NEWSLETTER July 2025
Dear
A lot is happening around the world, unfortunately not always in a positive way. We hear agents telling us that some clients are hesitant to book long in advance, yet some of them do go for long-haul travel anyway, last minute. In this newsletter, hotel promotions that might help you convince clients to book a trip to Thailand now, updates on the situation in the region, a fantastic new trip focussing on culture and nature in the south of Thailand and some updates on Myanmar.
Thailand
Stay 3 – pay 2 promotions with some of our preferred hotels
You might have seen in the news that the number of tourists to Thailand is decreasing, especially from the Chinese market, but also from other markets like the US and some other Asian countries. We do realise that Thailand is not always the cheapest travel destination, and we are glad to inform you that some of our partner hotels have agreed on a stay 3 nights – pay 2 nights promotion. Meanwhile, some other partner hotels have come up with discounted rates.
The stay 3 – pay 2 promotion is an excellent way for your clients to slow down a bit while travelling, stay an extra day and get to know the neighbourhood. Hotels that include this “stay 3 – pay 2 promotions” are The Siam in Bangkok, The Peninsula in Bangkok, La a Natu and Dolphin Bay Resort in Pranburi beach, The Nan Seasons Resort in Nan amongst others.
Other hotels with special offers include Villa de Phranakorn and Riva Surya in Bangkok, Villa Mahabhirom in Chiang Mai, and Buri Rasa Beach Resort on Ko Phangan.
As always…… conditions apply and and all promotions will be automatically included when you send a new request to our sales team.
New Southern Thailand program:
Talay Noi Lotus Lake, pink dolphins, kayaking and a private shadow puppet performance
Our GM Stefan and MD Edwin went on an inspection to Khanom, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Songkhla in southern Thailand and were amazed with the natural beauty, the excellent southern Thai food, cultural treasures and the lack of tourists. They created a new itinerary of Southern Thailand, which is a perfect blend of lesser-known beaches, tropical forests, coastal life and soft adventure along with cultural gems.
We consciously avoid crowded places and focus on destinations with local charm and cultural significance. Boat rides on lakes, the sea, kayaking and a visit to a national artist’s home. Enjoy southern delights as only few have seen.
An excellent program starting and ending with beaches or simply to have a few days culture and nature in the south.
Trang-Phatthalung-Talay Noi- Nakhon Si Thammarat-Khanom
The short outline:
Day 1: Krabi / Ko Lanta / Trang airport (coming from Bangkok) – drive in 1 hour to Songkhla lake – stay at the boutique 4-star Sri Pakpra Resort
Day 2: Talay Noi Lotus Lake in the early morning, botanical gardens, crafts and local sweets in the afternoon
Day 3: Talay Noi – kayaking or trekking in National Park – a personal visit of shadow puppet master – Khanom Beach – stay at the beachfront Aava Resort
Day 4: Searching for Pink Dolphins – A boat ride in the Gulf of Thailand – beach time
Day 5: ferry to Ko Samui / Ko Phangan or drive to Khao Sok National Park or train to Pranburi and Kaeng Krachan national park or flight to Bangkok
We never realised there are so many airports in the south with direct, daily flights to Bangkok (Trang, Krabi, Hat Yai, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Surat Thani) that all could be used this itinerary.
This new itinerary brings excellent new opportunities for people who love nature and culture and just have a few days before going to the beaches. Ask us for details.
The twin-brother of Khao Sok National Park
We discovered that the famous Khao Sok National Park has a “twin brother” 😊. The Khlong Phanom National Park has impressive limestone rock formations, is very quiet and literally adjacent to Khao Sok. Together with our local partners from Our Jungle House we set-up a private, guided rainforest hike in this stunning surrounding. After a private, 30-minute drive, you arrive at the park’s headquarters and an easy 2,5 hrs. walk following the “Big Tree Nature Trail” leads you to several fantastic viewpoints. Animals like hornbills, gibbons and colourful butterflies are regularly spotted in this park, which is also home to wild elephants and bears. Lunch is included today. The National Park Instagram account
https://www.instagram.com/explore/locations/254668243/khlong-phanom-national-park
Borders & politics in Thailand
Southeast Asia, like many other places in the world, has always been a mix of diverse cultures and kingdoms and through history there have always been shifts of geographical borders. In certain periods the Bagan kingdom was more dominant while at other times the Sukhothai, the Khmer or the Champa were more dominant.
All these different influences have led to the fantastic mix of food, cultures and people that makes southeast Asia so special to visit nowadays. This YouTube shows a map of the history on kingdoms in southeast Asia and changing of borders:
These differences also lead sometimes to conflicts, which happened recently between the Cambodian and the Thai governments resulting in the temporary closures of the overland borders. We do expect these to re-open soon again.
The bickering continued and led to the Thai prime minister, the daughter of former Thai prime minister Thaksin, to be suspended as PM but continue as minister of culture. Nobody knows what this will lead to and in that sense it is Thai politics as usual. For a more detailed analysis on Thai politics that includes economic analyses have a look at this interesting article:
Meanwhile, we encourage everybody to celebrate the diversity of so many cultural influences within Thailand!
Myanmar: An update on Myanmar
A big thanks to all agents from not forgetting Myanmar, despite being already 5 years off the tourism radar. In the aftermath of the earth quake we have been receiving more donations to rebuild house in Inle lake through our GoFundMe campaign and we continue supporting families who need it most throughout the country with food packages.
Through our mental health organisation Counselling Corner we set-up a social franchise called Seit Mate Swe and now have 25 mental health centres throughout the country supporting 2.000 Myanmar people a month with group workshops and individual counselling sessions.
A HUGE thank you for all the tour operators and clients who continue to support all our efforts to support people with food, houses and mental health. It is very, very much appreciated.
What to watch / read
Mad Unicorn
Mad Unicorn follows Santi, a driven young man from a poor northern village who moves to Bangkok determined to lift his family out of poverty using his Mandarin skills. Spotting a gap between Thai and Chinese courier costs, he launches Thunder Express, aiming to build Thailand’s first “unicorn” delivery startup. Betrayed by a powerful tycoon, Santi rallies with a finance whiz and a genius coder to challenge corporate giants and fight for survival.
The series delivers a fast-paced, unsentimental look into ambition, betrayal, and the brutal reality of startup life in Thailand.
Edwin Briels and his team have been creating experiences for travellers for over 20 years. Edwin Briels continuously finds new paths to travel and new experiences to show clients the story of Myanmar and Thailand and engages you in a fascinating journey through this part of Asia with the most fascinating stories.
Exploration Travel
Get in touch with us:
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