Stories tagged with samui
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Bangkok Airways to Offer Web Check In
In order to improve the quality of its services to passengers and ensure a smooth experience all-around, Bangkok Airways will be launching a Web-based service for flight check-in service this July.
Ping Na Thalang, vice president of Bangkok Airways' Information Systems Department commented that the company would provide the Web service to passengers who are not travelling with checked baggage.
These passengers will be able to print their boarding passes from their computer, without having to stop at the airport check-in counters.
Na Thalang said further that passengers can take advantage of the new service by logging on to the carrier’s website at bangkokairways.com. Once they have accessed the site, they can purchase e-tickets, select their seats and then check-in and print out their boarding pass from their home computer. The boarding pass that is printed contains a readable barcode. The Web check-in option is available beginning 48 hours before the time of a flight’s departure.
The airline is planning to initially launch the service for customers that are travelling from Koh Samui to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, before expanding to cover 23 additional destinations. In the future, the airline is also planning to provide the check-in service through smartphones.
Posted by: Andrew on 30 Jun 2008, 21:00 -
Koh Samui Regatta to Feature all Major Players
All major players in Asia’s racing class circuit are headed to the Gulf of Thailand for Koh Samui’s seventh annual regatta, in a last-ditch effort to win a major event before the end of the 2007-2008 season.
After his convincing win last year, Bill Bremner decided to get a bigger boat and is returning this year with the TP52 Foxy Lady IV. He’s expecting to be raising the Waterford Crystal KSR perpetual bowl after this year’s race, as he did after he won last year. Since his impressing showing in the final race of the 2006-07 season, Frank Pong with his 75ft R/P Jelik reign as the AsianYachting Champions. He’s also determined to add another trophy to his ever-expanding display cabinet. Another major competitor, Ray Roberts and Quantum Racing, has already won the AY Skipper and Boat of the Year for 2007-2008, but says that there’s still the ‘KSR bragging rights’ to compete for.
There are others out there with their eyes on the trophy. Chris Mead’s Corby 43 Full Metal Jacket, the Kinmonth / Burns Mills 51 Mandrake, Neil Pryde's Welbourne 52 Hi-Fi and Sam Chan's Ffreefire 52 will all be pushing their way to trophies as well. Competition from newcomers will include Ben Copley's Club Swan 42 Katsu, which debuted Langkawi Regatta’s earlier this year, and Matt Allen’s Beneteau 44.7 Ichi Ban, coming to Koh Samui from a recent victory in the Maktoum Cup in Dubai.
The Samui Regatta is about more than the Grand Prix yachts – there are loads of Racer-Cruisers, Multi-hulls and Sportsboats already anchored off the beach at Chaweng. Regatta organisers are grateful for those who travel thousands of miles to watch or compete, and contribute to this being such a friendly and relaxed event. Falling in late June, the Koh Samui Regatta marks the end of the annual sailing calendar, but south-east Asia is fortunate in having a sailing season that continues throughout the year. July bring Phuket’s Race Week and the start of the next season.
Posted by: Andrew on 27 Jun 2008, 21:42 -
Compensation Paid After Samui Holiday Rained Out
A couple is reimbursed 20,000 kronor because of bad weather while on holiday in Thailand.
“It is good to ARN (The Swedish Consumer Watchdog) exist and can make an impartial judgement”, the disappointed tourists said to The Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter.
The couple had complained to ARN about the poor service they had received from ‘Select Travel,’ as their trip to Bhutan and Thailand had failed to meet their expectations.
The couple’s holiday took place in October of 2007, when they travelled first to Bangkok and then on to Bhutan. Afterwards, they wanted to spend time in a sunny location by the sea.
’Select Travel’ booked them into a hotel on Koh Samui. By the time they arrived, the rainy season had been underway for over a week. Streets were flooded and the door at the front of the hotel had a row of sandbags in front of it. They were told by hotel staff that the weather forecast was for another five days of rain and wind.
“It is good that the matter is solved. Now we know that we have a responsibility for how the weather is. This means that we will be very careful when we talk about the weather with the customer,” said the CEO of Select Travel, Leija Graf.
The travel company, which organises exclusive holidays, will now be referring their customers to an online weather site, where they can research the weather conditions at their holiday destination.
Posted by: Andrew on 20 Jun 2008, 10:51 -
X2 Resort Opens on Koh Samui
X2 Resorts, the first designer resort chain in Thailand is preparing to unveil its latest X2-brand resort on 15 June 2008, on Koh Samui. The third-largest of Thailand’s islands, Koh Samui is one of the most popular beach destinations in the country, is becoming more popular each year with tourists seeking luxurious resorts. Located on the south-east coast of the island, on the peaceful 100 metre stretch of private beachfront along Hua Thanon Beach, the X2 Resort overlooks the Gulf of Thailand amid a stand of 50 year-old trees. The new resort occupies over 20,000 square metres of land, and comprises 27 villas, each uniquely designed and ranging in size from 110 to 225 square metres. Each villa also features a pool of approximately 30 square metres.
X2 Samui will feature a popular X2 Spa, a branded bar and restaurant and an outdoor massage pavilion, where visitors can enjoy both traditional Thai massage and spa treatments. Astudo CEO Anthony McDonald stated that X2 Samui is a unique resort for Samui. “It is the kind of resort that guests do not want to leave. The service is of course 5-star and the private villas are a sublime relaxing oasis. The peaceful and spacious atmosphere of the resort provides a feeling akin to a 21st century temple experience alike.” X2 Resorts successfully opened X2 Kui Buri in 2007.Posted by: Andrew on 13 Jun 2008, 20:00 -
2008 Regatta on in Samui
2008 marks the seventh year of the successful Ko Samui Regatta, and all of Asia’s racing class players have made the journey to Thailand for the competition. After his win last year, Bill Bremner makes his return to the competition with a bigger boat to heighten his chances of holding the Ko Samui Crystal Bowl for the second year in a row. He will face stiff competition from the current AsianYachting Champion Frank Pong, who are as eager to add one more accolade to their credits as the yachting season comes to a close.
Another competitor who isn’t fooling around this year is Ray Roberts, who has already won the AY Skipper and boat of the year awards fro 2007-08, but the prestige of winning the Ko Samui Regatta has still eluded him.
This year marks the first time that a junior competition will be held, with the first Samui Junior Sailing Squadron Challenge. Aside form the racing, there are a host of special events on shore as well, amking the Ko Samui Regatta an experience that everyone, not just salty old sea dogs, can enjoy.
Posted by: DaveB on 04 Jun 2008, 19:42 -
Chaweng resort offers online reservations
One of Ko Samui’s most popular beach resorts, BB Chaweng Beach Resort has announced that it will launch a new and improved system where guests can book their rooms online. The new system implemented on bbchawengbeachresort.com offers an easier interface for guests to choose and reserve their rooms at the resort, while claiming better rates are available through this process.
14 days of real-time availability are shown on the site, which gives customers the utmost in information when making a choice. A 10 percent deposit payable with a major credit card secures the booking, and will be deducted from the total room charge at the end of the guest’s stay.
The booking is confirmed instantly by email, and the transactions are said to be entirely secure thanks to the WorldPay technology, whose 128-bit encryption ensures no third parties will have access to the customer’s credit card information.
Posted by: DaveB on 03 Jun 2008, 19:40 -
Thailand now considered more dangerous
In the annual Global Peace Index survey, Thailand slipped from the 105th position to the 118th as far as the safest countries in the region go. The handful of foreigners that have been raped in the last years, the latest case ending in the murder of a Scandinavian tourist, have made many would-be visitors think twice about a trip to the islands of Thailand.
Of the 24 criteria in the survey, Thailand was rock bottom in four categories, such as political instability, potential for terrorist attacks, levels of violent crime and respect for human rights. Only Burma scored lower than Thailand in these areas, with the survey covering the countries featured in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
''The world appears to be marginally more peaceful this year. This is encouraging, but it takes small steps by individual countries for the world to make greater strides on the road to peace,? says the founder of the travel index Steve Killelea.
Posted by: DaveB on 27 May 2008, 20:22 -
Samui leads Thai property growth
The Thai government has made no secret that it has big plans for developing the country’s island resort destinations. The foreign investment in Thailand has fueled the economy, which has seen an increase of almost 6 percent compared to last year. The government has said publicly that it plans to push for private investment in the country, which is giving most of the benefits to the huge development plans currently underway on the islands of Koh Samui and Koh Phangan.
"Continued growth in Asia is excellent news for property investment in Thailand, especially in the emerging markets of Thailand's islands of Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, where growth is primarily fuelled by spiraling regional tourism. Property prices in Koh Samui, an island with more five and six star resorts than any other in the world, grew by 50% per year, in 2006 and 2007,? said IIF head of international research Liam Bailey.
He expected that Koh Phangan, as the newcomer to the Thai luxury property market would prove to be a hot location for some time to come.
Posted by: DaveB on 19 May 2008, 20:21 -
Samui’s beer market gets more competitive
Visitors to Ko Samui are often fond of a tipple, and in the last year, a new brand has emerged in Thailand to compete with the traditional Thai offerings of Chang and Leo in the budget beer market. Cheers Beer is brewed by the same group that handles Southeast Asia’s Heineken supply, the Thai Asia Brewery Co.
42.7 percent of the budget beer market is ruled by Leo, a cheaper beer brewed by the Singha company. On Ko Samui and other popular tourist spots in Thailand, Cheers has seen a 40 percent sales growth since it revamped its formula, giving the beer better taste and quality.
Samui retailers are being given incentives to advertise Cheers beer instead of more typical flare from Leo, Chang, Singha or even Heineken. The company has also released a tall can version, in hopes of capitalizing on the budget conscious drinkers who would sooner drink at home than go out to a beach bar. For tourists though, cans still account for 90 percent of sales in bars.
Posted by: DaveB on 11 May 2008, 17:08 -
Double standards in going green?
For many travellers these days, doing what they can to minimalise their impact on the environment while they travel is an important part of the process. And with this desire comes the profiteering of a new trend. Green travel is now a cash cow, and many popular tourist resorts in the world, including the Thai island of Ko Samui, are building new spas and resorts that cover every angle as far as sustainability goes. From bed sheets made from recycled materials, composting toilets and self sustainable and local cuisine served in the restaurants, the guest at these 21st century bastions of responsible business and tourism can rest easy they’re not contributing to the deterioration of the environment.
The question begs however, are travellers really committed to fomenting sustainable lifestyles, or is the current green revolution a trend comparable to the Atins Diet craze that will fade over time?
Posted by: DaveB on 09 May 2008, 17:10 -
7th Annual Samui Regatta announced
For the seventh year in a row, the Samui Regatta will welcome sailors from all over the world to the tropical Thai resort island for a host of festivities aside form the boat race itself. Some of the top sailors in the world representing countries as varied as Singapore, Australia, Dubai, Hong Kong and of course Thailand will be in attendance and participate in the competition.
The regatta has collected a wide variety of international sponsors to make sure the event goes of without a hitch, with this year’s Samui Regatta committee boat being put up by Seatran. The Seatran Discovery measures in a 130 feet, making it one of the bigger examples of the committee boats featured at the Samui Regatta.
Samui Regatta General Manager Frankie Boom Boom , in a press statement released this week assured all participants that the show is a virtually guaranteed success, as he reports, “Thanks to the hard work of the team, we have secured very good off the water partner support as well meaning the parties will be up to the usual high standards.?
Posted by: DaveB on 05 May 2008, 11:39 -
Samui’s development plans spur land demand
With the current Thai government whole heartedly supporting development on the island of Samui, and the subsequent interest in investment from housing and retail sectors, prices on the island are expected rise steadily over the next many years. The price of land on the island is expected to rise anywhere from 20 to 30 percent per year if the current trends and speculation continue at their present rates. These figures are according to Thailand-Estates Corporation’s chief executive officer Chaiyagarn Sudamphanthorn, who quoted retail land price hikes on Ko Samui as going from 10 million baht per rai in 2006 to 60 million per rai this year. Residential prices now float somewhere between 15 and 25 million baht for a decent location close to the beach.
As the island watches its commercial vultures swoop overhead, the price bracket of Ko Samui seems on ly set to rise, and Big C, Siam Makro and Tesco Lotus are all lined up to get their piece of the new and improved Ko Samui pie.
Posted by: DaveB on 05 May 2008, 11:28 -
Samui drug smuggler dies
Last week it was reported that 51-year old Australian John Paul Jones had checked himself into a Phuket hospital complaining of severe stomach pains after he had arrived on the island. When doctors performed an X-Ray on Jones, it was found that he had swallowed 60 condoms full of hashish, some of which had burst, possibly days before, causing the extreme pains. Jones had apparently been planning to sell the massive amount of drugs during one of the notorious full moon parties on the nearby island of Ko Phanang.
Local police officer Songyos Chotesurat reported that, “Since he was hospitalised the doctor said his condition was 50-50," and now with his death, the police department has dropped the drug trafficking charges that were to be laid against him.
Doctors had performed surgery to remove the drugs from Jones’ intestines, but he succumbed to severe infections caused by some condoms bursting on April 19th and passed away. .
Posted by: DaveB on 30 Apr 2008, 19:42 -
Holidays That Costa Lot
British tourists would be better off traveling to Thailand for a holiday as opposed to the Costa del Sol, owing to the weaker pound and rising euro.
Sterling has lost 19 per cent of its value over the euro in the past year meaning holidaymakers get much less bang for their buck.
The Post Office surveyed 16 popular holidaying countries around the world and purchased 10 common items, with Australia topping the lot and Thailand the cheapest.
The basic purchases included a coffee from a cafe, an English newspaper, a bottle of mineral water from a supermarket, insect repellent and an evening meal for two.
The cost of these items in Thailand worked out at £28.58 and was easily the cheapest of the 16 countries surveyed. These same items in Spain, traditionally a cheap continental holiday destination, worked out at £59.24, while in France they were £68.97.
Italy was the most expensive place in Europe at £73.40, while a three-course meal for two with wine would cost around £42 - just £17.64 in Thailand. The same 10 purchases in Australia, however, was a staggering £88.97.
The US is one destination where the pound stretches further due to the weak dollar of late, but to travel on the continent is costing so much more.
British holidaymakers have already been putting off traveling to the continent as a result of the strong euro and worldwide ‘credit crunch’, while many have been looking at destinations farther afield with Thailand fitting the bill for a growing number of people.
Even Thailand has become more expensive, though, owing to a combination of a stronger baht and the removal of the onshore rate reserve, more expensive rice, and higher oil prices.
Posted by: Andrew on 25 Apr 2008, 18:08 -
Baht onshore/offshore rates equalize
The Thai baht onshore and offshore rates have now equalized following the lifting of the reserve on March 3, said Bank of Thailand (BoT) governor Tarisa Watanagase.
The 30 per cent withholding measure was imposed in 2006 to stem the baht’s speculation due to the gloomy economic outlook back then, and was a bonus for foreigners bringing in currency and utilizing the higher onshore rates.
Khun Watanagase said that the baht had equalized automatically, ‘without intervention’, following the reserve lift and that the economy had improved.
Onshore traded baht is now a lot closer to offshore traded baht since the measure was scrapped, with onshore and offshore dollar transactions at about 31.41 and 31.42 respectively.
Previous figures at the offshore rate of 31.42 baht to the dollar would have seen an onshore rate at roughly 34!
Thailand’s international reserves have also risen sharply in the last couple of years - at US$108 billion today compared with $67 billion at the end of 2006.
Posted by: Andrew on 24 Apr 2008, 20:54 -
New package deals for Ko Samui
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Thailand’s tropical paradise island of Ko Samui is a popular tourist destination all year round for people from all over the world, and to make a trip to the island all the more alluring, Explore Holidays has come up with two holiday packages at two of Samui’s premier beachfront hotels targeted at travellers from Australia. The eight nights for the price of four packages are valid at the four star Bandara Resort and Spa and the Paradise Beach Resort.
The deals will include accommodation as well as return airfare with Singapore Airlines from Adelaide, and with Thai Airways from Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Melbourne. Also included are included breakfasts at both of the hotels along with transportation from the airport to the hotel.
Prices for the Paradise Beach Resort start at AU$1215, and AU$1455 for the Bandara Resort and Spa. For departures from Perth and Brisbane, a night’s accommodation in Bangkok will be provided. For more information visit the Explore Holidays website at www.exploreholidays.com.au.
Posted by: DaveB on 24 Apr 2008, 19:43 -
30 grand in hash found in man’s stomach
Last week an Australian man was arrested on the island of Ko Samui after being admitted to the hospital and doctors having found a sizeable quantity of drugs in his stomach. The islands off the southern shores of Thailand are not unknown as a place where soft drugs are widely available, but the arrest of 51-year old Aussie John Paul Jones may have an effect on local supply, as over $30,000 worth of hashish was allegedly found in his stomach when he was examined by doctors.
Jones arrived in Thailand and asked to be taken to the hospital shortly after, complaining of severe stomach pain. When an X-Ray revealed a string of small packages in his small intestine, 62 in all, the 800 grams of hash were surgically removed. It took doctors two hours to remove all the drug packets from Mr. Jones’ stomach, and surgeon Dr. Worapob said, "Before the operation, Mr Jones looked nervous and asked whether police would be notified. We found 62 black objects obstructing his small intestine. Three packs had burst."
Posted by: DaveB on 24 Apr 2008, 18:27 -
Suvarnabhumi to keep on growing
Bangkok’s new Suvarnabhumi airport has been given the go ahead with the second-phase of expansion to include a third runway and a new domestic terminal.
A total of 10 new projects worth in excess of 73 billion baht will be undertaken by the Transport Ministry.
Two of the 10 projects will be implemented this year, including the construction of the third runway. Future projects will include an automated people-mover, a new car park, as well as the ongoing reduction of noise pollution over five years.
The creation of the new domestic terminal will relieve congestion at the main terminal and will cost in the region of six billion baht.
Interim Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont originally put the airport expansion plans on hold and re-opened up Don Mueang airport to save money.
Don Mueang made way for the new Suvarnabhumi in late September 2006 but was reopened for domestic flights.
Since then Suvarnabhumi Airport has been beset by construction flaws, including cracks in the main runway, as well as corruption scandals.
The new expansion scheme would run from 2008 to 2013 and when finished would enable Suvarnabhumi to serve 60 million passengers a year; an extra 15 million passengers over its current 45 million.
It is also likely that the new work would signal a closure of Don Mueang airport by the government.
AoT have earned more than 10 billion baht from the management of Suvarnabhumi airport and would be footing the bill.
As part of the runway expansion, the third runway will feature an auto-landing system allowing aircraft to land even in low visibility conditions.
Suvarnabhumi may then receive a safety measure of three, with Category 3 being the safest. In comparison, regional airports have a category rating of 1, with Don Mueang being Category 2 rated.
Plots of land on the eastern side of the airport will also be surveyed for the project.
Posted by: Andrew on 23 Apr 2008, 10:31 -
Samui spa ups the island’s profile
As the Thai resort island of Ko Samui continues to grow and offer more and more luxurious activities and amenities, a new resort encapsulates exactly where Samui sees itself in the future, with opulent décor, excellent food and all the spa visits and alternative therapy sessions one could hope for.
Absolute Sanctuary aims to give the visitor the ultimate relaxation trip, with three tailored detox programs to suit individual tastes, which employ colonics, raw food, massage and yoga sessions, herbal supplements and hydrotherapy. The Absolute Yoga studio is the biggest in Thailand, and has some impressive names coming in to teach classes.
The Yoga centre teaches Hatha, Vinyasa and Yin Yoga, depending on the guest, rounding out one of the best retreats available in the country. The spa getaway has already carved out a unique niche for itself on the island which is home to countless health retreats, yoga centres and alternative therapy venues, but the particular combination and style at Absolute Sanctuary has launched the resort to the top of the heap on competitive Ko Samui.
Posted by: DaveB on 20 Apr 2008, 18:25 -
Samui locals veto new airport
At a public meeting held recently to discuss the possibility of a second airport on the island of Ko Samui, the prospect was all but quelled by locals from Moo 1, 2 and 5 districts, who would be directly influenced by noise pollution. The locals said the airport would cause them nothing but pollution; both through noise and environmental. They used Bangkok’s new Suvarnabhumi International Airport as an example of how residents’ health can be affected from living so close to an airport, not to mention the natural resources that would be felled to construct the facility.
Public officials high up the food chain admit that due to the size of the island, its ecosystem may not be able to sustain two airports. Proponents of the plan say that if all this is true, then the monopoly by Thai Airways on the existing airport will have to be examined.
Posted by: DaveB on 19 Apr 2008, 18:54