The Blue Elephant cooking school is one of many across the country catering to Thais and international travelers interested in the ins and outs of Thai food preparation, according the Associated Press. The course allows students to shop for fresh vegetables at the outdoor Bang Rak market on the morning of the class. These ingredients are then used to create popular Thai dishes including green curry with chicken, tom yam goong, pad thai and som tam.
AP
AP
The multiple bombings on New Years Eve in Bangkok have forced a number of embassies to issue travel warnings. Those issuing the warnings included Australia, the UK, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. Meanwhile, Tourism and Sports Minister Suvit Yodmani has asked Tourism Authority of Thailand offices around the world to begin formulating plans to restore confidence in Thailand.
The Nation
The Nation
Tourism Concern, a charity that fights exploitation in tourism, says in a new report that the governments of countries affected by the 2004 tsunami have placed a greater emphasis on improving the tourism sector than on the well being of its citizens hurt in the disaster. The organization also names corruption, poor management and bureaucracy as reasons for the slow recovery. "Governments have used the devastation of the tsunami as an opportunity to push through tourism strategies that drastically affect local coastal communities," said Kelly Haynes, a researcher Tourism Concern. "Local communities now find themselves disempowered and their rights and interests marginalized."
The Observer
The Observer