josephbloggs

It hasn't been set yet.

It was fireworks. I could see them and then heard them.

They were a lot more "rumbley" than fireworks usually are and did sound very much like thunder.

But it was definitely fireworks.

Yeah, I can confirm this too. They were very long and rumbly though - the first time I heard them I wondered what was going on so went to my balcony to have a look.

8,200 baht a month + accomodation + tips(?) plus you pay extra for their ID/Permits etc... Sounds like you are overpaying them to me.

I hope you are joking. You do realise you are talking about human beings that may have families. For here that is just about an ok salary, but to say they are getting too much? Seriously, where do you come from?

Pretty sure you must have been joking....

So, just out of curiosity, I read somewhere that the price was due to go up for the phayathai line, when is that, does anyone know?

From the 1st Jan 2011 it will increase to 15-45 baht depending on journey length (from the flat rate of 15 baht now).

The Express will increase to 150 baht each way, as opposed to 100 baht (same day) return now.

Really? How many international airports elsewhere in the world have a rail link and at the same time have a case of a terrorist blowing up an apartment building along with himself?

Airports with direct terminal-accessible rail links (heavy rail or metro/underground) that have had terrorist attacks within their home nation's borders in the last 15 years:

- London Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted

- Manchester

- Birmingham

- Tokyo Narita (and a particularly scary terrorist attack as it involved releasing sarin gas on an underground train)

- Tel Aviv Ben Gurion (which I don't believe has airport-style security even though it is the most terrorist-at-risk airport in the world but happy to be proven wrong)

- Madrid

- Istanbul (via Light Metro)

- Atlanta

- Washington Reagan Airport

- Moscow's three main airports

These are just some that I can think of off the top of my head - I'm sure there are lots more. I don't think any have any serious security checks on them - but happy to be proven wrong. Plenty of developed countries in that list as well.

Quite frankly I think the OP's post is ridiculous. Being so condescending towards Thailand because it doesn't implement security on a commuter rail line that happens to include an airport stop? Come on...

Though perhaps we can all cobble together a few baht to help cover the cost in packaging him in bubble wrap for every trip on public transport he takes just in case he's in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Bad people do bad things. This is reality. Security is a balance otherwise none of us would ever leave our homes. Bangkok has done nothing wrong in not implementing the ridiculous security checks the OP implies should be enforced.

So this is just a commuter line that happens to include an airport stop? Or was this a line built with the specific intention to link the city to the airport? Words twisting....tsk tsk.

All those cases you have mentioned were terrorist acts directed on to the train systems, and without any intention to take control (or part) of the airport area. As I have said, I am not considering the trains as the soft target. If this is so, I would have included the mass transit system as a whole.

And I doubt grade A or B movies would have taught a bomb maker how to blow himself up.

If you had follow the news with regards to the series of terror acts, the suspected source of funds, and the alleged training grounds, would the points that I have raised be ridiculous?

So, if I've got this right, you think we need airport style security on the train because some bad person/people might use the train to go to the airport and take it over?

It is still ridiculous, regardless of the alleged training grounds in Cambodia, or where their funds came from. In fact that has nothing to do with anything. The train is a form of transport that goes to the airport. So are buses. So are private cars. Some people could reach it by motorbike! Therefore we need security everywhere and on everything in case someone goes to the airport and does a bad thing there.

Really? How many international airports elsewhere in the world have a rail link and at the same time have a case of a terrorist blowing up an apartment building along with himself?

Airports with direct terminal-accessible rail links (heavy rail or metro/underground) that have had terrorist attacks within their home nation's borders in the last 15 years:

- London Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted

- Manchester

- Birmingham

- Tokyo Narita (and a particularly scary terrorist attack as it involved releasing sarin gas on an underground train)

- Tel Aviv Ben Gurion (which I don't believe has airport-style security even though it is the most terrorist-at-risk airport in the world but happy to be proven wrong)

- Madrid

- Istanbul (via Light Metro)

- Atlanta

- Washington Reagan Airport

- Moscow's three main airports

These are just some that I can think of off the top of my head - I'm sure there are lots more. I don't think any have any serious security checks on them - but happy to be proven wrong. Plenty of developed countries in that list as well.

Quite frankly I think the OP's post is ridiculous. Being so condescending towards Thailand because it doesn't implement security on a commuter rail line that happens to include an airport stop? Come on...

Though perhaps we can all cobble together a few baht to help cover the cost in packaging him in bubble wrap for every trip on public transport he takes just in case he's in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Bad people do bad things. This is reality. Security is a balance otherwise none of us would ever leave our homes. Bangkok has done nothing wrong in not implementing the ridiculous security checks the OP implies should be enforced.

Phew, you and LakeGeneve have restored my faith in Thai Visa!! I thought I was all alone in this thread.....now it seems there are at least two other sensible people. Hurrah!!

Just to clarify, I am not against security - I Iove security!! I lock my doors, I have a safe, I think the more security you have inside an airport the better and I don't mind the delays because of it. Honestly, I will take off my shoes, belt, have a full body scan, whatever, if it leads to genuinely improved airport security. But people sneering because there are no security checks before boarding the train here because "it's Thailand, what else do you expect?" when there is no such thing on any airport train I have ever come across in my life is just ridiculous, condescending, and unfair. Seriously, I want to know what the poster who made that comment expects, and why he thinks the excellent system here is somehow behind the rest of the world.

I seem to recall that shoes was once never an item that was inspected in security checks... until someone was stopped from trying to set his ablazed. If he had succeeded, we probably will not be checking shoes even now because such an act is "just ridiculous, condescending, and unfair".

We're not talking about airport security here, we're talking about a train.

And the comment was ridiculous, condescending and unfair, because the poster was being derogatory towards Thai standards when the standards in this case are exactly the same as anywhere else in the world - perhaps even higher.

If I were you I would't worry about bombs on the ARL, but rather worry about when the first train is going to derail .

Why? What have you seen that suggests this might happen?

I don't think he is being condescending to Thailand at all, I personally would have thought in the current world security climate designing security features into a new system would have been sensible.

I know the MRT is not an airport train but they have security checks there, though I accept not on the BTS, are you saying that whilst the MRT is considered to be at risk the Airport Link isn't?

No, I'm not saying that at all. The "security" at the MRT stations is ludicrous - you may as well not have it. A cursory peek into your bag is not a security check. If you are in a hurry they don't bother you at all. And those metal detectors beep like mental but they never ever pull anyone over. So I don't consider it more at risk, I consider the pointless gesture they go through to be worthless. Likewise the metal detectors at shopping malls. Walk in through the carpark or (usually) anything but the main entrance and there is nothing. You have to love the entrance to Siam Centre from the Skytrain. There is a constantly beeping metal detector which you have to walk through - a stern man makes sure of it. Just to the right of this entrance is an escalator that goes about six foot to an entrance on the next floor. Here there is no "security" at all, and it is literally a few feet away.

Again, if you are going to have serious security on the train because it goes to the airport, then you need to also have it on all the buses that go there, and all the roads in and out. One of my favourite bits of pointless "security" is when entering the airport carparks. You have to open your boot, they look inside at a load of suitcases/boxes/bags, then wave you through. What is the point in that? If someone had a bomb then they'd just put it in a suitcase or a box or a bag. It is an airport carpark - of course people's boots are full of stuff!! Why do they want to look inside? Do they think a bomb would be labelled?

By the way they have trialed security checks on The Heathrow Express http://www.dft.gov.u...heathrowexpress

Yes, that was for about three weeks, nearly five years ago, when everyone was jittery after the awful July bombings.

Just to clarify, I am not against security - I Iove security!! I lock my doors, I have a safe, I think the more security you have inside an airport the better and I don't mind the delays because of it. Honestly, I will take off my shoes, belt, have a full body scan, whatever, if it leads to genuinely improved airport security. But people sneering because there are no security checks before boarding the train here because "it's Thailand, what else do you expect?" when there is no such thing on any airport train I have ever come across in my life is just ridiculous, condescending, and unfair. Seriously, I want to know what the poster who made that comment expects, and why he thinks the excellent system here is somehow behind the rest of the world.

Indeed it's a soft target like most everything in Thailand. What would make you think it would be any different?

So in England, or the US, or anywhere else, you have to go through security checks before you get on a train do you? No, of course you don't. So why be so condescending towards Thailand? I don't understand what people are expecting, I really don't.

I can walk on to the Heathrow Express in London with no security checks at all. None. Same wth any other airport train I have ever used anywhere in the world. Why do you expect here to be different? I can just imagine all these same people whinging on TV if they were delayed on the train to have their bags scanned or to queue up to pass through metal detectors every time they wanted to board.

The only train I know of with security checks is the Eurostar, but the reason for that is obvious.

For UK passport holders, Hong Kong cancel the old passport as soon as they receive the application, but the old passport is retained, when the new one is received the corners have to be cut off the old one.

The embassy in Hong Kong received my passport renewal application on 17 September. I'm still waiting for the new passport. If it hasn't arrived by the time I need to do my 90 day report (15 October) presumably I can use my "old" passport, even if it has been cancelled?

You should be able to, yes. I applied for my new passport during the time that the embassy would send it to Hong Kong for you (and just a few days before they stopped doing this and you had to do it yourself).

They told me that my current passport would be electronically cancelled as soon as my application was processed in Hong Kong, but it would still be perfectly valid for doing the usual Thai immigration stuff/90 day reporting etc.

Assuming that was correct information you have nothing to worry about.

I guess I got lucky with my application because I had my new passport in about ten days.

Airport Express Line: Average: 611 passenger a day - Revenue 61,100 Baht a day

Makkasan station: 296 passengers a day - Revenue 29,600 Baht a day

Suvannabhum station: 315 passengers a day - Revenue 31,500 Baht a day

Seeing as this is a non-stop service between those two stations, where are 19 passengers disappearing to between Suvannabhumi and Makkasan???

Cheap maids and nannies

Yeah, I mean what a drag it would be to have to raise your own kids or clean up after yourself.

Things I don't like about Thailand - people who think like that. ^

On the offchance your comment was tongue-in-cheek I apologise, but having spent a bit of time on Thai Visa I am 95% positive it wasn't. Sad, very very sad.

Not tongue in cheek at all. So, since you seem to be an authority, who do you suggest baby sits a child while both parents are working?

Actually I was being a bit of a bell end there, I apologise. If you are both working it's a different matter, but I know plenty of people who just use nannies to raise their kids for them because they can't be arsed (hey, it's cheap!) and it really annoys me. I've heard two people acually bragging about how they never changed a single nappy of any of their kids. That's something to brag about? Pretty sad.

Cheap maids and nannies

Yeah, I mean what a drag it would be to have to raise your own kids or clean up after yourself.

Things I don't like about Thailand - people who think like that. ^

On the offchance your comment was tongue-in-cheek I apologise, but having spent a bit of time on Thai Visa I am 95% positive it wasn't. Sad, very very sad.

It is worth pointing out that at the end of the line of the Airport Express at Hong Kong station most people grab a taxi to their final destination and although there is a link to the MTR it is quite a walk and relatively few take it.

Good point. Likewise the KLIA Express in KL. Whenever I've used it I've had to get a cab at the other end. When I arrive at Paddington off the horribly overpriced Heathrow Express I have to take a (horribly overpriced) cab. There's no way you want to be humping big luggage on the tube. Surely that's just accepted and normal?

Then again maybe MalaysianVisa.com and EnglishVisa.com are both full of whingey expats complaining about that very same thing, has anyone checked?

Same as Mo-Chit BTS station which requires a taxi ride to get to Mo-Chit bus station Again many problems traveling with heavy bags to catch a bus So who benefits from all these corrupt cock up ? Land owners and taxi drivers spring to mind There would be a lot of taxi drivers out of work if the airport and bus station links went completely to the correct destination as originally specified. In the UK airport links are now from central cities right into the terminal buildings

What the heck are you talking about? Who's catching a bus from where? The train DOES go completely to the correct destination as specified. Like the UK, it DOES go from the city centre right into the terminal building. Have you read any of the replies? Have you actually been anywhere near this train? Obviously not.

Yet another know-it-all-Thailand-can't-do-anything-right nay sayer who actually knows nothing about the subject at hand. All this misinformation is starting to become irritating.

A very inaccurate article, a bit surprised that it's not only been posted on this site, but also emailed round to the whole member database. Some examples:

..................

Nice one Dantilly, you must have been writing this at the same time I was writing mine. Almost the same post!!

What a complete load of cock. The author of that "article" gets so much factually incorrect that it's laughable. And then all the usual bashers on here chime in with "I knew it!", "Of course it doesn't work, this is Thailand!", etc etc. Try riding on the thing then come back and post. Lets take a look at some of the inaccuracies. ("Inaccuracies" is being kind. "Lies" would be closer to the term I'm looking for.)

Despite its name, the Airport Rail Link isn't actually connected to any airport.

Er, yes it is. It is connected to Suvarnabhumi airport. I thought that was the whole point, no?

What's worse, the station does not even connect with a BTS station which is just a short distance away.

Er, yes it does. It connects directly to Phaya Thai station.

Anyone who has been to Makkasan Station must have been upset about its poor condition that does not reflect the enormous investment put in. I cannot explain exactly how it looks. You've got to see it with your own eyes. Compared with Hong Kong's Airport Rail Link, the difference are like heaven and hel_l.

Well, yes, it isn't finished yet. They say it will be fully functional at the end of the year. I think it looks quite imressive and when it is full of people, check-in counters, shops etc it will look better. Now it is an empty shell so how can you compare it with HK's system?

Whoever is thinking about boarding the Airport Link train at the Makasan Station to Suvarnabhumi Airport should give it a second thought, because they could miss their flights.

Well this is just a ridiculous statement. The express train from there takes just under 15 minutes direct to the terminal building. Ok, they only leave every 30 minutes, so even at the worst case scenario from turning up at Makkasan you are guaranteed to be at the airport within 45 minutes, usually much less. If that causes you to miss your flight then you are an idiot.

The high-speed trains, though, do not look as new as they should. In fact, they look as if they had been bought at a clearance sale.

I haven't tried the City Line, but I have used the Express Line twice and the trains are modern and very very clean. This is Thailand where everything is constantly cleaned. After the train arrives cleaners enter it and clean it before it leaves again. There were a team of cleaners at the station constantly cleaning and polishing, just as they are on the BTS which still looks clean after nearly 11 years. I have no idea where the author gets this opinion from.

Seriously people, you look like idiotic sheep condemning something you obviously haven't tried. It is a good service. There is room for improvement but that will come - it's been open four days.

All these north Bangkokians clamouring in vain for someone to reopen their beloved old airport because it was handy for them. If the city had expanded north, it would be logical but the city is spreading more to the west and south so I guess you will need to move.

It almost makes me laugh (I stress "almost" because it doesn't make me laugh, it actually annoys me) that now we have Suvarnabhumi people love to moan about it and say Don Muang was fantastic and is sorely missed. Bring back the good old days!! It's as if Don Muang's years of "service" are somehow something to be fondly remembered and harked back to.

Well I have lived here 15 years and the only thing I remember about Don Muang was that it was an ugly old pig of an airport. Seriously, it was dreadful. The access was ok after they finally extended the Don Muang tollway before the Asian Games in 1998, but it was only ok. Inside the facilities were dreary and expensive. Car parking was a joke. Immigration was a nightmare. It was a terrible airport.

These same people who are now moaning about Suvarnabhumi moaned initially because there was no high-speed rail link. Ridiculous, they said! KL and HK have one, they said! How can you be a proper international airport without one, they said! Well now there is one, but guess what, people are moaning it's a white elephant because it doesn't stop outside their house and it isn't packed solid after having been open for a day and a bit.

Credit where credit is due. Suvarnabhumi is far from perfect but it's a pretty good airport. It has got a good connecting road network, a fantastic modern rail link (I went on it today - very impressive), it is bright and airy and modern and many times I have passed through there in a matter of minutes. The King Power monopoly is ridiculous, the food and beverage inside is way overpriced, but apart from that I like using it. Even the taxi tout mess has imroved considerably and it's now easy to find your way to the very well organised official taxi rank. I have never once been overcharged or had a cab that has refused to put his meter on (happened alot at Don Muang though).

I think some people are not happy unless they are moaning. Maybe it's just my perception but alot of them seem to enjoy posting on Thai Visa. What is it about this place that attracts them?

Add me to the list of haters. It is overpowering and I resent the way it hijacks a dish, tells you it's not even interested in a ransom, then executes the other ingredients one by one just for fun.

Get rid of it.

....Clearly envious of others accomplishments sorry you have so little of value to compare against since boozing all night must the best you can do......

Wow, you got that spot on. Seems like being the bestest most fastest "my dad's bigger than your dad" engineering guru in the world, you are also a genius at reading people.

What part of this topic does this address??

It addresses the fact that I read through an entire thread - that was started merely to inform people of an event at Bira - and you kept popping up telling the world how you are faster than everyone else, you've done more than anyone else, you are better than everyone else, that it became incredibly tedious and boring.

Quite frankly, even if it was all true, the fact that a grown man (I'm assuming?) feels the need to constantly brag, boast, make claims about what he's acheived (which is better than what other people are doing even though they were making no boastful claims), on an anonymous forum is really quite sad and pathetic. Most people grow out of that when they enter their teens.

You ruined what was quite an interesting and good natured thread.

Waste of band width and oxygen......

But at least I only used a little bit. Your tedious boasts are hogging half the internet.

drone.....drone.....drone...........I've won in every drive configuration and that includes the first time I drove a Mercedes 190E in a 4 hour enduro against 2 V8's and a turbo Porsche 944S2 as just a few of the notable standouts on a first time track and the first time in th....etc........etc........drone.....drone.....me me me........drone...

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I always buy fuel with my UK credit card. I park up, get out, ask if they take credit cards, and then stand over the attended while he fuels up. Using a credit card means less money I need to bring into the country. Reason for standing over him is to:

1. ensure he puts the right fuel in.
2. they don't scam me for fuel.
3. put drugs behind the fuel cover flap.

My God, it must be terrible to go through life being that paranoid.

When you get a shirt dry cleaned do you follow them to the machine and stand over them till it's finished in case they put drugs into the pocket?

When you go to the supermarket do you stand over the bag packer in case he puts some heroin in with your cornflakes?

What if you shake hands with someone and he palms some ecstasy tabs to you? Best not shake hands with people, or get a friend to stand over them when you do it.

And be careful in Emporium when buying grapes. The guy at the weigh-in counter could be out to SCAM YOU by putting in the code for seedless grapes rather than the cheaper variety you've selected! And there could be some crack cocaine going in there too - don't forget to stand over him!!

Sheesh.

I must have been incredibly lucky. I've lived here for 15 years and have never had drugs put behind my filler cap, up my exhaust, under my windscreen wipers or anywhere else, and I've bought a lot of petrol in that time! Careless of me not to check though - no idea how I've got away scot-free for so long.

i would imagine this one comes from one of the large beverage companies already established in thailand. i haven't tried it but it's probably terrible.

Oh my word, even for TV this is a gem of pointlessness. You could have just written, "I know nothing about this beverage, where it comes from, who it's made by, or what it tastes like". Seriously, why bother replying to something you know nothing about? I'm just curious.

Best TUK TUK i even seen!

Another nice one, seen in Bangkok in front of Nana Hotel... The red number on the license plate hint to private use.

That belongs to the Robin Hood pub (corner of Sukhumvit 33/1).