Oct 20, 2011

With increasing demand for river cruise experiences, Travel Indochina introduced a brand new boutique-style river cruise liner, The Jahan, to its product offerings. The Jahan is the smallest and most luxurious cruise boat to wind through the majestic Mekong Delta between Vietnam and Cambodia. From the bustling city of Saigon to Siem Reap, gateway to the

Sep 26, 2011

(Jenkintown, Pa., September 21, 2011) - Southeast Asia’s dazzling rainforests, dynamic cities, and exotic culture has made it an alluring destination for travelers from around the globe. Due to distance and cost, this type of Asian vacation has typically been out of reach for most Western travelers. But, Friendly Planet Travel’s all-new

Jun 19, 2011

SINGAPORE, June 10, 2011 – Keep your next vacation affordable with Banyan Tree and Angsana hotels and resorts. Guests will enjoy all that Banyan Tree and Angsana hotels and resorts have to offer when they book the “Exceptional Summer Nights” promotion. Book two nights at participating hotels and resorts, and the third night is complimentary. This

Jan 12, 2011

BANGKOK (January 11, 2011) – The St. Regis Bangkok announces the launch of its “Bangkok Debut” opening offer as it prepares to welcome guests to the first St. Regis Hotel in Thailand.  Honoring the opening of the hotel, guests are invited to enjoy the refined and timeless elegance of a St. Regis with the opening package, which includes spa sessions and

Jul 4, 2010

I’m a Farang. If you’ve got European ancestry, you are too. Although the word exists in many linguistic forms throughout the Siam and Khmer Empires and beyond, this Thai version is the most well known. Its widespread use lends credence to the theory it entered the region long ago as a corruption of the Persian word for “foreigner”, though

Jun 19, 2010

After trekking through a rain forest, riding an elephant and sunning myself on a different beach daily, I imagined I knew what paradise looked like. That was until our ferry from Phuket came around a limestone outcropping in the Indian Ocean and I first sighted Phi Phi Island. Only the motors of long-tail boats in Tonsai Bay could be heard. With the sun

“Same Same, but Different,” so goes the saying on two-thirds of the T-Shirts for sale in Bangkok. After a long flight over the gerrymandered International Date Line, my plane approached Bangkok at one in the morning (+1). Although I was prepared for the heat and humidity I’d read about, leaving the air-conditioned comfort of the terminal my

The Sarojin had been completed and the new resort’s owners sent their employees home before the big grand opening. Then the Tsunami came, Khao Lak, in Thailand, lost thousands of lives, and the Sarojin destroyed. Fortunately, the owners and employees stuck together and rebuilt the Sarojin, themselves. Maids became carpenters and cooks became cement mixers.

At this year’s Thailand Travel Mart in Bangkok, I had the chance to rumble with the pros, jockeying for position, trying to get the best shots of the entertainment provided to tour operators from around the world. In this video, it’s 25 Thai drummers and a lone xylophonist — only in Thailand! Of course, I have loads to say about Thailand,

Having previously lived in China, I had to know what Bangkok’s Chinatown was like. I took the skytrain to Saphan Taksin (the last stop on the Silom line) and then rode the Chao Phraya River Express north to Tha Ratchawong where I could walk into Chinatown. I walked straight off the ferry dock, following the people and the pungent aromas into the heart of the

I like books. Actually, I love books. I love them compulsively, and rarely have I ever stopped at my local bookstore without coming home with something — much to the chagrin of my hallway and overstuffed bookcases, which are both littered with books. So I when I went to Thailand, I couldn’t fight my compulsive nature and just bring one guide book

I was at this year’s Thailand Travel Mart in Bangkok. Among the endless meeting with colleagues around the world, there was some entertainment. Here was the finale of the dinner show featuring me stumbling around the stage while real camera crews from Asia captured the event. Of course, I ave loads to say about Thailand, which can be found on ITKT’s

Four hours from Bangkok to Taipei and then another twelve hours from Taipei to LAX. My 12 days in Thailand are now over and I am left with loads of great memories and much more to write about. Unfortunately, I did not have much chance to write about the Isan area, the northeast section of Thailand bordering Cambodia and Laos, while I was there so I will be

“No meter. No meter,” The cab driver told me. I said, “Yes meter.” The cab driver then said “No.” I said next and walked away. Negotiating the fare is often an arduous task in Thailand. The next cabbie pulled up in a green and yellow compact. “Okay, yes meter.” So I got in out in front of the Grand Palace, one of

I almost forgot why I have been bouncing around Thailand for the last week. I am in Bangkok to participate at the Thailand Travel Mart, a tourism convention filled with buyers, sellers, and media from around the world bent on putting together the best tours and travel news for Southeast Asian countries. The Thailand Travel Mart, or TTM, officially began