Bangkok Airways holds island cup

Asian carrier Bangkok Airways is to host the first Samui Island Marathon Princess Cup later this year.

In a team-up with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Samui Municipal and the Tourism Association of Koh Samui, the firm is to put on the cup race in September this year.

The winner of the event will scoop the HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Cup as well as prize money totalling some three million baht.

Vice-president for corporate communications M L Nandhika Varavarn said that the aim of the race is to encourage people to head to Thailand for breaks, hopefully enticed by the stunning beauty of Samui Island.

"Bangkok Airways operates more than 30 direct flights daily to Samui from Bangkok and two flights daily from Singapore and Hong Kong. Last year, Bangkok Airways carried more than 1.1 million passengers to Samui," he said.

Thai islands such as Koh Sumai and Phuket are some of the most popular holiday spots in the region, attracting backpackers all year round on cheap flights to Bangkok as well as those looking for luxurious breaks.

Sourced=southalltrave