DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Why mango sticky rice is one of Thailand’s most beloved summer dishes
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Karla Cripps | Kocha Olarn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Better known to the rest of the world as mango sticky rice, it’s a deceptively simple dish. And few have perfected that balance as well as 63-year-old Varee Jeensuwan, the undeniable queen of mango sticky rice in Bangkok. In 2022, she performed at the Coachella music festival in California and ended her show by digging into a bowl of mango sticky rice. K Panich has been dishing out mango sticky rice since 1932. According to R-Haan co-owner/chef Chumpol Jangprai, there’s evidence suggesting mango sticky rice has been around since Thailand’s late Ayutthaya period (1351-1767), with references to the dish found in the centuries to follow.

Persons: Mae Varee, “, Bangkok's Mae Varee, Lauren DeCicca, Rong, ”, Nam Dok Mai, Chiang Rai, Milli, Panich, Pongpat, – it’s, Bib, Khun Nan, Mai, it’s, It’s, Haan, Chumpol Jangprai, Rama V’s Organizations: CNN, Bangkok CNN, Coachella, Haan Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, Bangkok’s, Thonglor, Mae, Bangkok's, province’s Bangkhla, Damnoen Saduak, Ratchaburi province, “, nieow, Thailand’s, Suratthani, China , Hong Kong, Singapore, Thai, California

☆ Songkran 2024: Celebrating Thailand’s annual New Year festival
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-05 | by ( Karla Cripps | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Bangkok, Thailand CNN —On the surface, Thailand’s annual Songkran festival appears to be just one great big water fight. Pipad Krajaejun, a history lecturer at Bangkok’s Thammasat University, says it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when the water fights became such a key part of the festival. (We’ll share more on the water fights below.) Some towns limit the water fights to one day, so be sure to check ahead if you’re planning to join the battles. Soe Zeya Tun/ReutersAmong the highlights of the festival is the Maha Songkran Parade, which will happen on April 11.

Persons: Thailand CNN —, that’s, ”, Songkran, Boonserm Satraphai, Pipad, “, Soe Zeya Tun, University’s Pipad, Nam, Chalinee Thirasupa, MBK, Lauren DeCicca, John S Lander, it’s, CNN Travel’s Karla Cripps, she’s Organizations: CNN, Thailand CNN, UNESCO, Heritage, Bangkok’s Thammasat University, CNN Travel, ”, Thailand’s Tourism Authority, of, Reuters, Central Department, Thai Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, it’s, Chiang Mai, Thailand's, Khao San, Chiang, Old City, Pipad, Chiangmai, Thailand’s, Ratchadamnoen, Lanna, San

☆ Asia’s 50 best restaurants for 2024 revealed
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Karla Cripps | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —After losing the number one spot to Bangkok in 2023, Tokyo has reclaimed its crown as the city with the top eatery in the region at the annual Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards, which were announced in Seoul, South Korea on Tuesday evening. The list – part of the global “World’s 50 Best” brand – is compiled by the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Academy, which is made up of more than 300 food critics, writers, chefs and restaurateurs, all selected for their knowledge of Asia’s restaurant scene. Though Singapore didn’t have any restaurants in the top five, nine of its venues made the top 50 list – more than any other city. Courtesy The World's 50 BestThe “Asia’s Best Female Chef” award went to Pichaya ‘Pam’ Soontornyanakij, owner of Bangkok restaurant Potong, which came in at 17 on this year’s list. Mineko Kato of restaurant Faro in Tokyo won the Asia’s Best Pastry Chef award and Kevin Lu of Logy, in Taipei, was voted Asia’s Best Sommelier.

Persons: Daniel Calvert, Calvert, “, ”, Sézanne, I’ve, we’d, Gaggan, Seroja, Gaggan Anand, Thitid “, Sühring, Le Du –, Ton, Bangkok –, Odette, Pichaya, Pam ’ Soontornyanakij, Ton’s Nusara, Mineko Kato, Kevin Lu, Logy, Sung Anh, Mosu, Danny Yip, Hong, Le, Fu, Hui, Samrub, Villa, Ling Long, Ando, Les Amis, Baan, Goh, Anan, Tam’s Organizations: CNN, Marunouchi, Restaurants Academy, Hospitality, Toyo, Meta, Studio, Bund Locations: Bangkok, Tokyo, Seoul, South Korea, Japan, France’s Champagne, Maronouchi, Asia, ”, Kolkata, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thai, ” Singapore, Faro, Taipei, Nusara, Suhring, Osaka, Odette, Sorn, Le Du, Potong, Shanghai, Logy, Masque, Mumbai, Manila, Delhi, Seroja, Taichung, Taiwan, Mume, Wakayama, Lolla, Avartana, Chennai, India, Fukuoka, Jakarta, Kyoto, Anan Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City, Macao

☆ Project Sunrise: Aircraft delays push back launch date for Qantas’ record-breaking flights
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Karla Cripps | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Travelers who were hoping to experience Qantas’ long-awaited, record-breaking ‘Project Sunrise’ flights next year will have to be a bit more patient. Project Sunrise: Australian airline Qantas is gearing up to launch its ultra long-haul "Project Sunrise" flights between Australia and New York City and London. Qantas Business Suites: For the first time, Qantas will add a sliding door to its business class seats for added privacy. The layout includes six first class seats in a 1-1-1 configuration, 52 business class seats in 1-2-1, 40 premium economy seats in 2-4-2 and 140 economy seats in 3-3-3. Business class suites will be 42 inches wide with 25-inch-wide chairs that can be reclined into a two-meter bed.

Persons: ” Christian Scherer, – Organizations: CNN — Travelers, Qantas, Airbus, Sydney, Reuters, CNN, Sunrise, Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Boeing, Australian, Qantas Qantas, Singapore Airlines ’, JFK Locations: Australia, New York, London, Singapore, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Sri Lanka, New York City, Singapore Airlines ’ Singapore, JFK

☆ Canadian arrested for allegedly opening plane door, deploying evacuation slide in Thailand
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Kocha Olarn | Karla Cripps | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Bangkok CNN —A Canadian man has been arrested in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai after he allegedly opened the door on a commercial plane and triggered the evacuation slide prior to takeoff. According to a statement issued by the Chiang Mai International Airport, the incident took place on the night of February 7. The Airbus A320 was unable to be immediately moved, temporarily preventing other flights from taking off and landing, said the statement. Chiang Mai officials say 2,295 passengers were affected by the February 7 incident. Police said they were unaware of the suspect’s motive for opening the door, but noted he appeared stressed and was difficult to communicate with.

Persons: Bangkok CNN —, Chiang Mai, Chiang, “, ”, Ronnakorn Chalermsanyakorn, Manuschai, Wong Sai Heung Organizations: Bangkok CNN, Chiang Mai International Airport, Thai Airways, Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi, Airbus, Airways, Chiang Mai International Airport Thai Airways, Chiang Mai Police, CNN, Police, Psychiatric, Canadian Embassy Locations: Bangkok, Thai, Chiang Mai, Thailand

☆ Mazaalai International Snow and Ice Festival: Mongolia event sets Guinness World Record
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Karla Cripps | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The inaugural Mazaalai International Snow and Ice Festival, which kicked off on January 14, takes place till January 28 at Sky Resort, a golf and ski resort on the outskirts of Ulaanbaatar. A further 52 ice Mazaalai statues were erected at the festival to represent the 52 Gobi bears that remain in the wild. Ministry of Culture/Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Government of MongoliaThere’s also a 56.4-meter-long snow and ice sculpture with a large ice skating rink. On January 17, the festival hosted the Mazaalai International Ice Competition, featuring 24 artists from six countries including China, Thailand, France, Russia, the US and Mongolia. Culture Minister Chinbat said the new Mazaalai International Snow and Ice Festival is part of the government’s goal to welcome one million international tourists per year to Mongolia.

Persons: CNN —, Nomin Chinbat, whooshing, Mongolia There’s, Chinbat Organizations: CNN, Sky, Guinness, of Culture, Ministry of Environment, Tourism, Ice, Culture, World Bank Locations: Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar, Government, China, Thailand, France, Russia, United States

But as with many popular winter ski destinations right now, this resort town in Indian-administered Kashmir is facing a snow shortage due to unseasonably dry weather, disappointing both travelers and tourism operators. Tauseef Mustafa/AFP/Getty ImagesDespite the lack of snow, a staff member of the Gulmarg Ski Resort reached by phone who did not wish to be named told CNN Travel their hotels have been experiencing very high occupancy rates in recent days. This is definitely affecting the tourism sector.”Tourists learn to ski on a gentle Gulmarg slope in February 2021. “What would they do here without the snow?”‘The demand is still there’Tourists visit the Gulmarg Ski Resort on January 10, 2024. So the loss of snow (will also be) compensated.”Yaqoob notes that the snowfall season in Gulmarg is traditionally from November to February-March.

Persons: Tauseef Mustafa, Asif Ahmad Bhat, “, ”, ’ Bhat, Sahil Ahmed Lone, Yawar Nazir, he’s, Lone, they’ve, Nasir Kachroo, Gulmarg –, Raja, it’s Organizations: CNN, CNN Travel, ”, El Nino Locations: Gulmarg, Indian, Kashmir, Srinagar, India, Pakistan, AFP, “, Leh, Ladakh, Uttarakhand

☆ Best travel destinations to visit in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-01 | by ( Cnn Travel Staff | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +32 min

cdwheatley/iStockphoto/Getty Images Angola: Beyond the capital city of Luanda, pictured, Angola has some jaw-droppingly spectacular scenery and cultural treats. David ChiaFF/Alamy Stock Photo Mérida, Mexico: Yucatán state's capital city showcases a blend of Mayan and colonial heritage. Pavel Tochinsky/The Image Bank RF/Getty Images Morocco: This North African country is home to nine UNESCO sites, including the historic city of Meknes, pictured. Panama City is also the only world capital with a tropical rainforest within its city limits. And a historic city forever entwined with the famed Camino de Santiago.

Persons: you’d, Tengguo Wu, Gabriele Thielmann, Turkey's, Gary Ennis, Matevz, Bill Bachman, Christian Kober, Gonzalo Azumendi, David ChiaFF, Pavel Tochinsky, Terry Kelly, Raul Rodriguez, iStock, Anton Petrus, –, — Karla Cripps Turkey’s, — Barry Neild, Mana Kaasik, — Maureen O’Hare, — Maggie Hiufu Wong, Deb Snelson, Glen Arbor, Marnie Hunter, — Forrest Brown, — Forrest Brown Angola Cristo, Eric Lafforgue, it’s, King, Eric Carr, John’s, Saint John, New Brunswick —, —, Tuul, Bruno Morandi, — Julia Buckley, Groenewald, Alamy, — Lilit Marcus, Alexander the Great, Philip II of Macedon, — JB, Bogdan Lazar, — Tamara Hardingham, Gill, Hercules, Francesca, Lazarus, ”, David Casanova, Megan Sequeira Casanova, “, Kuka y Naranjo, medina, Gordon Sinclair, Yvette Cardozo, — FB, Pierce Ingram, Stefan Tomic, Fujairah, who’ve, Samarkand —, It’s Organizations: CNN, United, CNN Travel, Getty Images, Town, Getty, Northwest, Saint, New Brunswick Tourism, UNESCO, Heritage, Alamy, Parque Nacional Volcán Barú, Galicia, Tercera Orden, Parque, Bank, Wakulla Springs, Texas, United Arab Emirates, AP, Rock, of Culture, Estonian National Museum, — Maggie Hiufu Wong Northwest Michigan, Bear, Farm, Riders, Lubango, — BN Saint John, Canada Tourists, St, Saint John City Market, Historic, Saint John Arts Centre, Carnegie, Carnegie Library, — KC, Korea, Folk, Netflix, South Korea, Adriatic, Nacional Glaciares, Australian Sea Lions, Panama, Spain Santiago de, Spain Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, Islas, Camino, Mexico People, YouTube, US State Department, Morocco, Regis Hotels, Resorts, — FB Texas, Travel Texas, Krause, Gruene, Fujairah, Icefjord, FS, Tuul, ” Locations: United States, Sumba, Indonesia Sumba, Indonesia, Bali, Getty Images Tartu, Estonia, Tartu —, European, Tainan, Taiwan, Northwest Michigan, Traverse City, Lake Michigan, iStockphoto, Western Balkans, Culebra , Puerto Rico, Flamenco, Culebra, cdwheatley, Angola, Luanda, , New Brunswick, Fundy, New Brunswick, New Brunswick Tourism South Korea, Korea Albania, Albania, Chile, mauritius, Western Australia, Greece, Macedonia, American, Panama, Spain, Camino, Santiago, St, John's, Mexico, Parque Hidalgo, Morocco, Meknes, Florida, Spicewood, Anton, Greenland, Denmark, AP Uzbekistan, Bukhara, Indonesian, Sumela, Turkey's, — Barry Neild Tartu, Estonia Tartu, of Culture Tartu, Tartu, “, Baltics, — Maureen O’Hare Tainan, Taiwan Tainan, Taipei, — Maggie Hiufu Wong Northwest, Lake, Traverse, Leland, Glen, perusing, Balkans, Slovenia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Serbia, transdinarica.com, —, Puerto Rico, It’s, — Forrest Brown Angola, Lubango, Barra, Cabo Ledo, — BN Saint John , New Brunswick, Canada, Hopewell, Newfoundland, Saint, Canada’s, Korea Andong, South Korea, Sanga, Korea, Seoul, Busan, Andong, Albania Albania, Berat, Montenegro, Vlorë, Gjirokastër, — Julia Buckley Chile, Atacama, Patagonia, Coral Coast, Geraldton, — Lilit Marcus Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Greece's, Hemis, Athens, Vergina, Veria, Naousa, Greece’s, Thrace, Philippi, Kavala, Panama . Panama City, Gill Galicia, Spain Santiago, Spain Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Galicia’s, Santiago de Compostela, Cabo, Fisterra, Galicia —, Singapore, John’s, Paseo, Montejo, Mérida, Yucatán, getaways, there’s, Marrakech, Rabat, Fes, Resorts Morocco, Wakulla, Ginnie, Fredericksburg, Texas, Marble Falls, Meanderers, New Braunfels, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Wadi, Nuuk, Ilulissat, West, FS Uzbekistan, Samarkand, Uzbekistan, China, India, Khiva, Uzbek, Sentob, Tashkent

☆ Icon of the Seas: World’s biggest cruise ship delivered to Royal Caribbean
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Karla Cripps | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The world’s biggest cruise ship is now in the hands of its new owner, with Royal Caribbean accepting delivery of the 1,198-foot Icon of the Seas this week. Royal Caribbean says Icon of the Seas is the cruise line’s first ship that can be powered by liquefied natural gas and will have the first waste-to-energy plant at sea. “Images of Royal Caribbean’s ships have often elicited strong responses,” cruise expert Stewart Chiron told CNN Travel when questioned about the reaction in August. The current “world’s largest cruise ship” title holder is another vessel in the Royal Caribbean fleet, Wonder of the Seas, which made its inaugural voyage in 2022. Slightly smaller than Icon of the Seas, it stretches 1,188 feet in length and has 18 decks to explore.

Persons: That’s, it’s, ”, Jason Liberty, Stewart Chiron, “, Jacopo Prisco Organizations: CNN, Royal, Meyer, Royal Caribbean Group, CNN Travel, Royal Caribbean Locations: Royal Caribbean, Meyer Turku, Turku, Finland, Miami , Florida, Caribbean, “, Cadiz, Spain, Florida, –

☆ Singapore’s Changi Airport fully reopens Terminal 2 following huge expansion
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Karla Cripps | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Singapore’s Changi Airport has fully reopened Terminal 2 following a massive 3.5-year expansion project. But it was the introduction of some previously unheard-of amenities that really got the world’s travelers to take notice. Changi Airport Terminal 3 – which now has a 12-meter-high mega slide and a butterfly garden – entered the picture in 2008. Featuring a dramatic, doughnut-shaped exterior framed in steel and glass, the 135,700-square-meter space is a multi-use complex that connects three of Changi Airport’s four terminals. Meanwhile, airport officials have already revealed plans for Terminal 5, which is expected to open to travelers in the mid-2030s.

Persons: ”, Lye, Tang, Li Bai’s, Li Bai, Nam Kee, what’s Organizations: CNN, Group’s, Lotte, Harry’s, CNN Singapore Changi Airport, Hamad International Airport, Changi, HSBC Locations: Changi, Lye Teck, Singapore, Doha, Qatar, Forest

☆ Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport: Cambodia’s newest and biggest airport opens to commercial flights
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Karla Cripps | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Cambodia’s newest and biggest airport opened to commercial operations in the province of Siem Reap in the country’s northwest this week. The China-funded Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport is now the main gateway to one of the country’s most popular tourist sites, the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Complex. Using the International Air Transport Association-designated code SAI, it replaces Siem Reap International Airport (REP), which first opened in 1932 and is only a few kilometers away from the Angkor complex. Located in Siem Reap province, the UNESCO-listed Angkor Archaeological Park is one of Cambodia's most famous sites. The country is on track to receive approximately 4.5 to five million international tourists by the end of this year, says the ministry.

Persons: Ashit Desai, Angkor Thom Organizations: CNN, UNESCO, Thailand’s Bangkok Airways, International Air Transport Association, SAI, Initiative, REP, Economic, Office, Embassy, Yunnan Aviation Industry Investment Group, Construction, Getty, Cambodia’s Ministry, Tourism Locations: Siem Reap, China, Angkor, Siem, Cambodia, Southeast Asia, Khmer, Angkor Wat

☆ Inside Japan Airlines’ new A350-1000 aircraft
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Karla Cripps | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Japan Airlines (JAL) has done just that, this week unveiling the interiors of its high-tech new Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, “which will become the airline’s new flagship for international service after nearly 20 years,” the carrier says in a statement. Business-class cabinsAn aerial view of the new business-class seats. Japan AirlinesThe JAL 777-300ER jets currently serving JAL’s long-haul flights have 49 business-class seats. Premium and economy cabinsThe new JAL premium economy seats have privacy partitions and electronic leg rests. Japan AirlinesA common question among travelers: is it worth paying the extra for premium economy?

Persons: ”, here’s, Safran, CNN Travel’s Francesca Street, what’s, There’s, “ Organizations: CNN, Japan Airlines, JAL, Airbus, ”, they’ve, Japan, Boeing Locations: Tokyo, Haneda, New York, JFK, Hamburg, Germany, Japan Airlines

What is the Naadam festival? “Naadam means ‘games’ in the Mongolian language and it includes three main competitions, Mongolian wrestling, archery and horse racing,” he explains. The Naadam games took place virtually for two years, from 2020-2021, because of the pandemic. Kyodo/APIn addition to the major festivities held in Ulaanbaatar, there are Naadam games – of different scales – held across Mongolia in the countryside. A female archer strikes a pose at a small Naadam festival at the Three Camel Lodge in Mongolia's Gobi Desert in 2019.

Persons: Genghis Khan, Here’s, Naadam, It’s, ”, “ Naadam, Genghis, Barry Lewis, –, Yesunge, Tessa Chan, Alison Wright, David, Goliath, Wu Hong Organizations: CNN, Manly Games, Nomadic Expeditions, “, UNESCO, Intangible, Heritage, Humanity, South China Morning, Mongolian Government, Mongolian, Mongolia, Archery, Kyodo, AP, Archery Field, Shutterstock Locations: Mongolia, gers, Mongol, Ulaanbaatar, Uliastai, Western Mongolia, South, Mongolian, Australia, New Zealand, Ulaanbataar

☆ Famed luxury train is returning to Southeast Asia with two new routes
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Karla Cripps | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

In February 2024, The Eastern & Oriental Express, A Belmond Train will launch two seasonal return-trip journeys out of Singapore that take in the landscapes of its northern neighbor, Malaysia. These routes mark the brand’s official return to Southeast Asia after being forced to cease operations during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Eastern & Oriental Express, A Belmond Train's open-air observation carriage. BelmondAccording to Belmond, operator of the train, the 15 signature green- and cream-colored carriages, once a familiar site for train spotters in the region, have been restyled. Travelers familiar with the luxury train’s long-established presence in Southeast Asia might be asking: why isn’t it traveling up through Thailand to Bangkok?

Persons: George Town, Belmond, ” Organizations: CNN, Oriental Express, Oriental, State, Presidential, Travelers, Orient, CNN Travel Locations: Southeast Asia, Singapore, Malaysia, Singapore’s Woodlands, Penang, Langkawi, Taman, Pullman, Kuala Lumpur, Malay Culture, Alor Setar, George, Malaysian, Thailand, Bangkok, Venice, Kanchanaburi, Thailand’s

☆ Maldives luxury resort takes fresh approach to waste with new ‘Sustainability Lab’
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Karla Cripps | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

But do tourists actually care about a resort’s sustainability cred? As the luxury resort’s sustainability manager, he oversees all of the 120-villa property’s eco-inspired initiatives, from protecting the 9-kilometer-long house reef to implementing cutting-edge energy-saving strategies. The predominant color is blue thanks to an abundance of plastic water bottle tops. The structure was designed to kind of replicate a hard substrate of a coral reef. Children can learn more about the resort’s conservation efforts by joining its new Generation Sea program, which includes visits to both the Sustainability Lab and the Coralarium.

Persons: Samuel Dixon, “, CNN Dixon, Dixon, ”, There’s, nontoxic, it’s, “ We’ve Organizations: CNN, Maldives CNN, Sustainability Locations: Maldives, Fairmont Maldives, ”

CNN —China’s first large homegrown passenger jet made its inaugural commercial flight on Sunday, flying from Shanghai to Beijing, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported. Flying as China Eastern Airlines flight MU9191, the new narrow-body C919 plane left Shanghai at 10:32 a.m. local time. With a range of up to 5,555 kilometers (3,452 miles), the C919 will take on the world’s two major aircraft manufacturers, Airbus and Boeing. It will be a direct competitor to their A320 and B737 narrowbody jets, most commonly used for domestic and regional international flights. Many of the plane’s major elements such as the nose, fuselage, outer wing, vertical stabilizer and horizontal stabilizer were designed by COMAC.

New York CNN —Flight delays continued Saturday, interrupting travel during the busy holiday season as parts of the country were battered by a deadly winter storm. As of Saturday morning, there were upwards of 2,000 cancellations of flights into, leaving and within the United States, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. On Friday, there were nearly 6,000 canceled flights in the US, and close to 12,000 delays, according to FlightAware. Greyhound bus service warned Thursday evening that trips in the Midwest or upper Northeast could be canceled or disrupted. On Saturday, over 1.6 million homes and businesses nationwide were without power due to an Arctic blast and winter storm that tore down power lines.

Search resuls for: "Karla Cripps"

17 mentions found