Typhoon Jebi slammed into the west coast of Japan yesterday, damaging the airport and flooding its runways.

The flights to be cancelled are TG672 from Suvarnabhumi airport at 8.25am, TG673 from Kansai at 5.35pm, TG622 from Suvarnabhumi at 11.30pm, TG623 from Kansai at 11.45am.

 An aerial view of flooding at the Kansai International Airport on September 5 after Typhoon Jebi hit. Photo by JIJI PRESS/AFP

Thai passengers holding roundtrip tickets between Bangkok and Osaka until September 15 may reschedule flights or reroute to Tokyo (Narita and Haneda), Nagoya, Fukuoka and Sapporo. Fees and charges will be exempt.

Passengers are advised to contact Thai on +66(0)2-356-1111 or their travel agent.

A hotline +66(0)2-356-1166 has been set up.

According to media reports, 11 people were killed in Osaka and Shiga prefectures in western Japan after being hit by flying objects or buried under damaged buildings. More than 3,000 people that were left stranded at the airport, the biggest in western Japan, are to be evacuated by speedboat.

Chairman Yutthasak Supasorn said the company’s operating result for the 10-month period between October 1, 2017 and July 31, 2018, amounted to Bt790 million in revenue , a 66.35 per cent increase. Net profit stands at Bt239 million thanks to rises in sales and membership fees.

Prominent benefits of the Thailand Privilege Card that have been attracting international cardholders include a long-stay Thai visa, smooth arrival and departure at airports, as well as a trouble-free stay within in the counntry, not to mention other benefits in business and service. The objective is to give cardholders the very best service and comfort in

Thailand, under the scheme “Simply Extraordinary Country, Membership Crafted for Friend of Thailand”.

My works as a professional model. She also represented Vietnam at the Miss Grand International 2017 pageant. Recently, she impressed Asian audiences with the film “Bridge of Clouds” shot in Myanmar.

The event wrapped up the Vietnamese Goods and Tourism Week in Thailand with the participation of about 60 Vietnamese firms.

Many Vietnamese products with high export potential were displayed at the event, which officially opened on August 22.

This is the third time the event promoting Vietnamese goods has been organised in Thailand. This year, the Kingdom’s Ministry of Industry and Trade co-operated with the Vietnam Administration of Tourism to promote tourism and culture at the event.

The research, by Hotels.com, found that Thailand serves up most of these requirements.

Keen to get down with authentic experiences, Chinese tourists born after 1990 are putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to spending choices – tasting exotic local delicacies (69 per cent) and scouring the streets for authentic local items (43 per cent) over shopping for luxury items (38 per cent), the survey found.

Star-struck by global pop-culture, film and television (62 per cent) are now the main sources of inspiration for Chinese millennial travellers, playing a key role in attracting them away from Asian destinations, and to more far flung parts of the world.

Long-haul destinations will be this year’s trend for Chinese travellers. While Asia continues to be a popular destination, with 49 per cent planning to travel to Asian destinations during the next 12 months, destinations farther afield in Europe, Africa and the Middle East are the top new destinations for more than half of travellers for future trips.

Chinese travellers still feel the need for an easy lifestyle integration, the research found.

They still feel welcomed in Thailand, taking the second position after Japan this year. For Chinese visitors, key reasons for feeling welcome in Thailand is due to the widespread acceptance of Chinese mobile wallets (64 per cent), sufficient translations/signage (41 per cent), and ease of information (40 per cent).

The new generation of Chinese travellers’ needs and preferences have changed according to latest report from Hotels.com. Tour groups have grown to be outdated as Chinese are growing to enjoy independent travel in Thailand, where they are more likely to travel on a free-and-easy basis, thanks to Thais’ local delicacies, ease of visa application, quality of accommodation, and a shopping paradise.

Thailand is still one of the destinations where they prefer to travel; with its famous local craft and products that Chinese can buy (56 per cent) as well as number of remarkable places to visit – such as the Royal Palace. This is the No 1 landmark for Chinese visitors to Thailand.

With a 12 per cent increase from 2017, Chinese visitors are important for Thailand’s tourism industry. A better understanding of evolving their needs should put Thailand tourism industry on the pulse of the country’s biggest group of customers. Thailand tourism industry should maximise the benefits of understanding the changing taste of Chinese travellers.

According to the research from Hotels.com, new and distant locations are on the agenda for Chinese. While more than one third (37 per cent) of travellers still intend to visit countries they have been to before, they will go to different cities. Key locations in Asia are top of the list for these touristsm such as Singapore, Japan and South Korea.

How Thailand could retain Chinese travelers might lie in the finding that the new generation of Chinese tourists prefer a taste of authentic experiences. The public and private sectors such as local communities and relevant organisations can tap on this trend to publicise their local handicrafts, herbs and cuisine in each areas. Activities include fabric craft skills, the natural indigo dying or weaving traditions of regional provinces of the country and silverware in several parts of Thailand.

The government and hoteliers can fill in the gap to improve any other important factors that Chinese are looking for such as advancement of QR code scan via WeChat, improvement of accommodation facilities; local transport arrangements, high-speed Wi-Fi and customer services, and reservation methods for local experiences and activities. Those are key considerations that Chinese expect when they are travelling to other countries.

Nelson Allen, general manager, Asia Pacific of the Hotels.com brand, said: “While millennials were at the helm of social media influence and trends, the report found no generation was free from social networking’s undeniable draw.

“Some 52 per cent of Chinese travellers overall were wooed by the power of the news feed, and a third of the older generation reported their travel decisions and behaviour were influenced by their digitally-connected children,” Allen said.

Johan Svanstrom, president of the Hotels.com brand, said: “Every globe-trotter likes to feel welcome in a new country – it’s no secret we all crave human connection which is especially true when we’re in a new environment. We know from the CITM report Chinese travellers feel comfortable and most welcome in destinations when shop assistants speak Mandarin, Chinese mobile wallet is accepted, and there is signage they can understand.

“Accommodation providers can get excited about the new wave of edgy and energetic Chinese, tapping into this lucrative market by catering to their ever-curious travel desires. It’s all fun and freedom for the future of the Chinese travellers and Hotels.com can’t wait to come along for the ride.”

Meanwhile, 48 per cent report that finding new talent is a challenge, because of the lack of availability of candidates with the right skill levels and qualifications, as well as, in some cases, salary demands of new applicants, IATA said on Monday.

In addition to the salary and benefits package of each employee, the HR professionals identified career progression opportunities (49 per cent) and development and training (33 per cent) as high priorities in job satisfaction and retention.

Only 28 per cent of respondents reported that current training was effective, with many organisations seeking to complement their in-house training with external partners to improve the effectiveness of the training.

The company recently unveiled an investment plan to promote tourism and support the government’s tourism promotion policy.

Stan Badekha, CEO of Ramayana, said: “We opened in 2016 with an investment of Bt1.5 billion on a 106-rai area surrounded by Khao Chee Chan and Silver Lake Winery.

“We are able to serve 7,500 tourists per day and this year we have been selected by TripAdvisor as the largest and best water park in Thailand.

“We are trying to grow our overseas marketing in Asean, China and India. We plan to increase the frequency of our overseas roadshows such as by joining hands with the TAT and other allies.

“Special privileges are offered for annual members. Pattaya is also changing into a family destination with sports tourism.”

Ramayana offers mini lifeguard courses for children and full courses certified by the American Lifeguard Association for the public and organisations.

They are advised not to let their licences expire otherwise they must apply for new licences, said the Department of Tourism (DOT).

Anan Wongbenjarat, DOT director general at the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, said the process of applying for a new two-year licence is more complicated than the renewal of an existing one.

If registered tour companies miss the 30-day deadline, they must resubmit every document required by DOT, he said.

“The tour operators may still use the same company’s name, but the new licences will come with new registration numbers which may entail some difficulties about their insurance deposits,” he said.

Dusit Kabushiki Kaisa will invest in hotels, serviced apartments, spa and clubs and other properties in Japan available for lease, franchising or partial ownership.

Dusit Ippan Shadan Houjin Japan will act as holding company.

Ayutthaya governor Sujin Chaiyachumsak says the festival, launched on August 3, will continue until Thursday night.

The provincial administration is lighting up important historical sites, temples and walkways in the middle of Ayutthaya Historical Park and the governor says it provides a nightly treat for those staying nearby.

Extra stalls are also open to sell local handmade goods at Krungsri Market near the old provincial hall, while free trams are available to provide shuttle services throughout the festival, the governor said.