IN BRIEF
singapore
Thailand forms largest presence at 26th Asean Tourism Forum
Thailand fielded the largest contingent at the 26th Asean Tourism Forum in Singapore and is anticipating a good year ahead in the lead-up to hosting the 27th expo in Bangkok next January.
Its total of 112 individual hotels, tour operators and attractions comprised 20 per cent of the 552 vendors listed in the directory of the most important show on the Asean tourism calendar.Numerous other Thai companies were represented as part of the 107 companies exhibiting under corporate umbrellas. Thailand has been reporting strong growth in visitors from Asean countries. In 2006, airport arrivals from Asean countries to Bangkok totalled 1.35 million or 13.8 per cent of total arrivals through Thailand's most important international gateway. The overall increase of 6.7 per cent included strong growth in arrivals from Cambodia, Indonesia and Malaysia. - The Nation. Phuket: SIPA to launch online pay portal The Software Industry Promotion Agency (SIPA) will launch its "One Click Finish All: One Stop Services" initiative through the www.thaionestop.org website on Saturday. The website, for now in Thai only, will accept online payments for water, electricity and telephone bills, but users must have an account with Bank of Ayudhya. The portal initially will be able to make payments to CAT, the Phuket Provincial Electricity Authority and the Provincial Waterworks Authority. SIPA is looking at adding online payment services for TOT, other water-supply authorities and mobile-phone operators, including Total Access Communication and Advanced Info Service. The website will be made operational at a launch ceremony at Central Festival Phuket on Saturday at 5pm, with Phuket Governor Niran Kalayanamit presiding. - Phuket Gazette.
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