The 17th Patong Bay clean-up event will be held on 1st November 2007. This is an annual event in which all kinds of people – students, locals, divers and tourists can join together to clean-up the beach and coral reefs at Patong, Phuket Island.

Divers who wish to join the event should inform the organizer – Marine and Coastal Resources Conservation Center (Tel. 076 - 393567) or send an e-mail to Green Fins in order to arrange a diving team and equipment for the boat. Scuba tank, weight belt, weights and lunch pack will be provided free of charge. Own Dive equipment will be required.

Please come to the registration tent by 8.30am on Patong beach with your team for the reef or beach clean up. On return from the reef and beach clean up the garbage will be sorted and weighed with the best team of the day receiving a reward.

Longtail racing will be hosted with field activites taking place between 1 - 10pm including workshops, games, exhibitions and our Green Fins stand. Rajabhat University will be presenting a play on Environmental awareness during the day.

After the fun and activities during the day, there will also be time to enjoy the evening’s parade and entertainment.

The 20th Phuket carnival welcomes the beginning of the tourist season to Phuket. All activities will be held on Soi Bangla and Patong Beach in 10 different zones, with a guide map of the daily activities, complimentary coupons, activity-entry cards and souvenirs to be given to all

Read more!

TURNING POINT

An important turning point for Thai spas came with the new millennium, almost a decade after the spa concept was first introduced to Thailand in the early 1990s. The seemingly insatiable demand for spa services attracted local and international investors. Success ignited the exponential growth of Thailand’s spa industry from 2000-2001. In just a few years, over 200 spa operators followed in the footsteps of the three pioneers: The Oriental Spa, Banyan Tree Spa and Chiva-Som International Health Resort, the country’s only destination spa. The rapid entry of new players hoping to gain a fair share of the lucrative spa pie triggered a spa boom.

With this significant increase in the number of spas around the country, the Thai Spa Association was founded. The registration of the association was approved in early 2003 and by the end of last year it consisted of 100 members representing the major players in the industry comprising spa operators, product suppliers, training schools and spa consultants. A study undertaken by Intelligent Spas reports a growth of 64 percent for the period 2000-2002. Statistics compiled by the Singapore based research company indicate that between June 2001 to June 2002 some 230 Thai spa operators attracted a total of 3.3 million spa users, out of which 2.5 million, or 79 percent of the country’s total spa clientele, were overseas spa patrons contributing a total of US$85 million to Thailand’s foreign exchange revenue.

Readership surveys and polls conducted by leading international travel, leisure and lifestyle publications also reflect a clear vote of confidence in Thai spas. Since 1999 spas in Thailand have managed to consistently secure a place in the world’s top overseas spas. In the 2003 survey conducted by Conde Nast Traveller of the UK- a leading travel and lifestyle magazine – Chiva-Som International Health Resort at Hua Hin was selected the number one overseas destination spa and Mandara Spa at JW Marriott in Phuket the best hotel spa in Asia. Other spas in Thailand that have consistently taken top spots in international surveys are Banyan Tree Spa, The Spa at Four Seasons Chiang Mai and Six Senses Spa.

The country’s reputation for outstanding service and superior spa hospitality are backed by equally solid operating results and economic performance that far exceed that of counterparts around the region. Thailand settles comfortably into its new status as the spa capital of Asia.

While the first wave of Thai spas was fuelled in part by the arrival of international operators and spa consultants who brought with them experience and expertise to establish and manage high quality spa operations, today Thai spas compete on an equal footing with international counterparts in the cosmopolitan centres and fashion capitals of the world. Quality has also attracted joint ventures and co-operative partnerships resulting in an exotic range of innovative spa products and services born of the marriage of the Thai traditional art of healing and contemporary Western spa treatments. The proliferation of spa operations found in a range of places beyond hotels, resorts, destination and medical spas prompted Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health to work towards the introduction of quality standards and a regulatory framework to ensure planned and sustainable growth.

To achieve this, the Ministry, which has assumed the role of custodian overseeing the growth and development of the spa sector, has been working in close co-operation with the Thai Spa Association and private sector operators to develop guidelines and specific standards for the Thai spa industry. The government realises that in order to inspire consumer confidence and trust in the range of products it needs to assure spa guests and visitors to Thailand that safety, hygiene, service quality and quality assurance are top priorities. The implementation of industry standards during the first quarter of 2004 will be supported by mechanisms and processes that promote the systematic improvement of these measures to ensure quality. Among the steps to be implemented are registration of all spas and the operators of the spas, as well as training for staff with tests leading to certification of therapists. The comprehensive plan also includes guidelines to ensure fair pricing.

These measures by the joint state-private sector committees ensure that future industry growth proceeds in the right direction with Thai spa operators aiming for higher standards and striving towards the achievement of global spa industry standards. Earning the official seal of approval denotes quality and constitutes added recognition and credibility every bit as important as the attainment of internationally recognised ISO service standards.

The government’s campaign to turn Thailand into the regional health-care centre focuses on three areas: hospitals for medical treatment, spas for health promotion and herbal products. Its spas have now earned a reputation for the country as the spa capital of Asia. Achieving world-class status is next on the national agenda.

Read more!

The name 'Subanahongsa' or 'Golden Hamsa', a swan — like mythical steed of Brahma, forst appeared in chronicals of the Ayutthaya period. King Rama I commanded the Royal Barge Sri Subanahongsa to be built soon after his accession to the throne in 1782. The predecessor of the Subanahongsa was 36 metres in length, 2.88 metres at the beam and drew a draught of 67 centimetres. She was in constant use as the Principal Royal Barge until she became too old to be repaired. King Rama VI then commanded the building of her successor, the present Subanahongsa which was launched on November 13, 1911

The Subanahongsa is 46.15 metres in length, 3.17 metres at the beam with the depth of her her hull at 94 cms. Her full complement consists of 50 oarsmen, 2 steersmen, 2 officers fore and aft, 1 standard bearer, 1 signalman, I chanter and 7 Royal Insignia bearers. In state processions, she carries either a spired throne or a roofed pavillion surrounded by court officials.

The Subanahongsa is made out of a single trunk of teakwood. It is said that the master craftsman threw away all his tools after her completion and vowed never to work again. Whether this is true or not is immaterial for she is the most majestic of all Royal Barges. Her hamsa figurehead is raised in flight with protruding eyes, flared nostrils, fangs showing through her grimacing mouth. She holds a crystalline ball and tassle in her mouth, wears a garland and pendant around her neck. Her feathers, represented by gilded and mirrored Thai ornaments, seemingly flow in the wind all along the length of her body to her flame-like tail. She is presented in full flight aided by the stylized motion of the oarsmen. Their gilded paddles flash in sunlight suggesting the sedate movement of her wings.

Labels: THE ROYAL BARGES

Read more!

NARAI SONG SUBAN
The Narai Song Suban Rama IX Royal Barge with Garuda figurehead is the first Royal Barge to be built during the present reign of the Chakri Dynasty, but the second Royal Barge to carry this name. The Narai Song Suban Royal Barge was built and presented to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej during the grand celebrations marking the Fiftieth Anniversary (Golden Jubilee) of His Majesty’s Accession to the Throne in 1996.


The bow of the Narai Song Suban is decorated with a figure of Vishnu mounted on Garuda. One of the gods in the Hindu trinity — Brahma, Siva and Vishnu, Vishnu is known as Phra Narai in Thai.





Brahma (Phra Phrom) is the Creator, Siva (Isuan) is God of Destruction and Rebirth, and Vishnu (Phra Narai), the Preserver and Protector.

According to ancient folk belief, Vishnu manifests himself on earth in a variety of incarnations, or avatars. Rama is one of the earthly incarnations of Vishnu (Narai).



One of the many roles assumed by Siamese kings through the centuries is that of ‘Devaraja’ — the ‘Divine King’. This ancient tradition continues to this very day. His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej is King Rama IX. Garuda — the mythical bird-man is Vishnu’s vehicle.

Labels: THE ROYAL BARGES

Read more!

October 26 and 29, 2007
Over three centuries have since passed, yet this breathtaking spectacle remains awe inspiring, not only in its majestic beauty but also the grace with which the fleet of 52 barges solemnly glides down the Chao Phraya River — the ‘River of Kings’.

When the gilded paddles of the principal barge, the swan-prowed Sri Suphannahongse, are raised in unison, it is as though a mythical bird is about to lift from the water.

The other 51 barges, arrayed across the river in what is traditionally termed a battle formation, create a panorama of rare regal splendour. The blare of conches and trumpets, the songs of the coxswains, and the stentorian chants of the paddlers provide the right cadence for the oar strokes, enhance the spectacle, and mesmerize spectators into respectful silence – much as these same rare sounds have done for hundreds of years.

The Royal Barge Procession is the ultimate reflection of the Thai fascination with water, the central element in Thailand’s rites of passage, festivals, and religion. An aerial view of Thailand’s northern and central plains reveals why. A vast silvery labyrinth of natural and hand-dug waterways slices through the lowland plains. Villages hug banks of rivers and canals and draw from them the life-sustaining water that nourishes lush crops and harbours fish, the two staples of the Thai diet. It is along these liquid highways that a variety of water processions have travelled over the centuries.

In descending order of importance, they include:

Coronations
It was only appropriate that a prince travel in the most exalted vessel available to the most important event in his life: his coronation. Although wheeled vehicles have replaced barges, records of their magnificence abound in ancient manuscripts.

A Water-borne Procession with a Buddha image
Since ancient times, barges have carried revered Buddha images. When King Naresuan the Great (1590-1605) rode to battle, the Suphannahongse royal barge bearing the Phra Chai Buddha (Victory Buddha) image containing relics of the Lord Buddha led the flotilla. In 1781, barges transported the Emerald Buddha from Ayutthaya to its final home in Bangkok’s Wat Phra Kaeow. The famous image that now occupies the nave of Wat Suthat was transported from Sukhothai to Bangkok on a raft.

Royal River Tour of the Great Capital
In the former capital of Ayutthaya and also in Bangkok, kings embarked on royal river tours along the moats that embraced their stout city walls. It was for this reason, as well as defensive considerations, that until the late 19th century, no permanent bridges were erected over the moats, and the royal progress on these annual circuits went unimpeded.

The Royal Kathin Procession to Present Monastic Robes
The progenitor of the Royal Barge Procession as we know it today dates from the reign of King Ramkhamhaeng of Sukhothai (1275-1316 AD). The Lanna Chronicles note that the King was conveyed by night in a fleet of barges to present robes to the monks to mark the end of the three-month Buddhist Rains Retreat, a ceremony known as the Kathin ritual. By the mid-Ayutthaya period a few hundred years later, these processions were conducted during the day.

 

Read more!

November 7-9, 2007 ,Muang Thong Thani, Bangkok.

A record number of international exhibitors and key buyers are expected to attend “Thailand Health & Beauty Show 2007”, one of the most exciting international events on the calendar to be organized by the Department of Export Promotion (DEP), Ministry of Commerce.

The world-class fair, to be held at IMPACT, Muang Thong Thani, from November 7-11, 2007, is the perfect showcase for health and beauty products, as well as natural materials, spa merchandise and a diverse range of related services provided by world-class hospitals and specialist clinics. As in previous years, Thailand HBS 2007 will bring together buyers and sellers, as well as health and beauty professionals, from around the world – thus creating the perfect arena to complete business deals, hold trade negotiations with interested parties and, just as importantly, expand each exhibitor’s client base.

The DEP’s Director-General Mr. Rachane Potjanasuntorn revealed : “The DEP is confident that Thailand HBS 2007 will again attract  quality exhibitors and a long list of keen buyers from the United States, Spain, Italy, Germany, Egypt, Iran, Turkey, China, Japan, Indonesia and Korea, to name just a few. We firmly believe that the fair will further strengthen the Kingdom’s reputation as the regional hub for international trade and trade discussions, allowing both local and international companies to eventually form a global network of crucial contacts.” 

Based on last year’s show figures, international exhibitors will literally have a captive consumer audience, as this year more than 25,000 visitors will spend at least one entire day at the event. Another favorable factor is that recent consumer trends point to a continuous rise in products and services that promote wellness, beauty and inner health. Also gaining fast in popularity are herbal products, and natural health foods and food supplements. Meanwhile, the health and beauty industry has been linked increasingly to the travel industry, each supporting and contributing to the other’s growth.

On display at Thailand HBS 2007 will be a definitive range of the most popular health and beauty products, aromatherapy merchandise, health and herbal food and beverages, beauty therapy and medical equipment, as well as services offered by some of the world’s leading hospitals, specialist clinics and beauty training institutes. Several Thai manufacturers already have carved an enviable name for themselves on the regional and international spa scene, offering top-of-the-range spa products at highly competitive prices. And all trade visitors will soon realize that it is not by chance that Thailand – with its vast natural resources and ancient healing practices – is already known as the “Spa Capital of Asia”.

Thailand HBS 2007 will cover a total space of 20,000 square meters, accommodating approximately 850 exhibition booths. It will be open to trade visitors daily from 10.00 a.m.- 6.00 p.m., on November 7-9, 2007, and to the general public from 10.00 a.m.-9.00 p.m. on November 10-11, 2007.

Read more!