The Signature Collection

The Signature Collection Copyright (c) 2008 The Signature Collection. All rights reserved. http://www.thesignaturecollection.com The Signature Collections News and Press Release en-us Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:48:31 EST Our threatened oceans Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:47:59 EST http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_75.html Our threatened oceans Both the beauty and the fragility of the planet were on spectacular display Monday as TODAY reported on climate change and the power of water from the Ends of the Earth. Hosts Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira, Al Roker and Ann Curry signed in simultaneously from the Western Hemisphere’s longest coral reef in Belize; drought-stricken Australia, the world’s driest inhabited continent; Iceland, where fire meets ice; and 13,000 feet up the flank of Mount Kilima... Phuket Today Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:37:33 EST http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_74.html Phuket Today Nick Anthony, Indigo Real Estate’s Managing Partner, discusses the real estate market in Phuket and its position as a safe haven. Two years ago I wrote an article in the Indigo Magazine about buying international property and seeking value. At the time we traveled extensively around the globe looking for a new market to pick up outside Phuket and saw over priced real estate across the globe. After a great deal of research we chose Argentina and are today busy l... 10 travel technology predictions revisited Wed, 12 Nov 2008 21:14:34 EST http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_73.html 10 travel technology predictions revisited In March, PhoCusWright predicted the top 10 trends and themes in travel technology for 2008. In preparation of next weeks conference, the company now offers a sneak-preview of how some of those predictions fared. Prediction #1: People-to-people applications will continue to grow and become more integrated with business direction. In fact, people-to-people e-commerce didn’t materialize as a strong trend. However, business appli... Can Koh Samui attract meetings? Tue, 11 Nov 2008 22:22:23 EST http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_72.html Can Koh Samui attract meetings? TCEB gears up to promote Samui as an alternative destination for meeting and incentive groups. Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau hopes to draw international meeting and incentive groups to Samui believing it could become a viable meeting choice alongside Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket and Chiang Mai. TCEB claims that for meetings of up to 200 persons and from countries that have a direct air link to the island there is strong pot... Businesses hit the Web for travel Tue, 11 Nov 2008 22:19:14 EST http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_71.html Businesses hit the Web for travel The Internet is the travel booking channel of choice for businesspeople. That is according to a September 2008 Business Travel News sponsored study conducted by Equation Research. US business travelers surveyed who flew more than six times during the previous 12 months preferred to book their trips online instead of by phone or e-mail. That held true whether the travelers booked directly with suppliers or had their corporate travel departme... How green is your office? Thu, 6 Nov 2008 22:49:28 EST http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_70.html How green is your office? And it looks like McLaren's Lewis Hamilton pips Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen to win the Singapore Formula One! If only. Instead, the only race being fought out at today's breakfast seminar was one on a slow track that was gearing up one notch: The race toward greening offices and their bottom lines. Leaving a lesser carbon footprint while trimming costs were key messages that global video-conferencing leader Tandberg and the Singapore Environment Counc... Andrew Sansom - ethical wedding photography Thu, 6 Nov 2008 22:42:44 EST http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_69.html Andrew Sansom - ethical wedding photography This week we are joined by Andrew Sansom - ethical wedding photographer extraordinaire. As well as being on top of the ethical and green issues related to photography, Andrew has a handle on all the usual stresses and strains of planning a wedding - including (rather topically given the recent downpours) what to do in wet weather! For more wedding tips and stories, over to Andrew… Your name: Andrew Sansom Firefly plans new destinations to Thailand while rolling up its sleeves to improve passenger loads on existing routes. Firefly, the Malaysian-based low-cost airline, is planning new services to Thailand, next year, from its main hub of Penang and a new hub in Johor Bahru. At the same time, the airline hopes to find partners to tap international passengers who need a connection to destinations in Malaysia. The a... Finding a Sacred Date and Location Fri, 31 Oct 2008 05:40:58 EDT http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_67.html Finding a Sacred Date and Location The first decisions we had to make when planning our wedding was date and location. We picked the most popular wedding date in the century it seems, 7/7/07. It was sort of a novelty at first, but as we began to research it we discovered that the number seven is a sacred number among all religions of the world. Being that we are spiritual people but not connected to one major belief system, we thought this was appropriate. In our ceremony we wer... The World's Top 10 Train Trips Mon, 27 Oct 2008 23:39:59 EDT http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_66.html The World's Top 10 Train Trips Whether sparked by childhood tales of Thomas the Tank Engine chugging along or during college adventures backpacking the tracks through Europe, a love affair with the locomotive has been kindled within many of us from early on. We’re awed by the power of their engines, which promise to pull us on unknown adventures around the bend ahead, past window-framed landscapes and villages that we might never glimpse another way. We’re entranced by their whistles,... Bright future for green building Mon, 27 Oct 2008 23:24:36 EDT http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_65.html Bright future for green building Adoption of green real estate practices in commercial and residential buildings offers very cost-effective Green House Gas (GHG) emission cuts compared to other economic sectors. This is one of the key findings in a Green Real Estate Guide compiled by global real estate services company, Colliers International. Mr Simon Carter, author of the Guide and Colliers International Regional Head of Sustainablity for Asia - Pacific, visited Bangkok r... Seoul To Construct More Bicycle-only Lanes Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:32:26 EDT http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_64.html Seoul To Construct More Bicycle-only Lanes Quote of the day: “Our goal is to make 30 percent of the total population use bicycles as public transportation.” - Oh Gwang-hyun, South Korean official. Seoul, the capital of South Korea is taking measures against global warming and responding to the high prices of gas by constructing more bicycle-only lanes throughout the city. "A city cannot effectively cope with global warming issues and traffic congestion if people commut... It's a Nice Day for a Green Wedding Mon, 20 Oct 2008 03:58:28 EDT http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_63.html It's a Nice Day for a Green Wedding In honor of the impending wedding season, The Nature Conservancy offers tips to make your special day one Mother Nature will celebrate ARLINGTON, VA — June 16, 2008 —Something old, something new, something borrowed, something…green? It’s really not as out of the ordinary as it sounds—last year, Brides.com estimated that approximately 33% of future brides and grooms in the U.S. are planning an eco-friendly wedding. Today, The Na... Kimi Raikkonen takes time out in Phuket Fri, 17 Oct 2008 02:03:10 EDT http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_62.html Kimi Raikkonen takes time out in Phuket Kimi Raikkonen's usual high speed antics took a turn for the slow lane recently, as he took time out to unwind in his new Phuket villa. After a podium finish at the Japanese Grand Prix, Kimi and his friends stayed at the F1 star's newly completed ocean front pad and enjoyed the celebrations of the phase one completion of Serenity Terraces Resort Condominiums and Villas in Rawai. In an exclusive interview with Property Repor... Condominium Act amendments and their implications Mon, 13 Oct 2008 06:43:23 EDT http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_61.html Condominium Act amendments and their implications In a move to address numerous complaints from condominium buyers, the Thai government enacted Condominium Act No. 4. Effective as of July 4, 2008, the new law significantly expands the scope of consumer protection to potential condominium buyers by amending several provisions of the existing Condominium Act (1979). Since its passage almost 30 years ago, the original Act has been amended three times in an attempt to keep the ... Half a million Indian visitors arrived in Thailand in 2007 Mon, 13 Oct 2008 05:40:15 EDT http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_60.html Half a million Indian visitors arrived in Thailand in 2007 India is one of Thailand’s most rapidly growing markets and the biggest source-market for visitors from South Asia. In 2007, Indian visitor arrivals totalled 506,237, up 17.8% over 2006, crossing the half-million mark for the first time. Within these figures, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is noticing major increases in family travellers, first-time visitors, as well as FIT travellers. In 2000, I... Google Rallies Embattled Travel Marketers Sat, 11 Oct 2008 01:49:45 EDT http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_59.html Google Rallies Embattled Travel Marketers Penry Price of GoogleWith the travel industry already feeling the pain of the economic downturn, Google on Wednesday convened more than a hundred travel marketing executives at TravelThink 2008 to offer strategies for boosting business, as well as to get feedback. As one of the industries to embrace search early on, travel has become a key business category for Google, and the search giant plays a big role in driving business to tra... Tourism Authority of Thailand Fact Sheet Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:20:23 EDT http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_58.html Tourism Authority of Thailand Fact Sheet The current political situation in Thailand — change of government and political demonstrations — should be seen as part of the Kingdom’s evolving political development under a democratic system of governance. The protests are directed at Members of Parliament and other political figures. These incidents are limited to the administrative centre of Bangkok. The rest of the city is unaffected. The PAD anti-go... Hotel uniforms are part of 'Going Green.' Tue, 7 Oct 2008 22:27:36 EDT http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_57.html Hotel uniforms are part of 'Going Green.' Select Wyndham® hotels will introduce the new uniforms beginning this fall by job category. Front desk and other customer–facing employees are required to begin wearing the new uniforms by the end of 2009 and housekeeping and other back–of–house staff by 2010. All new properties are required to provide the new uniforms upon opening. The textiles are produced from post–consumer products, including recycled plastic beverage bottles, w... Green passport - a site for the green traveler. Tue, 7 Oct 2008 22:24:55 EDT http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_56.html Green passport - a site for the green traveler. Green travel tips are for the world's growing number of international tourists willing to holiday on a living planet. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has launched a Green Passport campaign. The internet-based campaign, "Green Passport", aims to raise tourists' awareness of their potential to contribute to sustainable development by making responsible holiday choices. Achim Steine... How to Go Green: At Work Tue, 7 Oct 2008 01:30:53 EDT http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_55.html How to Go Green: At Work A greener workplace can mean a lighter ecological footprint, a healthier and more productive place to work, and good news for the bottom line. Whether you’re the boss or the employee, whether your office is green already or still waiting to see the light, some practical steps can lay the groundwork for a healthy, low-impact workspace. From how you get to work -- we recommend telecommuting -- to helping your company walk the walk through corporate fi... 5 Tips for a Greener Road Trip Tue, 7 Oct 2008 01:25:11 EDT http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_54.html 5 Tips for a Greener Road Trip Here's advice on how to reduce your journey's gas cost and environmental impact at the same time. Road trips define America as much as baseball and apple pie, lemonade and lightning bugs. But with gas prices climbing past $4 per gallon and growing sensitivity to the environmental costs of driving, they've become more difficult to justify than ever. There are ways, though, to compromise — not on the natural splendor and the kitschy charm of the... Bangkok Airways to launch Web check-in service Mon, 6 Oct 2008 03:28:10 EDT http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_53.html Bangkok Airways to launch Web check-in service To improve the quality of services and ensure a smooth ride for passengers, Bangkok Airways will launch a Web-based check-in service in July. Bangkok Airways’ Information System Depart-ment vice president Ping Na Thalang said the company will provide the service to passengers who do not have any check-in baggage. Such passengers will be able to get their boarding passes without having to go to the check-in counters a... Arctic Saw Fastest August Sea Ice Retreat On Record Tue, 30 Sep 2008 01:38:14 EDT http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_52.html Arctic Saw Fastest August Sea Ice Retreat On Record Following a record-breaking season of arctic sea ice decline in 2007, NASA scientists have kept a close watch on the 2008 melt season. Although the melt season did not break the record for ice loss, NASA data are showing that for a four-week period in August 2008, sea ice melted faster during that period than ever before. Each year at the end of summer, sea ice in the Arctic melts to reach its annual minimum. Ice that rema... Eco pyramid city in Dubai Mon, 29 Sep 2008 05:37:19 EDT http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_51.html Eco pyramid city in Dubai A proposed car-free 'city' in the shape of a pyramid within Dubai could cut carbon-emissions by 90 percent. With population growth in Gulf cities expanding and the increasing pressures placed on infrastructure and the environment, the pyramid-shaped city called the Ziggurat project could support an entire community of up to one million people by harnessing the power of nature, according to the company behind the project, Timelinks. Cars ... Thailand legal clinic Tue, 23 Sep 2008 04:33:28 EDT http://www.thesignaturecollection.com/news_50.html Thailand legal clinic Property lawyers Belmont Limcharoen answer your questions on Thai real estate Q. I am looking at my first overseas property transaction. I am from the UK, and have bought and sold property both personal and commercially. How does the process and the parties involved differ in Thailand? Who do I have to deal with and how I can ensure the process is managed effectively whilst remaining protected? D.Fairview, Mayfair, UK A. You may...