Amata City: กุมภาพันธ์ 2010

วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 25 กุมภาพันธ์ พ.ศ. 2553

Season for pampering

Published: 11/02/2010 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: Horizons

Shangri-La Hotel, Chiang Mai

Deluxe rooms are priced at 3,500 baht per night until April 30 with breakfast for two persons and access to broadband internet, while guests spending two nights can choose from an hour-long Himalayan head massage, shoulder massage or foot reflexology massage. The offer, however, is available to Thais and expatriate residents only.

For more information, call 053-253-888 or send an email to reservations.slcm@shangri-la.com.

Sofitel Centara Grand Hotel, Bangkok

"Sweet Memories" available throughout this month is priced at 18,888 baht per couple for a Deluxe Suite and inclusive of Chinese breakfast, welcome cocktails, one treatment at Cenvaree Spa lasting two-and-a-half-hours and a Valentine's Day dinner with a bottle of wine at Don Giovanni Italian restaurant.

For more information, call 02-541-1234 ext 4210 and 4116, or email cpbsales@chr.co.th.

Zeavola Resort, Koh Phi Phi, Krabi

"Zweet @ Zeavola" is priced 29,700 baht for three nights in a Garden Suite until March 31, with daily breakfast for two persons, free wireless internet access, a choice of an hour of massage for two persons, a romantic set dinner by the beach or two hours of island hopping to enjoy snorkeling.

For more information, call 075-627-000 or 02-684-1618.

Sofitel Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort, Krabi

Rooms are priced from 8,445 baht per night with breakfast for two persons served in-room, a bottle of champagne, romantic chocolates or flower and late check-out until 4pm. Advance booking is required.

For more information, call 075-62-7800 or send an email to rsvn@sofitelphokeethrakrabi.com.

Sheraton Hotel, Pattaya, Chon Buri

"Just the Two of Us" is a spa treatment lasting two hours and 15 minutes and includes a body scrub, an Amburaya embrace signature massage and nourishing and revitalizing natural facial treatment. Available until Feb 28, it's priced 4,000 baht per person and 7,500 baht for couples.

For more information, call 038-259-888.

Imperial Queen's Park Hotel, Bangkok

"Amazing Executive Plus" is priced at 3,280 baht per night for single and 3,580 baht for double occupancy. Benefits include breakfast, uninterrupted internet service, express check-in and check-out, evening cocktails together with a choice of drinks and finger food, tea and coffee station in-room, use of fitness centre, sauna and swimming pool.

For more information, call 02-261-9300 ext 4022-4023 or email reservation@imperialhotels.com.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Bangkok

The hotel's in-house Oriental Spa and Ayurvedic Penthouse is offering two special treatments - Heavenly Bliss and Perfect Harmony - until the end of this month.

Heavenly Bliss includes one hour of rose massage, one hour of rose facial and a set of spa products (massage oil, aromatherapy candles and essential oil burner) to take home, a complimentary 30-minute back treatment using steam and a 30-minute rose and milk bath in the upgraded Spa Deluxe Suite. It is priced at 16,430 baht net per couple.

Perfect Harmony is a treatment lasting two and a half hours. It includes Indian head massage, "Keraleeya Abhyangam" - relaxing herbal oil massage with herbal steam and scrub - 30 minutes of warm aromatic floral bath in a specially designed copper tub big enough to fit couples, and a Valentine's gift set containing ayurvedic health products.

The treatment is priced at 14,712 baht net. Dial 02-659-9000 for more information.

Samed Resorts, Rayong

Until Feb 28, a two-night package at Paradee's Garden Villa is priced at 25,500 baht;at Le Vimarn Cottages & Spa, 16,200 baht; at Ao Phrao Resort, 9,990 baht for a deluxe room; at Sai Kaew Beach Resort, 10,900 baht and at Samed Club, 6,890 baht.

All the properties are located on the tourist island of Samed. The prices include daily breakfast and dinner with a glass of sparkling wine for two persons.

For more information, call 02-438-9771-2 or send an email to rsv@samedresorts.com.

Sheraton Grande Hotel, Bangkok

Between Feb 12-21, the hotel is offering a package devised specially keeping in mind love couples looking to do something different on Valentine's Day. Priced from 7,200 baht per night, the package includes a night's accommodation, a set dinner for two persons and 50 minutes of massage at Grande Spa. A minimum two nights stay is required.

For more information or reservations, call 02-649-8666 or visit http://www.sheratongrandesukhumvit.com.

Rates quoted do not include service charges or VAT, unless noted. Offers such as room upgrades and late check-out are usually subject to availability.

About the author

: Writer: Peerawat Jariyasombat; Position: Reporter

Defining change

Published: 11/02/2010 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: Horizons

Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary is a delightful scattering of colours in the cool season.

Red leaves of maple trees carpeting entire mountain sides, valleys and forest floor this time of the year pull in thousands of visitors to Phu Kradung National Park in Loei. However, there is another place nearby _ Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary _ that offers easier access and a more spectacular profusion of maples and flowers of virtually every shade imaginable.

Loei is 558 kilometres northeast of Bangkok, and the sanctuary with its thick cover of red rhododendrons, wild flowers and orchids is vibrant with colours in the cool season.

Phu Luang was the start of our exploratory tour of attractions located off Highway 203, which connects the districts of Phu Rua and Dan Sai, marked by several stops interspersed with treks along nature trails.

Actually in Phu Rua district you see decorative plants and flowers sold in pots by local vendors along the highway all time of the year. In fact the length of the road as it cuts through the district looks like a long flower belt. You can buy the flowers at half the price they are sold in Bangkok.

Off Highway 203 is a local road leading to Phu Rua National Park that has tourist bungalows as well as an area where visitors can pitch tents. The road is in good condition and the park is also a popular picnic spot for locals. One road sign pointing to the park is conspicuous by its prominent thermometer, as if needing to tell visitors to Phu Rua that here they can enjoy cool breeze all year round.

West of the park on the road to Dan Sai sits one of the district's popular landmarks, Phra That Si Song Rak, a pagoda built in the Ayutthaya period as mark of goodwill between the rulers of Ayutthaya and Lan Xang, now part of Laos. Not far from the temple is the Phi Ta Khon Museum at Phonchai Temple where you can learn the origins of the province's annual Phi Ta Khon ghost mask festival held in the month of June or July and how the masks and dresses used in the festival are made.

Driving back to Loei town, if you have spare time, check out the scenery at Huay Krathing reservoir, vast and noted for its quiet ambience, where locals like to go to relax and enjoy fishing.

Loei is a mountain province with an area of 11,424 square kilometres, and blessed with several other attractions worth a visit. But for now let's just enjoy the cool season.

Loei town is 558km northeast of Bangkok and Dan Sai is 82km from the provincial capital. The closest airport is Khon Kaen; from there you can get a direct bus to Loei.

- Buses to Phu Rua are available in Loei town. For more information about Phu Rua National Park, visit the website http://www.dnp.go.th/parkreserve or call 042-807-624/5.

- Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary: call 042-841-566 for details.

- For accommodation and maps, visit the Tourism Authority of Thailand's website at http://www.tourismthailand.org or call its Loei office at 042-812-812 and 042-811-405.

Children generally find the Phi Ta Khon festival scary, but here at the Phi Ta Khon Museum at Wat Phonchai they seem to have a great time touching the ghost masks on display. Opening in 2004, the museum was built to disseminate visitors information about the festival—including the making of ghost masks and its history using graphics and photos—held in the seventh month of the lunar calendar, in June or July, every year.

Surrounded by giant plumeria trees and 32 metres tall, Phra That Si Song Rak was built during 1560-1563 to mark the goodwill between Kings Maha Chakkraphat of Ayutthaya and Chai Chetthathirath of Lan Xang (now part of Laos). Erected on a hill by the Man River, the white chedi was the accepted demarcation line between the two kingdoms. Visitors coming to pray at the pagoda not only offer flowers and incense sticks but also pyramid-shaped ‘ton phueng’, made from banana trunk and adorned with wax flowers, used when paying respect to the deceased and seeking their blessings. Like chedis elsewhere, women are barred from its inner sanctum, as are red dresses and flowers, the colour seen as symbolic with blood and violence.

These cold-climate flowers and plants mean Phu Rua is endowed with fertile soil. Local farmers have been growing begonia, red and white Christmas trees, roses, ‘dao ruang’, ‘bua sawan’ and other varieties for a decade now, and selling them at very affordable prices. A bag of begonia or ‘dao ruang’ costs five baht, white and red Christmas trees 10 and 25 baht respectively, and the prices are negotiable if buying in lots. Also, the flowers occasionally find their way to shops in Bangkok and Nonthaburi. Colourful flowers lining both sides of Highway 203 make it one of the most scenic in Thailand.

These cute knitted hats are unique to Loei. Shops are set both sides of Highway 201 at Pha Nok Khao where available is ‘songthaew’ service to Phu Kradung National Park. Handknitted by a group of housewives, each costs about 100 baht and bear cute designs such the face of a rabbit or panda. Apart from keeping cold away, they also make memorable souvenir items.

Only the eastern part of Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary is open to tourists. Clean accommodation and trekking guides are available but visitors need to inform in advance. Also rich in flora, even a short trek will bring you face to face with exotic flowers and plants including lichens, moss and ferns as the weather is cool most of the year. The highest point in the sanctuary, home to 210 species of birds and wildlife, is 1,500 metres above sea level. The best time for a visit is October to May when flowers are in full boom and nature enthusiasts arrive in hordes.

Straddling 120.84 square kilometres Phu Rua National Park, like Phu Kradung and Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary, is a famous mountain destination in Loei. Its summit rises to an altitude of 1,350 metres but you need not walk all the way, because there is ‘songthaew’ service from the park office to the top—a distance of 800 metres. The fare is 10 baht per person. Visitors like to pose for pictures at the park signpost. The best place to watch sunset is Ya Hai cliff or Suan Hin Pa Lee, while sunrise is best admired from Da Cho and Loan Noi cliff.

Phu Rua can be the coldest place in Thailand, the mercury sometimes dropping below zero in winter. But those extremes aside, it is certainly one place in Thailand that stays cool all year round, as this roadside thermometer would testify. Motorists often stop by the thermometer for a photo shoot, just as they would do when face to face with these roadside trees in the park designed to convey the message of a white Christmas.

These rows of huts without windows off Highway 203 are not tourists lodges but shitake farms growing edible mushroom called ‘hed hom’ in Thai. Suthon, one of the owners, right, poses with the produce, ripe and ready for harvest. It pays her well: a kilogramme of shitake costs 160 baht and she sells about 5kg daily. The farm near the KM 42 marker is seven kilometres from Phu Rua town.

This scenic Huay Nam Man reservoir at Ban Huay Krathing sits about 11kilometres from Loei town on the way to Phu Rua district. There is a sign on the road guiding motorists to the entrance to the reservoir. For accommodation, there is a choice of bungalows as well as raft houses that go for 300 baht a night. Rafting service is also available, a three-hour cruise on the reservoir costing 500 baht, excluding food and drinks.

About the author

: Writer: Karnjana Karnjanatawe; Position: Reporter

New rail links a boost for tourism

Published: 25/02/2010 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: Horizons

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) plans a double track railway system linking Phrae and Chiang Rai in the North and Nakhon Ratchasima and Nakhon Phanom in the Northeast to facilitate the movement of logistics and tourist traffic.

One day you may be able to travel to Nakhon Phanom by train.

Estimated to cost about 95,000 million baht and take four years to build, construction should begin within a year start after the feasibility studies are completed, disclosed Gen Surachai Tansitpong, permanent secretary of the Transport Ministry.

The Chiang Rai route starting from Den Chai district in Phrae is 280 kilometres long and cuts through pristine forest and A1 watershed areas.

SRT Governor Youdtana Tupcharoen said the route would boost local economies significantly because, once operational, it will be transporting 1.3 million tonnes of goods and more than 1.7 million passengers annually, among them tourists travelling on to southern China.

The Nakhon Phanom route, 364 kilometres long, originating in Bua Yai in Nakhon Ratchasima and connecting Mukdahan, will be able to commute 64,000 passengers daily and transport up to 3.8 million tonnes of goods yearly.

VN bullet train

Vietnam plans to build its first bullet train linking Hanoi in the north to the southern Ho Chi Minh City.

The route, about 1,600 kilometres long, will cut travel time from 30 hours to 10 hours. The train will have a speed of 300-350 kilometres per hour. Construction, expected to cost US$56 billion, will start in 2012 and the service will be launched in 2020.

Incheon top airport

Incheon International Airport in Seoul was voted world's best in 2009 for the fifth consecutive year in an airport service quality (ASQ) passenger survey conducted by Airports Council International (ACI).

ACI Director General Angela Gittens said 2009 was a tough year for airports worldwide as traffic numbers fell while competition rose. It was a year of balancing tight budgets with high customer expectations for service excellence.

"The results of the year-long ASQ passenger survey help identify the leaders in meeting that challenge and demonstrate that airports have continued to invest and focus on customer service despite falling traffic numbers," she noted.

The survey was based on regular monthly questionnaires filled in by passengers passing through well over 100 airports in some 45 countries.

Ten factors identified as essential for high customer service ratings were, by order of importance: the ambience of the airport, cleanliness of the terminal, comfort of the waiting areas, availability of washrooms, cleanliness of washrooms, courtesy and helpfulness of the airport staff, business lounges, ease of making connections, passport/ID inspection experience and good shopping facilities.

Following Incheon on the list were Changi in Singapore, Hong Kong International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport, and Rajiv Gandhi in Hyderabad, India.

"All hail from ACI's Asia-Pacific region, a reflection of the region's strong customer service culture, airport management commitment to service delivery and the high quality of modern passenger facilities at each of these airports," she said.

In addition to airports worldwide, top performers were also named for each of the six regional categories and five by traffic size.

Region-wise leading the list was George in South Africa (Africa); Incheon (Asia-Pacific); Keflavik in Iceland (Europe); Cancun in Mexico (Latin America-Caribbean); Tel Aviv in Israel (Middle East) and Austin in the US (North America).

By traffic size, leading the list was Halifax in Canada (under 5 million), Hyderabad (5-15 million), Baltimore/Washington in the US (15-25 million), Seoul (25-40 million) and Hong Kong (over 40 million).

The official awards ceremony will take place on May 13 at the ACI Asia Pacific region's annual conference at Sanya in Hainan, China.

Visit http://www.aci.aero for details.

Fossil attraction

Kalasin plans to promote a site where dinosaur fossils were excavated as the province's new tourist attraction.

The site, Phu Noi in Kham Muang district, made news earlier this month when dinosaur experts Dr Eric Buffetaut and Dr Haiyan Tong formally announced their find.

They found 15 dinosaur fossils including a hipbone (150x50cm) and a front leg (120cm long) dating probably to the late Jurassic period and belonging to a new species of sauropod, a herbivore.

Lovers' getaway

This weekend Kanchanaburi is wooing couples with its "River of Love" package that promises outdoor activities, rafting on the rivers Kwai Noi and Yai, a candlelit riverside dinner with live music by saxophonist Mr Saxman, a visit to Nong Khao village to observe the traditional way of life of the locals, and a night at a luxurious resort deep in the mountains.

Priced at 5,000 baht and organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the offer is open to 50 couples only on a first-come-first -serve basis.

For more information, call 02-152-1477 or the TAT's Kanchanaburi office at 034-511-200 and 034-512-500.

Travel fair kicks off

The Thai International Travel Fair 2010 starting today at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre features more than 1,100 booths offering visitors attractive tour and holiday packages at bargain prices.

Representing hotels and resorts, airlines, travel agents and so forth, the booths do provide visitors with plenty of options, with some of them there to tailor packages to suit their taste and schedule. Also, on sale spa packages, camping, trekking and dive equipment.

The four-day fair from Feb 25-28 is jointly organised by the Thai Travel Agents Association, the Association of Domestic Travel, the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Krungthai Card, and Thai Amadeus.

Visit http://www.ttaa-thai.com for details.

If you have any comments or news to share, please feel free to send them to karnjanak@bangkokpost.co.th

About the author

: Writer: Karnjana Karnjanatawe; Position: Reporter

Ayutthaya's jumble of Eastern and Western architecture

Faded glory

Ayutthaya's jumble of Eastern and Western architecture and landmarks are welcome relief, but fail to hide the scars of war

Published: 25/02/2010 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: Horizons

As capital of former Siam for a good 417 years, the longest run in our history, Ayutthaya is testimony to a past as much splendid as scarred.

No matter how much time has elapsed, even today it evokes tragic memories on an epic scale going back more than 200 years when Burmese troops lay siege and ransacked the city, after which for a brief period the capital moved to Thon Buri, followed by Bangkok that marked the start of the Rattanakosin period.

Therefore a visit to the neighbouring Ayutthaya is like stretching backwards a bit onto a path of rediscovery tinged with glory and also some grim chapters from history. For it is in Ayutthaya where lie the roots from which sprouted much of the Rattanakosin heritage we associate with the current Chakri Dynasty.

Just about 20 kilometres from the city centre of Ayutthaya is Bang Pa-in, the out-of-town retreat patronised by no less than three Chakri kings. A cluster of awe-inspiring structures of varying architecture adorn this landscape bisected by the Chao Phraya River, among them being a neo-classical mansion, a Chinese architectural masterpiece, a Buddhist monastery with Gothic facade and a conventional Thai pavilion.

During the Ayutthaya period, King Prasat Thong and his successors used this area for their summer retreat. After the fall of Ayutthaya, the tradition was discontinued until the reign of King Rama IV who had a royal residence constructed on the same site. The Bang Pa-in Palace as we know today, however, was built by King Rama V.

Unmatched elsewhere in the country, the complex's two separate sections serve as a veritable treasure trove of our national heritage and offer a fascinating glimpse into the lifestyle of the Thai royalty. While the outer area covers the main buildings for ceremonies and state functions, the inner sanctum used to be reserved for the kings and high-ranking members of the royal family.

As architecturally fascinating as the palace compound is the nearby Wat Niwet Dharma Prawat, where some truly distinctive landmarks seem more a clash than fusion of Eastern and Western forms of art.

Both Bang Pa-in Palace and Wat Niwet Dharma Prawat are located in Bang Pa-in district of Ayutthaya. The palace is open everyday from 8am to 4pm. Admission is 20 baht for children, 30 baht for adult Thais and 100 baht for foreigners. Golf carts are also available for rent. For details, contact 035-261-548 and 035-261-044.

The history of Bang Pa-in Palace dates to the reign of King Prasat Thong of Ayutthaya. According to chronicles from the era, he was born to King Ekathotsarot and a village woman he met during a river cruise after his boat capsized at what is Bang Pa-in today. Following his coronation in 1630, the king had the temple built around what once was his mother’s home, along with the majestic palace named Aisawan Dhipaya Asana, the summer residence of several monarchs before the Burmese invaded Ayutthaya in 1767. The palace was abandoned and remained in a state of neglect until the reign of King Rama IV in the Rattanakosin period when it was restored and a new royal residence was constructed. When his son King Rama V ascended the throne, more structures and residences were added leading to the state in which we see it today. Today, Aisawan Dhipaya Asana is an opensided pavilion with four porches and a multi-tiered roof built in the middle of a pond by King Rama V. The structure is a replica of Aphorn Phimok Prasat, the royal dressing room, inside the Grand Palace which was initiated by King Rama IV. King Rama V christened the new structure after King Prasat Thong’s summer residence. His bronze statue was enshrined inside the pavilion by his son, King Rama VI.

Situated adjacent to the floating pavilion, Phra Thinang Varobhas Phimarn is a one-storey mansion built in neo-classical style to function as King Rama V’s throne hall. Later in 1918, during the reign of King Rama VI, the royal ceremony in which his son Prince Prajadhipok, later king, married Momchao Rambhai Barni Svasti was held here. Presently, the interior is segmented into various chambers including the throne hall of King Rama V, a reception hall, a dining room and a living quarter which played host to His Majesty King Bhumibol during his visits to Bang Pa-in Palace between 1974 and 1982.

Not only does state-of-the-art architecture of Phra Thinang Wehart Chamrun give the venue its distinct identity and make it stand out from the rest of the edifices, it also acquaints visitors with the rich historical aspect and longstanding relations between Siam and China. Initiated by a group of Chinese businessmen and dedicated to King Rama V in 1889, this Chinese-style palace is dazzlingly beautified with an eclectic collection of ebony furniture, fine chinaware as well as delicate fretwork and wood carving that appear on the walls, columns, doors and windows. On the lower floor are the brilliantly embellished Chinese-style throne hall and the bedchambers of King Rama VI and his top aide, Chao Phraya Ramrakop. Wooden name plates of Kings Rama IV and V along with their queens inscribed in Chinese alphabet are kept on the upper storey of the building, where located are the living quarters of King Rama V and his queen, and his royal office as well as his son’s.

In 1887 the death of his consort, Princess Saovabhark Nariratana and his three children proved another major blow which left King Rama V in deep sorrow. He erected a marble cenotaph featuring the busts of the four near the earlier memorial dedicated to Queen Sunanda Kumariratana.

In 1880 Queen Sunanda Kumariratana, the queen consort of King Rama V, pregnant at the time, and his daughter Princess Karnabhorn Bejraratana, were on their way to the Bang Pa-in Palace when their royal vessel capsized at Pak Kret in Nonthaburi and they drowned. King Rama V, overwhelmed by grief, erected a marble cenotaph as a memorial to them. He also wrote their epitaphs in Thai as well as English, and had them inscribed on the monument.

Jutting into a pond is Hor Withun Thasana, the brightly-painted observatory tower built in the reign of King Rama V.

This vibrant edifice once functioned as the abbot’s rectory until Prince Damrong, who later became Somdej Krom Phraya Damrong Rajanubhab, was ordained as a monk at Niwet Dharma Prawat Temple. King Rama V had a new residential building erected for the abbot and reserved this one for his brother. This residence has become known as Tamnak Somdej Krom Phraya Damrong.

From Bang Pa-in Palace visitors can access Wat Niwet Dharma Prawat, a temple nestled on a tiny islet west of the palace, by a hand-operated trolley-like cable car that can carry 6-8 passengers at a time. The service is free of charge.

Installed above the entrance to the church is a stained glass image of King Rama V in royal regalia. The original one, however, was made in France around 1877.

Strolling the narrow path leading to the temple compound, one might blink in disbelief at the quaint European architecture on view there, making the cable car ride seem like a fling through Gothic Europe. Wat Niwet Dharma Prawat was founded in 1878 by King Rama V to serve as a site for religious ceremonies while residing in his summer palace. Although the exterior design of structures inside the temple compound is distinctly Western, the monastery is done in Dharmayut style, the form of Buddhism established by his father.

From outside the temple’s ordination hall manifests remarkably Gothic style characterised by elongated, steep spire and pointed arches, but on the inside its spellbinding interior decor reflects a harmonious marriage of architectural styles of the East and the West. The walls are exquisitely adorned with stained glass and exude highly embellished work of lively Western art, while the layout is typical Buddhist through the traditional setting of the altar with the temple’s principal Buddha image, Phra Buddha Naruemon Dharmophas, enshrined at the centre.

Flanking the statue are the Lord Buddha’s two chief disciples, Sariputta and Moggallana. Underneath the principal image on the lower base is Phra Nirantarai, the statuette in lotus position whose famed title was initiated by King Rama IV. This Buddha statue is one of 18 duplicated from the ancient golden Buddha image of the same name. Said to be unearthed by a farmer of Prachinburi Province in 1856, the original image was presented to the fourth Chakri monarch, who later placed it in Hor Sathiendharmaparit. One day a burglar broke into the chapel but failed to take this golden statue while making off with other less precious items. Seeing the statue survive two major threats, the monarch thought it was a miracle and decided to name it Phra Nirantarai, literally meaning a statue beyond harm.

This sundial was made by Lt Col Alfred Loftus, an officer in the Royal Navy of Siam, and presented to King Rama V in 1878.

Relate Search: Rattanakosin, Chakri Dynasty, Chao Phraya River, Bang Pa-in

About the author

: Writer: Patsinee Kranlert; Position: Reporter

วันเสาร์ที่ 20 กุมภาพันธ์ พ.ศ. 2553

Phongphot's Pioneering Approach Pays Dividends

UPDATE : 9 February 2010

The most popular countries among entrepreneurs looking to establish Thai restaurants overseas are Australia, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US). These locations are also among the most competitive. But entrepreneur Phongphot Hirunpreuk adopted a rather more regional focus, opening his first Thai restaurant in the Philippines.

Phongphot's first venture – Kruathai Authentic Thai Restaurant – opened its doors in 2001. Since its establishment, Kruathai, which means 'Thai kitchen', has targeted customers in the upper demographic echelons, broadly covering intermediate managerial, administrative or professional executives up to higher managerial, administrative or professional executives.
An opportunity to diversify

“After graduating [in engineering], I visited the Philippines to look for a suitable business channel. I discovered that the country manufactures and exports furniture to numerous markets around the world and decided to import rather outdated brands [of furniture] to Thailand,” Phongphot says.
During that time, Phongphot regularly visited the Philippines in order to manage a number of significant orders. When meeting Filipino friends with a taste for Thai cuisine, they would often ask him whether or not he had considered investing in a Thai restaurant there. Their queries ultimately became a form of inspiration.

Further exploration
While many of Phongphot's friends in the Philippines expressed a love for Thai cuisine, he realized that he would need to find out how the majority of Filipinos felt about it.

To get a better understanding of the situation, Phongphot took many Filipinos to eat at Thai restaurants, while he sometimes chose to prepare meals for them personally. While the feedback was largely positive, some guests remarked that Thai food was rather spicy, although they did not consider that to be a major problem.

Phongphot also studied consumer behavior in the Philippines and discovered that most Filipinos prefer to dine out. To put this in perspective, Phongphot said he discovered that more Filipinos than Thais eat out at a restaurant during a one-week period.

Phongphot also discovered that restaurants located within department stores tended to be filled with diners throughout the day. This was one reason the food service business in the Philippines had continued to grow strongly, and was a significant motivating factor behind Phongphot's decision to compete in the Philippines.

Phongphot decided to invest a total of about two million pesos (1.4 million baht [US$43,000]) in 2001 in his first Kruathai Restaurant in Cebu, a city on the island of Visayas in the south of the Philippines.

Kruathai is a small, two-story restaurant, which can accommodate up to 80 diners. Phongphot said he adjusted the menu to suit the needs of local consumers, partly by reducing the quantities of chili used in dishes. Nevertheless, the use of a Thai chef ensured the authenticity of the dishes served up.

“I invited members of the media and celebrities to join the grand opening, generating a good deal of interest. The number of diners rose strongly within just a short time and it became so popular that all our tables were quickly booked up. Eventually, Kruathai became a hit among residents of Cebu.”

Further evidence of the restaurant's success emerged when a second and third branch opened up in the city, both featuring a somewhat different kind of ambiance. Eventually, Kruathai became a franchise operation.

Minor readjustments
“Many folks in a number of different cities that didn't have a Thai restaurant expressed an interest in our franchise option, but I became unsure of whether or not Thai cuisine could be operated in such a way. Since it uses a wide variation of ingredients, most of them have to be imported [from the kingdom], which results in a relatively high cost of investment,” Phongphot points out.

Some franchisees used ingredients produced domestically (in the Philippines) and this affected the taste of the dishes.

“I put a halt to some franchises as I wasn't able to control the quality of the food. Such a situation could actually destroy the reputation of the whole business,” he says.

Kruathai now has seven branches in the Philippines (four outlets and three franchises). The branches are located within five different major cities (Bacolod, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo and Manila).

In 2009, Phongphot expanded his geographical reach by opening a joint venture operation in Guam, a small island located in the Pacific that is administered by the US.

“Every two months, a container of goods, such as fish sauce, pepper, salt and sugar arrived from Thailand. This is the key to maintaining Kruathai's authentic Thai flavors,” Phongphot says.

In order that there is not a shortage of supplies and that materials are not wasted, the logistics system and stock situation needs to be carefully monitored.

Barriers to entry
Kruathai is now the biggest restaurant group providing consumers in the Philippines with authentic Thai cuisine. It is estimated that there are only about 30 Thai restaurants in total in the Philippines, of which about 50% are operated by Thai nationals.

Phongphot says one reason there aren't too many Thai restaurants is because the Philippines has some strict rules and regulations regarding the establishment of a restaurant, while food service businesses are supposed to be restricted to Filipinos.

This does not mean that it is impossible, but entrepreneurs should make sure they don't fall foul of such restrictions. Running a restaurant in the Philippines means doing so with the help of a tried and trusted trading partner. Such a vital step would prevent the entrepreneur being cheated, he says.

“The law and regulations regarding the opening of a restaurant in the Philippines are similar to those found in the US,” Phongphot points out. Since the Philippines is made up of many small islands, each tends to have its own distinctive procedures.

'Aim high'
Phongphot says opening a restaurant in the Philippines these days requires an investment of about three million pesos ($64,000).

He says in terms of potential customers, entrepreneurs should aim high ('B' and above). Since it requires a good deal of preparation and the ingredients are expensive, less wealthy customers would typically not consider this kind of meal.

In terms of the location of outlets, Phongphot says that restaurants located in department stores are more likely to bag 'walk in' business. But there are disadvantages of opening an outlet in a department store, too, such as the relatively high rental charges, as well as certain restrictions concerning operating hours.

A growing interest
Phongphot says Thai cuisine has definitely grown in stature in the Philippines over recent years.

“Thai cuisine is now well received among Filipinos and is one of the three most popular styles of food in the country,” he says.

Phongphot says one reason many Filipinos have taken to Thai food is from stints living overseas (in the US or Europe). Once these migrants return home, they seek out Thai cuisine once more, he says.

Kruathai has undoubtedly played a major role in building a name for Thai food in the country. The restaurant brand is said to be among the five most reputable foreign restaurants among Filipinos, while its outlets are commonly chosen as a place where VIPs, including ministers or other high-level politicians, are entertained.

According to Phongphot, the best known Thai dishes in the Philippines are pad thai ('Thai stir-fried rice noodles'), khao klug kapi ('fried rice with chili paste, omelet, dried shrimp and long beans'), tom yum koong ('hot and sour shrimp soup'), poo pad phong kari ('curried fried crab'), tod mun koong ('deep fried shrimp cakes') and pla rad prik ('deep fried fish topped with sweet chili sauce').

In terms of presentation, Phongphot points out that in the Philippines a more Western approach is used, so one course is served after another rather than several dishes being served at the same time as is the case during an authentic Thai meal.

He says that the food also needs to be fully seasoned prior to being served as Filipinos typically do not add any form of seasonings or sauces at the table.

“For example, we don't serve noodles with seasoning condiments as is the case in Thailand. We have to cook it 'just so', and this has been one of the main reasons our eateries have become so popular.”

Finally, Phongphot revealed that the most important factor in terms of the overall success of Kruathai.

“Each operator must be proficient at cooking every item on the menu and make any adjustments as necessary.” – Translated and republished thanks to the kind permission of ASTV Manager. This article is based on another report published in issue 80 of SMEs Today magazine.

source : manager.co.th

Sri Panwa: Phuket Successes Spark Interest Overseas

UPDATE : 11 February 2010

Supattha Sukchoo

Boasting an idyllic poolside location by Makham Bay, the chilled out Baba Dining Lounge at Sri Panwa Phuket is clearly one of the best spots to catch a sunset on the island often dubbed 'the Pearl of the Andaman'.

The Baba Dining Lounge alone required an investment of 200 million baht (US$6.05 million), while an additional 100 million baht went into the development of Sri Panwa Phuket's spa operations.

Adding value
But such impressive facilities don't only benefit guests at the luxury hotel, as they also add value to the overall development by providing a greater level of convenience and comfort for residents who have purchased a villa property under the Sri Panwa Residences brand.

The prestige of the Sri Panwa development has only been heightened by regular visits by members of the Royal family, as well as a host of Thai celebrities, suggesting it has been built to the very highest standards.

While a one-night stay at Sri Panwa Phuket will set you back anything from 50,000-98,000 baht (US$1,500-3,000), depending on what time of year you visit the island, Sri Panwa Residences' luxury villas are priced accordingly, towards the very top end of the market.

Vorasit Issara, managing director of Sri Panwa Residences, says that the six villas built as part of the development's fourth phase are the most significant yet in terms of size, and luxury, adding that these 'premium' units would each fetch prices of between 280-380 million baht.

Demand robust, supply easing
Vorasit points out that land prices on the island continue to rise, as there is an ever diminishing number of suitable plots available to property developers or investors. While the prices may seem on the high side, Vorasit says that all six villas had already been reserved by prospective buyers, one of whom is a senior banking executive from India.

“Villas in the earliest phases were also considered to be 'high end', but these properties [from the fourth phase] can be considered to be premium as they are the largest and most expensive,” he says.

Once every phase of the property development has been completed, Sri Panwa residences would occupy an area covering 80 rai [12.8 hectares], valued at more than six billion baht ($180.8 million), according to Vorasit.

The developer's main targets during the earliest phase of the development were wealthy foreign expatriates who could fly to the island on weekends, as well as European businesspeople interested in relocating.

But properties in the fourth phase were targeted at even wealthier individuals looking to diversify or expand their property portfolio, rather than those seeking a main or second home.

Plenty of potential
When the first phase of the project was launched in 2004, the development consisted of just 20 units. Nine of these were sold for between 20-120 million baht ($603,000-3.6 million), according to Vorasit, while the remainder served as luxury accommodation, costing between 30,000-50,000 baht per night. This phase alone required an investment of 1.2 billion baht ($36.1 million).

Songkran Issara, Vorasit's father, who is managing director of Charn Issara Development, says it took him nine years to locate the perfect site for the Sri Panwa project. After eventually discovering a suitable plot of land along Sri Panwa Cape, Songkran purchased it in 2002 and began the residential product the following year.

“In those days, many people were basically overlooking this land as when they visited to take a look, they checked out the view [of the ocean] from the land. But I was looking at things from the other direction [from the coast to the plot of land], and this helped me to truly appreciate its beauty,” he says.

Songkran says he found that existing pool villas on the island at that time were not classy enough to attract the kinds of buyers that the company was seeking. In light of this discovery, all villas at Sri Panwa offer ocean views, which can either be seen from the bedroom, Jacuzzi, the living room, or the swimming pool.

Vorasit played a role in persuading Songkran to invest in a hotel development, pointing out that short term guests might also prove to be interested in a longer-term investment in the shape of a property investment. Meanwhile, the company would also be able to invest funds generated by the residential operation in the hotel facility.

International aspirations
Once the first phase sold out, the second phase was launched, which included properties priced at between 30-250 million baht. Again, demand was strong and units soon sold out.

By the end of 2008, Sri Panwa invested more money in the hotel business in order to deal with strong demand among both locals and foreign tourists. Meanwhile, it was estimated that the 48 villas operated by the hotel could generate income of up to 100 million baht per annum.

Vorasit says he will work hard to develop Sri Panwa into a leading chain of luxury resorts and he plans to invest further in four or five more tracts of land on the island.

“Over the next three years, we will be focusing on Sri Panwa and on Phuket.”

Sri Panwa is now a flagship development among Charn Issara Group's hotel and resort businesses, while the group has received a good deal of interest among foreign enterprises looking for Charn Issara Group to invest in overseas property projects.

In light of this development, it can only be a matter of time before the company begins to compete in earnest in the international arena. - Translated and republished thanks to the kind permission of Manager 360 Magazine. Photos courtesy Manager 360 Magazine.

วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 18 กุมภาพันธ์ พ.ศ. 2553

Rise in divorce evidence from social websites

By Manager Online

18 February 2010 16:48

This photo retrieved February 16, 2010 is from http://manolobrides.com. People are told to be more cautious about their online posts.

February 18, 2010
NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) - Going through a divorce or separated? Be careful what you write on social networking sites.

A poll of matrimonial lawyers in the United States showed there has been an increase in divorce evidence from websites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.

Some 81 percent of the 1,600 members of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), who handle divorces, prenuptial agreements, legal separations, custody battles, annulments and property division, said they have seen a rise in the last five years in the number of cases using evidence from the Internet.

"Going through a divorce always results in heightened levels of personal scrutiny. If you publicly post any contradictions to previously made statements and promises, an estranged spouse will certainly be one of the first people to notice and make use of that evidence," Marlene Eskind Moses, president of the AAML said.

Facebook was the main source of divorce and custody evidence, according to 66 percent of AAML members, followed by

MySpace at 15 percent, Twitter at 5 percent.

"Facebook is a wealth of information," said Kenneth Altshuler, the first vice president of the AAML who has been a divorce lawyer for 25 years. "My first advice to clients is: 'Shut down your Facebook page."

This photo retrieved February 16, 2010 is from http://bradley.chattablogs.com. Divorce evidence from the social networking sites has increased.

He cited a recent case of a mother fighting for custody of her child. She lost because she told the court she was engaged, but on her Facebook page she revealed that she had recently split up with an abusive boyfriend and was now looking for a rich man.

"I'm amazed how people do not think about what they post on Facebook while they are in a divorce case," Altshuler added in an interview.

In another case, the testimony of a man, who said he was a reformed alcoholic, was cross-examined after a Facebook photo showed him drinking at an office party.

"Judges will forgive human failings, but they won't forgive lying," Altshuler explained.

In addition to being aware of what they post, he advised people going through a divorce to consider who their friends are on social networking sites.

"As everyone continues to share more and more aspects of their lives on social networking sites, they leave themselves open to much greater examinations of both their public and private lives in these sensitive situations," Eskind Moses added in a statement.

(Reporting by Patricia Reaney; Editing by Leslie Gevirtz)

There really is a formula for love

By Manager Online

18 February 2010 15:22

Roses grow in a flower farm at Sopo near Bogota February 5, 2010. REUTERS/John Vizcaino

February 18, 2010
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Romantics looking for everlasting love will swoon over a new love equation released just in time for Valentine's Day and which can calculate the right age to fall in love.

The equation nicknamed the "Fiancee Formula" was created by an Australian mathematics professor and works by factoring in the age at which you start looking for a long-term partner and the absolute oldest age you would consider getting married.

"Although probability isn't the most romantic basis for a marriage, the formula does seem to fit a lot of couples -- whether through accident or design," said the equation's creator, Professor Tony Dooley at the University of New South Wales.

This photo retrieved February 18, 2010 is from http://www.monzy.org. Picture shows how to calculate love.

"There's no reason why the science can't be extended to calculate the best moment to marry," Dooley said in a statement.

However, love birds take note, the mathematical equation for love only has a 37 percent success rate.

The formula is helpful as a guide for the right moment to start getting serious, but could also be used by nervous men to calculate when to avoid the ultimate commitment, said Dooley.

(Reporting by Amy Pyett; Editing by Miral Fahmy)

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