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Samui Villas & Homes News
Samui Villas & Homes News and Press Release

• Kingfisher flies to Thailand
  Kingfisher flies to Thailand
  
  Kingfisher debuts Bangkok service in February.
  
  Kingfisher Airlines, the second largest private airline in India plans to commence daily services between Bangalore and Bangkok on February 2009. Then, it will add Bangkok-Mumbai route.
  
  The airline will offer daily services between Bangkok and Bangalore using its brand new Airbus A-321. Daily services on Mumbai – Bangkok – Mumbai will soon follow.
  
  Currently, there is no direct service between Bangkok and Bangalore. Nok Air used to fly the route but suspended after just a couple of months.
  
  To reach Bangalore, now, passengers have to go via Indian gateways — Delhi and Mumbai.
  
  Success Aviation has been appointed general sales agency for the airline.
  
  Founded in 2004, Kingfisher Airlines is a private airline second in size after Jet Airways. It is operates to 60 domestic destinations, including those operated by its low cost subsidiary, Kingfisher Red. The only international route now is Bangalore-London.
  
  In January, it will add Colombo, Singapore and Hong Kong and Bangkok in February.
  
  Another private Indian carrier, Indigo Airlines has also shown interest in the Thai market. It named Nancy World Aviation as its GSA, but has not firmed up plans or a timeframe on the proposed Bangkok route.
  
  Nancy World Aviation chairman, Pavin Sachaphimuk, said that the company was currently selling Kolkata-Jaipur route because Indigo offers seamless connection when passengers travel to Kolkata by Jet Airways.
  
  Mr Pavin also added that in the future, he would approach tour companies selling trips on Golden Triangle route — Delhi-Agra-Jaipur. Normally, they use Delhi as gateway and travel in circle by bus.
  
  He hopes to convince travel agents to start their tours in Delhi. It would  require a transfer by bus to Agra and Jaipur returning to Bangkok by air from Jaipur via Kolkata.
  
  Indigo Airline is a low cost private airline, currently serving solely 17 domestic routes with 20 new Airbus A320. 80 more—50 A320s and 30 A321s are in order, due to receive all by 2016. The first flight was kicked off in August 2006.
  
  
• NZ says it in Thai
  NZ says it in Thai
  
  Tourism New Zealand to launch Thai language e-marketing activity.
  
  Tourism New Zealand will launch a Thai language version of its website, 1 January, to provide information for independent travellers.
  
  The website,www.newzealand.com/Thailand was introduced by
  
  Tourism New Zealand manager Thailand Roskamol Vongchowanart, last week, who said it was mainly a translation of the English website with interactive features.
  
  It includes a country introduction, transport details, regional highlights; as well as a blog contest and quiz to build interactive communications with the market.
  
  Ms Roskamol said the Thai language version was the sixth language to be added to the mother website. Currently it operates with English, German, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese language content.
  
  To introduce the website, TNZ is partnering with MSN Thailand and Krungthai Card while conducting marketing activities such as a blog contest and quiz to attract participation.  Quiz winners stand a chance to win a free trip to New Zealand.
  
  “Weekly quizzes run through January to March and winners will get a chance to win gifts from KTC, ranging from a luggage tag to 22-inch luggage.
  
  “Another activity is a contest, which should encourage an on-going domestic or international travel blog under the topic My Self-drive Holidays, and Unforgettable Experience.”
  
  Bloggers could win a six-day/five-night self-drive package for two persons, including two return economy-class air tickets to New Zealand and 10 commended prizes.
  
  Ms Roskamol said, MSN Research claims 13 million Thais are using the internet of which 9 million log on to MSN.  The same research showed MSN users were young, age 20 to 35, and were interested in fashion and entertainment.
  
  According to Ms Roskamol, TNZ English language website achieved 5,000 clicks from the Thai market in the first quarter of this year. She expects that the new version in Thai language will increase page clicks.
• 20 Ways to Give Without Giving "Stuff"
  20 Ways to Give Without Giving "Stuff"
  
  A Water Buffalo ... or a Bee Hive ... or ...
  
  Heifer International's mission is to help struggling communities end hunger and poverty through the gift of livestock, bees, seeds, farming tools and the know-how to reap a sustainable harvest from them. Heifer offers a wide variety of options, from a $250 water buffalo to $30 honey bees to a $150 llama that can provide wool, milk and meat for an entire South American family. Learn more at heifer.org, 1-800-422-0474.
  
  The Nature Conservancy is responsible for preserving scenic and ecologically important land around the world. The non-profit land trust has three gift options this year that allow you to help plant a billion trees in Brazil's Atlantic Forest, adopt an acre in Las Californias, U.S. or coral reefs in Palau, or grant a number of other unique gift options. $10 and up at nature.org.
  
  Want to give a gift that helps fight climate change? Consider protecting an acre of rainforest in honor of a loved one. More than 20 percent of all carbon emissions come from cutting down and clearing of tropical forests - more than all the cars, trucks and planes in the world. Just $15 dollars protects an entire acre of precious rainforest and prevents climate change causing gases from being emitted. A gift of a protected acre of rainforest is really a gift to the planet - for all of us.
  
  
• 42% of Asian children are not concerned about environmental protection
  42% of Asian children are not concerned about environmental protection
  
  In a study conducted by TNS, children aged 3 to 9 in four Asian countries (China, Japan, Malaysia and Thailand) were asked on their level of concern about the need for environmental protection. The results are shown below:
  
      * Very concerned - 15%
      * Somewhat concerned - 43%
      * Not very concerned - 32%
      * Not at all concerned - 10%
  
  The study results suggest that 42% of children in Asia are not very or not at all concerned about the need for environmental protection. This is in contrast to the children’s mothers, who are 95% concerned about the need for environmental protection. Why do a high percentage of our future generation not care about the environment?
  
  Perhaps we are just too harsh on them. They are still young and innocent to understand the need for protecting the environment. Or they do know the need but are more concerned about other things such as schoolwork, toys and computer games or just about having fun.
  
  Regardless of the reasons, there is a need for parents to educate their children and raise awareness about the environment. Since parents know more about the need to protect the environment (as shown in the high 95% concern), they should be the role models and educate our future generation.
• Sydney Opera House architect dies
  Sydney Opera House architect dies
  
  The mastermind behind the iconic Sydney Opera House has died at age 90.
  
  Danish architect Joern Utzon died from a heart attack in his sleep in Denmark on Saturday.
  
  "He had not been doing well these past few days, since Thursday. He had been undergoing a series of operations recently," his son, Kim Utzon, told The Associated Press.
  
  Utzon designed the opera house in 1957. He quit the project in 1966, seven years before it was completed, after arguments over design and cost arose.
  
  The interior was never completed to Utzon's original plan, but he still managed to scoop the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2003 for his work.
  
  Utzon won a competition to design the opera house.
  
  He also designed the National Assembly building in Kuwait City.
  
  "In the great sweep of history, what we're left with is a beautiful building, Sydney's symbol to the world, Australia's symbol to the world and owed in large part to this great man — a son of Denmark but I've got to say in terms of his spirit, a son of Australia as well," Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said in a statement
• Bangkok's International Airport Officially Reopens
  Bangkok's International Airport Officially Reopens
  
  Thailand's main international and domestic airports in Bangkok have officially reopened - the first step in the recovery of the country's tourism industry. Political protests had closed the runways for eight days, stranding hundreds of thousands of people.
  
  The ceremonies marked a first step toward recovery for the tourism industry