Since February this year Thai Railways or The State Railway of Thailand(SRT) to be more correct, has been offering the option of booking tickets online. Slowly more trains/routes have been added, although the system is currently limited to buying tickets on Express and Special Express trains in either sleeping or sitting 2nd class air con carriages.This facility is provided by a secure web site, Thai railway ticket, on which you need to register before bookings can be made. Payments can be... Read Full Story

If I posed the question, "What are your Perceptions of Corruption in Thailand?" I wonder what your answer would be compared say with the USA, UK or other countries in the Asia Pacific region."Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. It hurts everyone whose life, livelihood or happiness depends on the integrity of people in a position of authority."Okay first a little exercise. Please answer my original question. Use a scale of 1-10, with a low score indicating that your... Read Full Story

In a surprise move six major retailers in Phuket Thailand have announced that from 4th December 2009 they will start charging for plastic bags, currently given away free with shopping.The six retailers, Tesco-Lotus, Big C, Makro, Central, Supercheap and Jungceylon are expected to charge 1 or 2 Baht (2p-4p) a bag.Personally I welcome this move which broadly fits in with the policy of Tesco UK and hope that it will spread throughout Thailand. Ever since I have lived here in this beautiful coun... Read Full Story

I have been following a thread on Thai Visa recently in which the poster asked this question, "Thailand, is it really cheaper to live here." Now the poster was comparing Thailand and Australia but I though I would do a similar experiment based on the UK and Thailand. So my question is, "Thailand, is it really cheaper than the UK?"For my comparison I have looked the cost of utilities, weekly shopping bill, running a car, the Internet, a phone, eating out and medical care. I set my monthly bu... Read Full Story

People really seem to have an obsession with lucky numbers in Thailand. Whether its the State run Thai lottery or a religious ceremony such as a wedding or funeral, numbers always play an important part. In the West this seems less important although I guess a few folk probably avoided travelling last Friday since it was the 13th November!Lucky numbers can turn up in all sorts of place in Thailand, its not unheard of for ghosts and spirits to provide them including winning lottery predicti... Read Full Story

In a week that has seen me get my first Thai drivers licence I thought it might be appropriate to finish the week by revisiting the thorny issue of road safety in Thailand.So why is road safety in Thailand a thorny issue? I suppose the simple answer to this question is because it accounts for the largest number of deaths in the country outside illness and natural causes.The largest contributory factors to Thailand's appalling road safety record has to be lack of effective driver training and... Read Full Story

Thailand does not have a centrally organised professional emergency medical and rescue service. Instead volunteer organisations fill the void. These are staffed in the main by volunteers who see the opportunity to help injured folk as a way of increasing personal karma in the Buddhist faith.Since Thailand's rescue services are voluntary with little regulation they are also open to abuse. Often referred to as Buddhist body snatchers, volunteer groups have been known to fight over territorial ... Read Full Story

EFL teachers and students who are looking for pre-made lesson plans and courses can find many quality educational materials online. There are courses and lessons available for learners at almost any level. Here are 10 free English language and literature courses to explore:Online English Language Course - 1-language.com offers a four-part online English course with more than 70 study units. The course is split into four levels: starter, elementary, pre-intermediate, and upper intermediate.Beg... Read Full Story

Today I got my first Thai drivers licence. The process was fairly painless but I thought I would share my experiences in the hope that it might help you should you need to apply. First a few facts.Why do I need a Thai drivers licence? Thailand only recognises International Drivers Licences as an alternative to a Thai Licence. There is however a catch to driving on an International Licence because Thai law states that it should only be used as a temporary measure ideal for a tourist visit... Read Full Story

Today I got my first Thai drivers licence. The process was fairly painless but I thought I would share my experiences in the hope that it might help you should you need to apply. First a few facts.Why do I need a Thai drivers licence? Thailand only recognises International Drivers Licences as an alternative to a Thai Licence. There is however a catch to driving on an International Licence because Thai law states that it should only be used as a temporary measure ideal for a tourist visit... Read Full Story