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The Thai resort island of Koh Samui could be set for an influx of Chinese visitors in future, with the launch of a series of new flights.

Tibet Airlines recently announced plans to launch direct flights connecting Chengdu with Koh Samui, and Bangkok Airways is looking to add a series of new Chinese connections to the island.

The Bangkok Post reported this week that Bangkok Airways has been given the green light to launch four weekly direct flights between Samui and Chengdu. Combined with Tibet Airlines’ three weekly services, this will mean that a total of seven weekly flights will operate between Samui and Sichuan’s provincial capital from next month.

One of the largest cities in Western China, Chengdu is home to approximately 10 million people. The new flights will be able to carry up to 4,000 Chinese visitors to the island each month.

In addition to the Chengdu flights, Bangkok Airways is planning to launch direct flights to Samui from two other major Chinese cities – Guangzhou and Chongqing – by the end of 2016. TheBangkok Post reports that the Guangzhou service will operate daily while the Chongqing route will run three times a week.

Speaking to the newspaper, Bangkok Airways’ president, Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth, said his strategy is to “develop new traffic from Western Chinese regions that are remote from the sea.”

Two other Chinese carriers, Lucky Air and Capital Airlines, currently operate services to Samui, from Kunming and Chongqing respectively, and China Southern Airlines operates seasonal charters to the island from Guangzhou.

Mainland China is now by far the largest visitor source market for Thailand, with the country welcoming 7.9 million Chinese visitors in 2015.

Source:traveldaily

Above: Chiang Mai is home to a mix of stunning mountainous scenery, historic sights and tasty cuisine.

Most tourists heading to Thailand usually arrive in Bangkok and promptly board a plane south in search of sandy shores and blue seas.

But just an hour’s flight north of the capital is an exciting city-break destination worth seeking out.

Once the heart of the ancient Lanna kingdom, Chiang Mai is home to a mix of stunning mountainous scenery, historic sights and tasty cuisine.

The square, walled old town is packed with temples or ‘wats’, but the most impressive one of all is found at the end of an incredibly snaky drive up a neighbouring hillside, followed by a short, steep funicular ride.

Above: Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep was built here because it’s believed this is where a white elephant carrying some of Buddha’s ashes chose to stop some 600 years ago.

Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep was built here because it’s believed this is where a white elephant carrying some of Buddha’s ashes chose to stop some 600 years ago.

I climb the 300-plus steps of the temple’s Naga stairway, although sadly I’m unable to test the legend that if a betrothed couple walk up the stairs silently together and count the same number of steps, their love will last forever.

Against a backdrop of buzzing cicadas, the wat’s hilltop complex echoes with the clanging of bells – rung for good luck – that surround the ornate golden-roofed main temple.

Back at sea-level, the old town is small enough to walk around, but for journeys further afield, you’ve got to try Chiang Mai’s unique method of transport – the bright red ‘songthaew’ trucks that seat about 10 across two rows.

Above:  Chiang Mai’s unique method of transport – the bright red ‘songthaew’ trucks.

Flag one down and, if it’s already got passengers, see if they’re going in the right direction, then barter until you’re happy with the price. Most journeys shouldn’t cost more than 20 baht per person (less than 50p).

Thailand’s famous tuktuks are slightly more expensive, but careering wildly through the streets on these surprisingly speedy three-wheelers is a whole lot of fun and should be experienced at least once.

It’s a tuktuk that delivers me to a bend on the Ping river, where the city’s best nightlife is said to be found.

The Good View and Riverside bars are where young Chiang Maians head to let off steam and sink a few Chang beers while dancing to live music, but for something a little more sedate, Deck 1 offers cocktails on a pretty terrace overlooking the river.

For late-night eats, you’re never far from a street-side vendor, and you may be relieved to learn that northern provincial food tends to be a little less spicy than other regions.

But, as with everything in this vibrant city, it’s no less flavoursome.

Above:  The old town is small enough to walk around.

Source: home.bt.com

The Thai Railway Authorities announced that they have purchased new train carriages for the train lines that run between Bangkok and some the provinces, including Chiang Mai, Ubon, Nong Khai and Hat Yai.

State Railway of Thailand has ordered 115 new carriages and will receive the first 13 next Monday, these trains will serve as special express trains the run from Bangkok, but don’t expect to be able to ride in them until 2017, when the track upgrades needed to support the extra carriages are complete, according to Wutthichart Kalayanamit, governor of State Railway of Thailand.

With the addition of the new carriages, expect the journies to be faster and add more departure times. The authorities expect the new carriages to help cut train journeys by as much as three hours since there will now be two trains going in each direction on every route every day.

The carriages were purchased from CNR (China CNR Corporation Limited). The first delivery is one first-class aircon seating and sleeper car, 10 second-class aircon seating and sleeper cars, one aircon buffet car and one electric power car. The final delivery should be made by November, leaving plenty of time to go into operation next year.

With the additional new cars, expect renewed interest in riding the rails. The reasons that many people currently opt for low-cost flights or bus journeys over train trips is because many of the current carriages are old and in disrepair, they are also often out of service.

The officials expect the new trains will serve over one billion passengers per year, and netted the organization THB1.25 billion in revenue.

Source:Coconuts BKK

Above:  The luxury condo market stay healthy in 2015.

While the luxury condo market stay healthy in 2015, the midtown and suburban segment faces peak supply completion, a wobbly economy, high personal debt and weaker spending power.

Actor Louis Koo appeared in seven movies in 2014 and was ranked the highest-paid celebrity in Hong Kong in 2014, with a reported income of HK$300 million ($52.2 million). The 44-year-old movie star topped a different chart — of the record-smashing kind — in Bangkok 2014 when he paid close to THB470,000 psm ($1,819 psf) for a 503 sq m (5,414 sq ft) penthouse at upscale condominium 185 Rajadamri. The price translates into THB236.4 million (HK$54.2 million or $9.4 million) for the penthouse with 270-degree views of Lumpini Park, Bangkok’s version of Central Park. It was the highest in terms of price psm achieved in Bangkok so far.

Above: Actor Louis Koo paid close to THB470,000 psm ($1,819 psf) for a 503 sq m (5,414 sq ft) penthouse at upscale condominium 185 Rajadamri.

There is an even bigger penthouse that is still available. Measuring 782.75 sq m (about 8,426 sq ft), it has five en suite bedrooms, two kitchens, a big column-free living and dining area, a 12m infinity lap pool, sauna room and indoor- outdoor entertainment area. The developer declined to disclose its price tag, saying “it’s upon request”.

Typical units at 185 Rajadamri range from 1,164 sq ft, two-bedroom apartments to four-bedroom duplexes of 3,751 sq ft. Prices start from THB40.4 million for a 1,361 sq ft two-bedroom unit to THB118.4 million for a four-bedroom duplex, according to its price list. Completed in 1Q2014, only 24 of the 265 units in the freehold luxury condo remain unsold.

When the project was launched in 2010, prices averaged THB220,000 psm; today, resale prices are THB310,000, says CBRE Global Research in a report.

Above:  185 Rajadamri was one of five properties that saw prices cross THB300,000 psm in 2014.

Developed by listed Thai property group, Raimon Land, 185 Rajadamri was one of five properties that saw prices cross THB300,000 psm in 2014. The other four condos were The Sukhothai Residences, located next to the Sukhothai Hotel by HKR International (the developer of Singapore’s Beaufort on Nassim and the former owner of Beaufort Hotel in Sentosa); Major Development’s Marque Sukhumvit 39; The Ritz Carlton Residences, which will be part of a mixed-use scheme in the 77-storey skyscraper MahaNakhon; and Magnolias Waterfront Residences at IconSiam by developer Magnolia Quality Development Corp.

These prices were not achieved for penthouses but larger condo units of all types, including a one-bedroom unit of more than 50 sq m (538 sq ft), points out James Pitchon, executive director and head of CBRE Research and Consulting, Thailand.

Two other luxury condos were launched in 2015 at an average price of THB300,000 psm. One was Pace Development Corp’s Nimit Langsuan, a 187-unit, 53-storey freehold condo tower located on Langsuan Road in Central Lumpini. Launched in 1Q2015, it has two- to four-bedroom apartments measuring 78 to 617 sq m, with prices ranging from THB25 million to THB250 million. The project is 95% sold.

Above: The Ritz Carlton Residences, which will be part of a mixed-use scheme in the 77-storey skyscraper MahaNakhon

The other was Country Group Development PCL’s Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River. The number of units sold was not disclosed, although the average price achieved was said to be THB300,000 psm. The project sits on a waterfront site leased from the Thai monarchy’s Crown Property Bureau on a 25-year lease, with two 25-year lease extensions thereafter.The starting prices of newly launched condo projects in the most prime downtown locations in 2015 are around THB200,000 to THB300,000 psm.

Source: The Edge Property

Above: The Tourism Authority of Thailand and China’s Baidu aim to boost “quality” tourists from China and improve tourism.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand and China’s Baidu aim to boost “quality” tourists from China and improve tourism earnings by 35.4 per cent to Bt509 billion this year.

TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn said yesterday that the authority aimed to restructure the market by expanding to high-end tourists from various cities of China including Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chongqing and Chengdu.

This collaboration will allow TAT to reach this target group directly and rapidly.

“Through this effort with Baidu, Chinese tourists will have a wealth of information even before their departure and can always find more information upon their arrival in Thailand,” he said.

Above: TAT and Baidu will publish tourism products and services information for tourists.

Hu Yong, general manager for global business of Baidu, said the agreement signed yesterday would help stimulate tourism in Thailand even further and also support systematic, accurate and quality information for Chinese tourists.

“This elevates the relationship of our two countries to the next level,” he said.

It paves the way for the two nations to enhance communication channels online to promote tourism to the people of China.

“TAT and Baidu will publish tourism products and services information for tourists to [plan] their trips seamlessly, encompassing destinations and tourism products,” Yuthasak said.

Above: TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn said the authority aimed to restructure the market by expanding to high-end tourists from various cities of China.

Baidu is ready to support and share information beneficial to Thailand, such as the trends of Chinese tourists. This will help the efforts to adapt and innovate tourism strategies in the future, he said.

The Chinese company also offers Baidu Maps, a modern mapping-service technology that helps Chinese people experience travel abroad. The locations of tourist attractions, restaurants, products and services in Thailand are now easily accessible via Baidu Maps, which counts more than 500 million users.

Baidu Maps is another channel for Thai businesses can use to reach a wider Chinese audience.

Baidu is a leading provider of Chinese search engines as well as a developer of various applications to enhance online searches.

It also provides an array of platforms for businesses in various fields. There are an estimated 10 billion searches per day.

TAT and Baidu will work together on the “Amazing Romance in Thailand” project for next month by compiling information on locations related to love and romance, such as 100 love-confession spots, 100 honeymoon places and 100 wedding destinations.

Above: Information on the shops and businesses participating in the project and the privileges for women tourists will be provided throughout August.

For the “Women’s Journey” project, there will be a push notification on Baidu Maps, welcoming Chinese tourists to Thailand.

Information on the shops and businesses participating in the project and the privileges for women tourists will be provided throughout August.

They will also cooperate on promoting a “Smart Guide” project containing information about key tourist attractions in audio form as well as a video with “Tips for a Happy Holiday in Thailand”.

Source: The Nation