craigt3365

I see stickers on some establishments, "recommended by Tripadvisor".

That for me is sufficient reason NOT to trust Tripadvisor.

To each his own, but you're really missing out. They tend to be the better establishments. Especially if they have lots of reviews or are a Travelers Choice Hotel. They tend to be spot on.

I assume that to receive this sticker, one has to pay Tripadvisor?

Absolutely not. It's decided by the people who vote. The highest rated hotels/attractions get the Travelers Choice Award. Kinda hard for a beach to pay for a good review.

https://developer-tripadvisor.com/content-api/business-content/award-content/

I see stickers on some establishments, "recommended by Tripadvisor".

That for me is sufficient reason NOT to trust Tripadvisor.

To each his own, but you're really missing out. They tend to be the better establishments. Especially if they have lots of reviews or are a Travelers Choice Hotel. They tend to be spot on.

With Russia destabilizing Syria:

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/middleeast/article4545816.ece

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/09/04/russians-in-damascus-us-monitoring-reports-russia-has-stepped-up-syria-presence/

Russia is helping Assad stay in power. Wasn't it you who just said these countries need dictators ?

You can't have it both ways just because you are a racist and hate Russians

Never said that. Don't believe in dictators. Not even a necessary evil. Most of the time, the masses suffer under them.

With Russia destabilizing Syria:

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/middleeast/article4545816.ece

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/09/04/russians-in-damascus-us-monitoring-reports-russia-has-stepped-up-syria-presence/

And the other Islamic countries are doing what?

Providing support for the majority of the refugees:

http://www.mercycorps.org/articles/turkey-iraq-jordan-lebanon-syria/quick-facts-what-you-need-know-about-syria-crisis

So ads are becoming news stories now!

Hang in there. Working out a few kinks. There's a new sub forum now where these articles will go. I've been subscribing to Inspire's email blast for some time. Some great info that will now be posted here. Hope you like it!

Sorry Lee ,,,,,, but they are both beautiful countries & sometimes it is great not just to look down from the air

but take time to smell the flowers as well

100% agree. I try not to fly if possible. Sometimes, there's no other choice. But even doing a train can be very interesting. If you have the time....

To each their own. I use them extensively and if you know how to read the reviews, it's a good system. Not perfect, but far from distrustful. A great source for info.

There are listings that are sponsored, and paid for. These are clearly listed. The rest are not paid for. I've added many. Hotels, restaurants and attractions. And I've no affiliation with these establishments. Just trying to help other travelers. Here's one hotel listing I added this year:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g202560-d8443215-Reviews-Visby_Fangelse-Visby_Gotland.html

Please, stop with the troll posts.

If you click on that restaurant nearby, it'll take you to the street view. From the street, there is a well signed entrance...in Thai! LOL

https://www.google.com.sg/maps/@16.7186262,98.572343,3a,75y,175.25h,66.11t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sfpUJgwdhEFAa2mGg6Y-zbg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

https://www.google.com.sg/maps/place/%E0%B9%82%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%87%E0%B9%81%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%A1%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%A7%E0%B8%B5%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%9E%E0%B8%B2%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%A5%E0%B8%AA/@16.7175317,98.5722766,15z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x3407a0f043644044

Is this the one?

http://www.queenpalacehotel.com/?pages=contactus&module=system

http://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/Hotel_Review-g317132-d2642349-Reviews-The_Queen_Palace-Mae_Sot_Tak_Province.html

If you book separately, your luggage may or may not be transferred automatically. Depends on the airline and the airport.

If you are late, then you'll be a noshow on the second leg. You'll have to buy another ticket or hope the airline will help you out. Which doesn't always happen.

I had the same problem. Took the router into ToT and they said it was bad. A new one solved it as well as giving me the newest technology! A friend of mine says a new router every few years is a good thing to do.

PHNOM PENH, 3 September 2015: Cambodia’s Ministry of Tourism says international tourist arrivals to the country, via Thailand’s border checkpoints, declined after the the deadly bomb attack at Bangkok’s Erawan Shrine, 17 August.

Posted on the tourism ministry website, Monday, Tourism Minister Thong Khon updated local media on the impact of the bomb explosion in Bangkok.

“Around 40% of tourists entering Cambodia travel via Thailand, by air or overland. During the course of the present turmoil in Thailand, linked to the bomb explosion in Bangkok, there has been a remarkable drop.”

Continued:

http://www.ttrweekly.com/site/2015/09/bomb-ripples-reach-cambodia/

How do you know they were innocent? As much as many hate the US, I still have faith that at least some of these were seriously bad individuals. Like this guy, an occupant of Gitmo.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khalid_Sheikh_Mohammed

Definitely not innocent.

The problem becomes "What do you do with them"?

When they aren't on US soil they aren't entitled to certain rights. If they are on US soil they inherit +/- everything almost as if they were US citizens.

I believe they are considered quasi prisoners of war and are under military jurisdiction. If they were taken to the US, I believe they would fall under civil or criminal court jurisdiction. Either way they would get a lot of "rights".

If they were on US soil and there was a trial imagine the circus just from a security standpoint. Besides, who wants to start importing those people to the US? Where would they be housed in the US? I hope not with the general population, even in a prison.

As it is they are captured afield and not entitled to US rights beyond that of a prisoner. I don't want them on US soil and I don't want them in the US system.

BTW, Gitmo is a US Naval Base that the US leased from Cuba many moons ago, even long before the Castros. The prison is a small part of that but what we think of as Gitmo is actually a Naval Base with this prison.These prisoners are in a US military base on foreign soil.

they were kidnapped, tortured and are denied their rights to a lawyer, and a trial. it is a sick joke

Kidnapped? Possibly. And probably right off the battle field. Tortured? Possibly. Just like what they've done. Denied rights to a lawyer? Great.

Interesting article:

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/06/04/us/gitmo-detainees-history/

A September 2013 report from the director of national intelligence reflected on what happened to the roughly 600 people who left Gitmo between its opening in 2002 and July 2013.

Of those, 100 -- or 16.6% of the released prisoners -- were "confirmed" to have returned "to terrorist activities." Seventeen of those died, while 27 ended up in custody, according to the DNI report.

An additional 70 are "suspected of reengaging," it said.

We're not talking about doctors and professionals taken from urban cities while they were legally practicing their professions. These are terrorists. A bit different, IMHO.

Definitely not some of the world's finest citizens.

My hero! I'm too old to do anything like this now...but what a time these guys must have had. Impressive.

http://www.outsideonline.com/1912491/worlds-greatest-traveler-1988-mercedes-has-been-172-countries

Pretty cool! I'd love to do this, but know the roads are super dangerous. I did a 25 day road trip with driver 10 years ago in India. The driver never was on the road after dark. In the morning, we'd see all these burned out hulks that was all that was left of trucks and buses. Incredible.

Great highway in Myanmar:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yangon%E2%80%93Mandalay_Expressway

The highway, which does not meet international design, construction and safety standards has seen a spate of accidents since its opening, and has been therefore dubbed the "Death Highway" by exile-run news agencies

How many in gitmo have been convicted?

If you dont have evidence then set them free, you cant be righteous and keep people indefinitely purely on suspision.

If u do that then u are no better than china or nth korea.

But that is no shock to the rest of the world who turn a blind eye for the sake of trade deals and money.

They've got evidence. Seems only one has been convicted so far, the the conviction overturned. He's guilty, he even admits it as does the Australian government:

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/02/18/us/david-hicks-conviction-vacated/index.html

"Mr. Hicks has made a number of admissions regarding his activities, including in letters to his family and in his book, for example that he undertook training with militia and terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and that he had met Osama bin Laden on many occasions and considered him a 'brother.'"

I note that none of the posters have faith in the US legal system.

Even the US government by it's actions shows disrespect for the US judicial system.

So please explain this to me: What is wrong with the US justice system?

Or are you all just US bashers?

I think this has already been discussed. These prisoners were captured in the US's "war on terror" and mostly in the battlefield. Remember, the master mind of 9-11 was held there. Along with many of his cohorts. I've no sympathy for criminals like this.

One reason they are at this base is to keep them from the very good US legal system. Where they'd have access to free lawyers and their appeals would go on for years. These guys are considered enemy combatants and not captured on US soil.

I'm not trying to defend this, so please, no bashing. Just trying to put some perspective here. I use to work in the World Trade Center. Was headed there the day of the attack. I saw the second tower fall with my own eyes and know a few who didn't make it. I've no sympathy. That event changed many innocent people's lives forever.

OK. Mystery solved. They were at Travis AFB for training. It's a major MAC base and a C-130 would be part of that. It's not too far from SF. Perfect for a day trip to scout around. I use to live there while my father was station here in Udon.

http://abc7news.com/news/two-arrested-after-allegedly-robbing-shooting-tourist-in-sf-/956681/

The victim was later released from the hospital and is going to be OK. He returned to Vacaville where and his Air Force friends have been training at Travis Air Force Base.

C-130's don't have a long flight range. I remember my father's tales of all the spots he had to land while going from one place to another. Lots of short hops.

Centara has a fantastic water park and a pretty decent beach right out front. Nice resort. Royal Cliff has some stunning views, great seaview restaurant/bar and a fair beach out front. Sheraton is right next door and is nice also. Hilton is right in the middle of all the action. Newer hotel and fitted out pretty nicely. Marriott is also OK, right across from the beach and in the middle of all the action.

I've heard good reviews about Rabbit Resort. On the beach in Dongtan which is quite nice and great for sunset strolls. You can walk for miles along Jomtien beach.

http://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/Hotels-g293919-Pattaya_Chonburi_Province-Hotels.html

I've not been for a few years, but there was only one street that had a few bars up and down it, running off the main beach road. There are a few hotels with bars, and a couple of other places. But IMHO, not a place to go if you want to party.