Holidays in Thailand 2011

Thailand is full of sublime vacation spots - there's the gentle beauty of the northern capital Chiang Mai, the energy and excitement of Bangkok, and the breezy hedonism of the tropical island of Phuket with its beaches, grand hotels and wide array of watersports. But few have the charm and vibrancy of Koh Samui. Until just a few decades ago, this island in the Gulf of Thailand was the sole preserve of native fisherman and coconut farmers, until some intrepid tourists hitched a lift on a coconut boat and soon the secret was out. Now Samui is one of the country's prime holiday destinations. But what makes it so special?
The first thing Koh Samui has going for it is the location. Set like a jewel in the Gulf of Thailand some 700 kilometers south of Bangkok, it's convenient to get to, but remote enough to be off the beaten track and retain much

Bangkok, May 2009 ? Astudo Hotel & Resort Group, Asia?s leading boutique hotel management company, discovers that the economic problems worldwide are proving to be a boom for hotel management services in the hospitality industry.
Anthony McDonald, CEO of Astudo Hotel & Resort Group, believes that ?the majority of the boutique hotels and resorts are struggling in this hostile economic market and many owners are now faced with the difficult decision to either close their doors or look for professional management and in particular international sales and marketing expertise?. He added that ?With larger international hotels slashing room rates, boutique and midsized hotels and resorts were getting squeezed by the big guys?.
In Thailand, tourism continues to suffer from economic and political problems, resulting in fierce competition