Akamai

Amazing makeup and costumes these Russians wear. Makes them look just like locals. And the way they speak Thai..... amazing

I may be a bit simple but the choice seems simple

A democratically elected corrupt government

or

An undemocratic elitist appointed corrupt government

when the flights start again and everyone leaves could the last person kindly turn out the lights

Educate the rural Thai??

Reminds me of the education that took place across the border in Cambodia!!

Perhaps the PAD should start by educating themselves on the word 'democracy':

1.government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.

2. a state having such a form of government: The United States and Canada are democracies.

3. a state of society characterized by formal equality of rights and privileges.

4. political or social equality; democratic spirit.

5. the common people of a community as distinguished from any privileged class; the common people with respect to their political power.

Spent the Last eight Holidays in Thailand. Have booked for 20th December from London to BKK and hoping it will sort out by then.... though have no reason to believe it will.

If I cancel I will be down Baht 250K.

So I will get to Phuket somehow. If it's all still a Class 1 KlutterF*&$k and the police don't (police), the government cannot (govern) and the army is still sitting on it's hands then I will find a way via Singapore or Kuala Lumpur. Will not a let a group of misguided, confused bananas ruin my vacation.

My perfect timing strikes again! Arrive 22nd. Now to check the duty free allowance!

Come on guys really get real

Rich home owners with steps to the sea = money

Bar owners opening late = money

Violent criminals = danger

You do the Math! It's business as normal in Phuket

One arrest does not stop the problem.

I got hit on Friday when over GBP 2000 taken from my brand new Visa Card. I only started to use it when I got to Patong Beach in early December and then only at reputable stores (Lotus Tesco, Carrefour, Robinsons BKK) but got a call Friday from my UK bank asking if I had purchased jewelery on Parramatta, Australia.

Covered by the bank but still annoying to have to cut up the card that it is easiest to manage (connected to my account).

So back to checking all transacations daily.

If you remember the Chang ad from the World Cup before last ..... shouldn't they track down all those dangerous criminals

My partner and his family was staying at the Khao Lak Orchid Resortel. Luckily they were out on a boat when the tsunami struck. However they really would like to know the situation with the great staff at the hotel.

He arrived back in the UK with nothing but today he appeared on the Hong Kong missing list as his HK identity card had been found (we have advised all the authorities). But as the card was in his hotel safe we can only guess the state of the hotel.

We have already donated but we are lucky to be insured and will be donating the total amount received back to Khao Lak somehow.

If anyone has any information please let us know.

As soon as possible.

We have so many people to thank and even more to support.

The pain and loss is inconceivable.

My partner was in Khao Lak with his father, mother, sister and brother-in-law. The brother-in-law decided to go diving on Sunday. The rest of the family were on a boat trip when the tsunami struck and watched in horror as Khao Lak ceased to exist. By the sheer brilliance of the Thai boat captain they survived and then spent three days looking for the missing diver. Thanks to the incredible work done by www.onethailand.com I was able to trace him (from London) arriving in a hospital in Phuket. They were reunited and evacuated to Bangkok. My partner will arrive home tomorrow having lost everything hew owned but with the biggest smile in the world.

The kindness, care and love shown by the Thai people, the rescue teams and the great guys at the British Embassy will never be forgotten. My heart, thought and prayers reach out to all those who lost so much. I will be in Phuket as soon and as often as possible.

British Consular Assistance in Phuket

For those that need to contact the UK consular officials in Phuket there a four numbers:

076 264 473

076 264 474

076 264 475

076 264 484

There is also consular assistance at the domestic arrivals area at Don Muang Airport

The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs have English language assistance on:

02 643 5262

02 643 5000

02 643 5002

02 643 5003

British Consular Assistance in Phuket

For those that need to contact the UK consular officials in Phuket there a four numbers:

076 264 473

076 264 474

076 264 475

076 264 484

There is also consular assistance at the domestic arrivals area at Don Muang Airport

The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs have English language assistance on:

02 643 5262

02 643 5000

02 643 5002

02 643 5003

CAT also plans to triple the transmission rate between Thailand and the US from 1 gigabit per second to 3Gbps next year through an upgrade in its “peering link” with that country.

Good, but will it be enough considering hthe expected growth in DSL and Cable connections ... ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Definately not. I have just joined Bulldog here in London and have a 4MB home connection. Does that mean there are only 40 connections (or 520 at 256kbits) on Phuket?

If Broadband is really to come to Thailand CAT needs to plan ahead of the curve.

I am based in London but spend time every year in Thailand.

After 20 years building development teams I am extremely interested in developing a Thai outsourcing operation. I have had contacts with Software Park and BOI as well as companies already established around BKK.

I am currently CIO of a company with operations in the USA, Europe and the Far East and can provide some level of work for an embrionic operation in Thailand. I have already set up a company here in the UK as a maketing vehicle and have a website under construction.

I will be in Thailand from 27th August to 5th Sept. and if there is any interest from experienced developers/programmers I would be interested to meet up and discuss the potential and how we could get this working.

Back in the UK

Needed a 'Bird' fix

31st shop finally found his new CDs

Ahhhhhhhhh.... feel much better

I hear he thinks that Beckham plays for Liverpool. Isn't he going to be gutted!

Last year, suffering from a nasty bout of food poisoning, I had to go to hospital in Pattaya. In my one hour there four foreigners were brought in injured in motorcycle accidents. Unfortunately one was DOA (dead on arrival).

The doctor called this 'an exceptionally quiet night'; it was the middle of the week. He explained that a normal night was about ten injuries to foreigners including three from moto-taxis and up to four deaths per week

Remember this was one hospital in one city.

If anything the Lonely Planet figures may be understated.

Will be in Bangkok July and September and looking for a 3/4 bedroom serviced apartment. There are so many deals on offer I am getting quite confused. Also as I cannot see the properties (already had a couple of shocks) I wondered if anyone has some great advice.

Thanks in advance

Dave

[email protected]