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Marina Phuket Resort

The Marina Phuket Resort has been around for quite a long time. Not sure exactly when it opened, but it's been in Phuket longer than me! It's one of those hotels that somehow manages to combine a secluded feel and a central location, sitting on the headland at the far south end of Karon Beach with beach access down some stairs at the "On The Rock" restaurant, unspoiled sea views and yet if you walk out of the main entrance you are in the busy Kata Center area with lots of shops and restaurants. I've been inside several times to see customers or to visit the restaurant - there is a webcam installed at the restaurant which I copy on my weather blog here: Karon Beach Phuket Webcam... so you can get a good idea of the view. the rooms are past the restaurant over the sea and the rocks. This end of Karon is decent for snorkeling, and I've dived there quite a bit too (in the high season - it's too rough most of the time in low season).




Reviews on TripAdvisor are almost all positive, I do see some things about rooms being a bit old, but there are different kinds of room with Seaview or "Jungle View" - the grounds of the hotel are well kept and very green and jungly. The reviews are good enough to put Marina Phuket Resort into the Top 10 Phuket Hotels list.



Marina Phuket Resort - Booking & Information Links



• Marina Phuket Resort - Rates and Reservations at Agoda.com



Marina Phuket Resort - Photos

• More Phuket Hotel Recommendations

• More Hotels in Phuket - Phuket Hotels at Agoda.com

• Last minute Phuket hotels - LateStays.com

Loy Krathong Festival 2010

The annual festival of Loy Krathong (Loi Kratong) is celebrated throughout Thailand on the full moon of the 12th month of the traditional Thai lunar calendar. It usually falls in November, and in 2010 Loy Krathong falls on November 21st, a Sunday.




Update- See new post listing hotels offering Loy Krathong packages in 2010.



The festival is a very popular attraction for tourists but it has a deep spiritual significance to local people and is a very beautiful and romantic ceremony to watch.



In Thai, ‘loi’ means to float and ‘krathong’ is a tiny floating raft about 7 inches (17cm) long. Traditionally these krathong are made of banana tree trunk and are decorated with flowers. More modern versions are made of Styrofoam and decorated with flowers made of bread. The most beautiful krathong are made of intricately folded banana leaves and decorated with real flowers, candles and sticks of incense. These of course are also much better for the environment as they are biodegradable, unlike the Styrofoam versions.



The festival tradition is for these rafts to be released onto a river during the full moon. Restaurants will also host Loy Krathong celebrations on their own ponds.



The origins of the festival may be in the Hindu festival when floating lanterns were released on the Ganges as thanksgiving for the deity of the Ganges giving life throughout the year. This festival was adapted by the Thai Buddhists as a ceremony to honor the original Buddha. As the candles float away they symbolized the letting go of grudges and anger. Some people cut their hair or fingernails and add them to the krathong as a symbolic letting go of the bad parts of their lives. Many Thais believe that floating a krathong creates good luck and they do it to honor the Goddess of Water, Phra Mae Khongkha.







The events which precede the raft floating ceremony are even more fun. Beauty contests are held and are known as ‘Noppamas Queen Contests’. Noppamas was a beautiful consort of the 14th century King Loethai of Sukothai where the first Loy Krathong festival was held. Vegetable carving is another skill associated with the festival. Huge markets are held before the festival and Giant Krathongs are paraded around the streets before being floated.



In Chiang Mai the festival is known as ‘Yi Peng’. Before the festival you can see many beautifully made krathongs for sale in the Chiang Mai markets. The banana leaf krathongs are floated on the waterways of the city to honor the Goddess of Water. Sky lanterns, called ‘khom fai’ consist of a rice paper balloon-like shade with a candle suspended inside. They are carefully lit and launched to float in the air making a picture of serenity as they rise up into the sky like silent boats heading for another world.



Where to celebrate Loy Krathong 2010

Loy Krathong is celebrated nationwide, but is particularly delightful in the provinces of Sukhothai, Chiang Mai, Ayutthaya and Bangkok, where the celebrations are perfect for tourists to get a glimpse of a beloved Thai tradition.



Sukhothai



Among the highly recommended places to participate in the Loy Krathong celebrations is Sukhothai, which, as the birthplace of the festival, remains a focal point of the festivities. The Sukhothai Historical Park provides a dramatic setting for an amazing light and sound show that is truly spectacular.



Chiang Mai



As mentioned above, Chiang Mai is also a very popular destination for Loy Krathong celebrations, where the largest krathongs are colorfully lit and paraded through town on trucks on their way to the river.





Bangkok



Being the major waterway in Bangkok, The Chao Phraya River is one of the main destinations for Loy Krathong celebrations on Bangkok. Many Bangkok riverside hotels hold special celebrations and some have Loy Krathong packages and dinner cruises.



Places to stay during Loy Krathong 2010

Hotel Recommendation: Katathani (Kata Noi Beach)

http://www.katathani.com/

Well, I was just over at Kata Noi Beach a couple of weeks ago. Kata Noi always was quiet, and still is quiet because there is no through road, so somehow the beach seems like a sleepy backwater even though the rather large Katathani occupies most of the area!

The resort has nearly 500 rooms and is divided into different wings spread along the beach and the very quiet road along the beachfront. The resort does not own the beach exactly, but I saw plenty of signs on the land fronting the beach saying "Katathani Hotel Guests Only". I guess the beach gets some day visitors, but if you are staying there it's almost a private beach. Kata Noi is pretty. You can see Koh Pu, the little island off Kata beach and you have rocky/jungly headlands at either end.

Katathani gets lots of rave reviews on Tripadvisor, which is a good sign (that's reviews by people who have stayed there). Location is great, and you're not so isolated, even if you have that feeling of seclusion. Aside from the resort restaurants (5 of them I think), there are some other places to eat in Kata Noi, and Kata beach is only a few minutes drive away, or a 15 minute hike over the hill. And for all that, I do recommend thee!

More Hotels in Phuket - Phuket Hotels at Agoda.com

Early Morning at Kathu Shrine

I always try to visit my "local" shrine in the morning when they are doing their street procession as part of the Phuket vegetarian festival. Kathu is (so the history books say) where the festival originated and the local community take a lot of pride in the festival and their history. I already blogged about our visit to the shrine on the 7th for the opening ceremonies of the festival. I also headed to Kathu a couple of times during the week for food, as I tried very hard to stick to the vegetarian diet for the duration of the festival. On Friday 15th the idea was to be at the shrine nice and early, but the morning looked so grey. I did not rush, got to there at about 6:30am, a bit late to watch face piercing. I had been earlier last year and had some piercing photos like this one. Last year the morning was bright and sunny.

Seemed to me that with approaching rain the participants in the procession were keen to get moving. They walk all the way from Kathu to Phuket Town, through town and end by the sea at Sapan Hin, a walk of about 8km. Barefoot. With sharp objects embedded in cheeks, or carrying statues of the emperor gods. Actually, maybe they were glad for a cooler, wetter morning. Easier walking compared to a hot sunny morning.








I had been shopping the day before and bought a 50mm f1.8 lens for my trusty Canon EOS 20D. Figured it would be good for portraits like the one above, and good in lower light. Using a fixed lens is rather odd when you are used to a zoom, the composition of the photo depends a lot more on where you stand, and varying the aperture can have a huge effect. And if you want to zoom out, walk backwards!








The shot above uses f2.8, as I wanted to blur the face and accentuate the piercing on the arm. Obviously the spikes in the cheeks and lips weren't enough for this guy - give me needles in the arms too! And the photo below, one of my favourites from the day, shows I think why I wanted that new lens.








The devotees started out of the shrine at about 7am. I had decided not to follow them to town due to the weather plus this blog is still just for fun - I have a dive shop to run! The guy below is a local policeman and a regular participant in the vegetarian festival.











The Ma Song (above) swings axes outside the shrine. Some of these Ma Song really do cut themselves such as this guy at the Bang Neow shrine procession on the 13th. Some seem rather more careful to swing without cutting too much!



The procession left the shrine led by the most important Ma Song who was carried along on a vehicle. Other Ma Song were on foot. Not all cut themselves. I am not sure of the hierarchy, but I think that the most important Ma Song, the ones who really seem possessed by spirits, are the ones who do not impale themselves. They leap about, or walk bent like old men, offer prayers, and I hear them speaking in strange voices. Can be a bit spooky. A lot of attention goes to those with pierced faces, but Ma Song like the one below are fascinating to watch.







The way they walk, talk and move, I defy anyone to tell me it's all an act. I am sure there is something quite real happening, even if it's sometimes hidden behind the showmen - the ones who stick unusual objects in their cheeks in the hope of getting their picture in the paper! Yes, I mean you, Mr "baseball bat"!







The rear of the procession is the loudest. While the odd firecracker may be thrown at the feet of the Ma Song, the majority are saved for the gods and those carrying them. As the emperor god images are paraded through Kathu village, I dashed around trying to avoid deafness and too much smoke inhalation and trying to get a photo. The guys carrying the god images are prepared - wearing sports shoes rather than sandals and certainly not barefoot like the pierced devotees. Barefoot would be asking for burns! Firecrackers are thrown and hoisted above the gods on bamboo poles. The noise and smoke are something to witness.











As the procession left the village that was pretty much the end of the festival for me. I did attend the fire walking event at Kathu shrine on the 16th (photos here) and very very almost lasted an entire 10 days on the vegetarian diet. By the evening of Saturday 16th I was ready for a big ol' burger and it happened that a friend's restaurant (The Lunch Room) had just been renovated and does burgers and they have big TVs to watch the English football! Farewell vegetarian festival 2010. Next year the festival starts earlier (date depends on Chinese lunar calendar), about September 27th. So, only 11 months to go!

[Travel] Thailand Help 4 Your.

Hotels

Go Go Go web site:
http://www.bangkok.com/hotels/

http://bangkok-hotel.com/

http://review.hotelthailand.com/bangkok-hotel-reviews.html

http://www.hotelthailand.com/

http://www.hotels2thailand.com/

Hotels Of LOEI CITY
::::::::
http://www.virtualtourist.com/hotels/Asia/Thailand/Northeastern_Thailand/Loei-1445158/Hotels_and_Accommodations-Loei-TG-C-1.html
::::::::

Guides

Go Go Go web site:

http://www.thaitourguide.com/

Phuket:

http://phukettourguide.blogspot.com/

http://www.tourphuket.com/

http://www.phuket.com/

Chiangmai :

http://www.chiangmai-guideline.com/

http://www.1stopchiangmai.com/

http://www.thai4u-thailand.com/

http://www.chiangmaitourcenter.com/

Loei :

http://www.thaifly.com/EN/guide/Loei-Tour.php

http://www.thai-tour.com/eng/loei/tour-program.html

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/Thailand/Northeastern_Thailand/Loei-1445158/TravelGuide-Loei.html

Ayutthaya :

http://www.bangkok.com/beyond-the-city/ayutthaya.htm

http://www.siamhotel.net/tours/ayutthayatours.php

http://www.bangkok-transfer-tour.com/tour/ayutthaya/ayutthaya_tour.html

Car 4 Rent :

http://www.thairentacar.com/home.php

http://www.avisthailand.com/EN/index.php

Car 4 Tour :

http://www.psptransport-tour.com/

http://www.andamancarrental.com/

http://www.sweetland.net/

Tour Hilight Or Picsaa!!!:

http://www.thailandhighlight.com/

Taxi On Tour :

http://siamtaxitour.com/

If you have questions.
Contact e-mail. Datoeiboy@gmail.com.

Trekking in Phu Kradueng National Park – A Piece of Heaven on the Plateau

If you love hiking, gather a group of friends and spend your holiday hiking and camping at Phu Kradueng National Park, the giant sandstone mountain in Northeastern Thailand. Phu Kradueng National Park is located in Phu Kradueng district, Loei Province. Phu Kradueng National Park is a very popular spot attracting great numbers of people to conquer the distance of 1,325 meters up the mountain every year. There is a vast plateau of about 60 sq. km. on the top of the mountain. Before you decide to climb up, make sure to be in good physical condition in order to endure this challenging climb. Many people including me and my friends almost gave up and wanted to turn back when we were extremely exhausted from walking just 2-3 km. It is almost 9 km. distance from the base of the mountain (park’s headquarters) to the camp ground on the top of the mountain. If you have a lot of heavy gear, you can hire the local porters to carry your belongings for you. It is 5 km. walk up to the top and the last 1,020 meters to the top is the hardest and steepest part. There is still the final 3.6 km. to walk on the plateau to reach the office and the camp ground on the mountain. However, there are several spots to take a rest on the way up including food shops and toilets and that was really helpful for us to take a break before we kept on walking.

Trekking up Phu Kradueng there are many different varieties of trees that changes at the the different elevations. Also, you will see the beautiful wild flowers that bloom in different seasons dotted on the ground. After a long journey of climbing, everyone was refreshed again with the high altitude and spectacular views of Lang Pae – the first spot on this highland. We were so proud that we concurred the challenge together and were able to be photographed with the sign at the top that said “Once in my life, I was able conqueror of Phu Kradueng.”

Finally, we reached Wang Kwang Tourist Centre (Park’s headquarter), and surveyed the map. We talked to the officers and paid for the rental of more blankets and then set up our tent quickly. At night, it was really cold. We fell asleep by the sound of cicadas and animals from the deep forest. In the very early morning, we woke up and headed to Pha Nok Ann Cliff that is 2 km. further away from the campground so that we can get some beautiful pictures of sunrise and the pine trees in the mist. Looking into the valley, there was a thick blanket of fog covering the villages and forest below. Pha Nok Khao is another cliff considered a great spot to watch the sunrise also.

As the plateau of Phu Kradueng is an abundant forest of pine trees, a savanna in a cold-climate and many other natural sites, to make all destinations within one day is not recommended. We traveled to 5-6 spots per day. On our trip, we were extremely delighted to see the red maple leaves falling giving a great picture as they landed on the green mosses and ferns on the rocky ground around Pen Phop Mai and Tham Yai waterfall. After wandering around the park we were heading to Pha Lom Sak, the most popular cliff for watching the sunset and the most attractive scenery on Phu Kradueng. When it became dark, using our flashlights we returned to our tents. We had a full day tomorrow as there were still plenty of waterfalls, ponds, streams, cliffs, wild animals, and endemic species of plants and a lot more to explore.

At the end of this trip I was really overwhelmed with all the natural wonders and my adventure on Phu Kradueng. I wrote a postcard to myself and wished I could be back at Phu Kradueng once more.

If you ever conquered any higher mountains in other countries and want to do trekking in Thailand, Phu Kradueng should be added to your next destination list.

Travel tips:
*Phu Kradueng National Park: closed June–September Open October–May annually
*The park fee is THB 40/20/20 for Thai adults/children/students respectively, and THB 400/200 for foreign adults/children.
* The park’s headquarter is open and allows visitors to climb up to the mountain from 7.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. daily. After 2 p.m. they would not allow visitors to walk up because it might get dark during trekking and visitors might be harmed from night animals.
* If you are allergic to some kinds of insects or plants, don’t forget to bring your medicine or anti-mosquito and insects lotions.
* You should bring a flashlight and sweaters.
* You should spend at least two nights on the plateau to ensure you see all the sights.
* There are signs posted all over the park, you don’t need a guide.

Contact Information:
Phu Kradueng National Park
Moo 1, Srithan Village, Srithan
Phu Kradueng District
Loei Province 42180
Phone: + 66 4287 1333, +66 4287 1458

Loy Krathong Festival

Loy Krathong
In November some may wonder what is going on in Thailand when seeing travel magazine ads, posters at your hotel of Thai girls dressing in traditional Thai clothing with a beautiful floating object. That's a sign indicating that Loy Krathong is on its way. In Thai Loy means to float and Krathong means a circular floating object with decoration of banana leaves, flowers, a candle and incense sticks. All these are related to Loy Krathong, an event which does not occur on the same date every year; instead it counts on the full moon night of the twelfth lunar month. In this year 2007 it will be held on November 24, a romantic night. People look forward to going out and launching Krathongs together to predict the romance future by the direction the Krathongs float. However, this season is also good for strengthening relationship in family.

The history of Loy Krathong is rather obscure. Some believe that Krathong was first created by Tao Sri Chulalak or Nang Noppamas in Sukothai.
Others overlook its origin yet focus on the purposes of the ritual: to pay respect to the Goddess of the Water showing their gratitude on their plentiful use of water and ask for forgiveness in the ensuing pollution. Floating the beautiful Krathong away, which is the key activity in Loy Krathong,

also refers to flying away misfortune and bad things in the past and asking for good luck in the future. Although it is not a national holiday, many activities other than floating Krathong, are conducted in this festival, such as, contests of Krathong-making and Noppamas beauty pageants, local games and performances and fireworks.


If you are in the North of Thailand, you can join this spectacular occasion at Chiang Mai where it is specifically called Yee Peng -floating of lanterns into the sky. Or you can go to Tak where a line of thousand glittering lights are seen on the Ping River . When looking closer, you see that Krathongs here are made of coconut shells, threaded together to make chain and that's the story of Loy Krathong Sai. Moreover, this year you can see Loy Krathong Sai made from banana trunk in Samut Songkram too. For sure, the festival in old cities is so famous and attracts a herd of visitors. Glory and ancientness of the kingdom is utterly alive in Phao Thian Len Fai in Sukhothai. In Bangsai District, Ayutthaya, you can feel the grandeur of Loy Krathong Tam Pratip and long boat race at Bangsai Arts and Crafts Centre of H.M. queen Sirikit of Thailand.

Staying at Bangkok you never miss a shot as well. Popular places for Loy Krathong evening include Chao Phraya River, Rama IIX Bridge, Santichaiprakan Park on Phra Artit Road, Benjasiri Park or Queen's Park on Sukhumvit Road, Benjakiti Park on Ratchada Pisek Road and other waterways and universities. These venues tend to have a lot of people and it could be very crowded. Many of hotel and waterside restaurant offer Loy Krathong dinners and cruises. Or if you don't prefer going out into the crowd, you can virtually Loy krathon at http://www.loikrathong.net. The end of the year is near; this festival is set up for the occasion. Have fun!

Picsa!!!

Thai Language 2 English 4 U.

สวัสดี ครับ
sà-wàt-dee kráp
hello
ผม มา เมืองไทย ครั้งแรก
pŏm maa meuang tai kráng râek
i went to thailand it frist time
ผม ต้อง การไปเที่ยว ที่
pŏm dtông gaan bpai tîeow têe
i want to travel
เลือก · เกาะ , ภูเขา , ทะเล , น้ำตก , ดอย , ถ้ำ
lêuak · gòr , poo kăo , tá-lay , náam dtòk , doi , tâm
select
คุณ แนะนำ ให้ ผม ไป ที่ไหน ดี ครับ
kun náe-nam hâi pŏm bpai têe năi dee kráp
you about to thailand travel
ตอนนี้ ผม หิว มากๆ อาหารไทย อะไร ที่ คิดว่า อร่อย ครับ
dton née pŏm hĭw mâak aa-hăan tai à-rai têe kít wâa à-ròi kráp
it now i very hungre what thaifood is verygood?
ผม ขอ ดู เมนู หน่อย
pŏm kŏr doo may-noo nòi
i want to see menu

Thai Coins

25 Satang 50 Satang 1 Baht 5 Baht 10 Baht

FRONT

BACK

Thai Money 10 bath ( Disuse )

10 Baht (front): The portrait of H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the reigning monarch, in the uniform of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces 10 Baht (back): The equestrian statue of H.M. King Rama V, modeled from the monument in the courtyard of the Royal Dusit Palace
Size: width 6.9 cm ; length 13.2 cm

Thai Money 20 bath

20 Baht (front): The portrait of H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the reigning monarch, in the uniform of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces

Size: width 7.2 cm ; length 13.8 cm
20 Baht (back): The statue of Somdet Phra Chao Taksin Maharaj, modeled from the monument at Tung Na Choei Public Park, Amphur Muang, Chanthaburi Province

Thai Money 50 bath

50 Baht (front): The portrait of H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the reigning monarch, in the uniform of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces 50 Baht (back): The monument of H.M. King Mongkut (Rama IV)


Size: width 7.2 cm ; length 14.4 cm

Thai Money 100 bath

100 Baht (front): The portrait of H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the reigning monarch and the Royal Initial Emblem of H.M. the King "Phor Por Ror"

Size: width 7.2 cm ; length 15 cm
100 Baht (back): The portrait of the monument of Their Majesties King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) and King Vajiravudha (Rama VI), together with their Royal Initial Emblem

Thai Money 500 bath

500 Baht (front): The portrait of H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the reigning monarch and the Privy Seal


Size: width 7.2 cm ; length 15.6 cm
500 Baht (back): The portrait of the monuments of Their Majesties King Buddha Yod Fa Chulalok the Great (Rama I) and King Buddha Loet La Nabhalai (Rama II), the drawing of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha

Thai Money 1000 bath

Thai unit of currency is the baht. One hundred satang equals 1 baht. Paper money is made in amounts of 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 baht. Coins are 1, 5 and 10 baht pieces and also 25 and 50 satang. The king's face is pictured on the front of every coin and every bill. At the moment, it's about 42 baht per 1 US. dollar.

Video: Juke film answers the question - What were Nissan designers thinking?

The 2011 Nissan Juke has what some might call 'controversial' styling. It's downright polarizing. So, where did Nissan pull its inspiration from in order to craft these lines? Alfonso Albaisa is the Vice President of Nissan Design Europe and he's here to explain exactly why the Juke looks like it does.

Albaisa states that the essence of the Juke "captures the pure life of a 30-something year-old guy." The vehicle is aimed at a younger demographic of new car buyer and Nissan's goal was to turn lifestyle elements into design features. The interior is supposed to be reminiscent of a person wearing a wetsuit while the front end is intended to invoke visions of a rally car.

Automotive designers are always entertaining to listen to, and Alfonso Albaisa is no exception. His descriptive language wended its way into our brains giving us a greater appreciation for Nissan's little sporty crossover. Don't believe us? Listen to the man in the clip after the jump.

Coral Bungalows – Koh Phangan Thailand

Arguably the best place to stay in Koh Phangan especially for the build up to the full moon party, Coral Bungalows is the party happening place to be.

Known for its legendary pool parties Coral Bungalows has a selection of rooms to choose from. You can either stay in the cheaper rooms with just fan or with air conditioning which are a little pricier. The rooms are spacious, clean, secure and well presented with a double bed and single bed for 2 to 3 people. Situated right on the beach you have optional sunbathing areas which are either on the sun loungers by the pool or on the beach with your towel. As well as an on site restaurant serving food throughout the day, there is an onsite launderette. A great place to stay in a great location with fellow hedonistic travelers! The pool parties are so much fun.

Prices vary through different times of the month but the week before the full moon party is when it’s most expensive. For the two nights before and the night of the full moon party, prices are 1500 baht per room. Visit the website for more information.

The Jumeirah Beach Hotel – Dubai

Another hotel in Dubai which is pure luxury is the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. It’s located next door to the Burj Al Arab and it is shaped like a breaking wave.

The hotel is vibrant and smart with a great mixture of cool clientele including honey mooner’s and business types and it has its own private beach. With 589 luxury rooms each one contains fine fabrics, hand crafted furniture and a luxury shower. The hotel boasts over 20 restaurants and bars including the famous 360? restaurant that sits out in the gulf of Arabia. Enjoy wonderful views of the coast line, including the Burj Al Arab while relaxing back into one of the comfy sofas, while chilling out with some shisha. There are also four swimming pools for both you and children to enjoy around the beautiful gardens on the beach front plus the water park Wild Wadi is situated just a few doors down.

Prices start around £165 in September for a twin room based on 2 people sharing, visit the website for more information.

Lub-D-Hostel – Bangkok

Who says Bangkok has to be expensive? Before I set off on my travels around South East Asia I was inspired by an article I read in a travel supplement from a newspaper describing the top 20 hostels in the world.

Well Lub-D-Hostel was one of the hostels mentioned on the list, so I thought it would be a great idea to check it out. Being on a travelling budget I was able to stick to spending a low amount on accommodation, even though I was still enjoying a modern and stylish room. Rooms are decorated with vibrant colours and are basic but clean and they also have electronic keycard access, air conditioning, a study table, a security safe box, an individual reading light and electrical socket, towels and a luxury blanket. Located close to the centre of the city it’s just a simple short taxi ride away to most tourist attractions.

Dorm rooms start at around £8.89 per night, per bed when booked online.

http://www.lubd.com/

Promotion

http://siam.lubd.com/?category_name=promotion

Elephant Riding, Jungle Trekking & Bamboo Rafting – Chang Mai Thailand

The main reason people head to Chang Mai is because it is the adventure capital of Thailand.

The best action/adventure trip available in my opinion is the elephant riding and bamboo rafting jungle trek. These excursions can be done in just one day or over a period of 5 it depends how long you want to camp in the jungle for. I did the one day trek and it was superb. You start with a 40 minute walk through the jungle, tiring yes but so beautiful up to a small village tribe.

As well as taking in the stunning views across the jungle you are able to see how the villagers go about there lives. Following the trek you are taken by mini bus to where the elephants live. This is your chance to interact with the elephants and ride them around the jungle. After an amazing time with the elephants you are taken to a waterfall and then on to bamboo rafting. The whole experience as a whole is fantastic and beautiful, a real culture experience.

You can book this excursion in the majority of Chang Mai tourist agents or hotels/guest houses.

Public sector pension reform: live reaction to Lord Hutton's report

Public sector workers should pay more towards their pensions, according to former Labour minister Lord Hutton. Follow live updates on the reaction to the report here and comment below

Lord Hutton has published his interim report into public sector pensions. Photograph: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

12.48pm: Union complaints are entirely predictable writes Jennie Kreser on the Pension Lawyer blog.

iPad Review

If you are reading this iPad review, you are probably still wondering if you should spend $499 or more on an iPad, and you are looking for answers. In this post, I will try to tell you what the iPad does (or does not), and how good (I think) it really is. Many aspects of the iPad are covered: design, display, books, videos, cool apps, productivity, gaming, web, battery life... you name it. After reading this, you should have a good idea of whether or not the iPad is for you and what it will really bring on the table. If not, well... you can leave a comment! Let's dive in...

Context
We all perceive the usefulness of these devices differently depending on our lifestyle, so let me tell you where I come from. I spend most of my time using a powerful desktop computer (a PC) with a very large display. If I need to get some real work done outside of the office, I use a laptop (Sony Vaio, or Macbook Pro + Win7). On the go, I keep track of emails with a smartphone, but I tend to reply only moderately from a cellphone because typing long emails is painful (even more so on a touchscreen phone). I check news websites a lot, and I often use a laptop in my couch. Now you know...

External design (Beautiful)



I won't spend a whole lot of time describing what the device looks like (check our iPad unboxing photo gallery). There are a few highlights:

The build quality is excellent. The aluminium back feels great under the finger and nothing feels cheap. There is an audio jack connector for headphones, and a microphone for apps that need it. The speaker is on the bottom of the device where the "Home" button is. The audio quality is so-so and the maximum speaker volume is too soft for my taste. My advice: use headphones whenever possible. The volume button is accessible and active whenever the iPad is playing something.

Other than the standard 3.5mm audio jack, the only external connector is the proprietary Apple connector, which seems similar to the one found on the iPhone.A number of accessories can be connected to that, and this is the only wired way to connect to the outside world. Update: I've spotted an iPad to VGA connector at the Apple Store.

The iPad is heavier than most people expect: at 1.5lbs to 1.6lbs (3G), it is heavy enough so that my wrist would get tired after less than 30mn of firmly holding it. $499 is a good amount of money, but making something with this build quality at that price is not easy. iPad technical specifications on Apple's website

Display (Very good)

Apple has made sure that the display is a high-quality one


The display deserves its own section: with a resolution of 1024x768, it has a seemingly low pixel density compared to select high-end smartphones. That said, everything looks sharp and colorful. The contrast and colors are very nice (dare I say "Amazing"?). Plus, the brightness distribution is very stable regardless of the viewing angle.


The iPad display in an "outdoor" simulation


In direct sunlight, you will get a good amount of reflections, but overall, the iPad display does OK, especially if you are looking at an image with bright colors. If you are watching a dark movie, only a trans-reflective display could help you in that situation. Note that the iPhone 3GS display is slightly better in direct sunlight.


The thick bezel is useful after all


I've heard many complaints about the thick bezel around the screen. There's no question that thinner is better, but the bezel is currently needed because your thumb or another finger will land on it while firmly holding the device. If it wasn't for the bezel, your fingers would be on an active touch surface and that would interfere with the user interface (UI).


Does the iPad cause eye strain? Not for me


Eye strain: some fear that reading from an LCD display would cause headaches and eyestrain. I can only speak for myself, but I have not experienced any eyestrain, and you can imagine that I've been spending a lot of time on the device to write this review. However, remember that I'm looking at a computer LCD most of the time anyway...

User Interface (Easy)

Looks familiar?


For those who have used an iPhone or an iPod touch, there is no learning curve whatsoever. It's the same look (with many additions) and feel and you'll be productive right away. If you are not familiar with it, this is arguably one of the best touch interface out there, and I expect most people to be able to ramp up fairly quickly.

There is a lot of: "grand parents would love it". May be so, but this is largely unproven. I think that most people who believe this have never actually tested it on their tech-averse relatives. If you have, feel free to drop a comment at the end of the review. Anyway, if you are thinking about getting one for an elderly person, just keep in mind that: 1/ it might not be as easy as you think it is. 2/ A computer is still required to register and setup the device. As a side note, Gartner forcasts that by 2015, the majority of computer purchased for kids under 15 will have a touch screen.

Media Consumption (Very good)
The iPad promises to "revolutionize" how we consume media, in a "magical" way, according to Apple. "Magic" is an exaggeration, but yes, this is going to shake some habits.

Books

Colorful books are nice...


iBooks: I like the user interface of the Apple book reader, it's simple and readable, it has a search feature and most importantly, most books (if not all) come with a free sample. Overall, I don't think that there is such a big difference between the Apple book reader and the Kindle reader when it comes to the act of reading but... Amazon seems to be a better book provider.

Kindle for iPad : Amazon has done a good job of making its Kindle app available on many platforms. As a result, it is possible to buy a book from Amazon on the iPad (on amazon.com) and bypass Apple completely. The great thing about the Kindle app is that once you own a book, you can re-download it on as many devices as you want (PC, iPhone, etc...). Kindle also lets you take notes, if you care about that. Finally, Amazon has about 450k book versus Apple's 60k - oh and Amazon eBooks are getting cheaper too.


But comics are Amazing!


Comics: the Marvel comics look fantastic! This is really a great demonstration of what's possible on a nice color display and why black and white is not a sustainable value proposition. The Marvel app is a must-see and there are free comics for you to try it with. Now, I would *love it* if Marvel would make the old comics available...


Reading colorful comics and magazines on the iPad (Watch in HD)


GQ: I've never seen a magazine with so much ads in it


Magazines: I'm a big fan of magazines and I had high expectations for them on the iPad. At the moment, it's promising, but I don't think that I'll buy them by the dozen each month. First, you don't know what you're getting before you pay. Secondly, some are really overpriced. Time Magazine (which has a 2.5/5 rating in the app store) sells for $4.99 while you can get the 12-issues subscription for less than $10 on amazon: this is lame. Others (3D Artist) will sell you the app that is needed to download the magazine itself... For the sake of this review, I bought GQ and one issue of 3D Artist (this one is messy). Overall, they are visually very promising but not quite there yet: it's buggy and often slow. Also, while there is only one way to read a paper magazine, each e-mag has its own set of user interface rules... not good.

PDF files: the iPad has great support for .PDF files. It is much faster than the Kindle to handle those and the rendering is much better. If you are reading complex PDF files, this is a no-brainer.


The iPad crushes the Kindle at handling PDFs (Watch in HD)

News

USA Today is my favorite news app: clear and fast


The arrival of the iPad got many publishers excited. Thanks to the "pad" form-factor, many have dedicated applications to access their content. There are many out there, but I tried three to give you a sense of what was out there.


This is what e-Newspapers look like (Watch in HD)

USA Today: This is my favorite implementation of a news app. It is well laid out and very fast to load and navigate. Unfortunately, it does not offer video playback. Content is free.

BBC: BBC is fast and clear. It looks more like a mobile website than a "newspaper", but I don't think that the "newspaper feel" is really what I'm looking for. I want good and readable news, that's it. BBC features video as well. Content is free.

Wall Street Journal: WSJ is mostly a subscription/paid content service. They arguably have a great design that looks the most like a "newspaper", but I was disappointed after using it. It's slow, seem buggy and freezes for a few seconds after each page turn, this is annoying.

Bloomberg: I usually go to Yahoo Finance to keep track of the markets, but the Bloomberg App is very well done and lets me follow a bunch of things (indices, news, currencies..) better and more clearly than I would on their website. Because there is less display surface, the developers had to prioritize the important content. The result is a no-nonsense information access. It's free too.

Video

An episode of "V" from iTunes (Watch in HD)

Netflix: I tried watching a few movies on Netflix and it worked beautifully. The streaming movie resolution is slightly inferior to the iPad's 1024x768 display, so things are not as sharp as they could be, but it's enjoyable enough to have a good time.

YouTube: Youtube has more high-resolution content, so we tried watching a few movie trailers and they all came out looking smooth and sharp - much better than anything we've seen on Netflix anyway. Can't wait for the Hulu app...


Movie Trailer from YouTube ( in HD)

DLNA: If you don't know what DLNA is, skip this paragraph. Apple doesn't support DLNA network access out of the box, but I spotted at least one app that brings DLNA support to the iPad: http://plugplayer.com/. Remember that you are still limited to whatever formats the iPad player supports.

Music
The user interface is a little different from the iPhone version, but music playback basically works well, there's not much to report on that front. it's an iPod after all.

Productivity (Below average)

At 60 words per minute, this is much better than a smartphone,
yet, less than a netbook


Virtual keyboard: after typing on it for some time, here's my feedback: it is so much better than a smartphone in either portrait or landscape mode. However, this is not as fast as a 10" Netbook keyboard, or a full-sized keyboard. Here's my own typing speed: 60 words per minute (wpm) with the iPad, 70wpm on a Netbook and around 80wpm with a full-size keyboard. Personally, I think that the iPad is great for casual typing (one paragraph email replies), but I don't like sustained typing (10mn+) on the virtual keyboard.


Email is comfy is efficient, I like it a lot


Email: The email experience is comfortable, in some ways, more so than on a Netbook. Because the Mail application user interface is tailored to a small display, it is better than it would be on a 10" Netbook with Outlook or Gmail. Emails are easy to read and it's also easy to switch from one account to the next.


The calendar are easy to glance at and very readable


Calendar: the calendar is another element that benefits from an increased display size. Looking at a week's worth of appointments can be done easily. In two taps, you can ener in Edit Mode and change the time and other properties of an event. Cool stuff.


I use Memeo Connect to check on Google Docs and to sync files (free)


File management: Outside of iTunes, there's little to no way to manage files. Apps are so sandboxed that their access to files are severely limited. If you email yourself a PDF file, you will be able to open it, but not save it. I don't think that you can even create a folder to dump stuff. Photos from emails can be saved in the "photos" directory, but not elsewhere. Whether it is for security (sandbox) or simplicity reasons, I don't like it. I want a "user" folder that I can organize the way I want, and access it like a USB key - most other devices work that way. In the meantime, I use Memeo Connect Reader (free) and Google Doc files to work around this. It works pretty well, but it's a little more work than just dragging and dropping to a folder.

iWorks: Microsoft has announced that there would not be a version of Microsoft Office for iPad, but Apple has its own productivity suite, that is getting rave reviews. In the end, I think that the question is: how much typing can you really do on this platform? For me, the answer is "not much", so regardless of how good the software is, you ultimately are the limit.

Gaming (Getting better, but...)

Gameloft's Asphalt 5 for iPad (Watch in HD)

Hardcore gamers might consider the iPhone platform to be a sub-par gaming system, but commercially, it is quickly becoming huge. I'm probably a hardcore gamer but I try to stay open-minded: recent 3D games do look great on the iPad and this is only the beginning. The thing that I dislike about iPad gaming is the tactile controls. I just prefer a game controller, a keyboard+mouse or a wheel. You might or might not like it better - there's only one way to find out: try playing on an iPhone or an iPad.

There have been reports of iPad overheating, but at the moment, I have not experienced any issues, despite playing 3D games for more than 30mn - 45mn.

Web browsing (Good but incomplete)

There are a few Ajax issues and it lacks Flash support, but it's good enough


The web browsing experience is very like the one on the iPhone/iPod touch, but a little faster, and with a much more comfortable display. Now, there is no need to zoom much and this feels very much like browsing on a computer but, they are some significant hiccups:

1/ Page loading is still noticeably slower than on a computer

2/ There's no flash, and many flash-heavy sites like local restaurants or entertainment sites won't work properly (if at all). See: fleurdelyssf.com, jpchocolates.com and starz.com/originals/spartacus

3/ Google docs won't let you edit documents, and I've noticed issues with some Facebook widgets as well. Expect some difficulties with edgy Web 2.0 sites.

Overall, it's not a real problem but I want to make sure that you realize that these issues do exist, and that they might not be fixed in the near future.

Social Media (Effective)

I ditched the iPhone Facebook app in favor of the Facebook website



Tweetdeck is pretty awesome - check it out, it's free


There are a ton of apps to use Twitter more efficiently. I have tested TweetDeck, and I like their clean and clear interface. As for Facebook, it's nice that you can use the website directly to get the whole experience (minus Flash video). When chatting with AIM, the screen is a little small when the virtual keyboard is on, but switching to portrait mode made it work. Overall, there's usually "an (iPhone) app for that", or you can head to your favorite social networking site directly. The apps let you get notified when something happened, that's why I keep using the Facebook app for iPhone. Can't wait to see the iPad version...


This is probably the largest (in surface) implementation of AOL IM


Misc Apps
Adobe ideas (free): There is a ton of apps, but this one caught my eyes. It's a fun finger painting program that lets you sketch things. Autodesk has a much fancier, but paid application that does something like this too.

Memeo Connect Reader: lets you synchronize Google Docs files to the iPad. Because built-in iPad file management could be improved, this little program can be very handy.

WiFi chip faster than the iPhone 3GS
The 3G model isn't available yet, but the good news is that the WiFi chip of the iPad is faster than the iPhone's - if you can find a network fast enough to saturate both chips... It is not surprising thought, because Apple has less power and thermal constraints with the iPad WiFi chip, they can crank it up.

Just as we predicted, the $499 iPad is the one that has been selling out, but some folks that we know have been buying MiFi or Sprint Overdrive (read our complete overdrive review) wireless modems to create a WiFi "bubble" that the iPad can connect with.

How is the iPad at 3G speeds?

While waiting for the 3G version, folks have been using wireless modems


To figure out how the 3G model would behave, we have played with our iPad and the Sprint Overdrive in 3G mode. Of course, this means that we didn't use the AT&T network (!), but that will give us an idea.

Obviously, things do slow down quite a bit when going from WiFi to 3G. In general it's OK for text-based applications such as email. Websites do slow down noticeably, but things are still fast enough to enjoy Netflix movies - at a lower resolution. The Maps application still works very well. In fact, it is almost as fast as it is with WiFi. Content download is the part that should suffer the most under 3G, and of course, there's the general reliability of the AT&T network remains to be proven. By the way, AT&T has confirmed that for the iPad "unlimited" really means "unlimited" and not 5GB.

Note that using a MiFi or an Overdrive works perfectly, but both devices have a battery life of about 3 hours, which is a far cry from the 10+ hours of the iPad. Download speed as tested: 803kbps (3/5 bars, Sprint network with Sprint Overdrive)

Battery Life (Excellent)

The iPad battery life is simply excellent


Thanks to progress in low-power designs, testing the battery life of computers is becoming seriously long. The custom iPad A4 processor consumes very little power, so in most cases, the display will be the largest drain factor on the battery.

•Local storage video: 10+ hours
•Streaming video (Netflix): 10+ hours
•Book reading:11-12hrs
•Music (display off): (too long, if I want to publish this week)
A typical day: For my personal use, the iPad will stay alive for about 1.5 days, and possibly 2 days if I stop trying all the apps with shiny icons.

Sleep mode: most gadgets continue to drain power when they are in sleep mode. In the case of the iPad, I noticed that it lost about 1% per night (7hr), which is quite low. This might be a positive effect of not having too much stuff running in the background...

USB charging incompatibility: although it is mentioned that the iPad can be charged from a computer USB ports, it turns out that this is true mainly for Mac computer USB ports because they have a little more juice. It doesn't work on most PC computers, or USB HUBs. More details about the iPad USB topic.

Battery replacement: the battery is not user replaceable, and like most batteries, it might lose its charge capabilities or simply die (after a while). Right now, the cost of replacement is $105.95. For more info head to Apple's iPad battery replacement page.

What could be better? (Plenty)
As good as the iPad is, it is not perfect. Here's a short list of things that iPad critics usually complain about:

•No camera
•No USB ports
•We're stuck with that iPhone port for everything
•No background execution (multi-tasking) for third party applications
•No always-on IM
•No app-based music in the background
•No data crunching in the background
*This should be addressed by the iPhone OS 4.0, due to be released for the iPad in the Fall.
•Virtual keyboard is not as productive as a real one
•No Flash (see our Web Browsing section)
•AT&T-only (in practice)
•No widescreen
•Closed application market (iPad has been jailbroken)
•Can't create a list of apps/files to buy/download
•And more...
Most of the critics are pretty legitimate, but many people don't factor in the cost that they would induce in terms of form factor, power consumption or dollars. The reality is that there's not a whole lot of competitors out there and by and large, the iPad is "good enough" for a certain crowd. Joojoo, a Tablet that supports Flash in the browser has apparently pre-sold 90 units...

How bad is it to not have multitasking? Not being able to leave apps running in the background is annoying sometimes... Personally, I'd like to get some sort of notification if someone sends me an Instant Message (IM). Right now, even that is not possible. This is really the only thing that bugs me, although I do understand that others will want to do more things that require multi-tasking. I suspect that iPhone OS 4.0 might address that, to some extent.

Is this a Netbook/laptop killer? (No)

Why are people so polarized? These gadgets became friends in 2 seconds


In general, the iPad it's not a Netbook killer, but it will take away revenues from that market. From a hardware and functionality standpoint, there's no argument that the iPad only performs a subset of the things that one could do with a classic computer. If you currently use your laptop for doing things that exactly overlap with the iPad functionalities, then yes, the iPad could be a Netbook replacement, but I would not generalize this. It's just "different", let's accept it.

Limitations listed in the "What could be better?" paragraph show that the iPad can't do things that most people take for granted like leaving your IM client in the background, going to Flash-based websites, copy data with a USB key, or simply type comfortably for extended periods of time. Many observers also forget how important Microsoft Windows is for the large majority of Netbook buyers. Linux Netbooks failed because of that. Being able to install Windows apps is still very high on people's list of "must have".

Btw, the first thing that happens when you turn the iPad on is that it is asking you to plug it to a computer to initialize it (PC or Mac).


A computer is required to activate the iPad


What is the iPad great for?
I'll speak for myself, and you have to realize that I have not tried every possible applications on the platform, but in my case here's what the iPad is great for:

Web browsing, Email: I tend to use my laptop in my couch/bed, and for most of the web browsing and email that I do, the iPad is great. The battery lasts much longer, it's lighter and most importantly, it is "instant-on" - no boot, no shut down. As I said earlier, some sites aren't accessible because Flash is not supported, but 95% of the time it's not a problem.

Browse my Netflix account: Add DVDs or instant-on movies to the queue and check new releases. Watching streaming video works great too.


Turning me into a couch potatoe, one swipe at a time...


Read news & comics: Reading comic books is truly awesome, it is so much better to me than the paper experience... Some news apps are great too. They are faster than going to the website, although I'm not quite sure if the web won't win in the long run. It's too early to tell. Books are good too, but I feel that the display could use a higher resolution and a higher size before I can truly love it. That said, I would chose the iPad over the Kindle any day.

Watching movies on a plane: Because of its size, the iPad is very good at displaying movies in cramped environments like airplanes but you will need some kind of stand, because it is not comfortable to hold it for a while. Movie playback is something that recent netbooks can deal with, but most of them will run out of battery after 3-6 hours while the iPad can go on for 10 hours.

Maps: the Map application looks great on the iPad. At the moment, we have not tested it on the 3G+GPS enabled, but it would be interesting to take it for a ride. Using the iPad as a personal navigation sounds cool, especially if we had a good way to mount it in a car (like this one). Is there an accessory for that?

Watching photo, videos: I like to play with the photo gallery, and I like to watch a trailer quickly to decide if I should record something on my video recorder, or rent a movie on my PS3 or Netflix.

It's (really) instant-on: unlike my laptop, the iPad turns on and off instantly and in situation where I would turn things on and off a lot (in my couch) it's pretty handy and convenient. Plus, it prolongs the battery life.

What the iPad is not great at
This is my personal preferences, but here's what I don't like to use the iPad for:

Writing reviews: it's just painful to write for an extended period of time on the iPad. Yesterday, I had a 10mn IM session with a friend and I was getting tired by then. There's no way that this would be my primary text input system.

Gaming: I know, the App Store game content is exploding these days, but I'm a hardcore gamer, I like game consoles, I like to play on PC, and I'm just having a hard time to be entertained with iPad games. The controls aren't that great - although they are getting better and more creative. In the end, it's just not my type of games. Maybe this would work better for me: iPad arcade cabinet

Productivity apps: While the iPad is capable of doing things like Word Processing, Presentations or even Spreadsheets, I would rather do that on a classic computer. In a pinch, it's great that you can get some stuff done, but I don't buy the argument that productivity apps are a "pleasure" to work with.

Instant Messaging: the iPad isn't great at instant messaging for two reasons: 1/ I get tired quickly when I type. 2/When i put it to sleep, the IM app is closed and I won't get any notifications (my Blackberry does notify me of incoming IM). 3/Each time I switch to another app, IM is closed too.

This list of "not so great at" is limited to things that I would do with my laptop while sitting in my couch. The conclusion is: the laptop won't be too far.

Conclusion (Very good, but not for everyone)

Btw, are you an Ubergizmo Fan on Facebook?


What the iPad is "useful for" will evolve with new apps and ideas, but in the end, it is just a tool that should help you do what you usually do... more easily and in a better way. You have to ask yourself why it would be useful to you. Actually, if you think "what is the purpose of this?", then there's probably no reason for you to get one.

For those who know what they will use it for, I hope that this review has clarified some things and provided enough information to make an educated decision.

Let's be real: most people currently don't *need* an iPad in the way they do "need" a phone or a computer. Right now, it is an entertainment device that could make one's computing life a little better if you find the right apps. It has a lot of great qualities: Über-portable, pretty, responsive, tons of apps, great display, excellent battery life... But it also costs $499 in its simplest form, and this is not pocket change (people are buying the 16GB for $700+ on eBay). If you can afford it, and if your usage model is compatible with its design, the iPad is a great device. Love it or hate it, but let's all live in peace.

Update: Don't miss our iPhone 4 review!

As usual, if you have questions or remarks, please drop a comment below. I'll try to address them ASAP.

[Travel] Phuket Vegetarian Festival

Phuket Vegetarian Festival


Phuket Island seems like a curious place for a vegetarian festival, but the Phuket Vegetarian Festival has become world renowned for its food and its curious religious rites. Held during the 9th Chinese lunar month, typically September or October, the vegetarian festival spans the first nine days of the lunar month. During that time, Buddhists of Chinese descent follow a strict vegetarian diet, wear white clothing, and observe a set of rules that are intended to purify their bodies and minds.
All that seems well and good, but what has drawn the greatest publicity (other than the outstanding vegetarian food of course) is the unique manner in which some attempt to purify themselves during a procession of asceticism. On the 6th day of the vegetarian festival, after fasting for several days, devotees known as “soldiers of god” commit feats of self mutilation and tests of intense pain, including piercing themselves with needles and knives and walking across hot coals.
Around Phuket, in addition to large flags hung in honor of the event, 9 lanterns are lit up and placed aloft on Ko Teng poles to symbolize the presence of the deities throughout the Phuket Vegetarian Festival. On the last day, there is a “Koi Han” ceremony to exorcize ill fortune, and a finally a farewell ceremony for the deities at night.

Category: Food & Drink, Religious and Spiritual Events



By Bus
Air-conditioned and non air-conditioned buses leave Bangkok's Southern Bus Terminal for Phuket several times daily. Trips by air-conditioned bus, which normally leaves in the evening, take about 13 hours. ,Call 0 2434 7192, 0 2435 1199 or visit www.transport.co.th for more information.,

By Train
By rail,There is no direct train service to Phuket. Travelers arriving by train must get off at Phun Phin Railway Station in Surat Thani Province and continue by regular bus to Phuket. For more information, call the State Railway of Thailand, 1690, 0 2223 7010, or 0 2223 7020.

By Other
This is perhaps the easiest way to get to Phuket. Domestic airlines operate several flights daily between Bangkok and Phuket. Some flights go to Phuket via Samui Island with a 40-minute stopover. List of operators are as follows:,Phuket Air offers daily flights to Phuket and the journey takes only 1.20 hours. Call 02 6798999 or visit www.phuketairlines.com for more details on flights.,Bangkok Airways has daily flights connecting Phuket with Pattaya and Samui. For more information, contact their Bangkok office at tel. 66 2265 5678. Reservations can be made at tel. 66 2265 5555. Alternatively, browse its website at www.bangkokair.com for more flight details.,Thai Airways International has numerous daily flights servicing the Bangkok-Phuket route. In addition, they have regular flights connecting Phuket with Hat Yai, Surat Thani, and Narathiwat Provinces. For more information, contact their Bangkok office at tel. 02 628 2000 or book your seat online at www.thaiairways.com,One-to-Go by Orient Thai operates a daily flight between Bangkok and Phuket. The flight time is 1.20 hours. Call 1126 or visit www.onetwo-go.com for more information.,Air Asia also offers several daily flights connecting Bangkok and Phuket. The flight time is 1.20 hours. Visit www.airasia.com or call 02 5159999 for reservations.,Nok Air has several daily flights between Bangkok and Phuket with a flight time of 1.20 hours. Visit www.nokair.com or call 1318 to make your reservation. ,Destination Air porvides first class seaplane transfers to and from Phuket Internation Airport to resorts and hotels located in the Andaman sea. Popular destinations are such as Ko Phi Phi, Krabi, Ko Lanta. Services commence in July 2006. Contact Bangkok Office of Destination Air at Tel: 0 2261 5323, Fax: 0 2261 5331 or visit www.destinationair.com ,

Scuba Or Rinspeed sQuba (รถดำน้ำ)

Rinspeed Squba

The submersible Rinspeed sQuba car
Back in 1977, in the James Bond Movie "The Spy Who Loved Me," Roger Moore's agent 007 had a very special Series 1 Lotus Esprit that converted from a sports car to a submarine. The Lotus had propellers and rudders and even a battery of harpoon launchers to help Bond fight off the bad guys. The submarine Lotus was more than just a prop; it did go underwater and the rudder and propellers worked. However, it wasn't actually water-tight, and so a stuntman with Scuba gear operated it inside behind the dark glass. The picture to the right shows a scale model of the submersible Lotus.

Well, now there is a real diving Lotus. Rinspeed, a Swiss tuner and builder of exotic concept cars and other futuristic vehicles built the Rinspeed sQuba, a drivable, divable concept car that really works. Based on a Lotus Elise, the electric-powered sQuba is the brainchild of Rinspeed founder Frank M. Rinderknecht, who never forgot that submersible car from the James Bond movie. “For three decades I have tried to imagine how it might be possible to build a car that can fly under water. Now we have made this dream come true,” Rinderknecht said.

How did they do it? First, there had to be some practical thinking. For example, even though the Lotus Elise is a very small car (only about 150 inches long), the enclosed volume of about 70 cubic feet would have required adding 4,400 pounds of weight. The necessary ballast tanks would have made for a large, bulky vehicle that didn't look anything like a sleek sports car. So Rinspeed decided to build the sQuba as an open vehicle with its passengers using built-in scuba gear while underwater. The car floats on water, then sinks when the doors are opened and water enters the car. However, without passengers it surfaces on its own.

What all did Rinspeed do to make this possible? Well, they removed the combustion engine and replaced it with a variety of electrical motors. For operation on land, the main electric motor makes 73 horsepower and 118 foot-pounds of torque at 4500 rpm. Rinspeed estimates the top speed to be "over 75 mph," but given the weight (less than 2,000 pounds) and power it's probaby over 100 mph. Floating in water, the sQuba uses two propellers in the back, powered by an 800 Watt electric motor each, good for a speed of about four knots. Underwater, propulsion is via two electric 5-horsepower Seabob jet drives that breathe through rotating louvers and expell the water through light but twist-resistant Carbon "nano tubes." That gives the sQuba an underwater speed of about two knots. Power is supplied by rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries. Rinspeed states "the sQuba's filling station is the water reservoir,” referring to the electric hydropower the Swiss are experts in. Operating diving depth is around 33 feet.

When going under, the car's occupants use an integrated air supply system with two gas tanks -- one 15 liters, the other 18 liters -- and Scubapro regulators, specifically Scubapro's classic and very reliable air-balanced G250V second stage. The Scubapro gear and the tanks are mounted behind the passengers.

The sQuba is chuck full of interesting technology, and not only for underwater operation. On land, it uses a laser scanner system to essentially drive itself. For underwater operation, Rinspeed and its partners designed a cockpit and instruments that's inspired by the elegant shape and lines of a Manta Ray. Individual instruments seem to float and have dials that are lined up like lenses. The main control cluster is futuristically lighted and sits behind a protective sheet of glass with a fisheye effect. Controls can be operated even with diving gloves.

How real is the Rinspeed sQuba? Real enough for an impressive video of its operation on land, floating and diving. You can see the movie as well as pictures on Rinspeed's website. It works. But it's also a concept and not meant for production at all. For that, it'd need a more powerful motor, and the market for diving cars is likely very small. But none of that matters. Concepts are limited only by the imagination. "For three decades I have tried to imagine how it might be possible to build a car that can fly under water," said Frank Rinderknecht. "Now we have made this dream come true.” Very cool.

iPhone 4 review

iPhone 4

The iPhone 4 is no small thing to review. As most readers of Engadget are well aware, in the gadget world a new piece of Apple hardware is a major event, preceded by rumors, speculation, an over-the-top announcement, and finally days, weeks, or months of anticipation from an ever-widening fan base. The iPhone 4 is certainly no exception -- in fact, it may be Apple's most successful launch yet, despite some bumps on the road. We've already seen Apple and AT&T's servers overloaded on the first day of pre-orders, the ship date for the next set of phones pushed back due to high demand, and die-hard fans in line outside of Apple locations a week before the phone is actually available. It's a lot to live up to, and the iPhone 4 is doing its best -- with features like a super-fast A4 CPU, a new front-facing camera and five megapixel shooter on the back, a completely new industrial design, and that outrageous Retina Display, no one would argue that Apple has been asleep at the wheel. So the question turns to whether or not the iPhone 4 can live up to the intense hype. Can it deliver on the promises Steve Jobs made at WWDC, and can it cement Apple's position in the marketplace in the face of mounting competition from the likes of Google and Microsoft? We have the answers to those questions -- and many more -- in our full review, so read on to find out!