Why Israel is not a tourism Mecca-04 November, 2009

Despite numerous attractions, Israel’s tourism industry continues each year to draw 2.5 million visitors, many of them Americans. That figure has been the same for the past decade meaning tourism has reached a plateau.

The plateau continues even as advertising budgets have increased and government officials have promoted the country.

Why is that?

“One reason for this is that tourists generally seek peaceful locales. Hence, wars and terror attacks keep tourists wondering whether Israel will be safe at the time of their planned vacation, and many forego the visit,” reports ynetnews.com, an Israeli news service.

Periodic episodes of violence have deterred visitor growth, as cited by ynetnews.

Ami Etgar, CEO of the Israel Incoming Tour Operators Association (IITOA), says that while security issues pose a serious obstacle for the tourism industry, other factors also make it difficult for large groups to visit Israel. He said:

"In Israel there are almost no international hotel chains because entrepreneurs from abroad don't like to invest. (here)”

Etgar says that a longer history of peace is needed to attract investors. "But mostly (entrepreneurs) need help in removing bureaucratic barriers," he said.

Another obstacle for incoming tourism are rules and regulations set up by the Interior Ministry, observers say.

Asia's Best Coffee - Vietnam

There's no such thing as a quick cup of coffee in Vietnam, where communing with friends over a glass or two is a social ritual on par with the handshake in the West.

"It's all about the conversation, chewing the fat, watching the world go by," says Mark Lowerson, an Australian English-language-class coordinator and culinary-tour guide who has lived in Hanoi for seven years. "We (Westerners) can be at one with our coffee whereas Vietnamese will enjoy it much more among friends."

Read More

• Ground Rules: Asia's Best Coffee
• Asia's Best Coffee: Malaysia
• Asia's Best Coffee: Japan
• Asia's Best Coffee: Taiwan

Coffee -- along with baguettes and crème caramel -- is a culinary holdover of French colonial rule (French-administered Indochina was established in 1887 and dissolved in 1954), when coffee plants were introduced to Vietnam's central highlands by French missionaries. Production dropped off during the Vietnam War but resumed in the 1980s; today Vietnam, which grows primarily robusta but also arabica and small amounts of lesser-known varieties, is one of the world's largest producers.

Usually brewed into a glass at the table using excruciatingly slow single-cup drip filters called ca phe phin, Vietnamese coffee is mixed with sugar and sweetened condensed milk and poured over ice; the resulting concoction is called ca phe sua da (if you prefer yours hot, ask for ca phe sua nong; in Vietnam even black coffee is usually drunk with sugar). It's a burly but smooth brew with a hint of chocolate, a flavor that comes from roasting beans with "butter oil" (clarified butter, margarine or vegetable oil) and sometimes sugar, as well as with other ingredients whose identities are closely guarded by roasters (fish sauce is rumored to be one).

In Vietnam, tea is for drinking at home, while coffee is for enjoying at a cafe. That word may be applied to anything from three tiny plastic stools clustered on the sidewalk in front of a shed to the outlets of upmarket homegrown coffee-shop chains such as Trung Nguyen and Highlands.

Most small operators pride themselves on serving coffee with its own unique flavor, so coffee tasting in Vietnam is a great adventure. "I go to certain cafes for a certain cup because that's the flavor I feel like at the time," says Mr. Lowerson, who likes to find a perch with a good view of Vietnam's frenetic street life.

Though he hesitates to recommend any particular Hanoi cafe, Mr. Lowerson does have some advice for the coffee loving visitor: "Just pull up a stool anywhere, sip the sweetness and watch the passing parade."

Glossary

Ca phe sua da: iced coffee with sweetened condensed milk

Ca phe sua nong: hot coffee with milk

Ca phe da: iced coffee with sugar only

Ca phe nong: hot coffee with sugar only

Where to find a good cup

Publish Post

A good-to-stellar glass of ca phe sua da is literally never more than a block away in Vietnam, though Ho Chi Minh City boasts more three-stool sidewalk "cafes" than the capital city of Hanoi. If you prefer a proper cafe, the Trung Nguyen and Highlands cafes are always a good bet. Both have branches all over Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

China approves Shanghai Disneyland -05 November, 2009

LOS ANGELES - Walt Disney has won approval from the central government of China to build a Disneyland-style theme park in Shanghai,

Analysts estimate Shanghai Disneyland — not including hotels and resort infrastructure — will cost US$3.5 billion, making it one of the largest-ever foreign investments in China.

The initial resort, with a mix of shopping areas, hotels and a Magic Kingdom-style theme park, will sprawl across 1,000 acres of the city’s Pudong district.

The theme park will occupy about 100 acres, making it a little bigger than Disneyland in Anaheim, California and on par with the parks in Paris and Tokyo.

It is expected to open in five or six years.

Disney has been talking to China about a Disneyland theme park for almost 20 years amd analysts say approval of the project signals that the Chinese leadership may be more open to Western investment.

| Storm victim toll rises to 65 in Phu Yen - Storm victim toll rises to 65 in Phu Yen

Tropical storm Mirinae, which hit the south-central province of Phu Yen on November 2, killed at least 65 people and left 16 others missing, said local officials.

The mountain district of Dong Xuan reported the largest number of deaths (30) followed by Tuy An district (20), Song Cau town (13), Tuy Hoa City and Tay Hoa district (2 each).

About 145 boats sank, 413 houses collapsed and 5,540 other were damaged, said local officials.

The death toll might keep rising as violent flood waters made it impossible for rescue workers to reach isolated areas.

The province had moved 4,207 families with more than 16,000 residents to safer zones before the storm made landfall. However, many areas in Tuy An district and Song Cau town have remained cut off.

Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai on November 4 flew to Phu Yen to direct rescue work in flooded communes. He asked the province to mobilize all rescue forces and distribute food and other necessities to isolated villages as early as possible to ensure no one is left hungry.

He also asked local administrations to provide emergency aid to families that lost their relatives and had their houses damaged during the storm.

In the evening of November 3, National Highway No1A which had been blocked by landslides, was open to traffic again. The provincial People’s Committee deployed 10 buses to transport 1,800 train passengers stranded at local railway stations to Dieu Tri railway station in nearby Binh Dinh province.

Lowdown on the naked airline scan-03 November, 2009

With a new x-ray scanner, passengers will not have to remove shoes and belts. No “stick-em-up” hands in the air, either.

Scanners sit in remote locations. It’ll be rolled out by selected US airports over next year.

A Lonely Planet reporter tested the system at Manchester Airport and concluded:
“It’s hard to see much wrong with it.”

He stood in an open-sided metal box with hands on his head for the procedure. Guards at a distance analyze the resulting pictures. But it does open up a passenger’s body to view (at least of the guard).

”But technology sometimes comes at a price and, to some, this may be a step too far, “ says the reporter,” Tom Hall.

“However, anything that gets me through security quicker, allowing more time for browsing geektastic airplane magazines and trying on duty-free sunglasses is a good thing,” Hall concludes.

Safety will be paramount at Vietnam’s first nuclear power plant

he Chairman of the NA’s Science-Technology and Environment Committee said he’s sure Vietnam will have trained personnel needed to run the first nuclear power plants in 2020.

LookAtVietnam - Deputy Dang Vu Minh, Chairman of the National Assembly’s Science-Technology and Environment Committee, told

VNExpress he’s sure Vietnam will have the trained personnel needed to run a reactor safely when the new plants go on-line circa 2020.

Nuclear power and unanswered questions

VNExpress: What are the basic features of the nuclear power project that will be submitted to the National Assembly?

Deputy Dang Vu Minh: It’s planned that our first two nuclear power plants will be built in Phuoc Dinh and Vinh Hai communes in Ninh Phuoc and Ninh Hai districts of Ninh Thuan province beginning in 2015. Each will have a pressurized water reactor able to supply 1000 megawatts to the national grid. The plants will become operational by 2020.

More info---->>>Safety will be paramount at Vietnam’s first nuclear power plant | Look At Vietnam

Children with cancer paint with hope

A special picture, completed by famous painter Tran Nhat Thang and various children suffering from cancer in the Tumor Department of the National Pediatrics Hospital, will be sold at an auction for charity on the occasion of Children’s Cancer Day on November 1.

The 1.2m-wide, 2.4m-long picture, completed on Tuesday, is from one of programmed organized by the Chap Canh Uoc Mo (Making Dreams Come True) Volunteer Group, with the aim of giving children with cancer a chance to express their hopes and dreams.

The children are encouraged to come to the public room in the hospital, where they are provided with colour pencils and paper to draw until their hearts are content.

Five-year-old Anh, from the northern province of Bac Ninh, always arrives early to the room. Like the others, the little girl is being given a water transfusion, but the pain caused by the needle does not prevent her from drawing. Anh, who has been fighting a tumour in her lung for three years, still moves her right hand over the papers while the other is being injected.

“When my daughter was not undergoing treatment, she really liked going to the village’s kindergarten in front of our house to play with the otherchildren. But after being called a ‘bald girl’, she now refuses to go back,” Anh’s father says while his eyes brim with tears.

Another “small artist” of the picture is five-year-old Hien, from Thai Binh Province, who was sent to this hospital just last week. Sitting silently inside her mother’s arms, the girl, with concentration, colours in an image of a parrot in a book for kindergartenchildren.

Hien was diagnosed as having acute white blood cell disease and she often runs a high fever that weakens her a lot. But drawing seems to free her from her pain, if only temporarily.

When asked to go back to her room to rest, the girl refuses and keeps on drawing an incomplete picture, featuring the shining sun, some flowers and a heart that she calls “The Sun’s Heart”.

Aside from the pictures by Anh and Hien, those drawn by other children have also been joined together and put into a larger picture by painter Tran Nhat Thang.

Images that appear the most in this special picture are children’s hands, houses and flowers, all of which express the children’s simple wishes of a happy home full of flowers.

“I have painted the picture’s background and arranged the children’s smaller pieces in a way that they will all be prominently featured in the work that I am calling, Nhung Ban Tay Hoa (Flower Hands),” says Thang.

The meaningful picture will head for auction at HCM City’s Ngay Hoi Hoa Huong Duong (Sunflower Festival) tomorrow, and proceeds of this auction will go to these “young artists” in an effort to give them more strength to fight against cancer.

VietNamNet/VNS

Mekong Delta in despair as rodents ravage rice paddies

LookAtVietnam - Farmers in the Mekong Delta have not eaten and slept well in these days due to the return of rats and mice, which have decimated large numbers of rice crops.

Over 1,500 hectares of fall-winter crops in Tra Vinh Province were destroyed by an infestation of mice.

Farmer Son Danh, in Tra Vinh’s Chau Thanh District, visited his one hectare rice paddy at dawn to collect dead mice. These vermin have gnawed 30 percent of the farmer’s blossoming field.

Fearing that the rice field would be ruined, Son Danh bought two kilograms of Biorat, a mouse and rat poison to scatter around the field.

Over the first few days, some 60 to 70 per cent of rats were killed; however, the rodents have still ravaged much of the field.

Tran Van Cong, chairman of Farmer Association in My Chanh Ward, Chau Thanh District, said, “Rats have ravaged and destroyed 40 percent of 360 hectares of rice paddies in the village of Giong Trom in My Chanh Ward, including four hectares that were completelydestroyed.”

Chau Thanh district’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development estimated around 550 hectares were infested by field mice, with five to 30 percent of crops destroyed and 564 hectares in Cau Ngang District with ten to 30 percent of crops destroyed.

While farmers fretted about the skyrocketing numbers of rats and mice, agricultural officials have done little to reverse the situation.

Farmer Nguyen Van Tien in Cau Ngang said farmers were happy to see a team of inspectors ten days ago, yet there has been no feedback to farmers’ proposals of rodenticides.

Nguyen Manh Thai, head of Chau Thanh District’s Plant Protection, warned farmers to irrigate water into fields in a bid to demolish mouseholes and put rodenticide at the entrances and bushes.

The danger of gnawing rats in the fields of Tra Vinh happened 15 years ago, damaging thousands of hectares of rice paddies. The province launched a campaign to buy the animal’s tail and offered money tofarmers who killed many mice. The campaign proved effective.

Many are now asking whether officials should try the method one again in order to stem the flow of rodents and protect rice crops.

VietNamNet/SGGP

Vietnam grabs gold medal in Chess event

Vietnam on November 1 overwhelmed India in the semi-finals and China in the finals to win a gold medal in the Team Blitz Chess event.

After a win and a draw in the final round, Nguyen Ngoc Truong Son, Le Quang Liem, Hoang Thi Bao Cham and Pham Le Thao Nguyen outclassed their Chinese opponents Ni Hua, Zhou Jianchao, Ju Wenjun and Huang Qian to secure the first place.

Both Iran and India won the bronze medal.

Chess is one of the sporting events of the ongoing third Asian Indoor Games (AIG III). Chess competitions began in the north-eastern province of Quang Ninh on October 31 and will last until November 7. About 110 players from 18 countries and territories are competing in rapid and blitz-chess team and individual events.

VietNamNet/VOV

Vietnam's retail market to explode over the next 2 or 3 years

Vietnam’s retail market is forecast to explode over the next two or three years, with the appearance on high streets of many foreign retail companies, including shopping centers and large sized supermarkets, said Fabrice Carrasco, general director of TNS WorldPanel Vietnam on October 30.

Speaking at a retail and distribution conference held in Ho Chi Minh City, Mr. Carrasco said Vietnam’s retail market is smaller than that of other countries in Southeast Asia, such as Thailand, Malaysia and Philippine, however, Vietnam’s consumer habits are changing sharply.

According to RNCOS, a global market research company based in the US, retail turnover in Vietnam will top US$85 billion in 2012.

Vietnam’s retail turnover was $23.7 billion in 2008 and is expected to rise to $39 billion by the end of this year.

Bui Ngoc Hong, a law consultant at Indochina Counsel, said foreign firms have been eyeing retail and distribution business in Vietnam.

Indochina Counsel has alone supported seven foreign retail companies, which will appear on Vietnam’s high streets in the next two years, Mr. Hong said.

2009 is considered an important milestone year for trading and distribution sectors in Vietnam. Distribution in Vietnam is set for a shake up, as foreign companies move in following the country's commitment to open the market in 2009, on the back of World Trade Organization accession in 2007.

As a result, firms from abroad have been setting up shop here since early this year, particularly firms from Japan, though no official statistics are currently available.

Japanese sewing machine manufacturer Brother International recently won a license to set up a distribution company with an initial investment of $2 million.

Stainless steel and construction material producer Sojitz opened an import, export and distribution branch in March.

Car manufacturer Nissan and electronics producer Sharp have both started distributing their own products.

According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Vietnam's annual retail turnover has increased by 20 percent, on average, over the last few years and is forecast to maintain the same growth for the near future.

Cambodia & Vietnam open two routes Air travel

Vietnam and Cambodia are planning to open two routes linking the coastal city of Sihanoukville in Cambodia with Phu Quoc Island and Can Tho city in the south of Vietnam.

Experts said that the new air routes will help create an attractive tourism triangle, facilitating the promising service sector of the two countries.

According to Undersecretary of the State at the Secretariat of Civil Aviation of Cambodia (SSCA), Soy Sokhan, SSCA and Vietnam Airlines are conducting a feasibility study for the two new routes.

Chairman of the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents Ho Vandy said both Phu Quoc island in Kien Giang province and Can Tho city are attractive tourism centres in Vietnam.

Once launched, the weekly flights will help transport a large number of foreign tourists to Cambodia, he added.

Thailand's islands & beaches - Asia, Travel - The Independent

For laid-back living, white-sand shores and delicious food all at an affordable price you can't do better than these stunning hotspots, says Lucy Ridout

Sun-kissed: the beach at the Indigo Pearl resort on Hat Nai Yang

Why should I fly 6,000 miles to find a beach?

For the whitest sands and the most turquoise of seas, for a Buddhist culture that is both gentle and fun, for a winter-sun break that won't ruin your bank balance. Even the Post Office thinks you should go: in its recent Holiday Costs Barometer survey, Thailand came in ahead of South Africa and Malaysia as the best-value long-haul destination.

Thailand has about 2,000 miles of tropical coastline, so there are hundreds of beaches and islands to choose from. The tourist industry is well developed so transport links are efficient, there is accommodation for every budget bamboo huts for the equivalent of 4, five-star indulgence for 100 and the food is exceptionally delicious, from chilli-laced seafood curries to make your eyes water to juicy fresh mangoes straight from the tree.

The big beach resorts on the islands of Koh Samui and Phuket, in Pattaya, and along the Krabi coastline offer the works. You have a huge choice of restaurants and nightlife, a phenomenal range of shopping, and plenty of chances to ride elephants, trek through the jungle or go fishing. There is spectacular snorkelling and diving too, particularly around the Andaman Coast reefs.

It's not all about spas and golf courses, though: Thailand still offers the chance to get away from it all, on quiet island hideaways like Koh Kood off the Eastern Seaboard, Ang Thong National Marine Park off the Gulf Coast, or the Tarutao Islands in the Andaman Sea.

I'm flying to Bangkok get me to the nearest beach

Just a couple of hours by bus from Suvarnabhumi airport, Pattaya is Bangkok's nearest beach resort and the most visited in Thailand. But its biggest fans are Russian package tourists and single men drawn to the tacky apartment hotels and seedy swarm of hostess bars, go-go clubs and gay massage parlours.

Head half an hour further along the Eastern Seaboard, though, and the island of Koh Samet makes a better introduction to Thailand's stunning coastline. Fringed by white sand so soft that it squeaks underfoot, Samet is a tiny, forested drop in the Gulf of Thailand, partly under the jurisdiction of the National Park authorities. Despite the protection there is a lot of development some would say too much though it's small-scale bungalows and nothing high-rise.

Once a backpackers' favourite, the trend is now "flashpacker" and up, with hip young Bangkokians weekending at the minimalist whitewashed huts of Vongduern Villa (00 66 38 644260; vongduernvilla.com ; doubles from 1,200 baht/£23, excluding breakfast) and the handsome wooden chalets of Tub Tim Resort (00 66 38 644025; tubtimresort.com ; doubles from 1,000 baht/£19, excluding breakfast). At night, everyone dines on barbecued seafood at the candlelit tables set out on the sands: Ploy Talay is the most popular; it stages fire-juggling shows, too.

more info--->>>Traveller's Guide: Thailand's islands & beaches - Asia, Travel - The Independent

India whip Thailand in women's Asia Cup hockey

Rani Ramphal led the charge with six goals as India thrashed hosts Thailand 15-0 and inched closer to the semi-finals of the women's Asia Cup hockey tournament at the Queen Sikrit Sports Centre in Bangkok on Friday.

India led 6-0 at the break.

With six points from two matches, India are now a win away from cementing a place in the knock-out stage. They have to beat either Malysia or China in the next group outings to advance.

India had earlier steamrolled Singapore 13-0 in their campaign-opener on Thursday.

Ramphal won the hearts of the sparse but appreciative crowd at the ground with a dazzling display of deft stick work. After finding the back of the net twice in first half, she sounded the board four more times in the second session.

Veterans Mamta Kharab and Saba Anjum accounted for three goals each, while captain Surinder Kaur, Ritu Rani and Monika Bardan also joined the party with a goal each.

India's chief coach M K Kaushik introduced fresh legs in the second half and gave a chance to the younger players, like S Sunila Kiro, Mukta Barla, Vartika and Moika Bardan.

"Fielding youngsters is worth doing. We would have liked to score 20 goals and thus put the Chinese under pressure. But, overall, I am happy with the performance," Kaushik said after the match.

After two days' rest, India plays China on Tuesday and Malaysia the next day.

Surinder's team is expected to sail through along with Malaysia, who are 10 rungs below in the world rankings to India's 14th.

Meanwhile, defending champions Japan [ Images ] crushed Sri Lanka [ Images ] 20-0, while Korea defeated Hong Kong 10-0.

China opened their campaign in the tournament with a 13-0 victory over Singapore.

the tax slug that canes long haul travellers-30 October, 2009

SYDNEY - The British government has a nasty little surprise waiting – it’s called the Air Passenger Duty (APD) and from this Sunday, November 1, it will rise substantially.

APD will now fall into four bands – with passengers being charged according to how far they fly. The increases are planned for November this year and November 2010

The tax on the longest flights over 6,000 miles – including UK to Australia - is more than doubling from £40 now to £85 next year.

Passengers in premium-economy seats flying long haul to Australia or New Zealand will be hit hardest. The duty on these seats, which offer a little more legroom for a modest fee, will rise to £110 on November 1 to £170 in November 2010.

Premium economy passengers will pay the same APD as passengers in Business and First Class.

A family of four flying from London to Sydney or Auckland will pay £220 from November 1 and £340 from November next year.

The tax rise threatens to curb travel from the UK to long haul markets.

International long haul visitors will pay the tax when they fly out of the UK on their return journeys.

"APD is now a significant part of the overall price of the air fare and the planned increases in long-haul APD rates over the next year are a genuine threat to the commercial viability of premium economy," said Dermot Blastland, chief executive of TUI UK

When APD was introduced, the UK Government said the money raised would be used to offset environmentally damaging carbon emissions.

"There is no evidence to date of any environmental benefit, and it is ridiculous to think that holidaymakers travelling in premium seats on one of our charter flights will have to pay the same APD fee as those flying in first class on a scheduled flight," said a spokeswoman for Thomas Cook.

"When they should be doing all they can to lessen the strain on hard-working families, they are yet again making the consumer pay."

Vietnam ranks 4th in consumer confidence: survey |

Consumer confidence in Vietnam has increased for the first time since March 2007 as sentiment around the globe rebounds, according to survey results announced Thursday.

With the increase, Vietnam is now the fourth most confident country in the world, up five places since March this year, according to asurvey by the Nielsen company, conducted between September 28 and October 16.

“If consumers have shifted gears across the globe from recession to recovery, Vietnam is truly at the head of the pack with an increase of 28 points and ranking fourth most confident country globally,� said Darin Williams, Managing Director at The Nielsen Company Vietnam. The global average has jumped 9 points.

“A nine-point surge in consumer confidence signifies a welcome return to positive territory,� said James Russo, Vice President, Global Consumer Insights at Nielsen. “It really demonstrates that in the last six months, a majority of consumer sentiment acrossthe globe has shifted gears from recession to recovery – the tide has turned.�

Confidence was highest in India, followed by Indonesia and Norway, while the most pessimistic countries were Latvia and Japan, thesurvey said. Consumer confidence rose in 45 out of the 52 countries compared to six months ago.

According to the survey, 69 percent of Vietnamese said their nation is currently in a recession compared to 76 percent in April 2009. More than half of the Vietnamese surveyed believe they will be out of the recession and job prospects will be good to excellent in the next 12 months.

Despite the new sense of optimism around the world, spending is still restrained, the survey said.

Vietnamese consumers, for instance, remain relatively cautious. According to the survey, 46 percent of Vietnamese consumers stated that timing is “not so good� to buy the things they want and need while 51 percent said they will put their money into savings after covering essential living costs.

Source: Thanh Nien

Mekong Delta hosts annual Khmer culture fest

Ok Om Bok, the largest festival of the year of the Khmer people in the Mekong Delta, is taking place from October 26 to November 1.

Soc Trang Province is hosting various activities including a traditional boat race seen as the most exciting event during the festive days.

The festival features many cultural activities including an exhibition of the socio-economic achievements and cultural developments of Soc Trang Province, information about Vietnamese ethnic groups, and artistic performances.

During the festival, there is also a trade fair organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade and local authorities to attract more than 180 enterprises with over 430 booths displaying handicrafts, farm and garden equipment, textiles and more.

This year’s traditional boat race will take place in Soc Trang on November 1-2 with participation of 49 Khmer teams from Mekong Delta provinces.

The Ok Om Bok celebrations, also known as the Khmer Moon Thanksgiving Ceremony, fall on October 15 of the lunar calendar. It is a time for the Khmer to show their gratitude to the Moon Goddess for giving them a bumper harvest and rich aquatic sources.

VietNamNet/SGGP

Vietnam : Viet Tien Garment opens retail outlet in Cambodia -

An outlet to sell Vietnam-branded products has been opened on 26th October in Cambodia by the Viet Tien Garment Joint Stock Corporation. The Corporation has built its first ever overseas outlet in association with Cambodia’s Caja Top Company.

The outlet established in an area of 120 sq. m. displays a wide range of garments including shirts, trousers, shorts, jeans, and coats of various kinds of materials such as khaki, elastic, and cotton.

A series of trade fairs organized to promote high-quality Vietnamese produces to Cambodian consumers helped the Vietnamese goods to gain a firm stand in the Cambodian market.

With gradually improving product quality, the country has acquired a competitive stand against the products from countries such as Thailand and China, which already have a firm footing in the market, said experts.

Viet Tien will open more showrooms and sales outlets across Cambodia, in association with Caja Top.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

A hotel costing 20 cents-29 October, 2009

Would you believe a hotel room for as low as 20 cents? The new low-cost Tune Hotel near Kuala Lumpur’s airport is the brain child of AirAsia’s Tony Fernandes.


“The no-frills hotel, one of a slew popping up across Asia, is the definition of budget digs and anything above the basics will cost you,” say wire services.


Despite having a no-star rating, a standard room comes with a 5-star queen bed, a hot "power shower" and a ceiling fan.


Average prices are more like US$3 but there are rooms for less than a dollar as packages.


But the room is small - to say the least - albeit clean and modern, according to several reports.
Tune hotels, similar to low-cost airlines, employ a self-service online booking system and the rates are kept low by offering limited service.


The rooms are also available for three-hour stopovers, which the hotel calls its refresher pack.


There is no television or refrigerator. Want a towel? There’s a cost. Ditto for air conditioning.


It can get steamy and hot in Malasia but Fernandes thinks bargain-hunters will pass up creature comforts.


By David Wilkening

Experts: Tigers fast dying out despite campaigns

KATMANDU, Nepal — The world's tiger population is declining fast despite efforts to save them, and new strategies are urgently needed to keep the species from dying out, international wildlife experts said Tuesday.

"We are assembled here to save tigers that are at the verge of extinction," Nepal's secretary of forest and soil conservation, Yuvaraj Bhusal, told a conference of tiger experts from 20 countries, including the 13 where wild tigers are still found.

An estimated 3,500 to 4,000 tigers now roam the world's forests, down from the more than 100,000 estimated at the beginning of the 20th century. All the remaining tigers are in Asia.

Participants at the conference, which also includes the World Bank, the World Wildlife Fund and other groups, plan to discuss strategies for tiger conservation, as well as challenges such as poaching, the trade of tiger parts and conflicts between tigers and local populations.

In a recent case, a Sumatran tiger died after being caught in a pig snare last week in Indonesia, the country's news agency, Antara, reported Monday. The report said the tiger died as it was being prepared for surgery Monday. Only about 250 Sumatran tigers remain in the wild.

"Despite our efforts in the last three decades, tigers still face threats of survival. The primary threat is from poaching and habitat loss," Nepal's prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal told the conference.

He said extreme poverty has also challenged efforts.

"Global and regional solidarity and corrective measures are more necessary now than ever to face these challenges," the prime minister said.

Bhusal, the forest secretary, said participants hope to make high-level policy makers in their countries more aware of the animal's possible extinction.

The 13 countries where wild tigers are still found include Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam.

The conference continues through Friday.

PM attends opening ceremony of Samsung mobile phone factory - PM attends opening ceremony of Samsung mobile phone factory

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has attended the opening of a Samsung mobile phone factory in Yen Phong industrial park in the northern province of Bac Ninh.

At the opening ceremony on October 28, the PM praised the Samsung electronics company and the province of Bac Ninh for working together to put a mobile phone factory into operation. He expressed his belief that the factory will contribute to the socioeconomic development of Bac Ninh in particular and the country in general.

Mr. Dung said the government will create good conditions for the company in their business operations in Vietnam. He also asked the company to increase the proportion of local content in their products as they had previously committed.

The mobile factory in Yen Phong is one of Samsung’s seven most modern factories in the world with a capacity to produce 1.5 million products per month. There are now 2.500 employees working at the factory.

It plans to raise its monthly capacity to six million products by 2010 and to nine million by 2011, creating 8,000 – 12,000 jobs for local people.