-Cambodian Joint Border Committee be convened in early October, to discuss the issues related to border survey and demarcation of the relevant frontier sectors.

On July 15, Thai troops went into the border area to fetch three trespassers who had intended to claim Thai sovereignty over the Preah Vihear Temple. The incident triggered a military standoff, as troop strength on each side grew to more than 1,000 soldiers. In 1962, the International Court of Justice (or World Court) in Den Haag/Holland decided that the 11-century temple belongs to Cambodia (http://www.tourismindochina.com/preah_vehear.htm).



By Reinhard Hohler, eTN Ambassador, Chiang Mai

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Unique Opportunity for NTOs to Engage Airlines

PATA is joining forces with Routes to host a unique new event that will help destinations successfully leverage airline and airport relationships. To take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on October 12, the inaugural Tourism and Air Services Development Summit will attract the leaders of national and regional tourism offices (NTOs) from around the world. PATA member NTO chiefs can attend for free.

"The summit is a wonderful opportunity for NTOs to explore new ways of working with airports to influence airlines in their route planning," said PATA Vice President -- Operations Michael Yates. "Airline planners will speak candidly about what they expect from destinations to help them make sound commercial decisions about network development."

The day after the summit, NTO chiefs can participate in the Routes Leaders Forum, at which aviation leaders such as British Airways' Willie Walsh and Air Asia's Tony Fernandez will focus on the theme of sustainable growth within air transport. They can then enjoy free access to the networking village at the main Routes Forum, which is world's largest trade event for airlines and airports, expected to draw more than 3,000 delegates. And, on October 14, they can attend the annual ICAO/World Bank Civil Aviation Development Forum. While the opportunity-packed programmed is free of charge for NTO chiefs, second delegates can attend for a special fee of US$795.



Written by Ozgur Tore


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