CHIANG MAI : Local tourism businesses are committed to repositioning Chiang Mai as a destination for the meeting, incentive, convention and exhibition (Mice) business in place of leisure travel in an effort to address a tourism slowdown in the province.

The northern province has been seen as a leisure tourism destination for 30 years but few new tourism products have been developed to attract return visitors, according to Kanok Suwansutr, president of the Northern Chapter of the Thai Hotels Association.

”The private sector hopes that the repositioning of Chiang Mai will help attract Mice visitors to revisit throughout the entire year, not just for [the October-February high] season at present,” said Mr Kanok.

Full report here.

From Bangkokpost.com:

At this stage, Chiang Mai, Bangkok and Krabi top the list of provinces with the highest number of nominated destinations.

Among Chiang Mai’s candidates are its old city, Doi Luang Chiang Dao (a mountain in a wildlife sanctuary named after it), Wat Chan village, the Doi Angkhang Royal Project, the Bo Sang Umbrella Centre and four national parks - Doi Inthanon, Doi Suthep, Mae Fang and Huai Nam Dang.

The nominated sites in Bangkok include the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Wat Benchamabophit, Wat Pho, the Erawan Shrine, Lumphini Park and the Suan Pakkad Palace Museum.

In Krabi province, the Phi Phi islands, Tha Pom, Railay beach and Tap Khaek beach are among the places on the list.

High number of destinations does give the tourist more choices. Which is your favourite?

Storm warnings were issued to locals in Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Sukhothai, Phichit and Tak provinces.

The article stated heavy rains are expected in these areas “June 30 - May 2″. Probably a typo. May 30 - June 2?

Excerpts from the article from www.news.com.au today:

THAI provincial officials have allowed a new “human zoo” featuring long-necked or “giraffe” women to open near Bangkok despite mounting international criticism of the tourism practice, media reports said.

They are called the Padung or long-necked Karen in Thailand, but they consider those terms denigrating and call themselves Kayan.

Seven Kayan villages are already marketed as tourist attractions in Thailand’s northern provinces of Mae Hong Son and Chiang Mai.

But for the first time, a new “village” of Kayans was recently opened in Sattahip in Chonburi province, 100km south-east of Bangkok and a few kilometres from the Pattaya beach resort, the Daily XPress newspaper said.

Read more here:
http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,26058,23739459-5014090,00.html