Sala shows care for the environment at 7 resorts

According to its recent year-end audit, Sala Samui Choengmon Beach Resort alone has so far eliminated nearly 65,000 single-use plastic bottles, 53,000 plastic bags and 38,000 plastic straws. 

The sustainability movement will drive the group to further deplete their existing supplies and identify alternatives to single-use plastic in 2019.
Situated in the northeast of Koh Samui, Sala Samui Choengmon Beach Resort aims to lead the charge by replacing all single-use plastic usage with eco-friendly alternatives. 
Biodegradable straws made of corn starch are replacing plastic straws, for example. Guests find their water in glass bottles in the minibar, rattan basket bins in the lobby and butter in glassware at the dining table. 
Recently certified as a “Green Hotel” by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Department of Environmental Quality Promotion, Sala Samui Choengmon Beach Resort says the recognition further confirms its core values of sustainability, local sensibility and boutique luxury experiences.
Sustainability is at the heart of its decisions and actions, said Jon Ashenden, vice president for hotel operations in a Wednesday press release. He said the green movement came naturally to the business, since the properties are on picturesque sites brimming with biodiversity and historical significance. 
“Guests choose to stay with Sala because of our striking design, range of quality food and most of all, our locations in pristine, natural environments,” Ashenden said. “We have to do our best to protect it.”

SELF-SERVICE
DTAC launches business connect with LINE
DTAC has launched a new solution using “LINE Business Connect” to provide customers fast and convenient real-time self-services via LINE.
Total Access Communication (DTAC) has launched a new solution on the LINE platform, using LINE Business Connect to bring digital experience to customers under the concept of “Digital care channel”. 
DTAC aims to add a digital channel for customers to check their subscription information using their own smartphones. Customers can check the time/data usage and limits, promotions and other privileges in real-time throughout the entire day.
Panthep Nilasinthop, DTAC’s acting chief digital officer, yesterday noted the company has been providing digital services under the “digital care” campaign, including the DTAC application, online community website, and through social media including Facebook, LINE and Twitter). 
And now it has developed a channel on the LINE platform by using a new solution, the LINE Business Connect to provide convenient and useful services for prepaid and post-paid customers on the platform. 
LINE Business Connect will include a customer database, including their behaviours and experiences with DTAC products and services. DTAC will analyse and interpret the received data to provide services to meet the individual needs of customers.
LINE Business Connect is now ready to serve prepaid and post-paid DTAC customers. Customers who are interested in such service must add the “dtac Official Account” to become friends in LINE and register for using the service. For the initial phase, customers can use six features: usage check and enquiry, payment, refill, package subscription, Jai Dee services and DTAC rewards.

ASEAN TOURISM
Myanmar to push its readiness at Vietnam forum
Myanmar is showcasing its increasingly diverse tourism industry this week at the Asean Tourism Forum 2019 being held on the theme of “Asean: the Power of One” in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam. Myanmar will emphasise its range of tourism products, services and events at the January 14-18 forum.
Asean boasts widespread diversity of languages, cultures, traditions, and people. Among the many other things it has in common is the desire to grow national tourism sectors. At its core, the forum recognises that the bloc is stronger and more compelling when treated as a collective destination. The region offers countless exciting experiences in a seamless journey of different identities, an important proposition that has kept the Asean region’s appeal strong throughout the world.
Last year the Myanmar government introduced new regulations to facilitate easier access for tourists to visit the country as a next step to open up to the world. Japanese, South Korean, Hong Kong and Macau tourists were granted visa-free entry and Chinese and Indian nationals were also granted visas-on-arrival (VOA) into Myanmar in a move to attract more Asian tourism into the country. 
The government also allowed all nationalities to enter Myanmar through two overland borders, Tamu and Rih Khaw Dar, and to continue overland travel to Thailand and exit Myanmar through any of four Thailand border points.
Although 2018 has been a challenging year for Myanmar Tourism, high hopes and a strong belief remain across the country that tourism will bring positive change to this culturally diverse nation.