With fuel prices skyrocketing, transportation companies are taking whatever steps they can to increase efficiency. According to The Star, Malaysian Airlines owned subsidiery Firefly, is replacing three of its Fokker-50 airplanes with ATR72-500’s.
The new planes use 40% less fuel and are able to carry 22 more passengers. Firefly chairman Eddy Leong hopes to cut costs by 20%. The airline intends to acquire 5 more next year, and 10 more in 2010.
In addition, to the new planes, Firefly announced that it will be adding a new route–Johor Baru, Malaysia to Koh Samui, Thailand–in October, 2008.
admin on August 12th 2008 in Travel
According to an article in the August 11th Bangkok Post, early August brought the arrest of 5 suspects on criminal charges of distributing cocaine to party-goers on Koh Samui and nearby Koh Phangan.
On the eve of August 1st, in a two-hour raid that local police called “Operation Sunset,” 15 locations on Koh Samui were raided, resulting in 5 arrests and the seizure of bank notes in various currencies, bank books and other assets believed to be obtained illegally.
The arrested were Mrs. Mrs Bussarin Phumkhet, 30, Somsak Nilrat, 36, Briton, Campbell Beatty, 34, Turk, Dordan Siamak, also known as Rafat Halrioglu, and Iranian, Shahriar Zarghamzade, 38.
The arrests concludea 10 month investigation by the Narcotics Suppression Bureau that began from the confessions of African drug traffickers arrested in Bangkok 10 months ago. According to the Post, the NSB was prompted by a request from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration to watch Shahriar Zarghamzade because of his alleged links to other international drug traffickers.
admin on August 12th 2008 in Crime, Featured Story, Policy