Altitude is the new rooftop function space at The Westin Grande Sukhumvit, Bangkok.
Altitude includes an indoor function space, a break-out room called The Library and The Terrace. The new function space is located on the 25th floor and takes advantage of dramatic views of downtown Bangkok.
Altitude provides the personalized service and amenities to make any event stand out from the crowd. With no access to the public, Altitude also benefits from total privacy and security.
At Altitude, the expansive 400-square-metre indoor room is bathed in natural daylight and is ideal for meetings, events, conferences and cocktail receptions for 80 to 300 guests. Guests can also enjoy delectable dining and refreshments from a buffet island and live cooking stations with a talented culinary team serving gourmet a la minute cuisine.
The 56-square-metre Library makes the ideal break-out room or meeting space for up to 30 guests. It includes comfortable lounge seating, a large LCD TV, and a refreshment centre stocked with your favourite beverages and snacks.
Poolside
The Westin Grande Sukhumvit has also given its swimming pool area a refreshing makeover.
Sun loungers arranged on teak decking around the pool offer the opportunity to soak up the sun while savouring tasty cuisine and refreshing drinks from the pool bar.
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Monday 16 January 2012
Thailand (TAT) Responds to Bangkok Alert
Mr. Sansern Ngairungsi, Deputy Governor - Asia and South Pacific Market of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) last week responded to a question about the Bangkok Terrorism Alert that hit global news media on Friday, 13 January 2012.
Mr. Ngaorungsi was speaking in Q&A session following a press conference at the ATF 2012 in Manado, Indonesia.
More video from the press conference which covered 2011 visitor arrival numbers, targets for 2012 as well as many other interesting topics related to tourism in Thailand will be featured later this week.
ASIA Travel Tips.com also has a large number of exclusive video interviews which took place at the ATF 2012 in Manado, Indonesia. These will be featured in our travel news this week and next.
See other recent news regarding: Airlines, Airports, Awards, Flights, Codeshare, FFP, Inflight, Lounges, First Class, Business Class, MICE, GDS, Rewards, Miles, Hotels, Apartments, Promotions, Spas, Yoga, Retreat, New Hotels, Traffic, Visitor Arrivals, Cruises, Free Deals, Interviews, Videos, Tickets,
Mr. Ngaorungsi was speaking in Q&A session following a press conference at the ATF 2012 in Manado, Indonesia.
More video from the press conference which covered 2011 visitor arrival numbers, targets for 2012 as well as many other interesting topics related to tourism in Thailand will be featured later this week.
ASIA Travel Tips.com also has a large number of exclusive video interviews which took place at the ATF 2012 in Manado, Indonesia. These will be featured in our travel news this week and next.
See other recent news regarding: Airlines, Airports, Awards, Flights, Codeshare, FFP, Inflight, Lounges, First Class, Business Class, MICE, GDS, Rewards, Miles, Hotels, Apartments, Promotions, Spas, Yoga, Retreat, New Hotels, Traffic, Visitor Arrivals, Cruises, Free Deals, Interviews, Videos, Tickets,
Wyndham to Launch Howard Johnson Brand in India
Executive team members at Wyndham Hotel Group are traveling throughout India this month to explore development opportunities in the country.
The company plans to expand its presence in India in 2012 and beyond with a non-exclusive development agreement to launch the iconic Howard Johnson brand in India with 3,000 rooms across 35 new properties by 2017.
This agreement with Unique Mercantile India Private Limited, a large firm in India with investments in real estate development in Gujarat and Hyderabad, India, also includes the development of a new 120-room Ramada resort in Udaipur that will feature a spa, swimming pool, games room, a poolside bar and international cuisine. The hotel?s first 72 rooms are due to open in April 2012 with 48 additional rooms completed by December 2014.
These properties will add to Wyndham Hotel Group's 14 hotels already in operation and the 15 properties that are currently under development in the country.
Given the rise in tourism, India is full of growth opportunities, said Eric Danziger, Wyndham Hotel Group president and chief executive officer. We are happy to start the New Year with such exciting expansion plans and look forward to many more opportunities. We remain committed to developing hotels with distinctive services and offerings while strengthening our global presence in sought after destinations.
The agreement with Unique Mercantile India Private Limited increases Wyndham Hotel Group's portfolio in the Asia Pacific region, which currently consists of 466 properties and over 65,453 rooms under the Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, Ramada, Howard Johnson, Days Inn, Super 8, Microtel Inns & Suites and Dream brands.
The planned expansion in India follows the recent opening of the 154-room Wyndham Grand Agra under the Wyndham Hotels and Resorts flag. The hotel, owned by Shekhar Resorts Limited, is lavishly designed and offers a true feel for the area?s vibrant architecture. Spread over 18 acres of landscaped gardens, Wyndham Grand Agra is a mere five minutes from one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal.
See other recent news regarding: Airlines, Airports, Awards, Flights, Codeshare, FFP, Inflight, Lounges, First Class, Business Class, MICE, GDS, Rewards, Miles, Hotels, Apartments, Promotions, Spas, Yoga, Retreat, New Hotels, Traffic, Visitor Arrivals, Cruises, Free Deals, Interviews, Videos, Tickets, Wyndham, India, Howard Johnson
The company plans to expand its presence in India in 2012 and beyond with a non-exclusive development agreement to launch the iconic Howard Johnson brand in India with 3,000 rooms across 35 new properties by 2017.
This agreement with Unique Mercantile India Private Limited, a large firm in India with investments in real estate development in Gujarat and Hyderabad, India, also includes the development of a new 120-room Ramada resort in Udaipur that will feature a spa, swimming pool, games room, a poolside bar and international cuisine. The hotel?s first 72 rooms are due to open in April 2012 with 48 additional rooms completed by December 2014.
These properties will add to Wyndham Hotel Group's 14 hotels already in operation and the 15 properties that are currently under development in the country.
Given the rise in tourism, India is full of growth opportunities, said Eric Danziger, Wyndham Hotel Group president and chief executive officer. We are happy to start the New Year with such exciting expansion plans and look forward to many more opportunities. We remain committed to developing hotels with distinctive services and offerings while strengthening our global presence in sought after destinations.
The agreement with Unique Mercantile India Private Limited increases Wyndham Hotel Group's portfolio in the Asia Pacific region, which currently consists of 466 properties and over 65,453 rooms under the Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, Ramada, Howard Johnson, Days Inn, Super 8, Microtel Inns & Suites and Dream brands.
The planned expansion in India follows the recent opening of the 154-room Wyndham Grand Agra under the Wyndham Hotels and Resorts flag. The hotel, owned by Shekhar Resorts Limited, is lavishly designed and offers a true feel for the area?s vibrant architecture. Spread over 18 acres of landscaped gardens, Wyndham Grand Agra is a mere five minutes from one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal.
See other recent news regarding: Airlines, Airports, Awards, Flights, Codeshare, FFP, Inflight, Lounges, First Class, Business Class, MICE, GDS, Rewards, Miles, Hotels, Apartments, Promotions, Spas, Yoga, Retreat, New Hotels, Traffic, Visitor Arrivals, Cruises, Free Deals, Interviews, Videos, Tickets, Wyndham, India, Howard Johnson
Rains disrupt train service on Howrah-Kharagpur section
The snapping of OHE between Haur and Baliachak stations in Kharagpur division forced SER to cancel/suspend/short-terminate and control many mails and express trains betweeen 0735 hrs and 1315 hrs.
Besides these, seven long distance trains--the 12821 Howrah-Bhubaneswar-Puri Dhauli Express, 12021 Howrah-Barbil Jan Shatabdi Express, 22861 Shalimar-Bankura Rajyarani Express, 12871 Howrah-Titlagarh Ispat Express, 12703 Howrah-Secunderabad Falaknuma Express, 12885 Howrah-Santaldih Aranyak Express and 12262 Howah-Mumbai CSTM Duronto Express were delayed by an average of three hours.
The down trains of 12809 Mumbai-Howrah Mail, 18029 LTT-Shalimar Express, 12859 Mumbai?Howrah Gitanjali Express, 12074 Bhubaneswar-Howrah Jan Shatabdi Express, 12129 Pune?Howrah Azad Hind Express were also delayed by about ninety minutes.
The SER also short-terminated the 12021 Howrah-Barbil Jan Shatabdi Express, which left Howrah this morning, at Tatanagar and will run back as 12022 from Tatanagar to Howrah.
As a result, services of 12021/12022 Howrah-Barbil Jan Shatabdi Express will remain cancelled between Tatanagar-Barbil-Tatanagar.
Besides, 3 passenger trains have been short terminated at different stations--Mecheda, Uluberia and Panskura and some local trains were cancelled.
Train services resumed at 1315 hours after the OHE was repaired. (UNI)
MoU with ASEAN will boost joint tourism, feels India
Sahai signed the MoU on strengthening tourism cooperation at the third meeting of ASEAN-India Tourism Ministers at Manado, Indonesia, Thursday. The meeting was jointly chaired by Sahai and Mari Elka Pangestu, Indonesian tourism and creative economy minister.
According to an official statement, Sahai expressed happiness over the progress made by ASEAN-India cooperation in Buddhist pilgrimage tourism including the production of material and documentary films. He said India was looking forward to more joint-tourism promotion activities.
Sahai said since the number of tourist arrivals between ASEAN and India had shown a steady growth, establishment of an ASEAN promotional chapter in Mumbai would act as a tourism marketing and promotion agency of the ASEAN National Tourism Organisation.
Sahai also welcomed the forthcoming ASEAN-India car rally to be held this year.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had announced during the ASEAN Summit at Bali last year that an MoU on strengthening tourism cooperation between India and ASEAN would be signed preferably at the ASEAN-India tourism ministers' meet in early 2012.
Besides cooperation in facilitating travel and tourist visits, the MoU speaks of enhancing human resource development in the tourism sector and exploring new possibilities for development and promotion of tourism. (IANS)
Night trains on key Jharkhand section resume after 19 months
The Purusottam Express, the Tata-Kharagpur passenger and other trains services were resumed Thursday night. The Purusottam Express left at 12.10 a.m. and the Tata-Kharagpur train left at 12.40 a.m. from the Tatanagar station.
Night trains were halted on the Tata-Kharagpur and Rourkela-Chakradhapur sections after the Gyneshwari train accident in May 2010.
Night train services on the Rourkela-Chakradhapur section were resumed on December 20, 2011.
The resumption of night train services has brought relief for the passengers.
"We had to face difficulties. The passengers had to wait the whole night at Tatanagar station. Now we are feeling relieved," said Santosh Kumar, a passenger.
The night train services were to resume from December 13 last year, but this was put on hold due to security reasons.
Political parties like BJP and others on many occasions had disrupted train services to demand the resumption of night services. (IANS)
Delhi Metro through foreign eyes: global system lacking global etiquettes
Like 1.5 million other people in Delhi, I ride on the Metro every day. To get to work, I spend almost 45 minutes on the rail, including switching train lines, before reaching my destination.
The first couple of times I rode the Metro, I thought two things: people are staring at me and why do women not use the Metro. It took me days to realize there were 'women only' compartments at the front of each train. Since starting to use these reserved compartments, I enjoy watching men enter and look around to see only women. They quickly make their way down the train to the general compartments looking as though they mistakenly walked into the wrong washroom.
I am not sure why I didn't originally migrate towards the pink signs when I began riding the Metro. Perhaps it is because I have never seen 'women only' compartments or sections in my home country of Canada. Most times when I walk through security or ride the bus, I do so in a co-ed environment.
Although I never had a problem at the back with the men, I feel safer with other women around, especially when the train is so full there is not enough room to move. I have seen people trying to jump into trains that were full, while Metro security try to pull them out so the door can close.
Not to say the women that ride the Metro are not a little aggressive when they rush for seats. When two girls go for an open seat, neither backs down which usually results in them both semi-sitting on each other in one spot.
Even though the women's compartments are usually busy, less women ride the Metro. One day, the line for men to go through security was so long it extended outside the station and on to the stairs. There was no line for the women's security check. I was able to walk straight in.
There is no Metro in Winnipeg, my home in central Canada. The city of about 680,000 people has been trying for years to build a rapid-transit system, but does not have the funds. In order to raise the money (and pay for the transit system), the cost of riding the city bus is 2.45 CAD (Rs.125) for a regular fare anywhere in the city. Even with inflation, this is much more expensive than the Metro here, which only costs me 16 Rs for my ride across the city.
I am jealous of the Metro system in Delhi and wish we had a progressive alternative to the bus and taxi systems in Winnipeg. I have ridden on other Metro systems in Vancouver and Toronto, Canada's largest cities, and feel that the Delhi Metro can compete on a global scale.
The Metro also offers a fixed rate for everyone, including foreigners. When taking taxis and auto-rickshaws in Delhi, foreigners usually get quoted a much higher price than locals. It can get frustrating when you get overcharged for transportation just because you are not from here. The Delhi Metro does not discriminate in this matter. No matter their religion, sex or race, everyone pays the same price.
Tanya Tonning, who is from Norway, is starting her tour of Asia from Delhi and has been using the Metro to get to markets for shopping. She says it was an easy system to understand and was better than walking the streets of Delhi.
"It was very clean. I didn't expect it to be that clean when you look around outside," Tonning said.
She stays at a backpacking hostel in Saket where most clients are foreigners wanting to see the sights of Delhi. The hostel encourages its visitors to use the Metro to get around the city and provides them with a map of how to reach the nearest station.
Foreigners beware that some etiquette existing in other countries does not exist on the Delhi Metro. There is almost no waiting for people to deboard the train before rushing in, sometimes resulting in getting a shoulder push. Even when seats are reserved for women in the general compartments, I usually see just men sitting there. People hold on to their seats and rarely offer them to people who may need it more. When someone asks someone for a seat, they simply squish over and give them a portion of the seat. Then when someone on the bench gets off, you can spread back out.
On my first day ever on the Metro, two people on different trains gave up their seats for me. Maybe they saw in my face it was my first time and I was a little nervous, because the luxury of getting offered a seat has never happened again.
(Alyssa McDonald is a Canadian journalist interning with IANS. She can be contacted at lys.med@gmail.com) (IANS)
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