gregor200

The reds had the chance to get an agreement for elections in a reasonable timespan. I think, 6 month is the minimum to prepare elections, doing all the paperwork and autumn is always a good time. I did not understand why they didn´t take this chance. Maybe I cannot follow their arguments.

On the other hand, 6 weeks is enough to occupy a vital business district. Either you know what you want to get and take it or leave. They can occupy a parliament building for years, this does´t matter because no critical work is done there.

From the beginning the red had my full moral support. The behaviour of the yellow two years ago made me very angry and the two time dissolution of the government with readymade laws (like it is illegal to take part in a tv-cooking show for money) made the oligocraty of Bangkok the leaders of a banana republic.

Now the red from bangkok are just a headless group of youtube warriors, who fear police and prison, when they come of their camp.

This is a google translation from a thai blog

http://www.oknation.net/blog/chakkrish.

Are hanging from the head but no body murder puzzle to create a knot in the 2-day police officer. ก็สืบค้นจนพบเบาะแส Search until it found trace. เจ้าของหัวแล้ว The owner then head. เขาชื่อนายเกียตา จิโอวานี (Jaeta Jiovani) หนุ่มใหญ่วัย ๔๙ ปี ชาวอิตาลี เดินทางเข้ามาประเทศไทย He said the name Kia จิโอ eyes that this (Jaeta Jiovani) young age of 49 years in Italian travel to Thailand. เมื่อวันพุธ(๑๘) ที่ผ่านมา เข้าพักที่โรงแรมเร็กซ์โฮเต็ล ย่านสุขุมวิท และหายตัวไปในช่วงเวลาที่เกิดเหตุ On Wednesday (18) stay at the hotel placed a faster Sukhumvit hotel district and invisible to the time of occurrence. สันนิษฐานครั้งหลังสุด Presumably last. หลังชันสูตรศพ After autopsy. และพบร่างของเขาที่ลอยน้ำขึ้นมาในวันถัดมาว่า จิโอวานี ฆ่าตัวตาย And his body found floating in the water later that day that this จิโอ suicide.

พล.ต.อ.จงรัก จุฑานนท์ รอง ผบ.ตร. ซึ่งเปิดเผยเรื่องนี้ กล่าวว่า จากการรวบรวมพยานหลักฐาน Pl.t.a. faithful secondary ผบ.ตร. revealing จุฑา joy it said the evidence collected. และจากการยืนยันของแพทย์โรงพยาบาลศิริราช And confirmation from the medical Siriraj Hospital. ที่ได้ตรวจพิสูจน์จากส่วนศีรษะและร่างกายของผู้ตายแล้ว Proved to be the head and body parts from the dead. มีความเห็นว่าเป็นบุคคลเดียวกัน Is seen as the same person. และเป็นการฆ่าตัวตาย And suicide. โดยแผลที่คอขาดเป็นขอบไม่เรียบและถลอก The lack of collagen at the wound edges are uneven and bruised. รอบแนวบาดแผลรอบคอด้านหลังสูงกว่าด้านหน้า Wound around the belt around the neck back over front. ลักษณะเป็นแนวรอยจากการถูกแขวนคอ A systematic manner has been dented by hanging. ไม่ได้ถูกตัดคอด้วยของมีคม Do not cut your throat with a knife. เพราะหากถูกของแข็งมีคม If the solids are sharp. แผลจะต้องเป็นขอบเรียบ The wound edges must be smooth. รวมทั้งตามร่างกายไม่พบบาดแผลถูกทำร้ายอื่น นอกจากนั้น การตรวจสอบการตกกระจายของเลือดบนสะพานพระราม ๘ พบว่าเป็นเลือดที่พุ่งมาจากหลอดเลือดแดงใหญ่ที่คอ As well as the body was not found another stab wound was also checking out the distribution of blood on the Rama 8 Bridge, found that a blood streaming from a neck artery.

"..หลักฐานทางการแพทย์ที่ปรากฎน่าจะเป็นการฆ่าตัวตาย ".. The medical evidence appears to be a suicide. ไม่ใช่อาชญากรข้ามชาติ Not multinational criminals. เพราะที่ผ่านมาขีดความสามารถของคนร้ายข้ามชาติในเรื่องอาชญากรรมในประเทศไทยยังไม่รุนแรงถึงขนาดนี้" Because the ability of transnational criminal in serious crime in Thailand is not this size. "

จิโอวานี ตายแล้ว คนไทยชอบสร้างตำนาน สะพานนนทบุรี ยังเป็นสะพานนวลฉวีได้ This จิโอ dead people like legendary build bridges Nontaburi ivory hue is also a bridge. เมื่อหมออธิปจับนวลฉวีไปถ่วงน้ำ When doctor king touch ivory hue to counteract water. อีกไม่นานสะพานพระราม ๘ คงถูกเรียกขาน Rama 8 Bridge soon be continuing designate. สะพานจิโอวานี This bridge จิโอ.

I think the Thai Baht, as well as the free floating currencies of Asian Countries like Vietnam, is the gambling zone for chinese speculants. As long as the Thai Baht is moving up against the USD, they stay in the game.

it seems quite a normal reaction of offer and demand for money. Thaksin was selling thai stock (Shin) to Singapore. So they have to buy Thai Baht for paying it. Think they were paying some stock with futures, which was due end of March. Lets wait for end of April.

Personally I think, the Swede was talking with her in public in a way, which made her lose her face.

Thai people have to be very polite and devote in public, which on the one hand, makes them very appealing to us, on the other hand, the aggressiveness of a whole working day has to be stashed away in the their soul, until they are in privacy. And mixed with alcohol, the threshold sometimes is too low, and the barrier breaks.

I remember that after the Amok in Berne, Switzerland, people were thinking loud about old times, when you could go to the bar in the evening and have some discussions, which ended normally with a quarrel with beer jars broken over your head and some bruises on your nose. This was no public offense but a easy mean for cooling down. Everybody who complained, was laughed on, because you could join them or leave them at your will. And the next evening they were sitting together and drinking again. This was tolerance, which prevented aggressiveness in a bigger scale.

Today it is totally different and you are treated like a maleducated baby.

When you have a good job, and can outlive your freedom and creativity, it is easy talking about other peoples aggressiveness, but when you have to think about a noodle soup for 20 baht and school money for your daughter, you feel different.

The first rule in Thailand is : never speak loud in public. If you just do it by mistake and somebody notices, make a big wai. Any other behaviour may lead to unexpected results.

Patong looks really good already. The beach road is fully packed, on some side alleys there were still construction works, when I was down end of June. The bars in the south end of Patong beach have still to be rebuilt. This is the only place, where you can take still tsunami like pictures.

On Kata Beach, the Klong leading to Club Med has still to be cleaned. It is now barred by sand from the open sea and contains brack water.

when we were in malaysia, we were buying coils, you could incinerate which were working all night as moskito repellent. nowadays they are made by bayer of chemical substances, but there are natural ones from coconut. A fire of coconut leaves keeps moskitos away.

I went once down in Malaysia with the train from Kota Bahru to Johor Bahru. Nice trip and not expensive, but take in mind, that you do not travel at the end of Ramadan or other malay holidays, since then the train is bursting with people.

I think you should go shopping now in Europe, because it is end of winter season and a lot of sales half price in the shops. Buy a long coat at H&M (made in China), good shoes for walking, some pullovers, socks.

Thai Air has highest prices I've seen by far.  Great airline, but seriously over priced!

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Great airline? R U 4 real?

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Obviously doesn't get to fly with the good ones to see what real service is like!!

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Fly all sorts of airlines- so yes I've flown the good ones!!! The few times I have flown Thai Air - it was outstanding. (service was unbelievable- never got so much attention from a flight crew apart from ANA)

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when I compare, I prefer TG.

They have more legspace then Lufthansa,

they are working all night, asking you for drinking

they are member of StarAlliance, therefore you earn miles

Hi,

To all Phuket residents, where should I go if I want a small bungalow on a nice beach? ( bed + shower is enough, no technology needed! ;-) ) And I'm not interested by nightlife and BG, I just need to relax 1 week far from BKK.

Thanks!

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The Katanoi Beach Bungalows are very quiet, just over the little bridge at the end of KataNoi, about 600 Baht per night. Great for parking car. Only the breakfast restaurant was damaged.

My friend stayed with his family (2 children) at KataThani from Dec 28 till Jan 3. Told, that Sylvester-buffet (expensive) was not the hit, but else holiday was great. Had to go to the KataBuri pool for swimming the first two days, until the big pool of KataThani was cleaned and filled again. KataBhuri was not hit by the wave. Occupancy rate at KataThani was about 15% on Sylvester due to the fact, that most tourists were forced by their package tour operator to go to Bangkok.

They had a lot of fun with Elephant riding, horse riding, going out with jet ski around mom tri, every day fully packed, beaches looked pristine and totally clean.

I'm planning a trip to Phuket in March... when i saw this news.. it's so sad..

I wish everyone and everything will be back to normal soon..

Wanna check if Kata Thani is affected by this Tidal wave? Do you guys think it's safe to go there in March or should i choose somewhere else?

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You can see fotos of KataThani after Tsumami at

www.katathani.com

click on the label Tsunami there.

Very funny 

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There is only one of my name in the database, think it is not me, because the birthday doesn´t match.

from Phuket Gazette

Call for donations to rebuild schools

PHUKET: Those interested in making donations for rebuilding Baan Kamala and Baan Kalim schools, both of which were badly damaged in the tsunami, can do so using the bank account information below.

All proceeds will go toward reconstruction and providing scholarships to students who lost their parents in the tsunami.

The first account, the Phuket Educational Area Relief Fund, will be administered by officials from the local branch of the Education Ministry, which will allocate the funds:

Bank: Krung Thai Bank; Branch: Phuket; Account name: Phuket Educational Area Relief Fund; Account number: 805-002293-5; Swift Code: KTDTHTB

Donors to this account are asked to contact K. Premjit via email to [email protected] or Fax to +66 76 214066 or 214553, or by calling Tel: +66 76 211591 (ext 30), after transfering funds into the account.

The second account will be administered directly by the teachers at Baan Kamala School. The account details are:

Bank: Krung Thai Bank; Branch: Patong; Account name: Kamala School Donations; Account number: 837-0-00808-9; Swift code: KTDTHTB

Baan Kamala School is now closed for reconstruction but is tentatively scheduled to reopen on January 10.

Well I suppose life goes on. The last thing locals will want now is for tourists to stay away.

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how about Kata Noi beach

look at the link of KataThani, what they archieved within the last two days

http://www.katathani.com/Thani/photo-gallery.html

how about Kata beach

http://www.mangosteen-phuket.com/Mangostee...t_aftermath.htm

I understand, that people want to go home, when they lost some relatives or have broken bones, my friend arrived with his family on 26 in the night and is now staying at KataThani.

Letter from KataThani (KataNoi) from today

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Dear friends of Katathani and all the staff,

Thank you very much for all the e-mails we received, during the last 48 hours, expressing your concerns and best wishes. We have not been able to communicate because our telephone system is down, even mobile phones did not work for certain periods. Staff and guest alike have been great throughout the crisis and we thank them for their considerable support.

I would like to update you on the condition of Katathani Phuket Beach Resort following the earthquake off Indonesia on Sunday, 26 December, as you are no doubt aware the west side of Phuket has been effected. Although Katathani has suffered some damage, we are more fortunate than most. A small number of guests did receive some relatively minor injuries, mainly cuts, grazes and bruises but no serious injuries. Most of the staff are back to work and do an excellent job in assisting our guests, while cleaning up the property together.

Most of our rooms are unaffected. Some of the ground floor rooms at Thani have been damaged, mainly due to breakage of glass. Gardens and swimming pools have also been effected but will be brought up to normal condition within a few days. The KataBhuri has not been effected in anyway and Kata Noi beach itself is in perfect condition.

To get an update for yourself on what the property currently looks like, please log on to www.katathani.com. We have pictures taken today and will upload it to the website anytime soon.

We all appreciate your thoughts and well wishes and looking forward to welcoming you back in the future.

Wishing you a peaceful New Year on behalf of all the staff.

Yours sincerely,

Uwe Lukas

Hotel Manager

.. im trying to have contact whith my girlfriend.. in phuket

i have send sms's and call but she don't answer.. i hear a strange music (maybe voicemail??)or can't connect try later...

is the telephone center still down???

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You get a kind of voicemail and a lady telling that the phone is not reachable and you can leave a message. AIS was down for some time or the net was overloaded, or the cellular was not charged or fell down into the water... I reached my girl about 6 o´clock evening Phuket time. Was speaking about 10 minutes, good quality, no interrupts. What she told me you can see on the pictures. Lot of traffic on the road, nearly all cars bumped (hers too).

just found following story about KataNoi

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Paradise was ripped asunder yesterday, washed away by a series of freak waves that left the Thai holiday island of Phuket dealing with its biggest disaster in modern times.

At least 168 people and more than 1000 were injured officials, said.

The Government ordered the evacuation of the stricken areas, which included the main beaches of Phuket, popular with tourists and at the height of its holiday season. The tsunami tossed cars around like toys and swept into luxury hotels.

At Wachira Hospital, in Phuket City, doctors and nurses were struggling to cope with scores of injured people.

There, Canadian Don Howie was sitting and counting his blessings. He had bandaged arms and legs, and an amazing story to tell.

The 57-year-old had gone snorkelling at Kata Noi beach about 9am yesterday.

The first Mr Howie knew of the impending disaster was when a gigantic surge sucked the water from under him.

"The sea suddenly surged out for about, oh, 200 metres," he said. "There was nothing left but sand. Luckily, I was left standing on the rocks where I had been looking at the fish and coral.

"Anyone swimming in the middle of the beach must have been dragged well out to sea."

But before he and other snorkellers could react, the first of the series of huge waves pummelled them and swept them from the rocks. Mr Howie suffered cuts and abrasions to his arms and legs as he was swept against the rocks, but kept his head above water enough to survive a dramatic ride into the beach.

He was able to note that one of the waves seemed to him to sweep along the beach sideways.

His wife, Beverly, watching from their third-floor beachfront hotel room, could only look on in mounting horror.

The second wave was the largest, she said.

"I'd say it was about 15 feet (five metres). The water just smashed everything in its path. It came up over the beach, over the road running along the beach front, behind the main part of the hotel, and swept away large four-wheel-drive vehicles.

"Water surged into the hotel lobby of our wing, on the other side of the road, and smashed the windows of shops fronting the street."

Mr Howie and other survivors were quickly moved up a hill to a safe height, where doctors among the vacationers tended to their wounds.

Many people were carried off to hospitals and clinics on the back of pick-ups as rescuers moved through the sandy debris that choked local bars and restaurants.

Others were not as lucky. Several foreign divers were killed when they were hit by tsunamis while about 70 were exploring the famed Emerald Cave off southern Thailand, police said. Rescue workers were trying to extract the survivors.

Australian tourists watched in horror as walls of quake-generated water swept ashore on the resort island.

Australian Raeshell Tang and her husband Mark watched from their hotel room as the tsunami raged ashore at Phuket.

"We just went out on to the balcony to see what the day was going to be like and there it was in front of us - the tidal wave," she said.

Early reports said one tourist had been killed and five were missing after the huge wave struck.

She said many people had suffered cuts and bruises after being caught in the tsunami.

"There were lots of people with many deep cuts," she said. "Lots of blood everywhere." Another Australian tourist in Phuket, Fiona Rudkin, said some tourists were washed away.

"We've just heard that there's been people on the beach that have been washed away," she said.

The wall of water had also done great damage in the town, she said.

West Australian state MP John Hyde described the scene in southern Thailand as one of devastation.

"Just out of nowhere, suddenly the streets are awash and people just running and screaming from the beach," he told ABC television.

"All the windows are blown in. (There's) debris everywhere."

Perth tourist Simon Morse said he saw people being swept along the street.

"People were getting swept along still on their motorbikes on their sides," he told an ABC reporter.

"There were cars that had been picked up by the storm surge and they were getting pushed down the road, taking things out as they went."

Outside Wachira Hospital, one of three public hospitals on the island, officials were posting the names of people who had been admitted for treatment on large boards. A crowd of about 100 people, most of them locals, were waiting anxiously for news of relatives.

It will be days before authorities on the island can gauge the full impact of the disaster. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is trying to determine whether any Australians were killed or injured around the region in the earthquake's aftermath.

A department spokesman said inquiries were being made urgently about the welfare of Australians in the region but so far there had been no reports of casualties. "We still don't know at this stage," he said. The spokesman said relatives of Australians who were in the region could contact the department on its hotline, 1800 00 22 14 for assistance.

My friend with his family are flying to kata Noi (KataThani) today. As they were stranded in Bangkok, they will get the plane at 19:30. Am curious, how KataThani looks like now.

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The Kata Thani has been redecorated and you can see right through the building from road to the sea

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How long does it take to clean it ? Are there any guests now ? Is water and electricity working ?. What about KataBhuri. Maybe they can stay there. It is more in the back.

Anytime I wish them a good night after a 30 hours tavel time from Germany now,

by the way, what about the limousine transport from the airport (am I joking now??)

I have had two phonecalls from the UK, and several calls from outside Thailand that were dropped when I answered them, asking me about this.  So as soon as I got home home I turned on the TV: all the Thai channels which I tuned to assuming they would have more up to date news for such an imortant event in this part of the world had the news about what members of the royal family have been doing today, a couple of soap operas and what some hiso people have been doing.  I then tuned into BBC World which has dropped all its normal programs and is 100% covering the disaster.  When the scheduled news programs arrived on Thai TV their coverage was either copied from CNN and BBC World or in one case a Thai woman talking about how her father, formerly a famous politician, had died in the disaster.

The latest is that I see the Thai mobile phone companies are making big announcements about whose subscribers can phone for free from the affected areas, I have tried phoning friends there and the system is down, so how generous is that.

Why do we westerners attach such a bizarrely high value to the lives of unimportant / poor people?  We're just weird!

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I reached my friend by mobile phone (AIS) at about 17:45 thai time. Was talking about 10 minutes with her (good uninterrupted phone quality to Germany). She told me she nearly died, when the water was coming into her room near bangla road. She will sleep in her car this night and go back home tomorrow.

My friend with his family are flying to kata Noi (KataThani) today. As they were stranded in Bangkok, they will get the plane at 19:30. Am curious, how KataThani looks like now.

I beg to differ with PvtDick. I have in the past year purchased tickets for my daughter to fly to Thailand. On both occasions they were purchased outside her country of departure, at the cheaper rate, and then couriered to her. It worked out a lot cheaper than the prices offered to her in Australia and is easy to do.

Just ask at the travel agents.

NL

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I think you can buy regular tickets anywhere in the world and pay the local tarif. But reduced return tickets you can buy only in the land of origin and they are normally cheaper than a single way ticket. When you need an open ticket it makes sense, or you buy single way at home and a open one year return ticket in Thailand.

for any conversion (as well as longtime history) you can look at

www.oanda.com

seems the picturs have been removed

http://andreusii.sweb.cz/ser/01.jpg