THAILAND
First time in Southeast Asia: NASA exposes in Bangkok
From December 1st 2014 to February 1st
2015, Bangkok will host the first space exhibition 
by NASA in Southeast Asia. The National Agency of tourism of Thailand
(TAT) brings its total support to Central Pattana, Thaicom, and BEC Tero
Entertainment, the initiators of this event which will be part of the events in
honor of the 87th anniversary of his Majesty the King Bhumibol Adulyadej,
"father of Thai technology”. The exhibition will also mark the 180th
anniversary of relations between Thailand and the USA. Named 'Human Ride
Adventure', it will be held at the Convention Center on the fifth floor of the
Central Plaza Ladprao and will be divided into four zones. In the largest,
"Space technology", will be on display over 400 items related to
space technology, rockets, satellites, vehicles and space robots, passing by the
combinations, the food or even the bathrooms of astronauts, the communication
devices, the space shuttle but also the engines, the electronic devices as well
as the stations. Visitors will discover the incredible range of devices and sondes
designed by NASA, from Mercury and Gemini to Apollo and the space shuttle.
Russian technology will be also exposed, including replicas of Sputnik and
Lunokhod. The 'Ride' zone will illustrate the sensational aspects of space
experiments. It will present the G Force Simulator that simulates up to
Admission fees ticket 500 baht (approx. 12 EUR)
Reservations can be made from now on: www.THAITICKETMAJOR.com
A nice surprise in the mouth of the Chao Phraya River
A Bryde whale (Bruda whale) was recently located at the mouth of the
Chao Phraya River. If there is a very discreet mammal, it’s this whale. Little
known and studied, the whale represents a real puzzle for biologists. Samples
recently removed could be the key necessary for scientists to better protect
this particularly threatened species by its small number
and its poor genetic diversity. Rarely seen and photographed, the Bryde whale is the only one of all whales who doesn’t
migrate in the cold waters, the whale swims in the warm or temperate waters all
year.
The Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum in Kanchanaburi ranked in the Top 5 of
Asia museums by Trip Advisor
The famous Trip Advisor site dedicated to travelers comes to announce
the results of the Travelers’ Choice Awards on the museums around the world.
The Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum in Kanchanaburi is ranked in the Top 5
museums in Asia and has been designated “best Museum of Thailand”.
This ranking was based on thousands of reviews posted on Trip Advisor by travelers
over a period of 12 months, and with the help of an algorithm taking into
account the quantity and quality of these notices.
Trip Advisor wrote on its website, "the Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum is a
must for all who visit the region of Kanchanaburi and are interested in the
history of the Burma-Siam 'death railway' built during the Second World War. The
Hellfire Pass Museum was designed by the Australian Office of war graves, in a
joint-venture between Australian Government and the high command of Royal Thai Forces
armed. Open since April 24TH 1998, the office is managed by the Australian
Office of burials war. On a surface of approximately
Feel free to ask us for the Organization of short stay
to the River Kwai.
10 Kg of additional luggage authorized on the
THAI AIRWAYS
The Thai national airline has put into effect a new
policy "luggage" for the pleasure of its guests. Now, 
on all THAI flights, except those serving the USA, passengers of all
classes can carry
Now, the Royal First Class customer can therefore embark with
A new direct flight to Phuket at Qatar Airways
On October 26th, Qatar Airways will operate a daily direct
flight from Doha to Phuket allowing a shorter journey time from Paris to reach
the beautiful beaches of the popular Thai island. The Qatari company offers
also 3 flights per day between Paris and Bangkok with excellent connections to
its new airport, the International Doha Hamad Airport. Economy class round trip
Paris/Bangkok is around € 500 and Paris/Phuket from €540.
MYANMAR
Taunggyi balloon festival
This festival Pa-O, which is held in Taunggyi, the
capital of the South of Shan State, from November 19th to 24th 2014, is the occasion of the
release of hot air balloons competing in their beauty and their ability to fly
off. The balloons released in the day have shapes of animals while overnight
paper lanterns are dropped, going up in group in the sky in the image of moving
bright constellations.
Lights Festival of Tazaugdine
The day of the full moon of Tazaungdine lunar month,
candles are lit in homes and pagodas throughout the country and paper lanterns
are launched into the sky. Treasure hunts are organized for children. The
Kyaikhtiyo pagoda, a gigantic Golden Rock balanced on the edge of a cliff of
Kyaikto Mount in Mon state, particularly beautiful, while 9999 candles shine on
the platform during the night. On the eve of the full moon day, many pagodas
host competitions for dresses weaving, during which the women contribute all
night to finish the robes of Saffron colors offered to the Buddha images at
dawn.
The E-visa Service from September
2014
Drawn by
beautiful temples and magnificent landscapes, the number of holidaymakers
traveling towards Myanmar is slow but steady increasing from day to day. While
the country opens little by little its borders to visitors, new regulations and
processes have been recently implemented, which makes it even easier to access
to this wonderful country. September 1st 2014, the Ministry of
Immigration and population of Myanmar has launched a new e-Visa service, which
is now online and available for 41 countries. For the moment, the service is
only valid for tourist visas and the arrivals at the Yangon international
airport.
The country has finally investing in the tourism market, aimed at achieving the
5 million visitors next year. The e-visa services, as well as the draft of a
new airport, are just some of the key factors of the strategy.
LAOS
Boloven plateau
by motorcycle
Do you want a bit
of adventure in a remote place of Laos? To promenade on roads
and trails riding a motorcycle? To bathe under waterfalls lost in the
wilderness? To enjoy a delicious coffee directly from plantations that
surrounds you? So, don’t wait no longer for the discovery of the Boloven
plateau. Not easy to tame the Lao roads. Those paved are studded
of holes and an attention of every moment is necessary to don’t graze
too near other vehicles, children, animals...
Fortunately, it’s
not the (non-existent) signs that may entertain the driver. But it’s not always
easy to detach his eyes of the landscape that scrolls. Red slopes of laterite
sinking into the jungle, small villages of the Katu or Laven ethnic groups (it
gave its name to the plateau) with their wooden houses in the middle of cultures
all overhung by a beautiful and threatening sky... Under these conditions, it
rarely exceeds
It’s however not the only waterfalls encountered.
There are no less than 17 on and around the plateau. Small, immense (Tad
Katamtok falls over
But, all of this water must share the honors with the
other star of the area: coffee. With its altitude between 1000 and
To Paksong, national capital of the black drink and
the highest point of the plateau (and coolest), Tyson Adams left his native
Seattle to create Jhai Coffee, a micro-NGOs that doubles as a pleasant coffee-restaurant.
Its purpose is to find equitable opportunities at the Café of some 2,000
families, then to invest the profits in equipment in order to facilitate the
access to drinking water in the villages. After this full of energy, the road
which joins Pakse runs at a (little) slow pace. And as a last gift just before
to leave the heights of the plateau, the meanders of the Mekong are revealed
away, milk coffee color.
The best season extends from October to March, we then
escape the monsoon and activity is in full swing in the coffee plantations. All
Year, frequent showers sweep the plateau and the (relative) freshness is
valuable during the high heat. Therefore plan clothes accordingly.
Vietnamese and Laotian peoples preserve forever their special relations
The relations of
friendship and special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Laos
and Vietnam, built by the sacrifices of their armed forces and their peoples,
have become a priceless treasure of the two countries.
This common treasure was presented in an article in
the “Vientiane May” Laotian newspaper published on September 5th at the
occasion of the 52nd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic
relations between the two countries (September 5th 1962-2014). This
article recalled the historic event with photography of the first Vietnamese
and Laotian Ministers who signed this important agreement in
The particularly friendship and solidarity Laos-Vietnam
relations have developed on the basis of those, traditional, based and grown by
Ho Chi Minh and Souphanouvong presidents, then successive generations of
leaders of the States and peoples of the two countries. They have been tested
by the difficult struggles for independence, freedom and happiness of the two
peoples, says this article. The strength of solidarity of the two nations
became an important factor, or decisive, of the great victory of Vietnam and
Laos in their struggle against the French colonialists and then the American
imperialists and for national salvation.
During these long struggles full of difficulties, the
State and Vietnam people have always given support and assistance to the Laos
revolutionary oeuvre. Numbers of executive’s generations and Vietnamese
soldiers have done their international obligations in Laos. The spirit of
tenacious struggle and close alliance in the battle between the Vietnamese
volunteers and the army of Laos has been an important factor in the farm
progress and continues to the Laotian revolution until the final victory in
1975.
Responding to strong support and the great help of the
Vietnamese people, the multi-ethnic Lao people has also granted, without
reserve, support and solidarity with the Vietnamese people.
Generations of the peoples of the two countries must preserve these special
relationships so that they persist for the happiness of the two peoples.
Hmong New Year in Oudomxay, Xiengkhouangand,
Luang Prabang and Vientiane province
The Hmong New
Year is particularly celebrated in Oudomxay, Xieng Khouang, Luang Prabang and
Vientiane province.
These celebrations of the Hmong New Year, from 01St to 15th
December, are particularly beautiful because many people are dressed in their
traditional costumes made from green, red and white silk,
and silver jewelry. We will be pleased to discover traditional music to
specific instruments, such as the Teun, Hmong flute or the khene. Among the other sights, the game of the Makkhon which consists of
throwing a ball of cotton, beef fights, top races and crossbow demonstrations.
VIETNAM
Cultural, sea tourist and Vietnam
islands week - Hanoi 2014
Cultural, sea tourist
and Vietnam islands week - Hanoi 2014 will take place from November 20th
to 23rd at the cultural and artistic exhibitions center of Vietnam
(2, rue
Many attractive
activities are planned such as exhibition, art program, Colloquy on the
"Preservation and enhancement of the cultural values of the sea and Vietnam
islands", program of cultural and artistic exchange between young people
on the theme "youth and maritime culture and Vietnam island",
presentation of cultural, tourist, typical gastronomic products of each
region,... A good opportunity to present the potentials, find opportunities,
announce the first results of the management of the seas and Vietnam islands through
the maritime strategy for 2020, as well as to promote achievements and exploit
the experiences of development of marine economy of the provinces of the
country.
This event will also allow to communicate on the role, the position and the
importance of the sea and the Islands, and to sensitize the public on the need
to protect the marine environment and its resources, to defend the sovereignty
of Vietnam in its maritime territory in this period of integration in the
world.
Exhibition on the tissues of the ethnic minorities of Truong Son - Tây
Nguyên
Since October 14th,
at the South women Museum, in Ho Chi Minh City, stands an exhibition over 230
photographs and objects on the theme 'Reasons for fabric Chăm, Khmer and other minority’s ethnic
groups of Truong Son - Tây Nguyên'. It presents various techniques of weaving,
dyeing and creation of floral patterns on tissue. According to Nguyên Thi Tham,
Director of the Museum, these floral patterns on Chăm, Khmer or other ethnicities in the region of Truong Son - Tây Nguyên tissue are often inspired by daily activities and
religious beliefs. In addition to weaving floral motifs with colorful threads,
Cơtu or Ta Ôi weaves floral motifs in beads with remarkable shapes
(triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons...). Ê - đê,
Gia Rai, Stiêng, K'hor brocatelles... usually have dominant colors such as
black, red, blue or yellow and the weaving is made from dyed sewing files. Among
the Chăm and the Khmer, the techniques of
weaving and creating floral patterns are very complex and use knowledge transmitted
from generation to generation, which doesn’t arise only after a long
apprenticeship. Mrs Tham said: "in the cultural treasure of the Vietnam
ethnicities, floral motifs appear in architecture, sculpture, and popular works
of art... A beautiful brocatelle today translated knowledge, the planting and
processing of cotton weaving, passing by the dye.
Cat Cat village in Sa Pa
The Cat Cat village
is located in Sa Pa, Lao Cai province district,
Closely connected
with the cloth of cotton and linen weaving stage is that of dyeing and
embroidery. The most popular dyeing techniques are cajeput dyeing, plant ash dyeing
and forest leaves. After having tinted, the cloth is rolled on flat stones coating
of beeswax, by a round log, until the stuff becomes shimmering.
In the Cat Cat village,
the profession of jewelry fabrication in silver and bronze has a long history.
To give birth to sophisticated products, the manufacturing process of silver
consists of many steps which require meticulous and talent of the craftsmen. The
chased silver products of Cat Cat are rich, sophisticated, especially women jewelry
as necklaces, bracelets, silver chains, rings... Another attraction of Cat Cat,
It’s the cultural tradition almost preserved intact of the Hmong, the custom of
shooting of woman, for example. When a boy fell in love with a girl, he invites
his friends to a meal and asking them to help him to take this girl in an
unexpected way and guard her for three days. Then, if the girl agrees to be his
wife, a marriage will take place. If she refuses, the couple sharing a bowl of
wine to be friends and everything is back to normal as if nothing had happened.
The marriage of the Hmong to Cat Cat usually held from 2 to 7 days. Thanks to its
original features, the Cat Cat village became a must-see for anyone visiting
Sapa.
CAMBODIA
"Mixed
martial arts" in a cage, a lucrative market
Thanks to his control of Cambodian traditional fighting techniques, Tok
Sophon tries to find fame and fortune in the most lucrative circuit of mixed
martial arts (MMA). But this conversion to a booming controversial sport isn't
necessarily the taste of all his classmates. The young man of 21 years is part
of the Cambodians more and more numerous who try their luck at the "mixed
martial arts" (MMA), a combat sport where opponents compete in a cage.
They use techniques from various disciplines and martial arts, from kickboxing to
fighting.
"I can win more money by
fighting in the cage than by the traditional martial arts," said Sophon,
who joined the world professional circuit very lucrative last year. During his
first match in Malaysia, he won 1,000 dollars (770 Euros), that to say about 30
times what a middling combat of kun Khmer would have paid,
Cambodian kickboxing. Despite their worldwide growing popularity, the MMA
competitions are prohibited in many countries, such as France, especially
because they allow the hitting to the ground. In Cambodia, the rise of the MMA
follows a revival of traditional martial arts, kun khmer and bokator, neglected
for centuries and even close to extinction at the end of the 1970s, after the
Khmer Rouge banned both disciplines and killed their professors. The bokator,
which was born one thousand years ago in the ranks of the armed forces of the Khmer
empire, is the oldest of the two fighting techniques,
borrowing some movements from animals. After it quasi disappearance under the
Marxist khmer rouge regime who wanted to erase the
history of the country to put in place a delirious agrarian utopia, it has
attracted new proponent attached to preserve the Cambodian culture. With its
body catches, its nudges and tibias shots, this sport provides gateways to the
MMA. Its specialists can relatively easily to adapt to fighting in cages. Since
three years, date of the first MMA tournament in which the practitioners of the
bokator participated, in Malaysia, the popularity of mixed martial arts in
Cambodia exploded.
The fights are retransmitted
each week on television. And according to the dedicated association, which was
established last year, hundreds of Cambodians today are professionals of the
discipline. Their training to traditional Cambodian martial arts gives them
solid bases, but the fighters must learn other specific techniques and the
rules of the MMA to enter on the international circuit.
In 2011, Chan Reach, Cambodian and
American, abandoned its job of ambulance in New York for a new career as coach,
preparing Cambodian athletes to enter in the cage. "I was watching a game
on YouTube where Cambodian fighters were demolished by foreign. And I
understood that I had to go to help to train" said the coach Tok Sophon.
"This is a new version of an old sport (...) and this opens exciting
opportunities for the bokator and kun Khmer
fighters" said the coach-businessman, who has himself already done 13
professional fights. He opened few months ago a fitness room specialized in
MMA, as there are more and more in Phnom Penh.
But the old generation feared that this new industry
threatens centuries of a tradition considered a long time as a symbol of past military
power from the country. "We are fighting to preserve our ancient martial
arts. If the younger generations and the Government don’t support them, they
will disappear", worries Chan Bunthoeun, 63 years old, coach of
traditional martial arts who learned from his father.
But while his own son must fight, he can only
recognize the seduction asset of an industry that offers more money and a
chance of world fame.
The Cambodian Association of MMA is confident that
this sport can encourage a renaissance of traditional martial arts. "We
integrate our ancient martial arts to the MMA (...). The world will know our
martial arts through the MMA", ensured the president of the association.
350 Khmer antiquities returned to the country for nearly 20 years
From 1996 to 2014, some 350 Khmer antiquities were
returned to Cambodia, informed Deputy Prime Minister Sok An,
Minister of Ministers, at the opening ceremony of the temporary exhibition of
statues of Koh Ker returned from the United States, held at the national museum
in Phnom Penh. These 350 ancient objects were, he said, surrendered to us, from
France, Thailand, Australia, Switzerland, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Japan,
United Kingdom, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Canada and Taiwan. The Cambodian
prime-minister also asked to all collectors of Khmer antiquities around the
world to return the stolen treasures in Cambodia. The return of ancient objects
reflects the efforts and the determination joint of the royal Cambodia Government
and the national institutions and international partners in the preservation of
Cambodian cultural heritage for the interests of the whole of humanity, said
Sok An.
Cambodian culture
joined the public domain
There now a framework which sets Cambodia Culture policy. A country
that contemporary history is seriously fractured, some signs never disappoint,
rather encouraging signs. There are few time, set a national cultural policy in
Cambodia was indeed a challenge and not a priority. The document recently adopted by the Council
of Ministers is the result of work undertaken by the Minister of Culture
involving the professionals of this sector, heads of non-governmental
organizations and representatives of international agencies such as UNESCO.
This document is unpublished. For the first time, the royal Government develops
a strategy, sets targets, intends to remind some principles and wishes to rely
on tangible and intangible heritage to think at future. The public authorities
take a bold challenge: draw a mindful public policy to
determine in the eyes of everyone the characteristics of the culture of the
Kingdom, but also to form ("Education through culture, culture for
education... «), to encourage vocations and add the economic
Prism to the field of culture.
The Agenda:
The holidays – festivals to be
seen in Southeast Asia
THAILAND
World Film
Festival in Bangkok: November 2014
Loy Krathong,
festival of lanterns in Thailand: November 2014
Bangkok marathon:
November 2014
Laguna Phuket
Triathlon in Phuket: November 2014
Lopburi monkeys
festival: November 2014
Silk and Phuk
Seow Festival in Khon Kaen: November / December 2014
Birthday of his
Majesty the King: December 5th 2014
Constitution Day:
December 10th 2014
Anniversary of
the King in Thailand: December 5th 2014
Thailand
International Balloon Festival in Chiang Mai: December 2014
New year in Thailand: December 31st 2014 - January 1st
2015
Chinese New Year
in Thailand: January 2015
Makha Puja:
February (full moon) 2015
The Chakri
dynasty day: April 6, 2015
Songkran (Thaï New
Year): April 12th – 16th 2015
Earth Hour: April
29th 2015
Coronation day:
May 5th 2015
Visakha Puja: May
(full moon)
Asalha Puja: July
(full moon)
Feast of the
mothers Wan Mea and anniversary of the Queen Sirikit in Thailand: August 12th
2015
International
festival of dance and music in Bangkok: September / October 2015
Festival of the
Sakon Nakhon wax castles: October 2015
Chulalongkorn
day: October 2015
LAOS
Pha That Luang
Festival in Vientiane: November 2014
National holiday
(Vanh Saad): December 2nd 2014
Hmong New year: December
2014
Festival of Tet
(Vietnamese or Chinese New Year) in Cambodia and Laos: Jan. – Feb. 2015
Pii may or
Songkran (Buddhist New Year): from April 13th to 16th 2015
Earth Hour: April
29th 2015
Boun Khao
Padabdin (day of the dead): Early September 2015
Bun Nam or Suang
Heua on Khong Island: October 2015
Boun Ok Phansa
and Boun Xouang Heua: October 2015
Boun Ok Phansa
boat on the banks of the Mekong River races: October 2015
CAMBODIA
Independence day: November 9th 2014
Water (good Om
took) Festival: mid-November 2014
National holiday
in Cambodia: January 7th 2015
Festival of Tet
(Vietnamese or Chinese New Year) in Cambodia and Laos: Jan. – Feb. 2015
Khmer New Year
(Chaul Chhnam good): April 2015
Earth Hour: April
29th 2015
Anniversary of
King Sihamoni: May 14th 2015
Festival of
ancestors (Pchum Ben): September 2015
Anniversary of
King Norodom Sihanouk: October 31st 2015
MYANMAR
Hot Air Balloon
Festival in Taunggyi: November 2014
Tasaungmone
Festival: November 6th 2014
National day:
November 16th 2014
Karen New Year:
December 21st 2014
New Year: January
1st 2015
Pyatha (Independence
Day): January 4th 2015
Union day: February
12th 2015
Feasts of
peasants: March 2015
Full lunde of
Tabaung: March 2015
Armed forces day:
March 27th 2015
Thingyan Festival
(water Festival): from April 13th to 16th 2015
Birman New year:
April 17th 2015
Earth Hour: April
29th 2015
Labor Day: May 1st
2015
Full moon of
Kasone: May 2015
Full moon of
Waso: July 2015
The day of the
martyrs: July 19th 2015
Nat Taungbyon
(Mandalay) Festival: August 2015
Celebration of
the Phaung Daw Oo to Lake Inle: October 2015
Mandalay
Kyaukdawgyi pagoda festival: October 2015
Thidingyut
Festival (Festival of lights): October 2015
The elephants to
Kyaukse (Mandalay) dance festival: October 2015
Kyaik Hti Yo Pagoda
festival (to the Golden Rock): October 2015
Calendar of
market in the region of Inle in 2014
|
T = Taunggyi,
Aungban, floating market (Inle).
P = Pwe Hla, Mine
Thauth, Phaung Daw Oo, Kyauk Tine (Sagar road) and long pine.
S = Shwe Nyaung,
Kalaw, Khaung Dine, Indein, Maw Bi (Sagar road) and Phe Khone.
N = Nyaug Shwe,
Pindaya, Nampan (Sagar road), Ham See (Kakku road) and Sagar.
Every
Sunday and Wednesday, market day in De Maw So beside Act Kaw.
One of the most
authentic markets is the market of Indein Pagoda on the shores of the Lake but
that
becomes more and more
frequent. We must therefore come very early in the morning, climb immediately
to the pagoda to see people come out of the villages and get off at the market
in the middle of the ruins of ancient pagodas.
The market of
Sagar is also still very authentic. We really need to leave very early because
the canoe ride is long (at least 2 hours).
VIETNAM
(Gold Om Boc) waters Festival in Sóc Trang: November
2014
Festival of Tet,
Vietnamese New Year (Tet Nguyen Dán): January 2015
Anniversary of
the founding of the Vietnamese Communist Party: February 3rd 2015
Feast of the
procession Quan Dong Ky Dam (province of Bac Ninh): February
2015
Chua Huong
(perfume Pagoda Festival) at Huong Son: February 2015
Pagoda Thay
(province of Ha Tay): April 2015
Khmer New Year: April
2015
Earth Hour: April
29th 2015
Anniversary of
the capture of Saigon: April 30th 2015
That-Tich (the
obscure seven or the double seven day): August 2015
National holiday:
September 2nd 2015
Do Son Buffalo
fighting Festival: September 2015
Mid-Autumn Festival (Fête des
enfants): mid September 2015
Temple at Nam
Dinh Tran Festival: September 2015
Festival of
Double-nine
Autumn festival in Thai Binh Keo pagoda: October 2015
All the mentioned dates are
subject to change.