rosswlkr

Improve and expand the boat service, reconnect the khlongs ... I've thought it is a fantastic idea for Bangkok's commuting issues for a long time, do it! At the same time, open more of these waterways to deal with getting flood waters out to sea. This would make an effective mega-project!

Should add some more of my Singapore banking experiences here:

HSBC: Terrible service and inflexible unless you are a 'premier' customer. Call themselves 'the worlds local bank'. It's nonsense, they are completely different in every country (had a UK account, couldn't withdraw money at a Singapore branch - how is this the world's local bank???

UOB: Caused me huge grief when I left Singapore for Thailand and needed my cards and online banking dongle replaced, and to change address. They lost the forms I had fedexed them for 8 weeks then finally turned around and said 'my signature didn't look quite right'. So I have to travel to Singapore to do it.

CITIBANK: Best by a long shot. Now they are finally offering a debit card also, I will stick with them. Did ALL verification, change of address, new ATM card and Internet dongle, ALL OVER THE PHONE and had it delivered to my Thai address within 3 days. Amazing.

Singapore lets any foreigners open a bank account. You just may have to actually go there to open the account.

buy from an official Apple dealer in Thailand - it will be unlocked unlike a US phone. Otherwise there is no difference.

Now iOS 7 has been released, it is much better running on a iPhone 5 than on a 4 or 4S so I would recommend either 5 or wait for 5C or 5S.

Whatever next, a solar powered torch? Tuk tuks aren't only used in the day. Solar could top up but it needs to be some kind of plugin EV also with charging stations where tuk-tuks park up when awaiting passengers. Otherwise do it. Anything to reduce the noise pollution on Sukhimvit, and I really don't like the sound of horrible tuk-tuks revving up!

The sports ministry of Thailand initially banned MMA events being held in Thailand a couple of years ago as they short sightedly claimed it diluted the purity and tradition associated with the ancient art of Muay Thai.

This was a contradiction in terms, since the global popularity of MMA has been a large driving force behind increased popularity of Muay Thai and many coming to Thailand to learn and train in MT which has become known as one of the most dominant and essential martial arts pillars in an MMA fighters arsenal. (Alongside Brazillian Ju-Jitsu: MT is used in the standing or 'striking' phase of an MMA contest, with BJJ being the 'ground game'. Having skills in both can make for a formidable combination).

So by embracing MMA, Thailand would be able to attract more tourists who come here purely for martial arts training camps and to build their MT skills at many of the Kingdom's fine training camps. The size of the market for such things is not something the TAT can ignore either, if they want to hit 2billion in tourism revenue by 2015.

I have met many professional MMA fighters, professionals and amateurs alike and can tell you that mostly they don't drink, whore and misbehave, all of their aggression is very much in check and let out in the gym - in fact, they are often some of the calmest level headed people you will meet as they have 'nothing to prove'. They are some of the ideal type of tourists you want, well behaved, respectful of culture and building the reputation and professionalism of martial arts in Thailand.

If Thailand embraces MMA and acknowledges it is not here to 'dilute MT' but in fact builds upon it and makes it even more significant on the global stage, then that is the right thing to do..

Let's also not forget that if the sports ministry embraces MMA they are also helping all of the MT camps and providing a career path to ex-professional Thai boxers whom otherwise often end up out of a career before they are 25 years old and have no source of other income apart from becoming paid thugs for loan sharks or other sad paths, due to the good money they earned fighting dries up but the family still expects the income.

I've known many of the luckier ones who have scraped together and learnt enough English to train foreigners at these camps and they are very contented, happy, fun and cheerful to train alongside. So many fighters aren't so lucky and it is a real shame - these are professional sportsmen that deserve better opportunities once they pass the peak of their fighting prowess.

High resolution colour scans of all relevant passport pages, visa, work permit. Then stored in Evernote application where it can be shown on my smartphone.

Hopefully all I'll ever need ... if they insist on seeing the originals, they can come to my office where they are kept under lock and key.

Sukhumvit near Nana 1975

Sukhimvit near Nana 2013 (exact same spot). On the right is now the Landmark Hotel. 

A couple of different angles so you can identify it is indeed the same spot. The reddish building on the left, and the white building further back, still there. 

Maybe head back in daylight to get a better shot. 

That was a lot of fun! Took me just over an hour to find with the help of a few locals I picked out that spoke English and looked about 100 years old. 

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Sukhumvit near Nana 1975

That looks like right outside where Bullies Pub is now, and that tree is there but much bigger. That sign for Tailor shop is also there ... I'll go get a 'now' picture and post!

Was just looking at Sri Lanka as I want to go UK at Christmas. So, thinking lets see if I can stopover somewhere I've never been on the way. Columbo, Sri Lanka came up for just £600 (30k baht) return including 4 days to discover Columbo. So quite the adventure being hatched for me .... I've flown Sri Lanka before, (cant recall where to where). it was a nice full service airline with modern aircraft and stewardesses with dazzling big eyes, charm and grace.

If you just want the cheapest flight, doing the layover is often the cheapest way...

That's BKK - Columbo - LHR - Columbo - BKK. 4 day stop off, 12 hours or so stop on the way back. But so very cheap at £600.

Was just looking at Sri Lanka as I want to go UK at Christmas. So, thinking lets see if I can stopover somewhere I've never been on the way. Columbo, Sri Lanka came up for just £600 (30k baht) return including 4 days to discover Columbo. So quite the adventure being hatched for me .... I've flown Sri Lanka before, (cant recall where to where). it was a nice full service airline with modern aircraft and stewardesses with dazzling big eyes, charm and grace.

If you just want the cheapest flight, doing the layover is often the cheapest way...

Get over to www.MotleyFool.com and devise a conservative plan for high growth and long term income

I personally have never understood having the Thai air force. Who are they going to do air strikes on,

Cambodia ????

Ditto for having an aircraft carrier and I believe there was / is talk of getting submarines.

It's all just face and to stick it to all the near neighbours, we are bigger, better and stronger than you. As if they care.

how about using it to patrol and crack down on illegal fishing in the Gulf of Thailand that would be a good start, whilst there still remains at least a slim chance of preventing every last piece of sea life being dredged out of there, which is the path they are currently on! How will Thailand look as a holiday destination when the Gulf is a lifeless pond and the beaches covered in oil slicks?

And lest we forget any country with huge landmass, shorelines and maritime space needs to have defenses - Thailand being no exception.

Still, should be more careful next time, a hammer is not a good way to unjam a gun!

You have to reinstall the OS or it won't boot properly. Get a professional to do it unless you are really hot with fixing Apple stuff (if you were, I somehow doubt you'd be posting this)

Got mine done in Singapore - top floor of Sim Lim Square there is an unofficial 'Genius Bar' next to a shop called 'IDT'.

The guy there is super nice and did about 4 hours work on my 2009 Macbook and never charged a thing, only for the hardware I purchased and now it is a real hot rod: 128GB SSD, extra 4gb RAM (total 8gb), enclosure for old HDD, remove superdrive and put old HDD into place of the superdrive, new battery).

For bangkok, I know that the mac store Ploenchit BTS - Park Venture building 2nd floor is very good. They can most likely get you sorted out.

Get onto www.meetup.com and join some of the activities there. Plenty of interesting things to do and you will meet all sorts of interesting sociable and respectable people.

If the guy in the video doesn't mind the Bangkok Post making a feature on him, one would assume either - crazy - or - has a legitimate means be it a work permit or other means due to his marriage to a Thai National.

7-11 Toasties ... Ham Cheese, Tuna, Custard, all of them. Toasties rule. And Beer.

A DIVORCE