billp

I kinda like August Hair Salon on Sukhumvit near soi 7. They certainly cut a lot of farang hair there! Ask for Lek.

Bangkok Self Storage, "backpacker storage" 100 baht per piece per week. I've used them numerous times and I've found them to be very professional, clean and secure.

They're on Rama IV near the Carrefour Super Store, essentially at the foot of Sukhumvit Soi 36.

There are a couple of issues here.

One of them is that the OP said he was coming into Bangkok from Chiang Mai on the train.

Therefore, it doesn't make any sense for him to stay on the train to Hualamphong for another 45 minutes, and then spend another 30 to 40 minutes heading out of town again in a taxi, or an hour on a bus.

Rather he should get off at Don Muang, or even at Rangsit if the train he's on stops there. He could take a taxi for around 200 baht to Suvarnabhumi, or - the 2nd issue, saving money - for 34 baht, catch the 554 or 555 bus which will take him directly to Suvarnabhumi.

I would even venture to say that getting off at Don Muang and taking a bus saves considerable time compared to staying on the train to Hualamphong and then catching a taxi from there. And hey, money saved is money saved.

By the way, one quick and cheap way to get to the airport from central Bangkok is to take the 70 baht van from Victory Monument. It's fast and direct.

Scientists are identifying more and more positive benefits of taking statin drugs. Here's the latest:

In a large-population study those taking a statin were found to have reduced risk of developing blood clots in the veins. "Relatively healthy people who took a potent statin were 43 percent less likely than those who took a placebo to get a blood clot known as venous thromboembolism." These are the clots which often start in the legs and can kill you if they travel to the lungs.

Studying blood clots was only a secondary goal. The same study had previously found "that the statin lowered the risk of heart attack by more than half and significantly lowered the risk of stroke, angioplasty, bypass surgery and death."

The study "involved 17,802 people — men 50 and older and women 60 and older — in 26 countries who took either a statin or a placebo."

The statin in the study was rosuvastatin aka Crestor. The scientists are not sure that the same effect would be obtained from other statins. The study was sponsored by AstraZeneca, Crestor's maker which obviously has much to gain, but led by researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, a very highly respected institution, reported in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the American Cardiology Convention last Sunday.

So make of it what you will. Source: The New York Times.

I have a 1-2-Call (AIS) card which extends its validity for one year whenever I top up no matter what the amount (it's currently good until mid-March 2010). I believe I'm paying a higher-than-normal call charge in order to have this privilege. But it's good for me, because I'm only sporadically in Thailand, and often away for 6 months or more. Each time I come back, my SIM card just starts up again, no problem. I have the number printed on business cards, so this is a real advantage.

So do call them at 1175 (press 2 for English) and get your plan changed - unfortunately I have no idea what AIS calls it. After you come back to stay, you can always get it changed to one with a cheaper call rate again.

The 554 or 555 go more-or-less directly from Don Mueang to Suvarnabhumi. (34 baht, something like one hour.) You could also get the bus at Rangsit if the train stops there. No sense dawdling all the way into Hualamphong on the train, when your ultimate destination is Suvarnabhumi. Both buses use the Expressway.

By the way, one very fine way of getting from central Bangkok into Suvarnabhumi is to catch a van from Victory Monument, near the Victory Point restaurant which you can see from the walkway. (70 baht ca 30 minutes.)

I have a 1-2-Call card which seems to give me one year validity everytime I top up. It's now good until March 2010. That's the way it came, about 2 years ago. I don't understand why, but I'm not arguing.

Instant Print Plus, 2nd floor of the MBK Center (BTS: National Stadium). THE place for biz cards.

I've been going for years to V.Siam Optical, a family-owned place on Sukhumvit near Asoke, for my complex multifocals. They use top quality Hoya lenses and usually take about 3 days. I think they give better service and prices than all the chain stores in the malls, such as Top Charoen.

They cost about a third of what they would in Europe, and the quality is first rate. For goodness sake, don't get your glasses made in the States and shipped over!

According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency Automated Import Reference System, you can import up to 250 kg of fresh guavas, mangoes and mangosteens from Thailand for personal consumption (ie not for sale), under the following conditions:

Shipment of fresh fruits and vegetables must consist of 15 packages or less with a weight not exceeding 250 kg (551 lb).

-Subject to inspection by CFIA.

-Must be free from soil, pests, leaves and plant debris.

·Under the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Regulations and the Licensing and Arbitration Regulations, commercial shipments, defined as a vehicle load of fresh fruit and vegetables consisting of 15 packages or less, but with a weight not exceeding 250 kg (551 lb) in aggregate (total), are exempted from the Inspection Certificate and Confirmation of Sale requirements.

People ship fresh fruit into Canada all the time. Contact a freight forwarder or a company which makes up gift cases.

If it's just a case of mangoes that you'd like to bring in with you on the plane, I may be wrong, but I think you can do it. It's not meat products which are forbidden. Canada would not have any fresh tropical fruit at all if importation of it were banned. I can't find anything on the CBSA website which says you can't bring in fruit.

Slumdog Millionaire was playing last night at the Lido in Siam Square, but when we got there - 20 min. before showtime - it was sold out.

OK, I found the adaptor in Panthip, on the ground floor, to the left as you come in, booth with a yellow sign over it. I bought 2 adaptors for good measure for 100 baht each. The one I broke had cost me 6 euros in Nice airport.

Thanks for the tips.

Try the brand new Vie Hotel run by Accor, on Phaya Thai Road, right beside the Ratchathewi BTS station - one station north of Siam. Stunningly beautiful 5-star hotel. You can get a room for 1300 baht in a "Hot Deals" special via the Accor website.

I broke my precious little airplane headphone adaptor on my last flight - this is the little gizmo that allows you to plug a standard 1/8 inch jack (ie Walkman/iPod standard) into the 2-prong receptacle many airlines still have, so you can use your much more comfortable and high quality headsets in the aircraft's sound system.

Can anybody suggest where I might find a replacement in Bangkok? It took me months the last time to find one - I finally got it at Nice Airport.

Please no general suggestions like MBK, Panthip or Fortune Town. I plan to spend some hours in these huge malls searching anyway. But if you happen to know of a specific shop that actually has these for sale I would be much appreciative.

OK, this will download an Excel spreadsheet with all departures from Bangkok (all stations). And here's a spreadsheet of Rural Trains in Thailand. And here's a spreadsheet with the Complete Timetable of All Trains in Thailand. The first two are a couple years old, but seem to be mostly still accurate. The last one seems to be more recent. They're all pretty difficult to sort out, but no one can say they're not complete.

Is Big John on Thonglor still in business? He makes these pies, I hear, and sells them in his own place and at Paragon. (I'm kinda partial to apple or pumpkin pie myself )

GirlX, have you considered Boss Tower? Older building, but pretty well maintained and secure, very roomy suites with real kitchens, in-suite internet connections, big swimming pool. Restaurant, laundry, hair salon and massage on-site.

It's not the most central, but a fast moto ride will get you to Thonglor BTS (in effect it's near the foot of Soi 36 and not far from soi 26 ie Emporium, Villa, Phrom Pong BTS), and it's quick as well to get to the MRT. It's 10 min. walk from Carrefour Super Store; Tesco is across the road from Carrefour. There's a 7/11 not far away as well. There's good street food in Rama IV soi 5, 5 min. walk, and on the other side of Rama IV don't-ask-me-what-soi. And there's Suk Soi 38 evenings. And of course lotsa fast food in the Carrefour and Tesco malls.

I lived there for a couple months, and I can tell you, they were extra careful about returning the deposit, to the satang, no BS. 2BR 94 sq. m. serviced for 27,000 on a 6-12 month contract. Here's their website. And here's a good map. Boss Tower is #334A

You get a boat to Kradan from Pak Meng, near Trang.

I've done the bus ride on Highway 13 from Vientiane to Luang Phrabang a few times. Beautiful mountain panoramas in the part from Kasi to LP.

Many break the trip at Vang Vieng, which has become a big backpacker magnet, but also has some lovely hotels along the pristine mountain river.

Associated Press

December 19, 2008

BANGKOK, Thailand - Thai Airways International Ltd. said it has cut fuel surcharges on most routes as world oil prices fall.

The reduction applies on tickets purchased from Friday, Thailand's national carrier said in a statement.

More here.

Elite Books is the classic used book store on Suk. Near Phrom Pong BTS steps between sois 33 and 31. Don't expect to get very much for your books, though.

However well liked he is by his Etonian friends, the majority of Thai voters have pointedly chosen someone else whenever they have been given an opportunity.

Mr Abhisit owes his new job, not to any democratic mandate, but to the support of powerful friends – and even they have required multiple attempts to propel their nominee to power.

Times Online

Just out of curiosity, what is their grievance with Beer Chang?

I've travelled that route with the overnight sleeper train a few times. Very pleasant, and you wake up in the morning, at your destination, nice and rested.