NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2014 Thailand Travel Talk www.tourismthailand.my, www.tourismthailand.org ( Media promoting Thai tourism to Malaysia & Brunei) Long Live The King THIS is one of the best times to visit Thailand. On Dec 5 this year, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej turns 87 and the whole nation celebrates National Day or Father's Day. Buildings and homes throughout the country are adorned with portraits of the King and flags and the streets are decorated with fairy lights, predominantly around Bangkok's Ratchadamnoen Road and the Grand Palace. An alms-giving ceremony in the morning is followed by a festival of music and cultural performances at Sanam Luang. In the evening, the whole nation joins in the candle lighting ceremony and witnesses a spectacular fireworks display. The Ratchadamnoen Road would be closed to traffic to enable people to walk and admire the beauty of the displays of portraits of HM the King and colourful illuminations. Most of all, this event provides the opportunity to witness the love and respect that the Thai people have towards their beloved King. On this occasion, we take great pride and pleasure in wishing His Majesty a happy birthday. Long live the King.
SAWATDI KHRAP. WE have come to the last issue of the Amazing Thailand Travel Talk for this year and I hope we have been able to help you decide your year-end holiday destination. Early in November is the Loy Krathong festival, held on the full moon night of November. It is a festival rich in tradition and dates back to more than 700 years to the time of the Sukhothai period. It is our way of paying homage and respect to the rivers which provide sustenance and livelihood to millions of people. Beautifully-decorated krathongs or floats are floated down the rivers and waterways. Come December 5, the country celebrates His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 87th birthday. His Majesty's birthday is also the National Day of Thailand. We take this opportunity to invite you to join Thais in the Director s Message country and from all over the world to celebrate this occasion. And as always, we also would like to take this opportunity to invite you to come and join us in places like Bangkok, Hat Yai, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Koh Samui for the New Year countdown. It will surely be an experience that you would not readily forget. If you happen to be in Bangkok earlier then you may also want to join in the Christmas celebrations. Or if you are so inclined, head to Sakhon Nakhon where Christmas is grandly celebrated with a Christmas Star Parade. In October we also came to the conclusion of the CSSB Golf Open 2014 with the grand finals being held in Ayutthaya and Chachoengsao. Champions from the 10-leg tournament qualify to play in the grand finals. TAT Kuala Lumpur had also been involved in several road shows, media educational trips for journalists and travel agents as well as travel fairs to make sure the public will always be up to date on events, festivals and happenings in Thailand. Our aim is to keep you informed and up-todate. And one such way is through our Facebook page. Visit us for the latest happenings at https://www.facebook.com/tourismthailand- Malaysia. As usual we take this opportunity to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. And please come and enjoy our hospitality in Amazing Thailand. SUWAT KUMWONG Director Malaysia & Brunei New Year Eve celebrations Bangkok: Grand Palace (Sanam Luang), Central World (Ratchaprasong Intersection), The Dome Tower Club at Lebua Hotel (1055/42 Silom Rd. Bangrak, Silom/Sathorn), Siam Niramit (19 Tiamruammit Road, Huaykwang), Asiatique The Riverfront (Charoen Krung Road), RCA (Rama 9 to Petchaburi Road). Chiang Mai: Ping River music venues (Thanon Ratwithi, Thanon Moon Muana, and Thanon Nimmanhemin), Riverside Restaurant, North Gate. Pattaya: Bali Hai Pier, Walking Street Phuket: Patong Beach, Twinpalms Phuket Resort, Catch Beach Club, Regent Hotel, Cape Panwa, Koh Samui: Gecko Samui, Bophut Beach Koh Phangan: Haad Rin Beach Mad Market in Hua Hin and Bangkok TV9'S Mad Market team was in Hua Hin and Bangkok to shoot the programme's TV station's premier shopping show. This is the third time two segments of the show were shot in Thailand following the first in Samut Songkhram and Bangkok in 2012 and Chiang Mai, Phitsanulok and Sukhothai last year.
M-Girls in Hua Hin POPULAR all-girl group M-Girls recently visited Hua Hin and Bangkok to do a documentary shooting for the upcoming Chinese New Year. The video was shot in conjunction with their soon to be released Chinese New Year 2015 music videos set to appear on Malaysian TV's Chinese channels as well as on DVDs. Muslim travel agents visit the north A group of Muslim travel agents were taken on a familiarisation trip to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai recently. The trip enabled them to learn for themselves the various places of interest for their Muslim clients. CIMB Fiesta at the Mid-Valley TAT took part in the CIMB Fiesta by joining hands with local travel agents to promote destinations in Thailand. The fiesta was held for three days from October 24-26 at the Mid-Valley Exhibition Centre in Kuala Lumpur.
Christmas Star Parade 2014 Address : Sakon Nakhon province Catholic Archdiocese of Tha Rae - Nong sang Tel. 042-711272 Tha Rae Municipal office Tel. 042-751213 Contact Details : +66 4251 3490-1 CSSB Open Grand Finals THE 10-leg CSSB Golf Open came to a conclusion with the grand finals being held in Ayutthaya and Chachoengsao recently. Champions from the 10 legs held in various golf courses throughout Malaysia qualified to play in the grand finals. They were joined by sponsors at the championship. LET S celebrate christmas festival with the dazzling star parade of more than 200 cars together with Santa Claus parade, angels and join the Mass ceremony and carry the star while walking around the church. Let s watch the stageplay of Jesus s birth, choirs, star crafting demonstration and taking tram to visit Tha Rae village and see the old building in colonial style which is the architecture influenced by French. Period : 23 December 2014 25 December 2014 City/Province : Sakon Nakhon Trang, Satun Road Show SOME 30 sellers from Trang and Satun met buyers from Kuala Lumpur and Selangor at an Amazing Thailand Road Show at the Istana Hotel in Kuala Lumpur recently. The buyers were introducing new products and promotions in conjunction with the start of the tourist season in the area.
Winners of Miss Sawasdee Photography Contest CHIN Soon Teck walked away with the Grand Prize of the Miss Sawasdee Photography Contest. The Grand Prize is a return air tickets to Koh Samui courtesy of Bangkok Airways. Winning the three merit prizes were Fan Chin Boon, Lim Peng Teong and Ooi Lip Yap who earned themselves a two night stay at the Lotus Hotel Pang Suan Kaew in Chiang Mai. Kuala Lumpur Photography Fair A three-day Kuala Lumpur Photography Fair was held at the Mid-Valley Exhibition Centre in Kuala Lumpur, where TAT opened a booth to introduce the many places in Thailand that would be interesting for photographers to visit. Traditional dancers and an umbrella painter were also brought in to provide demonstrations to visitors to the fair. Chef Kent Hello On 2 RENOWNED Thai chef Kent Anon Masanglong was a guest on Hello On 2, RTM2's talk show programme. He was there to demonstrate the art of cooking Thai food. Chef Kent is the Chef in charge of the official receptions of the Royal Family of Thailand.
Media trip to Koh Samui A group of journalists went on a trip to Koh Samui and the surroundings. The trip was jointly-sponsored by Bangkok Airways. The group visited Koh Samui and its surroundings like Koh Tao, Koh Nangyuan and Koh Phangan. Journalists enjoy Loy Krathong in Chiang Mai A group of Malaysian journalists were in Chiang Mai for the Loy Krathong and Yi Peng Festival. The Loy Krathong Festival is held on the full moon night of November every year. It is celebrated as a mark of respect to the Mother of Water which provides livelihood and sustenance to the people. For more information, contact the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Suite 22.01 Level 22, Menara Citibank, 165 Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-21623480 Fax: 03-21623486 Email: info@tourismthailand.my Homepage: http//www.tourismthailand.org, http//www.tourismthailand.my