Issue 12 / August 2012
Exclusive Interview
Zahrain Ismail
Mr.
Contract Manager Only One Tour & Travel GroupCompany Limited
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TIMETABLE
Editor’s Talk Welcome August!
In this issue may be a little change of Lomprayah Magazine are more adding content that should thicken as Destination Guide, Place Guide,Travel Agents (booking online. agents), or that everyone is familiar with OTAs and Lomprayah Magazine also had a chat room with pool Mr.Zahrain Ismail was appointed as Contract Manager’s Only One Tour & Travel Group Co., Ltd. (www.onlyonetour.com). There are also many other interesting content. As part of the Destination Guide that will take you to the Angthong National Marine Park Emerald Sea, Gulf of Thailand, Place Guide Suggestions Koh Tao Hillside Resort Hotel, which overlooks Panorama’s most beautiful on the island, Restaurant Guide to be eat some food in a romantic at place at Salad Buri Restaurant on Koh Phangan and the other articles that you can follow the pages 7 in worst travel fashion sins, Choose an Online Travel. Agent and eyes, and I (part 2). Please take care of yourself in during rainy season. And from now until the end of the year. Lomprayah is getting organized. “ Lomprayah actually contribute all weekend” via the Facebook Fan Page to numerous awards.More than 15,000 per week just as a sighted per share and you have the right to win every week. You may have to free the unconscious. Monitor the activities and news. http://www.facebook.com/lomprayah.
Photjanard Kantiwong http://www.facebook.com/lomprayah
Lomprayah Team Editor in Chief
Photjanard Kantiwong
Executive Editor
Wanitcha Sukchet
Senior Writer
Thanabat Ouiwongpaisal
Editorial Staff
Vorapong Vongvarothai Juntiya Laoniyomthai Nuttavoot Hinjit Jiraporn Boonta Jiwako
Art Director
Methakritsada Wanngoen Seattakit Meunnak
Hilight
OTA
Online
travel agent
Now days, our travel agents are going the way of the full service gas station. People just don’t have time anymore, time to go in and meet with a travel agent, time to go over options, basically – they don’t have time for full service. Online travel agents are all around us now, on the internet. They are convenient, but not quite the full service “station” we are used to when making our travel plans. What is an online travel agent? An online travel agent is more like an online booking resource. It is any website that you can go to make travel arrangements. I am sure most of you have visited a site like this. You can log in, do multiple searches for flights, hotel rooms, car rentals etc. and place your order online – very convenient! Online travel agent bookings sites are helpful in many ways; people can explore all of their different options for travel right in one spot. If you are looking for a flight to Europe, for example, and your route is flexible, users can map out different itineraries online. Then, the user can pick which works best for them and make a decision about what they want to do. Also, the user gets exposed to options that they may not have thought of before; therefore broadening their horizons of what type of travel arrangements are available to them. Six reasons why we need online travel agencies Online travel agencies do at least six things well that airline sites don’t (meta search sites such as Kayak offer some, but not all, of these advantages): 1. Quick and easy comparison of not just fares but schedules on many different airlines at a glance. It’s not just fares; it’s schedules, too. If your main criterion is arriving, say, by 2 p.m. and aa.com shows all flights arriving by then at $300, then wouldn’t you like to quickly see that another airline has 2 p.m. arrivals for $150? 2. Flexible date searches. Let’s say you can only see your girlfriend in Toledo when the fare is $150 or less and you’ll travel any time it goes that low. Most airline sites just do flexible date searches over plus- or minus-three or –seven days (although aa.com does this over 30 days), making flexible date searches time consuming and tedious. Travelocity.com and Cheapair.com perform searches
over 330 days ahead, and Orbitz.com, Hotwire. com and Cheaptickets.com do 30-day searches quickly and easily, plus they do so on many airlines at once. 3. Multi-airline itineraries. It might be cheaper flying your first leg on Airline A, your second on Airline B, and your third on Airline C. Online travel agencies (and good bricks-and-mortar travel agents) will work out the best fare in such scenarios; an airline site will keep you on its own system. Even meta search sites like Tripadvisor.com/Flights and Kayak will send you only to Expedia.com or Orbitz if the best deal is flying out on Frontier and back on US Airways. 4. Packages. Ever notice the TotalTrip option on Travelocity? On some trips, especially last-minute ones, we’ve seen hotel plus air packages for half what air alone costs.
5. Opaque fares. Sites like Priceline.com and Hotwire.com sell fares for less than airline sites as long as you don’t care to learn the airline and exact flight times before you buy. You can save hundreds, especially on last minute fares. 6. Code share airfares. Go to Orbitz.com and you’ll often see an odd thing: two flight itineraries leaving and arriving at exactly the same time on two different airlines— let’s say Alitalia and Delta. But Delta is selling the trip for $1000 and Alitalia for $600. This is a code share arrangement. Delta has bought seats on Alitalia and is free to sell them at any price it chooses. Go to Delta.com and you’ll only see the $1000 fare. If you’re a savvy traveler, you might think to check Alitalia’s web site; if you’re not, you’ll overpay. Orbitz’s fare matrix is the easiest way to quickly identify code shares (Orbitz’s sister site Cheaptickets.com which, by the way, still shows American’s fares, works the
same way). So here’s the bottom line: if American ends up selling its fares the same way Southwest does (and as Airtran will after the merger)-i.e., only on its own website--and then Delta, United/Continental, and US Airways follow suit, then you’ll be spending a lot more time online looking for the best deal. And you’ll probably end up spending more on airfare. And yes, you can always use online travel agencies to find the lowest fare and then book directly with an airline, but that strikes us somehow as killing the golden geese.
a travel agent who can do the ferreting out for you. This service is especially relevant if you’re extremely busy or place a very high value on your time.
Travel Agencies vs. Online Bookings - Agents can save you time. There’s a good chance that you’ll be reading this column online, and that you regularly make your travel arrangements online. You’ve found, then, that ferreting out your best deals often requires a lot of time—maybe many hours—for even a simple trip. That’s why some of you prefer one call to
- Agents can help solve problems. If your flight is canceled or you face some other problem, an agent can probably find a better solution, more quickly, than you could on your own.
- Agents provide skills you might not find online. Here, I’m not talking so much about personal airline and destination recommendations—you can get more of that online than you can possibly assimilate—but in such specialized areas as assembling custom tours or using airline ticketing tricks for multi-stop international trips that the OTA systems can’t incorporate.
- Agents provide special services to business travelers. Many businesses find the best way to manage their travel activities and
budgets do that is to use a travel agency. Small businesses and individual professionals, especially, find business-oriented agencies to be helpful. This is not to say that you should all shut down your computers and head for a travel agency. Online is still the best bet for many of you: -Retail travel agent services are no longer “free.” Fees range from around $30 for a simple air booking to much more than that for a complicated itinerary. For a relatively simple itinerary, you can probably find on your own any good deal you could get through a retail agency. -Retail agents often can’t or won’t use some of your best sources of big discounts, such as Hotwire, Priceline, by-owner vacation rental sites, and flash sale sites. One local agent I know won’t book flights on Allegiant because of difficulties when that line cancels a flight.
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Nowadays, most of all people in the word usually use the Smart Phone, Thai people are also more familiar using the Internet. Sawadee.com is opened service coming into15th Anniversary for mostly foreigners, especially European. At the present, Thai and people from Asians increasable began to use the online booking services. Because we provide booking services throughout the country. Therefore, the Destination has a good time to visit a difference. Some people like to booking on Koh Tao was in July – Aug. In during the monsoon, tourists have changed to stay in another province, or Koh Pangan has every month during the Full Moon Party.
CHALATORN RUENGSRI Reservation Officer from Sawadee.com.
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Destination Guide
ANGTHONG NATIONAL MARINE PARK
Attraction Details : This comprises some 40 islands about 20 kilometres or two hours by boat northwest of Koh Samui. The park covers 250 square kilometres, of which approximately one fifth is land mass. The most attractive islands include Koh Wua Ta Lap, Koh Mae Ko, Koh Prayat, Koh Sam Sao, Koh Nai Put and Koh Wua Te. Most islands comprise limestone masses reaching heights of up to 400 metres, and fringed by beaches and rain forest. An emerald saltwater lake known as Tha-le Nai (Inland Sea) on Koh Mae Ko is the park’s major scenic attraction, and entails a mildly strenuous climb. The resultant views are well worth the effort. Another popular venue is Koh Sam Sao where an extensive span of coral reef and a huge rock arch offer scenic fascination. The park office is on Koh Wua Ta Lap where bungalow-style accommodation is available. Visitors wishing to stay overnight should make advance bookings and
specify whether meal services are required, either through the Ang Thong Marine National Park office, 145/1 Talatlang Road, Surat Thani. Tel: 0 7728 6025 or 0 7742 0225. Admission Fee : Adult 200 Baht Child 100 Baht Getting There : A ferry departs from Koh Samui’s Na Thon pier daily at 8.30 a.m. and arrives at Mu Koh Ang Thong at 10.30 a.m. The fare is 550 baht. On return, the ferry departs from the Ang Thong National Park at 3 p.m. Call 0 7742 2262-3 for details. A one-day tour package to Mu Koh Ang Thong is also organised by travel agents on Koh Samui. Note : Mu Koh Ang Thong National Park will be closed yearly during November 1- November 30 .
Place Guide
KOH TAO HILLSIDE RESORT
Koh Tao is an island in Thailand located near the eastern shore of the Gulf of Thailand. It covers an area of about 21 square km, about 70 km east of the coastline between Suratthani and Chumphon. Koh Tao has natural beauty and particularly it’s marine life and coral reefs grew, it has become one of the major dive sites in Thailand. With it’s 11 beaches and 8 km’s of coral reef it’s a great location for relaxation and adventure. Koh Tao Hillside Dive Resort is located on the Aow Taasak bay of Koh Tao, located across from Koh Nangyuan on Koh Tao. The resort overlooking Koh Nangyuan clearly. Perfect atmosphere to relax. Enjoy the soothing sound of the surf, panoramic ocean views from your room, to see the sunsets, and cool ocean breezes. we are waiting you come to touch by yourself at Koh Tao Hillside Dive Resort Koh Tao Hillside Resort is ideal for those who want quiet. Because the resort is surrounded by nature is still abundant. In addition, they can also watch the sea at the same time. Or one who likes swimming in the sea, you can come to the front resort. This is a small sandy beach, with a length of about 25 meters.
Standard Room (Garden View) When you feel tired, don’t have the power to move forward that mean you need the natural healing. Let your body and mind to be a part of nature to absorb the beauty into your body. Replace the missing part by trees and beach. Superior Room (Sea View) If you are looking some place to escape from confusion, we are the best answer with the private room near the beach of Koh Tao. You will meet peace, happiness and beautiful place at here. Deluxe Room (Villa - Panorama View) Touch a large room that will make you feel relaxed with sea views, release emotions and concern. Throw them to the sea. Koh Tao Hillside Resort Address: 19/1 Moo 1, Tumbon Koh Tao, Amphur Koh PhaNgan, Suratthani THAILAND 84360 Tel.: (+66) 7760 1822-24 Mobile Phone: (+66) 8 4422 3745, (+66) 8 3550 7328 Fax.: (+66) 7760 1823
Restaurant Guide
Salad Buri Resort & Spa Restaurants & Dining It is true that the casual elegance of the Paradise Restaurant, with unobstructed views of the entire of Haad Salad, creates the perfect environment for a wonderful dining experience. But it isnot just the alluring view and romantic, tranquil atmosphere that has gained this restaurant its well-deserved reputation - it is the friendly service, the fabulous choice of delicious & beautifully presented Thai & Western dishes, that lures guests back time and time again. Beach Front Restaurant Beach lounge chairs, cushions, & umbrellas are provided for the comfort of guests. Soak up the sun, take a cool dip in the ocean or just relax & unwind under the shade of the coconut palms & let time stand still. Feel hungry but too relaxed to move. Just beckon our beach waiter to order food or drink & it will be delivered to you on the beach, making life so easy.
Pool & Pool Bar great place to relax with friends & sip on an icy cold beer or cocktail after a day in the sun, sand & sea.
Located right on the Beach front you can enjoy the beautiful colours of the skies and cool evening sea breezes in a perfect tranquil setting. Our extensive drinks menu includes beer, spirits, wines, cocktails, liqueurs, soft drinks, tropical fresh fruit juices and any special requests. Or why not try our exotic in-house premium cocktails created by our qualified bartenders ......Just another day in Paradise.A great place to relax with friends & sip on an icy cold beer or cocktail after a day in the sun, sand & sea. Located right on the Beach front you can enjoy the beautiful colours of the skies and cool evening sea breezes in a perfect tranquil setting. Our extensive drinks menu includes beer, spirits, wines, cocktails, liqueurs, soft drinks, tropical fresh fruit juices and any special requests. Or why not try our exotic in-house premium cocktails created by our qualified bartenders Just another day in Paradise.
d e v o l e v a I really h
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Real Story
“KOH TAO
On Friday we left Bangkok to travel to an island in the gulf of Thailand called Koh Tao. The journey was horrendous, a 12 hour overnight bus ride and the a ferry to the island! Sea sickness is now my new worst emeny! We have 5 more ferries to catch over the next 2 weeks so really need to try and get something for it or there will be lots of bad times ahead :( On the plus side Koh Tao is so lovely. On sat afternoon we sunbathed under coconut trees the beach on our resort is very small and private, it is a lovely changed from Bangkok!! We had more Thai food tonight, my meal cost the equivelent of 50p and the noodles were delicious! Best so far!!! It rained tonight for the first time, the rain comes down so heavy but it is warm. Luckily we were inside eating at the time. The beds are so hard in our room here, but I was so tired I could have slept anywhere tonight! Room is hot actually feels cooler outside as me only have a fan here and no air con! :(
With the life jacket I was able to put my head under water and sea properly, though at first I would hold my breath when I went under I soon learned to let myself breathe! It is what the snorkle is for afterall! But survival instinct told me not to breath! Once I got the hang of it snorkling is amazing!!! Seeing all the fish up close was brilliant! Saw so many kinds and colours and some coral. I now love snorkling and would definitely do it again!! On the trip we made friends with an Australian girl who was travelling by herself, she told us things about
We really feel like some pizza for tonight so we will be off the Thai food for a change. Tomorrow we leave Koh Tao at 3pm and I have to get on a ferry again :( We head to Koh Phagnan another island south of here which is famous for its parties. I do wish we were staying here for longer, but the time we’ve had has been brilliant and the best so far! :D I really have loved Koh Tao!!!!
I really have ! loved Koh Tao
:)
We got up early for snorkling today (Sunday) we got on a boat that took us round the island and we stopped at 3 different sites to go in the water. Snorkling - what an experience!!!! At first I hated it and could not get used to breathing through the mouth piece. It seems so weird to not be able to breathe through your nose!! I also couldm’t stay afloat and control my breathing at the same time, as going under would make me panic and fast breathing does not work through a snorkle!!! So I decided to opt for a life jacket....and although I felt like a bit of a child at first it really helped with my breathing :)
Aus for when we go there, she has been travelling for 3 years!! Which is mental! I could never be away from home for that long! We stopped on a smaller island off of Koh Tao for two hours, here I had a delicious pineapple yoghurt shake and sunbathed a bit. Falling asleep in the sun is bad!!! Wake up SO horribly hot! But we are always tired in this heat. I have finally caught the sun today.....with some lovely tan lines! Ha!! A cold shower was amazing after today!
Agency PR
Exclusive Interview
Mr.
Zahrain Ismail Contract Manager Only One Tour & Travel Group Company Limited
Hello! Everyone. In this issue we are so proud to present Mr.Zahrain Ismail , he came from Singapore At the present he was held in the position of Contract Manager Only One Tour & Travel Group Company Limited . interview you about he lifestyle and business How long have you been in Thailand I have been in Thailand for three years. I came to Thailand in 2009. Why did you should Thailand as your destination or for your working. Previously, I came to Thailand many times—countless times. I have the opportunity to go to other countries for a holiday, but I still choose Thailand because the country is very nice and beautiful. I feel relaxed when I am in Thailand. I find that Thai people are one of the most polite people to guests among the countries I have been to. You are the Contract Manager, right? What do you work about. What I do actually is I request for contract lists from the hotels, and I request for you know special lists customers need for us. Relationship between the hotels. Maintain understanding between hotels and travel agents. I come from Singapore and back home I’ve been in the services all my life. Meeting people is one of the greatest fun and excellent jobs because you always meet your people. Good or bad it doesn’t matter because you don’t know who is good or bad. Yes right. How long have you worked for the company. It’s been one year and 3 months. And the last 3 months, I stayed in Phuket. But Phuket life is too actually I married to a Thai. My wife is from Kalasin. It’s easier for me to go to Kalasin from Bangkok than from Phuket. In Phuket, you can’t make it in a day to Kalasin. Unlike Bangkok, it’s only 8 hour drive.
That is good and reasonable. Because I have my baby daughter there. So I can go back in every two months. : It’s good you are a family guy. Yes, I mean that’s what we are really for, right? Yes. And what do you think about the online agents in the present and the future. Online is good. You can’t beat the online system because online system is fast and efficient. You can cut men power, cost or even anything. The online system is still faster. So instead of beating the online system as travel agents, one must join the online system to benefit everybody. The online system doesn’t kill travel agents. On the other hand, it helps us all. We can promote our sub-agents through websites. Is this the reason why the company is now working online. Not actually, we want to accommodate and to please everybody, and sub agents, they want faster booking. We also want faster booking and efficiency. The online system is the best deal to remain competitive society and to keep up with the market. So we have to do it online.
So what is the market for a single tour and travel group?
So you can handle family life and work life together, right?
All the hotels have asked me this. We are actually worldwide, but we do have Asian market as well. In term of worldwide, I don’t specify any markets because we actually have all markets. For example, we have the American during December, the Chinese during February for a Chinese New Year, and the Middle Eastern before the Ramadan Season.
Yes, definitely we have to balance. For me, I don’t ask so much because I am raised to be appreciated. But of course I want to work. That I have my family is enough. That I have my wife who loves me is enough. That I have my daughter who loves me is enough, and that I have a work to support everybody is enough.
Why do you should this company to work for?
That’s good As you are working for a travel agent, do you like travelling
First things first, the owner is actually a long time friend, and he knows that I stayed in Thailand because I married to a Thai wife. I married her long before I came to Thailand. He offered me a job. He knows that I was in service land before, and he knows that I can do good things for the company. That’s why I join him.
Yes, I do. Before I joined this company, I traveled to Southeast Asia, almost all of it. I have been to Europe. Of course I like travelling. The thing is right now I’m cutting it down because I think it’s about time to save the money for my family. Frankly, my family comes first, especially my baby daughter She is my no.1
Working with friends or with someone you are closed to makes you feel comfortable and you can share many ideas and support each other.
What is your style of journey?
Yes, but I have to make it clear that during office hours, I’m a staff. A relationship as a friend still remains, I know my position as an employee. want to tell you something. It was Sunday. I came to work at 9 am and went back at 7 pm or 9 or 10 pm if there was load of work. So work is work. We have to maintain it as a professional reason.
If I go overseas, I will take an economy seat, not so luxury hotel. If I get the opportunity to buy a rental car for cheap price, I’ll do it. But Thailand has 77 provinces which I have been to almost 70 of them by driving. I go almost everywhere in Thailand. And you take your baby daughter with you, right? Like a family trip. Yes. It’s good that you take her around.
You said that you work quite hard, so do you have time to relax or free time. I do. I schedule myself that every two months, I will take a break to go home to my daughter. So when I go back, I will take a week off for a holiday. It’s a good deal. It’s okay. And after work, I can spend my time with my wife. No problem. I’m 39 now. At this age, I don’t feel the need to party or to enjoy too much. A relaxed life with my wife and my family is enough.
By this year after Songkran, it’s new term for a school right? So, hopefully, I can bring her to Bangkok because she will be studying ป1. So let her finish อนุบาล in the hometown. So next year, she’ll be studying ป1 in Bangkok here. You told me that you like Thai people and beautiful places, so do you anything that you like about Thailand.
You take your family around so often, so what is your memorable place. We went to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai to a strawberry filed for winery. From Chiang Mai we drove down to Uttaradit, Pitsanulok and down to Chumporn and to Huahin. Actually I like Huahin. It’s very good. It’s quiet. The crowd is nice. We went to some beautiful waterfalls. I mean in Thailand every part of it has its own specialty. In Northeastern, we have a dinosaur museum. We have souvenirs made by OTOP from provinces. Where would you like to recommend an attraction place for tourists? Previously, I stayed in Phuket. It has wonderful beaches, but now Phuket is so crowded. It’s not that quiet anymore. So my next stop would be Samui. It has nice beaches as well and is more quiet than Phuket. Actually, I love better because of historical sites in Buriram. I have been to Ubonrajchathani, shopping cheap stuffs. Then I’ve been to Udonthani, Yasothorn, Mahasarakham, everywhere. South. I went to tour up North Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Pai. It’s a road trip. I drive my pickup all the way up everywhere in Thailand with just a few of us. Everywhere that go I got good memories. You like the nature of Thailand, right? I would say yes. I live in a cosmopolitan area because my work is here. This is where you earn the money, but if I have a chance, I would like to go back, be with nature and be in a rural area. It’s more relaxed and quiet. Enjoy the nature and sceneries. You know that I wake up every morning at 5:30 am without any alarm clocks even if it is Sunday which is my day off. I sleep around 10 or 11 pm. How did you wake up so early. I’m trained. Sleeping for 4 or 5 hours a day is enough for me.
For those people who would like to be in a cold area, I would recommend Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, especially a quiet Pai village in Mae Hong Son. For those who like to party, I would recommend Phuket. It has everything. The last time I was there was like in Europe. People are quite busy over there. For the ones who are bagpackers, I recommend Northeastern provinces. It’s very interesting. You can go all the way up to Nong Khai. You can also stay at a quiet town in Nong Bua Lumpu. I was there for two days because my wife’s cousin was sent to the army. The last question for this occasion, I would like you to invite tourist to come to Thaialnd by choosing a single tour and travel group. If customers would like to com to Thailand, I would like to recommend this company because we not only provide tours, but also provide special tours. For example, you want to book a tour package only for five days. But they have 3-day, 6-day, or 7-day tour. I can provide special package for you. I can make a package fit your convenience. I ask you what you want to do, what your type of holiday is, and how much your budget is. That is because when people go on a holiday, they have a certain amount of money to spend. They don’t want to go back to their countries with no money left. We have this specific package with a specific amount of money they wish to spend on a package. So we can arrange a tour package
according to your money. We try to get you the best deal. We try to make you satisfied. Also we have around 30% of limited guests. When they come in the city, they’ll call for service with the company again. We have in-booked especially. We have limited guests from the Middle East and also from Europe. They send us an email. They ask for booking. They’re satisfied our service. What I ever said about my job is that is not only about a job. It’s about customer service and friendship because if you don’t have this two, you won’t have the job. If you’re not friendly or don’t do customer service, then you don’t have work.
and for Thailand, could you please invite them to Thailand. Sure, I would invite them definitely. Actually, I have invited both of my friends to come, and they are coming to Thailand. Maybe the tourism percentage has fallen a little bit due to the economy crisis and the political crisis. But I think Thailand is a pleasant country. Everybody would love to come to Thailand. I would definitely invite tourist to come to Thailand for a single tour and travel group. If they have another agent or come on their own, it’s okay as long as they come to Thailand because I think everybody should experience what Thailand has to offer.
I still choose Thailand because “ the country is very nice and beautiful.
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I feel relaxed when I am in Thailand.
- Mr. Zahrain Ismail -
Horoscope PART 2
Spot Your Mate By Mr.
Rup Krishen Baqaya
Libra
Libra is an extremely idealistic sign, hard to satisfy. There is no doubt that Libra has an intense desire for sympathy, love, understanding and companionship. However, doubtlessly Libra has great personal charm. Libra women are not in a hurry to marry as the sexual side of marriage means little to them. Libra men are not disposed to make the best of marriage, as they cannot resist feminine wiles and flattery.
Sagittarius
Sagittarius is an open, easy going sign with a friendly and attractive manner. It is not a sign which favours marriage to a great extent. Both men and women of this sign love their freedom. But Sagittarians are usually conventional and too concerned with what people will say, to deviate from established custom. As marriage partners Sagittarians are friendly rather than affectionate.
Aquarius Aquarius is an idealistic sign not particularly concerned with sexual matters. It is a contemplative, philosophical sort of sign with great interest in life and humanity. The Aquarian outlook is a largely friendly one. Friendship very largely replaces possessive love and sexuality. The normal Aquarian partner is friendly, helpful and very susceptible to praise and flattery.
Scorpio
Scorpio is usually a markedly sexual one, though it is not invariably so. The Scorpio nature is intensely proud. However, Scorpio man will marry a wife who by her social standing and charm of manner will be instrumental in improving his worldly standing and importance. Scorpio women on the other hand have a keen sense of justice and the capacity for very deep lasting loves and hates.
Capricorn
Capricorn is not considered a strongly sexual sign, but there is no doubt that it can exhibit a very considerable degree of cold blooded lustfulness. Capricorn people are born managers. They not only manage the lives of their partners and their self but also seek to manage the lives of all around them. Capricorn however is not an affectionate sign and makes a much more dutiful than loving partner or parent.
Pisces Pisces at its best is a well of sympathy, charitableness, benevolence and hospitality. As a rule the natives of Pisces are kind, sympathetic, imaginative and highly emotional. They are intuitive, receptive, mediumistic, lovers of peace, but are neither very practical nor efficient. The sign is a sensational one as it tends to be swayed by every emotion and puts up very little resistance to temptation.
Trend
The question of whether it is possible to look good while exploring the globe is one that has long vexed the more fashion-inclined traveler. Traveling demands a practical approach to dressing, and that doesn’t tend to win much in the way of fashion kudos.
1.
Thai fisherman’s pants
What: Lightweight cotton unisex pants made wide in the waist so can be worn by anyone. Come in many different colors and patterns ranging from plain black (almost, but not, forgivable) to luminous orange and tie-dye. Not worn by Thai fishermen. Who wears them: Mainly the preserve of Israelis and impressionable young British backpackers and most prevalent on the party islands of southern Thailand. For prime fisherman’s pant-spotting, head to a beach bar after nightfall where you are guaranteed to find young girls and blokes with ratty beards twirling fire-sticks to interchangeable Euro techno. Redeeming feature? Excellent joke material for future years if any of your friends fall into the trap of wearing a pair.
2.
Socks and sandals
What: Self-explanatory. The wholly ill-advised pairing of a pair of socks (usually white, but often brown, black or even flesh-colored) with a chunky pair of sensible sandals with ample strapping. Who wears them: Once the preferred footwear of elderly Brits uncertain of what to do with their feet in warmer climes, this unholy combo has inexplicably wormed its way into favor with fashion experts who are quite clearly having a laugh at our expense. It’s true that bare feet aren’t the most attractive item in the anatomical arsenal, but they generally look far better in sandals -- the jury’s out on them too, by the way -- when they are unclad. Redeeming feature? Reduces the likelihood of ant or mosquito attacks making your feet even more ugly.
3.
Bad travel tattoos
What: Love them or hate them, it’s hard to deny the merits of a really good tattoo. These designs, however, are generally painstakingly planned and executed by expert artists, not hatched at the tail end of a vodka bucket and branded indelibly onto your person in a hut by an off-duty fisherman. It’s the second variety we are talking about here. Who gets them: Travelers who get most inebriated, so Australians, Irish and Brits. Many Americans, too, seem to have a gene that makes them susceptible to vandalizing their body with unintelligible Oriental scrawls and badly rendered dragons when traveling Asia. Redeeming feature? You’ll never forget that night you forgot the following morning.
4.
Slogan T-shirts
What: Let’s be fair, some of the classic travel tees are actually pretty natty. Beer Lao is a fine beverage and its label looks pretty cool emblazoned on cotton. Mostly, however, this fashion niche -- most prevalent on the southeast Asian circuit -- is an exercise in depressing uniformity. Getting inebriated in a tube on a river in Vang Vieng in Laos may have been riotous but does it really have to be commemorated ad nauseum on your chest? Also, it’s not being overly judgemental to say that anyone who still thinks the slogan “same, same but different” still has mileage for humor should probably be avoided. Who wears them? A young person’s game, which is understandable given that a) the items are cheap and durable and b) baby backpackers tend to hunt in packs and can be forgiven for being swept up in the excitement of being away from home for an extended period for the first time. Redeeming feature? Good way of striking up a conversation with the opposite sex. “Ah, so I see you’ve been tubing in Vang Vieng. Awesome.” Or “Ah, Beer Chang eh? Isn’t Thailand awesome.”
5.
Crocs
What: Similar to Thai fisherman’s pants, in that they are the ultimate example of what happens when practicality supersedes normal boundaries of taste, these garish foam clogs are rightly reviled. Ugly in every way, it’s a well-established fact that it is impossible for anyone to look good, even acceptable, in Crocs. Proponents would have it that their hideousness is outweighed by comfort, but babygros are comfy too. You don’t feel the need to parade around in them, do you? Who wears them? Crocs, thankfully, have been shunned by most of the world leaving it up to mostly middle-aged North American men to spread the tarnished gospel. Fittingly, born-again Christian and former president of the United States, George W Bush, was known for his penchant for Crocs. Paired with socks. Also popular among Eastern European and Russian men -– a demographic not generally held to be the most fashion forward. Redeeming feature? This 2002 invention can be used in the future as an example of post-millennial trauma.
6.
Bum bags/fanny packs
What: Humans have managed just fine without pouches for millennia, but this strap-on receptacle for loose change, bus tickets and that crappy bracelet you were somehow convinced to buy became quite the thing for a certain breed of traveler from the late 1980s onwards. Despite being susceptible to any half-competent thief with a knife or a pair of scissors, bum-bag wearers labor under the smug misapprehension that their style crime is offset by the fact that they’re a walking Fort Knox. Who wears them? The name sounds like a colostomy bag whichever way you spin it so it’s perhaps appropriate that the scared and the elderly favor this item. Also occasionally sported by browbeaten exchange students badgered into compliance by their worried mothers. Redeeming feature? Watching a sweaty youth pawing at his crotch for five minutes as he seeks change for a beer is always a compelling sight.
7.
Dreadlocks
What: As an expression of deeply held religious sentiment or as adherence to centuries-old tribal traditions, dreads are fine. Not particularly attractive, but fine. As a fashion statement, sporting dirty matted coils of hair is as bewildering a phenomena as the Black Eyed Peas. Who wears them: A wide cross section of nationalities. Once almost exclusively the preserve of New Age types, dreads, and near cousin braids, have spread their stinky tentacles far and wide to everyone from gap-year trustafarians to long-term beach bums. Often found in conjunction with fire-sticks, didgeridoos and Thai fisherman’s pants. Redeeming feature? Can provide extra cushioning on long and bumpy bus journeys to Indian pilgrimage sites.
Lompraya News TAT’s “Creative Tourism” Campaign Generates 24 Million Online Visitors
Contestants from Croatia, Taiwan and Australia each have won free week-long holidays in Thailand after participating in an online competition designed to promote the kingdom as a “Creative Tourism” destination. The campaign, bearing the theme “Discover the Other You”, was organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand in a global effort to boost its Internet and social-media profile, especially among young people, and attract more repeat visitors in the off-peak season months. Although it was a worldwide campaign, key target markets were Singapore, Japan, Australia, UK, Germany, Scandinavia, the U.S. and Canada. The campaign generated 24,008,170 views from 119 countries across all the various online media within two months. The Creative Tourism activities video was viewed by over 1.5 million visitors, and the Digital Brochure downloaded by over 3,700 people. The three winners of the “Free 7 Days/6 Nights Trip in Thailand” won round trip air-tickets, accommodation for six nights, meals, and a tour package with a personal guide. The package prize is valued US$8,000, plus a cash prize of US$2,000, for a total value of US$10,000. Each winner is entitled to bring along one person. “Creative Tourism fits the Marketing 3.0 concept very well and Thailand has various distinguished art and cultural heritages and unique places that are ready to add value to tourism resources in the form of Creative Tourism.
AirAsia to Move all Domestic and International flights to Don Mueang AirAsia has affiremed its readiness to transfer all operations to Don Mueang International Airport by October 1st, 2012. Mr. Tassapon Bijleveld, CEO of Thai AirAsia, said that AirAsia’s decision to return to Don Mueang Airport was carefully assessed as he noted that the capabilities of Don Mueang Airport are in line with AirAsia’s own growth plan. “The uncongested Don Mueang Airport is sure to prove a benefit to AirAsia when it boosts its fleet of Airbus A320s to a total of 48 and welcomes more customers. The airport’s location also makes it conducive to further travel. Prospective travelers should have confidence in what Don Mueang has to offer”, said Mr. Tassapon. AirAsia has scheduled October 1st this year as the date when all of its services will be based at Don Mueang Airport. The airline’s flights will retain their FD code and original schedules. Passengers who are affected by the switch to Don Mueang Airport, may alter their flights by either choosing another travel date on the same route either 7 days before or after their original travel date, at no additional cost. Passengers also have an option to convert the paid flight into credit shell available to be used within the next 90 days. The change options are only available to affected passengers who purchased their tickets before 26 June 2012 whose travel dates are from 1 October 2012 onwards. For further information and developments visit www.airasia.com or contact the AirAsia Call Center at 02-515-999. Currently, only three airlines operate domestic flights from Don Mueang Airport, which has two runways, while Suvarnabhumi Airport, which also has two runways, serves more than 100 airlines.
Lompraya News Lomprayah Magazine getting out off to display the boot at Thailand Travel Expo
Thailand Travel Expo getting out off start in July 5-8, 2012 at the Queen Sirikit Convention Center. For people who are thinking of that. I do not want to eat during the holiday season at High-Season scramble to eat anything but expensive eyesore to me. Try to see if anything like this in the rainy season has set over 680 starts to hit a boot to the right. Dr. Krit Patpal, managing director of P.K. Exhibition Management Co Ltd.., said that length of Statistics of the TAT during May-Sep in the rainy season, is meaning Low Season, there are tourists decreased. It was held on Thailand Travel Expo under the theme “More like I need one� The boots in the air getting to it. Please follow me. Lomprayah arranged a boot in the exhibition. Please come in
Global News Centara to open two hotels in Sri Lanka Centara Hotels & Resorts is to open its first two properties in Sri Lanka during the second half of this year named “Centara Passikudah Resort & Spa Sri Lanka” and “Centara Ceysands Resort & Spa.” Both of the resort hotels will be operated by Centara under a management contract and will be part of the company’s core brand of four-star properties. Centara Passikudah Resort & Spa Sri Lanka is a 126-room property located next to the beach at Passikudah, renowned for its long stretch of shallow coastline, while Centara Ceysands Resort & Spa, Sri Lanka is located on the Paradise Island peninsula at Bentota, flanked on one side by the Indian Ocean and the other by the Bentota River. “These two superb hotels mark our debut in Sri Lanka, a market that we feel holds great promise for us,” says Thirayuth Chirathivat, chief executive officer of Centara Hotels & Resorts. “They are an important stage in our development strategy for the Indian Ocean,” adds Thirayuth Chirathivat. Chris Bailey, senior vice president for sales and marketing at Centara Hotels & Resorts says that the two properties will open in time for this year’s tourism high season in Sri Lanka “This is the perfect opportunity, with two beautiful resort hotels in two very different locations,
It’s the Shard of many colours! Spectacular laser show beams across London A spectacular laser show shone out across London last night to mark the completion of the outside of the Shard. The display began at about 10.15pm and the Shard itself was bathed in many colours, turning from red and purple to turquoise and gold. The 1,016ft skyscraper, Europe’s tallest building, designed by Renzo Piano, is joint owned by the state of Qatar. The Shard’s viewing gallery and the Shangri-la open in February 2013. It was inaugurated officially yesterday by the Qatari prime minister and minister of foreign affairs, Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al-Thani, and the Duke of York. However its tenure as the continent’s highest skyscraper will be brief. It is expected to be surpassed before the end of the year by Russia’s planned 332 meter (1,089 feet) Mercury City Tower. Visitors to the Shard will have panoramic views of London from a viewing platform due to open next year. But those willing to brave the heights will have to delve deep into their purses - tickets will cost £24.95 for an adult and £18.95 for a child.
AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes and Investor Relations Manager Benyamin Ismail once again recognised as Malaysia’s Best CEO and IR Professional respectively KUALA LUMPUR, 7 June 2012 – AirAsia was once again honoured by the Malaysian Investor Relations Association Berhad (MIRA), at the association’s Second Annual MIRA Malaysia Investor Relations Awards Ceremony held at Hotel Istana, Kuala Lumpur. AirAsia Group CEO, Tan Sri Dr. Tony Fernandes was presented the ‘Best CEO for IR – Mid Cap’ award, while AirAsia Investor Relations Manager, Benyamin Ismail was named the ‘Best IR Professional – Mid Cap’. This is a second win for both Tony and Benyamin, their first awards received in May 2011. Both awards were presented by Datuk Ranjit Ajit Singh, Chairman of the Securities Commission Malaysia (SC), witnessed by Chairman of Bursa Malaysia and CEO of Bursa Malaysia, Dato’ Tajuddin Atan. Tony Fernandes said, “It’s truly an honour to be awarded for a second time in a row. Our success will not be possible without adhering to stringent IR standards, placing high emphasis to transparency and practicing good corporate governance. We have all our stakeholders to thanks for their support in our various IR initiatives. Their confidence in our practices and IR modules is vital in making us a leader in the aviation industry and buttressing our position as a major player in the LCC segment.”
Hong Kong Summer spectacular 2012 Hot town, summer in the city, as the song goes… Well, the hottest town this summer is Hong Kong, thanks to Hong Kong Summer Spectacular -- the city’s annual celebration of the sizzling season. The fun starts on 22 June and continues through to 31 August, taking you on a dizzying tour of Hong Kong’s unrivalled cultural, shopping, dining and nightlife scenes. The baking-hot line-up of promotions, parties and events include the spectacular Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival, Visa go Shopping Indulgence, Summer Pop – Live in Hong Kong and citywide summer sales and festivities. Sport, parties, shopping, beer and live music – you’ve heard of summer in the city; now get ready for summer in Asia’s world city!
Tip to Trip
Choose an Online Travel
HOW TO
Agent ?
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The Internet’s top booking sites are so good, they’ll get you where you want to go and probably save you money, too. 1.Acquaint yourself with the major reputable online travel agents 2.Devise a dream trip: Pick when you’d like to go, and where. 3.Test the site’s flight tool to see what kind of fare it returns. 4.Note if the site brings up alternate flights and prices. 5.Create a simple chart to track how several different sites perform. 6.Evaluate how easy it is to get hotel information and rates. 7.Call the site’s customer-service department with a specific question, and decide how helpful the person on the other end is. 8.Subscribe to one or two free newsletters published by online 9.travel agents, and stick with the one you like the best. Acquaint yourself with the site’s extra features, such as paging services, mileage benefits, vacation selection, special offers, etc. Tips: Don’t feel as if you have to use one site exclusively. Always compare fares and offers between at least two sites before buying anything.
Photo : Nangyuan Island