IN BRIEF
travel & tourism
Bangkok Airways mulls investment
in Vietnam's Pacific Airlines
Bangkok Airways is one of a growing number of major foreign companies expressing increased interest in Vietnam's tourism prospects, which are expected to improve after the country joins the World Trade Organisation, the Ministry of Planning and Investment told Viet Nam News this week.The Thai airline is one of several foreign carriers that are discussing investment in Pacific Airlines, Vietnam's only joint-stock airline. The ministry said companies from Japan, the United Kingdom, South Korea and the United States had sought investment opportunities in recent months, attracted by Vietnam's increasing flow of foreign tourists. Of the total US$5.15 billion (Bt191 billion) in foreign investment in Vietnam over the last nine months, tourism and services accounted for $2.2 billion, it said. - Viet Nam News, Asia News Network. Eating out in bahrain: Smaller Blue Elephant on the cards The Blue Elephant Thai restaurant in Bahrain is to be moved from Seef district to Manama, according to a report this week in the Gulf Daily News. The restaurant, part of a global chain, was closed for Ramadan and will not reopen until the new premises are ready next year, according to its owner, International Hotels. The restaurant will be refurbished and brought up to international standard by February and will be located in Umm Al Hassam or Adliya, said administrator Ajay Kumar. "We hope to build a smaller premises for Blue Elephant with seating capacity for about 60 people," said Kumar, adding that the old Blue Elephant seated up to 260. "We found it too large for an outlet serving only ethnic food," he said. - The Nation. Paying homage: Royal fair organised by Bangkok Bank Bangkok Bank is organising a two-day fair next Thursday and Friday called "Thawai Chai Dae Racha Navamin - Paying Homage to King Rama IX". It will celebrate the 60th anniversary of His Majesty the King's accession to the throne, and his 80th birthday in 2007. The fair will take place at the bank's head office in Silom Road, with a wide variety of handicraft products from the Chitralada Shop on sale. Organising committee chair Nintira Sophonpanich said that in addition to the handicraft products, embroidered fabrics depicting paintings by the renowned artist Chakraphan Posayakrit, furniture, ornamental household products, and palace cuisine would be on sale. Net proceeds will go to HM the King. - The Nation.
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