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) MIDA Plans To Have Eight New Offices Abroad
BANGKOK, Oct 20 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Industrial Development Authority (MIDA) plans to open another eight offices abroad by the end of 2009, mostly in Asia and Africa, to expand its role in cross-border investments. Deputy director general 1 Datuk Kaziah Abdul Kadir said the new offices will be in Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta, Dubai, Guangzhou, Dalian, Mumbai and Johannesburg. At present, Mida has offices in San Jose, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and Boston in the United States; London, Paris, Stockholm, Cologne and Milan in Europe; Sydney, Seoul, Shanghai, Taipei, Tokyo and Osaka. Kaziah said this in her paper, "Promoting Malaysian Investment in Asean," at the two-day High-Level Policy Seminar on Strengthening Asean Integration: Regional Players and Enterprise Regionalisation" here. More>> - (
) Neil paid $15-$30 for sex, says teen
A Thai teenager has alleged that accused serial pedophile Christopher Paul Neil of Maple Ridge paid him for oral sex in 2003, when he was 14.Police believe Neil fled his teaching position in South Korea Oct. 11 for Bangkok when he concluded he was being tracked down.
Now Thai police will seek an arrest warrant for Neil.
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) Myanmar Bans Outbound Package Tour
YANGON, Oct 8 (Bernama) -- Myanmar has banned outbound package tour arranged by domestic travel and tour companies, said China's Xinhua news agency quoting a report in the local Voice journal Monday. Meeting with hoteliers and businessmen from travel agencies in Nay Pyi Taw recently, Director of the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism U Hlaing Win said that domestic travel agencies are allowed only to arrange inbound package tour services within the country for domestic and foreign travellers but not for outbound package tour services for them. The official warned of taking action against companies which break the tourism-related rules and regulations. However, whether the package tours such as pilgrimage, Singapore and Bangkok ones being introduced by some companies are covered by the ban or not, remained unclear, the report said. More>> - (
) Maui reclaims top spot in Conde Nast readers poll
KAHULUI Maui has bounced back to being "Best Island in the World" in the 2007 Conde Nast Travelers magazine readers poll, which was released Thursday and reported by The Maui News.Since the poll began 17 years ago, Maui had always been rated "Best Pacific Island," and when the best-in-the-world voting began, Maui owned that title, too � until last year.
The Maldives won in 2006. For 2007, Maui is back on top, Kauai is second and the Maldives and Bali are tied for third.
Last year, Terryl Vencl, executive director of the Maui Visitors Bureau, said, "I yearn to make sure we get it back."
Thursday she was traveling, but she released a victory statement: "Maui continues to capture the hearts and imagination of visitors from across the globe. Our island's amazing natural beauty, cherished host culture and gracious aloha continue to entice and inspire. More>>