Neuigkeiten aus der Touristik

01.02.2012
Lufthansa

Lufthansa fliegt ab 2. Februar 2012 wieder dreimal wöchentlich von Frankfurt nach Tripolis. Die Route war 2011 wegen der politischen Unruhen in Libyen ausgesetzt worden.

04.01.2012
Update Südindien

The road between Mahabalipuram and Pondicherry has been cleared of fallen trees and other debris arising out of the Cyclone. Traffic is plying normally on the route now.

Update on the hotels is as under:

- Le Pondy Resort

Ø Damage to the Roof – this is an elephant grass roofing over the super structure
Ø Furniture at Lobby/restaurant etc.
Ø No damage to the concrete structures

As of now it is indicated that the resort will take around two months to repair the damage to reach operational status.

- Promenade

The hotel which is situated on the sea front had damages to glass panels /air-conditioners etc. But given to understand that in another four days they will fix them.

- Le Duplex

Due to the rains the hotel was flooded and will take another four days to become fully operational status.

30.12.2011
Zyklon in Südindien

The cyclone Thane has crossed the coastal area this early morning between Pondicherry – Culddalore, as a result these areas has received heavy rains & strong wind which disturbed the regular life in Pondicherry.

The Pondicherry town is affected due to this, with streets flooded with rain water/hoarding falling from the fixtures. Besides this Hotel Promonade was affected quite a bit with glass windows broken/ power shut down/water entering a portion. This hotel situated on the beach Road.

The road from Mahabalipuram to Pondicherry via ECR ( East Coast Road) has been affected, hence as of today this is not being used to travel to Pondicherry from Mahabalipuram., however there is an alternate route available to reach Pondy via Dindivanam which is a state highway.

Understand from the local sources from Pondicherry that wind level has come to normal in Pondicherry, however the rains will continue till today evening.

We have diverted our clients away from Pondicherry today in co ordination with each file handling staff. We are held back one group from Mahabalipuram today and retained the same in Mahabalipuram.

Hotels have been affected , some major issue like promenade and some with window glass broken etc. We expect situation to be normal from tomorrow based on this evening weather conditions.

Quelle: GoIndia Journeys, Delhi

02.12.2011
Nordmyanmar

Im Kachin Staat im Norden Myanmars nähe Bhamo gab es Kämpfe zwischen Regierungstruppen und bewaffneten Gruppierungen. Aus Sicherheitsgründen werden deshalb die Touren bis auf Weiteres nicht durchgeführt, die Bhamo, Myitkyina und den Indawgyi Lake beinhalten.

23.11.2011
Update Thailand

Travel Destination (City-by-City) updates:

Bangkok & Bangkok Area

- Today sunny
- Business Centre & inner Bangkok area such as Silom Road, Suriwong Road, MBK Centre, Siam Square and Sukhumvit are safe and there is no flooding.
- Hotels in the city area and along the river banks are not affected, everything is normal.
- Public Transportation System (BTS and MRT) operate as normal.

Over all traffic condition:

- Trains on the Northern Route from Bangkok Hua Lampong Station to Chiang Mai are operate at normal
- Trains on the Southern Route from Bangkok Hua Lampong Station to Had Yai are operate at normal
- Domestic flights still operate as normal.

Suvarnabhumi Airport:

- Not affected by the floods and operates as usual.
- Suvarnabhumi airport has considerable flood protection measures in place and officials are monitoring the situation closely.

Don Muang Airport: “ The Old Airport”

- Don Muang Airport was closed due to flood water on the run way.
- Nok Air Flights moved their operations to Suvarnabhumi Airport.
- Orient Thai moved their operations to Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Sightseeing in Bangkok

- Klongs Tour are operated at Normal.
- Attractions such as Grand Palace, Vimanmke Palace, City temples, China Town, Flower market, Wat Benjamaborphit can be visited as normal.
- River Cruise to Ayutthaya still not operated until further notice

Around Thailand Tour Routes

- The Main Highway to the North bypassing Ayutthaya can be accessed again, but passengers have to expect delay.

Ayutthaya: The attractions are available to access except Wat Chai Watthanaram.
Bang Pa In Palace: Cannot be visited at this time as the surrounded area is still flooded
Uthai Thani: The attractions are available to access except Hotels along the riverside remain flooded.
All Travel Destinations in the North of Thailand and North-East are safe to visit and there is no affect from the Flood situation
Lopburi / Saraburi / Sukhothai / Nakhornsawan / Chiang Mai / Chiang Rai : Normal Situation

23.11.2011
Update Thailand

Bangkok

As the situation in Bangkok involving the recent flooding has stabilised, we will no longer send daily updates on this issue. Excursions and tour packages are now operating as normal and none of our hotels have been affected by the flooding. Please be assured that the safety of our clients is our number one priority and should the situation change we will inform you immediately.

Hotels / Restaurants / Transport
Although there continues to be flooding mainly in the north of the city, the water is moving slowly and is generally receding. The centre of Bangkok, where the hotels, main tourist sites, shopping centres, restaurants and nightlife areas are located, has not had any flooding and the government is now confident that the centre will remain flood-free.

The main hotels located along the Chao Praya River have not had any flooding and the hotel shuttle boats are operating on the river.

The skytrain and subway systems within the city are operating as normal, and the trains to the north and south of Thailand have resumed service.

Excursions/ Tours
All excursions in Bangkok, including the Klong Tour along the canals and the dinner cruises along the Chao Phraya River, are operating as normal.

The flood waters in Ayutthaya have receded and we have resumed our tours to Ayutthaya.

Airports
Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok's international and main domestic airport, remains open as normal.

23.11.2011
Abflugsteuer Delhi

Die Behörden in Indien haben bekannt gegeben, dass für Abflüge ab Delhi ab dem 01.12. eine Flughafengebühr für Inlandsflüge in Höhe von umgerechnet derzeit rund EUR 3 und für internationale Flüge von rund EUR 21 erhoben wird. Diese Gebühr wird in den Ticketpreis eingeschlossen.

22.11.2011
Update Überschwemmungen in Thailand

Bangkok
The situation in Bangkok remains very much the same. There continues to be flooding mainly in the north of the city, however the water is moving slowly and is generally receding.

The Klong Tour and the dinner cruises are now allowed to operate on the river, and the Vimanmek Mansion has reopened. Therefore all the excursions within Bangkok are operating as normal.

The flood waters in Ayutthaya have receded and all tours to Ayutthaya are now operating as normal.

The centre of Bangkok, where the hotels, main tourist sites, shopping centres and nightlife areas are located, has not had any flooding. All services (such as power and water) continue to operate in these areas and both the skytrain and the subway are operating as normal.

Suvarnabhumi airport remains open as normal. We recommend clients to allow additional time at the airport for check in.

Don Muang airport has closed and the airlines which normally operate from this airport, Orient Thai Airlines and Nok Air, have relocated to Suvarnabhumi airport.

While there has been some flooding near the river at high tides, the main hotels located along the Chao Praya River continue to operate as normal and the hotel shuttle boats are allowed to operate on the river as per their usual schedules.

Our office is open as normal and the area where our office is located is currently free from any flooding. The safety of our clients is our number one priority and we are continuing to carefully monitor the situation regarding the flooding in Bangkok and will provide updates as needed.

21.11.2011
Update Überschwemmungen in Thailand

We would like to give you an up-to-date situation on the floods in Thailand as of Monday 21 November 2011.

The situation in Bangkok remains widely the same as per our last update. Over the weekend, there has been no additional flooding in the north of the city. A few hotels in the northern suburbs have experienced some flooding in the surrounding streets; however these hotels are not used by our clients.

The centre of Bangkok, where the hotels, main tourist sites, shopping centers and entertainment areas are located, has not had any flooding. Some parts of Bangkok (especially low-laying areas) and river banks could be affected eventually due to high tide. Since our last memo the inner city has not been affected by floods.

Siam Express Bangkok office is currently open and fully operational. All our staff are safe. At this time, there is no flooding near our office.

We are committed to providing you with the best service possible at all times. We will also provide you with current information on the situation

in Bangkok as it develops. Should the current situation in Bangkok change, we will contact our clients and their tour operators.

At the moment, the flood water is decreasing in the affected areas in the Northern Suburbs of Bangkok. It is still not possible to predict exactly how the situation will develop further. We are monitoring the situation day by day to ensure the safety of our guests at all times and peace of mind. In case the tour itinerary is affected we will check these specific bookings and contact the guests and/ or travel agent directly to discuss alternative options. The safety & security of your guests is the main priority for us at all time and even more for these coming days, we want they feel comfortable and enjoy their visit in the kingdom at all times .

Travel Destination (City-by-City) updates:

Bangkok & Bangkok Area

- Today sunny
- Business Centre & inner Bangkok area such as Silom Road, Suriwong Road, MBK Centre, Siam Square and Sukhumvit are safe and there is no flooding.
- Hotels in the city area and along the river banks are not affected, everything is normal.
- Public Transportation System (BTS and MRT) operate as normal.
- Southern bus terminal moved to Rama 2 road and passengers take the bus from there as normal.

Over all traffic condition:

- Some roads in Bangkok are temporary closed, especially in the Northern and Western area. No affect to our normal operation.
- Rama 2 road (Southern & Western Routing) is safe; all vehicles can access & use the road.
- An alternative Road (No. 340) is ready to utilize in case Rama 2 will be flooded.
- Trains on the Northern Route from Bangkok Hua Lampong Station to Chiang Mai have been reinstated only 1 time per day (“Sprinter” Train).

Schedule is still subject to change and has to be checked day by day; travel time is 14 hours.

- Trains on the Southern Route: passengers are transferred from Hua Lampong Station by bus to Nakhon Pathom and connect from there by train on the normal route.
- Domestic flights still operate as normal.

Suvarnabhumi Airport:

- Not affected by the floods and operates as usual.
- Suvarnabhumi airport has considerable flood protection measures in place and officials are monitoring the situation closely.

Don Muang Airport: “ The Old Airport” (used many for some fret & very few flights)

- Don Muang Airport was closed due to flood water on the run way.
- Nok Air Flights moved their operations to Suvarnabhumi Airport.
- Orient Thai moved their operations to Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Sightseeing in Bangkok

- Klongs Tour has resumed as usual but with possible different routing as the level of water in some canals is still high -

Grand Palace , Wat Trimitr China Town, Yao Warat and Charoen Krung Road could face very minimal flood, which is caused by the high tide only and decreases quickly. All Attractions in this area are safe to visit.

- Vimanmek Palace is closed until further notice.
- Attractions such as Grand Palace, City temples, China Town, Flower market, Wat Benjamaborphit can be visited as normal.
- Chatuchak weekend market closed until further notice
- Rose Garden show will be only at 14:45 hrs / no elephant show
- River Cruise to Ayutthaya still not operated until further notice

16.11.2011
Update Überschwemmungen in Thailand

The situation continues to improve in and around Bangkok with more flood waters receding. In recognition of this, the British Embassy has downgraded their travel advisory, and is no longer advising against non-essential travel to flood affected areas. We hope that other embassies will soon do the same.

However, there are still some remaining flooded areas on the outskirts of Bangkok, and we are suspending some of our services until the situation improves further.

Asia World sightseeing tours to Ayutthaya and Uthai Thani are still suspended until further notice. The recovery process is going well in both cities, but we have decided to wait until everything is completely back to normal before resuming our tours to these destinations. All other Asia World overland tours are operating as normal.

Bangkok’s smaller domestic airport, Don Muang, is still flooded and closed until further notice. All flights scheduled to leave or arrive at Don Muang will use Bangkok’s main airport, Suvarnabhumi, instead.

Donations for flood victims

In response to the floods which have devastated much of central Thailand, Asia World has donated a large quantity of bottled water and food items to assist with the relief efforts. If you are interested in making a donation also, Asia World will gladly assist you and will make sure that all donated funds help those in need. Please contact us on info@asiaworld-travel.com for more information.

Bangkok’s main international airport, Suvarnabhumi, is not flooded and is operating as normal. At this stage, it is very unlikely that the airport will be affected by the floods.

All of Bangkok’s main tourist attractions, shopping malls and tourist hotels are open and operating as normal.

All stations of Bangkok’s skytrain (BTS) and subway (MRT) are open as normal.

As a precaution, a few of our sightseeing tours are suspended, as follows:

Ayutthaya Day Tour
Ayutthaya Cruise
Koh Kred Cycling Tour
Rose Garden
Klong (Canal) Tour

Train services are improving, with more trains being added to the northern and southern routes, but services are still disrupted and delays are common. Trains to the north-east of are operating as normal. Apart from the north-east routes, Asia World still advises against travelling by train until the situation improves further. The Eastern and Oriental Express train service from Bangkok is now running from Surat Thani in southern Thailand instead.

Elsewhere in Thailand, including the north and the southern islands and beaches such as Phuket and Koh Samui, there are no floods and everything is 100% safe and normal.

15.11.2011
Update Überschwemmungen in Thailand

Bangkok and Environs

After weeks of flooding, the Don Muang District, Chaeng Wattana and Lardprao Districts remain inundated; however, we are advised that water had been stabilized due to the government's action plans to contain the water outside inner Bangkok.

Chaopraya River did overflow as expected, however, the districts next to her banks have been quite prepared, and therefore, no such dilemma occurred. We have not received any untoward situation on the world class hotels located on the banks, as well as the sprawling CBD and shopping districts in the vicinity. The business and shopping areas of Silom and Surawongse, and Sathorn Road, have remained accessible and dry throughout this period.

Though quiet, the Loy Krathong festival was nevertheless celebrated with renewed hopes of safe, dry homes, with sufficient food and of course a strong rebound for Thais in general.

Suvarnabhumi Airport remains steadfastly dry and in full operation. The airport is protected by 3.5 meter high walls and well equipped with pumps and manpower to assure all passengers that it continues to serve domestic and international routes.

Other Provinces

There is still some large volume of water north of Bangkok. In the province of Ayutthaya, the flood are continuously pumped and drained out of the areas. The tour attraction that is the majestic ruins of Ayutthaya are still inundated, and could take more weeks to dry and clean up.

However, it is noteworthy, that waters are receding fast, and some areas of the province have been drained and life struggles to be normal.

In southern parts of Thailand such as the tourist destinations of Phuket and Samui, Krabi and Prachuab Khirikan, the activities are not hampered by the floods. However, there are sporadic rains in the areas, which could affect the tourism of the south. Therefore, while tourists numbers are down, it is envisioned that promotions should boost tourism well before peak season.

14.11.2011
Update Überschwemmung in Zentralvietnam

Fortunately the situation in Central Vietnam normalized. The weather is sunny and we can operate the boat trips to Thien Mu Pagoda in Hue and on Thu Bon River in Hoi An as usual.
Life Heritage Resort Hoi An re-opened on Friday and it is also possible to visit My Son again.

Quelle: Focus Asia

11.11.2011
Update Überschwemmungen in Thailand

We would like to give you an up-to-date situation on the floods in Thailand as of Friday 11 November 2011.

The situation in Bangkok remains widely the same as per our last update. Over the weekend, there has been some additional flooding in the north of the city. A few hotels in the northern suburbs have experienced some flooding in the surrounding streets; however these hotels are not used by our clients.

Although these northern suburbs remain flooded, the centre of Bangkok, where the hotels, main tourist sites, shopping centers and entertainment areas are located, has not had any flooding. Some part of Bangkok (especially low-laying areas) and river banks could be affected eventually due to the high level of water and high tide. Since our last memo the inner city has not been affected by floods.

Siam Express Bangkok office is currently open and fully operational. All our staff are safe. At this time, there is no flooding near our office.

We are committed to providing you with the best service possible at all times. We will also provide you with current information on the situation

in Bangkok as it develops. Should the current situation in Bangkok change, we will contact our clients and their tour operators.

At the moment, the flood water is approaching further in the direction of the inner city of Bangkok. Even though it is not possible to predict the severity of the affects we would like to ensure the safety of our guests at all times and peace of mind. As a matter of fact we would recommend that the guests arriving over the next coming days avoid Bangkok if their travel itinerary allows them to. We will check these specific bookings and contact the guests and/ or travel agent directly to discuss alternative options. The safety & security of your guests is the main priority for us at all time and even more for these coming days, we want they feel comfortable and enjoy their visit in the kingdom at all times .

Travel Destination (City-by-City) updates:

Bangkok & Bangkok Area

- Today sunny

- Business Centre & inner Bangkok area such as Silom Road, Suriwong Road, MBK Centre, Siam Square and Sukhumvit are safe and there is no flooding.
- Hotels in the city area and along the river banks are not affected, everything is normal.
- Public Transportation System (BTS and MRT) operate as normal.
- The water level in the Chaophaya River is stabilizing due to the period of low tide.
- Southern bus terminal moved to Rama 2 road and passengers take the bus from there as normal.

Over all traffic condition:

- Some roads in Bangkok are temporary closed, especially in the Northern and Western area. No affect to our normal operation.
- Rama 2 (Southern & Western Routing) is safe, not flooded as of today; flood water from the Western part of the city will be drained here.
- In case Rama 2 is closed, an alternative road will be proposed as this highway leads to the South (Damnoern Saduak Floating Market,
Hua Hin etc)
- Trains on the Northern Route from Bangkok Hua Lampong Station to Chiang Mai have been reinstated only 1 time per day (“Sprinter” Train).

Schedule is still subject to change and has to be checked day by day; travel time is 14 hours.

- Trains on the Southern Route: passengers are transferred from Hua Lampong Station by bus to Nakhon Pathom and connect from there
by train on the normal route.

- Domestic flights still operate as normal.

Suvarnabhumi Airport:

- Not affected by the floods and operates as usual.
- Suvarnabhumi airport has considerable flood protection measures in place and officials are monitoring the situation closely.

Don Muang Airport: “ The Old Airport” (used many for some fret & very few flights)

- Don Muang Airport was closed due to flood water on the run way.
- Nok Air Flights moved their operations to Suvarnabhumi Airport.
- Orient Thai moved their operations to Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Sightseeing in Bangkok

- Klongs Tour is subject to level of water in canals, if some days this tour doesn’t operate we will replace by alternative sightseeing.
- Grand Palace , Wat Trimitr China Town, Yao Warat and Charoen Krung Road still face very minimal flood, which is caused by the high tide only
and decreases quickly. All Attractions in this area are safe to visit.
- Vimanmek Palace is closed until further notice.
- Attractions such as Grand Palace, City temples, China Town, Flower market, Wat Benjamaborphit can be visited as normal.
- Chatuchak weekend market closed until further notice
- Rose Garden show will be only at 14:45 hrs / no elephant show
- River Cruise to Ayutthaya still not operated until further notice

Around Thailand Tour Routes

- The Main Highway to the North bypassing Ayutthaya can be accessed again, but passengers have to expect delay.

Ayutthaya

- Good News: the water starts to subsidize slowly and people start to clean up, historical sites can be visit in few day
- Road access to Ayutthaya – driving times are still very long even though roads are opening again

Uthai Thani: Good News - the water in town starts to subsidize and people start cleaning. Hotels along the riverside remain flooded.

All Travel Destinations in the North of Thailand and North-East are safe to visit and there is no affect from the Flood situation!

Lopburi: The road area inside downtown is normal; highway is good for all vehicles. Attractions are available and it is safe to visit.

Saraburi: All attractions can be visited as normal. Alternative Routing to the North will pass here.

Sukhothai: Normal situation.

Nakhornsawan: Highway road are normal.

Pitsanuloke: Normal situation.

Chiang Mai: Normal situation.

Chiang Rai: Normal situation.

West (Kanchanaburi): Normal situation. Everything can be visited safely.

Isan: normal at the moment

Recommended Itinerary for Northern Overland routes:

Routing from Bangkok to Northern Isan:

Bangkok – Nakorn Nayok – BaanNa – Saraburi – Highway no. 1 – Phitsanuloke – Khonkaen – Udorn Thani

Routing from Bangkok to North:

Bangkok – Nakorn Nayok – Baan Na – Saraburi - Highway no. 1 – Phitsanuloke – Lampang – Lampoon – Chiang Mai – Chiang Rai.

Southern Thailand: Phuket, Samui and Krabi are not affected at all. All places can be visited as normal.

For Siam Express’ Operation, the floods have caused minimal or no impact to our bookings. For sightseeing and tour programs, we are checking day-by-day the situation. We will contact the guests in case there is any urgent assistance needed or in case the sightseeing program is affected.

Quelle: Siam Express, Bangkok

08.11.2011
Wetter Update Zentralvietnam

Due to a tropical depression, Central Vietnam has experienced heavy rain and some flooding over the past few days.

So far today, there has been no rain in Hue, Hoi An and Danang.

Flights between Hanoi and Hue were cancelled yesterday due to the weather conditions. Alternative arrangements were made for affected clients, and their tour operators were notified of the changes.

All flights are operating as normal today.

In Hoi An, the area next to the river, some roads and several of the river hotels have experienced some flooding, however the water level is now starting to recede.

All affected clients have been moved to other hotels in dry areas of the town and their tour operators have been informed.

Boat trips on the Thu Bon River and to My Son cannot operate due to the high water levels. Affected clients and their tour operators have been contacted and have been offered alternative dates or other excursions.

The city of Hue has also experienced some flooding however the water level is starting to go down. We are not able to operate the tour to the Imperial Palace and the boat trip to the Thien Mu Pagoda. Affected clients and their tour operators have been contacted and have been offered alternative dates or other excursions.

None of our hotels in Hue have been affected by the floods.

27.10.2011
Einreise Tibet

Wie wir erfahren haben, stellen die Behörden in Tibet für den März 2012 keine Einreisegenehmigungen (Special Travel Permit) aus. Grund sind die Unruhen im März 2008, aber eine offizielle Verlautbarung wird es nicht geben.

01.10.20011
Sturm in Nordvietnam

We are pleased to inform you that the Nesat storm is now over.
As from today, Saturday 1 October, all day boat trips in Halong Bay are operating as normal, although the overnight cruises are still not allowed to operate. Alternative arrangements are being made for affected clients, and their tour operators will be notified. We will review the situation again tomorrow.
All excursions in Hanoi and the surrounding area are operating as normal.

Quelle: Indochina Services Travelgroup

30.09.20011
Sturm in Nordvietnam

The Nesat storm has now been downgraded to a tropical storm as from today, Friday 30 September.

The storm made land contact in northern Vietnam's Quang Ninh province earlier today bringing strong winds and high tides.
Consequently, all boat trips and cruises (both day and overnight tours) in Halong Bay will not be allowed to operate tomorrow, Saturday 1st October.

Alternative arrangements have been made for affected clients, and their tour operators have been notified.

Hanoi has also been affected with heavy rain and strong winds.
As a safety precaution we have cancelled all excursions around Hanoi today. We have advised clients to stay inside and have booked dinner for them in their hotels.
We will contact all affected guests again tomorrow to offer alternative excursions (dependant on the weather) or compensation.

29.09.2009
Überschwemmung in Chiang Mai

The Ping River level has been rising and has resulted in some flooding in the surrounding area, including the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar.

Therefore, until the floods subside, we cannot operate tours for clients staying in hotels in the night bazaar area. These include Centara Duangtawan, The Park, Le Meridien, D2, Chaing Mai Plaza and The Chedi.

Additionally, we are also suspending our elephant safari tours at Chiang Dao Camp and Elephant Maetamann Camp until the flooding reduces.

Currently it is not raining in Chiang Mai, so the water levels should begin to lower. However, more rain is forecast for the forthcoming days so if the water levels rise again we shall inform you soonest.

26.09.2011
Update zum Erdbeben in Nordindien

Road Conditions: - All Roads are open except for Lachung Area (North Sikkim)

Hotel Status: - All the hotels which we have been using for our guest are open & all services including water & electricity are unaffected.

The disaster relief activities initiated by NDRM, State Govt, Army, ITBP, BROs and the local panchayats need sincerest appreciation as most of the things are gradually getting normal even in the severely affected areas with their self less and untiring effort.

Quelle: GoIndia Journeys

24.09.2001
Update zur Überschwemmung in Siem Reap

There has been no more flooding in Siem Reap during the night.
The area around the Old Market and the roads alongside the river are still flooded, however the water levels are receding.
None of our hotels have experienced any flooding and all vehicles are still able to access the hotels. The airport in Siem Reap is unaffected and all transfers to and from the hotels and airport are operating as normal.
We have cancelled the boat trip to Chong Kneas and excursions to Banteay Srey and Ta Phrom as both of these areas are still flooded. All affected clients have been contacted directly and offered alternative arrangements. Excursions to Angkor Wat and other temples are still operating as normal.

Quelle: Indochina Services Travelgroup

23.09.2011
Update zur Überschwemmung in Siem Reap

During the night the flooding spread into parts of the town of Siem Reap, and the areas around the Old Market and the roads alongside the river are now flooded.

None of the hotels that we use near to the river have experienced any flooding and all their services and facilities are unaffected. Vehicles are still able to access the hotels.

The hotels in other parts of Siem Reap are unaffected and clients are able to walk out into areas of the town that are not flooded.

The airport in Siem Reap is unaffected and all transfers to and from the hotels and airport are operating as normal.

We have cancelled the boat trip to Chong Kneas and excursions to Banteay Srey and Ta Phrom as both of these areas have been flooded since yesterday. All clients affected by this were contacted directly and offered alternative arrangements. Excursions to Angkor Wat and other temples are still operating as normal.

22.09.2011
Überschwemmung in Siem Reap / Kambodscha

The area around Siem Reap is currently experiencing flooding. All our clients have been accounted for and have not been affected. However there is a possibility that the flooding may spread into the town of Siem Reap tonight. In the case that this happens and client’s itineraries need to be amended‚ then our office in Siem Reap will contact the clients directly.

Quelle: Indochina Services Travelgroup

20.09.2011
Erdbeben in Nordindien

Further to our communication of yesterday on the situation after earthquake in Sikkim, we would like to post another update for you today:

Road Conditions: Darjeeling – The road to Darjeeling from Bagdogra / New Jalpaiguri via Rohini, Pankhabari & Mirik are now operational.
Toy Train track between Ghoom & Darjeeling is damaged and should be operational in a couple of days.
Gangtok – NH 31A which connects Gangtok to the other parts of the country is also operational now.
Pelling – The road between Pelling and Gangtok via Ravangla & Damthang is now operational.
Yuksom – The road to Pelling via Kechoperi Lake is operational.
Kalimpong – The road to Kalimpong from Bagdogra / Darjeeling / Gangtok is open.
Phuntsholing – The road to Phuntsholing from Bagdogra / Darjeeling / Gangtok is also open. The approach road to the northern part of Sikkim (towards the epicenter of the earthquake) is still closed. It could take some time for life to return to normalcy.

All sightseeing points of Darjeeling, Gangtok (other than Tshangu Lake), Pelling & Kalimpong are open for tourists. Entry to the Pemayangtse Monastery is restricted to the ground floor only as a result of minor cracks seen in the walls of top floor where a wooden sculpture portraying the Mahaguru’s Heavenly palace Sangthokpalri is placed.

Quelle: GoIndia Journeys

02.09.2011
Thai Airways

Ab 1. Dezember setzt Thai Airways International auf der einmal täglich bedienten Strecke zwischen München und Bangkok ein Flugzeug vom Typ Boeing 777-300ER ein. Das größte zweistrahlige Verkehrsflugzeug der Welt bietet Platz für insgesamt 312 Passagiere – acht in Royal First, 30 in Royal Silk (Business) und 274 in Economy Class. In allen drei Serviceklassen genießen Passagiere von Thai Airways den erweiterten Komfort eines neuen Produkts.

Ab 28. Oktober profitieren Thai Airways Fluggäste auch an Bord der Boeing 747-400, mit denen die Fluggesellschaft die Route zwischen Frankfurt und Bangkok zweimal täglich bedient, von neuen Economy Class Sitzen mit In-Seat-Video.

Quelle: Thai Airways International

03.08.2011
Lufthansa

Mit dem Einsatz von Kreditkarten sind abhängig vom Kartenprodukt viele Vorteile für die Karteninhaber verbunden. Als Beispiele seien nur die automatisierten Abrechnungsprozesse, das verlängerte Zahlungsziel, die genaue interne Verrechnung der Reisekosten, das Reporting und auch Versicherungsleistungen angeführt.

Fluggesellschaften entstehen durch Zahlungen mit der Kreditkarte steigende Mehrkosten in Form eines von den Kreditkartenunternehmen auf alle Umsätze erhobenen Entgelts (Disagio). Bisher wurden Kosten für Kreditkartenzahlungen bei Ticketausstellung im Reisebüro vollständig von den Lufthansa Verbund-Airlines (Austrian Airlines,
bmi British Midland International, Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa und SWISS) übernommen. Der Lufthansa Verbund hat sich entschieden, zukünftig die Kreditkartennutzer an den Kosten für die Leistungen der Kreditkarte zu beteiligen.

Hierzu führen Lufthansa und die Verbund-Airlines ein Entgelt für Kreditkartenzahlungen (Optional Payment Charge) für Ticketverkäufe mit Reiseantritt in Deutschland ab 02.11.2011 in allen Vertriebskanälen ein. Dabei richtet sich die Höhe des Entgelts nach dem Zielgebiet:

Innerdeutsche Reisen: 5 Euro pro Ticket (inkl. MwSt)
Reisen innerhalb Europas: 8 Euro pro Ticket
Langstreckenreisen: 18 Euro pro Ticket

Die Lufthansa Verbund-Airlines führen die Optional Payment Charge (OPC) auch für Tickets mit Reiseantritt in Belgien, Finnland, Großbritannien, den Niederlanden und der Schweiz ein.

01.08.
Thailand

Am 27.07. verstarb die thailändische Prinzessin Ihre Hoheit Princess Bejaratana. Während der 100-tägigen Trauerzeit werden Besucher des Grand Palace gebeten, schwarze oder zumindest dunkle kleidung zu tragen.

29.07.
Vietnam

Aufgrund einer Sturmwarnung darf heute kein Boot in der Halong Bucht auslaufen. Wir bitten um Verständnis.

08.07.2011
Thailand

Eine Nachricht aus Bangkok zur aktuellen Situation nach den Wahlen von einem Partner vor Ort:

"The results are in from Sunday's general election and Thailand has its first female Prime Minister, the Pheu Thai party candidate Yingluck Shinawatra.
Ms. Yingluck’s party, Pheu Thai, won a large majority of the 500 seats in the House of Representatives, with the Democrat party a distant second.
Despite some concern around possible political unrest in the wake of the elections, the outcome has been met with calm across the country. Travel is safe throughout Thailand and all Asia World tours are operating as scheduled."
Quelle: Asia World Enterprise

05.07.2011
Myanmar

Bei allen Flugtickets, die nach dem 01.07. ausgestellt wurden/werden, ist die Flughafensteuer von USD 10 bereits im Ticketpreis eingeschlossen und muss somit nicht mehr bei Ausreise bezahlt werden. Bei allen Tickets, die noch vor diesem Termin ausgestellt wurden, ist dies immer noch notwendig.

24.06.2011
Vietnam

Northern Vietnam has been affected by the Haima storm since yesterday, and this morning the storm was 140 km outside of the Quang Ninh – Hai Phong coastline. It is forecast to move in a West – Southwesterly direction in the next 12 hours retaining the same speed and direction and then will degrade to be a tropical depression operating in the South-Northern delta.

The storm, combined with the Southwest monsoon, is causing winds of force 5 – 7 degrees in the Central and Southern region of the East Sea and in the region of the Binh Thuan and Ca Mau coastline.

Due to the tropical depression, it is forecast that the heavy rain will continue for the next couple of days. Today, all overnight and day cruises in Halong Bay are not allowed to operate.

03.06.2011
Myanmar

Das Transport-Ministerium Myanmar führt mit sofortiger Wirkung eine Passenger Service Charge ein. An speziellen PSC-Schaltern muss jeder Passagier für alle Inlandflüge eine Gebühr in Höhe von 1.000 Kyat bezahlen.

01.06.2011
Vietnam Airlines

Der Nationalcarrier fliegt ab sofort von Haiphong nach Danang. Fünfmal pro Woche wird eine ATR72 eingesetzt. Damit sparen sich Urlauber die Rückfahrt von der Halong Bucht nach Hanoi, wenn sie weiter nach Mittelvietnam wollen.

Mit Einführung der neuen Route Can Tho nach Phu Quoc spart man sich nun die Rückfahrt nach Saigon auf dem Weg zum Badeaufenthalt auf der tropischen Insel. Täglich wird auch hier eine ATR72 eingesetzt.

Fünf wöchentliche Flüge von Can Tho nach Con Dao sollen die ehemalige Gefängnisinsel leichter erreichbar machen.

12.05.2011
Grenzkonflikt Thailand/Kambodscha

The situation has eased greatly over recent days, and many of the villagers who had been evacuated are now returning home. Although there have been a few minor skirmishes since the truce which was called last Thursday, these have been isolated incidents and security around the region on the whole seems to be returning to normal.

Despite these signs of optimism, there is still the possibility that heavy fighting might resume, so we will be monitoring the situation very closely and will inform you if trouble does flare up again.

This disputed land area is very far away from Thailand tourist destinations and so no tourists are affected by these incidents. All tourist attractions around Thailand and Cambodia are operating as normal and Asia World tours do not pass through this area.

04.05.2011
Flughafen Hue

Der Flughafen in Hue bleibt entgegen anders lautender Planungen nun bis zum 13.06. geschlossen. Gebuchte Flüge werden umgebucht nach Danang.

27.04.2011
Situation in Japan

Ein Bericht der Tourismusbeauftragten der Stadt Tokio, die selbst seit 20 Jahren in München lebt und sich jetzt in Tokio selbst ein Bild gemacht hat:

"JR, Metro und Shinkansen

Nicht nur der Flughafen Narita, sondern das gesamte Verkehrsnetz rund um Tokyo hat sich schon lange normalisiert. Die stark frequentierte U-Bahn- und JR-Linien haben nach Angaben der Bahngesellschaften einen etwas reduzierten Fahrplan, aber das fällt überhaupt nicht auf, da die Züge dennoch oft genug fahren (morgens und abends normal, tagsüber etwa 80% des normalen Fahrplans). Ich fahre jeden Tag mit der U-Bahn und man muss sich keinen Fahrplan anschauen. Einfach zum Bahnhof und los geht die Fahrt mit der nächsten U-Bahn.

Der Shinkansen nach Kyoto/Osaka/Hakata war sowieso nicht vom Erdbeben betroffen. Alle Shinkansen-Züge fahren im Normalbetrieb ohne reduzierter Kapazität weiter. Lediglich eine Teilstrecke der Tohoku-Shinkansen ist heute noch nicht befahrbar (zwischen Fukushima und Ichinoseki). Aber diese Strecke soll Ende April wieder freigegeben werden.

Restaurants und Shops

Der Normalbetrieb gilt ebenfalls für Restaurants und Geschäfte. Man merkt überhaupt nichts mehr von der ersten Schockstarre. Die Betriebsamkeit der Stadt ist wieder zurück. Auch die Zurückhaltung aus Rücksicht auf die Erdbebenopfer hält sich in Grenzen - natürlich will man Solidarität und Mitgefühl zeigen und auf Geselligkeit verzichten, aber so kann man die Wirtschaft nicht ankurbeln und auf Dauer ist das für alle Beteiligten, einschließlich der Betroffenen, keine Lösung.

Lediglich haben manche Restaurants und Shops die Öffnungszeiten geändert und schließen teilweise früher als sonst. Jedoch gibt es noch genug Bars und Restaurants, die über Mitternacht hinaus länger aufbleiben.

Leere Regale, die in manchen Köpfen immer noch als Japan von heute gelten, sind längst überwunden. Es gibt in jedem Geschäft, ob Convenience Store oder Supermarkt, genug Wasser, Milch, Fertiggerichte zum Mitnehmen, Gemüse und Obst. Ach ja, Klopapier natürlich auch!

Hotels

Traurige Wahrheit ist, dass die ganzen Hotels heuer weniger Gäste haben. Shangri-la hat 10 Tage nach dem Erdbeben den gesamten Betrieb kurz ausgesetzt, wohl bedingt durch den zeitweisen Stromausfall (was so in der Form nie umgesetzt wurde). Aber Shangri-la hat am 14.04.2011 den Betrieb wieder aufgenommen.

Alle Hotels in Tokyo haben Normalbetrieb und warten sehnsüchtig auf Gäste! Der befürchtete Stromausfall nach Plan wird so nicht umgesetzt. Stattdessen sucht man andere Möglichkeiten Strom zu sparen. Bislang ist keine ernsthafte Stromknappheit gemeldet, denn allgemein versucht man in Tokyo und in Japan überall Strom zu sparen, ohne das Normalleben zu beeinträchtigen. Und das hat bis jetzt wohl gereicht, um den Gesamtbedarf an Strom zu reduzieren. Jedoch muss abgewartet werden, wie die Situation um den Strom in den Sommermonaten aussehen wird. Ich kann persönlich nicht denken, dass in ganz Tokyo die Klamaanlage abgeschaltet werden, wie manche deutsche Touristen befürchten.

Strahlen und andere Gefahren

Die Situation in Fukushima ist nach wie vor noch ernst, aber ein Super-GAU wurde haarscharf vermieden - das ist mein Eindruck. Natürlich gab es zeitweise stärkere radioaktive Belastung von Luft und Wasser und die Verseuchungsgefahr ist noch gar nicht gebannt, sondern wird zu einer längerfristigen Aufgabe für Japaner.

Die Gegend um Fukushima wird für Jahre leider nicht betretbar sein. Aber Fukushima ist nicht Tokyo und überhaupt befindet sich der Rest Japans in Normalzustand.

Die Strahlenbelastung in Tokyo ging immer weiter zurück und derzeit messen wir einen Wert, der niedriger ist als der in München - zumindest wenn man die Ortsdosisleistung, gemessen vom Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz, zum Vergleich nimmt. Ich möchte nichts verharmlosen, denn wie man eine Gefahr einschätzt und sich davor schützen will, das ist eine eigene Sache. Aber die Reaktion in Deutschland war selbst für mich als Japanerin, die mehr als 20 Jahre in Deutschland lebt, teilweise übertrieben.

Aus diesem Grund wollte ich nun selbst nach Tokyo, um die Situation unmittelbar zu erfahren. Und ich muss sagen: Das hat sich gelohnt! Schon jetzt kann ich allen sagen, Reisen nach Tokyo ist unbedenklich und es gibt keinerlei Hindernis wegen Transport, Lebensmittel, Restaurants oder Hotels.

Kulturelle Einrichtungen, Parks, Museen usw.

Die Stadt Tokyo gibt jeden Tag aktuelle Informationen über die Öffnungszeiten von Museen, Parks, Einrichtungen diverser Art.

Tokyos Rathaus bietet die Aussichtsplattform wieder an.

Auch die über 200 Meter hohe Plattform auf der 45. Etage im Rathaus ist seit 18.04. wieder für Touristen frei zugänglich!"

26.04.2011
Grenzkonflikt Thailand/Kambodscha

Thai and Cambodian troops began to clash on Friday. The fighting took place west of the disputed Preah Vihear temple. At least ten soldiers from both sides have so far been killed in the clashes. Both countries
blame intrusion for latest bout of fighting.

Thousands of villagers, evacuated from their homes because of the fighting, were sheltering in camps on either side of the porous border.

We would like to assure you that there is no effect on any of our tours operating in Cambodia or Thailand as the area is far away from the tourist destinations.

14.04.2011
Flüge nach Tokio

Lufthansa plant, ab Freitag, 15.04. wieder Nonstop-Flüge aus Deutschland nach Tokio aufzunehmen. Die in den letzten Wochen durchgeführten Stopps in Seoul entfallen damit wieder.

04.04.2011
Wetter in Thailand

Phuket:

Weather is fine on Phuket today, and the airport and all major roads remain open.
All of our island tours and speed boat trips are operating now, although they could be cancelled if the weather worsens.

All boats and ferries from Phuket to nearby islands are operating as normal.

Koh Samui:

Although there has been some rainfall today, the floods on the island have significantly reduced, and transport around the island is relatively easy. There is still some clean-up work to be done, but things are returning to normal.

Koh Samui airport is open and operating as normal.
All ferries and boats to and from Koh Samui, between the mainland and other islands (Koh Pha Ngan, Koh Tao) are running as normal.
All of our sea excursions, island tours and speed boat trips are operating now, although they could be cancelled if the weather worsens.

Krabi:

All ferries and boats between Krabi and nearby islands are operating as normal today.
All of our sea excursions around Krabi are operating now, although they could be cancelled if the weather worsens.
Krabi and Trang airports are still open and operating as normal.

Southern Thailand:

Nakhorn Si Thammarat airport is still flooded and therefore remains closed as of today.
No trains are operating to or beyond Nakhorn Si Thammarat, the most southerly province that trains are servicing is Surat Thani.

31.03.2011
Update Situation in Südthailand

Today the weather in Koh Samui starts to clear. The rainfall has stopped, and most areas are already flood free and electricity has also returned in most hotels.

Airlines
Bangkok Airways and Thai Airways International have resumed most of their regular services to Koh Samui as stormy weather starts to clear, relieving frustration among passengers. The airlines expect to clear all stranded passengers within today.

Airports
- Samui Airport: The airport is still very crowded. Bangkok Airways and Thai Airways will take customers with a confirmed booking first after that the available seats will be given to stand-by customers.

- Phuket Airport: The airport operates as normal.

- Krabi and Trang Airports: They are still open and operate as normal.

Transfers
Transfer operations are also back to normal and can be operated without any problems from all areas of Koh Samui.

Ferry services
- Phuket – Koh Phi Phi: The large ferries are still operating as normal.

- Koh Samui: Ferry services from Mainland to Koh Samui or Koh Samui to Mainland operate as normal from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

- Koh Phangan: Some ferries to Koh Phangan can operate today. They are expected to operate as schedule from tomorrow onwards.

- Krabi / Koh Lanta: Ferry to Koh Lanta is still suspended until further notice.

Train
No trains are operating to or beyond Nakhorn Si Thammarat, the most southerly province that trains are servicing is Surat Thani.

Quelle: Indochina Services Travelgroup

28.03.2011
Unwetter auf Koh Samui

A heavy rain storm has been causing some disruptions in Koh Samui over the past few days. Ferries and speedboats have been forced to cease operating since Saturday morning due to high waves and strong winds, and Koh Samui airport has had to close temporarily, with only a few flights leaving the island this morning. No more flights will be arriving or departing Koh Samui until further notice.

Other parts of the island have seen some roads become partially flooded, however no roads are closed entirely and vehicles can still proceed with caution.

We are monitoring the situation carefully in order to reassure your clients and to keep you updated. We are ready to assist you in contacting all clients in Koh Samui.

Quelle: Asia World Enterprise, Thailand

25.03.20110
Erdbeben Myanmar

Burmesische Medien berichten inzwischen über die Situation. Es wird von 50 Toten und 90 Verletzten gesprochen. Die Stärke des Bebens wurde auf 6,8 korrigiert.

24.03.2011
Erdbeben Myanmar

Heute nachmittag gab es in Myanmar ein Erdbeben der Stärke 7.0 auf der Richterskala. Das Epizentrum lag bei Kentung im Nordosten Myanmars. Die Erdstöße waren aber bis zum Inle See zu spüren. Über die Schöden ist noch nichts bekannt.

16.02.2011
Flughafen Hue

Heute hat uns Indochina Services mitgeteilt, dass der Flughafen Hue vom 05.05. - 05.06. wegen Bauarbeiten komplett geschlossen sein wird. Alle Flüge werden nach Danang umgeleitet. Wir bemühen uns darum, den Tourverlauf aller betroffenen Gäste entsprechend zu ändern.

10.02.2011
Udaipur

Heute haben wir erfahren, dass wegen der Hochzeit der Prinzessin von Udaipur am 07.03. der Stadtpalast vom 06.-09.03. geschlossen bleibt und somit keine Besichtigungen möglich sind.

02.02.2011
TET Fest Vietnam

Indochina Services weist darauf hin, dass es die nächsten Tage wegen des TET Festes in Vietnam zu Verzögerungen bei Anfragen und Bestätigungen kommen kann. Dafür bitten wir um Verständnis.

01.02.2011
Udaipur

Le Passage to India hat heute mitgeteilt, dass am 07.03. die Prinzessin von Udaipur heiratet. Deshalb wird in folgenden Hotels keine Buchung vom 01.03. - 10.03. akzeptiert: Shiv Niwas Palace, Fateh Prakash Palace, Shikarbadi, Garden Hotel und Jag-Mandir.

14.12.2010
Ho Chi Minh City Baulärm

Wie uns Indochina Services informiert hat, wird das neue Times Square Gebäude zwischen Dong Khoi und Nguyen Hue Boulevard gebaut. Es werden zwei Türme mit jeweils einer Höhe von 160 m entstehen. Dadurch wird es dort zu erheblichen Lärmbelästigungen kommen, da der Bau auch nachts weiter geht. Besonders Gäste im Grand Hotel, Duxton und Palace werden davon betroffen sein. Wir bemühen uns, bestehende Reservierungen in diesen Hotels umzubuchen.

08.12.2010
Koh Samui Wetter

Since the afternoon of Sunday, 5 December 2010 heavy rains have hit Koh Samui. Today, the main road near Lamai Beach is flooded, meaning that most vehicles are forced to take alternative routes, while the main road near Namuang Waterfall has collapsed. All vehicles have to use the road on the other side of the island to get to Koh Samui’s main town, Nathon, and Nathon Pier, which services ferries to / from the mainland.

There is a lot of water on the roads in and around Chaweng, Bophut and Meanam, but conditions are not as severe as Lamai and Namuang Waterfall, and no roads are closed in these areas.

Currently, all arrival and departure flights are delayed. However, as of yet, no airline has cancelled any flights.

Quelle: Asia World Enterprises Bangkok

25.11.2010
Myanmar

Please be informed that Yangon Airways will temporarily suspend all scheduled services with effect from
3 December 2010 until further notice because of the suspension of the Aircraft Operator Certificate (AOC) by the authorities.

Our inbound staff will find the best alternative solution and will keep you updated in case your booking(s) will be affected.

19.11.2010
Update Vietnam Wetter

Please let us update you on the current situation regarding weather condition in Vietnam.

Weather conditions look good in the Central area as the floodwater has started to go down today. All activities in Hoi An and Hue are back to normal.

Quelle: Indochina Services Travelgroup

17.11.2010
Vietnam Wetter

It has been raining since yesterday in the Central part of Vietnam, especially in Hue, Quang Nam and Quang Ngai.

All sightseeing spots in Hoi An, such as Hoi An Ancient town and Tra Que vegetable village, can be visited as normal. But the boat trip has to be cancelled for safety reasons.

The road to My Son was inundated by the heavy rain. My Son holy land, Thanh Ha pottery village, Thanh Nam fishing village, Kim Bong carpentry village are all flooded. Therefore, clients cannot visit these spots.

Minh Mang Tomb can now be visited by vehicle while Thien Mu Pagoda can be visited by a small boat for up to 6 persons only. For bigger groups, the visit will be provided by vehicle.

Please be assured that our inbound staff will keep you updated in a timely manner in case your booking(s) will be affected. ICS will continue to monitor the above situation and provide you with immediately updates as they come to hand.

Quelle: Indochina Services Travelgroup

12.11.2010
Vietnam Regen

There is rain coming to central Vietnam at the moment. Last night, the flight from/to Hanoi-Hue was cancelled because it was mostly cloudy in Danang and Hue. Therefore, the planes could not land properly. Today, all flight still scheduled as normal.

ICS will help clients by booking the flight from/to Hanoi-Danang and providing the transfer from Danang to Hue for you. In some cases, itinerary may have to change to match the new flight schedule. ICS will discuss with clients on the ground and always communicate with you.

Please be assured that our inbound staff will keep you updated timely in case your booking(s) will be affected. ICS will continue to monitor the above situation and provide you with immediately updates as they come to hand.

Quelle: Indochina Services Travelgroup

04.11.2010
Thailand Überschwemmungen

Many areas in Thailand in general are slowly back to normal situation. Most tourist attractions can be visited.

The weather in Samui is much better with a little rain. Samui is still flooded in a few areas like Chaweng and on some parts of the road however do not cause any problem for transfer/tour services. Samui airport is opened and flight can be operated as usual.

Boat services between Samui – Phangan – Koh Tao can be operated 1-2 times per day. Ferry from main land to Samui is operated every 2 hours.

Phuket and Khao Lak areas are beautiful as usual in this season and are waiting for clients to enjoy their time.

Siam Express keeps close eyes on all situations in order to service memorable holidays to your valued clients.

Quelle: Siam Express Co., Ltd.

03.11.2010
Thailand Überschwemmungen

Flood in Central and Northeastern of Thailand become better and no heavy rain. A few areas in Ayuthaya and Ubon Rajthani are still flooded. Most tourist attractions are ready to welcome tourists again. Siam Express’ group going to Pimai Historical Park in Korat yesterday enjoyed their time even with small rain.

Due to the Depression in the Southern areas of Thailand, some provinces are flooded. Train has been able to operate from Bangkok up until Surathani only. The most flood affected area are Haad Yai and Songkhla where there are many Asian tourists and only a few European tourists. Our clients going to Chumporn yesterday faced small rain a long the way but were happy in general.

Samui airport has been closed since this morning and looked for a possibility to operate this afternoon when the sky opens and when the airline system is workable. Ferry from Surat Thani to Samui has stopped operating since yesterday due to high wave. 4WD or a pick up car can only be used on the main road. Many areas are affected from flood. Some of business activities and tourist attractions are temporary closed. It is still raining from time to time. Our local representative is stand-by at the airport to assist clients for pre-check in when Bangkok Airways announces the resume of its flight.

No flood is reported, heavy rain stopped in the morning but the sky over Krabi, Lanta, Phuket and Khao Lak is still unclear and possible wide spread rain. People who live in risky areas such as hill slopes, near water ways or river and coastal areas are well informed of strong wind and heavy rain which may cause sudden flood and land slide. High wave is expected.

Another Depression to the South of Thailand is expected on 5-6 and 10 November.

Quelle: Siam Express, Bangkok

02.11.2010
Vietnam

Please let us update you on the current situation regarding heavy rains in Vietnam.

The provinces of Nha Trang, Ninh Thuan, Phu Yen were hit by extremely heavy rains a few days ago.

Today, the weather in the above provinces is even getting worse. Due to heavy rains, the Cai river from Khanh Hoa to Ninh Thuan has risen above normal water level and has flooded the surrounding areas and
some roads in Khanh Hoa province and Nha Trang City turned into streams.

Following is a summary of the situation in the affected areas:

- The road from Nha Trang to Da Lat and Nha Trang to Saigon are inaccessible.

- All flights have been cancelled since this morning. The road from Nha Trang to Cam Ranh airport is divided by flood.

- Bus and train cannot be operated today.

Please be assured that our inbound staff will keep you updated timely in case your booking(s) will be affected. ICS will continue to monitor the above situation and provide you with immediately updates as they come to hand.

27.10.2010
Thailand

Dieser Bericht hat uns heute aus Bangkok erreicht:

Bangkok is still safe from flood. Water level in Chao Phya River, as usual during this time of the year, is quite high but does not flow into any residence areas, just brimful.

Most flooded areas are in the agricultural and farmland in the remote areas. Most tourist sites in general are safe and can be visited as normal.

Most tourist attractions in Ayuthaya can be visited. A few roads around Ayuthaya today are flooded however they can be avoided by using other roads as alternative. The local authorities have arranged sand blockades and water pumps. Only Wat Chai Wattanaram Temple is the affected site which should be checked day by day as this is the lowest area in Ayuthaya and flood happens every year.

The same goes to Lopburi where the town is safe, flood is in the suburb areas. Sand blockades and water pumps are used.

Pimai Historical Park, near Korat, can now welcome visitors.

Water from Chi River (north part of I-san) and Moon River (south part of I-san) flows from the west side of the region down to Mekong River which may possibly cause Ubon Rajathani and Warin Chamrab Provinces to get affected from high level water or flood.

Raining is forecast to be less and less in the north, central and northeast (I-san) of Thailand. Heavy rain can be expected in the south, which is still normal during this time of the year.

The Government and all local authorities are well aware of the situation. They have taken all kinds of prevention and protection to get the situation back to normal as soon as possible. Siam Express is closely focusing the situation, doing some spot check especially in the tourism areas, and will provide you more update information.

25.08.2010
Myanmar

Visum bei Ankunft in Myanmar wird ab 01.09.2010 bis auf Weiteres nicht mehr möglich sein. Erst ab 2011 ist die Wiedereinführung geplant. Ein genauer Termin steht aber noch nicht fest.

26.05.2010
Situation in Bangkok

Please let us update you about the current situation in Bangkok.

Bangkok remains quiet and peaceful and the city returns more and more to normality. The schools and shopping centers are open again. Transfers and round trip programs are operated as normal. All important sights in Bangkok are open and accessible.

For security reasons, we still have a curfew from midnight to 04:00 a.m. which is now enforced by the police as all the soldiers were withdrawn from the city. At this point we assume that the curfew will be lifted latest by 31st of May 2010.

Sky Train and Underground transport services operate from 06:00 AM to midnight.

Both Bangkok airports report business as usual. All airport transfers within the curfew are no problem.

24.05.2010
Situation in Bangkok

Please allow me to update you on the latest developments with the ongoing anti-government political protests in Bangkok.

Today is very peaceful after the end of the anti government protest rally. Our Asia World Head Office has re-opened today and all of our staff are safe and looking forward to promoting Thailand again. It will take a lot of hard work but we expect to have some very special price led promotions for you shortly.

The curfew will be extended until this evening, but we expect this to be the last night. The Bangkok curfew will be in effect from 23.00pm till 04.00am. There will also be a curfew in place tonight in Chiang Mai, but again it is hoped this will be the last night.

Yesterday more than 4,000 volunteers (mostly students) gathered in Rajaprasong to help clean up the area affected by the protests. The volunteers were brought together via Facebook and worked hard to clean the streets and remove debris. The volunteers said they were trying to help the country by showing that Thai people could work together harmoniously.

The Thailand Travel Mart (TTM) scheduled for June 2-4 in Bangkok has been postponed, but will happen at a later date. More news will follow as soon as we receive amended dates.

Please see the following update on re-opening of the hotels which were forced to close because of the protesters:
Arnoma Hotel will reopen 26th May
Century Park will reopen 27th May
Centara Grand closed until further notice
Dusit Thani will reopen 25th May
Four Seasons will reopen 26th May
Grand Hyatt will reopen 26th May
Intercontinental no official statement yet
Holiday Inn Bangkok no official statement yet
Indra Regent will reopen 01st June
Novotel Siam Square will reopen 24th May
Pathumwan Princess will reopen 24th May
Renaissance Rajprasong will reopen 28th May

Asia World will continue to monitor the situation and will report regularly in case there are any new developments.

Sincerely,
Stephen McEvoy
Asia World Enterprises

20.05.2010
Situation in Bangkok

The governments major offensive yesterday, has broken through the protesters barricaded settlements. The leaders of the 'red shirt' protest leaders surrendered to police at 13.30pm yesterday and before they left the site, the leaders asked their supporters to return home. Most protesters have walked to the nearby National Stadium where transportation was arranged by the government to transport them to their homes up-country. 600 people including many women, children and the elderly have already left for their villages. It now appears that most of the demonstrators wanted to return home some time ago but were prevented from doing so by 'red shirt' guards.

Some hard core groups of protesters refused to stop their protest and have started fires in 35 locations around Bangkok. This included Central World department store and Centara Hotel. It is believed that this was done to cause maximum damage and confusion while some hard core demonstrators fled Bangkok.

The final phase of the governments operations is expected today and by this evening it is hoped that all protest sites will be cleared. There will then be a period of cleaning up central Bangkok before life can, hopefully, return to normal.

The government has announced that the curfew in Bangkok and 23 other provinces in North, North East and Central Thailand will continue until Sunday morning. The curfew will be in force from 21.00 hrs until 05.00 hrs. Any foreigners who are outside their hotels during this time must have their passports with them.

As the situation is still not stable we would not advise travel to Bangkok at the moment. However tourists transitting in Bangkok to visit other parts of Thailand are completely safe. There is no problem with the area around Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport.

There is absolutely no danger in the southern Thai beach resorts such as Samui or Phuket and there many tourist arrivals for these destinations still enjoying their holidays.

The Asia World Bangkok offices are quite close to the Rajaprasong area so we have been forced to close, but hope to re-open on Monday 24th May. It looks like this will really happen!!

Stephen McEvoy
Asia World Enterprises

19.05.2010 2. Nachricht
Situation in Bangkok

Dear Travel Partners,

Urgent update on the violence in Bangkok.

Despite the red shirt leaders giving themselves up to Police and asking their supporters to go home, Central World Hotel, Gaysorn Department Store, Siam Square movie theatre, Channel 3 TV Studio and a bank have all been set on fire this afternoon.

Please note that Bangkok will be under curfew as from 8pm today (Thai time). There will be no telephone signal, internet or power for large parts of the city and a strong possibility of violence.

All foreigners must stay in their hotels and keep their passports with them at all times.

Sincerely,

Stephen McEvoy
Asia World Enterprises

19.05.2010
Situation in Bangkok

The government has finally decided to take resolute action by enforcing a crackdown on the protesters after several atrocities pushed them over the edge. Protesters were filmed using children as human shields and trying to set light to a petrol tanker yesterday - which was thankfully empty. Several banks and shops were looted by the protesters and buildings were set on fire.

This morning hundreds of troops supported by armoured cars approached the protesters makeshift camps and warned them to disperse immediately. When the warnings were ignored the troops began to dismantle the baracades and used water cannon and tear gas on the red shirts. So far Lumpini and Sarasin have been cleared of protesters but the operation is expected to continue on to the main protest site of Rajaprasong. Many protesters including 2 Buddhist Monks have been arrested. A hoard of war weapons have been seized from the protesters. Several key leaders of the red shirts have announced they will surrender themselves to police this afternoon.

Chulalongkorn hospital prepared to evacuate patients as thick black smoke from burning tyres covered the hospital grounds. It has been noted that most live fire has come from the red shirt militia. One foreign journalist, an Italian national, was shot and killed during the clashes.

Several banks have closed all their branches at lunchtime today including Bangkok Bank, Krung Thai Bank, Kasikornbank and Siam Commercial Bank . The stock exchange of Thailand (SET) will only be operating in the morning today.

The list of hotels in Bangkok which are closed due to the violence is as follows:

- Central World
- Four Seasons
- Hyatt Erawan
- Intercontinental
- Dusit Thani
- Holiday Inn
- Sukhothai
- Plaza Athenee
- Indra Regent
- Pullman
- Banyan Tree
- Metropolitan
- Conrad
- Novotel Siam
- Century Park
- Amari Watergate

The government has announced that in Bangkok from Monday 15th until Friday 21st May, will be official public holidays for schools and government offices. Most businesses around the capital are closed and people are staying home. The US, UK, Australian and Swiss Embassies are closed also.
As the situation is getting more serious we would not advise travel to Bangkok at the moment. However tourists transitting in Bangkok to visit other parts of Thailand are completely safe. There is no danger in the southern Thai beach resorts such as Samui or Phuket. Chiang Mai has experienced some riots also and extreme care should be shown when travelling to the northern capital.

The Asia World Bangkok offices are quite close to the Rajaprasong area so we have been forced to close, but hope to re-open on Thursday. Our staff will be working from home and all enquiries can be dealt with as usual. You can use the normal Asia World e-mail addresses, but there may be some delays.

Asia World will continue to monitor the situation and will report regularly. We will also assist any clients if they wish to leave Thailand and make sure all of our in-country guests are safe.

At last there seems to be some serious action to end this mess, so hopefully in the near future, we can start to return to normalacy.

Sincerely,
Stephen McEvoy

14.05.2010
Situation in Bangkok

Heute hat uns diese Nachricht von einem unserer Partner in Bangkok erreicht:

We would like to update you on the latest developments in Bangkok regarding the ongoing anti-government protests which have taken a turn for the worse.

There seems to be a new hardline stance from the government after the anti government 'red shirts' refused to back the Prime Ministers resolution plan and new elections on 14th November.

Last night a key red shirt leader and rogue army officer Maj-Gen Khattiya Sawasdipol was shot in the head in renewed violence as security forces surrounded the red shirt protest site.
One red shirt protester was killed, and nine injured in the shootings which erupted in mid-evening near Sala Daeng intersection and Lumpini park.

The Centre for Resolution of Emergency Situations (CRES) has completely sealed off the area where the protesters are based. Telephone signals around the protest site remain blocked, and there will be no access for public transport - buses, trains and boats - to the protest site. Water and power supplies will be cut to the protesters.

Security forces have shut down both sides of Rama IV road from Sala Daeng to Klong Toey after fresh clashes between anti-government protesters and soldiers on Friday, reports said.
However, traffic around the area was light.

Earlier today, anti-government protesters hurled stones and other objects and fired homemade rockets at troops deployed outside Lumpini Park, while troops fired warning shots with rubber bullets. Red-shirt protesters burned tyres on Rama IV Road near the Lumpini boxing stadium to obstruct troops around 1pm today, according to a television report.
The burning of tyres caused thick black smoke and gun shots were heard in the background. The army had earlier fired rubber bullets into Lumpini Park, where the protesters were believed to be retreating to, the report said.

The whole system of the BTS skytrain will go out of service from 4pm today, for passengers' safety, Bangkok Mass Transit System executive Anat Arbhabhirama announced.
Dr Anat said all BTS skytrain stations on both Silom and Sukhumvit routes will be closed from 4pm. When the service will resume depends on the situation, he said.

The subway trains are operating only between Rama 9 and Bang Sue stations, the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRT) announced on this afternoon.
The service between Rama 9 and Hua Lamphong has been suspended to avoid clashes in areas along Rama 4 road.

Please note that Asia World offices in downtown Bangkok will have to close today at 15:00pm die to the protests as staff will be unable to reach their homes after that time due to the closure of public transport. We will be working from home for the rest of the day.

It is not receomended for any tourists to enter downtown Bangkok from Rama 4 road to Sala Daeng or Siam Square areas. In fact, I believe it is better to stay out of Bangkok over the next few days and spend time in another tourist resort if possible. Asia World can assure you that your clients will not be
taken to the area where the protesters are based.

03.05.2010
Visa bei Ankunft
Myanmar
Eine Nachricht aus Myanmar hat uns heute überrascht. Seit dem 01.05.2010 gibt es die Möglichkeit, das Visum für Myanmar bei Ankunft am Flughafen Yangon zu beantragen.
Kosten: USD 30 für 28 Tage, nicht verlängerbar.
Bedingungen: Gültiges Rückflugticket, 2 Passbilder pro Person, Nachweis eines gebuchten Hotelaufenthaltes, Nachweis über USD 300 in bar oder Equivalent pro Person, die aber nicht umgetauscht werden müssen. Weitere Infos bei uns.

23.02.2010
Neue Direktflüge verbinden Hanoi und Yangon
Vietnam Airlines
Vietnam Airlines erweitert das innerasiatische Flugnetz und wird ab 02.03.2010 die neue Flugroute Hanoi - Yangon anbieten. Als erste Fluglinie ermöglicht Vietnam Airlines nun die Variante Vietnam und Myanmar miteinander zu verbinden. Bisher mussten Reisende immer über Bangkok oder Singapur fliegen, um von Hanoi nach Yangon bzw. umgekehrt zu reisen.Geplante Verkehrstage: jeweils dienstags, donnerstags, samstags und sonntags)
Flugplan: VN 701 Hanoi - Yangon 1610/1810 Di, Do, Sa, So / VN 700 Yangon - Hanoi 1910/2130 Di, Do, Sa, So

17.02.2010
Luangsai Cruise vorübergehend eingestellt
Laos
Infolge dramatisch sinkender Wasserstände auf dem Mekong Fluss in den vergangen Tagen, wurde die Schifffahrt zwischen Huay Xai und Pakbeng aus Sicherheitsgründen vorübergehend eingestellt. Die Pegelstände sind so tief, dass bereits mehrfach Passagierschiffe auf Grund gelaufen sind. Betroffen sind in erster Linie Schiffe der Luang Say Cruise sowie die Naga of Mekong. Es ist leider nicht bekannt, wann die Fahrten wieder aufgenommen werden können. Betroffene Gäste werden von uns informiert und entsprechend umgebucht.

11.02.2010
Myanmar kommt ab März ins Netz
Vietnam Airlines
Die expansive Vietnam Airlines baut das Streckennetz in Fernost weiter aus. Neues Ziel ab 2. März: Yangon.
Das Vietnam-Airlines-Drehkreuz in Hanoi wird attraktiver. Ab dem 2. März gibt es wöchentlich vier Dienste zwischen Vietnams Hauptstadt und Yangon. "Ich bin sicher, dass die zusätzliche Verbindung gerade von Urlaubern sehr gut angenommen wird", sagt Nghiem Van Khanh, General Manager von Vietnam Airlines in Deutschland.
Mit Beginn des Sommer-Flugplans Ende März erhöht Vietnam Airlines zudem die Frequenzen ab Hanoi nach Osaka und Tokio. Außerdem gibt es dann auch einen zusätzlichen Abendflug zwischen Singapur und Ho-Chi-Minh-Stadt. (Quelle: FVW)

08.01.2010
Pakse Airport wegen Renovierung kurzfristig geschlossen
Laos
Wie Laotische Behörden informiert haben, wird der Flughafen Pakse kurzfristig wegen Renovierungsarbeiten ab 10.Februar 2010 bis voraussichtlich August geschlossen. Betroffene Reisende werden von uns über mögliche Alternativen informiert.

21.01.2010
Ab 1.November tägliche Flüge nach Vietnam
Vietnam Airlines
Vietnam Airlines reagiert auf die steigende Nachfrage und bietet ab 01.11.2010 erstmals tägliche Flüge ab Frankfurt nach Vietnam. Die zusätzliche Verbindung führt mittwochs nach Hanoi. Insgesamt stehen dann drei Flüge wöchentlich nach Saigon und vier Flüge nach Hanoi auf dem Flugplan. Bereits vom 20.07. bis 08.09.2010 wird Vietnam täglich angeflogen, um der hohen Nachfrage im Sommer Rechnung zu tragen.

08.01.2010
Thandwe Airport wegen Renovierung geschlossen
Myanmar
Wegen Renovierungsarbeiten ist der Airport von Thandwe (Ngapali Beach) kurzfristig von Ende Januar bis Ende Februar 2010 an folgenden Wochentagen geschlossen: Sonntag, Montag und Dienstag Vormittag. Geöffnet ist der Airport von Dienstag Nachmittag bis Samstag.