Tourism: Satun, Kedah to work together

Kedah and Satun, a province in southern Thailand, agreed to collaborate in tourism programmes to attract more tourists to this part of the region. Kedah Tourism, Domestic Trade, Consumer Affairs, Indian Community and Estate Workers Committee chairman M. Manikumar said the collaboration was meant for designing, transforming and revolutionising the entire tourism industry towards a new paradigm.

"We hope the existence of a new platform, namely the Kedah-Satun Joint Cooperation Committee, since early this year to organise various tourism programmes could bring in more tourists to Langkawi Island and the main land of Kedah through the Satun-Langkawi gateway." Manikar was speaking at the launching of the Satun-Langkawi Paramotor Challenge 2010, here Friday.

There are 22 participants from Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore in the Satun-Langkawi Paramotor Challenge 2010 which started today in Satun.

Among the exciting events involving the participants are the Paramotor Show, Flour Bombing Competition, Sport Landing Competition and Flying Show before flying in their paramotor over a distance of 15 kilometres. Manikumar said the event was initiated through the Kedah-Satun Joint Cooperation Committee.

He added that the state government would consider making the Satun-Langkawi Paramotor Challenge an annual event to boost tourism in Kedah.

40 WINNERS IN THE FIRST THAILAND BOUTIQUE HOTELS AWARDS 2010

Forty distinctive small hotels from all over Thailand have won the first Thailand Boutique Hotels Awards 2010 organised by the Krungthai Card Public Company Limited (KTC) in collaboration with the Krungthep Turakij newspaper with the support of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and MasterCard.

Designed to highlight the creativity and diversity of new products in the Thai travel and tourism industry, the awards were conferred at a colourful ceremony at the King Power Duty-Free Complex in Bangkok on November 22, 2010.

Congratulating the award winners, TAT Governor Suraphon Svetasreni said, “These awards are an excellent way to give small, independent hotels nationwide the opportunity to gain more recognition among consumers, and boost their business in an era of intense competition.”

More than 100 applications were received for the awards which were open to hotels of between 4 to 50 rooms The judging panel, chaired by former TAT Governor Mrs Phornsiri Manoharn, comprised individuals from different professions, including hoteliers, designers, and architects.

Mr Staporn Sirisinha, Senior Executive Vice President — Travel and Leisure Marketing Department, of Krungthai Card Public Company Limited, said, “All of those who were involved in the project wanted to find ways to reward the tremendous creativity of the many Thai entrepreneurs who have developed such wonderful properties all over Thailand but have a hard time competing with major hotels, especially when recovering from the recent political crisis in Thailand.”

“We were very pleased to have the support of the Krungthep Turakij newspaper (part of the Nation Multimedia Group Public Company Limited), TAT and MasterCard.”

Ms Duangkamol Chotana, Editor, Krungthep Turakij, said “Boutique hotels are an up and coming trend in Thailand. They are consistent with the changing lifestyle of today’s travellers who seek a different experience in their holiday plans. Boutique accommodation offers these travellers the chance to enjoy the unique and creative personality and services they look for.

“Unfortunately, most boutique hotels are small or medium enterprises with limited capital and marketing expertise. It is indeed difficult for them to compete with major operators. That is why we devised this programme to help identify the best boutique hotels in different categories. It will effectively boost the morale of these smaller hotels and introduce them to partners who are capable of fortifying their marketing efforts and promotional campaigns.”

The judges evaluated entries from all five regions of Thailand: Northern, Northeastern, Central, Eastern, and Southern regions, in six categories: 1) Architecture, 2) Renovation and Modification, 3) Nature and Environment, 4) Culture, 5) Total Experience, and, 6) Community Travelling.

There were two Awards — Excellence and Outstanding — for all categories except for Community Travelling for which there was only one Outstanding Award. Additionally, there were five Excellence Awards, one for each region.

Free Sakineh

Sakineh is still alive! We stopped her stoning sentence, postponed an attempt to hang her quietly, and let the Iranian government know that the world is watching and outraged. Now is the time to save Sakineh for good.

Over 900,000 of us sent messages and made calls to key government officials after learning of her imminent execution. But now we're at an impasse and have to give Iran a way out of this dilemma. The next step towards freeing Sakineh is to fund international experts to strengthen her legal defense and work with officials in Iran to resolve this shameful situation. Ifthousands of us donate we can hire an elite team of advocates, keep campaigning to free Sakinehand work on behalf of others facing brutal injustice. Click on the link below to support Sakineh:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/whats_next_for_sakineh_1/?vl

Iran has tried everything to keep Sakineh in jail.They accused her of adultery and sentenced her to stoning despite the fact that the alleged adultery took place after her husband’s death. They sentenced her to death for the murder of her husband even though she had already been acquitted, and another man convicted and sentenced for the murder. They even arrested her son and lawyer and forced the rest of the legal team into exile. After massive international pressure, Iranian officials must be desperate for a face-saving way out of this mess..

And now, for the first time, there is dissent within Iran from Conservative forces about the treatment of Sakineh and the way her case has been handled by the Iranian government. Some are calling for her acquittal of all charges.

A team of diplomatic and legal experts could build on this dissent and work within Iran to secure Sakineh's release. Our call, 900,000 voices strong, in combination with pressure from inside Iran for Sakineh's release is the best chance we have to save Sakineh. Now is the moment to give whatever we can to end her brutal persecution:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/whats_next_for_sakineh_1/?vl

In the campaign against the death penalty worldwide, Sakineh's survival is an important beacon of hope. We have shown unprecedented support for her through an explosive petition, strategic ads in Iranian-allied countries and a flood of messages to world leaders generating an international outcry. Join us in this next step towards freeing Sakineh, ending stoning, and eliminating the death penalty across the globe.

Simple ways to reduce blood pressure

Following are the simple steps to keep your blood pressure under control

High blood pressure contributes to an alarming number of deaths each year. Although it may not have apparent symptoms, high blood pressure leads to heart attacks and strokes aside from also causing kidney failure. You can reduce your blood pressure by reducing your weight (if you’re obese) and making a few small changes in your life, say doctors.

- Walk it out — Walking at a brisk pace can help lower your pressure. A good workout will ensure the heart uses oxygen more efficiently. Getting a rigorous cardio workout 4 to 5 times a week can make a huge difference. Start by incorporating about 15 minutes of exercise in your daily routine and slowly increase the time and difficulty level.

- Deep Breathing — Learning some slow breathing and meditation techniques can do you wonders. It will help reduce stress drastically and keep your blood pressure in check. Try taking out 10 minutes every morning and at night. Inhale and exhale deeply. If you can, join a yoga class for some time so that you can learn the proper method.

- Go for potassium-rich foods — You have probably heard of the negative effects of sodium on the body and potassium is an essential mineral to counter the effects of sodium on blood pressure. Fruits and vegetables are rich in potassium. Try adding sweet potatoes, tomatoes, orange juice, potatoes, bananas, peas, and prunes and raisins to your regular diet.

- Go slow on the salt — Whether you have a family history of high blood pressure or not, reducing your intake of salt can make a huge difference to your health. Before adding that extra pinch of salt to your food, think if you really need it. Try substituting salt with lime, garlic, pepper or other herbs and spices. Go slow on processed and packaged foods. Potato chips, frozen chicken nuggets, bacon etc are high in sodium. Try calculating your daily sodium consumption. Keep a food diary and you may be surprised at how much you're taking in.

- Dark chocolate benefits — The darker variety of chocolate has flavonols that make blood vessels more elastic. Choose one that has at least 70 per cent cocoa to really reap the benefits.

- Alcohol alert — While it does provide some health benefits, alcohol can also be bad for your health. If consumed in small amounts, it can help prevent heart attacks and coronary artery disease. But, more than one or two drinks and the benefits are gone. Keep a check on your drinking patterns and if you're a heavy drinker, start reducing slowly. Never indulge in binge drinking. Consuming four or five drinks in a row can cause a sudden increase in blood pressure.

- Tea benefits — Herbal teas are the way to go. In a study conducted, those who sipped on hibiscus tea daily lowered their blood pressure. Many herbal teas contain hibiscus or you can always opt for green tea. The effects of caffeine are still debatable. Drinking caffeinated beverages can temporarily increase pressure. The solution is to check your pressure within 30 minutes of drinking a cup of coffee to determine if it works for your body.

- Reduce work and relax — Reducing the number of hours you spend in office can help lower hypertension. Working overtime makes it hard to exercise and eat healthy. Ensure that you get out of office at a decent hour. Learning to relax by listening to soothing music (Classical, Oriental or Indian instrumental) can help.

WHY WOMEN IN CHINA DO NOT GET BREAST CANCER

By Prof. Jane Plant, PhD, CBE " Why I believe that giving up milk is the key
to beating breast cancer..."


I had no alternative but to die or to try to find a cure for myself.
I am a scientist - surely there was a rational explanation for this cruel illness
that affects one in 12 women in the UK ?

I had suffered the loss of one breast, and undergone radiotherapy.
I was now receiving painful chemotherapy, and had been seen by
some of the country's most eminent specialists. But, deep down,
I felt certain I was facing death. I had a loving husband, a beautiful home
and two young children to care for. I desperately wanted to live.

Fortunately, this desire drove me to unearth the facts, some of which
were known only to a handful of scientists at the time.

Anyone who has come into contact with breast cancer will know that
certain risk factors - such as increasing age, early onset of womanhood,
late onset of menopause and a family history of breast cancer -
are completely out of our control. But there are many risk factors,
which we can control easily.

These "controllable" risk factors readily translate into simple changes
that we can all make in our day-to-day lives to help prevent or treat
breast cancer. My message is that even advanced breast cancer can be
overcome because I have done it.

The first clue to understanding what was promoting my breast cancer came
when my husband Peter, who was also a scientist, arrived back from working
in China while I was being plugged in for a chemotherapy session.

He had brought with him cards and letters, as well as some amazing
herbal suppositories, sent by my friends and science colleagues in China .

The suppositories were sent to me as a cure for breast cancer.
Despite the awfulness of the situation, we both had a good belly laugh,
and I remember saying that this was the treatment for breast cancer in China ,
then it was little wonder that Chinese women avoided getting the disease.

Those words echoed in my mind. Why didn't Chinese women in China get
breast cancer? I had collaborated once with Chinese colleagues on a study
of links between soil chemistry and disease, and I remembered some of the
statistics.

The disease was virtually non-existent throughout the whole country.
Only one in 10,000 women in China will die from it, compared to that
terrible figure of one in 12 in Britain and the even grimmer average of
one in 10 across most Western countries.

It is not just a matter of China being a more rural country, with less
urban pollution. In highly urbanized Hong Kong , the rate rises to
34 women in every 10,000 but still puts the West to shame.

The Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki have similar rates.
And remember, both cities were attacked with nuclear weapons,
so in addition to the usual pollution-related cancers, one would also
expect to find some radiation-related cases, too.

The conclusion we can draw from these statistics strikes you with some force.
If a Western woman were to move to industrialized, irradiated Hiroshima ,
she would slash her risk of contracting breast cancer by half. Obviously this is
absurd. It seemed obvious to me that some lifestyle factor not related to
pollution, urbanization or the environment is seriously increasing the
Western woman's chance of contracting breast cancer.

I then discovered that whatever causes the huge differences in breast cancer
rates between oriental and Western countries, it isn't genetic.

Scientific research showed that when Chinese or Japanese people move
to the West, within one or two generations their rates of breast cancer
approach those of their host community.

The same thing happens when oriental people adopt a completely Western
lifestyle in Hong Kong. In fact, the slang name for breast cancer in China
translates as 'Rich Woman's Disease'. This is because, in China , only the
better off can afford to eat what is termed ' Hong Kong food'.

The Chinese describe all Western food, including everything from ice cream
and chocolate bars to spaghetti and feta cheese, as "Hong Kong food",
because of its availability in the former British colony and its scarcity,
in the past, in mainland China .

So it made perfect sense to me that whatever was causing my breast cancer
and the shockingly high incidence in this country generally, it was almost
certainly something to do with our better-off, middle-class, Western lifestyle.

There is an important point for men here, too. I have observed in my research
that much of the data about prostate cancer leads to similar conclusions.

According to figures from the World Health Organization, the number of men
contracting prostate cancer in rural China is negligible, only 0.5 men in every
100,000. In England, Scotland and Wales, however, this figure is 70 times higher.

Like breast cancer, it is a middle-class disease that primarily attacks the
wealthier and higher socio-economic groups, those that can afford to eat
rich foods.

I remember saying to my husband, "Come on Peter, you have just come back
from China. What is it about the Chinese way of life that is so different?"

Why don't they get breast cancer?'
We decided to utilize our joint scientific backgrounds and approach it logically.

We examined scientific data that pointed us in the general direction of fats
in diets. Researchers had discovered in the 1980s that only l4% of calories
in the average Chinese diet were from fat, compared to almost 36% in the West.
But the diet I had been living on for years before I contracted breast cancer was
very low in fat and high in fibre. Besides, I knew as a scientist that fat intake in
adults has not been shown to increase risk for breast cancer in most investigations
that have followed large groups of women for up to a dozen years.

Then one day something rather special happened. Peter and I have worked
together so closely over the years that I am not sure which one of us first said:
"The Chinese don't eat dairy produce!"

It is hard to explain to a non-scientist the sudden mental and emotional 'buzz'
you get when you know you have had an important insight. It's as if you have
had a lot of pieces of a jigsaw in your mind, and suddenly, in a few seconds,
they all fall into place and the whole picture is clear.

Suddenly I recalled how many Chinese people were physically unable to tolerate
milk, how the Chinese people I had worked with had always said that milk was
only for babies, and how one of my close friends, who is of Chinese origin,
always politely turned down the cheese course at dinner parties.

I knew of no Chinese people who lived a traditional Chinese life who ever used
cow or other dairy food to feed their babies. The tradition was to use a wet nurse
but never, ever, dairy products.

Culturally, the Chinese find our Western preoccupation with milk and milk
products very strange. I remember entertaining a large delegation of Chinese
scientists shortly after the ending of the Cultural Revolution in the 1980s.

On advice from the Foreign Office, we had asked the caterer to provide a
pudding that contained a lot of ice cream. After inquiring what the pudding
consisted of, all of the Chinese, including their interpreter, politely but firmly
refused to eat it, and they could not be persuaded to change their minds.

At the time we were all delighted and ate extra portions!

Milk, I discovered, is one of the most common causes of food allergies .
Over 70% of the world's population are unable to digest the milk sugar,
lactose, which has led nutritionists to believe that this is the normal condition
for adults, not some sort of deficiency. Perhaps nature is trying to tell us that
we are eating the wrong food.

Before I had breast cancer for the first time, I had eaten a lot of dairy produce,
such as skimmed milk, low-fat cheese and yogurt. I had used it as my main source
of protein. I also ate cheap but lean minced beef, which I now realized was probably
often ground-up dairy cow.

In order to cope with the chemotherapy I received for my fifth case of cancer,
I had been eating organic yogurts as a way of helping my digestive tract to
recover and repopulate my gut with 'good' bacteria.

Recently, I discovered that way back in 1989 yogurt had been implicated in
ovarian cancer . Dr Daniel Cramer of Harvard University studied hundreds of
women with ovarian cancer, and had them record in detail what they normally
ate. wish I'd been made aware of his findings when he had first discovered them.

Following Peter's and my insight into the Chinese diet, I decided to give up
not just yogurt but all dairy produce immediately. Cheese, butter, milk and
yogurt and anything else that contained dairy produce - it went down the sink
or in the rubbish.

It is surprising how many products, including commercial soups, biscuits and
cakes, contain some form of dairy produce. Even many proprietary brands of margarine marketed as soya, sunflower or olive oil spreads can contain dairy produce. I therefore became an avid reader of the small print on food labels.

Up to this point, I had been steadfastly measuring the progress of my fifth
cancerous lump with callipers and plotting the results. Despite all the encouraging comments
and positive feedback from my doctors and nurses, my own precise observations told me the
bitter truth.

My first chemotherapy sessions had produced no effect - the lump was still
the same size. Then I eliminated dairy products. Within days, the lump started
to shrink. About two weeks after my second chemotherapy session and one week after giving up
dairy produce, the lump in my neck started to itch. Then it began
to soften and to reduce in size. The line on the graph, which had shown no change,
was now pointing downwards as the tumour got smaller and smaller.

And, very significantly, I noted that instead of declining exponentially
(a graceful curve) as cancer is meant to do, the tumour's decrease in size
was plotted on a straight line heading off the bottom of the graph, indicating
a cure, not suppression (or remission) of the tumour.

One Saturday afternoon after about six weeks of excluding all dairy produce
from my diet, I practised an hour of meditation then felt for what was left
of the lump. I couldn't find it. Yet I was very experienced at detecting cancerous
lumps - I had discovered all five cancers on my own. I went downstairs and asked
my husband to feel my neck. He could not find any trace of the lump either.

On the following Thursday I was due to be seen by my cancer specialist at
Charing Cross Hospital in London . He examined me thoroughly, especially
my neck where the tumour had been. He was initially bemused and then
delighted as he said, "I cannot find it." None of my doctors, it appeared,
had expected someone with my type and stage of cancer (which had clearly
spread to the lymph system) to survive, let alone be so hale and hearty.

My specialist was as overjoyed as I was. When I first discussed my ideas
with him he was understandably skeptical. But I understand that he now
uses maps showing cancer mortality in China in his lectures, and recommends
a non-dairy diet to his cancer patients.

I now believe that the link between dairy produce and breast cancer is similar
to the link between smoking and lung cancer. I believe that identifying the link
between breast cancer and dairy produce, and then developing a diet specifically
targeted at maintaining the health of my breast and hormone system, cured me.

It was difficult for me, as it may be for you, to accept that a substance as
'natural' as milk might have such ominous health implications. But I am a
living proof that it works and, starting from tomorrow, I shall reveal the secrets
of my revolutionary action plan.

Extracted from Your Life in Your Hands, by Professor Jane Plant

Flood Watch

Heavy seasonal rains and a combination of factors such as the run-off from the North, the rise in water level in the major rivers and rivers overflowing their banks, and the release of water from upstream dams to prevent overflow has resulted in extensive flooding in many parts of the country. Although the situation has eased over the past few days, many parts of the following provinces remain under floodwaters. Northern Thailand Nakhon Sawan, Petchabun and Phichit Northeastern Thailand Chaiyaphum, Nakhon Ratchasima* and Si Sa Ket *Update for Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat) Province The situation in the districts of Pak Chong and Wang Nam Keow has returned to normal since 25 October. Hotels and resorts, restaurants, and other tourism related businesses in the area are operating normally and are ready to welcome visitors/tourists. The following popular tourist attractions are also operating as normal. Key attractions in Pak Chong district such as Khao Yai National Park, the Palio Khao Yai shopping centre, Thong Somboon Club, Chokchai Farm and Life Park at the Greenery Resort Attractions in Wang Nam Keow district such as Uncle Krai’s organic farm (known to the locals as Suan Lung Krai), tours to various mushroom farms, Pha Keb Tawan cliff — a scenic vantage point in Thap Lan National Park, and Khao Pang Ma hill The Dan Kwian Pottery Village in Chokchai District Attractions in the Nakhon Ratchasima provincial centre such as tours to the statue of local heroine Thao Suranaree and Wat Payap temple, and shopping for local souvenirs The following sites have been affected by flooding and remain closed to visitors — Phimai National Museum, Phimai Historical Park, the Sai Ngam banyan tree groves, and Ban Prasat Archaeological Site. Central Thailand Ang Thong, Ayutthaya (Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya), Chachoengsao, Chainat, Lop Buri, Nakhon Nayok, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Petchaburi, Prachin Buri, Saraburi, Sa Kaeo and Sing Buri The following attractions on the island city of Ayutthaya have not been affected by the recent flooding and remain open to visitors. Wat Yai Chaimongkhon, Wat Phananchoeng, Wat Phra Mongkhon Bophit, Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Wat Mahathat, Wat Ratchaburana, Wat Lokayusutharam, Chao Sam Phraya National Museum, Chankasem National Museum, Wat Thammikarat, Wat Chai Wattanaram, Bang Sai Royal Folk Arts and Crafts Centre, Koh Kerd Royal Folk Arts and Crafts Centre and Lad Chado Market Eastern Thailand Rayong and Trat Southern Thailand Samui island, Songkhla (Hat Yai district), Phattalung FLIGHTS TO PHUKET AND KRABI ARE STILL OPERATING NORMALLY There is heavy rainfall in Phuket and Krabi but no flooding. Scheduled flights to both destinations are still operating normally. All other provinces around Thailand remain unaffected. Visitors/travellers are advised to contact the hotel or resort where accommodation has been booked to enquire about the latest situation prior to travel.

Useful Contact Numbers
TAT Call Centre Operating hours: 8.00-21.00 hrs	1672
Bangkok Airways Call Centre Web site: www.bangkokair.com	1771 +66 (0) 2270 6699
Thai Airways International (THAI) Contact Centre Web site: www.thaiairways.co.th/index_en.html	+66 (0) 2356-1111
Suvarnabhumi Airport	+66 (0) 2132-1888
State Railway of Thailand Hotline for information on routes and train services	1690
The Highways Department 24-hour hotline	1586
Highways Police	1193

New regulations when visiting South Thailand

PERSATUAN EJEN-EJEN PELANCONGAN DAN PENGEMBARAAN MALAYSIA MALAYSIAN ASSOCIATION OF TOUR AND TRAVEL AGENTS

2 November 2010 THAILAND IMPOSE NEW RULES TO TOUR OPERATORS IN MALAYSIA MATTA would like to inform that it is now compulsory for Malaysian tourists visiting Southern Thailand to hire Thai local tour guides and purchase tourism insurance from Thailand. This new ruling takes effect today (1 November 2010). This latest regulation has been announced by Southern Thailand Tourist Business Registration Department. Those who breach the rules will receive warnings. According to the department, there have been complaints from Songkhla tour guides association claiming that some Malaysian tour operators refused to hire tour guides from Thailand when visiting Hat Yai. The situation has seriously affected the livelihood of Thai tour guides. Nevertheless, due to the sudden implementation of the regulation, many Malaysian travel operators were caught by surprise, and some of them are questioning its authenticity since the notification letter was not stamped and signed by any relevant party. Under the new rule, there are five procedures needed to be followed by Malaysian tour operators, as follows: 1) Malaysian tour operators, who are bringing tourist groups to Thailand, must hold valid license issued by Malaysia Tourism Ministry. 2) Malaysian tour operators should only deal with legally registered Thai tour operators. 3) Malaysian tour operators should submit all information listed below to Thai tour operators, at least 7 days before date of departure a) name of Malaysia tour operator and license number b) dates of travel c) cost of tour package and services charges d) number of days for accommodation and meals in Thailand e) background information of Malaysian tour guide/leader f) places of interest to visit 4) Malaysian tour operator must hire a licensed tour guide in Thailand. 5) Although tourists have bought travel insurance in Malaysia, every tour operator in Thailand is required to buy another insurance in Thailand, with minimum sum insured of at least 1 million baht (travel insurance) and 500 thousand baht for accident. One of the tourist bus operators in Malaysia told China Press that the rule has actually been implemented on them since the last two years, but it has now been extended to tourist van operators. He hopes that the authority concerned in Thailand will review this new regulation and stop make things difficult for Malaysian tour operators to conduct tours as they are promoting Thailand's tourism and food industries. Besides, a tourist van operator claimed that the action taken will increase the cost of visiting Thailand and will reduce the demand for visiting Southern Thailand. Nonetheless, public relations officer in Southern Thailand, Lin Ming Jing was surprised with the announcement when contacted by media, as he has yet to receive any notice regarding the new rules imposed by the Thailand authority. He will contact the relevant authority and reply on this issue to avoid misunderstandings between both countries. He stressed that Malaysians and Singaporeans are playing vital role in promoting Thailand tourism industry. He urged all the tours operators in Malaysia to contact Tourist Business Registration Office in Southern Thailand, telephone number: 0066-74-232230 or Tourism development Office, telephone number: 0066-81-5991179 for enquiries. Thank You. JEFFRI SULAIMAN VP - OUTBOUND