In Photo: From left to right: Mr. Sansern Ngaorangsri, Deputy Governor for Asia and South Pacific Market, Mr. Jason Tao Li, President & CEO of Pro – Health International Ltd. and   Mr. Puripan Bunnag, Senior Regional Manager - ASEAN, South Asia and Oceania and Acting MI Director of Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) welcomed the huge of Chinese incentive group to convene in Thailand, at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Bangkok, November 4, 2012: More than 10,000 employees of leading Chinese health food supplement company Pro-Health are to be in Thailand between 4-20 November as part of their incentive award for meeting sales targets. 

The award-winners, who will split their annual conference and associated events between Bangkok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya and Pattaya, are the third in a series of huge incentive groups to choose Thailand as their primary destination this year. In April 2012, about 16,000 award-winners of the Amway direct-marketing group in China were in Thailand, followed by another large group of staff and sales-persons from Infinitus (a direct sales company) in May 2012.

Mr. Sansern Ngaorangsri, Deputy Governor for Asia and South Pacific Market, said that because the incentive award-winners do not have to incur hotel and other travel costs, they have a high level of personal expenditure, especially on shopping. As such, the entire group is expected to generate tourism income of about 1,500 million baht for Thailand.

So far, the registration is confirmed for 10,011 Pro-Health staffers. Special welcome arrangements are being made at the various stops, courtesy of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau and Pattaya City.

Established in 1995, Pro-Health (China) Co., Ltd is a pioneer in the Chinese health-food supplement industry, and the largest in Beijing. It organises more than 40 incentive trips a year covering 20 countries, with most of the groups numbering in the thousands.

Thanks to geographical proximity, easy accessibility, affordability and great standards of service and hospitality, Thailand is becoming a hugely popular destination for Chinese travellers. The steady flow of incentives and many other categories of visitors has allowed China to overtake Malaysia and Japan as Thailand’s top source-market.

In Jan-Sept 2012, Chinese visitor arrivals to Thailand totalled 1.94 million, up 30% over the same period of 2011. The forecast for 2012 is 2.3 million, which will be up 35% over 1.7 million in 2011.

In 2011, Chinese visitors stayed an average of 7.61 days and spent an average of 4,470 baht (US$146.63) per person per day. This generated 58 billion baht (US$1,902 million) in foreign exchange revenue for the Thai economy, the second highest tourism earnings figure after Russia.

Contact Information

International Public Relations Division
Tourism Authority of Thailand
Tel: +66 (0) 2250 5500 ext. 4544-48
Fax: +66 (0) 2253 7419
E-mail: prdiv3@tat.or.th
Web site: http://www.tatnews.org

 

 

Bangkok, November 1, 2012: Bangkok has been ranked 7th by Global Blue, the shopping tourism company and world’s biggest publisher of free tourist shopping guides, in their 2012 Globe Shopper Index.

The survey ranked 25 cities in the Asia-Pacific region for their overall shopping experience, based on categories like Shops, Affordability, Convenience, Hotels & Transport, and Culture & Climate. Bangkok’s impressive showing was due to its consistently high scoring across all categories, particularly in Affordability with a near-perfect 99-out-of-100 score in the two- and four-star hotel average-cost subcategory, and an 87/100 in city transport, which rated the average cost of bus and taxi fares in the city center.

Bangkok also garnered high marks in Hotels & Transport (bolstered by a score of 81/100 in a qualitative assessment of high-end hotels), Convenience (ringing in with a 93 for its accommodating shopping hours), and Culture & Climate (where it scored a perfect 100 for international cuisine).

The report notes that, “the number and variety of shops and brands found at any destination are essential criteria for the serious shopper,” and in fact international brands was a subcategory in the Shops portion of the survey. When measuring the number and variety of leading international brands available at a shopping destination, Bangkok fared well again, largely due to its preponderance of upscale shopping malls.

The ranking in the Top Ten of the Global Blue listing will give a further boost to Thailand’s image as a shopper’s paradise and one of the world’s best value for money destinations. According to Ministry of Sports and Tourism figures, visitor spending per capita per day in 2011 totalled 4,187 baht, of which 24% (1,001 baht) was spent on shopping, the second highest expenditure item after accommodation.

A generally favorable exchange rate has made the country's tourism product and shopping attractions very good value for money for the entire range of products from the latest designer goods to traditional Thai arts and crafts. This is further enhanced by the VAT refund scheme and the extensive discounts available for tourists through shopping cards.

At dozens of department stores, shopping complexes and retailers in Bangkok and all the popular tourist cities, visitors will find an amazing range of high quality goods, e.g. clothing, jewellery, leatherwear, bags, shoes, etc.

As the Christmas/New Year holiday season nears, some of the best gift items are the unique locally-made products, including those from the Royal Projects, OTOP rural-made handicrafts, Thai silk products, decorative and designer items and household products.

At the same time, a number of amazing new retail centers, shopping and entertainment complexes have further enhanced the shopping experience in Bangkok, such as the Asiatique The Riverfront, Terminal 21, CentralPlaza Grand Rama 9 and IKEA Thailand.

Contact Information

International Public Relations Division
Tourism Authority of Thailand
Tel: +66 (0) 2250 5500 ext. 4544-48
Fax: +66 (0) 2253 7419
E-mail: prdiv3@tat.or.th
Web site: http://www.tatnews.org

 

 

Using Kawasaki Versys 650 bikes, the group included a mix of journalists and travel agents who are serious bikers and have undertaken tours of such nature in the past. They soaked in the scenic beauty of the region and indulged in soft adventure activities at several places. Kawasaki partnered with TAT for the bikes.

Said Mr. Sethaphan Buddhani, Director, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Mumbai Office, "This was the first time we hosted a biking tour from India. We wanted to showcase and highlight road trips of Thailand, especially the growing Asian Highway linkages that will in future link us with the neighbouring Greater Mekong Subregion countries. All the bikers told us they found it an incredible experience and we hope that Thailand will soon become a hub for biking tours too.”

Mumbai, October 26, 2012: The Tourism Authority of Thailand has bagged the prestigious “Upcoming International Tourism Board” of the Year 2012 Award from The Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI).

Bangkok, October 17, 2012: Global travellers seeking to add another masterpiece event their list of lifetime experiences should pencil 9 November 2012 into their calendars and be in Bangkok to watch the majestic Royal Barge Procession along the Chao Phraya river, The River of Kings. 

One of the grandest spectacles in Thailand and indeed, the world, the Royal Barge Procession is an ancient tradition that was revived by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 1959. This breathtaking water-borne procession is reserved for nationally auspicious occasions and has been held only 16 times during His Majesty’s reign.

The official name of the event is: The Royal Barge Procession to Present the Royal Kathin Ceremony in a part of The Celebration on the Auspicious Occasion of His Majesty the King’s 85th Birthday Anniversary 5th December 2012.

The main procession will be held between 15.00-16.00 hrs. on 9 November but full dress rehearsals by the Royal Thai Navy will also be held on 2 November and 6 November at 1500. Tickets are available at the website listed below for those wishing to watch the Procession in comfort from the Royal Thai Navy pavilion. Alternately, the Procession can be viewed from various public spots along the river.

King Bhumibol, the ninth monarch of the Chakri dynasty, founded in 1782, is the longest-reigning monarch in Thai history, and has since 1989 been the world’s longest reigning incumbent monarch.

The Procession involves barges carrying the deeply revered Buddha image (Phra Buddha Sihing) and members of the royal family to present offerings of saffron kathin robes, food and other necessities to the monks at Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn).

Truly a sight to behold, the procession consists of a flotilla of 52 traditional-style barges arranged in five columns, based on a battle formation from ancient times. This is made up of four major royal barges — Suphannahongse, Narai Song Suban H.M. King Rama IX, Anantanagaraj and Anekchatbhuchongse, ten barges with animal figureheads and 38 smaller vessels. The five-column flotilla stretches 1,280 metres in length and 110 across. A total of 2,200 sailors from various units within the Royal Thai Navy will serve as oarsmen.

The procession takes approximately 55 minutes to make the 4.5 kilometre journey down the Chao Phraya River to Wat Arun, covering the section from Thonburi Bridge to Phra Phutta Yodfa Bridge. The official ceremony is expected to end at approximately 5.30 pm.

The royal barges of Thailand are the last of their kind in the world. The last time that a royal barge procession was organized was on 05 November 2007 for commemorating His Majesty the King’s 80th Birthday Anniversary.

This year, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn will preside over the Royal Barge Procession and Royal Kathin ceremony at Wat Arun on behalf of His Majesty the King.

Date of Dress Rehearsals: November 2 and 6, 2012

Date of the Royal Kathin Ceremony and Royal Barge Procession: November 9, 2012

Place: Tassana Pirom Yard, Naval Assembly, Royal Thai Navy, Bangkok

Price of Ticket: 1500 baht / seat

How to get the ticket:

1. Tel: +66 2970 2544 to 5
2. www.welovebooking.com

The Royal Barge Procession Program

15:00 Hrs: The Royal Barges will be moored at the Vasukri Royal Landing Pier.

15:10 Hrs: His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn will preside over the Royal Barge Procession and Royal Kathin Ceremony at Wat Arun on behalf of His Majesty the King. The Crown Prince will board the Royal Barge Suphannahong at the Vasukri Royal Landing Pier.

15:40 Hrs: The Royal Barge Procession will pass Royal Thai Navy Convention Hall.

16:00 Hrs: His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn will present Kathin robes to monks at Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn).