Scoot introduces Early Check-In service in Singapore Changi Airport

Scoot, Singapore-based low-cost long-haul airline, introduced a new Early Check-In service for those who want more freedom to explore Singapore without the hassle of luggage, or to spend more time duty free shopping at Singapore Changi Airport.

From December 6th 2012, Scoot’s Early Check-In service will be available at Singapore Changi Airport’s Terminal 2. The service will run every day from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. (local Singapore time) for Scoot customers whose flights are departing up to 3 a.m. of the next day. Early Check-In service is free of charge for an introductory phase.


“Want more freedom to explore Singapore without the hassle of luggage, or to spend more time duty free shopping at one of Changi Airport’s 330 retail and 120 food & beverage outlets? Early check-in allows you to do just that! Just make sure to be at the departure gate at least 45 minutes before departure time, else we’ll be Scooting off without you!” said Campbell Wilson, CEO of Scoot.

Meanwhile, passengers who are transiting at Singapore Changi Airport and have purchased Scoot-Thru with Changi Connects will also be able to check-in for their onward flights across Scoot and its partner airline’s 25 destinations, as soon as they arrive at the airside transfer desk in Transfer Area E (opened daily from 2.30pm to 1.30am Singapore time).

Scoot Boeing 777

Scoot-Thru enables passengers to remain in the transit area of Changi Airport and collect their onward boarding passes, obviating the need to clear customs, collect baggage and re-check-in. Scoot-Thru is available online at www.flyscoot.com for just SGD16 per person per flight connection, or to walk-up customers at Changi Terminal 2 Transfer Counter E for SGD20.


Scoot operates flights from Singapore on medium and long-haul routes and flies to Sydney (Australia), Gold Coast (Australia), Bangkok (Thailand), Tianjin (China), Taipei (Taiwan), Tokyo  (Japan), Qingdao (China - starting from January 2013), Shenyang (China - starting from January 2013).

Resale non-landed private residential property prices increased 5.4% in a single quarter

It seems like sky is the limit for the credit fuelled Singapore property bubble. According to SRX Residential Property Flash Report, resale non-landed private residential property prices increased 5.4% in a single quarter in the first two months of Q4 2012, compared to the previous quarter. The prices have climbed 4.5% in Outside Central Region (OCR).

All regions have outperformed the previous quarter. Outside Central Region (OCR) led the gain with a 4.5% increase over Q3, followed by Rest of Central Region (RCR), which saw a 3.3% increase. 

The Core Central Region (CCR) gained 2.8%. This quarter, CCR transactions, which have higher PSF than that of other regions, represent a bigger proportion of total transactions than seen in previous quarters. 

Transaction volume continues to increase. Comparing the first 2 months of Q3 and Q4, transaction volume rose by 6% in Q4 to hit 2,483 resale transactions in the Oct-Nov period.

Source :  Prices of resale homes rocket to historic high $1,222 psf

Rental market was a completely opposite story. Plagued with a high number of new properties entering into market and less number of tenants to take them up, Average unit monthly rent dropped by 1.0%, from $3.88 psf in Q3 to $3.84 in the first two months of Q4.

Gross rental yield fell to a 6-year historic low of 3.77% in Q2 2012 due to fast price increase and drop in rents.

On the public resale flat side, HDB median resale price hit a new record of $455,000. Overall cash-over-valuation (COV) went up to $34,000 in the first two months into 4Q 2012:

This is $2,000 shy of the 5-year historical high of $36,000 COV attained in 2011Q3 since tracking began in 2007. On a month-to-month basis, overall COV increased from $33,000 in Oct to $35,000 in Nov. 

The highest COV with at least 10 contracts signed among all property types in all towns is for HDB 4-room flats in Queenstown. Median COV in the first 2 months of Q4 is $76,250. The higher COV helped to push overall HDB median resale price to a new historical high of $455,000. This represents a 1.1% increase from 3Q's $450,000. 

Overall HDB median rents remained unchanged at $2,400.
Source : HDB median resale price hits $455,000 

Where is Phuket Island?

Phuket is the biggest and most famous island of Thailand. Phuket is called the ‘Pearl of the Andaman’ and draws millions of tourists each year for its beauty, beaches, greenery and nightlife. There are many reasons why Phuket is so popular. It is quite large, approximately the size of Singapore Island, and it offers something for everyone and every taste. It has many luxury resorts catering to wealthy tourists as well as many backpacker heavens for those on tight budget. It features idyllic palm-fringed beaches, fun-filled water sports, elephant trekking, glitzy shows, world-class spas, fine dining, Thai boxing and lots of culture.

But where is Phuket? Phuket is off South West Coast of Thailand in Andaman Sea. The best is to describe its location on the map. Below is a screenshot from Google maps service showing where Phuket is (the indicator marked as "A"). As you can see, it is in the South East Asia region on the large Andaman Sea. You can also follow this link, where is Phuket, to interactively zoom in and zoom out to understand the exact location.

Where is Phuket?

Best Hotels in Phuket

Phuket, Thailand’s biggest and most famous island, draws millions of worldwide visitors each year for its beauty, beaches, greenery and nightlife. The island, which is dubbed The ‘Pearl of the Andaman" features idyllic palm-fringed beaches, fun-filled water sports, elephant trekking, glitzy shows, world-class spas, fine dining, Thai boxing and lots of culture.

Phuket is an exciting island destination. In an idyllic position off the southern coast of Thailand in the Andaman Sea, Phuket has the golden sands, calm blue waters and coconut palms associated with the perfect tropical vacation. Though Phuket is the most developed of Thailand's islands there are parts of it that still offer romance and seclusion.

Phuket's most popular resort area and nightlife center is Patong. To the south of Patong Beach, Karon Beach is a much quieter and family friendly town with shops, restaurants and bars that cater specifically to tourists. To Patong's north, there is Kamala which offers a good range of accommodation and infrastructure, with resorts becoming progressively more upscale towards Bang Thao, Surin and Pansea beaches. On the other side of the Phuket lay the islands of Koh Yao Yai, Koh Yao Noi and Nakha Yai. Resorts on these islands assure secluded beaches and high levels of service, plus boutique additions like cooking classes, SPA treatments and nature tours. Due south, the little island of Racha Yai also offers a tiny slice of heaven 12 kilometers from Phuket's coastline.

For a detailed guide on accomodation locations in Phuket, you can visit our Where to Stay in Phuket? post.

Best Luxury Hotels in Phuket

Renaissance Phuket Resort and Spa, Mai Khao
	Renaissance Phuket Resort and Spa on the Northernmost Mai Khao Beach is described as the 'ultimate retreat' and offers 180 luxurious guestrooms, stylish onebedroom villas plus 25 sumptuous pool villas with whirlpools and floor-to-ceiling windows.
La Flora Resort Patong
	La Flora Resort is a new (2008) resort right on the Patong Beach. It provides a private, quiet and luxury stay in the busy town of Patnong and it is the only luxury hotel set on Patong beach.
Andara Resort Villas, Kamala Beach
	Andara Resort Villas offers a perfect luxurious getaway destination perched on a hillside and overlooking the Andaman Sea. It is located on the quite and laid back Kamala Beach but the tourist packed Patong is just a short distance away if you are looking for nightlife.

Best Boutique Hotels in Phuket

Twinpalms Phuket, Surin Beach
	With 97 light and airy rooms and suites,Twinpalms Phuket Hotelis a perfect blend of boutique luxury with the relaxing tranquility. All the rooms and suites face the central pool area, some even with direct pool access. The hotel is home to chic and popular Catch Beach Club restaurant has amazing oysters on ice and Spanish mackerel steaks, and the Sunday brunch here with good wine and smoked salmon are very famous.
Mom Tri’s Villa Royale, Kata Beach
	Mom Tri’s Villa Royale is converted from a former summer residence of a descendant of the Thai Royal family. The hotel is built on a hillside overlooking the Kata Noi Beach and you can easily access the white sand and the water beyond via the resort's private walkway.
The Pavilions Phuket, Bangtao
	Andara Resort Villas offers over 49 private pool villas. The Ocean View Villas offer beautiful panoramic views of the sapphire ocean. The Pool Pavilions is great choice for couple’s treatment and steam room, each with a private pool for luxurious skin dipping.

Best Beachside Hotels in Phuket

Dusit Thani Laguna, Bangtao
	With 97 light and airy rooms and suites,Dusit Thani Lagunais a fully integrated resort hotel at a very good location. The hotel offers 254 rooms with modern equipments, private balconies and special orthopedic. It offers a SPA and many recreation activities from sailing, scuba diving, canoing, tennis, golfing and working out-- the choices are endless.
Sala Phuket Resort and Spa, Mai Khao
	Secluded corner of Phuket’s Mai Khao Beach, Sala Phuket Resort and Spa offers its guests optimum privacy in a five-star accommodation. Its idyllic setting away from Patong’s busy streets and noisy beach crowds makes the Sala Phuket an excellent place for luxurious romantic getaways and peaceful vacations. Nearly all of the unique Sino-Portuguese style rooms, suites, and pool villas feature a private plunge pool, not to mention the three swimming pools on the resort grounds.
Katathani Phuket Beach Resort, Kata Beach
	Phuket Beach Resort is located in the secluded Kata Noi Bay on 850 meters of private beach. Guests can select to stay in the room, suites, or the two-bedroom villas depending if it is a romantic getaway or a family holiday. There are six nature inspired swimming pools, and also the same number of restaurants, which offer beach side to gourmet dining experiences.

What to do in Phuket?

Phuket, The ‘Pearl of the Andaman’, is Thailand’s biggest island and draws millions of worldwide visitors each year for its beauty, beaches, greenery and nightlife. This infamous resort island features idyllic palm-fringed beaches, fun-filled water sports, elephant trekking, glitzy shows, world-class spas, fine dining, Thai boxing and lots of culture. There’s never a dull moment on this island. Here we have compiled a list of things to do in Phuket for those who want to know what to do in Phuket.

Phang Nga Bay

Many tourists flying to Phuket look down during the descent to Phuket Airport and get stunned with a view of wonderland with Limestone cliffs rising vertically out of the bay like majestic cathedrals  This is Phang Nga Bay, a 400 km² bay in the Andaman Sea between the island of Phuket and mainland Thailand. Limestone cliffs with caves, collapsed cave systems and archaeological sites are found about Phang Nga Bay and you can take day tours operating from Phuket allowing visitors to kayak in and out of the caves in this wonderland. Exploring Phang Nga Bay by Kayak is a very popular activity in Phuket.

Ko Tapu, also known as the
James Bond Island, in the
Phang Nga Bay

One-Day Tour to Koh Phi Phi
A must do in Phuket is to visit  Phi Phi Islands located between Phuket and Krabi. Phi Phi Don, Phi Phi Leh, and Maya Bay, are quite simply paradisaical locations. The turquoise sea counterpointed by the verdant hills along with the powder-blue skies lends the place a magical quality that renders it unique among tropical island destinations.

Spas in Phuket
One of the main reasons to do SPA in Phuket is that the prices on the island is much cheaper compared to the SPAs in the west. A highly suggested tip for Phuket is that if there are rainy days during your holiday in Phuket, throw yourself to one of the SPAs on the island.

Bangla Road Nightlife in Patong Beach
Many tourists come to Phuket for its night life as the main attraction in their mind. And for a significant number of them, it is a sex tourism. Nightlife in Phuket is centered in Patong and in Patong it is centered on two main areas Bangla Road and 'Paradise Complex'. Bangla Road is predominantly 'straight' and Paradise Complex is predominantly gay. Both roads are lined with many bars, discotheques and go go bars.Even if horizontal kind of trade is not what you are looking for, Bangla Road (Soi Bangla) with its chaotic and
exhilarating atmospheres is a place to see in Phuket.

Phuket FantaSea
Phuket FantaSea is an award-winning, unique nighttime Thai Cultural Theme Park that features 3 main attractions: (a) “Carnival Village” - A Shopping street offering the most entertaining shopping experience in Phuket; (b) “Golden Kinnaree” - The World's grandest Thai and International Buffet restaurant and (c) “Fantasy of a Kingdom” - A Las-Vegas style Thai Culture & Illusion theatrical spectacle featuring over 150 cast and 30 elephants.

Phuket FantaSea

A magical and fun filled production, Phuket FantaSea is the island's biggest and most impressive show. It is definitely pricey but a must see once off event in Phuket. With trapeze artists, a cast of hundreds, performing elephants and other animals and an exotic storyline it is a great experience and excellent family night out.

Thai Boxing
In my opinion, Thai Box is best watched in Bangkok but if you do not have that chance, then you can see this ancient martial art at one of Patong's two Thai boxing venues: one on Soi Sai Namyen that has shows every Monday and Thursday (showtime 21:00 to 23:30) and at Bangla Boxing Stadium behind the Millennium Hotel at Jungceylon on Sai Kor Road which features fights on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from 21:00 - 23:00.

Elephant Trekking

Sitting on the back of a 3,500-kilo elephant and trekking around the jungle as these gentle giants move is hugely popular activity in Phuket. If you have not done it somewhere else in South East Asia, this is a must do at least once in a lifetime.

Eat, eat and Eat
Thailand cuisine is one of the best in the world and Phuket offers some amazing opportunities to sample some of the favorites dishes of Thailand. Must tries: Tom Yum Goong (Spicy Shrimp Soup), Pad Thai (Thai style Fried Noodles), Gaeng Daeng (Red Curry), Som Tam – (Spicy Green Papaya Salad), Tom Kha Kai (Chicken in Coconut Soup), Pak Boong Fai Daeng (Stir-fried Morning Glory), Gaeng Keow Wan Kai (Green Chicken Curry) and Yam Nua (Spicy Beef Salad). Yes a lot to try but you will love them if you are tolerant to spicy food! Eating in Phuket is more than just eating: it is exploring this great cuisine of Thailand.

Cliff Richard Two Night Only Concert at Marina Bay Sands

Sir Cliff Richard OBE, with global record sales beyond 250 million and a ceaseless performance schedule spanning 54 years, is set to return to Singapore for two nights only with a hit-packed national tour Still Reelin’ and  A-Rockin’. Tickets are now on sale.


Celebrating his 54th anniversary in the music business this year, Cliff Richard is indisputably Britain’s all-time greatest hit-maker  – no other UK band or solo artist is even close to equaling his 123 single hits.

He is set to perform at Marina Bay Sands Grand Theatre on 25 and 26 February 2013.

As the sixties got underway, Cliff was dominating the airwaves with such indelible hits as Living Doll, Please Don’t Tease, Bachelor Boy, Lucky Lips, When The Girl In Your Arms Is The Girl In Your Heart, Don’t Talk To Him, Do You Want To Dance, On The Beach, I Could Easily Fall, The Day I Met Marie, The Minute You’re Gone, All My Love and Congratulations.

His constant presence in our lives was bolstered by smash box office films The Young Ones, Summer Holiday and Wonderful Life. In the seventies, he continued as a primary chart force with hits such as Devil Woman, We Don’t Talk Anymore and Carrie then into the eighties with Dreamin’, Wired For Sound, Daddy’s Home, Living Doll (with the Young Ones TV cast) and Some People.

There reaches a point where the recounting of the man’s achievements is too towering a task to attempt. So let it be said that the singer born Harry Rodger Webb in Lucknow, India on 14 October, 1940, recorded Britain’s first real rock’n’roll record (Move It) and has gone on to lodge more than 130 other releases in the U.K. charts only.

Together  with Elvis Presley, he holds the  honour of having made the UK singles chart in every one of its first six decades. Cliff is by far the biggest selling singles artist in the UK ever and has been included on the new century listing for the 100 Greatest Britons. He has also had eight Top 40 America hits, including the million-selling Devil Woman and We Don’t Talk Anymore, and that he has been in the Australian Top 10 on 25 occasions.

Alongside his many accolades in the entertainment industry,  Cliff  has also made  his presence felt in theater - he conceived and starred in the stage musical Heathcliff (written by Sir Tim Rice and Australian John Farrar) which played to more than half a million audiences.


For Cliff Richard ticket prices and tour information refer to the press release.

Jetstar Asia adds flights for Chinese New Year 2013

Singapore based low-cost airline Jetstar Asia Airways is adding extra services from Singapore to Penang and Bangkok to meet travel demand during the 2013 Chinese New Year period. An additional 16 return flights between Singapore and Penang and six return services between Singapore and Bangkok will operate during the popular holiday time providing over 7000 extra seats.

The flights are on sale now for travel between 7 and 17 February 2013. Jetstar Asia CEO Bara Pasupathi said Lunar New Year was a popular time for family reunions and short breaks. “Jetstar’s low fares allow more families the chance to travel to more places, more often,” Mr Pasupathi said.

“These extra services over the holiday season provide an opportunity to join family and friends or to plan a short getaway to these popular destinations.” The 2013 Lunar New Year falls on the 10 to 12 February 2013.  Jetstar currently operates 24 flights a week to Bangkok with lead-in fares starting from SGD$98 and nine flights a week to Penang with fares starting from SGD$58.

The northern gateway to Malaysia, Penang is the oldest British settlement in the country. Also known as Pulau Pinang, the state capital, Georgetown, is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site with a collection of
over 12,000 surviving pre-war shop houses. Its best known as a giant beach resort with soft, sandy beaches and plenty of upscale hotels and the island is also the country’s unofficial food capital. Penang is a popular holiday getaway destination for Singaporeans.

Jetstar Asia offers more flights to Malaysian resort Penang and Bangkok in
2013 Chinese New Year.

Jetstar Asia is the Asian offshoot of Qantas Jetstar Airways. It operates services to regional destinations in Southeast Asia, Australia, China and Japan from its main base at Singapore Changi Airport. Jetstar Asia flies from Singapore to 27 cities in 14 countries throughout Asia Pacific including Auckland, Yangon, Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Nanning, Guilin, Guangzhou, Haikou, Hanoi, Hangzhou, Shantou, Hong Kong, Macau, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Manila, Ningbo, Taipei, Bangkok, Phuket, Ho Chi Minh City, Osaka, Cairns, Darwin, Bangalore, Kolkata, Kuching and Pattaya.

Business Analytics Translational Center in Singapore (BATC)

This blog post is moved to Business Intelligence Singapore blog:
Business Analytics Translational Center in Singapore (BATC)

The Bali Zoo

Yes, Bali Zoo. The Island of Gods, which has been ranked as the second best island on the planet to Travel by Travel + Leisure in 2002, has a zoo which has opened in 2002 as the island’s first and only Balinese-owned zoological park. But many go to Bali without knowing that there is a Zoo on the island. It is a great zoo and it has recently received The TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence 2012 for the exceptional traveller ratings over the past year. TripAdvisor has awarded Bali Zoo the prestigious Certificate of Excellence award, recognizing our 4 rating as an exceptional achievement.

Bali Zoo lies on 22 acres of lush landscape in the art village of Singapadu and is home to a diverse collection of more than 350 exotic animals a majority of which are indigenous to Indonesia, including rare and endangered species such as the Sumatran Elephant, Sumatran Tiger, Orangutan, Sun Bear and Binturong.

How to get to Bali Zoo?
Bali Zoo is located in Singapadu Village, Sukawati District, Gianyar, Bali. It is an art-village as the home of well known Balinese artists. Bali Zoo can be easily reached. It is quite close to Denpasar capital city and the other popular tourists activities centre such Kuta, Sanur, Nusa Dua and Ubud. It takes about 20 minutes from Denpasar or  45 minutes from Ngurah Rai Airport by Taxi or Tour Bus. The zoo is open daily from 09.00 AM to 06.00 PM (except for Nyepi Day) and on Wednesday & Saturday it is open from 09.00 AM to 09.30 PM.

Bali Zoo Ticket Prices
Admission to Bali Zoo is US $24 for adults, US $12 for children. There is a Family Ticket which costs US $65.

Sumatran Tiger  is indigenous to Indonesia and it is a rare and endangered species.

Things to do in Bali Zoo

Elephant Expedition - Bali Zoo’s Gentle Giants, herd of Sumatran elephants hails from Palembang, Sumatra, offers a comfortable bench seat ride perched atop one of zoo's Sumatran elephants and you’ll be driven by an experienced mahouts through a scenic pathway that winds through parts of the zoo then outside the park where you can see where our elephants sleep and bathe.

Animal Encounters -  You can sit up close and personal with tame tiger cubs, crocodiles, binturongs, pythons, elephants and lions and take unique photos with them. Daily session from 1pm and 4pm in the restaurant.

Bali Zoo Elephant Expedition

A Night At The Zoo - As sun settles, many animals become active so a night safari in Bali Zoo is a much more different experience than a day visit. The Zoo describes the experience:

"Begin the evening’s escapade at the Bali Zoo with our elephant encounters and feeding experience. You’ll meet our gentle pachyderms and see how it feels to actually feed these amazing mammals by hand. Then head over to our restaurant for a petting and photo session with our tame Borneo bear cat, scaly python and even a Sumatran Sinyulong freshwater crocodile. Continue your tour with a guided walk through the Bali Zoo in which your senses will come alive to the natural sights and sounds of our tropical menagerie at night followed by a dramatic fire dance performance to entertain you before dinner. Your special evening concludes with a sit down al fresco feast under the stars next to our open-air lion enclosure where you’ll be dining only a few meters from our resident king of the jungle and his pride of adorable lion cubs." Source : Bali Zoo

Mahout For A Day - If riding on the top of a gentle giant with an experienced mahout is not enough, you can command the largest land animal on earth. You can learn up close and personal what it takes to care for a Sumatran elephant for a day in Bali Zoo.

Treechada Petcharat, Internet's most popular transvestite

26-year-old Thai Saknarin Marnyaporn, better known as Poyd or Treechada Petcharat, is internet's most popular transgender according to Asia One. Treechada Petcharat underwent sex reassignment surgery at age 17 and at the age of 19 in 2004, She was crowned Miss Tiffany and Miss International Queen.Miss Tiffany and Miss International Queen is a beauty pageant for transgender people that has been held annually in Pattaya, Thailand since 2004.

She has now a huge number of social media fans as 380,000 people follows her on photo-sharing site Instagram. Almost all of her posts and photos garners up to a few thousand likes and hundreds of comments according to the media.

Poy Treechada Petcharat

Transgender people, called kathoey or katoey in Thailand, are more visible and more accepted (although this does not mean they are totally accepted i.e. discrimination in employment remains rampant ) in Thai culture than transgender or transsexual people are in other countries. Arguably the best-known kathoey in Thailand is the Thai Boxer Nong Thoom, Nong Toom whose story is related in the 2003 film Beautiful Boxer. Bell Nuntita, a contestant of Thailand's Got Talent TV shows, became a YouTube hit when she first performed singing as a girl, and the crowd become amazed when she switches to a masculine voice (see the video below).