Scoot on the move

Singapore's Scoot is shifting its base from Suvarnabhumi airport to Don Mueang to pave the way for a major consolidation before its newly formed joint venture with Thailand's Nok Air takes off.
Scoot is to start operating from Bangkok's older airport in May, while NokScoot — 49% owned by Scoot and 51% by Nok Air — will begin services from the same airport in July. 

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Thakhek, Laos

Last week I made a trip to Thakhek/Koummane in Laos, just across the border from Nakon Phanom.

My second visit, but some new finds.  The Sabaidee restaurant in the town square (at the River end) proved a good place to eat.  Their breakfast surpassed the one at Inthira where I stayed the first night. And their burger and fries, served on a generous portion of baguette, not a bun, and home made fries is definitely worth a try.

Second night I stayed at the Inter Guest House which is about a 5 minute walk from the town square.  At 260Baht was definite value compared with the other two hotels I've used, even if the bed was on the hard side.

Planing on a return trip next month

Chinese New Year at Crystal Hill Garden Resort - 25% off air con rooms

Save on Air Con Rooms

More Air Fare Reductions - Thai cuts prices

THAI Airways International is discounting fares on selected routes by around 40% to boost travel until the end of March.

The promotion “Loving THAI” sells a roundtrip fare, excusive of airport taxes and surcharge, to Hong Kong starting at Bt6,600 from Bangkok or Phuket

Nok Air Happy Chinese New Year promotion

Book between January 27 and 31 for travel between Feb 26 and Oct 25.  One way fares from 999Baht - includes Bangkok-Udon Thani.
See more here

Thai News

The Election Commission will propose that the Feb 2 election be delayed for six months at talks with caretaker Prime Minister Shinawatra tomorrow, Somchai Srisuthiyakorn, commissioner in charge of election management, said on Monday.

Army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha regrets the death of Suthin Tharatin, a core leader of the People's Democratic Force to Overthrow Thaksinism, in a clash near a polling station in Bang Na on Sunday and will work with the Centre for Managing Peace and Order (CMPO) about stepping up security measures, army spokesman Col Winthai Suwari announced on Monday.

Japanese tourists have cancelled plans to visit Thailand after the invocation of emergency decree in Bangkok and surrounding provinces on Wednesday, president of Thai-Japan Tourism Association Anek Sricheewachart said on Saturday.

Advance voting for the national election was disrupted yesterday by violence, with the murder of an anti-government protest leader and a dozen people injured. This includes voters who wanted to cast ballots. Police have said they will boost security, with 10 times the number of guards for the election next Sunday (February 2), which the government insists will go ahead.

More cold weather on the way

TEMPERATURES in the Northeast will drop by another 3-5 degrees Celsius next week because of a new high-pressure front moving in from China, which will cover most of Thailand by Monday and Tuesday, the state weather-forecast agency reported yesterday. Many areas in the North and Northeast have already been covered by frost.

READ MORE AT THE NATION

TG Smile slashes fares

THAI Smile cuts domestic fares until the end of February.
Domestic airlines are feeling the pinch from protests in Bangkok as travellers’ concern grow over home security and a general perception that it is not an ideal time to plan a domestic holiday. There are also national elections looming 2 February and with it fears that violence at polling stations will be inevitable.
UDON THANI FROM 1,550 EXCLUDING TAX
READ MORE AT TTR WEEKLY

COLDEST WEATHER FOR 30 YEARS IN BANGKOK

The temperature in the Thai capital Bangkok fell to its lowest in decades Thursday, during an unusually cold winter that has already claimed 63 lives in northern parts of the country, the government said.

READ MORE AT THE NATION

New Thai - Laos Bus Connection

Thailand’s Transport Co Ltd introduced a new bus route, last week, linking Thailand’s Loei province and Luang Prabang via Xayaboury in Laos.
Transport Company Limited manager, Kriangkrai Kaewkanya, said the new route was a response to travel demand between Loei in Thailand’s northeast region and Luang Prabang, the top destination in Laos.

The daily bus service takes nine hours to reach Luang Prabang. It’s the shortest bus route between Thailand and Luang Prabang.

Read More at TTR

Fare cut on flights to Udon from Bangkok

Bangkok Airways cuts economy class fares for travel from Bangkok to the Northeast destination Udon Thani, until the end of April this year.
The promotion sells a one-way fare, exclusive of airport taxes and ex-Bangkok, to Udon Thani at Bt1,390 (return fare double).
Passengers can book the promotion until 10 February for travel up to 30 April this year. The fare saves around 22% off the standard rate.
Currently, Bangkok Airways is offering twice daily nonstop flights from Bangkok to Udon Thani and will add a flight in February.

Udon is the nearest town to the Thai-Laos border at Nong Khai with an airport. Many travellers buy a roundtrip domestic fare to Udon and then travel by mini-bus to the border (80 km) and then by bus to Vientiane in Laos.

Cold Weather Returns

People in the upper half of the country should brace for another cold snap this week.

"There will be strong wind too," the Meteorological Department forecast yesterday.

The North, Northeast, Central region and the East will see the mercury drop by five to seven degrees Celsius from today until Thursday due to the influence of a high-pressure ridge.

READ MORE AT THE NATION 

If You Can’t Stand the Fun, Stay Out of the Go-Go

By Will Peskett

Go-go bars as a cultural asset, dentists, chicken's feet, soapy massage, trousers, being struck by lightning, tattoos, luck, breast enhancements, beards and being a foreigner—these are just some of the aspects of living in Pattaya, Thailand's most exciting city, that come within range of this lively and revealing book.

Originally published in the leading fortnightly Pattaya Today, each chapter takes a light-hearted but incisive look at the quirky side of living in a city that is unusual even by Thai standards. Local characters come and go, but none receives closer attention than the author's long-suffering wife whose innocence provides the perfect balance for her husband's merciless wit.

For those who want to know what it's really like living in paradise, or for those fellow residents who want to compare notes with another foreigner filled with wonderment, joy and occasional confusion, If you can't stand the fun, stay out of the go-go is the perfect Pattaya primer.

Available at Smashwords

In the Thainews

Manila - Filipinos travelling to Thailand have been told to shun red or yellow items to avoid being caught up in the political unrest there, the Philippine embassy in Bangkok said.

READ MORE AT THE NATION

CHIANG MAI ZOO and panda fans have expressed relief and resumed their attentive wait for the country's second native-born panda cub after a recent ultrasound test finally showed that giant panda Lin Hui is carrying an embryo.

READ MORE AT THE NATION

The Foreign Ministry of Kuwait has urged all Kuwaiti nationals in Thailand to leave the country before next Monday - the day Bangkok is set to be shut down by anti-government protesters

READ MORE AT THE BANGKOK POST

Airports to remain open

Anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee leader, Suthep Thaugsuban, says the “Bangkok shutdown” 13 January will not target tourists who will be allowed to travel freely to and from airports even through intersections blocked to other traffic.
Mr Suthep gave the assurance Tuesday that Suvarnabhumi and Don Meuang airports and transport terminals will not be sealed off. Public transport will operate as usual, he promised.

“The protest will not close airports, railways, and transport …we will allow tour buses  use a single traffic lane that will be opened for buses, emergency services and ambulances.”


READ MORE AT TTR WEEKLY

In The News

CHON BURI - A video clip has circulated online showing what appears to be a policeman slapping a female tourist in Pattaya.
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Three people were killed and 10 others injured in a shooting at Mor Chit 2 Bus Terminal early Wednesday, police said. A fight broke out between a rival teenage motorcycle gang and people living nearBY
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After four days of the so-called "seven dangerous days" of New Year, the 2013-14 holiday period has claimed 209 lives and injured 1,931 persons in a total of 1,818 road accidents, the Road Safety Centre reported yesterday.

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63 nabbed for alcohol ads and drinks

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