Thai gov’t already warning of new Lockdowns to come

Thailand may be locked down again if people don’t observe Covid-19 preventive measures once the country reopens, Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul warned on Tuesday.
It would seem that some government ministers are hell-bent on sabotaging any hope the Thai people have of returning to something resembling the prosperous country they had until only 18 months ago.

After all, how many tourists are going to risk Thailand as a holiday destination this season if the government is threatening to shut the entire country down again, at any moment,  on a whim.

To add to the mixed messaging the Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha announced in a televised address on Monday that he has instructed the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration and the Public Health Ministry to only ‘look into’ opening the country on November 1.

Initially, tourists from 10 low-risk countries will be allowed to travel to Thailand without having to quarantine provided they are fully jabbed and test negative.

The list will be expanded to cover more countries in the first week of December and then again in January 2022.

This morning, Anutin said that the detail of the 10 countries was under discussion and will be proposed to the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration on this Thursday.

Asked about a tendency to close the country again, the heath minister said it depends on Thai people. If they don’t follow the preventive measures strictly, Thailand tends to be shut again.

Meaning, if people don’t do exactly what we tell them too them we will lock them all up at home again.

In addition, Anutin added that risk places like entertainment venues will be monitored seriously, in a bid to prevent the new outbreaks of the sniffles.

Source - BangkokJack

Our VISA AGENT

Travel restrictions eased at 40% of global tourist destinations: UNWTO

 

 

 

 Forty percent of tourist destinations worldwide have eased the travel restrictions implemented in response to COVID-19, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Of the 87 destinations reported to have eased restrictions in the July UNWTO Travel Restrictions Report, four have completely lifted all restrictions and the other 83 have still kept some protocols in place, like partial border closures.

The other 115 destinations have still kept their borders completely closed for tourism.

“The restart of tourism can be undertaken responsibly and in a way that safeguards public health while also supporting businesses and livelihoods,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili in a statement released on July 30. “As destinations continue to ease restrictions to travel, international cooperation is of paramount importance. This way, global tourism can gain people’s trust and confidence, essential foundations as we work together to adapt to the new reality we now face.”

Destinations with a higher dependency on tourism are more likely to ease travel restrictions, according to the report, with 20 out of the 87 destinations in the report being Small Island Developing States (SIDS), many of which depend on tourism for employment and economic growth and development.

Around half of the destinations (41) are in Europe, another popular tourist destination.

The majority of the destinations in the report, specifically 88 of them, are still completely closed for tourism and have been for more than 12 weeks now. The shutdown has already seen a reported loss of US$320 million by the end of May in tourism, which is three times the loss incurred during the 2009 global financial crisis.

Three percent of destinations had reopened in mid-May, rising to 22 percent mid-June.

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Google Maps to alert users about COVID-19-related travel restrictions

Google is adding features on its Maps service to alert users about COVID-19-related travel restrictions to help them plan their trips better, the Alphabet Inc unit said on Monday.

The update would allow users to check how crowded a train station might be at a particular time, or if buses on a certain route are running on a limited schedule, Google said.

The transit alerts would be rolled out in Argentina, France, India, Netherlands, the United States and United Kingdom among other countries, the company said in a blog post.

The new features would also include details on COVID-19 checkpoints and restrictions on crossing national borders, starting with Canada, Mexico and the United States.

In recent months, the company has analyzed location data from billions of Google users' phones in 131 countries to examine mobility under lockdowns and help health authorities assess if people were abiding with social-distancing and other orders issued to rein in the virus.

Google has invested billions of dollars from its search ads business to digitally map the world, drawing 1 billion users on average every month to its free navigation app.

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Thailand - Seven more airports opened for domestic flights

The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) has added seven airports to the list of airports that are allowed to reopen for domestic flights, effective from Saturday (June 6).

CAAT director-general Chula Sukmanop announced on Friday (June 5) that the seven airports include Tak, Trad, Nakhon Ratchasima, Narathiwat, Pai, Phetchabun and Sukhothai.

“The CAAT decided to open these airports in compliance with the government’s easing of lockdown measures to tackle Covid-19,” he said. “The opening hours of these airports will be restricted to between 6am and 8pm.”

According to CAAT list, airports that are open for domestic flights are: Khon Kaen, Chumphon, Tak, Trad, Trang, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan Nakhon, Narathiwat, Buri Ram, Pai, Phitsanulok, Phetchabun, Phrae, Mae Sot, Mae Hong Son, Ranong, Roi Et, Loei, Lampang, Sakon Nakhon, Sukhothai, Udon Thani and Ubon Ratchathani.

The following airports are open for domestic and international flights: Krabi, Chiang Mai, Don Mueang, Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai, Samui, Suvarnabhumi, Surat Thani, Hat Yai, Hua Hin and U-Tapao.

Source - The Nation

#Thailand - All public transport allowed to resume

 

The Transport Ministry today allowed all public transport, including buses, trains and planes to resume, to meet the people’s demand for travel, with the exception of some provinces that have not ended lockdown measures. The ministry’s deputy permanent secretary says the move is in line with the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration’s third phase of relaxation of Emergency Decree restrictions.

“However, the service methods depend on authorities that supervise each public transport, such as the Department of Land Transport, State Railway of Thailand, and Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand.”

He says that of 19 provinces which remain locked down, up to 12 have begun allowing people to enter, but they might have to undergo additional Covid-19 preventive measures.

“The ministry is requesting information about Covid-19 preventive measures from another 8 provinces, and expects to receive the information soon.”

He added that all public transport operators are required to enforce the ministry’s Covid-19 preventive measures, such as maintaining social distancing, wearing facemasks, providing sanitising gels, and using the Thai Chana app to monitor public movement.

Source - The Thaiger

Indonesia - Bali named among top post-pandemic destinations

Bali is among the international destinations such as Andalusia and Catalonia in Spain, as well as Florida in the United States, listed as the most desirable places to visit after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The travel industry has been one of the hardest-hit sectors by the COVID-19 pandemic, but travelers around the world have also been eager to get back on the proverbial road and visit new holiday destinations.

Dutch online ticketing company Booking.com has recorded growing wishlists on its app, listed by people in quarantine around the world in March and April.

On the list, Bali ranks second among the most desirable tourist destinations.

The island is listed along with international destinations such as Andalusia and Catalonia in Spain, as well as Florida in the United States. Krasnodar Krai in Russia tops the list.

In a statement, Booking.com said the list was based on the number of likes for properties listed on the app.

The data was compiled in March and April and compared to similar data in March and April 2019.

Alongside Bali, there are 27 Indonesian destinations on the list, such as West Nusa Tenggara, Jakarta, Yogyakarta and West Java.

The list also revealed that Indonesian users on the app are hesitant to plan international journeys after the pandemic.

Around 76 percent of Indonesian users’ wishlists comprise domestic destinations in sunny cities and places with beaches, such as Yogyakarta, Jakarta, Bandung in West Java, and Ubud and Seminyak in Bali.

Meanwhile, international destinations are dominated by Asian metropolitans, such as Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok and Seoul.

On Saturday, Reuters reported that Bali could reopen to tourists in October, following the government's success in controlling the coronavirus outbreak. If the infection curve continues to improve, the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry is looking to revitalize destinations and do promotional work for some parts of the country, including Bali, between June and October.

Source - #TheJakartaPost

New Mickey and Minnie Mouse-themed attraction opens at Disney's Hollywood Studios

Disney's first Mickey and Minnie Mouse-themed ride-through attraction has opened to the public at the Hollywood Studios park in Florida.

Aboard "Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway," guests board a train that "derails" from the tracks and takes them through a cinematic adventure that includes a trip to cowboy country in the Wild Wild West, a bustling fun fair and an underwater adventure.

The attraction also features classic Mickey Mouse cartoon shorts for fans of vintage cartoons.

Attractions Magazine has a full preview of the experience, which begins by inviting guests to step into the movie screen and ends with a picnic under the stars. 

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Cambodia - ANA to celebrate 25th anniversary

Religious ceremonies will be organised on the compound of Angkor Wat during the celebration of the anniversary. 

  The Apsara National Authority (ANA) will mark the 25th anniversary of its establishment by preparing information booths to showcase achievements to the public.

Students who want to ask about problems, challenges and future goals can also do so for a week from February 15-22 on the compounds of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom city.

 ANA disseminated information on Wednesday saying that by February 19, it would be 25 years that ANA was established in compliance with one of the five conditions for listing the Angkor Wat Resort as world heritage.

“To remind as well as advertise the 25-year achievements and future work vision alike, ANA will prepare information booths to display achievements and answer general questions during the exhibition on working achievements, problems, challenges and job goals for a week,” ANA said.

This information showed that over the last 25 years, ANA had renovated temples, developed the tourist sector, restored and reused ancient irrigation systems of the Angkor era, repaired and constructed physical infrastructure systems, especially community work in the city and five districts of the Angkor resort.

All of these had contributed to raising of citizens’ living standards and considerably changed and flourished many areas.

“The event will allow the public and students to learn about the work of the institution directly from ANA’s headquarters. Museums will open to visitors free of charge under the management of ANA,” it said.

ANA said that during the celebration of the anniversary, religious ceremonies would be organised on the compound of Angkor Wat. A total of 225 monks would be offered food on February 19.

Source - ThePhnomPhenPost

Author - Voun Dara

Schengen countries extend suspension of visa issuance in China in wake of coronavirus

China

Following the suspension of all visa issuance in China, due to the coronavirus outbreak, the visa centers of the seven Schengen member countries that were supposed to re-open on Feb. 3, have remained closed.

The member countries have instead announced that the suspension period will be extended until Feb. 9 at the earliest.

A notice published by the Slovak visa center in China indicated that the re-opening of the centers may change, dependent on advice from authorities.

“In light of the current coronavirus alert, please note that the Slovakia Visa Application Centers across China will remain closed until Feb. 9 (included). However, the re-opening of the centers may change, subject to further notifications from central, provincial and city authorities. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and kind co-operation. Please return to this page for further updates,” the notice reads as reported by schengenvisainfo.com.

As there is no improvement in the coronavirus epidemic, with the death toll rising to 497 as of Wednesday, authorities for the Schengen member countries extended their closure for at least a week more than intended.

The Schengen members involved are:

    Austria – Feb. 9
    Belgium – Feb. 9
    Estonia – Feb. 10
    Liechtenstein – Feb. 10
    Norway – Feb. 10
    Slovakia – Feb. 9
    Switzerland – Feb. 10

France remains the only Schengen country that has announced the closure of the Wuhan Visa Application Center, while the European Union prepares to tighten entry conditions for Chinese nationals who have traveled to China in recent months.

Cautionary action has been taken by numerous countries as the coronavirus has infected more than 20,000 people in China since emerging in December and has now spread to more than 20 countries. 

Source - TheJakartaPost

5 Secret Destinations to Visit in #Myanmar (Burma) in 2020

A land with a troubled past, Myanmar has only recently begun to open up to international tourism — and for many travellers, it still passes well below the radar.

 Yet, with its great expanses of unexplored jungle, extensive shoreline, diverse culture, atmospheric incense-filled temples and countless minority groups inhabiting even the most far-flung corners, Myanmar is a sleeping giant. This is a place for those who want to leave the usual tourist trail far behind and tread where few others set foot. Don’t expect travel there to ever be easy, but for the most adventurous and determined explorers, here are 5 secret destinations to visit during your trip to Myanmar in 2020.

1. Keng Tung (Kyaingtong)

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Tucked away in the north-eastern corner of Shan State where Myanmar meets Thailand, Laos and China, Keng Tung, remote, inaccessible and, until recently, off-limits to tourists, is a place to visit before word spreads. The only practical way of reaching it from the rest of the country is to fly in— although it’s also possible to arrive by road from the Thai border crossing at Mae Sai. The town itself has several attractions of interest, including a large standing Buddha, a distinctive monastery and some hot springs, but the main thing to do here is to enjoy the ample opportunities for trekking out to the minority villages in the surrounding area. As one of the most important towns of the Shan people, it’s also a great place to sample Shan food, reputedly the best in all of Myanmar.

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Chin State, bordering India and Bangladesh in the west of Myanmar, is the epitome of ‘off the beaten track’. It is one of the country’s poorest, least developed and most sparsely populated areas and has very little in the way of infrastructure. However, for intrepid explorers who make their way there the potential rewards are great. This is an area with a patchwork of tribes speaking myriad languages and with lush forests and remote mountains to discover. Trekking into minority villages around the town of Mindat is possible, and the region’s best-known peak, Mount Victoria, offers sublime views of the surrounding countryside— sometimes even as far as India on a clear day. Nearby Kanpetlet, a laidback town with decent accommodation, is a good place to base yourself before tackling the mountain.

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In the north-west of Myanmar, bordering the tiny Indian state of Nagaland, lies the Naga Self-administered Zone, home to various tribes sharing broadly similar culture and traditions that make up the loosely-defined Naga people.

This is another of Myanmar’s poorest and most inaccessible areas, and the tribal groups there maintain their age-old customs through their lively festivals, their distinctive dress and their traditional way of life, remaining largely untouched by the outside world.

 Some of these tribes may have been active head-hunters as recently ago as 1969, but nowadays they are more welcoming and friendly, and a trip to their little-known homelands will be one of the most unforgettable experiences of any trip to Myanmar.

4. Dawei
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This port town on Myanmar’s south-western Andaman coast, in Tanintharyi Region, is for those who have grown tired of the overcrowded, overpriced beaches and resorts of neighbouring Thailand and who are searching for something fresh. The town of Dawei itself can be reached by land since the road is now open to international visitors — or if you want to save some time, you can fly in from Yangon. Once there, you will have access to a good range of accommodation, pristine stretches of sand, simple beach restaurants, a handful of pagodas to visit and a secret place of your own to chill, safe from tourist hordes across the border just a little further south.

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5. Mergui Archipelago

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If you’ve ever studied a map of Myanmar, you may have noticed the fractured coastline of the deep south and wondered what undiscovered island paradises lie hidden there. However, the breathtaking beauty of the unspoiled beaches and transparent, turquoise seas of the Mergui Archipelago is likely to be far beyond anything you ever imagined. Try picturing the most perfect Thai islands before the arrival of mass tourism — or any kind of tourism at all — and you might be somewhere close. These islands have only been open to foreign visitors since 1997, and this is a destination you need to see before it hits the mainstream.

Although it is gradually opening up, Myanmar is still largely terra incognita to most international travellers, and even the most popular destinations like Bagan, Mandalay and Inle Lake receive relatively few tourists. However, if you want the chance to discover some of Southeast Asia’s last truly secret destinations, this is a country that should be on your holiday list.

Source - MM Times

#Russia suspends visa-free tourist travel to and from China over virus

Russia said on Saturday it was suspending visa-free travel for tourists to and from China to help contain the outbreak of a new coronavirus that emerged in China.

A bilateral visa-free regime for tourist groups agreed on in 2000 will suspended from Feb. 2, a government decree said.

Russia will also temporarily stop accepting and issuing documents for work visas to Chinese nationals.

Russia reported its first two cases of coronavirus on Friday and restricted direct flights to China, its biggest trade partner.

The Russian military is to start evacuating Russian citizens from China due to the outbreak. 

Source - TheJakartaPost

#Philippines - Bangalore and Manila world's worst cities for traffic

As everyone knows, driving would be much more fun if there weren't so many cars on the road. Urban areas are bad for traffic but have you ever wondered where the worst ones are?

The 2019 edition of TomTom's Traffic Index, which ranks the world's most congested cities, has all of the answers. Asia has most of the biggest scores.

At the top of the list, Bangalore, India has the most distressing conditions for motorists, who spend up to 71 percent more time in their cars than they might on a normal journey. Manila in the Philippines is just as bad.

The Colombian capital Bogota, which had the dubious privilege of finishing first in the 2018 table, comes in third in the latest ranking. It should be noted that India has four of the 10 most congested cities in the world. TomTom also reports that the average level of congestion around the globe in 2019 was 29 percent.

The top 10 most traffic-choked cities in the world:

1. Bangalore (India), 71%
2. Manila (Philippines), 71%
3. Bogota (Colombia), 68%
4. Bombay (India), 65%
5. Pune (India), 59%
6. Moscow (Russia), 59%
7. Lima (Peru), 57%
8. New Delhi (India), 56%
9. Istanbul (Turkey), 55%
10. Jakarta (Indonesia), 53%

In the US, the worst city was Los Angeles, with 42 percent, followed by New York at 37 percent.

The TomTom Traffic Index covered 416 cities in 57 countries. The percentages correspond to the level of congestion, i.e., the additional travel time measured for each driver on the entire network, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Source - TheJakartaPost

#China virus sends shockwaves through Asia tourist industry

A deadly virus that has prompted travel restrictions in China is sending shockwaves through Asia's tourism industry, which has become increasingly reliant on growing numbers of Chinese visitors.

At least 81 people have died since the new strain of coronavirus emerged in China's Wuhan, and millions are now under an effective quarantine, with all flights in and out of the city grounded and a ban on Chinese tour groups domestically and abroad.

The measures come amid a boom in Chinese foreign travel, with the number of tourists from the country increasing nearly tenfold since 2003, according to a report by research firm Capital Economics.

But businesses in destinations that rely on the huge numbers of Chinese tourists are already feeling the heat, with complaints of "deserted" beaches and shops, and concerns about the future.

There will be a less immediate impact in Europe, which is currently off peak season for visitors from China.

The outbreak carries echoes of the SARS crisis, which paralyzed regional travel and battered local economies from late 2002. Chinese tourist numbers then fell by around a third.

"If they fell by a similar amount again, it would knock around 1.5-2.0 percentage points from (gross domestic product) in the most vulnerable countries," Capital Economics said.

In Japan, the fall in Chinese visitors was already being felt in Asakusa, a popular tourist destination near the Sensoji temple.

"We've definitely been seeing less people this year," said Yoshie Yoneyama, 31, manager of a shop selling traditional Japanese sweets and a rice-based drink called amazake.

Beaches 'deserted'

"I think there are less than half the numbers of last year or the year before," she told AFP.

The number of Chinese holidaying in Japan has exploded from around 450,000 in 2003 to 8.4 million in 2018, accounting for 27 percent of all inbound tourists as Tokyo works to expand the sector.

But it will now be "very difficult" for Japan to achieve its target of 40 million tourists in 2020, Yuki Takashima, an economist at Nomura Securities, told AFP.

And the effects will be felt beyond hotels, restaurants and tourist sites, because many Chinese tourists visit Japan specifically to shop.

The crisis has already sent Japan's key Nikkei index plunging, with stock in Shiseido -- a cosmetics brand popular with Chinese tourists -- falling more than five percent on Monday.

"We can expect those stocks to continue to fall like dominoes," said Stephen Innes, chief market strategist at AxiCorp.

But he said Japan would be better placed to weather the storm than another top destination for Chinese tourists: Thailand.

Tourism accounts for 18 percent of the nation's GDP, with Chinese holidaymakers making up more than a quarter of total arrivals.

The country's tourism minister has already warned a crisis on the scale of SARS could cost an estimated $1.6 billion, and the effects are already clear in Phuket.

'Really serious'

"For two days, the streets, the shops and the beaches have been deserted," said Claude de Crissey, who owns a 40-room hotel and a restaurant on the island.

"Phuket has focused almost exclusively on Chinese tourism... if the situation continues, we will all be impacted," he told AFP.

Australia too, already reeling from the effects of the bushfire crisis, is likely to feel the impact.

Chinese visitor numbers doubled in the six years to June 2019, with mainlanders now accounting for 15 percent of Australia's inbound tourists.

Mario Hardy, CEO of the Pacific Asia Travel Association said it was hard to gauge how long the crisis would last.

"I would suspect the impact would be between three to six months, but it will really depend on how the situation evolves in the coming few weeks," he told AFP.

Source - TheJakartaPost

They told people not to come': #Australia's bushfires ravage tourism industry

Pillars of fire and smoke from bushfires are tarnishing Australia's reputation for pristine vistas abounding in wildlife and wreaking havoc on tourism, operators say, as authorities are forced to cancel concerts, close parks and evacuate towns.

The smoke has shrouded entire cities and driven air quality to unhealthy levels, with at least 10 people dying in the fires in the past week, while colonies of animals such as koalas and flying foxes have been destroyed.

"Seeing all the images of fires on television and social media is not going to help, it puts a dent in Australia's reputation as a safe tourist destination," said Shane Oliver, chief economist at AMP Capital.

"It's come at a time when the economy was already fragile," he added, ranking tourism as Australia's fourth biggest export whose strength officials had been counting on to help offset a domestic reluctance to spend.

Bushfires burning for weeks near the world heritage site of the Blue Mountains west of Sydney in the southeastern state of New South Wales have driven away tourists.

As visitors take to social media to warn others to steer clear, the number of busloads of tourists each day has fallen to about four from 15 or 20, said Stacey Reynolds, a receptionist at the Blue Mountains Backpacker Hostel in Katoomba.

"They told people not to come in and it's affected everything, from restaurants to motels to backpackers to cafes," she added. "The streets are empty."

Although there is no published nationwide data on tourism since the fires took hold in late spring, Australia attracted 2.71 million holiday makers last summer, up 3.2% from the previous year, as many fled the northern hemisphere winter.

Hotels in the largest city of Sydney saw a fall of 10% in guest numbers in December, the Accommodation Association of Australia said.

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ASIAN BEST HOTELS

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"The fires and the smoke have had a real brand and reputational damage in Sydney," added its chief executive, Dean Long.

The train and cable network of Scenic World in the Blue Mountains had 50,000 fewer visitors in December, down 50% from last year, Chief Experience Officer Amanda Byrne said.

Scenic World was open, but the hotels around the area are having more cancellations than bookings, she said.

Government agency Tourism Australia, which released a new advertisement last month to lure Britons to beautiful beaches and stunning scenery, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The scorching temperatures and bushfires, which have also burnt vineyards in South Australia and warmed the usually cool island state of Tasmania, will hit the sector hard, said Judith Mair, who studies tourism, environment and consumer behavior.

"It will be in stages - immediately with evacuations, dislocations and cancellations, but also in the longer term, because tourists buy holidays based on the image of a destination and Australia's is being badly affected," said Mair, a professor at the University of Queensland Business School.

Hundreds of national parks in the southeastern states of New South Wales and Victoria, thronged by 100 million visitors a year, have closed.

With fires burning nearby, Christopher Warren, co-proprietor of a bed and breakfast in Kangaroo Valley in New South Wales, said he had to evacuate his guests.

"The worst-case scenario is that we would be hit by a fire and our business would be destroyed," said Warren, who saw the best case as a loss of income exceeding A$80,000 ($56,048), through the disruption of three of his busiest months.

Paul Mackie, who uses AirBnB to rent out an apartment on Sydney's Bondi Beach to British and European tourists in the peak summer holiday period was hit by last-minute cancellations.

"I had bookings for the whole of this period going for the next couple of months, but a lot have cancelled because they said they saw the news of the fires," Mackie added.

AirBnB declined to comment.

A Sydney airport spokesman said it did not have recent statistics on whether the fires were hitting arrival. A Qantas spokeswoman declined to comment on whether the wildfires had hurt bookings.

The fires have spotlighted Australia's environment policies, criticized most recently at a U.N. summit in Madrid, said Susanne Becken, a professor of sustainable tourism at Griffith University in Queensland.

"The government's response to the climate crisis does not bode well...and this is not good for tourism," 

Source - TheJakartaPost

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#Sydney to ease drinking rules to boost nightlife

Sydney's lackluster nightlife received a long-awaited boost when officials announced an end to rules severely limiting where and when people can drink alcohol.

New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian announced pubs' trading hours would be extended and laws curbing after-midnight drinking would be eased in most of central Sydney.

"We need to ensure we have a strong and vibrant night-time economy that reflects our position as Australia's only truly global city," said Berejiklian.

For a city famed for its New Year's Eve parties and weaned on alcohol -- rum was the currency of choice among early settlers -- Sydney is surprisingly dead at night.

Under famed "lock-out laws", bar doors close at 1:30 am, there are restrictions on serving cocktails, shots or "drinks in glass" after midnight, and bouncers and police hover over proceedings.

The measures were introduced in early 2014 to limit alcohol-related violence.

The laws have thrown up some tragicomic results -- with Madonna and Justin Bieber famously unable to attend their own after-parties because they arrived too late from gigs.

A TimeOut.com survey placed Sydney the 39th best city in the world in 2019, largely because residents ranked "our city worst in the world for nightlife".

The new laws take effect on 14 January

Source - TheJakartaPost

Sustainable tourism in #Vietnam being pushed through travel influencers

Secretary general of the Asean-Korea Centre Lee Hyuk announced today that the Vietnam leg of the Asean Community-based Tourism Programme 2019 is now taking place in Mai Chau Valley.

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Community-based tourism (CBT), an emerging form of sustainable tourism, empowers local residents by allowing their participation in developing tourism products and returns the profits to the community.
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The Asean Tourism Strategic Plan (ATSP) 2016-2025 suggests invigorating community participation as a way to encourage sustainable and inclusive tourism among member states. In continued efforts to promote community-based tourism, Asean has set up the Asean CBT Standard and grants Asean CBT awards to local communities that achieves the high standards of excellence.
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To support this effort, the Asean-Korea Centre (AKC) has organised the “Community-based Tourism Programme: 2019 in Vietnam, following the success of previous programs in Malaysia (2015), Brunei (2016), Thailand (2017), and Indonesia (2018).
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The programme aims to promote Vietnam’s CBT and introduce its hidden tourist attraction to the South Korean public and international tourists.The trip, in which journalists, youtubers, travel essayists and other content creators are participating kicked off yesterday and runs through Friday.
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 The visitors will get to experience Vietnamese traditional culture, including the daily lives of the different ethnic minorities.

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At the end of the programne, their first-hand experience of traditional housing, batik and paper making of the H’mong ethnic group, traditional cuisine, and outdoor activities such as hiking in Pu Luong nature reserve and kayaking on the Da Reservoir will be introduced to the Korean public in feature articles and videos.
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“Mai Chau Village, situated about 75 km from Hanoi in Hoa Binh Province, received the Asean Community-based Tourism Award in 2017, in recognition of the community’s efforts to protect the natural environment and develop sustainable tourism in the region. I hope this programme enhance understanding of CBT and thus advocate for sustainable development in Asean.”

Source - TheNation

#Cambodia - Tourism caravan reaches final destination

The caravan entered Cambodia from Laos through the border gate in Steung Treng province.

 A caravan of 33 vehicles organised to promote tourism sites in China, Laos and Cambodia reached its final destination on Saturday.

 The convoy departed Kunming, in China’s Yunnan province, on Nov 16, crossing Laos before arriving in Cambodia on Nov 25.

The convoy crossed into Cambodia through the border gate at Stung Treng province. It then travelled to Phnom Penh, Kandal and Kampong Thom before reaching its final destination, Siem Reap. From Kunming to Siem Reap, the convoy traveled about 6,000 kilometers.

The official name of the caravan is the “Lancang-Mekong Culture and Tourism Exchange and Historical Cities Caravan Tour from China, Laos and Cambodia”.

The convoy’s goal was to promote tourism sites visited along the way as well as cultural and tourism exchanges within the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Framework.

The convoy was organized as part of the ‘2019 China-Cambodia Culture and Tourism Year.’

Speaking at a ceremony to mark the end of the caravan in Siem Reap on Saturday, Hor Sarun, undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Tourism, said the convoy helped promote Cambodia’s tourism potential.

“The caravan provided an opportunity to have cultural exchanges and promote tourism by visiting important sites along the Mekong-Lancang river, which is an important historical area,” Mr Sarun said.

 

Shi Ling, deputy director-general of Yunnan’s Department of Culture and Tourism, asked Cambodians to consider traveling to Yunnan province during their next vacation.

Source - Khmer Times

Seven language apps for pleasant, confusion-free travel experience

When traveling, sometimes the sky isn’t the limit, but the language barrier is. One second you’re excited about exploring a new country, and seconds later you're worrying about the language barrier it presents.

In the old days, many tourists walked around carrying a pocket dictionary. But these days people have it easier. With a little help from technology, traveling can be hassle-free. 

Here are seven apps that can save you from language confusion, as compiled by Insider:

1. Google Translate assists you with easy to use features

The app is mandatory. With over 500 million users, Google Translate is packed with useful features. For instance, you can type in text in one language and get an immediate translation in another. You can also speak into the microphone and have the app read it out in a different language. With the 59 languages available offline, Google Translate allows you to engage in real-time conversation with locals, even when you have no internet connection.

2. Duolingo equips you with knowledge of basic conversation

Duolingo offers short and fun daily conversation lessons to prepare you for a trip. If you need a bit of motivation, its mascot, a green owl, is there to cheer you on at all times. You can also test your skills and level up when ready. The app has 200 million users actively learning languages, including Esperanto, Hebrew, Portuguese, Greek, Welsh, Romanian and Swahili.

3. HelloTalk connects you to locals

Not only do people help you, but you get to help others as well. HelloTalk connects users with people who speak the language they need through free chat and audio calls. Offering more than 100 languages, HelloTalk also supports interactive experience through its translation and grammar correction tools.

4. TripLingo comes in handy in critical situations

If you need emergency information, currency conversion, tip calculation or briefings on local etiquette, TripLingo is the right app. Besides offering voice translators in 19 languages, the app offers live human translators on standby, available for an extra charge.

5. Tandem teams you up with a native speaker

Perhaps the quickest way to learn a new language, especially daily conversational ones, is by making friends. With more than 150 languages to choose from and a community of over 1 million people, Tandem pairs you with a language partner to help you learn even slang from the people who use it.

6. Waygo reads foreign alphabets for you

If you’re in for some local food but can’t read a single letter on the menu, Waygo can help you out. The app works by reading letters that you aim your camera at, translate and spell them out for you. The best thing is, it is available offline as well.

7. iTranlate converts speech to text with ease

Locals often can’t be bothered with typing the sentence they are trying to say into your translator app. iTranslate’s voice recognition technology ensures a smooth conversation between travelers and locals. It converts speech into words in over 100 languages and includes an extensive dictionary with verb conjugations. The app also recently introduced a visual dictionary, with the ability to suggest words corresponding to the object shown in photos

Source - TheJakartaPost

China's Terracotta Warriors exhibited in Thailand

China's renowned Terracotta Warriors have been brought to Thailand for the first time for an three-month exhibition at National Museum Bangkok that started from Sunday.

The opening ceremony of the exhibition "Qin Shi Huang, The First Emperor of China and Terracotta Warriors", was held on Sunday afternoon, after which many Thais flooded into the Siwamokkhaphiman Throne Hall to take a glimpse of the over 2,000-year old Terracotta Warriors, or funerary sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang.

Held jointly by Thailand's Fine Arts Department, Ministry of Culture and China's Shaanxi Provincial Administration of Cultural Heritage, the exhibition collected 86 items of artifacts from 14 leading museums around Shaanxi province, said Qian Jikui, deputy director of the Shaanxi Provincial Administration of Cultural Heritage, during the opening ceremony.

Qian told the audience that the exhibition is divided into four parts, Before the Qin Empire, Qin Empire: Unification and the Birth of China, Terracotta Army: Its Discovery and Mystery, The Prosperous Empire of Han with Terracotta Army being the core part.

"We are trying to show people the history and culture of Qin Empire, from its beginning to its impact on the later history of China," Qian said.

Wissanu Krea-ngam, deputy prime minister of Thailand, told the opening ceremony that it is a very rare chance to see Terracotta Warriors and other Chinese artifacts of great value in Bangkok and he encourages Thais to take the chance to learn more about China's history and culture.

China has a long history and Qin Shi Huang is a prominent figure, the deputy prime minister said, adding, "We called China Chin in Thai and it is assumed to derive from Qin, the name of Qin Shi Huang's empire, which reveals how influential Qin was."

He also hailed Thailand-China exchange and friendship for hundreds of years and said the exhibition came at a great year which marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the 44th anniversary of the establishment of Thailand-China diplomatic relations.
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Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Lyu Jian said during the opening ceremony that the exhibition marked that China-Thailand friendship have reached new height.

The Terracotta Army, discovered in 1974, reveals the sophistication of ancient Chinese civilization and its conservation demonstrates the development of Chinese technology, the Chinese ambassador noted, adding that the exhibition would further promote mutual understanding between Chinese and Thai peoples and their friendship.

Thai Minister of Culture Itthiphol Kunplome told Xinhua after the opening ceremony that the exhibition proves how close Thailand-China relations are and it would become a great chance for Thais to learn about history and also to attract tourists.

Itthiphol said it is expected that 200,000 visitors would come to the event during the 3-month long period until Dec 15 this year.

The exhibition attracted many Thais' attention on social media as many commented they would go to visit it for sure and thanked the efforts of both governments to make it happen.

 Rakchaneewan, a Thai visitor told Xinhua that she was moved after seeing those artifacts as she can see and feel the ancient Chinese civilization just here, and she hopes the friendship between Thailand and China would last forever. 

Source - TheJakartaPost