Xircal

Problem was due to a hydraulic leak apparently. Pix of the fuel dumping process here: https://www.veooz.com/photos/KI7bxbv.html

Or you can simply go to an immigration office a few days prior to the expiry date of your tourist visa and get it extended by 30 days. The fee is 1,900 Baht.

Good on her for helping. I don't understand the heroic bit tho, what were the dangers to her personally that makes her a heroine?

Flying Orient Thai Airlines would be one: http://discussions.flightaware.com/aviation-news/orient-thai-airways-md-82-down-in-thailand-t4058.html

Xircal - Win 7. Done the reboot. Nada. Will go the system restore route after Tuesday, when I next need Skype. Yeah,nthey do try to hijack yr homepage, and also get you to use bing as yr search engine. Another thing - I forget how this happened, but when I uninstalled and then went to get a new download, I was directed to a site and got it, then as I began to install, I noticed it was a Baidu production, complete with hao123 in the package. No way Jose. I got stuck with hao123 once before (embedded in a scrabble program), and it took over and messed up a lot of things before I found a way to get rid of it.

Some suggestions on their tech support page which might help: https://support.skype.com/en/faq/FA164/i-have-a-problem-downloading-skype

The Great Firewall of China.

And that has.....what exactly to do with Thailand?

I'm confused. I have just seen images of a near naked person from the crash site. How could that happen unless the person had taken their clothes off? I've got a horrible feeling that the people they are finding made it out. Could this mean that there are some alive? I am finding it hard to say this as the plane has been discovered SO close to the last known point of contact but I am puzzled to find a person nearly naked, an emergency raft/slide and a door.

If the aircraft broke up in midflight, clothes will be stripped from the bodies of passengers as happened when MH17 was brought down over Ukraine.

However, if as has been reported that a 'shadow' of the plane has been spotted on the seabed, then that would suggest the aircraft landed intact, or at least some attempt at landing was made by the captain. Given though that there were severe storms in the area, a smooth landing on the surface is probably out of the question unfortunately.

It will depend on how the aircraft behaved when it hit the water that will determine what forces a human body was subjected to and could explain why some bodies have been recovered partially naked.

It's a little odd though that the bodies which have been recovered weren't attached to seats as would have been the case if they had been strapped in. That would suggest that some of them at least had time to get out. But why then did they die?

Ok 7-11 will cost you if your Thai 100,000 baht to start.....

The franchise fee is actually 1,500,000 Baht: http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?hl=en&sl=th&u=http://www.thaifranchisecenter.com/directory/detail.php%3FfcID%3Df0000000160&prev=search

If you're using Google Chrome, ignore the following because Flash updates itself automatically.

For IE or another plugin based browser continue:

Download the Flash uninstaller from the following link: http://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/uninstall-flash-player-windows.html

After uninstalling Flash, download the latest manual installation EXE file from here: http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/distribution3.html

If you're using Internet Explorer, choose "Run" to install immediately.

If you're using another browser like Firefox or Opera, save tbe file, close the browser and then run it.

Another reason you might be experiencing the problem is your security software scanning the YT video while it's playing. Most AV has an option to disable the scanner temporarily and it's worth a try to see if that's the culprit. The following site explains how to temporarily disable most AV: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/114351/how-to-temporarily-disable-your-anti-virus-firewall-and-anti-malware-programs/

Try doing a cold boot i.e. shutdown the machine and remove the power cord from the back. Wait a couple of minutes and then power on again.

If all else fails, try running Windows System Restore to a time prior to updating Skype.

If you have Win 8.1 installed, right click the Start button and go to "System". In the menu which opens, click "System Protection" in the left hand menu. Next, click the "System Restore" button and then follow tthe prompts.

If you have Windows 7, follow instructions here: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows7/restore-system-files-and-settings

I've just installed the latest version myself and note that this time during the installation process, it tries to hijack your home page and set it to MSN, so make sure you remove the checkmark before clicking "Next".

Rubber price is linked to Oil price.

Don't understand that either. Rubber comes from trees, not from oil and has many uses besides manufacturing car tyres: http://www.polymer-search.com/rubber.html

Give them a buzz or send an email. Better to hear it from the horse's mouth so to speak: http://www.kasikornbank.com/EN/ContactUs/Pages/Personal.aspx

CAL A340-300, first delivery April 2001, last delivery July 2003

CAL B747-400, oldest delivered May 1997, newest April 2005.

It all depends on when the cabins were last refurbished !

Their 747 fleet refurbishment began in October 2011 and completed this year: http://www.china-airlines.com/en/newsen/newsen000799.htm

As for the clapped out A340 fleet, they're getting rid of them slowly and replacing them with Boeing 777-300s. When I checked for a flight with them in June though, the A340 was still listed as the aircraft type unfortunately.

"focus on how to identify Facebook users who post messages defaming the Monarch"

This is a filmsy excuse to go after anyone who posts anything perceived as critical of the Junta and/or creates a mood of political conflict. Both Facebook and Google have dealt with similar efforts of censorship with Thailand's new role model China where the internet market is six times Thailand's market. I don't think Facebook will cooperate to the level NBTC requires. Thailand's internet censorship is one element that will leave it behind in the ASEAN Community digital enterprise.

Whilst I agree with you wholeheartedly, I don't think the junta will just sit back and sulk when FB refuses to cooperate.

What's likely to happen is that users will find the site has been blocked pending FB's change of heart as happened when the coup was announced back in May: http://www.smh.com.au/world/facebook-blocked-in-thailand-to-prevent-antiarmy-protests-20140528-zrr9i.html

It'll subsequently depend on who relents first and it's more likely to be FB given the amount of revenue advertising generates in Thailand.

Off-topic I know, but you said you got your tourist visa in Liverpool, but you're booked to fly with China Airlines (CAL) to Bangkok.

So I was assuming you must live in the UK. But China Airlines doesn't fly there so you'll either have to fly from Amsterdam, or from Frankfurt.

If it's from Amsterdam, you should be aware that CAL uses an antiquated A340-333 on that route and there's a giant size IFE box under every window seat. It makes for a really cramped journey with hardly any legroom to speak of, so if you're a tall guy pick an aisle seat if you can.

If you're flying from Frankfurt, then you're lucky since CAL uses their refurbished 747s on that route.

The Japanese are the best tourists. Polite, honest, clean and high spenders.

Yeah, but they're not stupid. If Thailand wants to attract the big spenders, then it needs to revoke its policy of adding exhorbitant import duty rates to virtually anything imported. These range from 35% to 60% plus the usual 7% VAT added on top.

I often wondered why the cosmetics department in Phuket's Jungceylon shopping mall was almost always empty regardless of the time of day. But you only have to compare prices with those back home to see why. I can buy perfume at 75% less in the Netherlands than the price they charge there. And the Netherlands has a VAT rate of 21%.

Also, this BBC News report highlights the fact that Japanese savings rates have turned negative this month with little prospect of any improvement taking place in the short term: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-30603313

It makes you wonder where Thailand gets these bright ideas from to persuade more visitors to come here.

I usually stay at C&N Hotel in Patong when I come to Thailand which provides a free airport transfer if you book via their site and stay at least three days. But they use one of these vans for the airport pickup and the driver always hogs the outside lane regardless of traffic conditions. It inevitably leads to other vehicles overtaking on the inside lane and there have been times where I've wondered whether we would get to our destination in one piece especially when it's wet with spray being thrown up by vehicles cutting in front of us.

Tour buses tend to hog the outside lane as well which only adds to the sense of impending doom especially when climbing Patong hill during a thunderstorm.

Steven. I am not provoking, I have certain opinions and stick to them. Perhaps your opinions may provoke others too.

I think Hans is right, and I will add to that...Of the 50000+ expats that live in Phuket, It only services the thousand or so expats that live on Nanai Road. If you are a tourist on a budget then grab a minivan because at least they will drop you near the hotel. Minivans get there a lot faster than some big old clunking bus that gets caught in traffic. A family of 5 on their first trip to Thailand catches the bus to Banzaan Markets, then when they depart the bus they will be swarmed on by hundreds of Tuk Tuk Drivers and suit vendors while they are struggling with their luggage through the filthy streets of Patong for hours in the heat trying to find their hotel, yeah great service, just to save a few bucks

The service is crap, no 2 ways about it.

And no I havent used it and never will, if I was that short of cash I probably wouldnt stay in Phuket.

Backpackers are usually on a budget and don't mind the delay caused by travelling by bus. Also, they usually have a budget hotel already planned and don't as you insolently suggest, struggle in the hot sun to find a cheap hotel.

Whether or not you agree with those types of visitors is irrelevant because travellers on a budget should be able to go wherever they wish without fear of being ridiculed by arrogant cretins like yourself.

In addition, unless we encourage bus operators, there will never be a public transport service on the island. At least this company is going some way to address that problem and at great risk from the tuk-tuk fraternity who'll try to prevent it becoming a success.

Try Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.co.uk/s/Thailand

I don't think you'll get a taxi for less than 1,000 Baht somehow, especially at night.

What you could consider doing is take the airport bus which stops in Thalang (assuming that's where you are) and which costs 80 Baht one way to Patong. Then check-in to a cheap hotel for the night and take the bus back the next day.

The bus stops in Patong at the Banzaan Market which is located at the rear of the Jungceylon shopping mall. Here's the link to Google Street View which shows where you'll be: http://goo.gl/maps/TdauX

Here's the bus timetable

And here are the fares

It's happened before. Maybe this is where he got the idea from, but didn't have a toilet brush handy before the cops nabbed him: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/woman-hospitalized-hiding-5-000-rectum-article-1.1442950

You can apply for a double entry tourist visa in Switzerland. That will give you up to 180 days. The second entry can be done by land border in Laos, or still even probably in Cambodia.

If you stick to your original plan, you can always get a cheap flight to a neighboring country, and get the 30 days when you re-enter the same day.

Sorry, but a double entry tourist visa will only qualify the OP for 120 days stay. He can extend it by an additional 30 days, but at a cost of 1,900 Baht.

I'm not sure whether he can extend it twice, but if he can, then it will double the 1,900 Baht fee.

Yes the main issue, it's this computer warning. I guess every border is connected to the same computer system.

I was wondering if the reason might be that you inadvertently exceeded your stay when you entered Thailand via a land border. You only get 30 days visa free when you enter Thailand via an airport. If you enter via a land border, you only get 15 days.

Do you have any overstay stamps in your passport?

Will people never learn to put the smartphone in landscape mode before filming?

The FAA issued Emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2014-25-51 on 10 December 2014 which may be a contributory factor in this tragedy. It applies to Airbus A318, A319, A320 and A321 models and concerns, quote: "A blockage of two Angle of Attack probes during climb". It goes on to warn that, quote: "This condition, if not corrected, could result in loss of control of the aeroplane".

Edit: corrected erroneously quoted "A310" to "A319".