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Thomas Cook collapses as last-ditch rescue talks fail

Thomas Cook has collapsed after last-minute negotiations aimed at saving the 178-year-old holiday firm failed.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said the tour operator has "ceased trading with immediate effect".

It has also triggered the biggest ever peacetime repatriation aimed at bringing more than 150,000 British holidaymakers home.

Peter Fankhauser, Thomas Cook's chief executive, said the firm's collapse was a "matter of profound regret".

Commenting as the company entered compulsory liquidation, Mr Fankhauser also apologised to the firm's "millions of customers, and thousands of employees".

The tour operator's failure puts 22,000 jobs at risk worldwide, including 9,000 in the UK.

 Thomas Cook: Much-loved brand with humble roots 

'Planes already being impounded' 

Thomas Cook customers 'will not be stranded'

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the company's collapse was "very sad news for staff and holidaymakers". 

He urged holidaymakers to be "understanding with staff" amid the "enormous" task of bringing people home. 

Mr Shapps has announced that the government and CAA has hired dozens of charter planes to fly customers home free of charge. 

The emergency operation, codenamed Operation Matterhorn, is aiming to bring home Britons currently on holiday with the firm.

On Sunday, empty aircraft had already started to be flown overseas, ready to bring British tourists home on Monday.

One of the world's best known holiday brands, the business was founded in 1841 in Leicestershire by cabinet-maker Thomas Cook.

How will holidaymakers get home?

All customers currently abroad with Thomas Cook who are booked to return to the UK over the next two weeks will be brought home "as close as possible" to their booked return date, the Department for Transport (DfT) has said.

Customers will be brought home to the UK on special free flights or booked onto another scheduled airline at no extra cost.

Flights will start operating from Monday, with details of each flight to be posted on a dedicated website as soon as they are available. 

The DfT added that a "small number" of passengers may need to book their own flight home and reclaim the costs.

Customers have been urged not to cut short their holiday or go to the airport without checking the website for more information about their return journey. 

The CAA is also contacting hotels accommodating Thomas Cook customers, who have booked as part of a package, to tell them that the cost of their accommodation will be covered by the government, through the Air Travel Trust Fund and Air Travel Organiser's Licence scheme (Atol).

The CAA said in a statement: "All Thomas Cook bookings, including flights and holidays, have now been cancelled.

"We know that a company with such long-standing history ceasing trading will be very distressing for its customers and employees and our thoughts are with everyone affected by this news."

Tim Johnson, policy director of the CAA, told BBC News it has chartered "more than 40" aircraft, which are already in position, to bring passengers home.

He urged customers in the UK who were due to travel not to go to the airport "because very sadly your flight has been cancelled".

Mr Johnson added: "For those who have not yet started their holiday, we will be publishing details of how they can claim a refund on the website, no later than next Monday."

Business Secretary Andrea Leadsom has said she will write to the Insolvency Service urging them to "fast-track" their investigation into the circumstances surrounding Thomas Cook going into liquidation.

The DfT said the investigation will also consider the conduct of the directors.

Travel expert Simon Calder told BBC News that planes at Manchester airport have already begun to be impounded following news of the collapse.

"Shortly after midnight, we saw the airport putting a notice of detention on some Thomas Cook aircraft because of unpaid airport bills," he said.

What went wrong?

Thomas Cook had secured a £900m rescue deal led by its largest shareholder Chinese firm Fosun in August, but a recent demand from its lending banks to raise a further £200m in contingency funding had put the deal in doubt.

Fosun said in a statement it was "disappointed" following news of the collapse.

It added: "Fosun confirms that its position remained unchanged throughout the process, but unfortunately other factors have changed.

"We extend our deepest sympathy to all those affected by this outcome." 

The holiday company had spent all Sunday in talks with lenders trying to secure the additional funding and salvage the deal, but to no avail.

 

It had also asked the government for financial aid, a solution also urged by Labour and union groups.

But on Sunday Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told the BBC the government did not "systematically step in" when businesses went under unless there was "a good strategic national interest".

Customers on a package holiday have Atol protection - a fund paid for through industry levies - which will cover the cost of their holiday and repatriation.

Thomas Cook has blamed a series of issues for its problems including political unrest in holiday destinations such as Turkey, last summer's prolonged heatwave and customers delaying booking holidays because of Brexit.

But the firm has also faced fierce competition from online travel agents and low-cost airlines.

In addition, many holidaymakers are putting together their own holidays and not using travel agents.

What are your rights?

 If you are on a package holiday you are covered by the Atol scheme.

The scheme will pay for your accommodation abroad, although you may have to move to a different hotel or apartment.

Atol will also pay to have you brought home if the airline is no longer operating.

If you have holiday booked in the future you will also be refunded by the scheme.

If you have booked a flight-only deal you will need to apply to your travel insurance company or credit card and debit card provider to seek a refund.

When Monarch Airlines collapsed in 2017, the government organised to bring home all the stranded passengers, whether they were covered by Atol or not.

Here is more information on Atol protection and Your questions answered

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Are you a Thomas Cook customer or member of staff? If you've been affected by the issues raised here, you can get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways:

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• Source - BBC News

EABC RECOMMENDS REMOVING TM.30 COMPLETELY

More industry and NGO groups are lining up with criticism or calls for abolishment of the embattled TM30 and TM28 immigration forms. Most of the criticisms focus on the draconian nature of the forms, confusion around interpretation and the problems with inconsistent implementation.

Trade and commerce organisations are saying it flies in the face of the government’s wishes for Thailand to be a place to invest in and conduct business.

Now, the European Association of Business and Commerce is recommending to the Thai government to completely do away with the TM30.

“And, as an immediate step towards achieving that, remove from its scope many categories of foreigners.”

They say the same applies to the related TM28 form as well.
 
“The TM30 process has been in the news due to its inconvenience, questions about its value and usefulness, the questions it raises about commitment to ‘ease of doing business’ and the recent, almost inexplicable crackdown via an old law much of which has been dormant for decades.”

“The TM30 form and process in effect requires landlords to report on the location and movement of foreigners who are their tenants. Hotels have the same obligation but for foreign tourists staying in hotels, it is not noticed by those tourists as the hotel uses the TM6 arrival card information from their foreign guests.”

“Section 38 of the Immigration Act (which is the basis of TM30) has been around since 1979, but was not enforced until since late March 2019. It is being enforced inconsistently with various local interpretations. TM.28 (supported by s. 37 of the Immigration Act) is an often overlapping obligation on foreigners to report.”

The submission has been made to Dr. Kobsak Pootrakool, Deputy Secretary‐General to the Prime Minister for Political Affairs.

Source - EABC and The Thaiger

#Vietnam - CNN names Hoi An among Asia’s most beautiful towns

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U.S. cable news channel CNN has listed the 400-year-old Hoi An Town in central Vietnam among “the most picturesque” in Asia.

The UNESCO heritage site in Quang Nam Province ranks fourth in the list of 13 most beautiful towns in Asia, behind another UNESCO site, George Town in Malaysia, the beautiful river town of Zhouzhuang in China and Japan’s Yufuin.

Hoi An, which used to be the busiest trading port in Southeast Asia in the 16th century and was famous for ceramics and high-quality silk, is now "a heaven for photographers, foodies and architecture lovers", CNN said.

"Thanks to centuries as an important trade hub, the narrow streets of Hoi An ancient town feature rows and rows of charming mustard-hued merchant houses though many have since been transformed into low-key restaurants, bars, design boutiques and tailors' shops."

For many, Hoi An is not just a collection of 16th century houses for which the former port town has been recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site. A cuisine particular to the town, influenced by many different cultures including Japan, China and Portugal, is a major part of its attraction too.

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Don’t miss the array of delicious food experiences, from banh mi, a Vietnamese single-serving baguette filled with various savory ingredients, at the famous Banh Mi Phuong Restaurant (2B Phan Chau Trinh) that has been praised by bloggers and foreign media for several years now. Anthony Bourdain referred to the banh mi here as "the world's best", CNN said.

"Foodies can also enjoy local staples like herb-covered rice rolls, white rose dumplings and fresh seafood at Ms Ly’s café."

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 Famous towns in Southeast Asia appearing on the CNN list also include Vigan in the Philippines, Luang Prabang in Laos, Kampot in Cambodia, Kota Gede in Indonesia, and Phuket Old Town in Thailand.

Hoi An has been earning one laurel after another this year including topping this year’s tourism hotspot listing by New York-based magazine Travel + Leisure.

On July 16 Google Doodle featured an image of Hoi An with symbols of Chua Cau (Pagoda Bridge) and colorful lanterns, the first Vietnamese destination to be honored thus.

The number of foreign visitors to Hoi An skyrocketed by 90 percent last year to 3.7 million.

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Source - VN Express

 

Chinese begin Lunar holiday exodus in the millions

Millions of Chinese have begun the annual exodus for the Lunar New Year, the world's largest annual human migration, leaving major cities to return to their hometowns for the holiday. 

The most important holiday in the Chinese calendar places great emphasis on family reunions, and travellers must get home by Monday to usher in the Year of the Pig the following day. 

At Beijing Railway Station early on Wednesday, thousands were milling around in the cold, wrapped up in thick coats and wheeling their luggage.

They included a group of children with brightly colored bags emblazoned with cartoon characters, a stark contrast to the dark, wintry morning. 

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Readying for a 32-hour journey from Beijing to Huaihua in Hunan province, central China, passengers kept themselves entertained on mobile phones while sipping tea from flasks. 

Many who bought standing-only tickets were perched on their luggage along the aisle, or on tiny foldable stools sold on the Beijing platform. Others dozed in their cramped seats.

In the sleeper cabins there was a buzz in the air, with families chatting and sharing food and children playing along the corridors. 

Rail operators expect some 413 million trips during this year's holiday season, up 8.3 percent from a year ago, the official Xinhua news agency reported. 

Source - TheJakartaPost

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#Indonesia - 'Sound of Humanity' seeks to put Lombok tourism back on track

A music festival is set to be held in Sangkareang Square in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), from Dec. 8 to 9 to help Lombok recover from the earthquakes that devastated the region earlier this year.

Organized jointly by the Mataram city administration as well as musicians and volunteers grouped under Bandini Production, the Mataram Jazz & World Music Festival 2018 also aims to entertain quake volunteers and help survivors move on from their traumatic experience.

"This event is also held to promote Lombok as a safe destination to visit," added the chairman of the organizing committee, Imam Sofian, at a press conference on Monday.

Some 100 local and national jazz musicians are scheduled to perform at the festival, which is themed "Sound of Humanity: Jazz Tribute for Humanity”.

“Initiated by artists, jazz musicians and volunteers, the event serves as a form of appreciation for the artists and volunteers who have done many things and helped the people of Lombok in the aftermath of the earthquakes,” said ...
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The artists, he said, had been volunteering by distributing aid, building temporary houses, providing trauma healing and other humanitarian activities for the earthquake survivors.

 “Even today they still continue helping the survivors. The reflection of their experience as volunteers motivates us to organize the event,” 

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 Among the musicians scheduled to participate in the festival include Jakarta-based artists Tohpati Ethnomission, Jason Ranti, Dua Drum, Cerita Fatmawati and Jazz Muda Indonesia feat. Agis Kania; as well as Astrid Sulaiman Quartet from Ubud, Sambava from Sumbawa, and Mataram-based musicians Ary Juliant, Sura Dipa, Jazz Double Quartet/Jadeq, Neo Decker, Pesawat Kertas, One & Flower, Don’t Tell Mom, and Pelita Harapan Jazz Project feat. JKR. 

 Slated to be held at Sangkarean city park, the event is part of the "Mataram MoveOn" campaign.

Mataram Deputy Mayor Mohan Roliskana said the earthquakes that hit the region from July 29 to Aug. 19 also affected Mataram, the provincial capital.

The earthquakes damaged houses, office buildings and other facilities. Even a month after the earthquakes hit, people in Mataram were still living in evacuation tents.

The "Mataram MoveOn" campaign aims to help survivors to return to their daily activities, as well as repair offices, schools and the region’s economy.

Source TheJakartaPost

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Airports most prone to viruses

In public places such as airports, viruses inevitably lurk in every corner. Countless people make contact in planes, waiting areas and bathrooms every day.

“Flying probably accelerated the spread of the H1N1 virus in 2009,” said Dr. Alison Galdy from the University of Minnesota Infection Prevention as quoted by Travel+Leisure.

Fox 9 reported several “virus hot zones” in airports that should be avoided, such as toilet handles, armrests on chairs, kiosk screens and handrails. However, the riskiest item is the plastic bins used during security screenings. 

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It is said that travelers dump everything from toothbrushes to children’s diaper bags into them on a regular basis. The trays are also rarely cleaned.

According to healthcare company the Mayo Clinic, the flu virus can survive on stainless steel, plastic and similar hard surfaces for more than 48 hours. This increases the chances of viral transmissions to humans through contact.

Travelers should also avoid touching their faces too often because it spreads germs quickly. Fox 9 reported that people touch their faces subconsciously as often as three to five times an hour.

 

Source - TheJakartaPost 

#Thailand - BMA to ask Prayut to intervene in Khaosan spat over stalls

BANGKOK METROPOLITAN ADMINISTRATION (BMA) may ask Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to intervene in their bid to restrict footpath stalls in one of the city’s most famous streets.

Deputy Bangkok Governor Sakoltee Phattiyakul said yesterday that he plans to discuss the matter with vendors and various other relevant authorities tomorrow or on Friday.

“We may also submit our conclusion to the prime minister because Khaosan is a famous attraction,” he said.

The ban took effect on August 1. 

Located in the capital’s Phra Nakhon district, Khaosan Road’s longstanding street-fair atmosphere is hugely popular among Thais and tourists.

The BMA, however, has resolved to strictly regulate street stalls there to ensure orderliness but vendors are still calling for the ban to be lifted. 

“We are working on three models to present to the BMA. One of the models is to let stalls run in the morning hours too and in return, we will make sure street stalls are tidier,” said Chonnapha Teansawang, a long-time vendor on Khaosan Road.

BMA’s recent restriction allows stalls to operate on the road next to footpath only between 6pm and midnight. 

Chonnapha said vendors operating stalls in the morning usually had tour groups as customers. 

“We are adversely affected. When the news came out, tour-group organisers cancelled their plan to come to Khaosan Road,” she |said. 

Chonnapha has sold cell phones and bags for more than two decades. 

“I think Khaosan stalls are attractive because of the diverse rang of products in the area,” she said. 

Chonnapha said her group was now holding discussions with vendors in a bid to get a solid proposal to be submitted to the BMA for consideration. It is estimated that Khaosan Road has about 300 vendors. 

According to the deputy governor, “As of now, about 230 vendors have come forward to register with the BMA.” 

xHe said he recognised that Khaosan vendors had plied their trade for a long time and contributed to Khaosan’s reputation as an interesting tourist place. “But what they do is illegal,” he said. 

Sourse - TheNation

 

 Ps. It go look like, the hate Tourists (Foreigners)

#Thailand - Talkfest about ensuring better marine safety in Phuket

A meeting was held on Tuesday morning at Chalong Pier, led by Navy chief of staff Admiral Pichet Tannaset, who said he was determined to follow through with measures that would ensure marine safety – better controlling tour boats in Phuket in order to prevent marine accidents.

He said: “We don’t have direct power to enforce the law, but we have seen many problems emerge from this boat tragedy [when dozens of Chinese tourists died earlier this month].

“We want to see vastly improved passenger management at all ports as soon as possible. Also, the checking of boats and boat safety equipment. A draft tour boat management enforcement procedure is currently being prepared.”

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 The director-general of the Marine Department, Jiru Wisanjit, said: “We are highly focused on ports and boat safety. We are checking on boats that carry more than 100 passengers for their safety and correct registration. Some boat licences were found to be expired. Those boats are currently banned from leaving port.

“After we set the new, stricter safety parameters, tour boats will only be permitted to depart from ports that have been registered for tour boat operations. Tourists might be affected by this due to having to travel further for a departure point, but we have to do this to ensure better marine safety.”

Source - TheNation 

 

Indonesian woman swallowed by giant python

An Indonesian woman has been found in the belly of a giant python after the swollen snake was captured near where she vanished while tending her vegetable garden, police said Saturday.

The body of 54-year-old Wa Tiba was found Friday when villagers cut open the seven-metre (23-foot) python which was found bloated in the village of Persiapan Lawela on the island of Muna, offshore of Sulawesi.

"Residents were suspicious the snake swallowed the victim, so they killed it, then carried it out of the garden," said local police chief Hamka, who like many Indonesians has only one name.

"The snake's belly was cut open and the body of the victim was found inside."

Some 100 residents, including worried relatives, launched a search for the woman after she failed to return from her garden Thursday night.

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Hamka said villagers found the giant serpent lying about 30 metres from Tiba's sandals and machete, adding she was swallowed head first and her body was found intact.

The garden in which she disappeared was at the base of a rocky cliff, pockmarked by caves, and known to be home to snakes, Hamka added.

 

Giant pythons, which regularly top six metres, are commonly found in Indonesia and the Philippines.

While the serpents have been known to attack small animals, attempts to eat people are rare.

In March last year, a farmer was killed by a python in the village of Salubiro on Sulawesi island.

Source - TheNation

A summit of hope for peace

Experts believe the Trump Kim meeting in Singapore tomorrow may see some commitment on denuclearizing Korean peninsula.

A HISTORIC summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was expected to be a success, according to experts, as Kim was likely to offer a vague promise on denuclearisation when they meet in Singapore tomorrow, leaving tough negotiations over implementation for later.

“Kim’s most urgent need is to alleviate the threat of a US preventive military strike and to get at least some of the economic sanctions lifted,” Hawaii-based East West Centre’s senior fellow of research programme Denney Roy told The Nation in an interview via e-mail.

North Korea’s nuclear programme and missile tests over the past few years have brought the secretive communist regime to the brink of a nuclear state, which has given it strong bargaining powers with Washington.

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A summit with the US president is critical for the Pyongyang leader to make his regime secure.

“He also wants to gain international prestige, establish a normal relationship with the US where he is treated as an equal, and make progress towards weakening the US-South Korea security cooperation,” Roy said.

Kim likely wants to get North Korea into a position where both Beijing and Washington are competing with each other to gain influence in Pyongyang by granting favours, he said.

While denuclearisation is the ultimate goal to stabilise the Korean Peninsula, President Trump is likely to hold his cards close to his chest.

“I think that very quickly I’ll know whether or not something good is going to happen,” Trump told reporters in Quebec over the weekend.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has met Kim Jong-un twice, said earlier that the reclusive North Korean leader had indicated the regime was prepared to denuclearise. The top US diplomat refrained from talking about the plan, saying the two leaders would discuss the issue during their summit.

An expert on Korean affairs, Roy said the summit could be called a success if there were any commitment on denuclearisation, with the hard bargaining over implementation left for later negotiations.

However the key to the success of the summit also depends on the diplomatic style and negotiating skills of the two leaders. While Trump is unpredictable, Kim is virtually unknown. His first appearance in the diplomatic world was only when he was on camera with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in at Panmunjom in late April.

“At that time, he managed to not look like a monster, which is not very difficult. We don’t know how he might perform one-on-one with Trump. I would expect he will be well-prepared and wily,” Roy said.

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#Thailand - Hua Hin beach under watch after shark attack admitted

Authorities were on Wednesday keeping a close watch on popular Hua Hin Beach in Prachuap Khiri Khan after it was confirmed that a Norwegian tourist was attacked by a shark there on Sunday.

Officials had initially tried to pass off the man’s severe leg injury as being a gash from sharp rocks, but Jatuporn Buruphat, deputy director general of the Marine and Coastal Resources Department, acknowledged at a press conference at Bangkok Hua Hin Hospital on Wednesday morning that the wound was caused by a shark, most likely a bull shark.

The story changed after the abbot of Wat Tham Khao Tao released video showing four sharks swimming off the beach near his temple. The abbot warned that if no action was taken, someone could be killed.

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 Jatuporn said a marine veterinarian had visited the hospital to inspect the tourist’s injury along with Dr Thassapol Krachangmala, a shark expert from his department.

The hospital’s deputy director, Dr Pongsak Boonleephan, told them the wound was caused by a toothed marine creature. Photos indicated the animal was a shark, most likely a bull shark.
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Prachuap Khiri Khan’s deputy governor promptly dispatched officials to watch over the beach and erect signs warning people not to swim out further than 20 metres.

Officials also spoke to the abbot who recorded the video of lurking sharks.

Jatuporn said camera drones operated from an Army base in Hua Hin spotted two sharks, each 1.5 metres long, swimming near the same beach.

Source - TheNation 

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Pedestrian-friendly cities where you can walk for fun

English Garden in Munich

 

Munich in Germany, Kyoto in Japan and Bordeaux in France have been named some of the most beautiful, pedestrian-friendly tourism destinations in a new list compiled by Booking.com.

For the selection, the online reservation site teased out trends from the reviews of their 26 million travelers, who praised the walkable neighborhoods of cities with ample green spaces, quaint and charming streets, and village-like feel.

Here are the selections:

Munich

The biggest pedestrian-friendly feature going for Munich is its English Garden, a sprawling park in the center of the city that’s among the biggest in Europe, with its own lake, beer garden and Japanese tea salon. 

Kyoto

Headed to Kyoto? Visitors recommend planning extra stroll time around the temple Kiyomizu-dera, where ancient sanctuaries and food stalls create a dynamic, animated street scene.

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Helsinki

One of the best ways to take in the minimalist beauty of Scandinavian design is to stroll through the streets of Helsinki, a tribute to Finnish heritage.

Bordeaux

Along with the city’s neoclassic architecture and majestic Pont de Pierre bridge, Bordeaux boasts the largest reflecting pool in the world at Place de la Bourse, the Water Mirror.

Florence

With its ancient cobblestone streets and narrow alleyways, off-limits to mobility of the motorized kind, the Italian city invites visitors to amble slowly and enjoy its distinctly Florentine beauty. A particular favorite is Ponte Vecchio, the only bridge that was spared during the German occupation of World War II.

Others on the list are New York (US), Perth (Australia), San Francisco (US), Vancouver (Canada) and Montevideo in Uruguay.

Source - TheJakartaPost

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Why #American tourists don't come to #Indonesia

Water Palace of Tirta Gangga in East Bali, Karangasem

 Over 75 million US citizens travel abroad each year. Only about 7 percent of them visit Asia, but that is still roughly 5 million people. But only a tiny percent of that number comes to Indonesia. Most of those who do come focus almost entirely on Bali, which has, of course, been the face of Indonesia for the international jet set for decades.

Most people I know back in Canada, where I’m from, and the US where I lived for 20 years, thought that “Bali” was a country – a picture-perfect tropical isle floating somewhere in the Pacific. The fact that Bali is part of a nation called Indonesia, which has the fourth-largest population on the planet (right behind the US, in fact) would come as quite a shock to most North Americans.

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 There are some logical reasons for this lack of American interest in Indonesia as a vacation destination.  There are easy links between the US and many other Asian countries. Americans fought wars in Vietnam and Cambodia and welcomed large groups of refugees after those wars – families who now go back to their homelands regularly.  Our large military presence in the Philippines and Thailand established many natural links there and a significant amount of inter-marriage. Chinese immigrants helped to build the North American railroads and have always had a prominent place in our cultural heritage. And not only is there a large and very successful diaspora of Japanese immigrants in America, there is also a sophisticated taste for all things Japanese including architectural and garden design, Zen Buddhism, sushi (and Japanese food in general), martial arts, cult movies and literature.

Indonesia on the other hand has remained unknown. There are very, very few Indonesian immigrants in America. Apart from the movies The Year of Living Dangerously and the Bali-focused Eat, Pray, Love, (plus, of course, the tsunami of 2004), Indonesia simply doesn’t come up on the American radar.

There are also some serious negatives that have filtered through the global press, including what The Jakarta Post contributor Duncan Graham calls one of the country’s “self-inflicted wounds”:  “a cruel and illogical approach to the drug problem by maintaining the death penalty”.

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 Graham is right. It’s not that American tourists would be stashing drugs in their backpacks or Gucci bags. It’s that countries with a law this primitive and archaic seem to demand some kind of conscientious-objector status, even one as simple as picking a different place to holiday.

But this issue is probably not a deal breaker. Instead, when Americans do start exploring Indonesia online, or when the word spreads about a friend’s trip here, it is a series of pretty basic lifestyle issues that inevitably comes up to muddy the waters.

There is no doubt that getting around the country outside of the Bali infrastructure is challenging. The government’s proposed new digital tool, Travel X-Change Indonesia (TXI), should be a good start toward addressing this problem. There is also the well-publicized issue of local amenities.

The backpackers may be willing to accept hostel accommodation with no air conditioning and Indonesian-style bathroom facilities, but most older American travelers will not. So providing at least some “full-service” accommodation and, just as importantly, making them accessible online, is clearly one key to attracting this market.

 Another issue that bothers many actual or potential visitors from North America even more than these inconveniences is: the garbage. America recognized its litter problem back in the 1950s and anyone caught throwing anything on the ground in that country can face a stiff fine and be required to do community service.

It should come as no surprise then that American travelers are appalled and often disgusted by the garbage strewn around many Indonesian cities and towns. People here genuinely don’t seem to consider it a problem to toss refuse on the ground or in the rivers, or to wade through piles of garbage at the side of roads.

Much of the admiration and interest the Western traveler feels for the customs, the idiosyncrasies, the good humor and the warmth of the people dissipates at the sight and smell of the garbage. It is everywhere, and very few tourists pass through without noting it and spreading the word through online reviews and social media.

To put this in a global perspective, Singapore is king in terms of cleanliness, while India and Indonesia are pretty close to the bottom of the list.

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#Belize is not just for backpackers any more

Tobacco Caye aerial in Belize barrier reef with a boat.

 For all of Belize’s cultural diversity—the country’s melting pot heritage is equal parts Mayan, Creole, Mestizo, Spanish, Lebanese, Chinese, British, Indian, and Mennonite—its tourism scene is surprisingly one-note.

Nearly three-quarters of its 1.4 million annual visitors arrive by cruise ship, docking for just enough time to see the Altun Ha Mayan ruins, ride some zip lines, or go tubing through its famed Crystal Cave. And while a small clutch of luxury hotels exists—led by the pioneering, culinary-focused Copal Tree Lodge and the Coppola family’s private island retreat, Turtle Inn—Belize has suffered from a backpacker reputation that undermines its true Caribbean charms.

That’s changing. “When I started coming here 15 years ago, it was Birkenstocks and REI bags on the TropicAir flights,” says Beth Clifford, founder of the three-month-old Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club, referring to the 14-seat Cessna flights that are ubiquitous in Belize. “I just got off a TropicAir plane today and counted no fewer than three Louis Vuitton bags,” she adds. “The profile has changed entirely.”

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Mahogany Bay is the first in a long string of luxury openings coming to Belize. It opened in December on the southeastern tip of Ambergris Caye, with a 70-acre beach club and exploration center for fly-fishing, spelunking, and scuba diving. Joining it soon are a farm-to-table project with solar-powered beachfront cottages, a Dream Hotels Group property adjacent to a jaguar preserve, and Leonardo DiCaprio’s wellness-focused eco-resort, Blackadore Caye.

All that growth shows no signs of stopping. By the time Four Seasons Caye Chapel opens in 2021 with 30 to 40 overwater bungalows on a private island, the country will be competing with the world’s hottest honeymoon destinations.

Four Seasons is leveraging an unheralded aspect of Belize’s topography: Off the country’s coast are 450 atolls that form a low-lying archipelago, similar to the Maldives or the South Pacific. 

This archipelago, however, is a five-hour flight from New York, a six-hour flight from Los Angeles, and an hour and a half from Miami. For Americans and South Americans, it’s a new destination next door. 

“It really does remind me of the Maldives,” says Michael Crawford, Four Seasons’ president of portfolio management and owner relations. “It’s pretty rare to find places like this, where you can create an entire destination unto itself on a private island, much less one that’s proximate to the U.S.—and with good infrastructure,” he tells Bloomberg.

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#Somalia's deadliest bombing kills 276

Desperate Somalis searched for news of missing loved-ones on Monday, after a massive truck bomb in Mogadishu killed at least 276 people and left 300 injured in the deadliest ever attack to hit the conflict-torn nation.

Residents of the Somali capital, while wearily accustomed to regular bombs and attacks by Islamist militants, have been left stunned by the monster explosion Saturday which gutted surrounding buildings and left victims burned beyond recognition.

A statement from the information ministry on Monday said "276 people were killed in the blast... and 300 wounded were admitted at the different hospitals in Mogadishu."

The government said it had set up an emergency committee to help relatives find the missing, with a crisis centre in the capital that residents can turn to.

Police official Ibrahim Mohamed told AFP that many of the victims were "burned beyond recognition" in what he described as "the deadliest attack ever."

Turkey sent a military plane full of medical supplies to Mogadishu on Monday, also evacuating some of the injured for treatment. 

The blast occurred at a junction in Hodan, a bustling commercial district which has many shops, hotels and businesses in the city's northwest. Several experts told AFP the truck was probably carrying at least 500 kilogrammes (1,100 pounds) of explosives.

Abdulahi Nuradin was one of many helping friends and family hunting for news of the missing.

"It has been more than 24 hours now and we don't have any traces or information about the sister of my friend. We can assume she is dead, with her flesh somewhere amongst the horribly burned dead bodies," he told AFP.

"We went to several hospitals to seek any information but no to avail, the family is now 99 percent convinced she is dead, I saw so many severed pieces of human flesh at the hospitals, you cannot even look at them," he added.

Local government official Muhidin Ali said more than 100 bodies who were impossible to identify had already been buried.

"The gruesome dead bodies were displayed at the hospitals for relatives but a few were recognised and most of them not at all, the devastation is something beyond the imagination of humankind," he said.

Source - TheJakartaPost

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Cashless society seen in three years

THE Thailand E-Payment Trade Association (TEPA) believes Thailand will go cashless within three years. E-money accounts would grow this year by 10 per cent from 40 million or about 60 per cent of the population last year and online payments by 20-30 per cent from Bt170 billion, according to TEPA.

Punnamas Vichitkulwongsa, chairman of TEPA and chief executive of Ascend Group, said the association now counts 16 e-payment service provider members, such as TrueMoney, mPay and Thai Smart Card. 

The factors driving customers to open e-money accounts to support their daily routines are the competition by banks and non-bank providers to meet the demands of customers and the potential for more customers to pay for products and services via online channels.

The association will help develop the e-payment and e-commerce industry in the country by adopting the Thai QR Code and PromptPay.

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 The Thai QR Code employs a common standard for e-payments in the country. 

PromptPay services will include PromptPay e-wallet services on September 15. 

TEPA will upgrade the country’s e-payment industry to global standards and boost confidence in e-payment among Thai consumers and retailers.

E-transactions will be part of the Thailand 4.0 initiative, which will help businesses reduce operating costs, create confidence for consumers and provide greater convenience for consumers to pay for products and service fees. 

Ascend Group has 3 million active TrueMoney accounts now and expects 4 million by the end of the year. Each account-holder spends an average of Bt220 per time to buy products or services

Somwang Luangphaiboonsri, country lead at PayPal Thailand, said e-transactions continue to grow because customers have confidence to spend money via e-payment channels in the country, due to the government’s support for e-payments. 

PayPal has 210 million active accounts and 17 million active business accounts globally. It enables businesses and customers to make secure cross-border transactions while affording protection to buyers and sellers.

Source - TheNation

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