Chiang Mai salute the City Pillar

A celebration of peace and prosperity, this annual festival brings thousands of people from around the northern region to pay homage to the ancient city pillar and also features cultural shows and spiritual events. The ritual can be fairly primitive, with animal sacrifices, as well as gracious, with flower offerings to the Buddha. Wat Chedi Luang is in the heart of Chiang Mai Old Town.

 

More flights to Kolkata

India’s Jet Airways is to operate an additional Boeing 737 flight between Kolkata and Bangkok from tomorrow onwards. This is the second daily frequency to be introduced on this route and aims to cater to the enhanced demand with the upcoming holiday season. Flight 9W 72 leaves Kolkata at 9.50am and arrive Bangkok at 2pm. On the return leg, 9W 71 departs Bangkok at 2.50pm and arrive Kolkata at 4pm providing onward connections to other destinations on the airline’s network. Visit www.JetAirways.com.

 

Secrets of the South

Aleenta Phuket-Phang Nga sets off a new culinary journey through a series of dinners inspired by the well-kept secret recipes of southern Siam. Served every Monday and orchestrated by Chef Premchit Prateap Na Thalang, the Na Thalang Ancestral Siamese Cuisine Secret Dinners bring to the table a distinctive southern Siamese cuisine, with its immigrant Chinese and Indian elements, suffused with intense, rich aromas and flavours from the forests and seas of the Andaman coast. Book a table at (02) 514 8112 or e-mail [email protected].

 

Sofitel plants the mangrove

A team from Sofitel Krabi Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort, led by general manager Robin Deb and 30 “ambassadors” recently headed to Khao Thong to assist in the mangrove planting. A total of 350 mangrove saplings were planted across a large area of swampland in part of the protected area of Khao Thong, which is in Krabi’s Muang district. Part of Planet 21, Accor’s sustainable environment campaign, mangrove planting is the hotel’s first project in helping to make Krabi a better place to live.