The Department of Rural Roads will invest 19 million baht to build two bike lane routes in Chon Buri. The routes will be the pilot project initiated by the Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (Dasta). The aim is to promote Chon Buri as a bike-friendly destination for family travellers.
A graphic the new bike lanes in Chon Buri.
The first route is 2km long, starting from Wat Yanasangwararam Woramahawihan in Bang Lamung to Ban Amphoe Reservoir. Another route is 1.7km long starting from Khao Chi Chan to Silver Lake Grapes Farm. The bike lanes will be 5m wide.
The department expects to finish the bike lane projects this year, and will set aside a budget of 150 million baht to develop a 15km-long route in Chon Buri next year.
New Unesco World Heritage site
The Singapore Botanic Gardens has recently been listed on Unesco's World Heritage 2015. The gardens are the first Unesco site in Singapore.
It is also the first botanic gardens that has achieved such status in Asia and the third in the world in addition to Orto Botanico di Padova in Padua, Italy, and the Royal Botanic Gardens in London.
According to Unesco, the Singapore Botanic Gardens, founded in 1859, demonstrates the evolution of a British tropical colonial botanic garden that has become a modern world-class scientific institution used for both conservation and education. The garden covers 49 hectares and features numerous gardens, including an orchid garden, bonsai garden, children's garden, rainforest, lakes, research laboratory and heritage trees.
In addition, Unesco also announced other world heritage sites, including sites in Asia Pacific. They are Tusi sites in the mountainous areas of southwest China, sites of the Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining located in the southwest of Japan, Baekje Historic Areas in South Korea, the Great Burkhan Khaldun Mountain and its surrounding sacred landscape in Mongolia.
For Thailand, Phu Phrabat Historical Park in Udon Thani is in the evaluation period and the Fine Arts Department expects to hear from Unesco next year.
For the full list of the 2015 Unesco's World Heritages, visit www.whc.unesco.org.
Airlines update
Emirates will upgrade its fourth daily flight between Bangkok and Dubai with Airbus A380 aircraft.
According to the airline senior vice-president Barry Brown, the A380 has been extremely popular with travellers since it first started the double-decker aircraft service to Thailand in 2009. Since June 17 last year, the airline has operated three daily flights on the A380 from Bangkok to Dubai. "For business and leisure travellers, the Dubai-Bangkok route is a popular choice and this additional A380 service will be instrumental in helping us meet growing passenger demand, as well as deliver substantial economic benefits through travel connections and inbound seats," he said.
The A380 will replace a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft on Dec 1. The two-class A380 is capable of carrying 615 passengers including 58 lie-flat seats in Business Class and 557 seats in Economy Class. The aircraft will add more capacity of 255 seats per flight and 3,570 seats per week to and from Bangkok, he added.
Emirates operates with 64, A380s and will add 76 more in the future. The aircraft serve 34 destinations including Bangkok, Beijing, Brisbane, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Perth, Seoul, Singapore, Shanghai and Sydney.
Visit www.emirates.com.
Thai AirAsia will start its inaugural direct flight from Bangkok to Bengaluru, formerly known as Bangalore, on Sept 1.
According to CEO Tassapon Bijleveld, Bengaluru is one of south India's most important cities and is known as India's technology capital. Bangalore was officially renamed Bengaluru in the local Kannada language around November last year.
Direct flights from Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport will be available on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays. The departure time will be at 9pm and the return leg from Bengaluru will be at 11.45pm.
Visit www.airasia.com.
Hotels update
The Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Bangkok on Asok Road has been rebranded to the Pullman Bangkok Grande Sukhumvit.
The sail-shaped glass hotel features 325 rooms and suites, two restaurants, a cocktail bar, outdoor pool, fitness centre, spa, 10 meeting rooms including a grand ballroom which can accommodate up to 500 guests. Operated under Accor Hotels, the Pullman Bangkok Grande Sukhumvit will be the third Pullman in Bangkok after Pullman Bangkok King Power on Rang Nam Road and Pullman Bangkok Hotel G on Silom Road.
Manathai Hotels and Resorts will open a new hotel in Phuket on Nov 1.
Called Manathai Surin, the hotel will be on Surin Beach on the west coast of the island. It will feature 66 rooms, a swimming pool with a pool bar and its two signature restaurants -- Pad Thai and Colours. The hotel will be the fourth property of Manathai after those in Hua Hin, Khao Lak and Koh Samui.
Visit www.manathai.com.
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