Tourists with the environment on their minds ...

Green with pride

Tourists with the environment on their minds can enjoy a green holiday with Siam City Hotels & Resorts (www.SiamHotels.com), which recently picked up the Total Energy Management award for its Siam City, Siam Bayshore Resort & Spa and Siam Bayview hotels.

The award, presented by the Energy Research Institution of Chulalongkorn University, recognises the group's outstanding energy management.

The hotels have replaced traditional cooling systems with sophisticated yet environmentally friendly air conditioning and added biodegradable fuel for water boilers.

No spa too far

Thailand swept several of the prizes awarded by the respected AsiaSpa Magazine this year, with the Holistic Spa of Kamalaya in Koh Samui picking up Destination Spa of the Year, The Oriental Spa of Mandarin Oriental Bangkok winning Urban Spa, and Tamarind Springs being named best Day Spa.

The Barai of Hyatt Regency is recognised for its Design, while the ChivaSom International Health Resort took the Spa Cuisine prize. ShangriLa Bangkok, with its CHI Spa, bagged the Spa Treatment Award, and TRIA Integrative Wellness, in Bangkok, took home MediSpa.

Also honoured was the Dheva Spa of the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, in Chiang Mai.

Don't talk, eat!

It's not quite fast food. But the faster you eat, the less you pay. From Monday to Friday, ISO restaurant tempts gourmets to its a fine buffet at the price of Bt5 per minute.

ISO Restaurant is inside Nai Lert Park Bangkok, a Raffles International Hotel, and is a short walk down on Wireless Road from Ploenchit BTS.

Caution! Don't let speed spoil your fine lunch.

Up, up and away

Last year's inaugural event drew more than 150,000 attendees, and this year's fest promises to be even more fun. From December 3 to 7 , the skies over Khao Yai will again be filled with colourful hotair balloons from the USA, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Japan and Malaysia while on the ground there'll be live concerts from local favourites, wine and food tasting, horse shows, demonstrations by cowboys, and lots more. Admission is free. Sign up for a free balloon ride at www.ThailandBalloonFestival.com.