Hat Yai Boosts Appeal to Tourists

Hat Yai, the hub of Songkhla Province, will spend 200 million baht to jazz up its appeal by adding a cable car, planetarium and art gallery to the list of attractions already available at the city's main public park.

Mayor Prai Pattano plans to broaden the park's appeal from a place of leisure to include edutainment to pull in visitors from neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore, who regularly travel every year to pay their respects to a shrine of Chinese goddess Guan Yin and a Buddha statue on top of a hill with thick forest cover in the 900-rai park that also boasts a huge lake.

"We want to develop the park into a complete tourism complex," he said.

The cable car, expected to cost 100 million baht and take a year to build, will greatly shorten travel time to the iconic statues that draw visitors all year round.

Around 40 million baht will be needed to build a planetarium and equip it with powerful telescopes so visitors, especially children, can take a peek at the universe. It will take two years to complete.

Next on his agenda is building a permanent art gallery and renovation of the area that now plays host to the weekend market, improving walkways and the aviary in the park.

No Lighting Up in Parks

Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), an operator of award-winning attractions, has banned smoking at Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari and Singapore Zoo.

The ban, in place since last month, is in line with the Government's smoke-free campaign that also extends to family-friendly tourism places.

Prominent signs have been posted at prime locations such as exits and entrances, children's playing grounds, dining areas and restaurants warning visitors against smoking in public places, and park staff have enlisted to help enforce the no-smoking ban.

Hotel Goes Organic

Chaophya Park Hotel grows organic vegetables that it uses to cook meals served in its restaurants and also markets them under the brand Park Organic Veggies.

Since last year the hotel has cultivated organic celery, Chinese kale, cucumber, lettuce and spinach on a nine rai plot next to its golf driving range on Ratchadaphisek Road.

The vegetables are free of chemical fertilisers, herbicides or pesticides. It also grows hydroponic plants using only natural rainwater and sunlight, and it also has a mushroom nursery.

Hotel guests can ask the staff for a tour of the organic farm.

Visit http://www.chaophyapark.com for more information.

Pick a Seat

AirAsia now allows passengers to select a seat of their choice before boarding the plane.

The new service, "Pick A Seat", comes with fees of 50 baht for a standard seat, and 250 baht for a hot seat - the first five front rows and the two rows of seats at the emergency exit. The hot-seat fee also includes Xpress boarding service.

Before the service was introduced seats were assigned on a first-come-first-serve basis. Meanwhile, passengers who don't "buy" the seats will be allotted one at random.

Children's Charity

"Small Wonders", part of the 2009 Chiang Mai charity calendar, is scheduled February 21 at the theatre located in the compound of Kad Suan Kaew.

"Children helping children" is the theme of this charity event that will see more than 100 students performing songs, dancing on stage and playing various musical instruments. Joining them will be celebrity guests such as magician Dr Penguin and award-winning musician Dr Thorsten Wollmann, and the Village Vanguard Jazz Trio accompanied by Dr Pimonmas Wollmann.

Before the recital, there will be an exhibition of paintings and other works of art by students, which will be put up for sale, with the proceeds going to a charity for rural children. The recital runs 2:30 to 5:30 pm. Tickets - priced 100 baht for students, 400 and 500 baht for the general public - can be bought at Kad Suan Kaew's information counter, Amari Rincome Hotel, all branches of Rim Ping supermarket and at the reception area of Hillside Condo 4.

Source - The Bangkok Post