Thailand in your hand... let your smartphone guides you through the trip!

Thailand is a wondrous kingdom, featuring Buddhist temples, exotic wildlife and spectacular islands. Along with a fascinating history and a unique culture that includes delectable Thai food, Thai massage and much more to explore.

Top questions from new visitors are where to go, how to get to places, where to stay, where to eat, and shopping tips and information etc. Since Wifi and 3G is available throughout big cities and tourist attractions in Thailand, all those information become searchable, portable and easily personalized via your mobile apps! 

When you travel to Thailand, you can now use mobile applications as another choice to guide you through the trip. Here are some apps that may be your perfect guide for your next visit.

Amazing Thailand
By Thailand in your hand 
Quickly find the information you need to make your holiday go smoothly with the new "Amazing Thailand".

VISIT THAILAND 
By Thailand Tourism Application 
Officially published by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the application celebrates the stunning beauty of Thailand's

TAT Contactcenter 1672 
By TAT Contactcenter 
The "TAT CONTACT CENTER" mobile application also links to the TAT website and 1672 TAT Contact Center facebook page. Where you can find all about Thailand tourist information.

iTHAI 
By Thailand Official Guide 
"iThai - Thailand Official Guide" for iPhone and iPod Touch is the official guide to Thailand. Realized by Mazzanti

Green Tourism 
By Tourism Authority of Thailand 
Do you want to travel differently? This application will guide you through GREEN destinations & hotels throughout Thailand.

Eat and Drink in BKK 
By McCann Worldgroup Thailand 
Sometimes, the best way to discover a city is through eating and drinking. EAT DRINK BKK is ideal for those looking for great food & drinks in Bangkok.

Amazing Thailand Golf Paradise 
By Tourism Authority of Thailand 
This app provide a complete golf guide (nearby, address, reservation, fares, route guidance). An extensive collection of over 150 golf course and over 80 driving range nationwide .

Amazing Thailand Blissful Honeymoon 
By Tourism Authority of Thailand 
Are you looking for honeymoon destination? Amazing Thailand. Blissful Honeymoon is a perfect app which can help you plan for your ultimate day.

Find more apps! Click

Guide to Celebrate Songkran Water Festival in Town 2012

If you still have no idea where is best to celebrate Songkran this year, and had enough for Kao San or Silom – there are many more places that you can easily go & get WET along the BTS / MRT lines! 

For Songkran event at Siam Square this year, you will see the traditional Thai Songkran festival and get to know more about ‘Pha Kao Ma’ or the Thai cotton sarong / garment. Join bating Buddha images, making merit, enjoy splashing water, watching a beautiful parade, many exciting street shows from Thailand Got Talent & concert from Thai famous singers / bands such as T-Bone, Room 39, 3.50 Baht, Burin, Lipta, Modern Dog, Joey Boy etc. Yes, don’t forget to wear the Thai cotton sarong to join this event!

Venue: Siam Square

Event: Songkran May-sa ‘Pha Kao Ma’ Krong Lok

Date: 13-15 Apr

Time: 9:00 – 19:00

Organizer: Ministry of Culture Thailand & Siam SquareTransport: BTS Siam Station

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Let’s get wet and totally soaked up with the ‘60 – Minute Water Blast’ at Siam Paragon. Enjoy a spectacular ‘Giant Lighting Balloon’ and concert from Thai famous singers / bands such as K-Otic, Joey Boy, Thaitanium, C Quint, Four-Mod, Neko Jump, AF, Dan Voravate etc.

Venue: Siam Paragon

Event: Summer Blast Festival

Date: 13-15 Apr

Time: 12:00 – 21:00

Organizer: Siam Paragon

Transport: BTS Siam Station

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Enjoy splashing water in the oldie Thai festive atmosphere in center of town. There are 3 entertaining zones to explore;

1. A Carnival World which you can have fun with those amusement park rides such as a Ferris wheel or Merry-go-round etc.

2. An Entertainment World which you can sing & dance along the concert & famous DJs. Here, you can stuff your stomach with those delicious foods & beverage from various pop-up stores.

3. A Water World… yes, lots of wet & fun with the foam party and dancing shows.

Venue: Central World

Event: Amazing Bangkok Songkran Festival

Date: 13-15 Apr

Time: 12:00 – 22:00

Organizer: Bangkok Governor & M2F newspaper

Transport: BTS Chidlom or Siam Station

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The 4^th Songkran event organized by Snop Club should never let you down, this year you can have fun and go crazy in the SNOP style! Enjoy outdoor concert from Burin and The Old School All Star. Joining the water war with those pretty girls in the giant pool and much more.

Venue: Ratchada Soi 4

Event: SNOP SPLASH 004

Date: 13-15 Apr

Time: 17:00 – 03:00

Organizer: Snop Club

Transport: MRT Thailand Cultural Centre Station

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‘They said’ the Route66 Songkran Summer Festival 2012 is the most enjoyable, most soaking, and the craziest water festive at night time ever! Well, no one knows better than you. Experience it for yourself with the 5 Days 5 Themes water festival at Route66 Club (RCA), Enjoy water splashing in Hip-Hop beats, crazy dressing up, and concert from many famous DJs - lead by DJ Phum and DJ Petcha from Virgin HitZ radio;

12 April : Navy Party

13 April : Cosplay Night

14 April : The X-Night

15 April : Immortal Night

16 April : Beach Party

Venue: RCA

Event: Route66 Songkran Summer Fest 2012

Date: 12-16 Apr

Time: 18:00 – 02:00

Organizer: Route66 Club (RCA)

Transport: MRT Rama9 Station

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The 6^th Special Songkran Festive organized by the Gcircuit for those ‘Boy-lovers’. Enjoy splashing water and dancing along with the beats from many famous DJs from Thailand, Taiwan, Mexico, and USA in the concept Wild. Wow. Wet.

Venue: Zen, 18^th fl. (13-14 Apr), Fallabella restaurant (15 Apr)

Event: Gcircuit’s Songkran 6

Date: 13-15 Apr

Time: Fore more information, please contact Thai Ticket Major at Siam Paragon

Organizer: Gcircuit

Transport: Zen, BTS Chidlom Station

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Have a Happy Songkran Everyone!! 

Lots of WET!..

By Bliston Society Team 

Successful Thai Hotel… Brand Blissfully Claims Higher

In the extremely competitive Bangkok hotel market where practically all major international management brands are well-entrenched it was a pleasant surprise to stumble across a Thai one which is steadily gain ground.

This up-and-coming Thai brand is Bliston which first built itself up at the well-know Bliston Suwan Park View Residence Suite and Hotel near Chidlom skytrain station and is now managing two more hotels – Baan KResidence and Viva Garden with the latter being a recent addition to the portfolio.

Similar to a host of textile companies that in recent years have drifted to property and hotel businesses Bliston’s owner, Suwan Group, also did so about nine years ago with the opening of its 152-room downtown hotel and about five years after that it terminated a management contract with an international brand in order to itself take the helm and expand.

Kijja Laowsuwan, Bliston Property Management Company’s general manager said recently that Suwan Group has a four-decade-old yarn and grey fabric factory is in Samut Sakorn province while also owning and operating Suwan Golf and Country Club in Nakhon Pathom and The Circle Ratchapruek community mall.

What is interesting about the new Bliston property, Viva Garden, is its location on the eastern fringes of the metropolis just a few steps away from Bangchak Skytrain Station with this adding to the massive build up of the whole stretch from Sukhumvit Soi 71 all the way to Soi 107 in recent years. Many property developers already foresaw the potential of this area and have steadily launched numerous condominium buildings priced lower than the offering in downtown proper.

However as hotel competition in Bangkok is really fierce at the moment one does have to have something special to attract guests and Mr. Kijja said Viva Garden does so by offering specious 90-square-meter one-bedroom suites which have a pantry in one corner of the large living room. This new hotel also has a swimming pool, deck and garden in a secluded area at the rear of the building.

“The location of all properties we manage has to be easily accessible be it by road or public transportation – Skytrain and the underground.

“Secondly the rooms have to be good and by good I mean better than others in the same price range

“If you can’t beat them on facilities you have to do so in room size”

While building up a Thai brand is challenging, Mr. Kijja pointed out that local ones have an edge over international chains and this is particularly so in term of getting along with the property owners.

“While international brands have their strengths, we have ours too and we understand the owners because we are on both sides – we own a building while also managing properties.

“International brands are quite strict about managing a hotel – you have to invest in furnishing a certain type of room and have a theme that matches their brand.

“But we try to operate an existing property by working out how it could function as a hotel and serviced residence. Of course we do this without the owner having to invest a lot in refurbishing all the rooms again.”

Those determined to get a global brand should rope one in just when the contruction begins because doing so later means having to spend a lot more money in making changes. Mr. Kijja added that it is not only the rooms that have to meet their standard with the contract too usually being as they want it and the cost is higher than a local label.

“While there are successful international brands, there are also many that have failed. And although it usually looks good to the owner, in the end there is nothing left because while the income is good the expenses are also high.”

He succinctly added that global brands have a host of hotels in the portfolio and might find it difficult to please all the owners while Bliston does tend to select clients and ensure that they don’t compete in the same segment.

It is well-know that no matter how tough a market there will always be investors keen on jumping in with this definitely applying to hotel business but these potential investors are warned that this is a long term undertaking and they should not expect a quick return on their investment.

Management contracts too are long term and although Bliston accepts a five-year term the marketing standard is 10 years, sometimes even 12 years. Of course there is an exit clause if the management fails to deliver what is promised in the contract.

“We normally table a business plan to the owner to consider and we have to follow this plan. If we can’t deliver then we have to sit down and talk about why we cannot do so.”

While competing as best they can, Bliston Property Management does draw the line on reducing room rates to pull guests with charges levied at Viva Garden being on par with internationally – branded establishments.

“Consumer habits have changed and they no longer follow the brand and mostly now focus on the product.”

“Previously guests had to book through agencies but today they can do so directly via the internet.”

Although there is no denying the global impact of the lingering western economic problems with all spheres of life being affected, Mr. Kijja pointed out that although some groups of customers have had to cut their hotel budget and find cheaper accommodation others continue to require a better-branded hotel.

“Although there is an impact it is not a total one, it is not that only three-star hotels are selling well because the price is not the only factor with quality too counting.”

Being very pleased with what he has achieved so far Mr. Kijja is now looking ahead to expanding to neighboring countries such as Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.

While Myanmar is currently attracting a lot of attention from all types of investors, he pointed out that it would not be easy to enter Myanmar and there would continue to be uncertainly as well as a certain amount of fluctuation.

 cr: By Post@Post, The Bangkok Post Classified 7-8/04/12

BLISTON SUWAN PARK VIEW HONORED IN THE 2012 TRIPADVISOR TRAVELERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

Bangkok, Thailand. – 5th Apr '12 - TripAdvisor®, the world’s largest travel website, today reveals Bliston Suwan Park View was chosen as  "Top 25 Hotels for Families in Thailand" winner by TripAdvisor in its 2012 Travelers’ Choice® awards.

The annual TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice awards honor the world’s best hotels, earning their distinction from those who know them best – real travelers. Unlike any other hotel honors, TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice winners are based on millions of valuable reviews and opinions from travelers around the world. 

“With the help of millions of travelers around the globe, TripAdvisor is thrilled to recognize the world’s most outstanding hotels with the Travelers’ Choice Awards,” said Christine Petersen, president, TripAdvisor for Business. “Recognizing the best of the best based on traveler feedback and reviews, value and quality are the hallmarks of our Travelers’ Choice winners.”

This is another great pride for Bliston Property Management (BPM) from one of their properties, Bliston Suwan Park View after Baan K Residence by Bliston also won the Top 25 Bargain Hotels in Thailand by TripAdvisor in its 2012 Travelers’ Choice® awards and the Viva Garden by Bliston went up to ranking #1 on the most popular hotel in Bangkok in Q4 of 2011 and Q1 of 2012.

For reviews on the  Bliston Suwan Park View, go to http://bit.ly/HY9ftl 

For the complete 2012 Travelers’ Choice list, go to www.tripadvisor.com/travelerschoice.