A Scorpion Queen is crowned in Thailand

by Brenda Yun on

Imagine finding a scorpion in your bag on your trip through customs. That’s what happened to my friend on her way from Oaxaca back to the States. She had thought her boyfriend had planted a fake scorpion when she found a real one sitting atop her clothes during the bag checkpoint.

Now multiply that scorpion by 5,000 and live with them in a glass-enclosed showroom of a mall for 33 days. That’s what 39 year-old Kanchana Kaetkaew, a Thai scorpion handler, accomplished this new year. She didn’t walk away completely unscathed though; she was stung 13 times in that month’s time, but she has built up an immunity to the venom. Enduring that pain is enough for this Scorpion Queen, however, who In accomplishing this broke her own Guinness Book of World Records.

Adventure travel medical kits

by Brenda Yun on

I can think of three times I’ve wished I’d packed more immodium, hydration salts, or an emergency blanket with me but I didn’t. The first was when I ate a bad mango in India and spent two days either on the toilet or in bed. The second was when my friend came down with a stomach bug in rural Thailand and spent the night in the village doctor’s guest room after a shot in the butt and hooked up to an IV (see photo). The third was on my U.S. road trip, where I bundled my pug up in two sweaters under my thin blanket and slept through a cold night in Flagstaff, Arizona; we woke up to find the water frozen in our bottles.
There’s a reason travel kits and accessories exist: for our comfort and survival. That’s why I felt honored to receive a care package from Simon Ashdown at Adventure Medical Kits (a subsidy of Tender Corporation). Inside the package was an assortment of great travel and medical kits. For a travel savvy wanderer like myself, these kits satisfy my travel needs perfectly. The new adventure travel kit series satisfy four different kinds of travel needs:

  • World Travel ($75), for the serious trekker and adventurer (suitable for 1-4 people on a multi-day trip)
  • Smart Travel ($40), for 1-2 adventurers on a week-long exploration abroad
  • Suture Syringe Medic ($22), for real emergencies in places where medical care may be spotty or nonexistent
  • Travel Medic ($10), for everyday travel to places where it’s easy to access more serious medical care; contains materials for stomach, pain, cuts, and hygiene issues

Both the World and Smart Travel kits include a ‘Point and See’ communication card, which can be an important tool to break the language barrier. The Suture Syringe and Travel Medic kits are certified 100% carbon neutral and are made of recycled craft paper laminated onto woven polypropylene. Since I’m a light packer, I think the Travel Medic will suit my needs just fine, but if ever I travel with family, I would opt for the Smart Travel kit.

In addition to these great kits, there are some neat accessories available that are great for travelers too, such as the cool “Heatsheets” sleeping bag, which comes with a cool orange stuff sack. The “no deet” insect repellent wipes and baking soda itch relief would come in handy as well.

Those interested in taking advantage of these cool products should visit the Adventure Medical Kits website. Or feel free to contact Simon directly at sashdown [at] tendercorp [dot] com.

New Burger King ad criticized as “culturally tone-deaf”

by Aaron Hotfelder on

Advertising is all about generating buzz, and those ad whizzes at Burger King sure do have a knack for that. (See, for example, Burger King’s big-headed, stalker-ish “King” character for a prime example.)

Now their newest ad campaign, called “Whopper Virgins,” is drawing fire from a number of organizations as being exploitative and culturally insensitive. The new ads show people from some of the most remote parts of the globe– the Hmong tribe in Thailand, farmers from Transylvania in Romania, and the Inuit in Greenland– sampling Burger King’s Whopper and a Big Mac from McDonald’s for the first time, while a voiceover hails the experiment as “the world’s purest taste test.” The Whopper was apparently chosen “more often than not” over the Big Mac, according to the company. (In other words, “slightly more than half the time.”)

Burger King’s goal with the ad was to “see how the Whopper would perform in a world that didn’t have ad or marketing awareness or any sentimental attachments,” says Russ Klein, a Burger King exec.

But many others see the ad in a more sinister light. The blog Stereohyped criticized the ad in a post under the headline “Burger King Storms Innocent Villages to Plunder ‘Virgins,'” while Adweek’s Barbara Lippert called it “culturally tone-deaf.”

“What might irk people is the concept that Burger King is taking its fat-laden fast food to people who aren’t used to this stuff in their diets, who aren’t usually subject to our crass commercials, and who probably don’t really care too much,” a blogger a WalletPop wrote.

Personally, I have a hard time getting worked up over the ad. Seeing a Hmong tribesman munch on a Whopper is a pretty stomach-turning juxtaposition, I’ll admit, but it isn’t like this ad campaign is going to cause American fast food chains to suddenly flock to remote Thai villages. And Burger King, realizing the ad might be portrayed as controversial, seemingly took great pains to be gracious guests, as they donated school supplies, toys, and money to each of the places they visited.

So let’s everyone calm down about the ad. It’s a commercial, people.

Can new leader save Thailand?

by Josh Lew on

The King of Thailand, who somehow manages to stay above the country’s constant political woes, has official accepted former opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva as the new prime minister. He is the 3rd man to hold the post in the past 12 weeks.

Abhisit was formerly the opposition leader in parliament. He brings youth (he’s only 44) and a reputation for honesty to the country’s top job. Like the Illinois governor’s office, corruption is almost expected from Thailand’s leadership. Abhisit’s perceived incorruptibility might be just what the country needs to start trusting its governing body again.

What does this new political era mean for Thailand’s massive tourism industry? Nothing yet. Until the rift between rival political parties and their supporters is mended, more events like the occupation of Suvarnabhumi Airport are entirely possible. The infrastructure is still in place, but until the unpredictable political climate calms down, it would be hard to expect tourists to flock back to Thailand’s beaches and shopping venues.

[via BBC]

Ritz-Carlton announces Ritz-Carlton Reserve for global travelers

by Meg Massie on

Looking to expand the company’s luxury brand to the far corners of the planet, the Ritz-Carlton has officially announced the first Ritz-Carlton Reserve resort in Phulay Bay in Krabi, Thailand.

These new resorts will be built in beautiful, remote destinations, with the guest suites designed for peaceful relaxation and seclusion, while resort amenities will feature all the luxury that is associated with the Ritz-Carlton name.

The Phulay Bay resort was designed by Thai architect Lek Bunnag, giving the property a modern style with local flavor. The guest rooms have gorgeous views of the Andaman Sea as well as private plunge pools and sheltered outdoor baths and rainforest showers. Public amenities at the resort include an infinity pool, fitness center, spa, casual and fine dining, cooking and batik painting classes, and an event space perfect for wedding of up to 80 guests.

The Ritz-Carlton Reserve is now taking reservations for Phulay Bay for 2009. Visit www.ritzcarltonreserve.com for more information. Future resorts are planned for Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Turks & Caicos and The United Arab Emirates.