Embark on an enchanting journey at Central Pattaya, the largest natural beachfront shopping center in Asia. Nestled in the heart of Pattaya Beach, a city celebrated for its laid-back atmosphere, family-friendly beaches, exhilarating watersports, and rejuvenating seaside massages, Central Pattaya unveils The Great Celebration 2024 campaign in collaboration with global partner The Pokémon Company. This event marks the first-ever Pattaya Beachfront Celebration, bringing the beloved
Pokémon characters to Thai and international fans alike. Running from November 1, 2023, to January 7, 2024, The Great Celebration 2024 invites everyone to immerse themselves in The World of Pokémon, featuring unique decorations
and a variety of engaging activities. Key highlights of the event include:
• Pikachu Thunderbolt Christmas Trees, casting a luminous aura of joy at Central Pattaya, a
spectacle introduced for the first time in Thailand!
• Exclusive Pokémon Happy Holidays collection items, specially designed for this campaign,
including a 2-in-1 pillow blanket, tumbler, travel bag set, and keychain for avid collectors.
Tourists visiting Central Pattaya during the campaign period can enjoy special promotions:
Receive a complimentary Tourist Welcome Discount Package valued up to THB 10,000.
Receive a THB 100 Gift Voucher with every spending of THB 2,500 or more per receipt.
Avail the opportunity to purchase Happy Holiday Collections at special prices: Pokémon 2-
in-1 pillow blanket, tumbler, travel bag set, and keychain. Visit the redemption counter for
prices.
Exclusive for Grab users: Enjoy discount codes up to 25% off* when traveling to
participating Central Shopping Centers.
Beyond being a phenomenal shopping center, Central Pattaya encompasses the luxurious
Hilton Pattaya Hotel, offering breathtaking 360-degree panoramic views of Pattaya Jomtien
Beach. This modern lifestyle hub has redefined the city’s tourism experience, featuring
iconic establishments such as the Central Department Store, Central Food Hall supermarket,
SFX Cinema, and over 300 stores housing top-notch fashion boutiques, local and
international restaurants, charming retail shops, and a vibrant arena in front of the shopping
center.
Discover renowned brands like Adidas, Calvin Klein, Charles & Keith, H&M, Jaspal, Jim
Thompson, Lacoste, Pandora, Swarovski, Uniqlo, Victoria’s Secret, Zara, and more. For those
seeking unique Thai souvenirs, the Thai Tham zone on the ground floor is a treasure trove
of exquisite handmade jewelry, accessories, and intricately crafted woven bags.
Central Pattaya stands as your ultimate one-stop destination for a memorable day trip,
offering a harmonious blend of shopping delights, delectable dining experiences, and awe-inspiring sunset panoramas. Embrace the allure of Central Pattaya, the unrivaled beachfront shopping destination in Thailand that is simply unmissable for Middle Eastern travelers.

Bahrain’s capital, Manama, witnessed the groundbreaking ceremony of the “Bahrain Marina”
project, which is considered one of the strategic and development projects aimed at diversifying
the Kingdom’s economy and strengthening the real estate development sector as one of the most
crucial sectors that contribute positively and effectively to the non-oil gross domestic product of
the Kingdom of Bahrain. During the ceremony organized by the Bahrain Marina Development Company at the Bahrain National Theater, in the presence of His Excellency Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, Deputy Prime Minister, a film was shown about the factors of the mixed-use development project “Bahrain Marina” aiming to solidify Bahrain’s position as a distinguished tourist destination by providing options for both permanent and short-term residence. The project offers 192 retail units, including international shops, luxurious restaurants, globally and regionally renowned cafes, as well as a prestigious commercial complex hosting 33 stores. This ensures residents and visitors of the project an unparalleled living experience. Additionally, the project will provide 182 berths for yachts and boats, and a 3,200 square meter marina clubhouse that will offer entertainment activities and marine programs, leaving a significant impact on the development of the tourism sector in the kingdom. The project will become an important destination for permanent and temporary residence, offering 274 luxurious freehold units, in addition to 304 deluxe hotel rooms and 1,769 underground parking spaces within the development., all of which will be built on a total area estimated at more than 256,000 square meters, with an investment value of BD200 million. On this occasion, Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa noted that the eastern coast area would witness a qualitative leap upon the completion of the “Bahrain Marina” project, which is scheduled, along with other existing projects in the middle of the Arabian Gulf, to form collectively, an architectural icon and an urban facade, shaping new features for the capital, Manama. He also pointed out the dedication of Bahrain’s government to expand the partnership scope with private sector institutions, as it is the main development driver to ensure infrastructure sustainability and to create promising opportunities for citizens in work and investment by offering more pioneering and innovative initiatives that would work to revitalize tourism movement and showcase the Kingdom as a global hub and destination for tourism in line with Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030.From his side, Mr. Khaled Mohammed Yusuf Najibi, Chairman of Bahrain Marina Development Company, said that upon completion, the “Bahrain Marina” project would provide a unique lifestyle for its residents and visitors and become a significant destination in the region. The groundbreaking ceremony of the project also represents a milestone in national development plans, highlighting the ability of the Kingdom of Bahrain to attract value-added investment projects and contribute to strengthening its status as a pioneering country with distinguished development expertise.

Dubai Customs has stepped up readiness to
ensure smooth movement of homecoming passengers during the post-
summer vacation period. The Passenger Operations Department of
Dubai Customs has taken preparations to facilitate procedures and
speed up the flow of arrivals through the Dubai International Airport
(DXB). It increased the number of customs inspectors working on shifts
at different airport checkpoints, taking the total to 840 inspectors. There
are 77 inspection scanners deployed across DXB terminals, including 58
designed to screen large bags and 19 scanners to check hand baggage.
To deal with the growing influx of arrivals during this holiday season, the
department maintains around-the-clock communication between the
staff on duty, terminal managers and team leaders to address any
issues or obstacles that may arise during the customs inspection and
clearance process.
Ibrahim Ali Al Kamali, Director of Passenger Operations Department,
said: “Dubai Customs attaches great importance to developing smart
and innovative services to facilitate procedures for passengers coming
into the country. Dubai Customs’ cutting-edge systems and processes
support DXB’s plans to retain its leading, prestigious position as the
world’s busiest airport by international passenger traffic.”
The development of smart customs systems helps accelerate the flow of
travelers coming into the country, said Al Kamali. “The recently
upgraded iDeclare app has been a great success in this respect,
enabling Dubai arrivals to pre-declare any goods, personal effects,
gifts, currencies, or cash they may have in their possession and clear
their transactions before arrival to the airport, which saves them time by
cutting down the customs clearance process to less than 4 minutes.”
The second phase of iDeclare development includes implementing the
artificial intelligence feature, which enables users to identify the goods to
be declared just by taking their pictures, selecting the appropriate HS
Code and determining any payable customs duties. The mobile scanner
will also be activated to read and store travel information directly from

boarding pass’s QR code without the need to fill it in. iDeclare app is
available on Google Play and Apple store.
The app also features the Passenger Customs Guide (available also on
www.dubaicustoms.gov.ae), which includes information about prohibited
items and goods that need to declared, goods exempt from customs
duty and conditions for exemption, and some restricted items like
medications and plants that require importation permits from relevant
authorities.