xbusman

Well I designed and sold customized intercity busses for almost twenty years. My customers started calling me busman and it sort of stuck. Seems like busman became real popular as a login and since it was seldom available and I had retired...Hence the "ex".

I use a variety of web services and recently bought a round trip ticket BKK to LAX for 26,445 baht on Northwest Airlines. I paid about 4,000 baht more than the cheapest fare I found but I get gazillions of frequent flyer miles and the occasional upgrade.

I usually start with the eThailand search engine which is great for getting a general idea of pricing which you can find at:

http://www.ethailand.com/s/travel/flights_fares.asp

Then I mosey over to Northwest at www.nwa.com and use the thailand site and root around for specials.

Other places to check include www.expedia.com and I always check www.asiatravelmart.com for some good deals. Might check www.qixo.com as well as long as your at it.

Hope this helps.

Reading that article makes me think of Germany 1931. Coming out of a serious financial collapse, fragile democracy giving way to a strong nationalistic leader, gradual shut down of the press, moral campaigns, lack of judicial review, registration and expulsion of aliens, step by step by step by step. It works the same in every country of the world.

Got caught in weekend market the same way. Passed the little temporary police booth and while I was smoking a cigarette. They scoped me out and must have followed me for at least six or seven minutes. Despite looking everywhere for a bin, I finally ground it out on the pavement as I was in imminent danger of catching fire and completely unaware that I was being followed. Within seconds, already one or two rows inside the market, up pops a trash police and drags me back to the farang taxation office. They proudly pointed to a sign that took me a good few minutes to realize it was printed in english. Very ornate printing that at first, second and even third glance looks like thai script. Went through the complete process with a frozen smile and jai yen which probably helped me get from 2000 baht to 1000 baht. Here is a tip though, dont hang around. I sat and watched scores of thais throw garbage all over the street and watched the officers follow other farangs right into the market. Kinda hard on the jai yen program, best to pay the fine and beat feet. TIT

It is the state departments job to study and accurately report on each and every foreign government. These reports are used by american business, labor, charities and other government agencies to craft appropriate relationships outside the States. The human rights report is just one of hundreds of reports furnished that cover everything from ecomony to health to just about anything. If a foreign government or the american public take offense at these congressionally mandated reports, they can take issue with the appropriate agency as Thaksin has done. Poorly thought out statements to the press is hardly an appropriate communications procedure for first world countries who generally pursue a more cautious reasoned approach.

All countries have some sort of similar service for their political branch, that the US process is so public and people so interested is gratifying despite the inevitable bashing about glass houses. Personally, I like the clarity of glass houses.

Beans on toast

Haggis

warm beer

God save us, everyone.

I have spent alot of time on the BMT website and really enjoy deciphering the information found there such as this little tid bit gleaned from the services page.

1. To Operate Bus Services guarantees the time of coming and arriving of night shift bus between a starting point - a destination and crowed passenger point

2. To Operate bus services connectedly on 8 routes. Which run on annular route and increase amount of bus as demand of passengers.

It is a good site but doesnt include any mapping capability and unforturnately I am of the age where masses of data just dont suffice for a good bus pocket map when moving around the city. I know there is a bus guide out there, I have seen it on the web, a few stores carry the thai version and that has helped, but....

I am having a tough time finding the english version of the Bangkok Bus Guide. Anyone have any suggestions as to where to look. Have been scouring the bookstores but can only find the Thai versions.