Asian Trails offers first Thai inland cruise ship

By David Johnson BANGKOK Asian Trails is offering the first inland cruise ship in Thailand and marketing it to conference and incentive (C&I) planners. The RV Kwai Pandaw, will be ready to handle pre- and post-tours for C&I groups or offer an alternative venue for small C&I groups by February next year. "For a long time planners have been saying that Thailand has not had a new product to offer and now we have a new product," Asian Trails group managing director Mr Luzi Matzig said. The RV Kwai Pandaw is part of the Pandaw Cruising Group, which was established by the revived Irrawaddy Floatilla Company in Myanmar in 1995. However, the original design dates back to the halcyon days of the Irrawaddy Floatilla, which was founded in 1865. The ship is a modified design, with only ten staterooms, so it is possible to navigate the River Kwai's bends, variable water levels and bridges. The ship will be finished in teak and brass, with all cabins opening onto promenade decks with sliding French windows. The bar and dining area are integrated into an open plan upper deck covered by an awning and furnished in rattan. A seven-day/six-night golf cruise from Samut Songkram to Daowadung is designed specifically with the Asian and European C&I markets in mind, as it offers daily stops at golf courses twinned with cultural activities en route. Mr Matzig said there was a trend for meetings to be held in venues combining intimate environments with an experience. "People want a new experience and they don't want to pack every day - and that is what we promote," he said. "This is a four-star product. The dining room will be used as a meeting room. It is easy going. You don't have to dress in black tie for dinner."