General Manager, Michael Thomas, said the move reflected the hotel�s commitment to sound environmental practices by controlling the impact of its activities on Thailand�s environment.

�With the country�s environment under pressure from rapid industrialisation and over development, the hotel�s owner and management felt it was important to take a leading role. We want the community and our guests to know that Novotel Bangkok on Siam Square is doing everything it can to protect the environment.�

The hotel�s existing environmental management system includes recycling aluminium, glass and paper in the hotel, reducing water usage by having guest reuse bed and bath linen, and installing voltage regulators and energy savings light bulbs in all rooms.

In addition, the Novotel Bangkok on Siam Square was also the first hotel in Bangkok to receive verification from the Bangkok Metropolitan Authority for the excellent standard of its wastewater treatment and recycling facilities.

According to Mr Thomas, these environmental programmes would be further enhanced in the future when implementing ISO 14001 standards.

Last December Novotel Bangkok on Siam Square received ISO 9001 (version 2000) certification in recognition of the hotel�s continuous improvement to its quality management system.

It was the first time Bureau Veritas Quality International (BVQI) awarded an Asian-based hotel the designation, and it is the first Accor member hotel in the group to be recognised for this achievement.

For the hotel it meant quality, efficiency, productivity and profitability can be closely monitored and a continued improvement process ensures service standards are maintained.

Mr Thomas, said: �ISO is customer focused. It is evident in all of Novotel Bangkok�s various services and products, including rooms division, finance, maintenance, food and beverage services, training, administration and communication. The hotel must maintain these standards to pass it�s twice annual reassessments.

�ISO is a clear, well-defined process to practice and refine our values and quality objectives. It gives us the means and the tools, in the form of policies, procedures, and training to assess and evaluate what we do and how we do it�.
Each of the hotel�s 560 employees average 72 hours of training per annum. 

The hotel has recently selected another director to attend Academy Accor�s training programme in Paris. Four Thai staff members have already participated in the company�s extensive Certified Training Programme at a cost of more than US$65,000.

With 130,000 associates in 140 countries, Accor is the European leader and one of the world�s largest groups in travel, tourism and corporate services.