What should I wear???

It is hot, muggy, and rainy in Thailand !!!!

Low today 77
High 93

I am leaving tomorrow and packed shorts and T-shirts...and one pair of Khaki slacks and one pair of blue jeans.

You must have at least one pair of pants ...to wear at the Temple.

We are not going to need a Sport Coat.......There may be a bar or restaurant that is dressy....but I am going to avoid them.... Slacks and a nice shirt is good enough for most places.

The trip is (3) weeks away and I bet Joey is already packed!!!

http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/THXX0002_f.html

DON'T FORGET YOUR BATHING SUIT!!

It could be worse, we could have went to Cancun!!!

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Clouds of locusts have descended around the Mexican beach resort of Cancun, destroying corn crops and worrying officials in a region still recovering from the devastating fury of last year's Hurricane Wilma.

Traveling in dark fogs, locusts are grasshoppers that have entered a swarming phase, capable of covering large distances and rapidly stripping fields of vegetation. "Imagine, they fly in the form of a flock. Imagine the width of a street," government official Martin Rodriguez said on Tuesday, describing the fields around Cancun on the Yucatan Peninsula.

Towns have formed pesticide-armed brigades and are winning the war against the 3-week-old plague that has left tourist areas unharmed, authorities said. Squads wait until night when the flying insects are roosting on plants to blast them. They carry motorized backpack pumps to shoot chemicals in a crusade that has affected from 2,000 to 2,500 acres of farm land.

"It is a war, effectively," said German Parra, a senior agriculture official in the Gulf state of Quintana Roo, home of tourist resorts Cancun and Playa del Carmen. Hot weather and an absence of mobility-limiting hurricanes have allowed the insects to breed more than normal but authorities hope to end the infestation in the next eight days.

The insects have focused on agricultural areas, sparing beachgoers another disaster after last year's Hurricane Wilma, which ravaged Cancun and other Caribbean coast resorts and caused hundreds of millions of dollars in damages and lost revenue. Destruction to corn crops has been lessened because the locusts came after most of the harvesting was finished, officials said.

Locusts, which typically come to the region in four-year cycles, are most famous as one of the 10 biblical plagues of Egypt. "We hope that God will take pity on us and help us," said Parra with a laugh.

Bangkok - New Airport

BANGKOK, Thailand - Fate hurled an array of obstacles to block the completion of Bangkok's new international airport — corruption scandals, a deadly fire, and even a coup — but the sleek new hub is finally opening. Built on an area known as "Cobra Swamp," the luckless Suvarnabhumi Airport will officially open its doors Thursday, more than four decades after the project originated.

Over the weekend, 99 monks and Brahmin priests performed a ceremony to apologize to the spirits of the land for any offenses committed during the construction of the airport, along with the spirits of animals who died on what was once swampland infested with snakes and other creatures.

The last hurdle came on Sept. 19: A military coup ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who had pushed for a timely completion of the airport and touted Suvarnabhumi as one of his administration's crowning achievements.

The coup has stolen the spotlight from Suvarnabhumi, which, prior to the military takeover, was the focus of international and domestic media this month.

Prior to its official opening, the airport had already hosted a few flights. Travelers departing on flights that had moved to Suvarnabhumi earlier this month were impressed by the flashy, new building.

"It's impressive," said Adrian Ahlquist, a 51-year-old Australian en route to Singapore. "It's a great improvement on the old one." The old, overcrowded Don Muang airport comprised three boxy, institutional terminals, totaling about four million square feet. The airport serviced about 60 flights per hour and 36.5 million passengers per year.

Suvarnabhumi — a name conferred by the Thai king pronounced "sue-wanna-poom," which means "Golden Land" — is 20 miles east of Bangkok in a six-million square-foot H-shaped building, with seven concourses. Thai officials claim it's the largest airport terminal building under one continuous roof.

They said Suvarnabhumi is capable of handling 76 flights per hour and 45 million passengers per year.

"It's an exaggerated statement of how far Thailand has come in terms of its development," said David Keen, a 43-year-old Briton who lives in Bangkok, after landing at Suvarnabhumi from Singapore. "It's clearly an extraordinary statement of how Thailand has moved forward and how it wants to be perceived in the rest of the world."

A 17-mile Airport Link under construction will include a direct, 15-minute express train to downtown Bangkok, and another train that will make eight stops throughout the city, taking 30 minutes to the airport. It is scheduled for completion in November 2007.

Expansive and airy, the minimalist Suvarnabhumi is constructed of steel, concrete and lots of glass that lets in natural light while keeping out the tropical heat. The oval-shaped concourse corridors are roofed by glass and white fabric panels.

First conceived in 1960, the high-profile project transformed a swamp where villagers once caught cobras for a living into a fertile ground for politicians and their cronies to profit from shady deals, allegedly ranging from land speculation to bribery and kickbacks from the $3.8 billion project.

Before construction started, government officials and businessmen with political connections bought large swaths of land and are alleged to have sold it for large profits.
The airport's high-tech baggage scanners — also called bomb scanners — had been the focus of a corruption scandal last year.

In January, a fire swept through a catering hall, killing a construction worker, on the same day that officials announced cracks were found in the main runway and that software for the bomb scanners needed some tweaking.

The coup was the final blow after decades of woes. After taking power, the ruling military leaders said repeatedly that the airport will open on schedule. The military also assigned 800 troops to the airport for 90 days to support the transfer and help with troubleshooting at Suvarnabhumi.

"It was 45 years — the longest airport project in the world," Airports of Thailand chairman Srisook Chandrangsu told The Associated Press. "It was the fastest construction project — finishing in four and a half years."

Military Coup - Are you kidding?

My first impression was "Holy Shit".....

Hui laughed at me, claiming that they have had several Military Coup's over the years and that this was probably planned for a while with the PM, to allow him to exit from office without a trial for alledged corruption.

Several other Thai friends have sent e-mails from Bangkok to let me know that everything is OK in Bangkok.

I could put a positive spin on this situation.....try to make lemonade from lemons....Can you believe how lucky my travel group is? We are going to Thailand to get a chance to see history in the making! A glimpse at the formation of a new government....I was there for the Tsunami, now we can all see the inner workings of the US State Department.....Think of the possible outcomes, we could even get transported by a military C-130 cargo plane to the safety or Australia...How cool?

My only goal for this trip was to take my buddies on a great trip....and that includes safely returning back to the USA.....if for any reason I think this Military Coup will make us change any plans because of a Curfew or Marshall Law.....I will cancel the trip immediately.

Updated News http://news.yahoo.com/fc/World/Thailand

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/5373348.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5361988.stm

I have copied and posted a few articles from the US State Department and e-mails from my friends for the group to read.....

I am leaving for Thailand Saturday September 29.....next Saturday! I have everyone's flight information and have a Limo Bus already reserved for transportation from the new Bangkok airport......I will see you at the Airport when you arrive....I will also post my emergency phone number on the BLOG when I get it next week.

I am very concerned and will post updates to the blog and send e-mails to keep everyone informed about the Coup.....as of now, the trip is still on!!!

Military Coup - Travel Concerns

Here are (2) websites.....

U.S. State Department has no travel warnings for Thailand
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html


U.S. Embassay in Thailand has updated information
http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT - THAILAND
1. This Public Announcement is being issued to alert U.S. Citizens traveling to and residing in Thailand to the recent military coup in Thailand. This Public Announcement expires December 19.

2. On September 19 a military group calling itself the Council for Democratic Reform Under the Constitutional Monarchy (CDRM) seized control of the Thai government and declared martial law. The CDRM banned any political gathering of more than five persons. The CDRM also banned the hoarding of goods or the increasing of the price of goods of any kind. The CDRM announced it will appoint a civilian government within two weeks as the first step to returning the country to democratic government.

3. The military deployed troops around key government facilities and other strategic locations, but there is little visible military presence elsewhere. There have been no indications or reports of any violence at this time.

4. Road traffic throughout the country continues to flow normally, although at reduced volumes. Public transportation is in service and all airports and most border crossings appear to be operating as normal. There have been reports of difficulty crossing the border with Burma at Mae Sot and Ranong. Americans who are scheduled to fly into or out of Thailand in the coming days are encouraged to contact their airline to ensure that the flight schedule has not been changed.

5. Given the fluidity of the current situation, the Department of State advises all American Citizens in Thailand to continue to monitor events closely, to avoid government installations and any large public gatherings and to exercise discretion when moving about.

6. The Department of State and the Embassy in Bangkok are continuing to follow developments closely. For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Internet web site at http://travel.state.gov/ where the current Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, Travel Warnings, and Public Announcements can be found. Up to date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States and Canada, or, for callers outside the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

7. American citizens traveling or residing in Thailand are encouraged to register with the Department of State or the U.S. Embassy or Consulate General. American citizens may also register at https://travelregistration.state.gov/. The Embassy is located at 95 Wireless Road in Bangkok. The American Citizen Services Unit of the U.S. Embassy can be reached by calling 66-2-205-4049 and by e-mail at ACSBKK@STATE.GOV. The Consulate General is located at 387 Wichayanond Road, Chiang Mai 50300, Thailand. The telephone number is 66-53-252-629.

Thailand Coup - Hyatt Letter

Bangkok, September 20, 2006

Military Coup in Thailand

The Council of Administrative Reform, composed of the leaders of the Armed Forces and the National Police staged a coup last night and have control over the government and private media. Army Chief General Sonthi Boonyaratkalin announced this morning at 9.30AM Thai Time that they have no intention to rule the country and will hand the power back to the people shortly. So far, there have been no reports of violence or clashes.

Wednesday, September 20 has been declared a public holiday for all government offices, schools, banks and private offices. Bangkok International Airport is operating as normal with all flight arrivals and departures as scheduled. Access to and from the airport also remains unrestricted by road.

The hotel is fully operational and it is business as usual today. There is no military presence around the hotel with the exception of a couple of soldiers posted at the entrance of the Erawan Shrine. Hotel employees have managed to come to work as scheduled and we have been dealing with guest queries throughout the morning.

We are also working closely with the team to assess the situation with each passing hour and to extend our full co-operation to our guests.

The security of our guests is and will always be our paramount concern. Our guests can be assured that we are taking appropriate measures to respond to current circumstances. Our hotel works closely with local authorities with regards to security.

We will continue to monitor the situation as it unfolds and will update you with any significant developments.

Thailand Coup - E-mail from Guide

Dear Bob

Thanks for your message and great concern and worry about me. I am fine and still very well here. the situation of Bangkok and Thailand now are fine.. it was just a little
surprise 3 days ago but today is very fine. I was on tour today and bring a tourist
around Bangkok today too.. and many of them took a photo with the military and tank
in front of the palace too, the situation just like normal day. the airport is still normal
and open like normal day.. please don' worry. they all army were pretty friendly as
well. I think they just want to change something , no fight , no war , nothing. NO
shooting people !!! they not do that !

Please don't worry about it , if something happen i will inform you immediately and
you can always call me 24 hr to my phone number and ask anything you like at

+66 84 135 6996 ( if you are calling from aboard )
084 135 6996 ( if you are calling within Thailand )

Anyway, if you want a services, please be kind to send me a message or let me know
at least 2 days in advance. thanks you very much on this point.

With Respect and Sincerely

National Geographic On Assignment

Nong Toom profile ....a true story about Thailand's, "Beautiful Boxer"

Snakes on the Plane?

http://seatguru.com/

Here are a few web site links to help you with any flight information.

SeatGuru.com, the ultimate source for airplane seating and in-flight services information.

- Do you want a seat with extra legroom? A seat with a non-restricted recline? A seat that is extra quiet?

- Would you like to compare the First Class, Business Class and Coach Class seat pitch and seat width of different airline carriers?

- Are you traveling for business and need to know which airplanes have laptop power at your seat and what type of adapter you'll need?

- Have a long flight and want to know what type of in-flight entertainment is featured on your flight and what movies are playing this month?


Cathay Pacific
http://www.cathaypacific.com/cpa/en_INTL/homepage

American Airlines
www.aa.com

What an Idiot!!!

Why didn't this guy pick France or Costa Rica?

Doesn't this world have enough problems without jerks seeking the attention of the world media.

At least the officials in Thailand handled this mess professionally and with respect........Just imagine if they placed him under arrest...and the world started protesting to "free" him from Thai Prison.....it could have been real ugly......It is amazing that of all the places in the world, he had to pick Bangkok!

What kind of sick, low-life, scumbag would even think of claiming to kill someone, when they didn't do it, just to get attention? Now he is a world wide "Celebrity"...he even has an entry in the world internet information source...Wikipedia!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Mark_Karr