WHITE PLAINS, NY— Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide and MBK Properties and Development Public Company Ltd. have inked an agreement for Starwood to manage the new Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort in Thailand. The 246-room Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort is scheduled to open in December 2002. Krabi, a major province on one of Thailands renowned resort islands, is located approximately 300 miles south of Bangkok. The island is a two-hour drive from Phuket Island or a short flight from Bangkok. The Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort is located on a secluded 19-acre site of Khlong Muang Beach and features a pristine white sand beach frontage. The resort will offer 246 rooms including 30 club floor rooms and six executive suites. Each standard room measures approximately 409 square feet in size. The resort will also feature five dining outlets, health club, spa, tennis courts, water sports, and a retail center. There are two meeting rooms to accommodate meetings of up to 200 people. Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort will be Starwoods fifth property in Thailand, and the second resort in the country, after the Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket, a Luxury Collection resort. Starwood has worked with MBK before when it opened the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers in Bangkok.