Entries Tagged 'Tourist services' ↓

The expected completion date of Chiang Mai’s long waited convention and exhibition centre has been put back again.

The centre, first planned in 1996, is not expected to be ready in September. Thailand’s Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silpa-archa, speaking to the Nation, cited construction hold-ups caused by a 43-day late start.

Mr Silpa-archa added that he did not think the centre would be ready, but if the builders got a move on it could conceivably open before next year. He also said that for each month the centre was late, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) would be fined six million Baht.

At the moment, only 10 per cent of the building is complete, with 25 per cent of the total project done. The centre is being built in Chiang Mai’s Muang (City) District.

When the complex is complete it will offer an 8,000m expo area, conference rooms, offices, permanent exhibit space and a banquet hall capable of seating 1,400 diners.

This time, the multi-million Baht project was delayed by differences between the blueprints and overall design. The government has allocated 1.8 million Baht for the project, although Mr Silpa-archa said that an extra 1.1 million would be needed for interior fixtures and fittings, and insect and rodent protection.

TAT will own the completed building, and hopes that it will draw visitors and conventions to Chiang Mai. There are plans for a similar centre on Thailand’s southern island of Phuket.

TOURISTS in Chiang Mai are warned not to break tonight’s 23:00 to 04:00 curfew after 36 people were fined 2,000 baht and received two month suspended jail terms in Bangkok last night.

There have been a total of 511 arrests for violating curfew intentionally or without justified causes since May 20 according to the Metropolitan Police Bureau.

Authorities warn they will continue to arrest those who violate the condition, which has been put in place in the Thai capital and northern provinces after escalating violence. Continue reading →

THE mayhem that has gripped Bangkok for weeks finally spread to the northern capital with skirmishes and arson reported around Narawat Bridge early this afternoon.

Red shirt demonstrators threw burning tires into riverside municipal offices in Chiang Mai, setting the building ablaze. Two military trucks rushed to the scene and gunfire has recently been heard.

Protestors hurled rocks at passing police vehicles and a fires were lit around the night bazaar area and close to the River Ping. Continue reading →

CHAOS continues today as clashes between red shirt protestors and government troops left 34 dead and 211 injured in Bangkok and trouble broke out in Chiang Mai.

A homemade bomb was hurled at the Chang Phuag branch ATM booth of Siam Commercial Bank in Chiang Mai’s Muang district at 02:00 this morning.

A similar device was thrown at Thai Military Bank’s Nong Hoi branch on Chiang Mai-Lampun road less than an hour later. Continue reading →

THE political crisis that has crippled Pattaya’s tourism industry and seen more than 50 foreign embassies warn against travel to Thailand may soon be at an end.

The government meets today to put final touches to a ‘reconciliation roadmap’ which will cement a date for the dissolution of parliament.

This is the last demand before the red shirt leadership will agree to disband their Bangkok blockade and send supporters home, mainly to the rural northeast region. Continue reading →

THE ailing Chiang Mai tourist industry could benefit from radical proposals from a major air carrier.

Thai Airways is considering flying direct to popular Thai destinations outside Bangkok to boost falling passenger numbers.

During the last fortnight up to one-fifth of all tickets have been cancelled due to escalating political unrest as foreign governments strongly advise against travel to the Kingdom. Continue reading →

TWO branches of Bangkok Bank in Chiang Mai were attacked with explosives in separate incidents but no casualties were reported in either.

A M26 grenade was launched at San Kamphaeng district branch but caused minor damage to a mobile phone shop next door. The safely lever of the device was found in a gutter. Continue reading →

TOURISTS can get their first glimpse of baby panda Lin Ping in the flesh as she enters her  enclosure in Chiang Mai Zoo. Continue reading →

ANTI-GOVERNMENT protestors in Chiang Mai ran into opposition from vendors who accused them of ruining the festive spirit of Songkran and threatening their livelihood. Continue reading →

TOURISTS have been assured that Chiang Mai is safe despite many deaths during anti-government protests in the capital. Continue reading →