CheshireTom

Yes, I think you'd be better off buying 4 tubs of curry paste at Wing Yip ............

Assuming you booked in the UK, it's a general rule. The origin of the carrier is irrelevant.

They cannot apply fuel surcharges afte4r the ticket has been paid for. However, in theory at least, they can apply any government tax increases.

The Happy Home Cooking School opened last year but got to say that the "menu" is a bit uninspiring. Class #1 - Penang CurryWednesday Class #4 - Red CurryThursday Class #3 - Green CurryFriday Class #2 - Yellow CurrySaturday Class #5 - Thai DessertsSunday http://www.happyhome-thaicookingschool.com/classes.html 81/65 Nongplue, Banglamung Pattaya City, Chonburi 20260, Thailand +66-84-417-5258

I hate to disappoint you but it's 156 quid for flights of less than 9 hours. Over 9 hours, i.e. Thailand, and it goes up 60 quid for a return to over 200 quid. "BA to increase fuel surcharges British Airways is to increase its fuel surcharge on all tickets from next week. From June 3, the surcharge for short-haul flights will increase by £3 per flight (£6 return) from £13 per flight (£26 return) to £16 per flight (£32 return). The surcharge for long-haul flights of less than nine hours will increase by £15 per flight from £63 per flight (£126 return) to £78 per flight (£156 return) The surcharge for long-haul flights of more than nine hours will increase by £30 per flight from £79 per flight (£158 return) to £109 per flight "(£218).

I am a Gold Card holder with Qatar. Although they are not a member of an Alliance they do have decent partner airlines (LH, bmi, Virgin, Asiana, ANA etc) that you can earn and redeem your miles on and which serve my purposes. When I'm in BKK they have two offices at either end of the Sukhumvit strip (Ploenchit and Exchange Towers) that are handy for making bookings and with really helpful staff to boot.

Zaphod, I have the same problem on my Mac. Originally I thought it was an accelerator problem but I can watch streaming porn, no problem! Unfortunately, because my connection speed is pretty crap the HQ versions aren't really an option. If I try to open a youtube vid through a linked file, I just get a message saying the video is no longer available. However, when I'm in BKK I have no problem at all with youtube but that'd probably down to the different ISP, as opposed to TOT. Joe, Thanks for the link ...... it's probably a better option for me.

If you have a week spare, Qatar is currently 386 incl tax for travel until the end of the month. Book on their own website.

And a year ago the chief executive in charge of the 787 production said ................ "the team working on the airplane is working hard to prepare for the premiere." "This is a magical time in the program," said Bair. "When you are building the first airplane of an all-new type, the pressure is incredible and the hours are long but accomplishments are immediately visible and the challenge brings out the best in our people." Bair also stressed that subsequent airplanes are also coming together nicely." Not a lot has changed in the intervening twelve months it seems.

The new(ish) food court on the top floor of the RG Plaza would be easy enough to find.

Coming from the US, yoú may want to price up an open-jaw ticket with the likes of Cathay. Fly out to Bangkok and back from Manila (or vice versa). Should save a few pennies.

You can't do the trip on one or two airlines ...... three is the minimum. Bangkok Airways (Bangkok-Siem Reap), Siem Reap Airways (Siem Reap-Hong Kong) and a Philipine operator (Cebu Pacific is probably the best choice) (Hong Kong-Manila-Bangkok). Flying into Siem Reap is costly .............. probably worth comparing the cost of flying into/out of Phnom Penh on budget carriers and doing Siem Reap as a side trip from there.

It's on the Soi (Soi 33) that runs behind the Best Supermarket at the Dolphin roundabout. Access is from Naklua Rd. Or so my mate tells me. They even have a website .......... http://www.boutique-sexy-pattaya.com/Catalog.html

It is for the Brits, price wise. Not so much for our American cousins who enjoy much lower prices than us back home. There's plenty of other IT malls around nowadays so unless you are specifically hunting down pirated software/DVD/CDs etc there are plenty of options. For phones, I'd stick to MBK for the keenest prices/choice/competition.

I was in Panthip at the weekend. The cards were generally available in the camera shops on the 3rd floor for 700 Baht. For 2,500 Baht you can buy the card AND the intimate moment.

There is 12 years government provided schooling (Prathom 1-6 and Matthayom 1-6), of which the first 9 years are mandatory attendance. Costs vary greatly but include, as a minimum, the cost of books and uniforms. Both thaivisa.com and ajarn.com will provide better sources of detailed info.

Asia Hotel.

Based on two people sharing. For a single traveller add 124 quid and then the joiner fee on top of that.

Shilo, The Max Hotel on Soi Post Office advertises as offering both (I assume they mean you can get satellite channels as well as cable in the rooms). Max Hotel

They use the Thai lounges in BKK ................ I've no idea who they use at LHR.

From the same source as Sa-teef's pics ......... links to a whole host of maps showing the airport link and various other infrastructue projects (completed and underway). Some of the links are .pdf files and it is better just to right-click and save as rather than opening them in your browser. Bangkok Mass Transit Maps As an aside, as of last week the last couple of links were being put in place at the Mattahan transport interchange (near to Petchburi and Bayoke) and work seems to be progressing pretty well.

It's assuming a lot that any one US airline will be in existence 12 months from now. I think we can expect to see fewer frequencies from the US carriers as they merge to survive.

I don't think that in Thailand anyone really knows much, and cares even less, about western traditions. Take your shoes off if it is appropriate but by all means leave your hat on.

I have always considered Malaysia to be the obvious choice when I choose to settle down in the region. Their Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) programme has everything that Thailand doesn't offer. House purchase - allowed Car purchase - tax free import allowed Visa - 10 years Easy flights to everywhere in the region First class transport and communications infrastructure Relative stability Under 50s allowed Further details of requirements/procedures at ............ Malaysia My Second Home I have been having a good look at the island of Langkawi as it is under 3 hours by car/ferry from where I live in Thailand at the moment. Lots of guys complain about the price of booze in Malaysia but since Langkawi enjoys Duty Free Port status the prices are a lot less than what you typically pay in Thailand. For a decent starting point to find the answers to most other expat questions about the country, try here ...... Malaysia Expat Guide