WEAR THESE

For open shoes that look smart, look no further than nuabs comfortable sandals, made from soft leather and lightweight rubber for men and women. Perfect for sight-seeing – especially to slip on and off when visiting temples. Priced at S$91.90 (US$60). Available in five colours from www.nuabs.com

SENSIBLE SILK

What happens when a Hungarian artist falls in love with Lao silk? Wearable art. The self-taught designer behind Lisa Regale Fusion Gallery (Ban Xieng Th ong 42/4, Luang Prabang, tel +856
(0)71 253224, www.lisaregalelaos.com) collects the country’s finest textiles and conjures up modern classics with european style.

Her latest designs experiment with lightweight organza, transforming the simplest dress into eveningwear. The wrap tunic with an asymmetrical hem (above, US$85) adjusts to flatter a wide range of figures, making it a perennial customer favourite.

FAIR TRADE

Representing hundreds of talented artisans who make home and beauty accessories from materials such as rattan, silk, bamboo, coconut husks, bulrush, ceramics, cotton and water hyacinth, the Thai Craft Association (www.thaicraft..org) is showcasing products at their upcoming one-day fairs – more than 60 stalls will be selling locally-produced favourites. The fairs will be held at the International School Bangkok (Nichada Thani, Nonthaburi) on 10 May and at The Ambassador Hotel (Tower Wing, level three, Sukhumvit Soi 11) on 24 May and 10 June.

JAPAN CHIC

A homegrown Fukuoka success story, Beni-ya (2F Marinoa East Side, 2-12-30 Odo, Nishi-ku, tel +92 885-3410) offers a wide variety of accessories, clothing, stationery and foods – all with a traditional Japanese touch.

The shop has since expanded with outlets in Kyoto. How about a set of personal chopsticks? Forget disposal cutlery: select a set from their collection of 80 and complement it with a stylish carry case. Of the many colourful accessories here, the furoshiki, or traditional textile wraps, are of note.

your guide to what’s on

2-4
The Oriental National Symphony Orchestra of Xi’an Conservatory of Music will perform for three nights at Singapore’s Esplanade Theatre in a performance called Chinese Melodies in Symphony. Look out for the qinhu instrument, a symphonic variation of the traditional Chinese two-stringed erhu violin developed by the Xi’an Conservatory itself. www.esplanade.com

6-11
To encourage the rains at the start of the rice-growing season, rockets are fired into the air in the annual Yasothon Bun Bangfai Rocket Festival in north-eastern Thailand.

Before being launched, the rockets are displayed on elaborately carved floats (right) and paraded in front of the crowds who can also enjoy traditional dance and music as part of the celebrations.

8 onward
Narissara Pianwimungsa’s exhibition Perfect Skin? questions the idea of “self” and the present-day methods of expressing personal identity using clothing and accessories. See this up-and-coming artist’s paintings at Bangkok’s Galerie N. www.galerienbangkok.com

14-18
Inaugurating at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, ART HK 08 is an art fair featuring contemporary 20th and 21st-century art for collectors, buyers and art aficionados. Over 100 galleries from Beijing, London, New York and more will display work, and talks by renowned artists, including Li Wei are scheduled. www.hongkongartfair.com

19
Buddhists across Asia celebrate the holiest day in their year today, traditionally known as either Vesak Day or Visakha Puja. This day honours Buddha’s birth, death and attainment of nirvana.

Vesak is celebrated in most places on the first full moon in the fourth month of the Lunar calendar annually, although some Asian countries celebrate it on alternate dates. For more information, see On the Buddha Trail.

All month
In honour of the close ties between Japan and Thailand, the Jim Thompson Art Centre in Bangkok is housing the exhibition Tomyam Pladib until 6 June. The exhibit shows both Thai and Japanese art, including work by Jarupatcha Achavasmit. This is reflected in the event’s name, which is comprised of a dish from each country: tomyam (spicy soup) and pladib (the Thai word for sashimi). www.jimthompsonhouse.com

june

your guide to what’s on

1-7
The Koh Samui Regatta, now under new management, will be held on famous Chaweng beach for a week of beautiful boats and beautiful people, and includes the first ever kid’s regatta where local children who have been taught by volunteers from Samui Yacht Club will compete. www.samuiregatta.com

6-8
This year’s Hua Hin Jazz Festival will bring its relaxed vibe back to the resort town that lies just two hours south of Bangkok. Expect top local (left) and international names to grace the open-air stages (past performers include Jonas Johansen and Michael Blake). Set yourself up on the sand to enjoy the free performances on a lovely Thai beach. www.tourismhuahin.com

Until 15
Beyond… showcases a collection of works from renowned Thai artist Kamin Lertchaiprasert at Bangkok’s 100 Tonson Gallery. Having had solo exhibitions across Thailand as well as Tokyo and Osaka, Lertchaiprasert’s latest exhibition features 24 works (below) loft ily described as “dharmic truth on canvas”. www.100tonsongallery.com

15
If you can face the gruelling 42km slog, the Laguna Phuket Marathon may be one of the world’s most spectacular marathons, passing through beaches, tropical rainforest, local villages and rubber plantations. Organisers expect to see 4,000 participants competing in the main and supporting events. www.phuketmarathon.com

Until 16
Here’s your chance to view a rare selection of historic pieces taken from the China Archives of publications in the exhibition From New Year Prints to Propaganda Posters. The Hong Kong Museum of History showcases this collection, which dates from the founding of the People’s Republic of China. www.lcsd.gov.hk

All month
Max out your credit cards at the annual Amazing Thailand Grand Sale. With discounts of up to 50% tobe found across Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Pattaya, make a special effort to visit Bangkok’s main shopping street Sukhumvit Road – home to malls such as The Siam Centre, which will keep you and your cash busy for hours.

MONK KO

Abbot Amphaivong Ko left his native village in northern Laos’ Bokeo Province, at an early age to enter Luang Prabang’s Wat Mahathat’s monastery as a novice and receive an education. In Buddhism, becoming a monk is considered “making merit” – garnering good karma for yourself and your family.

Having recently become the Abbot of Wat That Noi temple (below middle), he carries many responsibilities on his 24-year-old shoulders and is possibly the town’syoungest abbot. Under his charge are 17 novices aged between 13 and 20.

A DAY’S WORK A typical day starts at 4am and begins with meditation. After cleaning the temple, the monks go out into the streets of Luang Prabang to collect alms (below right) or receive food donations.

Once breakfast is over, the novices go to school, where the Abbot himself is a teacher. Apart from giving instruction and running the temple, he also helps out with chanting at religious ceremonies.

A DAY OFF Though he stays busy during the week, Abbot Ko’s weekends are his own.

“I visit other temples where my friends are,” he says. “I love to go on adventures on the river and return to nature. Besides that, what excites me most is teaching the novices as well as the many foreign visitors who drop by our temple.”

HRH PRINCESS UBOLRATANA VISITS BANGKOK AIRWAYS’ BOOTH AT ITB

HRH Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya Siri Vadhana Phannavadi (above middle) recently visited Bangkok Airways’ booth at Berlin’s ITB 2008, the world’s largest travel fair.

Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth, the airline’s President and CEO, and ML Nandhika Varavarn, Vice President of Corporate Communications, greeted and presented Her Royal Highness with souvenirs as a token of gratitude while other executives from the airline looked on.

BANGKOK AIRWAYS’ FIRST AIRBUS 319 WITH BUSINESS CLASS

Bangkok Airways welcomed its latest Airbus 319, named “Hiroshima”, at Suvarnabhumi Airport. This aircraft is the first in the fleet to have business class seats.

Captain Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth, the airline’s Senior Executive Vice President who sits on the Board of Directors, piloted the new jet from Hamburg.

Bangkok Airways’ 17th aircraft is emblazoned with a colourful design. The dual-class plane has 12 business class seats and 108 economy seats, and introduces Bangkok Airways’ business class service, Blue Ribbon Club.

With a flying range of eight hours, four more of this aircraft type will arrive in 2009. All business-class configured aircraft will service the Bangkok-Hiroshima and Bangkok-Fukuoka routes.

BANGKOK AIRWAYS’ 40 YEARS OF DEDICATION

For 40 years, Bangkok Airways has faithfully served its customers with dedication and commitment, and is now on its way to becoming one of the leading airlines in Indochina.

Being Asia’s Boutique Airline, Bangkok Airways has established a strong presence in the region as the airline that flies to natural and cultural destinations across Asia. Today, Bangkok Airways carries more than two million passengers per year, 90% of which are international arrivals.

Back in 1968, Bangkok Airways first started as a small private airline company, Sahakol Air, operating unscheduled charter flights in Thailand’s far-flung destinations such as Korat, Krabi, Surin and U-Tapao. Business was slow in the beginning due to restrictions that barred Bangkok Airways from flying to all major domestic routes; the barrier to entry was very high as the industry remained very much protected. Airline deregulation did not happen until the late 1970s.

The unfavourable business climate prompted our President and CEO to come up with an alternative strategy. Rather than forcing growth in current remote routes, he conceived the idea of building an airport in a place with high potential for growth in tourism. He chose Koh Samui.

Building and running Koh Samui airport turned out to be a strategic move that enabled Bangkok Airways to expand operations within its airline business as well as in related businesses such hotels and shopping complexes.

The move was soon followed by the construction of two more airports in Sukhothai and Trat.

In 2004, Bangkok Airways branded themselves as “Asia’s Boutique Airline”, positioned between the low-cost airlines and major international carriers.

With its boutique campaign, Bangkok Airways presented itself as a “regional” airline with international routes and exceptional quality standards. The main objective was to be the first airline to fly to natural and cultural destinations in Asia, including Asia’s World Heritage sites.

Besides Bangkok Airways’ unique destinations, the boutique campaign ensured boutique lounges for all passengers, boutique airports, appetising meals on every flight (right), new aircraft and exclusive service standards.

Today, Bangkok Airways owns and manages three private airports in Koh Samui, Sukhothai and Trat, and flies to more than 20 natural and cultural destinations across Asia.

interview

get to know bangkok airways executives

GOOD MARKETING

“It has now been nearly eight years that I have been working with Bangkok Airways. There have been many special memories and important moments along the way. One of the highlights has to be the day we celebrated carrying our two millionth passenger. That was in 2005,” says Vice President of Marketing, Peter Wiesner.

“It was a 100% increase from the year 2000, when we reached one million passengers,” he adds. “Our many unique destinations, excellent inflight service and dedicated staff all play important roles in increasing our airline’s reputation.”

To boost passenger traffic, Bangkok Airways introduced the electronic ticket in 2002, making our flights more accessible to passengers and sales agent globally. Today, e-tickets account for more than 95% of the tickets issued by travel agents and airlines.

In addition, Bangkok Airways’ tickets are available to more than 75,000 IATA travel agents in over 30 countries via GDS, or Global Distribution Systems. This allows reservations to be made easily anywhere in the world. A traveller in Hungary, for example, can purchase Bangkok Airways’ tickets at his local travel agent.

Another channel that the marketing department proudly presents is their frequent flyer programme called FlyerBonus.

The programme aims to create relationships with new customers while strengthening ties wiThexisting ones. Our partnerships are airlines, car rental companies, hotels, hospitals and financial institutions. The programme offers great benefits to its members such as special discounts or some other privileges.

“At Bangkok Airways, our focus is always on the customer and offering excellent products. Our service is impeccable and our passionate employees are our most important asset. I’m a firm believer that a company is only as good as its staff,” says Peter.

Welcome to FlyerBonus

the one and only frequent flyer programme

A membership with FlyerBonus provides members with benefits, privileges and point accumulation that count towards an array of award redemptions opportunities. Members can collect FlyerBonus points when flying with Bangkok Airways or Siem Reap Airways International. All base points accrued from activity with Bangkok Airways and partner airline(s) convert into qualifying points that determine a member’s FlyerBonus status.

To collect points and redeem awards

In addition to earning points when flying with Bangkok Airways or partner airline(s), members can earn points and/or special privileges when utilising services offered by programme partners which include hotels, financial institutions, car rental companies, healthcare providers and lifestyle partners. The exciting news for FlyerBonus members is that all accrued points can be redeemed for award flight(s), hotel voucher(s) and/or car rental voucher(s).

Membership Levels

FlyerBonus comprises two membership tiers – Priority and Premier – wit heach having distinct privileges.

Priority Member

Upon successful enrolment, members will automatically be rewarded with a Priority status which enables the accumulation and redemption of FlyerBonus points. Priority members will enjoy benefits such as a 10kg excess baggage allowance. A member’s Priority status remains active with at least one flight taken over a 12-month period.

Premier Member

Once 200 qualifying points have been accrued, FlyerBonus members are then rewarded with a Premier status. Premier members receive even greater benefits such as a 20kg excess baggage allowance, dedicated check-in counter, Blue Ribbon Club lounge access and a number of other exciting surprises for smoother travel.

More FlyerBonus point accrual opportunities with Programme Partners*

Airlines:
Siem Reap Airways International

Hotels and Accommodation:
Accor Asia Pacific:
– Sofitel Hotels and Resorts
– Grand Mercure Hotels
– Novotel Hotels
– Mercure Hotels Amari Hotels and Resorts
Anantara Resorts Centara Hotels and Resorts
Buri Rasa Village – Samui
Chaweng Regent Beach Resort – Samui
FCC Cambodia
Hotel de la Paix – Siem Reap
Melati Beach Resort and Spa – Samui
Mom Tri’s Villa Royale – Phuket
Samui Palm Beach Resort – Samui
Six Senses Hideaway Samui – A Sala

Property
Financial Institutions:
Kasikornbank
Krungthai Card (KTC)
Car Rental:
Avis Thailand
Budget Thailand
Hertz Thailand
Healthcare:
Bangkok Hospital Medical Centre
Bangkok Hospital Group
BNH Hospital
Samitivej Hospitals
Lifestyle:
Bangkok Airways Duty Free
Impact Exhibition and Convention Centre
Pink Rose Holidays

For more information, visit www.bangkokair.com/flyerbonus

TWO NEW ACCOMMODATION PARTNERS ON KOH SAMUI

FlyerBonus provides you with more choices for point collection when staying on Koh Samui. Join us in welcoming Chaweng Regent Beach Resort and Melati Beach Resort and Spa to the FlyerBonus Programme. Pamper yourself at either resort and be rewarded with FlyerBonus points. Enrol in FlyerBonus and enjoy the benefits from Bangkok Airways and its partners at www.bangkokair.com/flyerbonus

* At qualifying rates with participating partner airline(s), hotels, financial institutions, car rental companies, healthcare providers and lifestyle partners

ICE ICE BABY

Ice bars are Thailand’s hottest new trend. These two freezing newbies go head to head:

What: -5 Icebar (Minus 5)
Where: Amari Nova Suites Pattaya (tel +66 (0)3 848-9488, www.minus5pattaya.com)
How cool: 5°C below zero
Chill out: In this stylish space-age bar, do as the Russians do with a range of flavoured vodkas, or try their signature Daisy Buchanan, a cocktail of gin, apricot brandy, chilled English breakfast tea and vanilla syrup.
Dress up: Winter coats and gloves (in peach for ladies and chocolate for gents) are provided. Defrost: There is one room which is kept at average air-conditioned temperature if you need to warm up. While here, enjoy tapas and select from an extensive drinks menu.

What: BarIce Samui
Where: Chaweng Lake View Road, Koh Samui (tel +66 (0)77 484-933, www.baricesamui.com)
How cool: 7°C below zero
Chill out: Beside the lake, within nine-inch-thick walls of frozen Canadian lake water (chosen for its bubble-free clarity). Forty tonnes of the stuff was imported to build the bar, which flanks the picturesque Chaweng Lake. The interiors are illuminated by state-of-the-art LED lighting with skillfully carved ice installations added for decoration, including a so-kitsch-it’s-cool life-sized ice tuk-tuk.
Dress up: Hooded jackets, gloves and furry hats are provided to keep you toasty. Well, sort of. Defrost: Move to the comfortable air-conditioned lounge or the open-air terrace to continue the party at room temperature.

ASIAN FRUIT SALAD

A quartet of exotic natural delicacies explained

Dragonfruit: White fruit with small, edible black seeds – the flesh is similar to the texture of kiwi but without the tartness.

Rambutan: Within the “hairy” red or orange skin is succulent, sweet flesh around an inedible seed. Green rambutans are unripe.

Mangosteen: Called the queen of fruits, its white segments are perhaps the most flavourful of all Asian produce.

Lychee: Under the red leathery skin, this cousin of the rambutan is a juicy, ultra-sweet favourite with a brown seed at its centre.

MY ISLAND HOME

Gerald Bergue, Executive Chef of Angsana Resort and Spa Maldives Velavaru (South Nilandhe Atoll, tel +96 (0)6 760028, www.angsana.com), has worked in the Seychelles, Mauritius and even Madagascar. Born in Malawi, Gerald started his cooking career at 17 and completed his classic French culinary training in the Hotel School of Mauritius. Here, Chef Gerald shares his love for an exotic culinary repertoire:

Describe your cooking style
I describe my style as “simple luxury”. It is usually accompanied by a mountain of flavours. My cooking style also varies, depending on where I’m based.

How do you adapt your cooking for each destination?
I constantly innovate and use fresh local produce to create the best dishes. I meet with local fishermen and farmers at 6am to see what they have to offer and try to create dishes from these fresh supplies.

Describe Maldivian food.
We have a vast undersea heritage here – lots of fish and shellfish – and Maldivian cuisine has touches of Arabic, Indian, Asian and European influences. What’s interesting is that the Indian beef biryani rice dish is practically one of the Maldives’ national dishes.

What are some of the highlights from the resort’s menu?
Velavaru Slipper Lobster Marinated in Tandoori Spices accompanied by Fresh Mango and Papaya Salad; Prawn Coconut Curry with Banana Flowers and Chapatti; Goat’s Cheese in Kadaif served with Honey and Beetroot Reduction (below). Kadaif is a fine, spaghetti-like pastry.

What is your biggest challenge when opening a new restaurant?
Satisfying my guests and building up a good reputation based on rapport and good food. Th at is why I love to come out to interact with my guests after cooking for them.

NEW AND NOTED

Four restaurants to try in Luang Prabang, Ho Chi Minh and Hiroshima:

1 River Cafe
Located in Ho Chi Minh’s upscale Riverside Apartments (53 Vo Truong Toan Street, District 2, tel +84 (0)8 744-4111 ext 707, www.riverside-apartments.com), the bistro’s new menu zeroes in on seafood such as Blackened Sea Bass with Ratatouille. Other recommended dishes include Beer-Battered Fish and Chips.

2 ARISAI Restaurant + Wine Bar
Intimate, chic, yet unpretentious, ARISAI (49-3 Sakkarine Road, Luang Prabang, tel +856 (0)7 125-5000) occupies two floors of a 100-year-old shophouse. Its superb menu exemplifies the best of Mediterranean home cooking: simple and soul-satisfying. The favourite here is Couscous with Lamb, Merguez and Homemade Harissa prepared with a special 20-spice blend imported from Morocco.

3 On the 6
Here, Vietnamese ingredients enter the kitchen and emerge in finely craft ed French dishes. Didier Corlou, Hanoi’s long-time celebrity chef, finally made his way to Ho Chi Minh, bringing the standard of the city’s fine dining to a whole new level. Auspiciously, he opened On the 6 (6 Dong Khoi Street, District 1, tel +84 (0)8 823-8822) on the sixth day of the lunar new year.

4 Organ-za
Queen of Hiroshima’s avant-garde music scene, Gotou Izumi has created a cool space in Organ-za (2F, Morimoto Building, 1-4-32 Tokaichi-machi, Naka-ku, tel +81 (0)82 295-1553, www.organ-za.com) where you can eat good Vietnamese food, enjoy a drink, leaf through books, as well as catch live shows and exhibitions.

THE PHUKET MARINE Biology Centre (PMBC) is abuzz with activity and expectation these days. PMBC officials and scientists exude quiet confidence: their counsel and research increasingly sets the environmental agenda, especially since everyone is now convinced that environmental preservation is vital to the all-important tourism industry, particularly along Thailand’s Andaman Coast.

The PMBC – which falls under the government’s Department of Marine and Coastal Resources – has raised the tempo of its work: action plans to protect sea turtles and seagrass meadows have recently been launched, the work on the rehabilitation of degraded coral reefs is gaining momentum and the department has designated much of the remaining natural coastal regions as protected marine parks.

The good thing about the parks is that they are well looked after. Fishing or any taking of wildlife from national parks is illegal.

Outside marine parks, government agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are also tackling the complex threats to coral reefs. These include natural phenomena – such as bleaching by cyclical rises in the water temperature and infestations by crown-of-thorns starfish that eat and destroy the live coral – as well as human meddling.

Illegal fishing boats, especially those that trawl within three kilometres of the shore, remain a problem. Enforcement has been stepped up recently, and illegal fishing has been virtually eliminated from Phang Nga Bay, but more remote areas are harder to police. Errant divers also damage corals by touching them, landing on them or kicking them with their fins, and touring boats can accidentally break coral with haphazard anchorage – a situation that is being improved by the placement of mooring buoys.

To rejuvenate dying coral reefs, the PMBC started experimenting with coral rehabilitation in 1994 at Maiton island, nine kilometres south-east of Phuket. Coral branches were grown in an underwater nursery and transplanted on the reef to kickstart the process.

The reefs successfully regained their former vigour and coral restoration has now been expanded to another five sites. These include Phi Phi Lae Island, where 1,200 fragments of staghorn coral were cultivated in an underwater nursery for nine months until their recent transplant onto reefs destroyed by the tsunami.

Coral rehab, while successful, comes with its challenges, which experts like Dr Nalinee Thongtham, head of the Marine and Coastal Biology and Ecology Unit at the PMBC, are working to overcome.

“A national plan is being drafted for coral rehabilitation throughout the country,” reveals Dr Thongtham. “Unfortunately, it takes 10 years before coral transplants spur the regrowth of healthy coral reefs.”

She adds: “It’s also a very labour-intensive and costly process, and the survival and growth of the transplants depend on other factors such as water current, murkiness, human activities and sedimentation. Due to these complications, coral rehabilitation is possible only in some areas.”

In this scenario, prevention is most definitely better than cure. “The best solution is to avoid degradation altogether in the first place,” says Dr Nalinee, who singles out sedimentation – caused by soil erosion during coastal construction – as one of the primary threats. As such, the PMBC is now encouraging developers to take measures to prevent soil erosion during building construction.

Seagrasses are also choked by sedimentation, and underwater seagrass meadows are an invaluable habitat for dugongs (for which seagrass is also a hearty meal) and other species that spawn in the meadows. There is good news though.

“The harm from sedimentation to seagrasses doesn’t appear to be permanent,” says Kanjana Adulyanukosol, head of the PMBC’s Marine Endangered Species Department. “The grasses do grow back after about 10 years, though sometimes the growThis uneven or patchy. Overall, the seagrass meadows are still fairly healthy; we launched the action plan for seagrasses now to prevent further deterioration. We want to raise certain issues – particularly the harm done by sedimentation, but also the use of push-nets – so that these problems are properly addressed. Local officials can follow the example of Trang province, where push-nets have been banned entirely.”

Push-nets are hand-held nets mounted on wide frames. They’re considered harmful as they scrape and uproot seagrasses when people drag them along the shore, particularly in shallow waters.

Trang, the province south of Krabi, has scored top marks in conservation and sustainable tourism. It’s an emerging tourist destination, with only a few dozen resorts – including one upscale hotel, the Amari Trang Beach Resort, which is flanked by miles of empty, seashell-littered beaches.

Trang remains gloriously wild, its coastline lined with mangrove forests and its islands graced by pristine reefs. Now, an ongoing project called the Masterplan for Sustainable Tourism in Trang (MSTT), in which the local and Swedish governments are cooperating, seeks to keep it that way. Planning measures have been set in motion, such as setting limits on the number of bungalows on each island and the mainland beaches; developing trekking and biking trails; dealing with waste in an eco-friendly manner; introducing green technology such as solar energy on islands; gradually upgrading bungalows to “eco-cocoons” (using local building materials, water-saving provisions, and so on); and many more ideas.

Five pilot projects in the locality, assisted by resorts and tour operators, are now implementing some of these measures. “We encourage the pilots to take concrete actions for environmental protection, promotion of the local culture, support of the local economy and to place value on visitor satisfaction,” affirms Tomas Gustaffson, project leader of MSTT. “And the pilots have now started to be models for others by their actions and achievements.”

Trang is also home to Thailand’s largest herd of dugongs, the herbivorous sea mammals that inspired the lore of mermaids.

These docile giants, which can weigh up to 300kg, spend much of their lives in shallow waters devouring grass (over 20kg daily), surfacing every five minutes to breathe. Their populations in South-East Asia have plunged by 90 percent since the 1970s, but the herd in Trang – which is estimated at 150 individuals – is one of the friskiest in the region.

“T e dugongs here in Trang are very productive,” says Kanjana. “We see a high percentage of calves every year, so the population in Trang could very well be increasing.”

Elsewhere along Thailand’s Andaman Coast, intensive fishing has reduced dugongs to small, fragmented communities. “I don’t think dugongs are hunted by fishermen,” Kanjana says. “Granted, fishermen might be tempted to take the head of stranded dugongs they might encounter as the tusk fetches 20,000 baht on the black market, but the main threat to dugongs is from net entanglement, which causes suffocation. However, we need more information to devise conservation measures as we don’t even have a clear picture of the dugongs’ movements. We don’t know where they forage.”

Accidental ensnarement in nets is a problem for another gentle creature – the sea turtle. The PMBC has drawn up an action plan designed to reverse the decline of the four species (the green, olive ridley, hawksbill and leatherback turtles) that live along Thailand’s Andaman Coast. The aim is to protect the turtles during their nesting period: green turtles, for example, lay eggs six times during their five-month nesting season.

“We have found that green turtles forage within six kilometres of the shore during nesting season,” Kanjana explains, “so we’re recommending that the ban on trawling be extended to that distance during the nesting season. We’re also asking beach resorts near where turtles nest to remove, or at least to dim, any lights placed on the beach. This is because the lights disorientate the turtles that come ashore to lay eggs; for example, in Karon beach in Phuket, we oft en find turtles stranded on the road near the shore.”

A high mortality rate does not help the situation either. Less than one percent of all eggs laid actually go on to become adult turtles, and the PMBC is currently considering whether to go ahead with a plan to improve the survival rate. The idea is to hatch eggs in captivity, then raise the turtles for a year before releasing them.

“We’re still debating the merits of this programme as there is some evidence that in practice this might not work as well as it sounds in theory,” says Kanjana.

The plight of turtles worldwide has made them a symbol of marine conservation, and releasing captive-raised turtles in the wild on Thailand’s Andaman Coast goes back a long way. Many resorts and communities organise turtle-releasing ceremonies in which Thais take part enthusiastically (they believe that releasing turtles bestows good luck and a long life).

There are, however, some doubts about the effectiveness of such turtle releases from a conservation viewpoint and the PMBC is trying to improve the manner in which this is carried out.

“We don’t want to see more hotels setting up turtle-releasing events,” says Kanjana. “And for the existing ceremonies, we want to improve the rate of success by, among other things, asking that the turtles are released when they are one year old, and that they are returned to the wild on the same beach where the eggs were laid in the first place.”

Another initiative by the PMBC is a programme called Green Fins. Dive operators are invited to become members and adhere to a code of conduct designed to prevent harm to coral reefs during diving excursions. Members are also expected to take part in occasional clean-ups, and log data about marine species and the state of reefs where they dive. Since its inception in 2004, about 106 diving centres have joined Green Fins.

“People should reward the diving centres who are members by diving with them,” says Niphon Phongsuwan, leader of Green Fins. “In that way, diving operator members can benefit from increased business and at the same time be proud of the fact that they are a positive force for marine conservation.”

ECO-TOURISM AT TAI MUEANG
The coral reef off the beach at Tai Mueang National Park, in Phang Nga province north of Phuket, is the largest in Thailand. Despite some damage to the reef from the tsunami and crown-of-thorn starfish, part of the waters have been open to snorkellers and divers.

The park has other attractions too: a golden casuarina tree-fringed beach almost 14km long, thick mangrove forests flanking the river, a walking trail, jeep trails, camping grounds and a pristine beach forest that is at its best in the rainy season (when it becomes a swamp filled with orchids and gnarled spindly trees).

Leatherback and Olive Ridley turtles nest at Tai Mueang, and visitors can join a warden scouting for nests during the nesting season (November to March).

Tai Mueang is about one hour’s drive north of Phuket. Contact Nakorn Amornwatpong (tel +66 (0)76 443440 or +66 (0)8 11710827, email nakorna@kiasia.org) to arrange homestays or transport from Phuket.

RESPONSIBLE RESORTS

THREE ECO-FRIENDLY HOTELS ON THE NETWORK

1 ALEENTA RESORT AND SPA (www.aleenta.com) in Phuket is an upscale boutique outfit that has won praise for its design: the grounds are a soothing mix of greenery and adjoining water features, and the spacious rooms are luxurious.

The resort has been raising funds for turtle protection (right) at Tai Mueang with a 40 baht contribution from each guest levied at checkout that is matched by the hotel.

More funds are also raised from the sale of turtle mementos and one-off events – this amounted to 800,000 baht last year, and Aleenta also pays the salary of one of the employees at Tai Mueang. The money does make a difference: for example, park officials pay any local person who discovers and guards a turtle nest the equivalent of 200 baht daily for the 60 days it takes for the eggs to hatch.

2 BANYAN TREE PHUKET (www.banyantree.com) also levies US$2 from every guest’s daily stay, and then matches it. This money has funded various conservation projects, including the Thai Navy’s efforts to protect nesting turtles on the Similan Islands. Like all other Banyan Tree properties, the resort also plants 2,000 trees every year across Phuket.

The construction of the hotel itself is a symbol of environmental renewal: it is situated in a former tin mine, a one-time contaminated wasteland that is now a lush sprawl of greenery and lagoons peppered with villas.

The villas are luxurious, with private pools and gardens (left). Recline at the Thai sala in your villa’s garden and be transported: trills of birdsong emanate from the trees that ensconce the impressive villas.

3 PIMALAI RESORT AND SPA (www.pimalai.com) proudly states that no trees were uprooted during its construction, and the resort has been sensitively blended into the beach forest at its Ba Kan Tiang beach location on Koh Lanta.

The property – which boasts upscale rooms near the beach, and Thai-style pool villas set on the slopes of the mountain behind (right) – has become something of a model in how to run a green resort. It is one of Thailand’s most eco-conscious properties: all rubbish is separated for recycling, a treatment plant treats waste water for re-use in irrigation, all detergents are bio-degradable, all lights are low-energy bulbs, and the units are built in a way that maximises shade from trees and natural ventilation, thus minimising the need for air-conditioning.

The management also fund nature camps for local school children and work with officials to develop environmentally sensitive scuba diving on offshore isles.

TIAN TAN BUDDHA, HONG KONG
Seated at the top of Lantau Island, this is the world’s largest outdoor Buddha. The bronze statue lording over the island that now houses Disneyland sits on a lotus leaf with one palm raised in blessing.
PICTURE: IMAGE BANK

WAT SI CHUM, SUKHOTHAI
While other statues in Sukhothai Historical Park are visible for miles, the Buddha at Wat Si Chum is surrounded by a small spire building or mondop, and hidden from view. Once inside the mondop, the atmosphere is unmistakably serene; the smiling, 15m-tall Buddha stirs much awe and reverence. Many devotees who enter kneel in worship and reach out to touch the gold leaf-covered hand of Buddha.
PICTURE: LESTER LEDESMA

WAT PHO, BANGKOK
At almost 50m long and 15m tall, the Reclining Buddha lies gracefully on its side, propping its head up with its hand. Thais consider the feet the most unclean part of the body, but not so here – the feet of this colossal gold-covered statue are encrusted with a mother-of-pearl inlay.

DOI SUTHEP, CHIANG MAI
Buddhists place gold-leaf squares onto this statue in Doi Suthep as an act of goodwill or sacrifice to accompany their prayers. Each square is pounded flat by hand to 1/10,000 of a millimetre using wooden mallets and paper sheets.
PICTURE: EWEN BELL

SHWEDAGON PAGODA, YANGON
While Buddha are depicted differently in every country, one of the signatures of the Burmese Buddha is a sweet, gently smiling expression – as seen here in the white faces of these statues in Yangon’s sacred Shwedagon. One of the country’s most revered sites, it is the Mecca of Myanmar – every Burmese hopes to visit here at least once in their lifetime.
PICTURE: GETTY IMAGES

MONJU SENJI TEMPLE, KURISAKI
Archaeological findings suggest that Kyushu was the earliest inhabited area of Japan and the entry point through which Buddhism arrived in the country. Located on the Kurisaki Peninsula, 100km from Fukuoka, worshippers have been coming to this temple for 1,000 years. Countless stone statues of Buddha and bodhisattva (an enlightened person who instead of achieving nirvana opts to stay on earth and help others find the right path) are carved into the temple’s surrounding cliffs and hills, and are now covered in moss.
PICTURE: JOHN LANDER

BIG BUDDHA, KOH SAMUI
One of Koh Samui’s most famous landmarks, the 12m-tall Big Buddha towers high on a platform above the beach that takes its name. Sitting within the Phra Yai Temple complex, the structure was erected in 1972 and took over two years to build.
PICTURE: SCOTT WOODWARD

PAK OU CAVES, LUANG PRABANG
The Pak Ou Caves are several hours away from Luang Prabang by boat. Perched high above the meandering Mekong River, the caves shelter thousands of Buddhist figurines, teetering on ledges, lining staircases and tucked into limestone crevices. Ardent worshippers have added more statues of Buddha to the collection as a tribute, so the caves boast both old and new representations.
PICTURE: GETTY IMAGES

WAT MAHATHAT, SUKHOTHAI
This 13th-century ruin sits in stately fashion, in what is considered the birthplace of the Thai language. Sukhothai was the ancient capital of the kingdom and even has its own distinctive depiction of Buddha – broad, square shoulders with a narrow feminine waist. Local schoolchildren, tourists and monks come from across the country to visit this ancient cradle of Thai culture.
PICTURE: LESTER LEDESMA

BUDDHA’S DAY
Known as Visakha Puja or Vesak Day, Buddha’s birth, death and nirvana is observed by Buddhists all over the world. Although exact dates differ slightly, it is generally on the 15th day, or the first full moon of the fourth lunar month. This year, it falls on 19 May.

On this day over 2,500 years ago, believers say that Siddharta Gautama, the Buddha, attained enlightenment while sitting under a boddhi tree in northern India.

In Thailand, prayers and celebrations go on for days before and after the festival. During this time, devotees head to temples for prayers, offerings, to hear a public sermon and sometimes to hold a candle-lit procession.

In many places, it is also common for followers to eat only vegetarian meals on this special day.

Models on the catwalk at Bangkok International Fashion Week

A replica of Michaelangelo’s David is dressed in a traditional Indonesian fabric at the National Museum of Singapore

Polo players fight for the ball in the 2008 King’s Cup Elephant Polo tournament held in Chiang Rai, Thailand

A troupe of superfans dressed as action heroes watch the match at the annual Hong Kong Rugby Sevens

Chariowald the beagle effortlessly does the high jump in Tokyo’s Asian International Dog Show

A Vietnamese worker walks up a staircase formed out of sacks of rice. This year, the country is expected to export 1.5 million tonnes of rice

Performers warm up for the launching ceremony of the Olympic torch relay in Beijing

A GOOD SCHOOL

Most travellers come away from Myanmar with a deep affection for the people and the desire to help improve their lives.

Jyotish Nordstrom felt the same way when he visited Yangon in 2004. Noting the lack of quality education, he put his travels on hold and began training teachers.

Today, his volunteer-run pre-school programme offers literacy and hope to the next generation. With two locations and parents asking for more classes, Growing Together (5 Theingi Street, Thaketa Township, www.growingtogethermyanmar.org) needs children’s books, clothing, school supplies, educational toys, and more.

By donating just a few precious books, sponsoring a local teacher, or spending an afternoon with four-year-olds, you can help make early education available to some of Yangon’s poorest families.

“The global scientific consensus is now as strong as you will ever find on any issue. Secondly, there’s a new voice in the debate – Mother Nature.” – Al Gore, former US Vice President on global warming. His recent film An Inconvenient Truth received an Oscar for best documentary feature

PICTURE: GETTY IMAGES

DIVE RIGHT

With heightened awareness of this year’s International Year of the Reef (IYOR), you can be a positive force for conservation by going scuba diving with members of Green Fins (www.greenfins-thailand.org, watch out for the Green Fins certificate at diving centres). More than 100 Thai diving centres are now members, and all members must adhere to a code of behaviour in their diving activities, as well as take part in monitoring and clean-ups of reefs.

“People should also refrain from buying wind chimes or souvenirs made from dead coral or seashells,” says Niphon Phongsuwan, leader of Green Fins. “Collectors of shells oft en break coral to dislodge shells, and dead coral is home to small creatures.” Read more about marine conservation in O.K. Coral.

SAMUI GOES GREEN

A new initiative known as the Green Island Project will address urgent ecological issues on Koh Samui by supporting conservation projects and programmes. Formed by concerned residents, the aim is to protect the island’s natural and cultural heritage.

A workshop on EM (effective micro-organisms), a powerful all-natural cleaning agent which uses no harmful chemicals and works by neutralising bacteria, marked the unofficial launch of the project at Tamarind Springs Spa.

Director of the spa, Shelley Poplak believes the time is ripe for changes. “We want to inspire visitors and residents on Samui into eco-action before it’s too late,” she says. Email your green ideas or pledges of support to info@thegreenislandproject.org

RIVER GLOW

Fishermen have long been trawling the treasures of the Mekong River, which flows through China, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, where this photograph was taken at sunset.

Among the many potential catches that live here, one creature believed to dwell in the river’s depths is the giant catfish, which at about two metres in length, is up there as one of the world’s largest freshwater fish.

But most Lao folks would contend that a mightier beast lurks beneath the surface: the naga, a mythical serpent that is said to have carved out the waterway and on whose goodwill the fortunes of all those connected to the river depend.

Words and image by Tom Greenwood