dundas

Thanks for all the contributions! The itasoftware site is great! However, for the dates I want, the difference between BKK-ICN on China Eastern and CNX-ICN on Korean is only B3000 - best fare on Korean is on the Korean website, accessed through vayama. I figure the convenience of the direct flight is probably worth the extra money. The Business Air website is a brochure - I'll contact them via email - thanks for this.

Does anyone know a travel agent who can access good airfares to Seoul?

I can buy a return ticket on Korean Airlines - this has the advantage of being a direct flight, but is a bit pricy.

Otherwise, it's Air Asia via KL, which works out hardly any cheaper.

I have heard that there are occasional charters with flights and accommodation for an inclusive price. Any clues?

Good luck. In the past I tried everywhere in Chiang Mai (except Siam Drug); have read elsewhere one or two places in Bangkok might stock it. I now bring it with me when I come to Thailand.

I sent a parcel SAL to Australia on the 8th November. It hasn't arrived.

Using the track and trace service at www.thailandpost.co.th, shows that the parcel left Thailand on the 9th November.

It doesn't show up at all on the Australia Post track and trace website.

The Thai Post call centre say that 3 weeks is normal, and thatsomeone might have forgotten to input the number - and that's why the number isn't showing up on the Australian side.

I don't think 3 weeks is really an acceptable time - or is it?

Any suggestions?

I think in addition to writing to newspapers, etc, it would be worthwhile suggesting to the writers of case studies for higher degrees in Public Administration, International Relations, etc etc that there's a wonderful case study right here on the net just waiting for them.

Some of the aspects: Intercultural co-operation; public/private partnerships, integrity of public administration, conflict resolution, customer service, customer charters, branding.

I don't intend to shoot myself in the foot by saying which universities to approach. But they are out there, and I think the CMU Thai program would make a brilliant case study, especially if it keeps going in the direction it seems to have taken.

I should have checked before I wrote my last post. The Far Eastern Economic Review is now defunct, but the Economist is still a possibility.

I think trying to resolve this issue in-country may get results, but it's on the international stage that CMU would be most affected by this story having an airing.

I hope anyone with media contacts on this site will write to investigative reporters in their own country.

The story is already written - or a large part of it is - and it's on this site. It's a story that needs to see the light of day in a few more places.

In response to comments questioning the quality of the Thai classes at CMU, I have been a student here since earlier this year, participating in several different classes. The teaching has been excellent, and I say that as someone who has been involved in the foreign language teaching/learning game in Australia, Germany and Japan. I have been taking private lessons from my (now former) CMU teacher for quite a while.

Word of warning about coming back on a tourist visa: if you go that route, make sure that's what happens when you get back here. I left the country a few days ago, returning 24 hours later with the aim of getting a 30 day tourist visa. I had to ask the guy at Immigration at the airport several times for a 30 day tourist visa, because he just wanted to re-stamp my non-imm Ed visa, it all seemed normal to him. If I had let him do that, it would have been a waste of my B10,000 for airfares and a night's accommodation, and my time, and would have put me at risk of more fines and problems when I leave the country later in October.

I have also witnessed Rien and Matt in a conversation, and on the basis of that I have already posted that I am inclined to trust Matt more than Rien.

More to the point, I think I can know them by what they do, as opposed to what they say.

I don't really care what the reason was for the cessation of the program, what's important here is that CMU have treated their farang students (in my opinion) badly. They do not respond to email (politely addressed), they don't entertain requests for refunds (even in the case of people who have just recently paid their fees), and they cancel our visas. Matt, on the other hand, has always agreed to refund "his" 40%, and more recently the entire amount.

You can draw your own conclusions.

I think this CMU saga would be a sensational story for the Economist or the Far Eastern Review or any quality newspaper ... the readers could also draw their own conclusions as to what it says about ethics in the university sector in modern Thailand.

I have been renting motorcycles all this year in Chiang Mai and the prices I now pay: automatic Yamaha Mio 135 - about B2600 per month, Honda Wave (fuel injected, disk brake, manual) B1900. Older and less interesting bikes might be a bit cheaper. I tend to avoid the snazzier bikes with only one shock absorber. I also check the tyres each time I take a bike out, because the rental places don't really care about the condition of the tyres - but they will change them if you point it out.

Rental prices were more expensive initially, but now they know that I bring the bike back in one piece, they're happy to give a reasonable deal. So maybe start for short periods at first, and see if you can lower the price each time you go back. I have considered going for a 3 month rental to get the price down - not sure, though, how good I'd feel if I had to leave the country at short notice.

When I've extended a rental, the daily rate is about the same (maybe a bit more) than it is on the monthly rental - around B65 per day for the Honda Wave I currently have.

My rental company photocopies the pages in my passport and lets me keep the passport - that works for me.

I have been stopped by the police several times but never (so far!) been asked to show a licence. I always wear a full face helmet which I bought for about B700 (not a Shoei, then). Different places will vary wildly in what they want for the same helmet so shop around. I bought mine at a shop on the northern side of the moat, outside the moat, definitely NOT inside.

Basically, if you come off a bike you want some protection for your head. A survey of the disabled that was done in Phrao found that more than 80% of motorcycle injuries could have been avoided if the person had been wearing a helmet.

As for security, I use the padlock provided by the rental company and put it through the disk brake. True, 3 guys can pick the bike up and put it in a pickup. That's always a risk. I park it where it's safe (some of the temples have valet parking ...), where I can keep an eye on it, or I park it at home behind a locked gate. So far, touch wood, no-one's stolen it.

As for rent versus buy - if I come back here next year, definitely I'll buy. It's the only way I can get comprehensive insurance. I will also attempt to get a motorcycle licence here - that avoids trouble with the police. It won't help with my travel insurance, which will only cover me if I have an Australian motorcycle licence, or if I'm pillion on a bike where the rider is a Thai holding a Thai motorcycle licence.

I got a similar note from Carmen re the Cultural Exchange program. I think Matt has done a fantastic job so far of cleaning up a mess not of his making.

I have a visa that goes into 2011, but what's not clear to me: exactly when after 30th September do we come into an "overstay" category and what are the options?

I stumbled in on the meeting on Wednesday between Matt, the Thai Director and students whose visa status have been threatened by the CMU action.

It was an ugly meeting, with finger pointing by both sides (Matt and the Thai Director). It reminded me of the confrontation between red shirts and the army earlier this year - clearly, things had gone beyond negotiation.

I would tend to believe Matt, as his answers were direct and to the point and he was willing to have students look at his financial records.

The Thai Director gave answers which I regarded as avoiding the question, or simply blamed Matt.

As has already been mentioned here, the contract students have is with CMU, not with Matt or IUS who are the outsourced provider. CMU has a contract with IUS, but that is their business and students should not suffer as a result of any conflict between CMU and its contracted provider.

I went to the Language Institute today, but the IUS office was locked and bolted. It was alarming to see through the window a stack of passports on someone's desks. People's lives are being affected by this.

I have emailed the university - guess what? No reply.

There has been no communication from the CMU LI to students on this matter. I have only ever received an email from Matt.

As far as the Cultural Exchange program is concerned - don't hold your breath. Gill, who has been employed as office support, is not answering her private phone. No-one I know has heard from Carmen, the Director of the program, in quite a while.

I met some students who are trying to get refunds - they have already gone onto other Thai language schools otherwise they would be in the country illegally. They were waiting for a Thai member of staff to come in and complete some paperwork. I left at 12 noon - no-one had arrived at that stage to help them.

I think CMU have reached a new low in how they treat farang students.

As one student said to me today "disgusting". I agree, and I agree with writing to universities who have exchange agreements with CMU, as well as complaining to Embassies. I certainly intend to do that.

I stumbled in on the meeting on Wednesday between Matt, the Thai Director and students whose visa status have been threatened by the CMU action.

It was an ugly meeting, with finger pointing by both sides (Matt and the Thai Director). I would tend to believe Matt, as his answers were direct and to the point and he was willing to have students look at his financial records.

The Thai Director gave answers which I regarded as avoiding the question, or simply blamed Matt.

As has already been mentioned here, the contract students have is with CMU, not with Matt or IUS who are the outsourced provider. CMU has a contract with IUS, but that is their business and students should not suffer as a result of any conflict between CMU and its contracted provider.

I went to the Language Institute today, but the IUS office was locked and bolted. It was alarming to see through the window a stack of passports on someone's desks. People's lives are being affected by this.

I have emailed the university - guess what? No reply.

There has been no communication from the CMU LI to students on this matter. I have only ever received an email from Matt.

As far as the Cultural Exchange program is concerned - don't hold your breath. Gill, who has been employed as office support, is not answering her private phone. No-one I know has heard from Carmen, the Director of the program, in quite a while.

I met some students who are trying to get refunds - they have already gone onto other Thai language schools otherwise they would be in the country illegally. They were waiting for a Thai member of staff to come in and complete some paperwork. I left at 12 noon - no-one had arrived at that stage to help them.

I think CMU have reached a new low in how they treat farang students.

As one student said to me today "disgusting". I agree, and I agree with writing to universities who have exchange agreements with CMU, as well as complaining to Embassies. I certainly intend to do that.