From Melborne to Phuket

PHUKET, 13 September 2013: Jetstar will operate direct flights from Melbourne to Phuket 14 December this year.
The new route will operate every Saturday and Sunday with a third weekly service to be introduced from March 2014.

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The Sesame Seed Burns Before The Cashew Nut Cooks

Sean had an agreement with his parents.  If he worked hard and applied himself at University, then they would fund his summer trips.  On graduation, provided he had finally decided on a plan for his future, and there had been no problems on his summer trips, he could have a gap year.

The first year, after sixth form, he chose Thailand.  It was cheap and had a reputation.  He wanted sex, as well as enlightenment.  He was expecting to have problems, be robbed or conned.  He hoped to have casual sex.  After all he was eighteen and horny, and his experience limited.  But he wasn’t expecting to get close to anyone, certainly not a bar boy.  But then he met Tam.  Tam shared his life, in ways Sean hadn’t wanted and by the end of his trip accepted Tam’s lifestyle.

A year later Sean returns, against all odds having kept in touch with Tam.  A year older, but maybe not a year wiser.  He reluctantly agrees to join Tam on a trip to his home village where Tam wants to visit his ‘teacher’.  A journey to the far north east of Thailand, to Isaan.  A journey that would be a challenge in ways Sean never dreamt.

The ‘teacher’ turns out to be an Isaan Black Magic Master, or so he claims.  The truth is revealed and both Tam and Sean have to reevaluate their beliefs.

What they both realise is that it’s time to put the past behind them, start afresh and ensure that they act on things before it is too late.  After all, the sesame seed burns before the cashew nut cooks; don’t let issues hang around too long or they’ll burn you.

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Crystal Hill Garden Resort - Special Offer For Buddhist Lent

Crystal Hill Garden Resort - September Deals

Crystal Hill Garden Resort - Standard Rates

British Consular service Changes Direction

Dear LOCATE registrant,
Consular Excellence: Important changes to consular registration
Millions of British people travel abroad every year. Most have a journey free from trouble and do not need consular services. However sometimes things go wrong and British nationals can be victims of serious crime, require hospitalisation or be caught up in a major crisis. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is committed to doing its utmost to assist British nationals in serious difficulties abroad. The FCO has staff in 146 cities around the world ready and able to provide assistance when necessary, often in tragic circumstances.
On 18 April 2013 the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has launched a new consular strategy for 2013 to 2016 titled “Consular Excellence”. This strategy will drive innovation and excellence in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s consular service over the next three years.
As part of this strategy the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is also responding to what British nationals have said about how they want to stay informed about crisis and security situations when overseas. The FCO is updating its systems to offer a wide array of ways to stay in touch on these issues, including via email updates of the FCO’s country-specific travel advice or by following FCO on social media.
So every British National going abroad will have access to up-to-date country-specific travel advice at any time. We encourage you to subscribe to this free service so you will be alerted by email when there are important updates. This is a fast and effective method already used by nearly 34000 email subscribers. During a crisis our advice to British nationals will be published on our travel advice website and updated regularly. It is particularly important to consult travel advice if you are considering travel to: Afghanistan, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Iraq, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen. You can also follow us on social media so that wherever you go, you can stay informed and stay safe. We encourage you to follow us on Twitter @fcotravel and on Facebook: www.facebook.com/fcotravel. Your local British Embassy or High Commission also has a website and may additionally have its own social media feeds and/or consular warden network. Contact details for all of our diplomatic posts are available on our website. We have also produced some new guidance on precautions to take if you are travelling to or resident in areas where a crisis may occur.
In effect, the FCO is moving from a system where British nationals are encouraged to register when they travel in case there is a crisis, to one where we are using a number of channels to give the latest information and advice on what you should do if you need our help in a crisis and how to contact the FCO’s crisis response team. This faster and more practical system supersedes the Locate system, which is used by less than 1% of British nationals overseas so does not offer what we need to help British nationals in a crisis. From 14 May we will no longer use the LOCATE system, instead using our resources to improve our travel advice service and focus on those who most need our help.
Your personal data which is stored on LOCATE will be handled in line with data protection legislation. If you have any questions about these changes you can contact us by emailing consdirlocateenquiries@fco.gov.uk until 14 May.
The new Consular Strategy is available on GOV.UK at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/consular-strategy in accordance with Government Digital by Default principles. It will be a dynamic document that will be updated as we achieve our aims and set future targets.
Crisis Management Department, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The Fifth Man - Latest Book From Robert Bell

Paul and Frank thought with the death of Matthias, they had Final Closure. But they realized they were missing someone, the mastermind. They didn't believe they had everyone, and no one was talking.

The Fifth Man is a sequel to Final Closure. Paul and Frank look for the the puppet master.

Meanwhile, Chai has his new job and sets up his new undercover team. They find the first cases are not only linked, but linked back to the Matthias case, and further to early Thai Diamond History.

Diamond Detectives cut their teeth on new cases, but everyone wants the Fifth Man. The problem is, even though they become certain of who it is, how do they prove it in a court of law. Karen suggests the Bratislava solution. 

By Robert Bell

Published by Thai Diamond Books

Rating: Not yet rated. 

Published: April 21, 2013 

Words: 54,104 (approximate)

Language: English

ISBN: 9781301240494

US$3.99 from smashwords

Save 25% with coupon code KK29V until April 30, 2013

Domestic Flight Prices reduced

Both Thai Smile and Nok Air have announced price reductions.


BANGKOK, 22 April 2013: Nok Air offers lower fares on domestic routes for travel 29 April to 31 January.
The one-way trip Bt 1,099 fare, inclusive of airport tax, is applicable ex-Bangkok to Phitsanulok, Nakhon Phanom, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Chumphon, Ranong, Chiang Mai–Mae Hong Son, and Chiang Mai–Mae Sot routes.
On other designated routes the one-way fare is pegged at Bt1,199. They are: Chiang Rai; Chiang Mai; Hat Yai; Phuket; Sakon Nakhon; Nakhon Si Thammarat; Trang; Surat Thani; Buri Ram; Loei; Mae Sot; Nan; Phrae; Roi Et; Chiang Mai–Hat Yai; and Chiang Mai–Udon Thani routes.

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BANGKOK, 22 April 2013: Thai Smile offers lower fares on domestic routes for travel up until 31 July to boost business during a low-peak period.
The Summer Smile promotion sells a one-way  fare, exclusive of airport tax, ex-Bangkok, to Chiang Mai starting at Bt1,755 on weekdays (Monday to Thursday) and Bt1,820 on weekend (Friday to Sunday).
To Udon Thani, the airline sells a one-way fare at Bt1,620 and Bt1,680; Ubon Ratchathani at Bt1,750 and Bt1,770; Krabi at Bt2,020 and Bt2,100; Phuket Bt2,095 and Bt2,180; and Surat Thani Bt1,295 and Bt2,000. (Weekdays and weekends respectively)

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Thai Holiday Season Starts

Thailand celebrates Chakri Day, 6 April, that marks the  founding of the Chakri dynasty that spans more than 200 years when Bangkok was first established as the nation’s capital.
HM the King  Bhumibol Adulyadej is the ninth king of the dynasty and also the longest reigning monarch in the world.
Ceremonies will be held at Temple of the Emerald Buddha and other temples throughout the country to mark this auspicious day.
Banks, commercial and government offices will be closed Monday 8 April as the holiday falls on a Saturday.

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Udon - A Three Starbucks Town

With the opening of the LANDMARK center  Udon boasts three Starbucks.  The first at Central Plaza.  The second at UD Town [with a nice outdoor seating area] and the third at the new Landmark center which is home of Tukcom Udon and very nearly open 'Villa Market'

What next.....

Songkran Early Bird Special at Crystal Hill Garden Resort

Thai Tourist News

Laos considers joining single visa system

Lao PDR says it will consider joining Thailand and Cambodia’s single visa scheme launched late last year saying it will help to boost Mekong region tourism.

Alcohol Free Songkran - Really Guys!!


Areas of the Thai capital will go alcohol-free during the popular Songkran festival 12 to 17 April according to Thai authorities.
Coconuts Bangkok and Thaivisa.com identified the alcohol dry spots as Khao San, Rama Nine and Silom roads. Parts of Pattaya and Phuket will also be designated alcohol-free.

New service to Ranong

Nok Air will introduce a new service to Ranong, 15 May, that will make it more convenient for gamblers to visit a casino located on an island off Victoria Point, Myanmar, a short boat ride from Ranong.

Thai Smile Goes Regional


THAI Smile managing director, Woranate Laprabang said: “We will add three routes in India — Bangkok to Ahmedabad, Phuket to New Delhi, and Phuket to Mumbai — with two weekly flights each.”
The Ahmedabad route will start 31 March, New Delhi, 1 April and Mumbai , 3 April.  In addition, the airline will launch five weekly flights from Bangkok to Mandalay in Myanmar, 31 March and four weekly flights from Phuket to Kuala Lumpur, 2 April.

Thailand Accused of Honey Laundering And More News

China is flooding markets worldwide with cheap sweeteners mislabelled as honey - and using Thailand to do it, accounts from the US said on Thursday.

The case against Chinese honey exports has been building for months.
Unscrupulous businesses in China are producing sweet products containing tiny amounts of real honey and packed with corn and rice syrup, malt sweeteners and raw sugar, said a report on the Business Insider site


The deception has grown more complicated recently, the story said, because when US regulators placed punitive import duties on Chinese honey exporters for dumping, the Chinese began sending their products through neighbouring countries, including Thailand.
The "laundered" honey thus appears to come from Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand or other neighbours.

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Pantip Plaza aims to ban pirate goods

READ MORE AT BANGKOK POST

Air AsiaX has sought Thai authorities' approval for an air operator's certificate to operate regular flights from Bangkok to South Korea and Japan, highly competitive routes with strong demand and growth potential.
The airline intends to deploy two Airbus A330-300 wide-body jets, configured with 377 seats (12 in business and 365 in economy), on those routes starting in October, industry sources say.

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Myanmar will allow tourists to exchange its kyat currency  with two more foreign currencies; the Chinese yuan and Thai baht by the end of this month.
Currently, Myanmar’s state and private banks has an official exchange rate between kyat and the  euro,  US dollar and Singapore dollar.

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Elephant Trunks

Elephant Trunks is also on the move to Nibblebit.

Effective at the end of the month Elephant Trunks will be at 

http://elephantstrunks.nibblebit.com/

Thai Diamond Books

I have been informed by Robert Bell that Thai Diamond Books is moving from blogger to nibblebit. 

The new url is 

http://thaidiamondbooks.nibblebit.com

The links from this blog have been updated.

Robert's site at moonfruit will combine with the new blog so all information will be available in one place.

The new nibblebit blog is up and running now.  The existing blog will continue for a few days