The News Review:

- Corrupt law enforcement sex networks provide cover for pedophiles in…
- High Season Packages To Phuket At Indigo Pearl Resort
- IHG Hotel Brands Entering New Locations Growing At Record Pace…
- Cycling through the City of Angels
- ‘Gastro freaks’ gorge their way through Spain’s top…

Corrupt law enforcement sex networks provide cover for pedophiles in…
International Herald Tribune – Oct 17, 2007
Authorities believe it is the same man whose digitally blurred image appeared in about 200 Internet photos that showed him sexually abusing Vietnamese and Cambodian boys as young as 6. Across Asia hundreds of thousands of girls and boys are believed to work in the sex trade mostly in Cambodia Indonesia Thailand Vietnam the Philippines. Some of their customers — mostly older men — commit their crimes with relative impunity walking hand-in-hand with underage girls in Bangkok or with boys in a resort hotel on the Indonesian island of Bali. The victims in many cases are the poorest children including beggars street children and the homeless. “It's all a manifestation of poverty that creates the vulnerabilities” said Richard Bridle UNICEF's deputy regional director for East Asia and the Pacific. In one Internet exchange intercepted by Cambodian police two unidentified teachers talk about how easy it was for them to pickup mostly homeless boys between 10 and 14 and bring them back to their apartments for sex. “I am having a wonderful time with them sexually.

High Season Packages To Phuket At Indigo Pearl Resort
etravelblackboard.com – Oct 17, 2007
Three nights start at US$674 for two rising to US$938 for private pool pavilion accommodation with seven nights ranging from $1262 to US$1879. A choice of two land or sea activities includes a 60-minute massage fishing Thai cooking class sea canoeing Thai kickboxing yoga class or snorkeling excursion to nearby Phi Phi or Koh Kai Islands. A “Many Ways” activity-filled two night package includes a Thai cooking lesson spa pampering and even Thai boxing. Perfect for weekend getaways it is headlined by a day’s tuition in the fine art of Thai cooking with a market outing to buy fresh local produce and an introduction to the herbs and spices used in Thai cooking and finally a practical cooking lesson. Another option is a one-hour massage at the resort’s spa or group yoga and Muay Thai-boxing which must be booked a day in advance. The holiday ranges from US$444 for two to US$719 for private pool pavilion accommodation. A “Golf Package” for two includes two rounds at the island’s prestigious Blue Canyon club – playing both the Lake and Canyon courses… Additional complimentary activities at the resort also include biking snorkelling along a nearby coral reef beach power walks windsurfing petanque snooker bodyboarding stretch classes canoeing and kayaking. Architecturally inspired by the tin mining history of Phuket Indigo Pearl has attracted worldwide acclaim since opening last year for its tropically lush and contemporary designer resort. It was named one of the best new hotels in the world by Condé Nast Traveler (US) in its ‘2007 Hot List’ of top new resorts spas restaurants and nightclubs “Most Stylish Hotel” by ELLE magazine Singapore and ranked among the “TP 50 Dream Resorts” by Honeymoon and Travel magazine. As a favoured resort for international MICE organisers it has also hosted a number of conferences and events for regional and international companies welcoming corporate groups including large international banks insurance groups and pharmaceutical companies along with a number of private ‘high end’ wedding parties. The historic infrastructure accommodates a large Conference Pavilion for up to 900 delegates — including a 600sqm Grand Ballroom and twelve adjoining meeting rooms Targeting discerning travellers seeking a distinctive cultural experience the resort was designed by world-renowned architect interior and landscape designer Bill Bensley everything down to the finest detail fits in with the theme of tin mining extending from the names of the restaurants and bars to the staff uniforms. The imaginative playful atmosphere extends from the architecture itself to a range of unique leisure facilities allowing guests to sculpt their own holiday activities with something for everyone from the spa and tennis to golf diving surfing swimming cooking crafting and shopping. The eight food and beverage outlets on this secluded Andaman Sea beachfront resort range from Thai at Black Ginger and tapas served al fresco in Rebar to modern European fare at Tin Mine.

IHG Hotel Brands Entering New Locations Growing At Record Pace…
webwire.com – Oct 17, 2007
The current growth momentum is especially strong in the key markets of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) Japan and India. Some of the brands within the IHG portfolio are also set to appear for the first time in strategic new locations such as Ho Chi Minh City Hanoi Maldives Bangalore Melbourne and Adelaide. The group has a development pipeline of more than 120 hotels and 40000 rooms across Asia Pacific. ver 80 hotels have been signed over the past one year period – an average of one signing every five days. More than two thirds of these signings are for new-build hotels with the rest being conversions of existing properties. Close to 70% of the hotels will be located in the PRC Japan and India in line with IHG’s global strategy of building the hotel industry’s strongest operating system focused on the biggest markets and segments where scale really counts. IHG has also been growing its support capability in key regional locations… * Two co-branded hotels launched April 2007 in Tokyo Japan as a result of the hotel operating joint venture with All Nippon Airways (ANA). Two more ANA InterContinental resorts to be launched in kinawa in 2008 and 2009. * Additional InterContinental Resorts will launch in Hua Hin Thailand; Huizhou and Sanya PRC; Danang Vietnam; and kinawa Japan. These new launches will join existing InterContinental resorts in Bali and French Polynesia. Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts * Upscale hotel brand with 51 hotels (16500 rooms) open across Asia Pacific; 39 hotels (14000 rooms) in development pipeline. * Focuses on business meetings and social interactions and is the fastest growing hotel brand in its segment in Asia Pacific and the US. * In PRC more than 40% of the hotels in the IHG development pipeline will be Crowne Plaza hotels.

Cycling through the City of Angels
Seattle Times – Oct 17, 2007
The cost is 950 Thai baht $30 per person at current exchange rates and includes boat transportation drinks and snacks. Biking distance is about 10 miles… It’s possible to spend hours stuck in traffic. No one rides a bike unless it’s to pull a fruit cart or sacks of vegetables. Yet here we are at 8 a. inside the parking garage of a hotel in Chinatown adjusting the seats on one-speed bikes with hand brakes. Van Kessel a Dutch expat who’s lived here nearly 30 years puts the finishing touches on a plan for how the eight of us who have signed up for his tour will spend the next five hours. “It’s like a movie” he says.

‘Gastro freaks’ gorge their way through Spain’s top…
USA Today – Oct 17, 2007
She led us into the capacious kitchen where we observed 30 cooks silently preparing food with precision and intensity. ne of the chefs Igor Zalakain guided us through the twisting hallways and into the wine cellar which houses a staggering 100000 bottles and more than 2300 labels. He then took us to Arzak’s test laboratory where 1500 dried condiments — tapioca from Thailand chili morita from Mexico — sit on the shelves. Here Igor experiments with recipes until they’re ready for the menu. Sometimes the recipes can take a day to perfect. Sometimes said Igor “never.

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