Thailand festivals and events Guide

January :

Bo Sang Umbrella Fair & San Kamphaeng Handicrafts Fair January 19- 21 Bo Sang village,San Kamphaeng District near Chiang Mai has become renowned for its exquisitely painted paper umbrellas, which are sought after by visitors from all over the world. An annual fair, held on the main street, celebrates the traditional art of umbrella making and painting, as well as features contests, exhibitions, sales of handicrafts, and a Miss Bo Sang beauty pageant. Come and see this festival for yourself. Advance reservations are necessary.
February :
Phra Nakhon Khiri Fair February 6- 14 Phra Nakhon Khiri and around area, Phetchaburi Phra Nakhon Khiri (City on the Mount), a hill on which are located several religious structures and a nineteenth-century palace, overlooks the city of Phetchaburi, some two hours drive southwest of Bangkok. A light & sound presentation celebrating local history is one of the attractions of the popular fair.

March :
Sweet Grape Week Fair March 23-31 Damnoen Saduak District, Ratchaburi. This area known for its famous floating market comes alive with a fair featuring some typical and unusual activities, These include a Thai cooking competition, a "sea-boxing" competition, boating competitions, as well as local product sales.

April :
Songkran Festival April 12-15 Nationwide The traditional Thai New Year is an occasion for celebration throughout the country. This occasion is marked with religious ceremonies as well as public festivities. Water throwing among the people in a spirit of fun and goodwill is the main activity of this festival. Throughout the city, Chiang MaiTo really enjoy Songkran, the traditional Thai New Year, to its fullest, one should travel to Chiang Mai where there is a variety of religious and fun-related activities conducted along with parades and a Miss Songkran beauty competition.
May :
Royal Ploughing Ceremony May 16 Sanam Luang, BangkokAn ancient Brahman ritual, conducted at Sanam Luang, in which farmers believe is able to forecast the abundance of the next rice crop. The event is a result of a series of ceremonies that are conducted by Phraya Raek Na, portrayed by a high-ranking official from the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives who wears colourful traditional costumes. This ceremony was re-introduced in 1960 by H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej and is considered the official commencement of the rice-growing season.
June :
Phi Ta Khon Festival June 23-24 Amphoe Dan Sai, Loei With origins from a well-known Buddhist tale, the colourful and vibrant Phi Ta Khon procession features young men who dress up as spirits to accompany a scared Buddha image and taunt villagers. Monks relate the tale of Lord Buddha's last great incarnation before attaining Enlightenment. Included are competitions of masked dances and processions. Everyone is welcome to participate.
July :
Candle Festival July Thung Sri Muang Park, Ubon Ratchathani Khao Phansa, or the Buddhist Lent, is the time when all Buddhist monks must stay in their temples. In Ubon Ratchathani, a unique festival that highlights the talented skills of local artisans as well as displays of religious devotion is held each year. Elaborately carved beeswax candles of various sizes and shapes are exhibited in high-spirited processions around the city before being presented to local temples.
August :
Rambutan Fair August Around co/op , Surat Thani Surat Thani is known for its luscious rambutans that grow throughout this province. Each year, a fair is held to highlight this fruit that includes exhibitions of local products and floats adorned with rambutans, as well as many other exhilarating fun-filled activities.
H.M. The Queen's Birthday Celebration August 12 Nationwide To display their loyalty and to honour Her Majesty Queen Sirikit on the occasion of her royal birthday, the Thai people decorate their houses and public buildings. Around Bangkok, Ratchadamnoen Avenue, the area around the Grand Palace and other well-known locations are bedecked with coloured lights and magnificent adornments.
September :
Phichit Anuual Boat Races September 1 - 2 Nan River in front of Wat Tha Luang, Phichit Boat racing has been a part of Thai culture for centuries, and regattas are held in various parts of the country. This annual event takes place on the Nan River, Phichit, one of the most naturally panoramic parts of Thailand. The event features boats competing against each other with great fervour and excitement of the cheers of the spectators.
October :
Phuket Vegetarian Festival October Amphoe Kathu,Amphoe Muang & Amphoe Thalang,Phuket) It is not known for certain when the first Vegetarian Festival was held in Phuket. It is assumed that the custom started in the period of Thalang Governor Jerm in 1825 when a number of Chinese came to work in tin mines in Ban Get Hoe in Phuket. Legend has it that a Chinese drama troupe turned vegetarian in the belief that by doing so malaria prevalent on the island at the time could be driven away. Followers must abstain from meat, alcohol and sex for nine days and night as a homage to the Nine Emperor Gods (The Star Deities). The Chinese community then sent an emissary to South China to learn more about vegetarian rites.
During the festival which normally falls on the first nine days of the ninth Chinese lunar month, thousands of participants turn completely vegetarian to purify both body and mind in order to attend ceremonies. Aesthetic displays are performed by participants which include piercing the body and face with sharp objects and walking barefooted on hot charcoal, all in the belief that good health and peaceful mind will be attained.
November :
Northern Lantern Festival & Yipeng Loi Krathong October 31 - November 1 Chiang Mai Municipality Office and citywide, Chiang MaiCreating a mesmerizing sight, an unusual ritual of this northern capital's Loi Krathong Festival is the launching of Lanna-style hot air balloons, which is considered by locals to rid them of their troubles. Traditional floats (Krathongs) are also set adrift on the Ping River. In addition, there are various other forms of fun and a glamorous beauty pageant.
December :
H.M.The King's Birthday Celebrations December 5 NationwideH.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest reigning monarch. is well beloved and deeply respected by all Thais old and young. The occasion of his royal birthday provides his loyal subjects the opportunity to express their reverence for him. All over the country. buildings and homes are elaborately decorated and the area around the Grand Palace is spectacularly illuminated. River Kwae Bridge, Kanchanaburi Each year in late November to early December, the world famous River Kwae Bridge, which was built by Allied prisoners-of-war during World War II , becomes the focal point of celebrations. Highlights include historical and archaeological exhibitions, a carnival, folk and cultural performances, rides on World War II vintage trains, and a spectacular light and sound presentation re-enacting the bridge's World War II history.

From: Yourrooms.com

Thailand Activities and Top Things to do guide

Shopping

What to Buy
A wealth of shopping opportunities awaits the visitor, and bargains abound throughout our country in traditional handicrafts, textiles, gems, jewellery and antiques, as well as more contemporary items.
Gems : Bangkok is the coloured gemstone capital of the world. Rubies and sapphires are indigenous stones, but virtually all coloured gems, as well as diamonds, are available. Shoppers should exercise caution and buy from reputable dealers only.
Clothing : We're one of the world's leading manufacturers of ready-to-wear clothing. Fashion boutiques are found in every shopping mall, while cheaper clothing such as T-shirts and jeans are available at bargain prices from street vendors. Custom tailoring is also very affordable and tailors can produce or copy most styles in just a few days.
Cotton & Batik : Our Thai cottons have become increasingly popular and are a good deal. Particularly notable are the hilltribe cottons woven by the tribal people of the North, typically displaying bold designs and often lavish embroidery. Equally distinctive are original batiks crafted at several studios in Bangkok.
Hilltribe Crafts : The tribal groups who live in the hills of the north make a variety of beautifully embroidered textiles and silver jewellery. Chiang Mai is the centre for such goods.
Where to shop
In Bangkok : Shopping in Bangkok is not limited to one or two major streets, and there are many areas throughout the city affording ample choice and easy access. Here’s
just a selection of some of the places to go shopping!
Chatuchak Park Weekend Market :
A famous Bangkok landmark where you can buy just about everything from clothing to potted plants - a paradise for browsers and bargain- hunters alike.
Silom-Mahesak-New Road :
Many gems and jewellery stores are found here, also the River City Shopping Complex, known for its quality antique stores and regular auctions.
Silom-Surawong-Patpong :
The commercial heart of Bangkok. houses dozens of specialist shops, boutiques and shopping plaza representing all the major buys. Street stalls also abound, most notably Patpong’s famous night market.
Bang Lamphu :
Close to the Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Bang Lamphu has a lively market where clothing is a popular buy.
Beyond Bangkok :
The main city for shopping outside the capital is Chiang Mai, which ranks as one of the world's largest centres for handicrafts and cottage industries. The extensive range of local products includes cotton and silk, hilltribe clothing, Burmese tapestries, hand-painted umbrellas and lacquerware, and many such items can be found at its fascinating Night Bazaar. Pattaya also offers plentiful shopping for Thai goods while virtually all other cities and resorts provide ample opportunity for buying gifts and souvenirs, as well as local specialties.

Sports

Water Sports :
With three coastlines stretching for hundreds of kilometers, and some of the finest beaches to be found anywhere in Southeast Asia, Thailand has become a major travel destination for lovers of all kinds of water sports. A number of excellent resorts offer a full range of equipment at reasonable rates for anyone interested in exploring the pleasures of deep-sea fishing, windsurfing, water skiing, parasailing, scuba diving, or swimming in crystal clear waters.
One of the first and still one of the most popular water sport centers is Pattaya on the Gulf of Thailand, just two hours drive from Bangkok. The main beach is located on a scenic bay, but facilities are available along the coast for several kilometers. There are also more than 30 picturesque offshore islands with a wealth of coral and many types of tropical fish.
The other major water sport center is the southern island of Phuket in the Andaman Sea. Here on the west coast there are more than 14 magnificent white sandy beaches, all with warm, clear waters, as well as a large number of nearby islands that boast diving conditions to rival the best in the world.
Diving :
Our long coastline offers some of the finest diving opportunities not only in Asia but anywhere in the world. Phuket and Pattaya are both major dive centres, and there are many training facilities with internationally qualified instructors.
The majority of diving destinations close to Phuket are located in nearby Phangnga , where hundreds of limestone islands rise up from the blue waters. Also popular are the largely uninhabited Similan Islands, recently listed among the world's ten most beautiful spots for underwater scenery and the spectacular Phi Phi Islands near Phuket.
On the other side of the peninsula in the Gulf of Thailand is the Ang Thong Islands National Marine Park, a group of more than 40 beautiful islands off the west of Surat Thani province and near Ko Samui. In Pattaya, scuba divers can organize daily trips from the resort to the offshore islands of Ko Lan, Ko Sak, and Ko Krok.
Fishing :
The variety of magnificent scenery, coupled with year round warm weather and an abundance of gamefish make fishing in Thailand's seas a popular water sport.
The Gulf of Thailand, in contrast to the Andaman Sea, is less saline, generally warmer and shallower. Sharks, eagle rays, and barracuda are just a few of the species to be seen here. During the cool season from November to January, sailfish can be spotted in Pattaya and the Bang Saray region, as well as in Chumphon and in the waters around Ko Samui.
In the Gulf itself, Pattaya and Bang Saray are the major centres for gamefishing, with plenty of charter boats available.
Among the best fishing areas in the Andaman Sea are Racha Yai Islands near Phuket and the Similan Islands, northwest of Phuket. Sailfish season runs from mid-May to November, while marlin and tuna bite during the months of late November to May. The main gamefishing centre is Chalong Beach, on the east coast of Phuket.
Canoeing :
Increasingly popular among ecological-minded travelers is the sport of sea canoeing, which offers adventure while also conserving the environment. Sea Canoe Thailand in Phuket and Sea Canoe Krabi both offer memorable trips in nearby bays, through spectacular scenery that includes huge caves only accessible by water.
Kayaking :
Specially constructed inflatable kayaks are now widely available in southern Thailand, especially in Phangnga Bay, where they are used in expeditions to discover the many extraordinary scenic features of the limestone islands and mountains that characterize this region. A number of tour companies offer a variety of expeditions, some of which last several days with overnight accommodation in tents on secluded beaches.
Golf :
We have over two hundred golf courses, many of them championship standard. So for golfers who not only appreciate a challenging course, but an exotically different one too, Thailand offers an unbelievable choice.
Some are just a short chip and putt from Bangkok, such as the Navathanee Golf Course, which was created for the 1975 World Cup and the Ekachai Golf Club, reckoned to be one of the country's most testing courses. Outside Bangkok, there are numerous courses offering high quality facilities, including The Rose Garden in Nakhon Pathom, the Siam Country Club in Pattaya, the Phuket Golf and Country Club on the lush island of Phuket, and the Royal Hua Hin Golf Course, probably the oldest in Thailand.
Mountain Biking :
The north of Thailand is most suitable for this activity because of its cooler temperatures, especially from November to February. A number of companies offer well organized biking tours, most include guides and, on certain tours, back-up vehicles carrying food and overnight equipment. Bikes are also widely available in major tourists destinations, where they can be rented at extremely reasonable rates on a daily basis.
Cliff Climbing :
The most popular area for climbing is the southern province of Phangnga, where towering limestone cliffs provide the perfect challenge.

Thailand hotel travel information and local guide

Go Explore

Welcome to Thailand's Great Outdoors
For the active traveller, Thailand presents endless opportunities for new and exciting adventure. Hiking, jungle treks, scuba diving, birdwatching, whitewater rafting, rock climbing, are just some of the ways to explore the country's immense natural and cultural wealth. On the map, Thailand has the shape of an axe with a long, narrow handle. From the topmost part to the butt end is a length of some 1,650 kilometres, roughly the distance between New York and Miami.
Thanks to its extraordinary length, the country has the most diverse climate in Southeast Asia. In the mountainous North, wintertime temperatures can drop below freezing point while in the Peninsula South it stays balmy all year round. Geographically Thailand is divided into four regions, and the landscape varies from one to the other. The Central Plains, which includes the national capital of Bangkok, is flat and fertile.

The North is marked by forested mountains while the high plateau of the Northeast is relatively dry. The Southern Peninsula, flanked by the Gulf of Thailand to the East and the Andaman Sea to the West, has beaches and wetlands either side of its lush central mountain range. The country has 2,700 kilometres of coastline, making it one of the top destinations for beach and sun lovers.
Thailand's location at the heart of Southeast Asia means the array of plant and wildlife it supports is very diverse. The mountains of the North form the southerly tip of the Himalayan range , making them a natural habitat for high-altitude species not seen in other parts of the country. The Southern Peninsula, on the other hand, is home to flora and fauna similar to those in Malaysia and Indonesia.
If a large part of the country's charm is the work of nature, the cultural diversity that exists here is responsible for the rest. Village life varies from one place to another, and the ethnic tribes and native people of each region have their own distinct traditions and ways of life. Trips to their homes will enable you to explore both the beautiful landscape and the people's amazing customs and lifestyles.
To do all and see all that the country has to offer, you will need months or even years, but if you are planning an adventure holiday, you will probably have to choose from the wide range of choice. For beach and sun: Pattaya and other beach resorts on the Eastern Seaboard; Phuket, Phangnga and Krabi in the South; and the islands in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman.

For diving and marine life: Islands in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea especially Koh Tao, Koh Pangan, Koh Phi Phi and Koh Similan.
For trekking, mountain hiking and hilltribe culture: The mountains of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son and the forest land on the Western border with Myanmar, in Tak and Kanchanaburi.
For animal spotting and bird watching: Khao Yai to the North of Bangkok, Doi Inthanon in Chiang Mai and other wildlife sanctuaries around the country.

Experience Thailand

Agrotourism

It is often said that nobody who’s willing to work will ever starve in Thailand. A 13th century king’s praise for his homeland, inscribed in stone and memorized by schoolchildren, proclaims that “there is rice in the fields, and fish in the waters.” Even in hard times like today, the country’s natural wealth continues to provide hopes and a livelihood for its sons and daughters.
Fruit and salt farming flourish in the provinces on both coasts of the Gulf of Thailand. The Eastern provinces receive the southwest monsoon that makes them greener and wetter than the rest of the country. They produce quality rambutan, mangosteen and some of the best durians for local and overseas markets. Provinces southwest of Bangkok are also fruit growers, though the list varies from one to the next, and cottage industries long ago sprung up to absorb oversupplies. A visit to these quaint little factories offers an opportunity to sample their products and take home some of the best.
Thailand’s agrotourism to a large extent shares a boundary with eco and cultural tourism, since farm life is inseparable from local culture and heritage. Agrotourism centers run by the Department of Agricultural Extension offer tours of local farms with nature exploration and home stay in the villages. Some agro destinations can be enjoyable stops on a long trip, offering sightseeing, education and shopping opportunities in one packages.
Buddhist Meditation
Any of us have at one time or another found the toll of living in the modern world hard to bear. Stress, depression and disillusionment are some of the diseases of modern times that leave us yearning for a solution, a cure, so to speak. More and more people are turning to meditation as they fail to find the answer through worldly paths. Meditation is found in some form or other in all major religious traditions. Even those who are not religious use it to focus the mind, to hone it, so that it works better. In Buddhism, meditation is the integral to the eight-fold path to enlightenment. One trains one’s mind so that it can see the four-point Supreme Truth that forms the core of Buddha’s teachings: suffering, what causes it, the end of suffering, and the path to that end. Even if you are not interested in Buddhism, meditation is a valuable training that can be applied to daily life, for it helps with concentration and when done correctly can lead to a state of peace and calmness that’s beyond worldly joys.
There are two main branches in Buddhist meditation: samatha (calmness, concentration) and vipassana (insight), which stresses mindfulness. This doesn’t mean that the two are entirely separate, since you cannot be mindful unless you have at least some level of concentration. The techniques of samatha meditation are many, some older than Buddhism, others developed after the time of the Buddha. Among the most commonly practiced here is anapanasati, or “mindfulness with breathing.” This technique was advocated by the Venerable Buddhadasa Bhikku (1903-1993), founder of Suan Mokkh Forest Monastery in Surat Thani. Meditators at Suan Mokkh (Garden of Liberation), follow the 16 steps of anapanasati as laid down in Pali texts.
Thai Cooking
Thai cooking as now enjoyed all over the world is a blend of Asian and European influences adopted through centuries of trade and diplomatic exchanges. Thais have traditionally lived close to the land and the waters, and original Thai cooking reflected that. Main ingredients were rice, fish, vegetable and herbs. Very little meat was used, and traditionally beef or buffalo meat was eschewed since the animals were the mainstays of farm life.Thais grilled, baked and stewed their food, until the Chinese introduced the techniques of cooking with hot oil. European merchants, diplomats and missionaries also contributed a lot to the cuisine, starting right after their arrivals in the 16th Century. And we all have the Portuguese to thank for introducing chilies to Thai kitchens. Curries and spices, on the other hand, were brought here by the Indians. Over the years Thai cooks have added their own ingenuity, substituting hard-to-find ingredients with what’s available locally and adapting the recipes to suit Thai palates.
Muay Thai
The history of Muay Thai is interwoven with the history of the Thai people. A gentle, peace-loving people, for centuries Thais had to defend themselves and their land from aggressive powers. They developed a form of close, hand-to-hand combat best suited for the kind of rough-terrain battle they were fighting. Over time it became a rite of passage for Thai men to take up training in this martial art. King Naresuan the Great (1555-1605), one of the country’s most celebrated warrior-heroes, is believed to have been an excellent boxer himself, and it was he who made Muay Thai a required part of military training. Another milestone in the history of Muay Thai was the triumph of Nai Khanom Tom over 10 Burmese boxers in 1774. Taken captive after the Thai capital fell in 1767, Nai Khanom Tom was picked to fight before the Burmese king. After defeating ten of them in a row, he was freed and returned home a hero.

From: Yourrooms.com

New And Different At Sea Festival

Fun-filled activities and a chance to learn about the regional culture are among the highlights of the Sea Festival in Nha Trang

As one of the world’s most beautiful bays, Nha Trang attracts tourists, both local and international. In Nha Trang, tourists can visit many attractions, such as Ponagar Temple, Chong Rocks, Co Tien (Fairy Lady) Bay, Cam Ranh Bay and many more. There also are many delicacies whose taste will bring tourists back for more. Some of these are nem (fermented pork roll) of Ninh Hoa, kho nai (dried deer meat) of Dien Khanh, and birds’ nests. Touring and eating well are great, but they do not offer that absolute relaxed feeling that you get only from activities and entertainment linked to the sea, and exploring the nearby islands.
On June 9-15, the Sea Festival “Nha Trang Rendezvous” 2007 will take place. In the first week there will be many performance and entertainment programs to serve the locals and tourists. Those programs include a ceramics display, the Cham people’s brocade weaving, a stamp exhibition on the theme of the sea, a food street, a sea swimming contest, a flower arranging competition, a beer festival, artistic kite flying, a calligraphy exhibition, exhibition of work by Vietnamese and French artists, a rock music performance, a beauty show, cyclo race and much more. Besides traveling to the city by road, tourists can travel there by the five-star train.
Festival tours
Saigontourist Travel Service has tours to give tourists the opportunity to enjoy the festival atmosphere and assimilate to the local culture, as well as take part in the fun activities. The festival tours depart on June 8, 9 and 10, and cost VND1,272,000-6,395,000 a tourist, depending on hotel standard and means of transport (road, train or airplane).
The tours will help tourists use to the maximum the time they have available. So they will travel to see the sights around Nha Trang, take part in most of the events in the festival, and tray out the entertainment world of VinPearl Land. To get to VinPearl they can use the world’s longest cable car system crossing the sea; they can rest at Thap Ba Hot Spring Resort to enjoy the hydrotherapy. Tourists can also opt for participating in the festival as well as exploring the beauty of the sea, visiting Lao Island, mostly known as Monkey Island, or even learning how to dive.
If taking the tour by road, tourists can enjoy the beauty of Ca Na Beach, one of the best beaches of the Central region, and the road along the Lo River or Ro Island along the dreamlike Cam Ranh Beach.
Saigontourist Travel Service
Add: 49 Le Thanh Ton St., Dist. 1, HCM CityTel: 8279 279, email: info@saigontourist.net, website: www.saigontourist.net
TOURISM NEWS
For the upcoming summer, Ben Thanh Tourist offers tours catering to this season, as follows:
TOURS TO FOREIGN COUNTRIES:
• Spain-Portugal, 7 days, costing US$2,850/tourist
• Greece, 7 days, costing US$2,300/tourist• Germany-Belgium-Holland-France-Italy, 12 days, US$3,090/tourist
• The U.S., 13 days, costing US$3,980/tourist
• Japan (Osaka-Tokyo-Nagoya-Hakone-Tokyo), 8 days, costing US$2,119/tourist
• Australia (Sydney and Melbourne), 8 days, costing US$2,250/tourist
• Korea (Jeju, Seoul and Nami), 7 days, costing US$2,300/touristLOCAL TOURS:
• Sports holiday tours, 2 days, costing VND545,000/tourist
• Central heritage road, 26 days, costing VND4,290,000/tourist
• Back to Thang Long, 6 days, costing VND7,220,000/tourist• Five-star tours to Nha Trang, 3 days, costing VND5,344,000/tourist

From: TIEN DAT (The Saigon Times Weekly)

Dragon House Harks Back To French

The former office of a French shipping company, Nha Rong or Dragon House,is one of the well-recognized historical sites of HCM City
On September 3, 1979, 10 years after President Ho Chi Minh passed away, HCM City authorities decided to establish a place to commemorate him. The selected spot was a waterfront building called Nha Rong. It was at this wharf that 21-year-old Nguyen Tat Thanh boarded a ship for France in 1911 and then lived in many other countries. Thirty years later, he returned to Vietnam with the name Ho Chi Minh to be a leader of the national liberation movement.
Nha Rong is the name that Vietnamese used to call the office of France’s Messageries Maritimes Company. This magnificent building was built in 1863, four years after the French seized Saigon. It has original and strange architecture. Its roof has the elegant beauty of the roof of a Chinese pagoda with two dragons competing for a fireball. As there are two dragons on the roof, Vietnamese call the building Nha Rong.
Nha Rong is located at the three-way intersection of the Saigon River and Ben Nghe Canal. On the far side of the canal, there was a rice field on a high area. At that time, there was no bridge over the canal, so people went to Nha Rong by boat. More than 20 years later, the Messageries iron bridge was built to connect Adran Street, now Ho Tung Mau Street, with the far side of the canal.
Messageries Maritimes was a big sea transport company and was established in 1851. It was headquartered in Marseilles and had shipping routes to America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Many ships of the company were named after Vietnam’s geographical places such as Annam, Tourane, Sontay, and Haiphong. Nha Rong Port was the stopover for ships going from Marseilles to Hong Kong and Yokohama.
Many postcards were printed with the images of ships and ports used by Messageries Maritimes and there were paintings of the company’s ships in storms. Nha Rong appeared in many postcards for decades. Later it was printed on the Vietnamese 50,000-dong banknote. Together with Ben Thanh Market, Nha Rong is one of the two symbols of HCM City.
After Vietnam was reunified in 1975, Nha Rong was repaired to serve as a house of commemoration, then as the Ho Chi Minh Museum in the south. After Nha Rong was restored, the two dragons on the roof no longer faced each other: one looked east and the other looked west. On the roofs of palaces or pagodas, dragons sometimes confront each other, look outside or look back. Vietnam has been in the situation of two dragons fighting each other several times. Most dramatically, it was when the Trinh and Nguyen fought each other and the period after the Geneva Accords of 1954.
Trinh and Nguyen Lords competed for power, so Vietnam was divided into the North and the South, with the Gianh River in Quang Binh Province as the border. Once, after the signing of Geneva Accords in 1954, Vietnam was divided at Latitude 17. Ngo Dinh Diem’s Government in the south, supported by the U.S., refused to hold a general election to reunify the country. The 20-year war that followed caused much human misery and slowed the building of the country.
On the bank of Ben Nghe Canal opposite Nha Rong, the French erected a mast to signal the travel of ships and boats. Vietnamese called it Thu Ngu Flag Pole, which remains. Nearby is La Pointe des Blagueurs for people who were fond of joking. This was an ideal place to sit and chat and watch the ships travel on the Saigon River, enter and leave Ben Nghe Canal, or berth at Nha Rong Port.
TOURISM NEWS
A hand for the poor in Dak Lak
With the aim of helping the poor community in Dak Lak Province, on May 26-27, Saigontourist Holding Company, in cooperation with the Dak Lak Fatherland Front Committee, Dak Lak Tourism Joint Stock Co., and HCM City Volunteer Health Club, held the program “Saigontourist for the Community.” The program included visits, offering diagnosis and treatment, and distributing free medicine and presents to 720 households in Lak District’s Pongkrang, Krongno, Dakphoi and Daklieng communes. The participants of the program were over 50 young doctors of HCM City Volunteer Health Club.
According to Tran Hung Viet, Saigontourist deputy general director and the program’s organizing board chairman, Saigontourist always gives attention to charity works, contributing to eliminating hunger and reducing poverty. Annually, the company donates about VND4 billion to help people and households in need and give scholarships to poor, studious students, help those suffering from disasters, and build houses, hospitals and schools. “The program in Dak Lak was part of Saigontourist’s plan to join forces with society to improve social welfare and foster hunger elimination and poverty reduction,” said Viet.
Aiming to boost the charity work into the professional level, in October 2006, Saigontourist founded the organizing board of “Saigontourist for the Community” program with activities carried out every month, quarter and year, with the participation of the staff of the company and its affiliates.
Training for Saigontourist staff
In its 32 years of growth, Saigontourist knows well that to enhance its brand name it must focus on training its human resources. On May 23-24, Saigontourist held a training course titled “21st Century Leader Skills,” for 25 leaders of international hotels and travel companies directly under Saigontourist. The trainer was Jennifer D. Water, an expert who has experience in consultancy in the hospitality and tourism industry in Australia and with international organizations like Greenpeace. She works for Spectra Consulting and Training Company of Singapore.
In addition to organizing staff competitions to improve professional skills, Saigontourist also invites lecturers from international tourism training centers to give lectures as well as sending Saigontourist people overseas to get advanced knowledge in management, which has brought about encouraging consequences.
"From now on, we will encounter fierce competition from international brand names that are capital-rich and strong in management and advanced services. In this competition, Saigontourist has to assert its position as well as its strength on the basis of Saigontourist and Vietnamese technology. Therefore, human resources play a vital role as the key to success,” Saigontourist general director Nguyen Huu Tho said.

From: TRAN TAN MY (The Saigon Times Weekly)