Tours to China will cost US$448 (Bt16,039) to $498 per person, a reduction of about $100. Tours to Thailand cost $250 a person, and to Cambodia $166 apiece.

Shaw-CTCI consortium lands Map Ta Phut deal

US-based Shaw Group last Wednesday announced that a consortium of its Shaw Stone & Webster unit and CTCI Corp of Taiwan had been awarded a contract to provide engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning (EPCC) services to HMC Polymers for a propane-dehydrogenation plant to be located in Map Ta Phut.

The project is expected to be completed in mid-2009 with planned production of 300,000 tonnes of propylene per year. The value of Shaw's contract was not disclosed.

"We are pleased to participate in this EPCC project for HMC Polymers for this propane-dehydrogenation facility. This is an important project as Shaw expands its leadership position in the rapidly growing propylene market in Thailand," said JM Bernhard Jr, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Shaw.

HMC has the most modern technology in Thailand and with capacity of 450,000 tonnes is one of largest and most advanced facilities in Asia.

THAI 'not cancelling'  :Mae Hong Son service

Mae Hong Son's tourism chief said on Friday that Thai Airways International would not cancel its flights to the far-northern destination.

Visutr Buachum was commenting on press reports that THAI was to cancel its Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son service. He said the three TG flights and single flight by Nok Air were boosting tourism.

Tourism in Mae Hong Son has been strong since November, when the Mexican sunflowers blossomed during Chiang Mai's Royal Ratchaphruek Flora Expo.

In 2005 Mae Hong Son welcomed 349,000 visitors, bringing in about Bt1.5 billion in tourism revenue. It is estimated that the 2006 figures will show 8-10 per cent growth.

THAI operates daily flights to Mae Hong Son from Chiang Mai while Nok Air departs on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. PB Air offers three direct weekly flights from Bangkok on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.