The News Review:

- Shangri-La (Malaysia/ Hong Kong)
- Thailand Real Estate & Property Guide
- Police Take ver Security At Malaysia-Thai Border CIQs – IGP
- Travel blog: Thai floating markets at Damnoen Saduak

Shangri-La (Malaysia/ Hong Kong)
Sin Chew Jit Poh – Nov 22, 2007
Dusit (Thailand)The Dusit Thani Group was founded in 1949 by Than Phu Ying Chanut Piyaoui who opened the Princess Hotel in Bangkok. Twenty one years later the company opened Dusit Thani Hotel?which will become its flagship hotel?in the city. Today Dusit has luxury hotels and resorts in Dubai the Philippines and Burma aside from those in Thailand including in Hua Hin Pattaya Chiang Mai Chang Rai and Phuket. FamilyMart (Japan)Japan?s famous ?konbini? or convenient store knows what convenience is really about and at the FamilyMart stores ?you are one of the family?. From basic grocery items to magazines mangas bento (Japanese set meal) to umbrellas for the unexpected showers and even contraceptives?they are all available at FamilyMart. The store chain was established on Sept 1 1981 and has since put up franchises in Thailand South Korea Taiwan and Shanghai China. By 2009 it plans to open a branch in Los Angeles the first of 250 stores in the US.

Thailand Real Estate & Property Guide
Thailand Real Estate & Property… – Nov 22, 2007
Ms Suwanna said the company spent around six billion baht to accumulate more than 1000 rai of land in the past two years and planned to spend around three billion baht on land purchases next year. These plots would be used to develop projects until 2009. The company recently launched its first hotel and residence project under its management Grande Centre Point Hotel & Residence in the Rajdamri area. 7 billion baht property is developed by Land & Houses Plc and is located on a three-rai plot in Mahadlek Luang 1. The project offers 526 guest rooms with serviced apartments starting from the 23rd floor. Its promotion daily rates to be ended in March start from 5600 baht for a studio room while the monthly rate ranges from 62000 to 180000 baht for three-bedroom units… Q House would receive a 2% management fee plus 5. The company expected 50% of revenue would come from hotel operations and the other half from serviced apartments. ”The operation of a hotel and serviced apartments in the same property will help the company widen its customer base and generate more earnings” she said. Grande Centre Point Hotel & Residence is the new brand under QH’s property management business that is expected to generate one billion baht this year accounting for 12% of Q House’s total revenue said Ms Suwanna. Q House has eight properties offering about 2000 rooms under its management or almost 20% of Bangkok’s 12000 serviced apartments. The company expects another 8000 rooms to enter the market within next three years including 900 units developed by its group and another 2000 hotel rooms in next two years meaning competition would be fiercer in the future.

Police Take ver Security At Malaysia-Thai Border CIQs – IGP
Bernama – Bernama – Nov 22, 2007
He said the police are now reponsible for security at CIQs at the Malaysia-Thailand borders in Kelantan Padang Besar and Bukit Kayu Hitam. This would be extended to border checkpoints in Sabah and Sarawak he said. “We’ve stepped up security checks and intelligence exchange on smuggling along Malaysia-Thailand borders in collaboration with Thai police” he told a press conference after heading the Malaysian police at the 18th Departmental Review of joint Malaysia-Thailand Working Committee on Criminal Activities Meeting at a leading hotel here today. Deputy Commissioner General Datuk Prung Boonpadung headed the Royal Thai Police at the two-day meeting. Thirty-two police officers from Malaysia and Thailand are attending the two-day meeting which began yesterday. Musa said exchange of intelligence on smuggling at border areas had helped Malaysian and Thai authorities stem smuggling of drugs firearms and human trafficking. n reports of smuggling activities continuing unabated at the Malaysia-Thailand border he attributed it to the vast border “There are legal and illegal landings there are also many illegal routes but based on the information I received we are co-operating (with the Thai authorities)” he said.

Travel blog: Thai floating markets at Damnoen Saduak
TravelBite.co.uk – Nov 22, 2007
You bargain for everything and anything and I knew that renting a boat and driver for the floating markets was to cost about 150-200 baht for two hours so when the offer came in at 400 baht for two hours I just started the usual spiel of haggling and was quite pleased with the end result. We agreed on 200 baht for two hours and she would pick me up in the morning from my hotel. I stayed at Lonely Planet’s recommended hotel and again did not sleep very much as Thai mattresses are usually rock hard. Well mine was anyway plus Thailand is seven hours ahead of GMT and it takes a couple of days to get over the jetlag. Getting up at seven am therefore was fine as I had been awake for most of the night anyway but I was none the less looking forward to some very scenic views of the floating markets and possibly breakfast on the boat. I have to say the trip down to Damnoen Saduak was well worth my time as I am travelling for at least six months and simply have the time to do things in my own pace. Also I really appreciate seeing things away from the bulk of the tourist crowds and I am a keen photographer so the combination of early morning light the market only just opening up the still empty canals was a very enjoyable experience.

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