普吉大力发展旅游业 游客见长20%

普吉大力发展旅游业 游客见长20%

近年来，「泰国游」在中国的日益火爆也带动了普吉旅游的迅速腾飞，普吉府府尹迈迪表示，目前当地正在大力整顿旅游市场、完善基础设施建设并丰富旅游资源，以期为游客们带来更为多样化的旅游体验。  

迈迪表示，从去年10月至今年8月，普吉国际机场外国游客到港人数达到了1010万人次​​，较去年同期增长20%，其中中国市场的表现最为抢眼。去年共计65万人次中国游客到访普吉，今年这一数字预计将飙升至100万人次，中国已成为普吉最大的旅游客源国之一。  

迈迪透露，为了更好地接纳外国游客、尤其是越来越多的中国游客，普吉府正在对普吉国际机场进行扩建，新的国际航站楼预计将于2015年5月正式落成。届时，登机口将从现有的15个增加至25个，停车场车位也将从500个增至1500个，国际航站楼还将为包机乘客开设快速通道。  

作为普吉的支柱性产业，旅游业是当地经济发展的引擎和就业岗位的主要来源。自从去年10月上任以来，迈迪致力于以生态旅游的理念打造普吉的绿色城市形象，重点推介高尔夫、水疗等旅游项目。  

针对外国人在普吉旅游时遇到的种种问题，如遭遇诈骗、财物被盗、浮潜或游泳时溺水等，迈迪表示，普吉府正在大力整顿当地的旅游行业市场，建立严格的规范措施，查处取缔「黑车」「黑导游」，并在游客密集区域部署救生员和执法队伍等，以保障游客的合法权益和生命财产​​安全。  

除旅游外，普吉府近年来还不断拓展与中国有关方面在文化、教育、经贸等领域的合作。迈迪说，目前普吉已经与青岛、遂宁、烟台、海口和西安签署了合作备忘录并建立友好城市关系，与澳门和厦门达成了合作意向。他表示，泰中友好关系源远流长，由于历史上大量华人移居普吉，「泰中一家亲」的观念在当地尤为深入人心，普吉期待与中国有关方面在更多的领域开展合作。

～以上新闻转载自世界日报～

泰国持续降雨 15处古迹被淹

泰国持续降雨 15处古迹被淹

艺术厅长阿涅昨天（25日）表示，据艺术办事处最新的报告显示，由于受到连续数日的降雨影响，该厅发现全国已有15处重要文化古迹被洪水侵蚀，其中包括大城府的文化古迹遗址。为了保护大城府古迹不再受到影响，该厅正在紧急准备5万个沙袋，以在古迹周边筑起沙袋墙，并安排20台抽水设备随时准备抽水。  

阿涅指出，针对全国被淹的文化古迹遗址，该厅已下令相关负责人尽快展开抽水，并紧急筑起沙袋墙，防止洪水入侵。虽然目前有15处遗址被淹，但相关报告指出还没有对古迹造成太大影响。无论如何，政府部门和民众都对未来2天的降雨天气将会导致途径大城府的湄南河水位上涨，进而给文化古迹带来威胁，而该厅已经采取了一系列保护措施。  

阿涅还表示，初步措施包括准备5万个沙袋、20台抽水机，并下令大城府第3艺术办事处安排负责人24小时密切关注气候变化和湄南河水势情况，并及时汇报。无论如何，负责人目前正在加紧制造沙袋，并将顺着湄南河边在古迹周围筑起沙袋，例如猜哇他纳兰佛寺、探玛兰佛寺等。

～以上新闻转载自世界日报～

24 provinces under grip of floods

24 provinces under grip of floods



Northeast, East brace for tropical depression approaching from Vietnam

The Royal Irrigation Department is keeping a close eye on the impact of the upcoming tropical depression from Vietnam, which might affect several provinces in Thailand's Northeast and Eastern regions

Ubon Ratchatani, Si Sa Ket, Surin and Prachin Buri would likely be affected by the upcoming depression. These areas are already severely hit by floods, the department's deputy director-general Suthep Noipairoj said yesterday.

He expressed concerns about the flood situation in Prachin Buri as the Pasak Chonlasit Dam is now nearly full and needed to discharge some volume of water before the new tropical depression arrived.

To date, the volume of water in Pasak Chonlasit Dam was 785 million cubic metres while the full capacity of the dam was 960 million cubic metres.

"We have to discharge about 8.9 million cubic metres per day from the dam to prepare for the upcoming depression," he said.

Meanwhile, Chao Phraya River should drain water at 2,300 cubic metres per second, which exceeds its capacity of 2,195 cubic metres per second.

Suthep explained that the department would drain the excess amount of water into the fields on the western and eastern banks of Chao Phraya River.

However, he explained that most of the flood-affected areas were located along the river and waterway and that is why they were at risk from the adverse impact of the flooding.

Floods have already affected more than 2.1 million people this month and ravaged more than 1.14 million rai of farmland.

Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department director-general Chatchai Phromlert said yesterday that floodwater had also damaged 2,310 roads, 6,900 houses and 145 bridges. "Of the 29 flood-hit provinces, the situation in just five has returned to normal as of today," he said.

Still under water are Surin, Si Sa Ket, Ubon Ratchathani, Buri Ram, Amnat Charoen, Chaiyaphum, Yasothon, Mukdahan, Phitsanulok, Phichit, Kamphaeng Phet, Phetchabun, Nakhon Sawan, Uthai Thani, Lop Buri, Saraburi, Chainat, Prachin Buri, Sa Kaew, Nakhon Nayok, Chachoengsao, Ayutthaya, Angthong and Suphan Buri.

Many of these provinces are heavily flooded. The worst-hit spots in Chaiyaphum are about 2.8 metres under water.

In Buri Ram, floodwater levels have soared above three metres in Krasang district, marooning more than 200 families. Officials are making desperate efforts to get relief items to these victims.

Working alongside local administrative bodies, the department has mobilised thousands of volunteers to deliver assistance. More than 1,500 boats have been dispatched to reach the victims. Not all, however, are happy with the authorities' response.

Anong Thongsri, a 46-year-old resident in Prachin Buri's flooded Kabin Buri district, lamented that assistance efforts had failed to reach all those affected. "The floodwater level is also rising," she said.

Department of Religious Affairs chief Preecha Gunteeya said, meanwhile, that 295 temples in 12 provinces were flooded, affecting 2,014 monks.

The Government Housing Bank has offered a debt moratorium for flood-hit customers, whose loan repayments will be suspended for up to nine months depending on the severity of their situation. During that period, no interest will be charged on the loans.

Should flooding damage the whole house of a loan recipient, the bank will write off all outstanding debt on the house, leaving just the debt from the land purchase to pay.

Flood-hit loan recipients can contact the bank for help at (02) 645 9000.

~News courtesy of The Nation~

Wat Arun stupa to be closed for three years

Wat Arun stupa to be closed for three years



The world-famous Temple of Dawn stupa, known locally as Phra Prang Wat Arun, will be closed for three years starting from next Tuesday to undergo repairs and renovation along with other structures in the temple compound, a deputy abbot said yesterday.

This will be the biggest repair and renovation work on the stupa in the last 14 years. In the past, even while large-scale work was being done, the stupa used to remain open to tourists, said Phra Sakkaya Puttiyawong. The temple is asking the Tourism Authority of Thailand to build a four-metre replica of the stupa for tourists to visit during the three-year closure, he added.

The original tiles covering the 81.85-metre-high stupa, which were set aside during the 1999 renovation, will be used this time. The Department of Fine Arts will carry out the repairs and renovation. They will also carry out an underground exploration of the stupa's foundation to determine its condition, the monk said.

A new model of scaffolding will be erected along the stupa, which will not touch the monument, and thus avoid causing damage, the monk said. The work will be divided into three phases: in 2013 it will cover the southwest and northwest sides of the Phra Prang stupa and also the smaller stupa on the south and west; in 2014-15, work will cover the southeast and northeast of the Phra Prang stupa, and the smaller stupa on the east and north.

Signs will be erected at the site to warn tourists of possible accidents during the closure. Tourists will be allowed to see the stupa from a distance during the three-year period. The stupa will be closed at the auspicious time of 3pm next Tuesday, after a blessing and opening ceremonies for commencement of the work. Somdej Phra Maha Ratcha Mangkhalajarn, the abbot of Wat Paknam Phasi Charoen who is also acting His Holiness the Supreme Patriarch, will preside over both ceremonies.

~News courtesy of The Nation~

北线铁路16日起停运1个半月

北线铁路16日起停运1个半月

泰国铁路局局长巴帕昨天（6日）表示，近期内铁路交通不断出现事故，特别是北线铁路，而最近的一次意外事故就发生在昨天晚上，帕府火车出现脱轨。每一次事故后的原因检查都显示是因为铁轨陈旧所致。因此，有必要要尽快进行铁路维修和完善，原来的计画是从今年11月起关闭长达300公里的北线希拉安-清迈铁路，直至明年8月。但为避免再次发生意外事故，影响民众对铁路交通的信心，铁路局经过与承包商协商后决定将计画提前，改从本月16日起修复铁路，相信可以在10月31日前完工。  

巴帕表示，在修复工作结束后，铁路局将采取相关措施减少铁路交通意外事故发生率直至零。至于本次铁路修复工作，初步将针对希拉安-清迈铁路线的所有铁路进行常规修复，特别是曲线铁路、部分铁轨陈旧和铁轨承接石不紧密的铁路。同时还将维修4条隧道内铁路，包括隧道内铁路长达1公里的最长隧道坤丹，预计隧道铁路维修时间将在15-20天以内。  

至于关闭北线铁路维修给乘客带来的影响问题，铁路局预计，在维修期间每天将有2000名乘客受到影响，希拉安-清迈铁路线每天约有5趟快车提供服务。对此，铁路局已经与运输有限公司进行协商，针对希拉安-清迈线开通空调巴士。当乘客在购买希拉安-清迈火车票时，无需再购买巴士的车票，就可以按照工作人员的安排坐上巴士前往目的地。  

巴帕还指出，本次北线希拉安-清迈铁路线维修工作将使用28亿铢的预算资金，该预算属于700亿铢全国维修预算。

～以上新闻转载自世界日报～

Flights face delays

Flights face delays



PASSENGERS FLYING out of Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok can expect inconvenience and delays until a runway damaged by a crash landing by a THAI flight late on Sunday night is opened again tomorrow (Wed). Work is now being done to salvage the damaged plane and repair the runway pavement.

In a statement early yesterday, Thai Airways president Sorajak Kasemsuwan said the landing seemed to be routine until pilots detected a fault in the landing gear, before the aircraft skidded to the right.

"Initially it was probably the front landing gear that broke, but a further investigation is needed to find out the cause," he said. The engine having problem did not catch fire, but only caused sparkling.

In a detailed statement later, Sorajak said the incident was beyond the pilots' capacity to control. The plane, which is 18 years old, underwent a full inspection and routine maintenance before the flight began. It had had an overhaul in April, while the pilots had 14 years of experience.

He apologised to passengers on board the flight and to people who were inconvenienced.

The worst injury sustained by a passenger, a Chinese national, was a broken wrist, he said.

Sorajak said he visited all four passengers at two hospitals and that their treatment costs would be covered by THAI. The Chinese passenger with a broken wrist would be given a free air ticket back to China, and expenses if he returns to Thailand for a possible future trip, as his trip was spoiled because of the accident and injury.

Sorajak said black paint was put on the THAI logo at the back of the plane to cover it, as part of accident procedure. And certain cabin crew left the aircraft before passengers to prepare cushion ladders on the ground, as part of standard safety procedure - not to escape, as claimed in passengers' complaints that circulated on social media.

THAI later said passengers in economy class would be given US$100 (Bt3,219) for delays in delivering their luggage, and those in business class would get $200.

Sorajak said injured passengers would be compensated while all 288 onboard would possibly get an extra payout to make up for the inconvenience. All luggage would be given to them at their hotels or accommodation where they are staying, and belongings left in the cabin were being retrieved, with policemen present as witnesses to ensure nothing went missing or was stolen.

Airports of Thailand (AOT) president Sita Divari said around 200 flights would face delays during the 48 hours that Runway 19 L was closed, while the Airbus 330-300 is salvaged.

Meanwhile, the five-hour job to repair the runway would cost around Bt1 million. That would be paid by THAI, and the work done at the same time.

Sita said all airlines had been informed of an AOT offer that they could switch to use Don Mueang as an alternative airport during this time, but none wished to do so.

The crash of flight TG679 caused delays to 99 airborne flights waiting to land for an average of 15 minutes while delaying 106 departing flights, for an average 30 minutes, from the time of accident at 11.20pm on Sunday night till 1.30pm yesterday afternoon.

~News courtesy of The Nation~

Ubon Candle Festival

Laughing-gas balloons not so funny

Laughing-gas balloons not so funny



Tourists at Khao San Road, Bangkok

The widespread use of illegal balloons containing laughing gas among tourists at entertainment venues has prompted police in Bangkok's Chanasongkram Police Station to crack down on vendors selling these balloons on Khao San Road.

Sale of balloons filled with nitrous oxide gas, also known as laughing gas, is illegal. However, vendors on khao san Road - Bangkok's famous tourist street - are still selling this balloon to tourists. Some of them have set up stands along the street, luring tourists to pay Bt100 to Bt150 for each piece. The cost of a balloon containing laughing gas is only Bt20.

"After we started arresting these balloon vendors in khao san Road, in the past few days, they have changed their tactics to sell these balloons," Police Lt-Colonel Pitiphan Krissadakorn na Ayuthaya of Chanasongkarm Police Station said.

Previously, the police in Chon Buri province's Pattaya district had also arrested the vendors for selling the laughing-gas balloons.

Police found that most of the vendors had hidden the gas containers under their pushcarts. Tourists must ask the vendor to make the laughing-gas balloon for them. The vendors spend about 15 minutes to inflate each balloon. "Vendors who illegally sell these balloons would face one-year jail and a fine of Bt10,000 as punishment," he said.

Tourists have been warned to not buy these balloons as the colourless and non-inflammable nitrous-oxide gas can cause severe symptoms for inhalers and some might even become unconscious if there is an overdose. Nitrous oxide is used in surgery and dentistry for its anaesthetic and analgesic effects.

Police Lt-Colonel Nathakon Kumsap, a deputy commander of Chanasongkram Police Station, said he would ask the Food and Drug Administration to give more details about the legal procedures against the wrongdoers as nitrous oxide is recognised as a forbidden substance, not a drug.

~News courtesy of The Nation~

Move to ease BKK's pedestrian traffic

Move to ease BKK's pedestrian traffic



A CentralWorld security guard in front of the shopping complex. Public space in front of the mall is now dominated by street vendors and vehicles.

The footpath and pedestrian flyover bridge in front of CentralWorld would be the next target of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, which is attempting to make Bangkok nicer to local dwellers and foreign visitors.

Police Major General Wichai Sangprapai, an advisor to BMA, said that BMA will call an internal meeting this week to work out a pedestrian traffic management plan for the area in front of CentralWorld.

To attend the meeting are officials from Pathumwan District and over 70 vendors.

He said that BMA has received complaints from pedestrians who cannot make way through a number of street vendors and vehicles. While vendors fill up the footpath area with their stalls, taxi and other vehicles also block public buses from entering the bus stop, leading to heavy traffic congestion. Some vendors also sell their products over the flyover bridge linking both sides of Rajadamri Road.

"The area is a major business area, which draws a large number of Thai and foreign visitors," he said.

BMA has recently come up with the management plan for the Bo Bae market. All 900 vendors are now allowed to put up their stalls at only one side of the road, during 8am-3pm and during 8pm-4am, for the convenience of pedestrians. Before, all stalls are put up on both sides, without any time limits.

~News courtesy of The Nation~

Northern train derailment 11th in nine months

Northern train derailment 11th in nine months

Chiang Mai-Bangkok train services resumed at 5am Monday after officials salvaged a Bangkok-bound train that derailed in Lampang's Mae Mo district last night but without injury to its 192 passengers.

This was the 11th northern train derailment in the past nine months. The 11-bogy train had just left Chiang Mai at 5pm when its engines two front wheels were jumped the tracks.

Officials pulled the engine clear for repairs at the nearby Pang Puay Train StationState Railway of Thailand (SRT)’s northern centre head Somchai Kongchuensin said the derailment occurred on an uphill narrow curve that required the driver to run at 20 kilometres an hour before picking up speed.

Acting Chiang Mai Train Station head Weerayuth Sawangdee said SRT had planned to close a section of the railway from Sila-ard Station to Khun Tan Station in Lampang for repairs for 15 days.

~News courtesy of The Nation~