http://www.indigore.com Real Estate Blog by Indigore http://backend.userland.com/rss http://mybloggie.mywebland.com/?v=2.1.6 http://www.indigore.com/blog/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=126 02 Mar 2010 09:22:14 am GMT + Phuket http://www.indigore.com/blog/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=126 [b]Baltimore debating levy of 25 cents on disposable bags[/b] [img]http://www.indigore.com/blog/files/52471705.jpg[/img] [i]Belinda Moore, right, places Barbara Boyd's groceries in a reusable bag at Safeway in Anacostia. Food retailers in the District of Columbia say they're selling about 50 percent fewer plastic and paper bags than they used to give away before a nickel fee took effect Jan. 1. (Baltimore Sun photo by Barbara Haddock Taylor / February 25, 2010)[/i] By Timothy B. Wheeler WASHINGTON — - "Paper or plastic?" is no longer the question most often on store clerks' lips in the nation's capital these days when shoppers are buying food. Instead, cashiers here routinely ask customers if they want a bag at all, since they have to pay a nickel for each disposable sack they use to hold their groceries, snacks or takeout meals. For many shoppers in the District of Columbia, the nickel fee has been an impetus to cut back on previously free store bags that all too often wind up in the trash - or littering nearby streams and trees. While Baltimore's City Council is debating whether to levy a stiff fee of 25 cents on each plastic or paper bag - or to ban plastic entirely - the district has gotten its residents' attention, it seems, with a fee that might seem trivial to most shoppers. The measure's chief sponsor says food retailers say they're selling roughly 50 percent fewer plastic and paper bags than they used to give away before the fee took effect Jan. 1. "We wanted to get into people's heads, not into their pockets, by having them make a decision at checkout: 'Do they need a bag with that?' " said Councilman Tommy Wells. (It is unclear how much a 25 cent fee would reduce bag usage in Baltimore.) For Barbara Boyd, the answer to "paper or plastic" this week was neither. She carried her groceries away from the Safeway at Good Hope Marketplace in southeast Washington in one of the supermarket's black reusable bags, which cost 99 cents apiece. "The only problem I have is forgetting my bags," said Boyd, who works for the Architect of the Capitol. She said lapses have prompted her to buy more reusable bags, and she now has six. But, she said, "I need them all." Washington is the first major U.S. city to go through with a fee on disposable bags for food. Seattle adopted a 20 cent fee, only to have voters repeal it in a referendum. San Francisco is the only major municipality to have banned plastic merchandise bags, although they're also outlawed on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Government fees or restrictions on disposable bags have had a tough time taking hold. Plastic bag manufacturers and anti-tax activists, among others, say that litter should be tackled through voluntary recycling. And bag fees, opponents contend, are ill-disguised revenue grabs that hurt the poor by making them pay more for groceries and food. The District of Columbia, however, appears to have overcome the traditional resistance with a relatively small fee that is earmarked for a popular environmental cause, plus a concerted public education campaign that includes merchants giving away free reusable bags and offering discounts to customers who use them. "The fact that it has gone as well as it has says a lot not just about the residents, the customers, but a number of businesses really stepped forward to prepare their customers," Wells said. Others say they don't mind paying the fee. Walking out of the Safeway, Stanford Gaskins carried his goods in a plastic bag, for which he'd paid an extra nickel. "It's not that bad," the 56-year-old retiree said. "You really don't notice that, to be honest." Besides, he added, "if it's going to something worthwhile, I don't mind." A portion of the fee goes back to merchants to cover their costs for collecting it and for giving customers incentives to bring their own bags. But the rest of the revenue is earmarked for cleanup of the Anacostia River. The tributary of the Potomac River, which drains the eastern half of the district, is fouled by sewage, pollutants and tons of trash. Plastic bags made up 47 percent of the debris littering the streams feeding into the river, according to a 2008 survey. Restoring the river has become a popular rallying cry in the district, akin to saving the Chesapeake Bay. So proponents of the bag fee were able to blunt some of the criticism. The Washington fee could raise $3.5 million in its first year - a relative drop in the bucket compared with the billions of dollars that officials say might be needed to restore the Anacostia. (Income projections for Baltimore's 25 cent fee range from $1.6 million to $6.4 million.) But that amount is likely to decline if residents switch to shopping with their own bags. Wells, the fee's architect, says he's fine with that. "We did not do this to raise revenue," he said. The fee was set at a nickel, he said, after learning that customers at IKEA stores had virtually stopped asking for plastic bags after the Scandinavian furniture chain started charging a nickel for each. Merchants say there was confusion and grumbling when the fee took effect. "There was a certain amount of pushback," said Greg Ten Eyck, spokesman for Safeway, which has 16 stores in the District of Columbia. "Over time, people have gotten used to it." Smaller grocers also have made their peace with the fee. "I think it's overall a good thing," said Gary Cha, owner of six Yes! Organic food stores in the District and head of Washington's Korean-American grocers, many of whom operate small neighborhood stores. Merchants have seen an increase in shoplifting, he said, because it's harder to keep an eye on customers who come in with their own shopping bags. But Cha estimated that his stores, which like many were promoting reusable bags before the fee took effect, are now dispensing 25 percent fewer plastic and paper sacks. But Louis Woodland, for one, isn't on board. "Why should you have to pay for a bag if you buy groceries?" the 63-year-old real estate salesman asked as he left the Good Hope Safeway with his turkey sandwich in hand. More common, though, were shoppers such as Endia Sharpe, who stood at the bus stop in front of the Safeway with four green and blue reusable bags bearing the Giant Food logo. Sharpe, 24 and unemployed, said she got her bags free from Safeway's competitor. (Both chains gave away thousands of free bags in the run-up to the fee, according to spokesmen.) "They're better than plastic bags," Sharpe said. Baltimore's harbor and the streams that feed into it suffer from many of the same ills as the Anacostia. The city is under a federal mandate to reduce the torrent of trash getting into the harbor - as Washington is for the Anacostia - because floating refuse discourages public enjoyment of the water and often carries bacteria and other pollutants. In the next few weeks, after more than a year of sporadically discussing what to do about bags, Baltimore's City Council might be edging toward a vote on taking a tougher stance than Washington's. Councilman Bill Henry, representing North Baltimore, has introduced separate bills that would levy a 25 cent fee on disposable plastic and on paper bags. Henry said he proposed a higher fee than Washington's "to try to change behavior as quickly and strongly as possible." Councilman James B. Kraft, representing the Canton area, is pushing for a ban on plastic bags. A committee vote on the bills is scheduled March 16. Only a handful of council members have signed on to the bills, and they are opposed by some grocers and advocates for the poor, as well as by national manufacturers of plastic bags. Last year, Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake, then City Council president, opposed a 25 cent fee, saying it would hurt low-income residents. Spokesman Ryan O'Doherty said Rawlings-Blake, now the mayor, might support a smaller fee if it exempted those receiving food stamps or other public assistance. Henry said he's open to "almost any kind of change or compromise" that would win over merchants and other opponents to make progress in reducing litter in the city's streets and waters. "It's going to be a really tough issue," Kraft said. [u]Copyright © 2010, The Baltimore Sun[/u] [b]Baltimore debating levy of 25 cents on disposable bags[/b] [img]http://www.indigore.com/blog/files/52471705.jpg[/img] [i]Belinda Moore, right, places Barbara Boyd's groceries in a reusable bag at Safeway in Anacostia. Food retailers in the District of Columbia say they're selling about 50 percent fewer plastic and paper bags than they used to give away before a nickel fee took effect Jan. 1. (Baltimore Sun photo by Barbara Haddock Taylor / February 25, 2010)[/i] By Timothy B. Wheeler WASHINGTON — - "Paper or plastic?" is no longer the question most often on store clerks' lips in the nation's capital these days when shoppers are buying food. Instead, cashiers here routinely ask customers if they want a bag at all, since they have to pay a nickel for each disposable sack they use to hold their groceries, snacks or takeout meals. For many shoppers in the District of Columbia, the nickel fee has been an impetus to cut back on previously free store bags that all too often wind up in the trash - or littering nearby streams and trees. While Baltimore's City Council is debating whether to levy a stiff fee of 25 cents on each plastic or paper bag - or to ban plastic entirely - the district has gotten its residents' attention, it seems, with a fee that might seem trivial to most shoppers. The measure's chief sponsor says food retailers say they're selling roughly 50 percent fewer plastic and paper bags than they used to give away before the fee took effect Jan. 1. "We wanted to get into people's heads, not into their pockets, by having them make a decision at checkout: 'Do they need a bag with that?' " said Councilman Tommy Wells. (It is unclear how much a 25 cent fee would reduce bag usage in Baltimore.) For Barbara Boyd, the answer to "paper or plastic" this week was neither. She carried her groceries away from the Safeway at Good Hope Marketplace in southeast Washington in one of the supermarket's black reusable bags, which cost 99 cents apiece. "The only problem I have is forgetting my bags," said Boyd, who works for the Architect of the Capitol. She said lapses have prompted her to buy more reusable bags, and she now has six. But, she said, "I need them all." Washington is the first major U.S. city to go through with a fee on disposable bags for food. Seattle adopted a 20 cent fee, only to have voters repeal it in a referendum. San Francisco is the only major municipality to have banned plastic merchandise bags, although they're also outlawed on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Government fees or restrictions on disposable bags have had a tough time taking hold. Plastic bag manufacturers and anti-tax activists, among others, say that litter should be tackled through voluntary recycling. And bag fees, opponents contend, are ill-disguised revenue grabs that hurt the poor by making them pay more for groceries and food. The District of Columbia, however, appears to have overcome the traditional resistance with a relatively small fee that is earmarked for a popular environmental cause, plus a concerted public education campaign that includes merchants giving away free reusable bags and offering discounts to customers who use them. "The fact that it has gone as well as it has says a lot not just about the residents, the customers, but a number of businesses really stepped forward to prepare their customers," Wells said. Others say they don't mind paying the fee. Walking out of the Safeway, Stanford Gaskins carried his goods in a plastic bag, for which he'd paid an extra nickel. "It's not that bad," the 56-year-old retiree said. "You really don't notice that, to be honest." Besides, he added, "if it's going to something worthwhile, I don't mind." A portion of the fee goes back to merchants to cover their costs for collecting it and for giving customers incentives to bring their own bags. But the rest of the revenue is earmarked for cleanup of the Anacostia River. The tributary of the Potomac River, which drains the eastern half of the district, is fouled by sewage, pollutants and tons of trash. Plastic bags made up 47 percent of the debris littering the streams feeding into the river, according to a 2008 survey. Restoring the river has become a popular rallying cry in the district, akin to saving the Chesapeake Bay. So proponents of the bag fee were able to blunt some of the criticism. The Washington fee could raise $3.5 million in its first year - a relative drop in the bucket compared with the billions of dollars that officials say might be needed to restore the Anacostia. (Income projections for Baltimore's 25 cent fee range from $1.6 million to $6.4 million.) But that amount is likely to decline if residents switch to shopping with their own bags. Wells, the fee's architect, says he's fine with that. "We did not do this to raise revenue," he said. The fee was set at a nickel, he said, after learning that customers at IKEA stores had virtually stopped asking for plastic bags after the Scandinavian furniture chain started charging a nickel for each. Merchants say there was confusion and grumbling when the fee took effect. "There was a certain amount of pushback," said Greg Ten Eyck, spokesman for Safeway, which has 16 stores in the District of Columbia. "Over time, people have gotten used to it." Smaller grocers also have made their peace with the fee. "I think it's overall a good thing," said Gary Cha, owner of six Yes! Organic food stores in the District and head of Washington's Korean-American grocers, many of whom operate small neighborhood stores. Merchants have seen an increase in shoplifting, he said, because it's harder to keep an eye on customers who come in with their own shopping bags. But Cha estimated that his stores, which like many were promoting reusable bags before the fee took effect, are now dispensing 25 percent fewer plastic and paper sacks. But Louis Woodland, for one, isn't on board. "Why should you have to pay for a bag if you buy groceries?" the 63-year-old real estate salesman asked as he left the Good Hope Safeway with his turkey sandwich in hand. More common, though, were shoppers such as Endia Sharpe, who stood at the bus stop in front of the Safeway with four green and blue reusable bags bearing the Giant Food logo. Sharpe, 24 and unemployed, said she got her bags free from Safeway's competitor. (Both chains gave away thousands of free bags in the run-up to the fee, according to spokesmen.) "They're better than plastic bags," Sharpe said. Baltimore's harbor and the streams that feed into it suffer from many of the same ills as the Anacostia. The city is under a federal mandate to reduce the torrent of trash getting into the harbor - as Washington is for the Anacostia - because floating refuse discourages public enjoyment of the water and often carries bacteria and other pollutants. In the next few weeks, after more than a year of sporadically discussing what to do about bags, Baltimore's City Council might be edging toward a vote on taking a tougher stance than Washington's. Councilman Bill Henry, representing North Baltimore, has introduced separate bills that would levy a 25 cent fee on disposable plastic and on paper bags. Henry said he proposed a higher fee than Washington's "to try to change behavior as quickly and strongly as possible." Councilman James B. Kraft, representing the Canton area, is pushing for a ban on plastic bags. A committee vote on the bills is scheduled March 16. Only a handful of council members have signed on to the bills, and they are opposed by some grocers and advocates for the poor, as well as by national manufacturers of plastic bags. Last year, Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake, then City Council president, opposed a 25 cent fee, saying it would hurt low-income residents. Spokesman Ryan O'Doherty said Rawlings-Blake, now the mayor, might support a smaller fee if it exempted those receiving food stamps or other public assistance. Henry said he's open to "almost any kind of change or compromise" that would win over merchants and other opponents to make progress in reducing litter in the city's streets and waters. "It's going to be a really tough issue," Kraft said. [u]Copyright © 2010, The Baltimore Sun[/u]...

]]> http://www.indigore.com/blog/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=126 http://www.indigore.com/blog/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=125 02 Mar 2010 09:10:50 am GMT + Thailand http://www.indigore.com/blog/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=125 [b]A leading legal adviser says the property situation is not as bad as is perceived [/b] After coming to a screeching halt for most of last year, Thailand's resort property markets have bounced back over the past six months with increased activity at the higher end and secondary-market sales also brisk, says Marcus Collins, a partner with DFDL Mekong Legal and Tax Advisers. To go by transactions that have passed through his law office, a lot of people are making good money on their investments in Phuket even though global economic conditions are far from rosy. "You would expect that properties would be offered at discounts, but sellers are still making at least 50% on their original investments and in some cases a lot more than that," he said in an interview last week. "In the transactions I have seen cross my desk and in my office, there is not a single investment where people have lost money. In every case in which we have represented either the buyer or the seller, the seller has made very good money. This leads me to believe that in Phuket, Samui and Thailand in general, good properties are still a very good investment." Mr Collins added that "higher end" does not just mean super luxury properties in excess of $US1 million (33,180,000 baht), but includes many condominiums and mid-market houses. One seller sold a condominium he had bought for 12 million baht for 20 million baht. He added that he has also seen people who bought properties for more than one million dollars and all of them have also made money when they wanted to sell. Mr Collins said this means that the situation is not as bad as is perceived. Yet it has to be understood that people are more cautious about spending money now. This leads to potential buyers looking for really well managed and well designed properties, and of course properties that are completed or are being built so that they can see what they are buying. "Selling off-plan is no longer an option in most cases, I believe. "A lot of people are looking for properties that are linked to a hotel or a well-known company." Mr Collins has seen a fair bit of activity in the condominium market in Phuket, mainly because there actually are not that many condominiums on the island. The other reason is that foreigners can own 49% of the units in a building freehold and this type of a residence is less of a headache for them in terms of absentee ownership. "But having said that, we have had clients who are very successful selling villas on a leasehold basis and I think people are getting more educated about leasehold structures." The past repeats itself, with most foreign buyers in the Thai market again coming from Hong Kong and Singapore, as was the case in the past. These two islands have recovered a lot faster than many other places, and there is a lot of money. These buyers are both foreign expats and natives. "There are also a lot of Chinese buyers in the market and a lot of Russian buyers. We see expats from the region, living in places like Indonesia and Vietnam, who want to have a second home in Thailand. Some of these expats are from the Middle East," Mr Collins added. As he sees it, Thailand remains one of the top destinations and one of the most attractive places to have a second home. "We also see a lot of expats who are moving to Thailand and basing themselves here. They may not necessarily work in Thailand but they want to base themselves and their families here," said Mr Collins. "Expats who used to own properties in places such as Brisbane are selling these properties and moving to Thailand because it's cheaper for them and Thailand has such good infrastructure. It's easier for them to travel anywhere in the world." While transactions are taking place at the higher end of resort markets, Mr Collins has not seen that many new developments coming onstream. Although there are a lot being built and being completed, it is unlikely that there will be a lot of investment in new projects. However, some successful developers who have sold out or who have at least got their money back are now looking around. They believe they can pick up land a bit cheaper because the market is not as crazy as it used to be. "So they are picky and they are trying to find the best possible locations. There are developers who have done well who are looking to start new developments." When it comes to lingering Thai political problems, Mr Collins believes a lot of people have become immune to all the bad news. "There has been so much bad news, there has been the Bali bombing, there has been the bird flu, there has been the trouble in the South, there have been bombs in Jakarta, there has been financial crisis worldwide ... I think people are just shrugging their shoulders, and saying 'disasters happen and life goes on'. "As for Thai politics, people are probably so tired of everything already and kind of saying, 'Maybe there is going to be another political crisis, but it will blow over too'. "Politics is politics - I don't think that will change much. There will be continued bickering between the yellow shirts and the red shirts - that is not going to go away very quickly. That is probably a process that will last for years." DFDL Mekong Legal and Tax Advisers has offices in Vientiane, Phnom Penh, Ho Chi Min City and Hanoi. Mr Collins said the regional firm has seen that a lot of clients buying and developing properties in Cambodia. "Cambodia has a very attractive beach region and very attractive islands, much like Thailand. We see that there is quite a lot of development going on and the regional airport in Sihanoukville is being expanded particularly with a view to expanding local industry and tourism. "There has been a lot of investment in properties there and there will be more I believe. "Vietnam is the same. The Vietnamese coastal area is very long and there is quite a lot of development going on there. Our offices are quite busy," said Mr Collins. He added that Thailand remains the biggest regional market in terms of resort developments. This is mainly because it has a very mature hotel market. [img]http://www.indigore.com/blog/files/115510.jpg[/img] [i]WIN-WIN: Marcus Collins says profits are high in recent property sales.[/i] [b]A leading legal adviser says the property situation is not as bad as is perceived [/b] After coming to a screeching halt for most of last year, Thailand's resort property markets have bounced back over the past six months with increased activity at the higher end and secondary-market sales also brisk, says Marcus Collins, a partner with DFDL Mekong Legal and Tax Advisers. To go by transactions that have passed through his law office, a lot of people are making good money on their investments in Phuket even though global economic conditions are far from rosy. "You would expect that properties would be offered at discounts, but sellers are still making at least 50% on their original investments and in some cases a lot more than that," he said in an interview last week. "In the transactions I have seen cross my desk and in my office, there is not a single investment where people have lost money. In every case in which we have represented either the buyer or the seller, the seller has made very good money. This leads me to believe that in Phuket, Samui and Thailand in general, good properties are still a very good investment." Mr Collins added that "higher end" does not just mean super luxury properties in excess of $US1 million (33,180,000 baht), but includes many condominiums and mid-market houses. One seller sold a condominium he had bought for 12 million baht for 20 million baht. He added that he has also seen people who bought properties for more than one million dollars and all of them have also made money when they wanted to sell. Mr Collins said this means that the situation is not as bad as is perceived. Yet it has to be understood that people are more cautious about spending money now. This leads to potential buyers looking for really well managed and well designed properties, and of course properties that are completed or are being built so that they can see what they are buying. "Selling off-plan is no longer an option in most cases, I believe. "A lot of people are looking for properties that are linked to a hotel or a well-known company." Mr Collins has seen a fair bit of activity in the condominium market in Phuket, mainly because there actually are not that many condominiums on the island. The other reason is that foreigners can own 49% of the units in a building freehold and this type of a residence is less of a headache for them in terms of absentee ownership. "But having said that, we have had clients who are very successful selling villas on a leasehold basis and I think people are getting more educated about leasehold structures." The past repeats itself, with most foreign buyers in the Thai market again coming from Hong Kong and Singapore, as was the case in the past. These two islands have recovered a lot faster than many other places, and there is a lot of money. These buyers are both foreign expats and natives. "There are also a lot of Chinese buyers in the market and a lot of Russian buyers. We see expats from the region, living in places like Indonesia and Vietnam, who want to have a second home in Thailand. Some of these expats are from the Middle East," Mr Collins added. As he sees it, Thailand remains one of the top destinations and one of the most attractive places to have a second home. "We also see a lot of expats who are moving to Thailand and basing themselves here. They may not necessarily work in Thailand but they want to base themselves and their families here," said Mr Collins. "Expats who used to own properties in places such as Brisbane are selling these properties and moving to Thailand because it's cheaper for them and Thailand has such good infrastructure. It's easier for them to travel anywhere in the world." While transactions are taking place at the higher end of resort markets, Mr Collins has not seen that many new developments coming onstream. Although there are a lot being built and being completed, it is unlikely that there will be a lot of investment in new projects. However, some successful developers who have sold out or who have at least got their money back are now looking around. They believe they can pick up land a bit cheaper because the market is not as crazy as it used to be. "So they are picky and they are trying to find the best possible locations. There are developers who have done well who are looking to start new developments." When it comes to lingering Thai political problems, Mr Collins believes a lot of people have become immune to all the bad news. "There has been so much bad news, there has been the Bali bombing, there has been the bird flu, there has been the trouble in the South, there have been bombs in Jakarta, there has been financial crisis worldwide ... I think people are just shrugging their shoulders, and saying 'disasters happen and life goes on'. "As for Thai politics, people are probably so tired of everything already and kind of saying, 'Maybe there is going to be another political crisis, but it will blow over too'. "Politics is politics - I don't think that will change much. There will be continued bickering between the yellow shirts and the red shirts - that is not going to go away very quickly. That is probably a process that will last for years." DFDL Mekong Legal and Tax Advisers has offices in Vientiane, Phnom Penh, Ho Chi Min City and Hanoi. Mr Collins said the regional firm has seen that a lot of clients buying and developing properties in Cambodia. "Cambodia has a very attractive beach region and very attractive islands, much like Thailand. We see that there is quite a lot of development going on and the regional airport in Sihanoukville is being expanded particularly with a view to expanding local industry and tourism. "There has been a lot of investment in properties there and there will be more I believe. "Vietnam is the same. The Vietnamese coastal area is very long and there is quite a lot of development going on there. Our offices are quite busy," said Mr Collins. He added that Thailand remains the biggest regional market in terms of resort developments. This is mainly because it has a very mature hotel market. [img]http://www.indigore.com/blog/files/115510.jpg[/img] [i]WIN-WIN: Marcus Collins says profits are high in recent property sales.[/i]...

]]> http://www.indigore.com/blog/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=125 http://www.indigore.com/blog/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=124 02 Mar 2010 08:51:21 am GMT + Phuket http://www.indigore.com/blog/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=124 Our beach cleaning efforts in 2009 have paid dividends with that initiative leading into a full scale Island GREEN initiative spearheaded by the Governor. After clamping down on Jet skis, illegal building and now talking about meters on Tuk Tuks he has come down hard on the islands waste management systems. Phuket is starting an Island wide reduce, reuse and recycle program that includes a 2 baht plastic bag charge that started this last weekend with an eco Festival at CENTRAL. Virtually all retailers have voluntarily joined (excluding Lotus, Carrefour and 7/11), and is going to dramatically help our waste and litter situation. Phuket creates about 500+ tonnes a day of waste, half of which is incinerated, half land filled. Through curb side recycling and education the aim is to reduce this by at least 30%. Indigo is involved in co-coordinating an initial 150 recycling stations to be placed around Phuket, and is working with a Chiang Mai waste reduction program called the BIG BIN. www.keepphuketgreen.com Our beach cleaning efforts in 2009 have paid dividends with that initiative leading into a full scale Island GREEN initiative spearheaded by the Governor. After clamping down on Jet skis, illegal building and now talking about meters on Tuk Tuks he has come down hard on the islands waste management ......

]]> http://www.indigore.com/blog/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=124 http://www.indigore.com/blog/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=123 02 Mar 2010 08:50:13 am GMT + Phuket http://www.indigore.com/blog/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=123 The 75ft Leylai is moored at Bangtao beach till April and is available for charter. She was at the Similans last week enjoying crystal seas, diving with manta rays, turtles, barracudas and a myriad of reff fish, and seeks new adventurers to charter her Leylai has teamed up with the luxurious Trisara hotel to offer a package of Hotel stay and a cruising adventure of either a day trip along Phukets west coast or 2-3 day overnight cruise to the Similans or south to Phi Phi. A dive master and tanks can be included, fishing rods and Kayaks are on and shes fully equipped. She is ideal for two couples plus space for a few of the kids… or a great family boat. Catering will be done by Trisara and includes 4 full time staff including your personal cook. Leylai is a teak hulled Italian built ALLALUNGA from Genoa, built in 1982. She is the Bentley turbo of the high seas, reaching over 25 knots at a sea trial last week, following engine rebuilds although cruising speeds around 12-14 knots. Inside she offers 2 double bedrooms and a third cabin with 3 beds. All cabins have ensuites. The interior is Mahogany with suede roofs, and should be no surprise that whilst in the Med she was a favourite in the 80s of regulars like Bryan Ferry of Roxy music.She is often used in movies and film clips, and finished a music video in February with one of Germanys top artists K Paul. Leylai is a rock star boat, she is immaculately maintained, has great lines, is very comfortable and will make a memorable trip….. www.trisara.com www.leylai.com Trisara, in Sanskrit means the "Third Garden in Heaven" is South East Asia's most intimate and exclusive resort & spa and was voted the best leisure resort worldwide and best resort in SE Asia in 2009 by readers of the Gallivanters guide. Trisara offers a unique collection of stunning 1 to 5 bedroom pool villas, suites and residences. All accommodations embrace beautiful seaviews from the private pool decks. Nestled in a private bay on Phuket’s quiet and unspoilt north-western coast Trisara is only 15 minutes from Phuket’s International Airport. The resort is small, intimate and supremely luxurious. She is a sanctuary of privacy, space and simple good taste with service provided by a team of warm, caring people who regard hospitality as a joy. Trisara also offers a range of 2 - 5 bedroom residences with dedicated full time cooks and staff who offer seamless service to families or groups of friends. The 75ft Leylai is moored at Bangtao beach till April and is available for charter. She was at the Similans last week enjoying crystal seas, diving with manta rays, turtles, barracudas and a myriad of reff fish, and seeks new adventurers to charter her Leylai has teamed up with the luxurious ......

]]> http://www.indigore.com/blog/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=123 http://www.indigore.com/blog/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=122 02 Mar 2010 08:48:23 am GMT + Phuket http://www.indigore.com/blog/index.php?mode=viewid&post_id=122 [b]Phuket, demonstrating its remarkable ability to recover from both natural and man-made disasters, is now a pacesetter for renewal in the global tourism industry.[/b] The total of 749,518 arrivals and departures in January is an increase of a remarkable 33.23 percent on the figure for the same month in 2009. Not only that, it's well above the 635,060 for January 2008, when Phuket hummed along in the middle of a then-record high season. At peak times lately, with multiple flights arriving or departing, Phuket airport has seemed to be bursting at the seams, with queues of passengers sometimes extending back 50 metres from the main terminal entrance scanner. A massive increase in the number of flights appears the prime force driving the resurgence of the island as a holiday destination for international and domestic travellers alike. January's total of 4524 flights represented a 30.49 percent increase on the same period in the previous year. That figure also even soars well above the 4155 flights recorded in January 2008, before the economic dip set in. Biggest increase of all came among international passengers, up by 40.60 percent on January 2009. Courtesy Phuket Wan [b]Phuket, demonstrating its remarkable ability to recover from both natural and man-made disasters, is now a pacesetter for renewal in the global tourism industry.[/b] The total of 749,518 arrivals and departures in January is an increase of a remarkable 33.23 percent on the figure for the same month in 2009. Not only that, it's well above the 635,060 for January 2008, when Phuket hummed along in the middle of a then-record high season. At peak times lately, with multiple flights arriving or departing, Phuket airport has seemed to be bursting at the seams, with queues of passengers sometimes extending back 50 metres from the main terminal entrance scanner. A massive increase in the number of flights appears the prime force driving the resurgence of the island as a holiday destination for international and domestic travellers alike. January's total of 4524 flights represented a 30.49 percent increase on the same period in the previous year. That figure also even soars well above the 4155 flights recorded in January 2008, before the economic dip set in. Biggest increase of all came among international passengers, up by 40.60 percent on January 2009. Courtesy Phuket Wan...

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