Margo

I live relatively close to the new airport (a little before, in fact) and it routinely takes me 1h 15 mins to get home and sometime 2 hrs from Wireless.

A warning to all that our pet rabbit appears to have been poisoned by a product recommended by at least two vets in Bangkok to rid her of fleas. The product was sprayed on Sunday and she began suffering seizures Wed. night, Thurs. We took her to a vet Thursday night, but the diagnosis was `an internal infection' and an antibiotic injection administered. The vet ruled out poisoning by the product we'd used to rid her of the fleas. Our rabbit died soon after we returned home.

Not convinced the flea treatment and illness were unrelated, I did a three word google search: Frontline Rabbit Fleas. Our rabbit suffered precisely the symptoms described in this article, which comes up as the top item in the search. It appears our vets are not keeping up with their research.

http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/san-diego/h.../frontline.html

Medical Alert: Problems Reported with New Topical Flea ProductsMedical Alert: Problems Reported with New Topical Flea Products ... Frontline resulting in the death of three rabbits; another rabbit has been successfully ...

Err, there's no parliament in Thailand to pass any new laws and there hasn't been an elected government since February to make these sort of policy decisions. Sounds like Thai Rak Thai electioneering to me. Nothing more, nothing less. The commerce ministry can act on its political master's behalf by issuing the halt letters, but it can't pass laws.

I bought a car on credit a few years ago from a Chev dealer and procedure was the same as for a Thai, no different deposit. Had to provide the usual mountain of documentation - ie work permit, passport, house registration, proof of income but it was very straight forward and didn't take any time at all.

I had a simililar circumstance and had to go to the registration office in which the seller had registered the car. Ask a Thai speaker to contact the land transport department to check on your requirement. The officials know exactly what they need.

You should find the contact details here: http://www.dlt.go.th/skp4/index.html

If the Aus embassy can't renew your licence (they can do some states), you actually do have to go back to have it renewed. Ridiculous but true. Otherwise, I got my Thai licence on presentation of my Australian licence plus the other documents mentioned.

I'd also endorse getting your own car. I hate driving in Bangkok -- well, variously shuffling or perilous dodgem cars, depending on the time of day -- but it is certainly better than being endless bounced out of taxis whose drivers won't go where you want to go.

Of the last five cab trips I've attempted, I gave up on one after 4 drivers refused to take me, threatened another with a policeman until he drove on after saying he wouldn't take me, got bounced out of two who didn't want to take me before taking skytrain and metro away from the mafia on Sukhumvit.

Only two went where I wanted with no fuss. The trips were variously around the center or to the suburbs and my Thai is quite ok.

The last bouncing experience was particularly unpleasant with a punk of a driver, who was threatening even though I had my child with me.

No wonder Bangkok has so many cars.

As mentioned above, getting a driver's licence is easy. You do, however, need a special health certificate from a medical clinic (not a hospital) that says you don't have elephantitis, leprosy, TB or any drug addiction. They cost about 50 baht, at least they used to when I got mine for a life time drivers licence, and are issued after a rudimentary examination.

Yes, you do have your child on your lap for the trip, although if he/she isn't too heavy, you can request a cot.

These attach to the bulkhead and are installed when the seatbelt sign is turned off. Anyone traveling with infants should request a cot, that way you don't have to tote your child for the full flight. You should also insist the flight attendent provide an infant seat belt. This attaches to your own and protects your child in the event of turbulance or other seatbelt-worthy events as required.

I would NEVER recommend Thai after several experiences on international and domestic flights when flight attendents refused to provide infant seat belts, saying they were unnecessary.... I did get them eventually but had to demand and escalate the requests each time: unpleasant to say the least, irritating as a paying customer and ludicrous when one of the roles of the flight attendant is to ensure passenger safety.....

I have also witnessed Thai flight crew smoking in the kitchen on one occasion, quite sufficient reason to suggest they don't give two whits about safety. A national trait, I suppose, as witnessed on Thailand's roads every day....

My husband's elderly father is at Ramkaemhaeng Hospital, where the room is just over 1k baht a day. The family takes in the food and pays helpers to stay with him to help with this and that. There's no medical charge unless he needs something. They have also got the medicine from a government hospital, where they get a full reimbursement on the cost. The room at Ramkaem, tho, is cheaper than an equivalent at the government hospitals, which tend to have fewer for long stays as they're more focused on acute care.

Does anyone know of a Bangkok vet that has spayed/neutered rabbits? I can go thru the posted list but personal feedback is always best. Thx in advance.

A friend of mine sends her daughter to a Thai-Chinese school that has an English program, with Thai and Chinese as 2nd and 3rd languages. The annual fee is llittle more than a very affordable 100k baht a year, and they will take children on a weekly basis. (A visiting friend send her child there for the international school summer holiday). I'm afraid I don't remember the name of the school other than it is two words. It is located in the Silom/Suriwong area around Chong Nonsri.

I fully support ensuring teachers are properly qualified before they come to Thailand, or any other country for that matter, to teach. Anyone who argues to the contrary is not qualified and is basing their comment on self interest. I am married to a Thai government official and even I have to be screened by foreign ministry officials to work in my profession when we return to the country from postings abroad that the Thai government has sent us on. I have no problem with that at all. It ensures professional integrity. I certainly do not want my children taught by unqualified teachers. While I agree that experience may make up for an academic qualification, the fact is that schools world over - with the exception of a few developing countries - require them. Those with experience can undertake distance learning to acquire them.

Actually, the baht is little changed against the euro this year, down on the pound, Swedish krona, and only 2.1 percent up on the Swiss franc, which is more closely aligned with the dollar. The factor is the weakening of the dollar, with the Thai current account surplus helping because it means more money is coming into the country than going out. JPMorgan's call on the baht for the end of the year is 37, ING Groep's estimate is 37.5. The central bank has stated it will intervene to stop volatility, which is a quite different thing than trying to stem its strength. I haven't seen any `Thai' economists predicting any crash. The economy is still trotting along on exports, which delivered the current accout surplus. Local credit has no influence at all.

Thx Lacoste and thx for your mail Alice. Will message you back so we can get together. My daughter wld love the rabbit.

The windows in the above post look good. Anyone know of any other sources for comparative purposes?

Thanks for that tip. No worries about the phone number. Will just drop by this weekend.

Local knowledge of any pet shops selling rabbits in Bangkok pls. Preferably on Bangkapi side of town but able to travel. Not Chatuchak or its offshoots: the two little bunnies bought from there died within days of being bought home....

Local knowledge of any pet shops selling rabbits in Bangkok pls. Preferably on Bangkapi side of town but able to travel. Not Chatuchak or its offshoots: the two little bunnies bought from there died within days of being bought home....

Dolphins is great. My daughter started with them when a few months old. That was 8 yrs ago.

Help! Does anyone know of Aug. summer schools in Bangkok for 8 year old? We're set for this month but need day-long activities, preferably with pick up and drop off, before school resumes in Sept. to avoid a very bored child. Google does not help and have tried myriad schools.

Well there is a really famous salon for falangs girls ], the name is "panipa" is in Ekamai soi 19.. just in the entrance (like 10 mtr), left hand.. they are really really good, and the prices are really good too, even cheaper than MBK or stuff.. If you want to cut your hair, you shoul doit with the owner (panipa) she's the best...

Umm if is only blow dry what are you looking for, I know a really good girls in soi sukhumvit 23, they really know how to make you hair straight (for curly's ) Ummmm... the thing is that I never ever look at the names place.. .but is right after the post offcie located like 100 mtr from sukhumvit..

anything, just ask!

Cool. Thx for those. I'm just after a simple, smart snipper. No color, no blow, just cut. I like my curls, even if the local hairdressers find them freaky.

Anyone stumble across a decent hairdresser of late who can deal with curly, non-Asian hair? I know it's an on-going struggle to avoid the hoi polloi treatment, but I live in hopefulness. Preferably around Wittayu/Chitlom for a duck-out-of-the-office-in-a-quiet-moment snip

Louise, You should get in touch with BAMBI: Bangkok Mothers & Babies International. Web site's at http://www.bambi-bangkok.org/ There is an abundance of information of the type that you're seeking. I did the whole prenatal/birth/postnatal/pediatric thing at King Mongkut hospital, the military hospital near Victory Monument. The people running the unit all speak English. The cost was about 20k baht for the labor/post labor stay in a private room with aircon (if that's not cheap enough, really, really, really cheap in dorm with no cool air). The service was excellent, and I was even able to present my doctor/labor ward nurses with my birth plan. We also had a private labor room. They don't (at least didn't) have options such as water birth, but I was left alone to do what I wanted for most of the time and had minimal intervention in the birth, which was as I wanted. The Childbirth and Breastfeeding Foundation of Thailand, the registered entity that BAMBI exists under, is also a good resource in identifying less expensive hospitals that will respect your wishes. The contact details are on the BAMBI Web site. If price is no objective, Samitvej is the place to go.

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