HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012……………….Saturday 31st December.
Whatever calendar you use may I convey my heartfelt best wishes to all who visit here and in particular those who are inspired to travel to the Far East this year. May you experience safe and enjoyable travels. My best advice for the New Year is that whatever you’re religious, political, historical and cultural views just treat with respect and dignity those that you meet and you will receive just reward. All the best from me, your host………Peter.

HONG KONG, HAINAN VISITOR NUMBERS EXPAND……..Friday 30th December.
Strong figures from China released for the New Year support an extraordinary year for the region in terms of travel and tourism. It seems that despite the doom and gloom resulting from economic uncertainty, visitors are not prepared to sacrifice the opportunity to travel. In China's southernmost island province of Hainan is estimated that more than 800,000 overseas tourists arrived this year, according to a local tourism official. This will amount to a 7% increase on the year with visitors from Continental Europe showing the biggest rise of 10%. Meanwhile in Hong Kong, Ms Nancy Ryan became the 40 millionth visitor to arrive in a single year.

VISITOR NUMBERS TO SIEM REAP UP 23%........Friday 30th December.
Of the 15.4% increase in visitors to Cambodia reported earlier this month for the 10 months January to October, the number of foreign tourists visiting Siem Reap increased to 23%. The iconic Angkor Wat temples remain the premier attraction. Meanwhile the Philippines announces direct flights to Cambodia, one of the few members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations that currently do not have direct air links.

THAI AIR ASIA FLIES TO NAKHON PHANOM........Friday 30th December.
Thai AirAsia will introduce a new service to Nakhon Phanom on the Thailand/Laos border from 15 February. Currently Nok Air is the only airline serving the town using Boeing737-400s. The airline is currently using Suvarnabhumi Airport until Don Meuang reopens. However, Thai AirAsia’s new daily service will operate permanently from SuvarnabhumiAirport and offer 1,260 seats weekly per sector. The flight will depart at 1320 and return from Nakhon Phanom at 1545. The flight time is one hour and 15 minutes. The new service is likely the result of increased traffic with the opening of the Friendship Bridge III in November.




VISITOR NUMBERS BOOST FOR VIETNAM……..Wednesday 28th December.
The six millionth foreign tourist this year, French man, Curvalle Bernard Francois has arrived in Ha Long Bay on the SuperStar Aquarius cruise ship, which departed from Hainan. Meanwhile Ho Chi Minh City hopes to welcome 3.8 million international visitors in 2012, that’s 8 percent more than in 2011, according to the Municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

VIETNAM IMPROVES DOMESTIC AIRPORTS……..Wednesday 28th December.
Buon Ma Thuot Airport opened a new passenger terminal, last Saturday, in the central highlands province of Daklak after nearly two years of construction.

VISITOR NUMBERS SET TO SURGE AT VAT PHOU……..Wednesday 28th December.
Vat Phou World Heritage Department of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Champasak province predicts that about 130,000 foreign tourists will visit the site between October this year and the end of 2012. Following its listing by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2001, visitor numbers have increased dramatically. Visitor entrance fee is 30,000 kip, about 4 USD. The ancient Khmer temple complex Vat Phou is featured in my travel log 23rd October.





PASSENGER NUMBERS UP 15% AT AoT AIRPORTS……..Wednesday 28th December.
Despite the problems due to the floods and reported visitor numbers down during its peak in October the overall picture of visitors using Thailand’s airports looks healthy. The six airports run by Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) this year saw an increase up 15 per cent over last year to a total of 66.3 million with international passengers up 17.5% year on year. The six airports are Suvarnabhumi, Don Mueang, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai, Phuket and Chiang Rai with Suvarnabhumi accounting for 72% of the total. Altogether 109 airlines are now using the six airports, the most in the Southeast Asia region. With numbers expected to rise still further, Aot has plans to increase capacity at Suvarnabhumi to 60 million.

FROM NATURAL WINDS TO WINDS OF CHANGE……..Tuesday 27th December.
Here is a round-up of some of the news items over the Christmas period. Firstly there seems no let-up in the storm conditions in the Gulf of Thailand with six coastal provinces affected requiring support from the army. Strong winds and waves continue to batter the coast from Hua Hin in Prachuap Kiri Khan province along the coastline as far as Narathiwat province. Many local communities are in danger from flash floods and mudslides while tourists on popular Island Resorts are having their peaceful seasonal holiday compromised. Meanwhile in Ayutthaya, Lop Buri, Nakhon Pathom, Pathum Thani, Nonthaburi and Bangkok some areas are still affected by floods.
With Indo-China having more than its share of natural disaster this year politics is also playing its part in modifying and reshaping the region. High on the list is Burma’s warming relationship with The West and its neighbours. New investment is earmarked for this impoverished country with construction and road building programs announced. On the Thai/Cambodia border troops were withdrawn from a position of confrontation near Preah Vihear allowing a peacekeeping force to be deployed. A long expected treaty between Thailand and China was signed strengthening economic ties; including plans for a high speed rail link between Bangkok and Chiang Mai. China has been keen to strengthen its communication links between Southern China and export markets in the Malay Peninsular. These changes are bound to impinge on tourism and travel in some way.

FOCUS ON WANG NAM KHIEO, THAP LAN NATIONAL PARK……..Wednesday 21st December.
Tension is running high in Thap Lan national park in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Wang Nam Khieo district over forced eviction and demolition of illegally built resorts. Thap Lan National Park was declared as Thailand’s 40th National Park in December 1981. It is the country’s second largest National Park, covering an area of 2,235.80 sq.km. With road blocks set up on Highway 304 by disgruntled people, many tourists are concerned that their bookings for the peak holiday season will be affected. However the government is quick to stress that the 400 legally built resorts are not affected and these are understandably fully booked for the New Year celebrations. The park is just 3 hours drive from Bangkok making it a magnet for city folk.



BUDDHAMONTHON IN NEED OF TLC……..Friday 16th December.
It will take about three years to fully repair the damage to heavily flooded Buddhamonthon in the iconic Buddhist park in Nakhon Pathom, according to Thailand’s Office of National Buddhism. However it is hoped that the park will be ready to host an international ceremony to mark Vesakha Bucha next year. Buddhists worldwide recognise the day as the birthday of the Lord Buddha more than 2,600 years ago in what is now southern Nepal. Officials have not yet assessed the total damage to the 2,500 rai park, especially the damage to rare trees, because some areas are still inundated but at least 30% are known to be damaged. Water is currently being drained from the park and a big ‘clean up’ is arranged but initial restoration work will require near to 600 million baht.
Left: Phrasrisakayatossayaanprataan-Buddhamonthon-Suthat, the principle Buddha image and focal point, provides spiritual inspiration.


PC AIR PREPARES TO TAKE OFF……..Friday 16th December.
After a nine-month delay Thailand’s PC Air conducted a demonstration flight yesterday for media members aboard its sole Airbus 310-222 jet as a prelude to its maiden service to Vientiane on 24th December. It further plans to inaugurate flights to two Chinese cities on a charter basis on Jan 23 next year. Sole owner Peter Chan explained that the delay was for commercial reasons to take advantage of high-season and to avoid the worst if the floods. However media attention was soon fixed on the 4 cabin crew who were all ladyboys described as members of the ‘third gender’ selected from the first batch of 30 cabin attendants.




WAT SUAN KAEW IN RECOVERY MODE……..Wednesday 14th December.
Wat Suan Kaew is situated in Nonthaburi Province just a 40 minute boat ride from the capital Bangkok. Its location to the northwest of the city made it a funnel for the vast volumes of water draining off the central plains. It will be among the last areas to recover from the great floods. However it is in recovery mode as some areas are starting to dry out. What singles this temple out from most others is the contribution it makes to the community. Wat Suan Kaew recycles, refurbishes and resells unwanted items with great benefit to the poor; much in the same way as charity shops in the West but arguably with greater efficiency. It also has an organic farm and offers training and sustenance to the needy.
In my ‘about’ section I mentioned that I would not in general be walking the well trodden tourist paths. This temple is easily accessible and its work so vital to our fragile world economy. I do hope it recovers soon! Well worth a visit if you are in Bangkok.

TET HOLIDAY 2012 IN VIETNAM……..Tuesday 13th December.
Planning for the New Year (Tet) in Vietnam, 23rd January.

AYUTTHAYA'S 'FORGOTTEN' TEMPLES CURSED BY FLOODS........Sunday 11th December.
Following on from the concerns for Wat Phra Si Sanphet, lesser-known historic sites in the ancient capital have been surveyed. Reconstruction has begun but some are so badly damaged they may forever be abandoned in favour of more prominent sites. The out of city sites such as Wat Raeng and Wat Rad may not be on everybody’s visit list but any loss of historic building is deeply regrettable. Other precious structures affected include Wat Mongkut, Wat Singharam, Wat Prasart, Wat Sanam Chai, Wat Sam Jin, Wat Lokaysuttharam and Wat Ket.




WEATHER WARNING FOR THAILAND’S SOUTH........Friday 9th December.
A weather warning has been issued for Thailand's south with heavy rainfall in some areas along with the danger of floods. The warning was issued by the Meteorological Department on Friday morning, adding that the situation would continue until Dec 12. Hillsides and waterways in Prachuab Khiri Khan, Chumphon, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung and Songkhla should prepare for heavy rain and flash flooding.

HILARY PAYS VISIT TO SACRED SHWEDEGON……..Friday 9th December.
The visit of Hilary Clinton to Rangoon earlier this month can be looked upon from many angles; diplomatic, leading to greater economic ties, promotion of human rights or simply a rebuff to the Chinese. However her symbolic visit to the sacred Shwedegon Zedi Daw (Great Dragon Pagoda) brings into focus the fact that Burma (locally known as Myanmar) has a great deal to offer in the way of tourism and travel. The current signals being sent out point to greater political freedom. It is hoped that these changes will also lead to easing of travel restrictions in the coming months and years.
The Shwedegon Pagoda is certainly a ‘must visit’. It dates back over 2500 years; the stupa was actually built before Lord Buddha died in 543 BC making it the most ancient pagoda in the world.


VIETNAM AIRLINES TAKES OFF FOR LONDON……..Friday 9th December.
Vietnam Airlines’ first ever direct flight to London took off last night. The service, VN145, departed Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport at 2345 last night, and will arrive at London’s Gatwick airport at 0620 this morning. The national carrier will operate four weekly flights to London, with services departing Hanoi on Mondays and Thursdays and Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesdays and Fridays. All flights will be operated using a Boeing 777 aircraft.





THAILAND FLOODS....Some areas still affected but the capital is mostly dry……..Thursday 8th December.
Some provinces outside Bangkok still under water.

CAMBODIA SEES RISE IN FOREIGN VISITORS........Tuesday 6th December.
Foreign tourist arrivals in Cambodia increased by more than 15 per cent between January and October compared to the same period in 2010.

MYAWADDY BORDER CROSSING RE-OPENS........Monday 5th December.
The Thailand-Myawaddy border checkpoint, which has been closed for over a year, was officially reopened on Monday. Balloons released into the sky from the middle of the Thai-Burmese Friendship bridge near Ban Rim Moei in Tak’s Mae Sot district marked the re-opening ceremony and represents “a good and valuable start” of the Thai-Burmese relationship, Burma's Commerce Minister U Win Myint said. Mr Myint, who oversees border trade, agreed to re-open the Myawaddy border checkpoint at the request of the Thai government.
Naypyidaw closed the checkpoint on July 18 last year, over a border dispute resulting from Thai construction of a river embankment The closure has cost Thailand an estimated 20 billion baht in lost trade through the Mae Sot customs checkpoint, according to Banphot Kokiatcharoen, chairman of the Tak Chamber of Commerce. Burma also announced it has now declared Myawaddy a special economic zone for border trade as part of efforts to boost its economy a move which prompted Mae Sot’s mayor and local businessmen to call on Bangkok to also lift the status of Mae Sot Municipality to that of a special economic zone.
How this will affect tourism and travel is not yet clear.

ON THE KING’S 84th BIRTHDAY……..Monday 5th December.
5th December is a national holiday in Thailand to mark the His Majesty the King’s 84th birthday. The King, Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), is the world’s longest serving monarch and today his people celebrate, no doubt a welcome relief from the troubles and stresses this year’s floods have inflicted. Earlier this year on 22nd October His Majesty attended the Royal Kathin Ceremony at Wat Arun to mark the 7th cycle of his reign.
His Majesty travelled from Siriraj Hospital to the Grand Palace to give his address to the nation from the balcony of Chakri Throne Hall. He stressed the need for all parties to work together to help people who have been affected by the flooding and to develop a sustainable water management system He is reported to be visiting affected areas to meet with local people in the evening.

GIANT PANDAS LAND IN SCOTLAND........Sunday 4th December.
With full celebrity status two giant pandas Tian Tian (Sweetie) and Yang Guang (Sunshine) touched down at Edinburgh airport on Sunday to an appropriate dusting of snow over their new home. They flew in on a private Boeing 777 airliner complete with customised "Panda Express" livery; a bespoke cuisine of bamboo, apples, carrots and specially prepared "panda cake"; and private suites of Perspex and steel. This is, of course, a welcome boost to the beleaguered Edinburgh Zoo and should secure its future during the 10-year loan spell. It also brings into focus China's Sichuan Province where the Panda Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding centre is located near Chengdu.



THAILAND FLOODS....Bangkok dry by New Year........Friday 2nd December.
Officials claim that Bangkok will by dry by December 31st.