rajyindee

She could just use the piazza outside Central Fess - it's all cordoned off these days. Can't think of anywhere better in town. I think there used to be a rink in Diana, but it's long gone - a victim of the 2010 flood?

What's the issue with Bangkok Airways ... don't they carry your bike for free?

Anyone have any feedback for the recently opened, Bloomsbury International School. The actual school (on the airport road) looks quite impressive and they appear to be offering a realistic package to their teachers. Seems to be quite a few notches up from the previous offerings in town.

You asked exactly the same question 6 months ago. Nothing has changed since.

You can subscribe travel policy when booking, I think you even have to undo the travel insurance whilst booking if you don't want the insurance....

They also have the option of choosing a premium flex fare which allows changes.

According to Bloomberg, the Singapore CAA disagrees ...

"AirAsia Bhd. (AIRA), operator of Flight 8501 that went down in the Java Sea almost a week ago, had the route involved in the crash suspended by Indonesia, raising questions about coordination between that government and Singapore.

AirAsia was only permitted to fly the Surabaya-to-Singapore route on four days of the week, not including Sunday when the crash occurred, Indonesia’s Transportation Ministry said yesterday. Singapore’s Civil Aviation Authority issued a directive today saying the airline had been authorized to run daily flights during the winter season under a bilateral air-services accord."

Maybe the promotion had expired.

Jeez! How can folk have a downer on you because of which computer you choose to buy? Sad, or what!

in my experience compared to the uk, absolutely. it's the same for photographic equipment. there is just not the high street store/internet competition here and i believe high import duty.

on the other hand mobile phones and tvs seem a little cheaper so... what do i know?!

The cost of comparable Apple products in the UK and Thailand suggest there are exceptions ... a 13-15k saving is a fair chunk of change.

I remember during the 70s/80s/90s in the UK, lots of folk used the same (flawed) argument to attempt to justify their bigotry towards the Irish.

Would that be bigotry to ALL Irish - or just those who were blowing up places like Birmingham ?

I think you answered your own question there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birmingham_Six

You might be right. Those good muslims might not symphatize with terrorsits, but they don't condemn them either.

I remember during the 70s/80s/90s in the UK, lots of folk used the same (flawed) argument to attempt to justify their bigotry towards the Irish.

The numbers of murders and other atrocities in the South don't lie, as for Don he is talking about his experience.

"Despicable acts, but I am gob smacked that some have chosen to tar a whole religion with this. I have a number of Muslim friends, and they certainly don't condone this type of act."

Anyway, I think you'll find Don was attempting to impose his American ways on the local Muslims a bit before the current troubles got underway.

Only Hong Kong listed as a foreign destination.

Took all of 20 seconds ...

Asiatique.

The NE monsoon has been relatively light this year, hence no flood

Hat Yai will always flood.

I don't understand ... the thread's about the current floods creating havoc ...

The areas that don't flood are along Kanchanawanit road...home buyers take note.

The airport road seems to be the area of choice at the moment.

Anyone know of the reasons why Hat Yai has (so far) managed to cope so well? Luck, or does the mayor and his engineers deserve a pat on the back?

I think they learned some lessons back in the past. I remember the severe flooding back in 2001 (pretty sure that was the year) and I remember part of the reason was that they didn't cut all the vegetation out of the klongs, which impeded drainage. They have had many huge projects to prevent a recurrence since then.

For these floods you need to look at the entire drainage basin (it is huge) and Haad Yai's location in it. Most of the fronts come in from the west and 'dump their loads' when they hit shore, so most of it gets drained into the lake downstream from Haad Yai.

I thought most of the rain over the last two months has come from fronts coming in from the east.

Anyone know of the reasons why Hat Yai has (so far) managed to cope so well? Luck, or does the mayor and his engineers deserve a pat on the back?

If the south of Thailand is so wonderful then you accept that 6,000 people have been slaughtered in the past 12 years. Maybe you also accept the Muslim terrorist in the rest of the world and the cutting off of the heads of no believers.

For me, I have had enough of the south and the harassment by your Muslim community members.

LOL. As Gerrie Nel would say, "You're not answering the question Mr Pistorious!"

"Which are the "5 Muslim terrorist provinces" that you refer to? "

Not sure that I would want to go to the 5 Muslim terrorist provinces where 6,000 people have been killed during the past 12 years of war.

Which are the "5 Muslim terrorist provinces" that you refer to?

Indeed, but being all nice and diplomatic doesn't that help the op much. As in my example, it has to be said, people, in general, differ from region to region and with Songkhla/Hat Yai (as the op found out), there is an obvious aggressive undertone and aversion to outsiders.

I've lived in Hat Yai/Songkhla for 8 years and never had an issue with the locals. They might not suffer fools gladly, but that's no bad thing

The point is in normal countries are all the fees for national parcs published in their websites not like in Thailand they publish only the farang fees.

Simple said, they like to cheat.

If the would publish all fees there, then every tourist could decide in advance, this would be ok for me, as long the farang price is not more a the triple Thai price.

http://www.dnp.go.th/parkreserve/entrance_fee.asp?lg=2

Sheesh!! The problem with your rant is that they DO publish all fees online. It's a bit disingenuous to suggest otherwise. Why do you do that?

National Park Entrance Fees for all. Does Thailand now qualify as a "normal country"?

I think in "most" of these places it's effectively a discounted Resident's Price and Non-Resident's Price. Pretty much the same as happens all over the planet.

And where does it say how much the discount is for Disney World? It doesn't, so not much of an example really. In any case even know f there is a discount for being a Floridian rather than for a discount for an annual pass which makes sense, then the discount is based on where you live rather than the fact you are of a different race. The latter is discrimination and objectionable.

Sheesh! I can't post the contents of the entire website for you - you'll have to get off your virtual arse and check it out. Alternatively, you can just have a good moan if it makes you feel better.

So why that foreign owned aquarium in Siam paragon charges more for non-Thais?

It doesn't. It charges more for non-residents. Ex-pats pay the same as Thais.

A German visitor came back from watching the last round of Honda LPGA at Siam Country. He was fuming. What happened, I asked, soothing the poor man's distress with a bottle of his favorite Paulaner Weissbier. He said "Our group arrived and everybody paid 500 Baht. When it was my turn, I was waved through. A sign said Free over 60, but I had not even shown any ID. Not paying was the ultimate insult. Racists, the lot of them".

Same happened to me at Songkhla Zoo.