The Royal Flora Ratchaphruek 2006 in Chiang Mai is staged to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of His Majesty the King's Accession to the Throne and his 80th birthday.

The exposition has been granted A1 status by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH). An "A1" classification for an horticultural exposition as defined by AIPH is "an international exhibition of long duration of at least 3 months; 6 months at most. Thailand will be the first country in Southeast Asia to host an A1 exposition.

Apart from 80 gardens from state enterprises and domestic and international corporations, 30 countries will showcase their native plants and flowers as well as the cultural arts and architecture. Expectations are that more than 2.5 million plants and flowers from 2,200 different species will be on show, turning the almost 1 square kilometer (about 250 acres) exposition grounds into a dazzling sea of color. The event will run 3 months long, from November 6, 2006 to January 31, 2007. When the event is over, the plants and everything else brought in by foreign participants will be presented to the Kingdom of Thailand - creating a new permanent tourist attraction and natural learning centre, a haven for horticulturists and admirers of all things nice.

Highlights include Gardens for the King which comprises International Garden and Corporate Garden; Thai Tropical Garden; Expo Plaza and Orchid Pavilion, a showcase of 50,000 orchid plants of nearly 10,000 orchid species. Conference sessions on various subjects of interest will be held during the expo period. Some 2 million visitors are expected to spend enjoyable time at the expo.

An example of a special feature at the exhibition is the Ohga Hasu, the lotus plant brought back from extinction from 2,000 year old seeds in Japan.

Symbol of the event, the Ratchaphruek the Golden Shower Tree (Cassia Fistula L. or Purging Cassia or Pudding Pipe Tree or Indian laburnam) is considered an auspicious tree in Thailand. The dazzling yellow flowers signify 2 of the 3 most important institutions of the Thai nation - the national religion, Buddhism, and His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej who was born on Monday. Yellow is the color associated with Monday.

That's the pitch of the Millennium Hilton on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok. The very contemporary hotel soft opened in February and is quickly making itself known in the marketplace. Whichever generation they may be, guests will certainly enjoy a stay here.

All 543 rooms & suites in the 32-storey tower offer a full river view, and a different Bangkok skyline from another angle. The bend of the river provides a generous vista of the City of Angels, day time and night time.

Some of the interesting features are the trendy design of interior, furnishings and lighting, all day leisure dining on the riverside terrace with an inside open kitchen, contemporary Chinese restaurant, signature steakhouse, a riverside tea room, state-of-the-art Hilton Meetings10 board rooms on the 30th floor, executive lounge, Zeta the award winning bar concept, Three Sixty bar & lounge with a panoramic horizon on 32nd floor and The Beach the infinity pool deck on 4th floor with sand and pool chairs in the water. The ultra modern grand ballroom accommodates 650 for banquets.

The Millennium Hilton is indeed a welcome addition to the Bangkok riverside scene, offering another choice for planners.

The year 2006 is of regal significance as Thailand commemorates the 60th Anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibol's Accession to the Throne. To honor the world longest reigning monarch, the government arranged a year-long Grand Festival of Events nationwide to share our colorful culture with our visitors.

Monarchs of at least 29 countries will be witnessing the Grand Royal Barge Procession on June 12 and be guests at the Royal Reception on June 13. Major dress rehearsals of the grand barge procession take place on June 6 and 9 and will be open for attendance. The procession with 52 exquisite barges, 2,082 oarsmen is an unforgettable sight for those who have seen it.

Come and experience the grandeur of the realm as we showcase the pageantry, glorious traditions and culture in our many Grand Destinations.

Bangkok will be the heart of the celebrations and the city with gilded palaces and temples will be illuminated. New attractions opening this year include the Siam Niramit Theatre with a spectacular Thai cultural performance; Siam Paragon shopping complex a must-see world class complex and Suvarnabhumi International Airport, a major attraction in its own right.

Other celebrations are the Songkran Thai New Year Festival, Music and Dance Festival in Pattaya, International Boat Races in Ayutthaya, an opera evening with light & sound extravaganza, also in the World Heritage Site of Ayutthaya, Loy Krathong the Floating Festival of Lights and H.M. the King's Birthday in December.

Plan your movement to Thailand in 2006 and join the Thai people in some of the Grand Celebrations we have in store.

December 26 marks the first anniversary of the tidal waves which damaged coasts along the Andaman Sea, Indian Ocean. Theoretically scientists say such a phenomenon may occur again in about 100 years. For many planners, however, there is a need to feel secure, and to keep our irresistible destinations on their mind, a complete warning system has been put in place.

Tsunami alert technology includes deep water measuring devices installed on the ocean floor which monitors sea pressure and activity, and relays wave movements to surface buoy which monitors upper level conditions and relays data to satellite, which relays to ground stations. On the ground, warnings are by radio and television broadcasts, amateur radio stations, local radio networks, cellular phone SMS and sirens from the watchtowers. Evacuation plans are in place with designated routes and safe zones on high grounds clearly marked at all beaches.

Phuket, Khao Lak in Phang Nga, Krabi, Lanta Island and Trang are as beautiful as ever and await to welcome visitors to their delightful environs. The tsunami actually turned over new sand on beaches while coral reefs are largely unaffected. Developments are better planned with ecology a main consideration. Memorable incentive travel programs are assured at these breathtakingly beautiful destinations.