China - Thailand Take Advantage From Visa Exemption

With visa exemption, it would be much easier, cheaper, as well as time saving for Chinese tourists to travel to Thailand, Li told the Chinese travellers.

Proposed visa exemption for regular passport holders will offer Chinese and Thai tourists more convenience, and promote closer bilateral people-to-people exchanges, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Saturday, according to Xinhua.

Chattering with Chinese tourists in the Thai capital, Li, currently on an official visit to the country, asked about their tourism experiences in Thailand and talked about the visa exemption initiative.

Thailand is the first country within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to start such talks with China.

The move was first announced by the Chinese premier when he addressed the Thai Parliament on Friday shortly after his arrival in the Southeast Asian country.

Li said in his speech that visa exemption would facilitate the people-to-people and cultural exchanges of the two countries, and bring more benefits to the two peoples.

China is now the largest source of foreign visitors to Thailand, with Chinese visitors to the country topping 2.8 million person-times last year.

After visiting Bangkok, Li, accompanied by Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, visited the site of Royal Flora Expo in the northern Thai resort city of Chiang Mai.

Touring the the "Chinese Tang Garden", donated by China to Thailand during the expo, he said it embodies cultural exchanges between the two nations and bears witness to the bilateral friendship.

Li called for enhancing people-to-people exchanges between the two nations and promote the amity between the two peoples.

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New Air Routes To China & Indochina By Thai Airways International

Thai and its subsidiary Thai Smile will open four new routes this winter to China, Japan and Laos, competing head to head with low cost carriers.

The last Thai Airways International Board of Directors meeting is giving a boost to Thai Smile with more international destinations being served by Thai Airways subsidiary. Thai Smile’s expanding network confirms the repositioning of the carrier into a complementary airline to Thai Airways with lower costs and simplified services.

The Board of Directors approved of the opening of the following four new routes for the winter season starting October 27, in order to increase revenue as targeted and meet market demands.

The first Thai Smile route will link Bangkok to Chongqing in the People’s Republic of China. Flights will be operated with an Airbus A320-200 aircraft with three frequencies per week, At the same date, Thai Smile will also launch three weekly frequencies from Bangkok to Changsha in the People’s Republic of China with an Airbus A320-200 aircraft. The frequency will be increased to five flights per week from January 16, 2014.

The most surprising will be the arrival of Thai Smile on the Bangkok-Luang Prabang (Laos) route which will further dent into another lucrative route served by Bangkok Airways. Thai Smile will propose a daily flight from November 16 with an Airbus A320-200. The carrier will then be in competition with two other airlines, Bangkok Airways and Lao Airlines.

While Thai Smile will be positioned in these three routes, Thai Airways confirmed that it will launch a Bangkok-Sendai route in Japan. The new route which has been planned for at least five years will be operated with an Airbus A330-300 with three flights per week, effective 3 December 2013.

Meanwhile, the Board of Director acknowledged Thai Airways Group performance in August 2013. Available Seat-Kilometer (ASK) increased 10.8 percent due to new aircraft deliveries and route adjustments based on passenger demand. Revenue Passenger-Kilometer (RPK) increased 9.9 percent, resulting in an average Cabin Factor of 78.0 percent, which was lower than the same month last year which showed an average of 78.7 percent. The number of passengers carried increased 6.2 percent, compared to the same month last year.

For Thai Smile in August 2013, Cabin Factor averaged 77.0 percent; lower than the same month last year which averaged 82.5 percent. Thai Smile business unit serves 13 routes, compared to four routes last year.

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Mutual visa-free between China and Thailand in September

According to “Thai World Journal”, negotiations have been undertaken between Thailand and China to introduce mutual visa-free policy in September this year.

The report pointed out that Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra highly welcomed this mutual visa-free policy between Thailand and China, hoping to attract five million Chinese tourists every year. She also indicated that related departments in Thailand should further intensify the activities of sister cities with Chinese counterparts to promote trading and investing.

Representatives of Thai-Chinese Culture and Economy Association had met with Yingluck recently, reporting current progress in promoting and developing cultural and economic cooperation with China. They said that related departments from two countries have already exchanged views on introducing mutual visa-free policy and further details were currently under discussion. This initiative was affirmed and approved by the Prime Minister, who spoke highly of this policy in creating enormous opportunities for both countries.

Once the mutual visa-free policy is implemented, there will be more Chinese tourists visiting Thailand. According to statistics, there are approximately 2 million Chinese travelling to Thailand each year at present, the number of which will increase by 3 to 4 million with the help of the new policy.

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Funding grows to restore Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat - Cambodia

From Threeland Travel's Blog - September 2012

The Cambodia government signed an agreement with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, late last week to assist in safeguarding Angkor Wat, the country’s most prestigious World Heritage site.

The deal was inked between Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister in charge of the Council of Ministers, Sok An and UNESCO Representative to Cambodia, Anne Lemaistre. Rome University’s Professor, Valter Maria Santoro, who heads the Italian technical mission for stone consolidation in the temple, said the two-year project will focus on the restoration of a moat embankment at Angkor Wat.

Mr Sok An said the second phase project will cost US$250,000 including US$200,000 from the Italian government and US$50,000 from the Cambodian government.

“The Italian government, through UNESCO, has been involved in helping to safeguard Angkor Wat Temple since 1994…. the continuous support signifies a further cooperation between Cambodia, UNESCO and Italy.”

Currently, Cambodia has been collaborating with 14 countries and 28 international teams who are handling 60 different projects to preserve and restore the temple.

The Angkor archeological park is Cambodia’s most important cultural tourism attraction, located 315 km from the capital Phnom Penh.

The temple was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1992.

From January to June this year, 1.06 million international tourists visited the temple, with South Korea, Vietnam and China topping the suppliers’ list. There were 61,340 Thai tourists, a 201% increase over the same period.

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The sharp growth of tourism to Cambodia

BANGKOK, 14 August 2012: Tourist statistics in June showed arrivals from Thailand to Cambodia continued to improve, while arrivals from Laos surpassed the usual market leader China for the first time.

Cambodia’s Statistics and Tourist Information Department, Ministry of Tourism reported arrivals from Thailand in June doubled at 103% to 13,699 ranking it fifth in the visitor supply market.

In June, visits from Laos also continued to spiral in June, surging 85.6% (22,174). China visits grew 39.8% to 19,918, but it slipped into second place after Laos.

Overall, during June, Cambodia recorded 250,918 arrivals, increasing substantially at 29.8%. This growth rate was an improvement over the past two months: +24.3% in April and +22.6% in May.

Over the six months, January to June, arrivals from Thailand and Laos improved 90.8% and 87% respectively. They ranked fifth and fourth suppliers.

Based on January to June figures, the growth in June pushed the average up from 26.3% at the end of May to 26.8% at the end of June. The accumulated arrivals were 1,756,652.

Besides Thailand and Laos, arrivals from the Philippines improved since the start-up of the first air link (Cebu Pacific) between the two countries (Manila-Siem Reap) 19 April. Arrivals jumped 60.4% in May, +52.2% and in June, +60%. Due to the increase, Philippines has ranked on the top 10 supply list since May.

Vietnam showed a significant growth of 31% (72,385) after the rate fell to 12% in May. However, arrivals from Korea slipped from +11.5% in May to +7.1% (23,040) in June.

By region, all markets reported growth except Africa which represents a very small share. It declined 23% to 355 visitors.

Arrivals from Asia Pacific, accounting for 82.5% market share, grew 33.8% to 207,062. Over half of the visits, at 64%, were from ASEAN. Europe recorded a 14.5% increase (26,474), while the Americas gained 14% (16,472) and the Middle East, +9.7% (555). In Europe, the traditional key markets — United Kingdom and France — showed a minimal growth of 4% (6,419) and 4.2%(5,696) respectively. The strongest growth came from Russia at 61.2% on 3,356 visits.

The surge in trips from neighbouring countries was reflected in a further rise of land arrivals. In June, trips registered at overland checkpoints accounted for 56% (140,518), up from 54.3% in May.

In June, 42.4% travelled by air. Phnom Penh International Airport welcomed 54,359 passengers (21.7% share), while Siem Reap International Airport welcomed 52,084 (20.8% share).

Phnom Penh and other provinces welcomed 133,712 tourists, or 53.3% of the total, improving 4838%. Siem Reap tallied 117,206 tourists with a slight increase of 13.3% over the same period in 2011.

Trips by Cambodians reached 66,070, a 30.4% rise over the same month last year.

Top 10 Markets in June 2012

From Threeland Travel's Blog - August 2012

Top 10 Markets during January to June 2012

From Threeland Travel's Blog - August 2012

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