Tomyum

Will be there +1. Thank you.

I too am A- but in Bangkok. I called the mobile number. One can donate at the "Bangkok National Blood Centre" which is nearby Hua Lumpong Train Station. Exact Address I dont know yet. Opening hours are 08:30 - 16:30. They will send it to Phuket.

Sign me up plus one guest please.

please see the above...I can't figure out which is the cheapest...looking at high end Rembrandt, Landmark, etc for 2 nights early next month...something that has a pool for the kids...

Hotel booking SHOULD always be cheaper by an internet booking agent than either booking direct to the hotel, or through the hotel's own website.

This is becuase hotels give discounted "Contract Rates" to agents, including web based agents, so that they can get more customers. Many agents, particularly websites, put only low margins on their prices so that they can get more business.

Try sawasdee.com or latestays.com (for <2weeks ahead) or just google the hotel name and you'll get plenty of choices.

A reputable hotel (4 or 5 star) should never discount at the door or on the phone, to a lesser price than you'll get on a decent website.

(I work in Hotel industry)

I know this is an old topic but things seem to have got dramatically worse.

I thought the problems of "Network Busy" were disappearing but the last 2 days it seems I can hardly make any phone calls. I use AIS post paid and no matter what time of day I try to call I get the dreaded "Network busy"

Do you others think it's worse again?

AIS' new owners have been running campaigns making calls in the evening very cheap for users. This allows students to talk to their friends continuously. At present, it does not look like the situation will improve.

I met with AIS technical division and the situation is a simple result of the promotions (to attract customers away from DTAC etc) working too well and now if one pays a fee of B800 per month up front (one option) calls are free 6am-6pm (untimed) for many customers or maximum call cost 5 Baht regardless of time so people are clogging the network. They now need more capacity. So their problem is that they'll need to pay Millions to upgrade (more capacity) but get no more revenue. Difficult. If one is a prepay or postpay it makes no difference about getting a call through.

...finally! I am just disgusted by the comments made in this thread. I also noticed a high number of newbies posting. Coincidence?

Nope.

This was discussed awhile ago in another thread of a similar nature.

Lot's of newbies posting, because the story was emailed to to everybody. Click on the link in the email and bang, you're already in the thick of the thread.

Once you're here, you might as well add your own two cents (or 50 satangs) to the discussion, even if you are totally whacko, have absolutely no comprehension of the situation, and quite obviously have no idea what you are talking about.

That's why you are seeing what you are seeing.

...that answers my (rethoric) question as I expected. Wonder how many of them will make it past 100 posts...

So why is it that "newbies" are considered to be "not worthy". Just because one hasn't posted many times does that automatically make him/her unintelligent does it? Being a "newbie" means nothing. And lets face it, if you read many of the posts one might want to distance themselves from being "guilty by association" with some of the opinions and intellects displayed here.

I have been a member of this forum for > 2 years but posted only 2 or 3 times. Does that make my opinion not worthy?

Thanks for the info. people. I was just after the legal figure which seems is THB60,000 thank you. Actually this Japanese lady is coming to work under an "internship" to work on a resort. Just wants to experience life on a smallish Island (Koh Samui). Salary not an issue for them, we just needed to know what the legal salary is.

Thanks for the help.

I am employed in a Thai company and trying to organise to hire a Japanese staff member but I understand there are minimum salaries payable to different nationalities. Can somebody please tell me what is the minimum salary payable to a Japanese employee. (Also if you know it, please tell me same for a Russian).

Hoping somebody can help.

Tom Yum.

Dear All.

Can someone please tell me what I should put on arrival on my immigration form for the following circumstances.

I have attained employment by a Thai family company who will organise my work permit after starting. However that leads me to a quandery about what to write on my immigration form when I arrive there in two weeks time. The employment is not a contracted term and is for an indefinite period. (I am an Australian Citizen, 45y.o.)

Does someone know the correct response to put to minimise hassles both in the short and long term. (I know I can breeze through by writing "tourist" or "business" on arrival but i suspect that may cause problems later when the work permit application goes in.

Any Advice welcomed.

My first posting. I've been reading but not posting until now. This topic is one I have a passion for.

A little disruption to flow of footpath traffic is a very small price to pay for such a great differentiator from other Asian countries and for great food, prices, aromas as well as souveniers, knick-knacks being available everywhere. This truly is part of the charm and attraction of Bangkok/Thailand.

Why don't WE ALL write a physical letter, and post it by traditional MAIL, to Thaksin and tell him how this will harm tourism - which is true. We all know that's his biggest worry and that he'll protect that at all costs.