Bangkok--May 21--TAT
Bangkok, Thailand, May 18, 2001 -- The northeastern Thai province of Nong Khai has been voted one of the world s best destinations to be called a “second home” for American senior citizens by a bimonthly US magazine Modern Maturity.
Located 616 km from Bangkok, and only about 30 km away from the Laotian capital of Vientiane, Nong Khai province was ranked 7th by researchers dispatched by the magazine to identify 15 exotic locales around the world its readers would consider the absolute best places for a home away from home.
Forty destinations were researched, each graded in 12 major categories: Weather, cost of living, cultural programmes, sanitation, accommodation, transportation, medical services, environment, leisure activities, safety and security, political stability and access to technology.
The 15 winners were 1) Costa del Sol, Spain; 2) Cinque Terre, Italy; 3) Provence, France; 4) Bouquete, Panama; 5) St. Vincent & The Grenadines; 6) County Clare, Ireland; 7) Nong Khai, Thailand; 8) Crete, Greece; 9) Ambergris Caye, Belize; 10) Tunis, Tunisia; 11) Algarve, Portugal; 12) Cayman Islands, 13) San Miguel de Allende, Mexico; 14) Pafos, Cyprus; and 15) Ubud in Bali, Indonesia.
The rankings were officially published in the Modern Maturity s May/June edition. Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Mr. Pradech Phayakvichien commented, “Nong Khai and Thailand will get a big boost especially among US senior citizens.
“The TAT will help promote Nong Khai through its overseas offices and work closely with local private and public agencies to preserve the province s unique features and maintain its position as one of the world s best destinations for mature citizens,” Governor Pradech added.
Modern Maturity is one of the many publications by the US American Association of Retired Persons, a non-profit association dedicated to shaping and enriching the experience of American people aged 50 and over. With over 30 million members, the AARP is the US s largest organisation for midlife and older persons. Featuring everything from levity to leverage and providing an ample supply of consumer information to help readers in their daily lives, Modern Maturity is read in every US state and territory.
Visitors can travel to Nong Khai by air or over-night train and bus. The province is only a few kilometres from the Thailand- Laos Friendship Bridge, one of the long- standing gateways to the neighbouring countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion.
In 2000, visitor arrivals from the US to Thailand totalled 485,701, up by 12.39% over 1999. Of these, 22.30% and 14.61% were aged between 45-54 and 55-64 years respectively while visitors aged 65 and over showed a strong growth of 24.84%. End.
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