loseless

Check for the best deals at moneysupermarket.co.uk. Often new websites such as hifx.com offer more competitive exchange rates and zero fees (or small fees). I'm surprised that the banks are continuing to levy such high charges and that more people are not using these new services. Prices for transfers will continue to go down in the future as more innovative online services flourish.

Check for the best deals at moneysupermarket.co.uk. Often new websites such as hifx.com offer more competitive exchange rates and zero fees (or small fees). I'm surprised that the banks are continuing to levy such high charges and that more people are not using these new services. Prices for transfers will continue to go down in the future as more innovative online services flourish.

Harsh. This is the right approach. Exactly the same with road safety issues. I'd like to see them launch TV ads in between the soap operas too.

Whilst I would always question statistics themselves, road deaths in Thailand per registered vehicle over recent years suggest that you are between 18 and 23 times more likely to die driving in Thailand than driving in the UK. Cross-referencing this against various published statistics brings about similar results. I sympathise with the poster, however, one person's perceptions are never a strong indicator and so we have to try and think big picture. I have been living in LOS for 8 years and I have only witnessed a small number accidents, but I fear I have been extremely fortunate in that respect. I lost a girlfriend aged 18 to drink-driving and so I feel strongly about the issue (neither in Thailand nor the UK). I think we should all do whatever small things we can do to re-edcuate people about helmets, seatbelts, drink/drugged driving, losing loved -ones etc. I see change here, but it takes generations, so we have to be patient and be positive.

Great post!

This is a quite laughable opinion piece. Let's start with the claim in the first "shock and awe" that "no country in the world would allow its second airport to be inundated like this." As if losing a major airport to shutdown might be a major security breach. The author makes this claim, despite the fact that Suvarnibhumi airport was kidnapped by a political group known as PAD and shutdown with a "sit in/camp in" from September 26 , 2008 to December 5, 2008, plus a disputed number of days to do a security check, check out equipment and cleanup. The government and the military just standing by watching. It is totally bewildering how a The Nation opinion piece could slip by the editors with this frivolous and preposterous claim.

Since The Nation doesn't publish bios of its opinion writers, one can only wonder about this one. The writer goes on to list several additional "shock and awes", a characterization that he or she probably lifted and plagiarized from the USA's use of that expression in the opening salvos of bombing Iraq during Bush II. The expression shock and awe is typically used in a military context to reflect utter military rapid dominance. For example, something like the 2 AM 2006 military coup, which abrogated the existing Thai constitution, and filled the streets with tanks, might be "stretched" into referring to it as "shock and awe", if the author was looking around for some Thai illustration. It is unfathomable that this The Nation opinion piece would refer to any, let alone all, of these ten incidents of shock and awe as such. Again, on the basis of this type of preposterous writing and utilization of expressions without understanding their meaning is bottom feeding journalism at its worst.

"We have 4,022 people in Phuket with HIV/AIDS: 2,687 are male and 1,335 are female," Dr Wiwat said.

.....Ninety-three per cent of them were infected through unprotected sex, many through having sex with a random partner," said Dr Wiawat.

A further three per cent contracted the anti-immunodeficiency virus by sharing needles when using drugs, he added.

Most of the cases reported to the Phuket Health Office were daily-wage laborers."

The ratio of males to females seems surprising, if 93% of infections were through unprotected sex. Since it is supposed to be easier for females to catch HIV through unprotected sex, one would expect the male to female ratio to the be the other way round. I wonder, if males are reluctant to admit intravenous drug use for fear of arrest, or if females are more reluctant to present for treatment at all. I would suspect both to be true, particularly the latter, i.e. that the number of females is actually higher than the number of males. It is not clear how the balance of 4% of cases are believed to have contracted the disease. Anyway, these stats look highly unreliable and are probably vastly understated.

Perhaps the ratio is due to the amount of infections through gay sex. Male/male = very dangerous, but female/female = 100% safe.

Thailand is not among the worst countries statistically (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate) and is improving, albeit fairly slowly. It is frustrating that people are always so negative about this country improving. There is a lot being done to reform policies which affect road safety, especially law enforcement of drink driving, the biggest single reason why the death tolls are quite high. European countries had similar statistics prior to educating people about drink driving.

Just use an audio feed from ESPN online radio - the commentary is in real time and of a high standard

I am moving apartment into a building which can only provide a direct TOT line in the Lad Prao area. I don't really understand why I can't have a TRUE line, but maybe someone can help there? TOT wish me to pay 3800B for a line or it is free with a year's contract subscribing to their internet (alarm bells are ringing...)

I need reliable, stable internet. I would also like a fast speed and I'm aware things are improving. I'm looking for some up to date advice on which ISP to go for and whether the 10MB + offerings are worth the money now (I'm using international sites). I currently have a 4MB True connection - can I transfer this package to my new TOT line or does that not work?

MAN - BKK:

Qatar Airways is consistently the best on price. You will find a flight for sub 500 pounds if you search hard even at peak times. Journey time 16 hours including a change in Doha. High quality service.

I have explored all options for this route and unless you catch one of the other airlines offering some amazing special offer (Etihad, KLM, Turkish, Malaysian, Air France, Emirates and some others), I would stick to Qatar. The Airasia route to KL from Stansted involves extra hassle and I have never managed to secure the prices that redrus obtained despite plenty of effort.

I've been to Malaysia 4 times with my girlfriend (Langkawi, KL & Penang) and she never had any problems. She was questioned thoroughly at the Langkawi airport.

I share the daily fear and panic of these roads.

Policing (effective or not) only goes so far. A big dose of education is needed when driving any social change. A barrage of government funded TV awareness advertising might help.

If I ever think about driving after a drink, the reason I choose not to is a fear of causing injury, not a fear of legal consequences. I would not be afraid if I had not been constantly told about the statistics and shown sensible images on the TV of what can happen.

Perhaps also if drivers need to have "good luck" flowers they should consider hanging them in positions which don't blatantly block their line of vision and / or mirrors?

I have flown to Kuala Lumpur with Air Asia twice within a day for around 3500 Baht total cost (you need to be organised and book in advance). Don't risk the same plane, just wait 3 hours for the next one.

I think you could do it even cheaper by just turning up at the airport one morning if you are happy to waste the whole day. They probably sell last minute single tickets for 1000B or less. Other destinations with Air Asia are also possible.

I think a lot of people in Bangkok without visas will prefer these options now in order to get a 30 day stamp as opposed to doing a border run to Cambodia by bus every 15 days (every month = 2 days wasted and total cost around 3500 Baht )

The plane is looking like a no-brainer...