Bridging Bangkok and Nay Pyi Taw

Bridging Bangkok and Nay Pyi Taw



It will soon be possible to travel directly from Bangkok and Nay Pyi Taw with AirAsia introducing a daily flight between the two capitals from October 28.

The new scheduled flight was confirmed by Tony Fernandes, Group CEO of AirAsia, during the World Economic Forum on East Asia 2013 in Myanmar. The new service, which the airline claims will make ASEAN more accessible, is in answer to the high demand for Myanmar travel. The flight schedule will be released at a later date. Visit www.airasia.com.

~News courtesy of The Nation~

Carved in wax

Carved in wax



Ubon Ratchathani marks the start of the Buddhist Lent retreat with its annual Candle Festival.

The month-long festive event, which this year is on the theme "Isaan Art and Culture", brings the finest arts of Isaan to Ubon Ratchathani's public park. The international wax carving competition also adds a foreign shade to the local colour palette, with many international artists showing off their artistic skills. The highlight is on July 22, when more than 100,000 devotees will join a procession of carved candles on floats. A sightseeing tour of the eight candle-making communities is a must.

~News courtesy of The Nation~

迎守夏节 东芭乐园铸造蜡烛

迎守夏节 东芭乐园铸造蜡烛

春武里府芭堤雅东芭乐园主任甘攀昨天（11日）主持「守夏节9天9寺9蜡烛铸造」活动开幕仪式，该活动将持续到本月19日，还让9头大象参与了该活动。  

甘攀表示，守夏节铸造蜡烛是佛家的重要风俗，东芭乐园对此也十分重视。由于守夏节3个月内，僧人都只能在寺庙做活动，肯定会需要大量蜡烛，为宣导佛家精神，传承佛家文化，东芭乐园特地举办这次活动，并出动9头大象，共同铸造蜡烛。  

他还说，这次活动吸引了不少国内外游客的注意，东芭乐园也欢迎游客们共同参与铸造蜡烛活动，在蜡烛铸造成功后将会把蜡烛分送到当地的9个寺庙。

～以上新闻转载自世界日报～

红毛丹之季 素叻他尼22日登场

红毛丹之季 素叻他尼22日登场

素叻他尼府【Surat Thani】班纳汕县县长嘎伦昨天（12日）表示，该县与各相关部门与本月22日至下月2日举办年度「红毛丹之季」活动，主要宣导该府的农产品，尤其是红毛丹学校的水果，为果园主打气，同时还为促进当地的旅游业发展。  

活动内容包括展销当地水果、OTOP产品、农业产品竞赛、红毛丹果园观光、红毛丹花车游行、吃红毛丹大赛、红毛丹果园自行车比赛等。嘎伦表示，该县生产的水果质量保证，一向深受国内外消费者的喜爱。本次活动除了宣导当地丰富的水果种类外，还为促进当地旅游业的发展，带动资金循环流通，同时将当地的文化、艺术、风俗宣传出去。  

他还说，每年举办该活动都会吸引很多国内外游客前来参加，为此该县也会准备好各种便利设施以迎接前来观光的游客，包括饮食、酒店、安全设施等，让游客玩的开心。

～以上新闻转载自世界日报～

Bun stall 包子摊贩

Coral reefs in severe state of degradation

Coral reefs in severe state of degradation

Coral reefs at a popular marine national park, which covers the famous Phi Phi Island, have reached a severe level of degradation due to bleaching, a survey revealed.



"Bleaching has affected up to 70 per cent of the coral reefs around Hat Noppharat Thara-Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park. Of the affected corals, 47.52 per cent have died," a senior government official disclosed at an academic seminar yesterday.

Songtam Suksawang, who heads the National Parks and Protected Area Innovation Institute, described the situation as "worrying".

His institute conducted the survey between 2009 and 2013 across seven marine national parks and works under the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), which hosted the seminar.

The state of the coral reefs at Mu Koh Lanta National Park is even worse, with up to 80 per cent of them in a bad state. "Now, only 17 per cent of the corals are alive," Songtam said.

The survey also revealed that the size of living corals along Mu Koh Surin National Park had shrunk by 70 to 90 per cent, while those along Mu Koh Similan National Park had shrunk by about 40 to 50 per cent.

At the Moo Koh Chumphon National Park, about 70 to 80 per cent of the staghorn coral that were seeded as an experiment have also died from bleaching.

Coral bleaching emerged as a serious threat to Thailand's marine resources around 2010 and 2011, prompting the DNP to shut down at least 10 diving sites to prevent further damage.

Songtam said there were signs that reefs in previously shut down diving spots such as Hin Klang at Hat Noppharat Thara - Mu Ko Phi Phi National Park had recovered satisfactorily.

"Now, we plan to propose that the number of tourists is limited at each spot," he said.

He also suggested that clear diving tracks be built to ensure that divers do not get too close to the coral reefs and cause damage.

Meanwhile, DNP chief Manopas Hua-mueangkaeo said the number of visitors to national parks had risen by 8.2 per cent last year, and this year, the DNP plans to open marine national parks to tourists from October 15.

~News courtesy of The Nation~

清迈动物园白豪猪添丁

清迈动物园白豪猪添丁

清迈夜间野生动物园主任萨挽昨天（10日）透露，该动物园又添了2只白豪猪（见下图），这是白豪猪的第5次生育，截至目前为止动物园内共有7只新生白豪猪。  

萨挽说，该两只小豪猪是上月4日出生，目前还在母亲温暖的怀抱中，并将会在不久的将来与游客见面。这两只新生的小豪猪与他的兄弟姐妹一样，有着非洲白豪猪的特性。  

非洲白豪猪，其全身刺为白色，眼睛红色，体长24-33寸，体重13-27公斤，是哺乳动物，能够游泳，一般是晚上出去觅食。每次生育1-2只，怀孕期为66天。白豪猪一般生长在非洲和义大利。  

一般人认为，豪猪的刺具有攻击性，因为非常坚硬。其实，豪猪一般只会在受到共攻击时才将刺竖起来，起到自卫作用，豪猪是不会主动去进攻别人的。

～以上新闻转载自世界日报～