Since when did thai boxing become a martial art? it originated from the jaturungkabart.

HI All, I can give you some additional information to this topic on my blog: http://www.dontworryjusttravel.com/index.php/en/component/content/article/3-rss/53-terminal-21.html Bangkok Shopping Center "Terminal 21". It is so full of fantasy and small hints… Cheers Charles

I was hoping to find a small tripod, called the UltraPod ll, or other Hama (German) products, but could not find any at the Fair. In fact, I found the UltraPod ll at "The NINE" on PraRam Kow instead (not far from the junction to Seacon Square. (The Ultrapod 1 is too short to be useful IMHO.)

Nothing really organized. Very chaotic and very loud. Don't go if you don't like big crowds! It is not easy to get there either. I know some foreigners in the past hired a taxi for the day.

Looking forward to checking out this festival! Do you have any information on transportation out there, i.e., is there anything organized, or is it every man/woman/child for himself? Thanks!

Hi Richard, Here we are in February 2012, could you do an update on this story for us please? In the light of the current Iranian bomb suspects story, it would be interesting to see how the fingerprinting is actually going to be used once its up and running. Question: How will it help? If it is to check that a passport holder really is that person, what access to other nations' fingerprint/criminal record databases will Thailand realistically be able to link to? (or Indonesia, whose airport fingerprinting system is already up and running) Nobody seems to be asking the question of how they will effectively be able to use the fingerprint data they capture at a port or airport to enhance national security. What is your opinion?

Ti non mi tae kon ngo yu 555 (*_*)

Dear Richard, You have a great website here :). I'm visiting Hua Hin in March and would love to visit the floating markets, could you tell me where I can take the public transport to the market and are there songtaews back to the town? I'll be staying near the night market. Thanks, Kay

I haven't actually been there yet. I would think by now they would have boarded it up as it is potentially dangerous. It was widely reported in the papers at the time. If you do go, be careful.

Thanks very much for your good information about the free net and around your websites; as a farang living for decades in Asia I appreciate much your information and your valuable work

HI Richard I travel to Bangkok and are curious to visit the New World Department Store in Bang Lamphu after I read your blog. How do you get into the building? Merlin

Looks like it.

have we missed the deadline for this?

I was there and heard a nice song! I asked for the title, and the only thing i got was the english translation: "you call to Jill". Anybody out there how can provide me the name of the performing artist of that song? It was in Ayutthaya, on the 26 of January 2011 (or 2555 :-) ) in the evening. It was a happy song. A girl was inging on the stage with a lot of dancers. I hoor some one knows.who dhr is and can provide me her name and songtitle (or download-link). Thanks in advance. Jack

Hi Everyone, I am currently studying Travel and Tourism Management and as part of my degree I have to complete a dissertation. I have chosen to base my dissertaion around Sustainable Tourism in Thailand, as I have a great urge to visit the destination, and I want to learn more about tourism there. However, I need help or at least feed back to complete this project. If anyone would be willing to answer a few questions that I have it would be much appreciated. My email address is: 21019587@ex.tvu.ac.uk (I will keep all responses anonymous)

MC- Tour Bike Week 2011 Febuary 10, 2012 - Febuary 26, 2012(09.00 - 18.00) http://tours-thailand.blogspot.com/2012/01/mc-tour-bike-week-2011.html

@dongwho because they want a seamless tan even where the sun doesn't shine so that it looks natural

By the way why european women like expoosing their breast to public on the beach???????????????

There are so many skimpy-wearing ordinary Thai girls on every high reet or shopping district in Bangkok. However skimpy but modest. MODESTLY SKIMPY. This is Thai way.

You wish the Speedo days back soon, Richard. sadly they tend to be overtaken by Bruno like g-strings.

I love reading your articles, because I like the culture and tourism in Thailand. Nice posting, Thanks.. A.Arvi

Me too. The fact that these guys have been getting away with these scams for as long as they have shows that not only are many tourists willing to believe strangers but that the authorities aren't willing to do anything about it.

I like this response best!

You can take the MRT to Hua Lamphong and from there less than a ten minute walk.

Staying in Hotel near Nana BTS. Please advise how to use of BTS or MRT to get to China Town. Thanks

This happened to me last year, I was getting off a water taxi and a guy said it was not open yet...that it didn't open until 5pm (it was 10am at the time).

The Street view cars came through Khao Lak 3 weeks ago. We all saw them but they didn't stop. There is no notification of exact routes as they were being ambushed by various nuts and in one case in Germany, a bunch of people staged a birth as the car passed. Newsfeed from the time. http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/11/25/google-street-view-captures-birth-of-baby-on-sidewalk/ Sure the drivers will impart info under duress.... or chang beer.

Another good reply would be "Pai hai pon kon ngo" (*_*)

From experience, the very utterance of a few simple Thai words would start to cause these people to "back-off". The simplest reply to the above scenario would be "Mai Aow Khap" or "Mai Pai Khap".... It's worked for me so far...

I am lansaka people but now I stay in Kamphaeng phet Province. My home town is in lansaka and It's in Tambon Kao-kaew ( Kao-Thong )not far from there.

I don't think so, but I will certainly blog about it here and also tweet when I hear about it (@RichardBarrow)

I've been waiting for a street view of Bangkok. Is there any way to receive notification when it goes online?

...and opium dens!

FOR AMERICANS ONLY written 1980 lyrics and music by Dennis Caruso copy write 1980 at The Library of Congress, Washington DC. I ain't got a car, I got no color TV , I got no fine cloths as you can see but I work hard every day 'cause my country owes nothing to me Slick politicians and corporate CEO's are rippin' off the cream of the crop doctors, lawyers are doin' the same there greed is like cancer that wont stop I get tired of all these foreign diplomats,dictating what my country should do I'd wish they'd go home and leave us alone,but it seems they got there hands too I'm get scared of all the crime in the streets, the scum that brings the drugs to our schools If we don't help and back each other up we'll all become the doped up fools

Thanks for saying so.

hi Richard, i want to tell you that you also contributed to that number by giving us constant updates of the flood! my wife found your blog in late october, at which time we were about to cancel our tour to bangkok worried about the flood situation. but your blogs and tweets were so upto date, it was such a relief to us to get first hand news from them. it was actually like having a relative in thailand who gives us constant news.... we want to say a big THANK YOU!!! your blogs and tweets means so much to tourists like us!!

Perhaps they might start by getting some wheelchairs that fit down aircraft aisles, at Suvarnabhumi (like they had at Don Muang). While wide bodied aircraft carry these, narrow bodied planes often do not, and wheelchair users who fly in on these planes must be carried bodily down the aisles. If they arrive at the domestic terminal (eg. from Kl), there is no accessible transport to the main terminal - just buses, and vans that the person must be lifted in to. And perhaps they can fit their transit chairs with detachable armrests so people do not have to be lifted into and out of them. And set standards for hotels - which can claim they are accessible, but often have narrow bathroom doorways (Westerners are often larger than the locals), a step into the bathroom, and extremely low toilet bowls. Fix a few of the major problems, so that people with disabilities can enjoy the more minor challenges and inconveniences.

Two Lebanese terrorists arrested

Now it just came in on BBC's Twitter as well "... US embassy in Thailand warns citizens foreign terrorists may be planning attacks on tourists in Bangkok. More soon http://bbc.in/xF93aY ..."

And to buy medicine as well, coz according to Lao Red Cross, 80% of Medicines in lao are fake. The stats are not so different from those in Cambodia. So far, medicines in Thailand have been (for me at least) legit, and has worked

Warning is legit. It's on the US Embassy Facebook Page as well: https://www.facebook.com/usembassybkk I just came from Suvhanaphum Airport. Nothing amiss there. Business as usual... I was sending my friend off to Chiang Mai. No K9 Sniffers or anything. (Nor was there any slapping either) 5555555

You are right of course, it needs to be clarified that these are indeed tourists and not migrant workers. I know many cross the border to buy Thai goods every day and then cross back to sell.

Richard. Sorry but the stat of 900K Laos people - 1 in 7 of the Laos population - arriving in Thailand as tourists is completely unbelievable. These figures purely reflect numbers of people entering Thailand and don't say what purpose they are arriving in Thailand for, nor if they are re-entries or expats on border runs. Suggesting they reflect a record number of tourists is misleading.

@ Paul. they did !! The Police are now looking for the person who uploaded the Video !! Stay Calm... all will be taken care of soon.... ** sigh **

I'm trying to get other sources but no luck yet. Would be interesting to see the statistics from Immigration. But I'm not sure if they release it. All I can get so far are the stats from AOT for passengers at Suvarnabhumi which increased this year. But that just tells you number of times people came on and off planes.

Anyone verify the numbers?

Unless they do something about people like this abusing the system how can I feel safe as a traveller in Thailand?

How dare they search this man of power, money and influence! The likely outcome will be the security guard will lose their job and the official will be vindicated according to Thai cultural norms.

We all know what will happen! This guy is obviously connected to the right family. He will be on gardening leave for a few months and then back to dishing out more abuse. You can actually get away with murder in thailand if you are connected.

He is not smuggling anything. He is a fool. One of those guys who thinks he is too high rank to even be searched.

I am sure it did help to an extent, but figures earlier in the year were already record breaking.

One begins to appreciate the "holes" in Thailand, coz anyone who has been to Burma will tell you that the size of the holes there are enormous !! Entire bicycles and motorcycles can fall into them, yes, even in the heart of Rangoon.... Right on Bogyoke Aung San Road **sigh **

I wonder how the flooding affected these figures. Was some of this increase due to travellers wishing to avoid Bangkok?

What was he smuggling?

Must be punished!!!

Hi, We will be travelling to Krabi soon - next week Thursday.. And wanted to get an update on the weather - in particalur if eveyrthing is opened as usual( eg island hopping tours) And is there any flooding around ? many thanks

I think what it will mean is that more attractions and hotels will be accessible to people in wheelchairs and with walkers. For example, in the picture at the top taken at Siam Niramit Phuket, that is the first time I've seen a urinal for elderly people. The sink basin too. However, none of this is any good if they cannot get to them from public areas. Like you said, footpaths being uneven and having obstructions.

Does this mean pavements will be properly repaired and maintained and ALL street vendors stopped from blocking such? Will more road crossings with traffic lights be installed-and motorists ignoring such severely punished? Not holding my breath!

Skimpy-wearing local Thai girls are always seen all around everywhere nearby Siam Paragon on weekend.

Have you seen my blog website posting the photos of Thai girls which is linked with my name on my reply? There are so many skimpy-wearing local Thai girls with sleeveless shirt, short pants or mini skirts in every big shopping centre or district in Bangkok (Siam square in particular) and Chiang Mai (Thanon Nimmanhaemin in particular).