sunnymarky

How about a sweepstake on the next derailment on Thai Rail. I plump for New years day 2010. What a dangerous farce Thai rail is, Only have to travel on it to know its like a 3rd rate un safe old style fairground ride

It is not human nature at all.

It is part of an engrained system where morals are lacking, laws don't apply, education is not valued, money is god and poverty endemic. Statistically, less than 5% of the populace will own 95+% of the wealth.

Those are the incubatory conditions. Therefore, it is induced not in bred.

Thailand fits the descriptors. End of story.

Sums it up very well. Just one addition, Not enough Thais want to change these malaise , The 95% want to be in the 5%

A corrupt nation from top to botton with corrupt politicians through to lowest government official, and they waste their time on this bullshit. How about a crackdown on "pirates" in their own departments, They are FAKE leaders of the country. FAKE from top to bottom. Fake

Lation government restriction on International travel I assume.

Hmm...I'm not so sure about that. There ARE international flights from Vientiane. The OP was specifically asking about budget airlines between BKK and Vientiane. AirAsia flies Vientiane-KL, and I'm assuming that other airlines do as well. There are definitely international flights from Luang Prabang, including those heading to BKK.

My best guess would just be the lack of demand/profitability?

due to the very cheap and reliable train service?

Why do so many people presume that free market forces have anything to do with how things work in this region? How about because they have an exclusive agreement with whichever airlines fly there now to ensure it is a high profit run? Rather like the Bangkok Airways flight to Siem Reap - 12k or so for 45 minutes, which is ridiculous. You can't say the budget flights dont exist because of a cheap and reliable rail or road service to Siem Reap. There is quite obviously an agreement between Bangkok Air and the Cambodian govt. There is certainly no lack of demand and yet no budget airline - Air Asia would be there with bells on if they were allowed to be, or if there weren't insanely discouraging fees/taxes in place to make it unprofitable. An opinion of course, there is no proof, but it makes far more sense than the profitability argument.

Exactly right. All these posters talking about competition from train and buses are really not very bright.

And you are right about Budget airlines. They are not so "budget" when they have a monopoly on a route and can do deals with air transportation in a country . If they can screw the customer they will , Air Asia included. I think Air Asia cant get in on Vientiane scene from BKK because of reasons other than an inability to make money.

have you travelled on the small green old merecedez buses? If you want a roller coaster ride and dice with death have a go. I was on board when one hit a taxi the other day.. quite funny really, all the thais just quietly got off while the drivers sorted it out waiting for the police.

It cant be the rail service and it is to bangkok? I think its got to be political reasons and not business

So strange that Airasia or any other budget airline does not fly to Laos /Vientiane. Its close to border and many visitors from Thailand and people from Laos wanting to go Bangkok. There must some reason other than the prospect of not enough customers.

I like to watch on TV direct from mnotebook to TV , I have the TV out on my samsung notebook (the 15 point rectangular shape) but problem is getting the connection lead that fits and connects to an AV input on the TV , At pantip in BKK could not get anything that would fit.

DPRK government use these weapons to surpress their own people. nasty lot

can someone confirm correct or not correct.

I can use Thai baht to get my laos visa at friendship bridge entry?

It is 30 days on arrival for tourist visa?( can I download the visa form anywhere?)

The border office on entry into Laos is open 08.00-12.00?

im not in a rush. just wanna get bus station.... 200 bht for an hour trip is excessive in thailand these mini van hawks,, doesnt haappen in bkk because theres more competition with minivans,,, same all over world competition in products and services always the best for customers

I am flying to Udon Thani airport soon and then I want to get to NongKhai. What is the cheapest way? Is it best to go to the bus station from the airport ?. appreciate some advice and experience others have had.

Some on here, usually Americans , are quick to say the British pound is in such decline while not facing up to the decline of the US Dollar. as the US government debt spirals and will continue to so with the present administration spending(health care wars and other Pork barrel junk)and the FEderal reserve printing money and the Chinese government the only overseas government that buys US bonds to save the Dollar because it needs to sell so many goods to the USA(for the moment), dont be so confident. There are many economists , some of them American , who say the dollar is in long term decline and when OPEC countries decide not to sell their oil in US$ then it will be the beginning of the end.

Old saying about looking in the mirror before youmake judgement on others.

The principal has a tremendous amount of responsibility and accountability. My experience in Thailand is that there a few good managers here. The new principal thinks that the foreign teachers should be treated, or should I say mistreated, in the same way that the Thai teachers are. She thinks it's perfectly OK to have us work on Saturday, it's OK to have us start working earlier in the day and later at night. Our contract specifically states certain conditions. She says no.

We are not Thai teachers and we are not classroom teachers. We are subject teachers and there is a whole different set of things that go with that.

There has always been a push and pull on what foreign teachers can/should do. She's pushing harder and making life uncomfortable. Yes, it's an adjustment time and it's uncomfortable. She may find out like previous administrators that when you push too hard the better teachers leave and the less competent ones stay. It took time to train previous principals to understand this. For people with experience, opportunities exist.

In my experience Principals or Directors at government schools overwhelmingly are and have always been administrators in their careers. NOT TEACHERS. They are there often through local political manoeuverings and know nothing but about the requirements of the children and the problems of the teaching staff.

So don't be surprised that the Thai education system is going nowhere slowly but surely.

True unlimited service edge gprs 250 unlimited 200 bht a month I fell for that in BKK its no good, believe me you will be lucky to connect for any period more than a few minutes and at peak times you can forget any connection, supposed to be 256kpbs.

Try not to confuse University with Technical college. I very much doubt you were seeing University students doing what you describe but rather students from a couple of rival technical colleges. The problems reported at MBK were also related to Technical colleges and mid last year a few tech college lads hopped on a bus and shot a kid from a rival tech college. Beats me why they have this deadly rivalry, but they do.

happens everywhere...

Cumon you oldies the Jam even wrote a song about it in the 70s Eton Rifles...

I maybe wrong but i doubt it... guess someone will google it..

I also was involved in gang war fare when i was at high school in the UK in the 80s against the other village that was seperated from our village by a railway line..

our gang warfare involved throwing stones and chasing each other when the numbers were larger than t'other gang.... sometimes fist e cuff but not often..mostly running and throwing stones and shouting....

Don't really believe any of you are amazed or shocked at this.... being going on since caveman times....

A Uk 80's thug. Cant escape it anywhere

Obey local laws...

If you don't like it...

Can't you go just ONE day without a beer Saddo...??

Yes indeed, all the old cliches come trotting out. However these are known as cliches because they are TRUE..!!

It's just for one day people, get over it!

You gotta be kidding, Thais break every law they can and in huge numbers if they think it doesnt harm anyone else , consuming alcohol in public or private on December 5th is top of the list.

It amazes me that so many people still think that Forum content on the Internet, can be relied on to be accurate. It's well known that anyone with a PC can access and post information on it, so why do people think that only the intelligent and unbiased postings will be found on it?

So administrators who are the only ones who can start a thread on the Thailand News board are not reliable?

I think someone is "unintelligent and biased"

RawaiDragon with his usual reliability of information..

Same person posted both a 'eyewitness fact' and 'denial' of a recent event also.

Or........maybe he meant the King's Cup Golf being played in Khon Kaen - just replace sailor with golfer - easy mistake.

Immigration, visa and work permit regs can different on a Friday from the Monday. I guess some of you have discovered that, and of course with "officials" having discretion on how they apply them it makes it more of a circus.

" If you have an inernet connection you are given an IP address which can ultimately trace back to you."

Using IP address to trace someone? Believe me thats out of date

Looking at the latest report on the Bangkok Post regarding a Gen Panlop's comments to the situation, I don't think Phua Thai can get much lower.

Abhisit is far from being the aggressor here.

Poo Thai would be Hun Sens buddy. Imagine if they were in government.Takki would be paraded in public with Sen and some Poo Thai corrupt, elected by fraud, leader.

Poo= Slang word for Excrement

Pages and Pages of cynical, paranoid bullshit. Many countries offer this kind of service to their citizens abroad. How can they "track" you if you don't report where you are?

If you really don't want to be "found"...don't report...(Geez that's really hard) If you are interested in having your family informed if you get run over by a dump truck

or if your family needs to contact you for some reason that is what this facility is for. If you have not evaded the tax authorities why would you worry about the "tax man"

If you have not run afoul of the law in UK, why would you worry about the police? The system could be used to your advantage if you really are trying to cover your tracks...

all you have to do is provide wrong information about your whereabouts.....then how can they " track" you?

This facility is for normal, crime free, legitimate travelers or residents who want to be found if and when it becomes necessary.

None of you every have anything good to say about Thailand.... or the UK. I suspect you would not be happy or approve of things anywhere even when done in your best interests. Much better to sit around and whine and complain.........nothing will ever be right for you will it??

There you are. A real rant.

I dont register, I have my personal and contact details on me all the time. Government can find me in ways they want. thats not whining or complaining so everything is "right"

theres not one posting which has the link of website

Hun Sen . Mass Murderer

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/artic...LS1Q8aiAYqzjKCw

Interesting quote:Hun Sen himself said in March that he would "prefer for this court to fail" than see further prosecutions that could stoke civil strife.

I bet he doesnt want mass murder examined. getting rather close.