The Racha, a premier island hideaway is set on an idyllic, pristine private beach on Racha Island, only 19 kilometres south of Phuket and accessible by speed boat. The resort features 75 spacious villas and aims to be a leader in responsible and environmentally sustainable tourism.

TWO PATA EVENTS TO BE HELD IN THAILAND

The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is to convene two of its most important marketing events in Thailand in 2004. The 9th PATA Mekong Tourism Forum will be held from 26^th – 28^th March 2004 in the northern Thailand city of Chiang Mai, followed by its 27^th Annual PATA Travel Mart in Bangkok from 28^th September- 1^st October 2004. These two PATA events are expected to be attended by hundreds of senior executives in the travel and tourism industry, especially buyers responsible for deciding which products to include in their tour programmes.

SAMUI CARNIVAL 2003

The Samui Carnival 2003 will take place on Koh Samui from 18^th– 20^th July 2003. The organisers are hoping the event will help transform Koh Samui into the "Rio of the East''. Tourism authorities and Bangkok Airways hope the Samui Carnival 2003 will help promote the southern resort island as a new hotspot on the international festival scene. The carnival, claimed as the first of its kind in Asia, will feature water and street parades as well as food, fun and dance fairs with music from the 1970’s, and '80s, rock 'n' roll, reggae and hip hop. The theme of the carnival will be based on the world-renowned Brazilian carnival with a touch of Thai tropic.