bangkok tonight classifieds Bangkok teen kills taxi driver, imitating online game Grand Theft Auto
Bangkok Post reports that a Polwat Chinno, a 19 year old Mathayom 6 (12th Grade) student stabbed a taxi driver to death in Bangkok yesterday, acting out a robbery he copied from the online game Grand Theft Auto (GTA). Police were called in by the neighbors to Soi Charan Sanitwong 77 in Bang Phlad district about 2.30 am after being woken up by a constantly blowing car horn and saw people struggling inside a pink color taxi.Police arrived and saw the student trying to steer the taxi backwards, but the soi (street) was a dead end. The teen had locked himself in the car but was finally persuaded to get out of the cab.The body of the taxi driver named Mr. Kuan Pohkang, 54, from Maha Sarakham, was on the back seat. He was stabbed about 10 times by two sharp knives that were found nearby. There was blood all over the vehicle.Police said Polwat confessed to being addicted to the online game Grand Theft Auto and said killing seemed easy in the game. He imitated a scene where a criminal kills a driver for his car to escape police. The game allows people to play the role of a criminal in a big city and climb up the criminal ladder. They are given various missions to complete, such as bank robbery and assassinations."I needed money to play the game every day. My parents give me only 100 Baht a day, which is not enough. I am also fed up with them fighting. They are civil servants and do not make good money," he said."Today (Saturday) my mother gave me 500 Baht, so in the evening I went to the Lotus superstore and bought knives." He flagged down one taxi near his house on Soi Charan Sanitwong 75, but the place was crowded so he did not make a move. He tried again and was picked up by Mr. Kuan the victim, hoping the older man would not resist him.When the taxi arrived at the destination, he pulled out a knife and held it against the driver's neck. He said he did not intend to kill him but the driver reached for a metal bar under a console and tried to hit the boy. He stabbed the driver several times, killing him, then dragged the body onto the back seat and sat behind the wheel. He could not drive, but thought it would be easy like in the game. He was still struggling with the car when police arrived.Mr. Manon Pohkang, 25, the victim's son, said he was shocked by the sudden loss of his father, who was the family's bread winner and was trying to repay loans to a bank and some loan sharks. "He was a nice man, who harmed no one," he said.Polwat was charged with robbery causing death and possession of knives.Teenage kids are so addicted to online games these days that they are mixing up virtual reality with the real world. It is such a tragic incident. I hope that the government takes stricter measures to control internet cafes to avoid such an incident in future. I used to enjoy playing GTA but not on the killing part, more of the relaxed driving part with my favorite music playing in the car, and then hijacking the next car that looks cooler.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
bangkok tonight one late night in bangkok
it seems that almost 3/4 of the population in bkk moonlight as an ah-go-go boy or girl. just like how we earn easy money by giving tuition. one late night over beer, fruit tea n coffee in a 24-hr joint off silom bangkok. we were attempting to make conversations with the ah-go-go boy, ahlong. luckily, ahlong was a thai-chinese so language wasnt much of a barrier since he could converse in chinese. jan wanted him to guess our occupation so she formulated an mcq n asked him to choose :-
a) insurance agent
b) teacher
c) zookeeper
d) dentist
doesnt need a rocket scientist (let alone an ah-go-go boy) to get the correct answer, right? :o)
last june’s trip to bkk was abt the best bkk trip that i’ve ever made. more highlights in future entries.
a) insurance agent
b) teacher
c) zookeeper
d) dentist
doesnt need a rocket scientist (let alone an ah-go-go boy) to get the correct answer, right? :o)
last june’s trip to bkk was abt the best bkk trip that i’ve ever made. more highlights in future entries.
Tample in Bangkok Tours
Wat PhrakaewWat Phrakaew (with the Emerald Buddha)
and the Royal Grand Palace, are easily the most visited tourist sites in Bangkok. The complex was built during the Rattanakosin area (Bangkok), but incorporates various older architectural styles. Visitors are guided first to the Wat Phrakaew compound, and when exiting this compound enter the Royal Palace compound. Ideally one would need from 4-6 hours (with some drink stops) to cover the most important parts at leisure.Wat Arun or the 'temple of dawn' is located on the Thonburi site of the Chao Phraya river. It was once home to the Emerald Buddha. The major prang was built in the beginning of the 19th century, in what can be called Khmer-Thai style.Wat Traimit, Temple of the Golden Buddha, houses a 5 and a half ton Buddha image, which was only discovered some 50 years ago, having been plastered to avoid detection.
Wat Pho (Wat Phra Chetuphon)
BangkokWat Pho consists of a large compound just a few hundred meters south of the Royal Palace. It houses a marvellous 46 meters long, gilded reclining Buddha, in its own Vihara.Phra Maha Chedi Sri Rajakarn consists of four huge pagodas, corresponding to the reigns of the four first Thai kings of the Chakri dynasty.Wat Pho has long been involved in health. Different statues of hermits in exercise postures can be seen. At present Wat Pho is still a center for traditional Thai massage, which can be experienced in situ.The main chapel boundary wall is decorated with bas-reliefs from the Ramayana. You will see copies of the images on transparent pages all over Thailand.Wat Pho is a definite must on your visit to Bangkok.Wat Benchamabophit, BangkokAlso called the 'Marble' temple, since it is made of Carrera marble. Built by King Chulalongkorn (King Rama V) The main Buddha image is a copy of the famous Phra Phuttha Chinnarat at Phitsanulok.The gallery around Wat Benchamabophit has a substantial collection of Buddha images in different styles. They are both original Buddha images, and copies of original sculptures or bronze statues. (The image on the right here is in the 'Lopburi' style.Similar to other large temples, the compound around Wat Benchamabophit is quite spacious and makes for a pleasant walk. The monks' living quarters are quite colorful.Wat Bowonniwet, Loha Prasat, Golden Mount, Democracy Monument (Bangkok)As most other large temple complexes, Wat Bowonniwet offers, besides the religious buildings, gardens and greenery, and a possibility to get away from Bangkok's stiffling heat and congestion. An unusually large number of cats seem also to have found a home there.Loha Prasat, a quite original building, houses a Buddha relic.Golden Mount is most suitable for a visit in the late afternoon. Close to sunset, the light conditions are marvellous arond the gilded Chedi. Although only modestly elevated above the city, it offers a good view of the surroundings.Mahakan Fortress is a remnant of the old fortifications around Bangkok.Closeby is the Democracy Monument on a busy intersection. The central structure has a sculpture of a book on top, representing the constitution.Wat Suthat, Giant Swing
Wat Ratchabophit, City Hall, BangkokWat Suthat houses well known wall paintings (although rapidly deteriorating, with the best preserved ones high up the walls) and statues of Buddha surrounded by his disciples. There are some marvellous mother of pearl decorations on the doors.Closeby is a large square, with the Giant Swing, on which quite a few young men lost their live, before its use was prohibited. City Hall, a rather drab building is on the opposite site.Wat Ratchabophit is within close distance of the more visited Wat Pho. It has its own distinctive architectural style, small, with European influenced inside decorations.
Thailand's airlines facing difficult times
By Nicholas Ionides
Thailand, one of Southeast Asia's most competitive markets for low-cost airline operations, is undergoing a period of major change as high fuel prices and weakening demand force much-needed restructuring.
The biggest change of late has been the recent grounding of domestic low-cost operator One-Two-Go. It claimed it was due to a need to restructure financially but Thai authorities insist it was a forced grounding due to preliminary findings of concern from the ongoing investigation into a fatal crash at Phuket a year ago.
A forced grounding or one that was coming anyway as a result of financial woes, One-Two-Go and most other Thai airlines have been facing troubled times of late, requiring quick corrective action. It is something they are not used to the country's three low-cost airlines - the others being Nok Air and Thai AirAsia - had all seen generally good times in terms of traffic growth since their launches in 2003 and 2004. The market has roughly tripled in size since then, from around 4 million passengers annually to more than 12 million.
In the weeks before its grounding, One-Two-Go had already parked some of its Boeing MD-80-series aircraft to help it cut costs. It said it was because of high fuel prices and weak economic conditions in Thailand that were impacting demand.
Udom Tantiprasongchai, chief executive of One-Two-Go's parent Orient Thai Airlines, told Airline Business sister publication Air Transport Intelligence that the carrier had been reducing operations "because the economy is so bad".
He said fuel price hikes had hit airlines in Thailand particularly hard as the country's carriers have to pay value-added tax on fuel, unlike in some other countries. But he also said the carrier will return some of its grounded aircraft to service when the peak tourist season begins later in the year. On its website it says it hopes to be flying again in September.
One-Two-Go is not the only Thai carrier that has radically reduced operations in recent weeks, however.
Nok Air, which is 39%-owned by national carrier Thai Airways International, has also been cutting back as a result of losses. It recently suspended its only international service, from Bangkok to Hanoi in Vietnam, and suspended services on several domestic routes. It also reduced frequency on many other domestic routes and will be reducing the size of its fleet.
The carrier, which has nine Boeing 737-400s and one ATR 72, is seeking to wet-lease aircraft out to other operators as a result of its cutbacks. It recently agreed a deal to wet-lease to Myanmar Airways International a 737 for international services between Yangon and both Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. MAI had previously been wet-leasing an MD-82 from Orient Thai but this deal ended when its One-Two-Go unit was grounded.
Nok chief executive Patee Sarasin, a former advertising industry executive turned airline boss, told local media recently that if oil reaches $170 a barrel "I am better off selling noodles" - a joking reference to the fact that he owns a noodle restaurant in Bangkok.
The Sydney-based Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation says that "Nok's outlook is tenuous", adding in jest that as food prices have also been going up "Patee Sarasin might have just as much trouble selling noodles".
Analysts say one of the problems facing Thailand's low-cost carriers is they have focused so heavily on winning market share in the domestic market, which is particularly price sensitive. This has made it difficult for them to pass on higher fuel costs through increased fares as this has a particularly harsh - and immediate - effect on demand.
Thai domestic market 2008-2004
Airline
ASK share August
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
Thai Airways
52.8%
41.9%
44.9%
53.6%
59.2%
Thai AirAsia
23.2%
17.0%
13.4%
10.1%
8.1%
Bangkok Airways
15.1%
10.5%
11.9%
13.7%
11.1%
Nok Air
6.8%
14.1%
17.7%
10.6%
7.3%
Orient Thai/One Two Go*
0.8%
15.4%
10.3%
9.5%
9.2%
Others
1.4%
1.0%
1.7%
2.6%
5.1%
NOTE: *Orient Thai and One Two Go Airlines missing data for 2008.SOURCE: Innovata.
"The Thai domestic market is small and a big portion is transfer traffic from Bangkok which they can't get," says Mark Webb, a Hong Kong-based airline analyst. "It's hard to see how anyone makes money on it."
Nok and One-Two-Go have faced particularly tough times as they now rely exclusively on domestic operations (although One-Two-Go's parent Orient Thai operates limited international services).
Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia's 49%-owned Thai associate, Thai AirAsia, has also been losing money as a result of market over-saturation. Analysts have generally been critical of the carrier and its continuing weak financial state when compared to that of the main Malaysian operation, although some say it is in a somewhat better position than its rivals within Thailand as it also focuses on international services to better balance things.
AirAsia group head of finance Rozman Bin Omar says he sees things eventually turning better in Thailand as well as in Indonesia, where it has another 49%-owned associate carrier.
"Recently there have been some shake-ups in the industry in Indonesia and Thailand with some airlines cutting back capacity and even closing down," he says. "This bodes well for our Indonesian and Thai JVs. We remain strong in these two markets and our position will be even stronger as we replace the older 737s with the new Airbus A320s."
Full-service carrier Bangkok Airways, meanwhile, says it is not making cuts to domestic routes as a good portion of its traffic is feed from international services. It focuses more on this higher-yield traffic, much of it from foreign connecting passengers, and links several resort destinations. Analysts say this puts it in a better position than the budget carriers but they note that political instability could impact inbound tourism and in turn affect Bangkok Airways as well.
The airline says it is making some international route cuts to help it deal with increases in fuel prices, but stresses that this will enable it to allocate capacity elsewhere where demand is stronger. It adds that it will be suspending services between Bangkok and Shenzhen in China on 15 August and suspending services between Bangkok and Fukuoka in Japan on 1 October. In addition, Bangkok Airways will reduce frequency between Bangkok and Hiroshima in Japan on 1 October to two flights per week from three.
"Everyone has to tighten their belts now," says Bankgkok Airways. "We are going over all the routes that make the least money and we will adjust our network as we need to. But we are looking to increase our flights in other areas and we will announce those when they are ready."
Thai Airways, meanwhile, relies more than most other Thai carriers on international traffic, including those transferring to its domestic flights which it scaled back radically several years ago.
However, it too has been making international network cuts as a result of rapidly eroding earnings. It recently said it would sell its ultra-long-range Airbus A340-500s and has dropped non-stop services from Bangkok to New York. Bangkok-Los Angeles will also be switched to one-stop services soon and the carrier has reduced the frequency of services to several other international destinations.
Thai says that despite continuing increases in revenues, yields have been falling as its ticket and fuel surcharge hikes have not been able to keep up with fuel price rises.
Thai domestic market 2008-2004
Airline
Weekly seats available August
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
Thai Airways
135,001
132,598
142,598
155,019
162,682
Thai AirAsia
54,552
50,820
38,962
26,866
22,344
Bangkok Airways
46,699
40,671
45,937
49,320
36,110
Nok Air
17,324
44,349
57,567
29,800
20,860
Orient Thai/One Two Go*
1,800
45,732
32,760
26,740
23,684
Others
4,880
4,354
6,352
8,890
17,116
NOTES: *Orient Thai and One Two Go Airlines missing data for 2008.SOURCE: Innovata.
Analysts say Thai's business model, which is focused largely on long-haul leisure traffic, leaves it at a disadvantage in the current environment to other Asia-Pacific flag carriers. Singapore Airlines, for example, focuses far more on high-yield business traffic, which allows it to pass on fuel price hikes to passengers more easily.
Thai's board is increasingly concerned about the carrier's deteriorating financial state. In June, at a tense board meeting at which directors discussed how the national carrier is in "crisis" due to rising costs, president Apinan Sumanaseni was abruptly stripped of his management powers, which at Thai is the equivalent of being sacked.
The airline's chairman stepped in and managed to convince several fellow board members to reconsider the move and Apinan was promptly reinstated. But whether he will survive another ousting attempt by board members opposed to him remaining in the job is still in question.
The carrier said in a stock exchange announcement that Apinan will from now on be under "close monitoring by the board of directors". With the market undergoing such a dramatic period of uncertainty, this is probably something all other airline boards in Thailand are doing with their top managers as well.
Thailand, one of Southeast Asia's most competitive markets for low-cost airline operations, is undergoing a period of major change as high fuel prices and weakening demand force much-needed restructuring.
The biggest change of late has been the recent grounding of domestic low-cost operator One-Two-Go. It claimed it was due to a need to restructure financially but Thai authorities insist it was a forced grounding due to preliminary findings of concern from the ongoing investigation into a fatal crash at Phuket a year ago.
A forced grounding or one that was coming anyway as a result of financial woes, One-Two-Go and most other Thai airlines have been facing troubled times of late, requiring quick corrective action. It is something they are not used to the country's three low-cost airlines - the others being Nok Air and Thai AirAsia - had all seen generally good times in terms of traffic growth since their launches in 2003 and 2004. The market has roughly tripled in size since then, from around 4 million passengers annually to more than 12 million.
In the weeks before its grounding, One-Two-Go had already parked some of its Boeing MD-80-series aircraft to help it cut costs. It said it was because of high fuel prices and weak economic conditions in Thailand that were impacting demand.
Udom Tantiprasongchai, chief executive of One-Two-Go's parent Orient Thai Airlines, told Airline Business sister publication Air Transport Intelligence that the carrier had been reducing operations "because the economy is so bad".
He said fuel price hikes had hit airlines in Thailand particularly hard as the country's carriers have to pay value-added tax on fuel, unlike in some other countries. But he also said the carrier will return some of its grounded aircraft to service when the peak tourist season begins later in the year. On its website it says it hopes to be flying again in September.
One-Two-Go is not the only Thai carrier that has radically reduced operations in recent weeks, however.
Nok Air, which is 39%-owned by national carrier Thai Airways International, has also been cutting back as a result of losses. It recently suspended its only international service, from Bangkok to Hanoi in Vietnam, and suspended services on several domestic routes. It also reduced frequency on many other domestic routes and will be reducing the size of its fleet.
The carrier, which has nine Boeing 737-400s and one ATR 72, is seeking to wet-lease aircraft out to other operators as a result of its cutbacks. It recently agreed a deal to wet-lease to Myanmar Airways International a 737 for international services between Yangon and both Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. MAI had previously been wet-leasing an MD-82 from Orient Thai but this deal ended when its One-Two-Go unit was grounded.
Nok chief executive Patee Sarasin, a former advertising industry executive turned airline boss, told local media recently that if oil reaches $170 a barrel "I am better off selling noodles" - a joking reference to the fact that he owns a noodle restaurant in Bangkok.
The Sydney-based Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation says that "Nok's outlook is tenuous", adding in jest that as food prices have also been going up "Patee Sarasin might have just as much trouble selling noodles".
Analysts say one of the problems facing Thailand's low-cost carriers is they have focused so heavily on winning market share in the domestic market, which is particularly price sensitive. This has made it difficult for them to pass on higher fuel costs through increased fares as this has a particularly harsh - and immediate - effect on demand.
Thai domestic market 2008-2004
Airline
ASK share August
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
Thai Airways
52.8%
41.9%
44.9%
53.6%
59.2%
Thai AirAsia
23.2%
17.0%
13.4%
10.1%
8.1%
Bangkok Airways
15.1%
10.5%
11.9%
13.7%
11.1%
Nok Air
6.8%
14.1%
17.7%
10.6%
7.3%
Orient Thai/One Two Go*
0.8%
15.4%
10.3%
9.5%
9.2%
Others
1.4%
1.0%
1.7%
2.6%
5.1%
NOTE: *Orient Thai and One Two Go Airlines missing data for 2008.SOURCE: Innovata.
"The Thai domestic market is small and a big portion is transfer traffic from Bangkok which they can't get," says Mark Webb, a Hong Kong-based airline analyst. "It's hard to see how anyone makes money on it."
Nok and One-Two-Go have faced particularly tough times as they now rely exclusively on domestic operations (although One-Two-Go's parent Orient Thai operates limited international services).
Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia's 49%-owned Thai associate, Thai AirAsia, has also been losing money as a result of market over-saturation. Analysts have generally been critical of the carrier and its continuing weak financial state when compared to that of the main Malaysian operation, although some say it is in a somewhat better position than its rivals within Thailand as it also focuses on international services to better balance things.
AirAsia group head of finance Rozman Bin Omar says he sees things eventually turning better in Thailand as well as in Indonesia, where it has another 49%-owned associate carrier.
"Recently there have been some shake-ups in the industry in Indonesia and Thailand with some airlines cutting back capacity and even closing down," he says. "This bodes well for our Indonesian and Thai JVs. We remain strong in these two markets and our position will be even stronger as we replace the older 737s with the new Airbus A320s."
Full-service carrier Bangkok Airways, meanwhile, says it is not making cuts to domestic routes as a good portion of its traffic is feed from international services. It focuses more on this higher-yield traffic, much of it from foreign connecting passengers, and links several resort destinations. Analysts say this puts it in a better position than the budget carriers but they note that political instability could impact inbound tourism and in turn affect Bangkok Airways as well.
The airline says it is making some international route cuts to help it deal with increases in fuel prices, but stresses that this will enable it to allocate capacity elsewhere where demand is stronger. It adds that it will be suspending services between Bangkok and Shenzhen in China on 15 August and suspending services between Bangkok and Fukuoka in Japan on 1 October. In addition, Bangkok Airways will reduce frequency between Bangkok and Hiroshima in Japan on 1 October to two flights per week from three.
"Everyone has to tighten their belts now," says Bankgkok Airways. "We are going over all the routes that make the least money and we will adjust our network as we need to. But we are looking to increase our flights in other areas and we will announce those when they are ready."
Thai Airways, meanwhile, relies more than most other Thai carriers on international traffic, including those transferring to its domestic flights which it scaled back radically several years ago.
However, it too has been making international network cuts as a result of rapidly eroding earnings. It recently said it would sell its ultra-long-range Airbus A340-500s and has dropped non-stop services from Bangkok to New York. Bangkok-Los Angeles will also be switched to one-stop services soon and the carrier has reduced the frequency of services to several other international destinations.
Thai says that despite continuing increases in revenues, yields have been falling as its ticket and fuel surcharge hikes have not been able to keep up with fuel price rises.
Thai domestic market 2008-2004
Airline
Weekly seats available August
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
Thai Airways
135,001
132,598
142,598
155,019
162,682
Thai AirAsia
54,552
50,820
38,962
26,866
22,344
Bangkok Airways
46,699
40,671
45,937
49,320
36,110
Nok Air
17,324
44,349
57,567
29,800
20,860
Orient Thai/One Two Go*
1,800
45,732
32,760
26,740
23,684
Others
4,880
4,354
6,352
8,890
17,116
NOTES: *Orient Thai and One Two Go Airlines missing data for 2008.SOURCE: Innovata.
Analysts say Thai's business model, which is focused largely on long-haul leisure traffic, leaves it at a disadvantage in the current environment to other Asia-Pacific flag carriers. Singapore Airlines, for example, focuses far more on high-yield business traffic, which allows it to pass on fuel price hikes to passengers more easily.
Thai's board is increasingly concerned about the carrier's deteriorating financial state. In June, at a tense board meeting at which directors discussed how the national carrier is in "crisis" due to rising costs, president Apinan Sumanaseni was abruptly stripped of his management powers, which at Thai is the equivalent of being sacked.
The airline's chairman stepped in and managed to convince several fellow board members to reconsider the move and Apinan was promptly reinstated. But whether he will survive another ousting attempt by board members opposed to him remaining in the job is still in question.
The carrier said in a stock exchange announcement that Apinan will from now on be under "close monitoring by the board of directors". With the market undergoing such a dramatic period of uncertainty, this is probably something all other airline boards in Thailand are doing with their top managers as well.
Home Mortgage Loans for Foreigners with Bangkok Bank
Home Mortgage Loans for Foreigners with Bangkok Bank
A foreigner in Thailand desiring to buy a house, a condo, or land must be in possession of a resident permit, passport, work permit, house registration, and foreigner voucher. They also need to have income of at least 200,000 baht per month. If a foreigner abides by these conditions, he or she can buy property in Thailand and mortgage the property with Bangkok Bank. The mortgage documents will not need to be sent to Singapore for review.
If the foreigner is not in possession of the required documents, yet desires to have property in Thailand, the foreigner will need to marry a Thai national, and have the Thai buy the property in his place. However, the foreigner cannot be owner of the property, i.e. claim title deed rights to the property. The mortgage documents will also need to be sent to Singapore.
Bangkok Bank will provide a loan of not more than 70% of the requested loan to foreigners for purchasing a house with property, a town house, a condo, or construction of a home. The bank’s mortgage assessment guidelines depend on the assessment of the Land Department and the market price. Processing a request for mortgage credit takes around 14 working days.
In the event a foreigner has possessory rights to Nor Sor 3 land, the foreigner can request a mortgage loan from Bangkok Bank if the foreigner provides evidence of land ownership or possessory rights.
The fee for registering a mortgage at the Land Department is the responsibility of the borrower. The rate is 1 percent of the mortgage price.
Request for mortgage credit for buying land must be for construction of a home on the land only, in an appropriate location, and not more than 1 rai.
For more information, please contact Bangkok Bank directly at 333 Silom Road, Bangkok 10500, email info@bangkokbank.com, tel + 66 (0) 2 230 1000 or 66 (0) 2 231 4333.
A foreigner in Thailand desiring to buy a house, a condo, or land must be in possession of a resident permit, passport, work permit, house registration, and foreigner voucher. They also need to have income of at least 200,000 baht per month. If a foreigner abides by these conditions, he or she can buy property in Thailand and mortgage the property with Bangkok Bank. The mortgage documents will not need to be sent to Singapore for review.
If the foreigner is not in possession of the required documents, yet desires to have property in Thailand, the foreigner will need to marry a Thai national, and have the Thai buy the property in his place. However, the foreigner cannot be owner of the property, i.e. claim title deed rights to the property. The mortgage documents will also need to be sent to Singapore.
Bangkok Bank will provide a loan of not more than 70% of the requested loan to foreigners for purchasing a house with property, a town house, a condo, or construction of a home. The bank’s mortgage assessment guidelines depend on the assessment of the Land Department and the market price. Processing a request for mortgage credit takes around 14 working days.
In the event a foreigner has possessory rights to Nor Sor 3 land, the foreigner can request a mortgage loan from Bangkok Bank if the foreigner provides evidence of land ownership or possessory rights.
The fee for registering a mortgage at the Land Department is the responsibility of the borrower. The rate is 1 percent of the mortgage price.
Request for mortgage credit for buying land must be for construction of a home on the land only, in an appropriate location, and not more than 1 rai.
For more information, please contact Bangkok Bank directly at 333 Silom Road, Bangkok 10500, email info@bangkokbank.com, tel + 66 (0) 2 230 1000 or 66 (0) 2 231 4333.
Bangkok Bistro: Thai Food at its Best
by Adam
I am rather reluctant to write this food blog because I don’t want to reveal this hidden gem to the Boston Food World-at-Large.Bangkok Bistro: Thai Cuisine. Do not be fooled by the restaurant’s décor. Outside the restaurant is pink. Inside, the walls are a turquoise green, there are fish tanks everywhere, pictures of Bangkok, etc. Endure this, and you will be rewarded with the best Thai food I have ever tasted. Seriously. If you can make it to the restaurant for lunch (they are not open for lunch on Monday, but these specials apply for the weekend as well), then you should order off of their lunch specials menu. For $8.95 (the price has gone up recently) you get a bowl of Tom Yum Soup (the best version of the soup I’ve ever had), an entrée and a side appetizer. Even at $9 it is still worth it. Even though I’ve had the Tom Yum Soup multiple times, every time I eat it I am still hit by the spices and immediately have a coughing attack that lasts for a minute exactly. But I can’t help myself…the soup is too good to let a little tickle in my throat stop me. The lunch version of the soup contains 2 pieces of chicken and 1 shrimp. If you order it separately you can specify chicken or shrimp and then you get more meat. They add mushrooms right before serving and, even though I’m not really a mushroom fan, I love them in this soup. A tip if you are ordering this soup to take-out is to ask them to include the mushrooms on the side and then they do not shrivel up in the hot broth! I know my stuff.For the appetizer sides, I highly recommend three: the spring rolls, the golden triangles, and the chicken wings. The spring rolls are crunchy and delicious…but after one of them I am usually satisfied. So what I like to do is ask for 1 spring roll and 1 golden triangle: the best of both worlds! The golden triangle is also crunchy but contains a vegetable puree inside that nicely offsets the sweet dipping sauce it is served with. While the chicken wings look very similar to a chicken wing you would order at a Chinese restaurant, the spice rub they add gives them a unique taste—I would say a little curry and a little cumin might be used.The entrée portion at lunch is nicely sized. I have 2 favorites—Pad Thai and Yellow Curry with either beef or chicken depending on my mood. The Pad Thai is slightly sweet and contains big pieces of chicken and small shrimps. They do not overload it with too many peanuts or bean sprouts—something I appreciate very much. The Yellow Curry is served with a generous portion of rice. The sauce contains potatoes and pineapple. Mostly I order the yellow curry because I like the pineapple and potatoes it comes with—there are many other curries (red, green, masaman, basil, “wild wild wild,” choo chee, mango, panang…) and they are served with other vegetables (eggplant, peppers, bamboo, onion, carrot, baby corns).I love the people that run Bangkok Bistro. I frequent the restaurant so much that they have come to recognize me when I come in. Their customer service is wonderful, and on occasion, they have provided us with a sampling of some of their favorites dishes: their shumai (shrimp dumplings) are tender little bites of goodness, the satay (both chicken and beef) are well flavored and come with cucumber sauce and peanut sauce. Tip: If you order the Bistro Sampler you get the best of all of their appetizers. Finally, their Thai iced tea (although too sweet for me) is a favorite with many other visitors.I have also been to the restaurant for dinner, and while you don’t get the same deal as the lunch special, the food is just as good at night! My advice for dining there at night is this: bring a friend or a date who will have a good sense of humor about the décor, order the Tom Yum Soup (if you cough like I do when you eat it, it will be a great ice breaker), order a sweet dish and a spicy dish (they can make their drunken noodle dish VERY spicy on request) and share a great evening of food and fun! Bangkok Bistro gets an A.
I am rather reluctant to write this food blog because I don’t want to reveal this hidden gem to the Boston Food World-at-Large.Bangkok Bistro: Thai Cuisine. Do not be fooled by the restaurant’s décor. Outside the restaurant is pink. Inside, the walls are a turquoise green, there are fish tanks everywhere, pictures of Bangkok, etc. Endure this, and you will be rewarded with the best Thai food I have ever tasted. Seriously. If you can make it to the restaurant for lunch (they are not open for lunch on Monday, but these specials apply for the weekend as well), then you should order off of their lunch specials menu. For $8.95 (the price has gone up recently) you get a bowl of Tom Yum Soup (the best version of the soup I’ve ever had), an entrée and a side appetizer. Even at $9 it is still worth it. Even though I’ve had the Tom Yum Soup multiple times, every time I eat it I am still hit by the spices and immediately have a coughing attack that lasts for a minute exactly. But I can’t help myself…the soup is too good to let a little tickle in my throat stop me. The lunch version of the soup contains 2 pieces of chicken and 1 shrimp. If you order it separately you can specify chicken or shrimp and then you get more meat. They add mushrooms right before serving and, even though I’m not really a mushroom fan, I love them in this soup. A tip if you are ordering this soup to take-out is to ask them to include the mushrooms on the side and then they do not shrivel up in the hot broth! I know my stuff.For the appetizer sides, I highly recommend three: the spring rolls, the golden triangles, and the chicken wings. The spring rolls are crunchy and delicious…but after one of them I am usually satisfied. So what I like to do is ask for 1 spring roll and 1 golden triangle: the best of both worlds! The golden triangle is also crunchy but contains a vegetable puree inside that nicely offsets the sweet dipping sauce it is served with. While the chicken wings look very similar to a chicken wing you would order at a Chinese restaurant, the spice rub they add gives them a unique taste—I would say a little curry and a little cumin might be used.The entrée portion at lunch is nicely sized. I have 2 favorites—Pad Thai and Yellow Curry with either beef or chicken depending on my mood. The Pad Thai is slightly sweet and contains big pieces of chicken and small shrimps. They do not overload it with too many peanuts or bean sprouts—something I appreciate very much. The Yellow Curry is served with a generous portion of rice. The sauce contains potatoes and pineapple. Mostly I order the yellow curry because I like the pineapple and potatoes it comes with—there are many other curries (red, green, masaman, basil, “wild wild wild,” choo chee, mango, panang…) and they are served with other vegetables (eggplant, peppers, bamboo, onion, carrot, baby corns).I love the people that run Bangkok Bistro. I frequent the restaurant so much that they have come to recognize me when I come in. Their customer service is wonderful, and on occasion, they have provided us with a sampling of some of their favorites dishes: their shumai (shrimp dumplings) are tender little bites of goodness, the satay (both chicken and beef) are well flavored and come with cucumber sauce and peanut sauce. Tip: If you order the Bistro Sampler you get the best of all of their appetizers. Finally, their Thai iced tea (although too sweet for me) is a favorite with many other visitors.I have also been to the restaurant for dinner, and while you don’t get the same deal as the lunch special, the food is just as good at night! My advice for dining there at night is this: bring a friend or a date who will have a good sense of humor about the décor, order the Tom Yum Soup (if you cough like I do when you eat it, it will be a great ice breaker), order a sweet dish and a spicy dish (they can make their drunken noodle dish VERY spicy on request) and share a great evening of food and fun! Bangkok Bistro gets an A.
99 years Bangkok Hilton for teenage drug smuggler
Micheal Cornell, a 19 year old British youngster has been sentenced to 99 years Bangkok Hilton by a Thailand court, which translates in imprisoned for live at Klong Prem prison, nicknamed "The Bangkok Hilton".
The father of the British boy now starting to serve his 99 year "Bangkok Hilton" sentence in Thailand for drug smuggling said today he was "absolutely devastated" by the sentence past on his son.
Michael Connell, 19, was arrested at Bangkok Don Muang airport last November when 3400 class-1 ecstasy tablets were found hidden in 2 body lotion containers in his luggage.
Connell, from Bury, Greater Manchester, escaped the death sentence in Thailand, by admitting yesterday to the Bangkok court, that he was trying to smuggle 2,9 million Baht (US$ 74,500) worth of drugs into Thailand. The sentence passed on him yesterday, was 99 years imprisonment at the "Bangkok Hilton".
Micheal's father, Derek Connell, said the family had hoped for a sentence of only 25 years, after pleating guilty, and said they planned to appeal the judgment of the Bangkok court.
Derek Connell further said: "We had been told that the death penalty or live imprisonment would be reduced to only 50 years and even maybe to 25 years because of the young age of Micheal."
"But that didn't happen. Micheal admitted to his crime and the Thailand justice department hit him with the full 99 years. I'm devastated but what can we do? We will appeal the decision and just take it from there on.", Derek added
Mr Derek Connell, a 48-year-old British taxi driver, has visited his son only once in the prison in Thailand but could not be present for the sentencing yesterday. He was told the terrible news by a British Embassy official and has not been able to speak to his son since the sentence was passed yesterday.
He said his son, who is currently held at Klong Prem prison, which is dubbed the "Bangkok Hilton", writes regular letters to the family which describe the prison's conditions as "bad" but does not mention any further details.
"When I visited the "Bangkok Hilton" jail they take you to the prison area they want you to see, a little area which has tropical plants and little ponds with "Koi Carp" fish in them. But it is a complete different story in the actual jail. People who have seen the conditions say they are horrendous, worse than you can imagine Hell.", Derek Connell said.
Mr Connell, who lives in Bury, admits he believe his son tried to smuggled the drugs into Thailand to pay off a small debt.
He said: "Michael is 19 but has a mental age of a 14 old. From what I can gather, he got into debt, probably just a few hundred pounds, and he was persuaded to smuggle the tablets to Thailand to pay off the debt. Micheal is very naive and he has learning difficulties, so he was the perfect target for drug dealers that always need someone to do their dirty courier work.
The father of the British boy now starting to serve his 99 year "Bangkok Hilton" sentence in Thailand for drug smuggling said today he was "absolutely devastated" by the sentence past on his son.
Michael Connell, 19, was arrested at Bangkok Don Muang airport last November when 3400 class-1 ecstasy tablets were found hidden in 2 body lotion containers in his luggage.
Connell, from Bury, Greater Manchester, escaped the death sentence in Thailand, by admitting yesterday to the Bangkok court, that he was trying to smuggle 2,9 million Baht (US$ 74,500) worth of drugs into Thailand. The sentence passed on him yesterday, was 99 years imprisonment at the "Bangkok Hilton".
Micheal's father, Derek Connell, said the family had hoped for a sentence of only 25 years, after pleating guilty, and said they planned to appeal the judgment of the Bangkok court.
Derek Connell further said: "We had been told that the death penalty or live imprisonment would be reduced to only 50 years and even maybe to 25 years because of the young age of Micheal."
"But that didn't happen. Micheal admitted to his crime and the Thailand justice department hit him with the full 99 years. I'm devastated but what can we do? We will appeal the decision and just take it from there on.", Derek added
Mr Derek Connell, a 48-year-old British taxi driver, has visited his son only once in the prison in Thailand but could not be present for the sentencing yesterday. He was told the terrible news by a British Embassy official and has not been able to speak to his son since the sentence was passed yesterday.
He said his son, who is currently held at Klong Prem prison, which is dubbed the "Bangkok Hilton", writes regular letters to the family which describe the prison's conditions as "bad" but does not mention any further details.
"When I visited the "Bangkok Hilton" jail they take you to the prison area they want you to see, a little area which has tropical plants and little ponds with "Koi Carp" fish in them. But it is a complete different story in the actual jail. People who have seen the conditions say they are horrendous, worse than you can imagine Hell.", Derek Connell said.
Mr Connell, who lives in Bury, admits he believe his son tried to smuggled the drugs into Thailand to pay off a small debt.
He said: "Michael is 19 but has a mental age of a 14 old. From what I can gather, he got into debt, probably just a few hundred pounds, and he was persuaded to smuggle the tablets to Thailand to pay off the debt. Micheal is very naive and he has learning difficulties, so he was the perfect target for drug dealers that always need someone to do their dirty courier work.
Bangkok Hilton
Bangkok Hilton is a six-part Australian mini-series, made in 1989 by director Ken Cameron. In 2000 it was released on DVD in the United Kingdom, with a four-and-a-half hour running time; there is also another DVD edition with a drastically shortened length. The title of the mini-series is, in the story, the nickname of a fictional Bangkok prison in which the protagonist is imprisoned.
There are actually three hotels in Bangkok currently affiliated with the Hilton Hotels Corporation: Millennium Hilton Bangkok, Conrad Bangkok and Conrad Residences. At the time the movie was made, Hilton International Bangkok (opened in 1983) was also in business. It is now owned by Raffles International and is known as Nai Lert Park Bangkok.
Bangkok thailand airport
Notice - from September 28, 2006 at 3am all commercial flights in and out of Thailand, and also all domestic flights land and depart from Bangkok's new International Airport - Suvarnabhumi, Since then the airport hotel is the Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel - end Notice -
This review is valid only while Don Muang is still in full commercial operation - Bangkok Airport is split into three major terminals, two International (1 and 2) and the domestic terminal. Don Muang as it is called, may not be the most sophisticated airport in the world but it works, and is well spread out with handy electronic walk ways, throughout the airport.
All three terminals are connected land side via air conditioned passage way, it would take roughly 20 minutes to walk from the domestic terminal to International terminal 1.
Inside the airport there are food and beverage outlets, even pubs to help you pass the time. However most of these are before you pass through immigration. In between terminal 1 and 2 you will find on the second level, Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, a Thai restaurant, and a couple of Pubs the best of which is the Hofbrauhaus.
Once however you have passed through immigration, which can take a long time depending what time you actually are departing your choice is very limited. There is a Kentucky Fried Chicken, which can be found close to the security pass for gates 40-49, and there is also a small restaurant style cafeteria which is on the second level, upstairs. The choice is very limited and consists of mainly a few Thai dishes. There are also a few little cafe style cafeterias dotted around the airport, which serve delicacies such as hot dogs and a few sandwiches. Other than that, the only other place for food and beverage, would really be the lounges which you can only access, if a) your are travelling in the appropriate class (namely business or first), b) you are a "Gold" card member with that airlines frequent flyer programme, c) You belong to a club such as Priority or d) you pay.
Depending what time your flight is leaving, passing through immigration can take anywhere from 5 minutes to 40 minutes or even longer. As I write this I am sat aboard Thai airways and the queue in immigration was frightening, a whole group of tourists seemed to descend upon the immigration queues, just as I arrived. There are ways to avoid these minor inconveniences, if you are travelling Thai, and you are in business or first class then the ladies and gentlemen in white coats (no jokes please !) will escort you through immigration without you even having to queue. These kind people can be found at the special check in areas, for first and business class Thai Airways, some other airlines do also offer this 'Fast Track' service so check with the airline when you check in .
Once you have passed through immigration you can then either go to the lounge (if applicable as stated above), go shopping, or simply laze around.
The lounges at Don Muang are generally very good, yet basic, with a lot of airlines having just finished their lounge renovations, most lounges at this airport are non smoking. One exception to this is Thai. Thai has three lounges for business class passengers and the one situated in the middle of the airport offers guests a smoking lounge on the upper floor, as does their newest lounge which offers great views of the airport.
As for shopping at Don Muang, the airport consists of one Duty Free outlet, King Power Duty Free. All general Duty Free items are available at reasonable prices. There are other shops scattered around, however it generally tends to be cheaper to buy the same goods in downtown Bangkok, especially such as books etc. so do think about what you need to take back before leaving.
The Domestic terminal is very simple, they have a very basic Thai airways business class lounge, and about three Burger Kings in the one terminal !
Book shops can be found in each of the terminals but as mentioned before the choice is limited and more often than not the same book may have been cheaper downtown.
If you are arriving at Bangkok International Airport, you will be able to buy Duty Free before passing through customs. These shops are just after immigration and are located at either end of the baggage reclaim area. Cigarettes are a good buy with a packet of Dunhill International Red costing 490 Baht but alcohol tends to be a little expensive, a bottle of Balvenie 10 yo will cost you roughly 1,600 Baht. Wine is definitely expensive so if you enjoy a good claret then bring it in with you.
If you are meeting friends at the airport be SURE to ask which way out of customs you should turn. At the domestic terminal this will not be a problem however in both the International Terminals this can cause confusion and mild panic, as you can turn both right and left ! Generally the meeting area is on the left if you have your back to customs, however the right side is always less crowded and you will find your friends/family much easier here
This review is valid only while Don Muang is still in full commercial operation - Bangkok Airport is split into three major terminals, two International (1 and 2) and the domestic terminal. Don Muang as it is called, may not be the most sophisticated airport in the world but it works, and is well spread out with handy electronic walk ways, throughout the airport.
All three terminals are connected land side via air conditioned passage way, it would take roughly 20 minutes to walk from the domestic terminal to International terminal 1.
Inside the airport there are food and beverage outlets, even pubs to help you pass the time. However most of these are before you pass through immigration. In between terminal 1 and 2 you will find on the second level, Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut, a Thai restaurant, and a couple of Pubs the best of which is the Hofbrauhaus.
Once however you have passed through immigration, which can take a long time depending what time you actually are departing your choice is very limited. There is a Kentucky Fried Chicken, which can be found close to the security pass for gates 40-49, and there is also a small restaurant style cafeteria which is on the second level, upstairs. The choice is very limited and consists of mainly a few Thai dishes. There are also a few little cafe style cafeterias dotted around the airport, which serve delicacies such as hot dogs and a few sandwiches. Other than that, the only other place for food and beverage, would really be the lounges which you can only access, if a) your are travelling in the appropriate class (namely business or first), b) you are a "Gold" card member with that airlines frequent flyer programme, c) You belong to a club such as Priority or d) you pay.
Depending what time your flight is leaving, passing through immigration can take anywhere from 5 minutes to 40 minutes or even longer. As I write this I am sat aboard Thai airways and the queue in immigration was frightening, a whole group of tourists seemed to descend upon the immigration queues, just as I arrived. There are ways to avoid these minor inconveniences, if you are travelling Thai, and you are in business or first class then the ladies and gentlemen in white coats (no jokes please !) will escort you through immigration without you even having to queue. These kind people can be found at the special check in areas, for first and business class Thai Airways, some other airlines do also offer this 'Fast Track' service so check with the airline when you check in .
Once you have passed through immigration you can then either go to the lounge (if applicable as stated above), go shopping, or simply laze around.
The lounges at Don Muang are generally very good, yet basic, with a lot of airlines having just finished their lounge renovations, most lounges at this airport are non smoking. One exception to this is Thai. Thai has three lounges for business class passengers and the one situated in the middle of the airport offers guests a smoking lounge on the upper floor, as does their newest lounge which offers great views of the airport.
As for shopping at Don Muang, the airport consists of one Duty Free outlet, King Power Duty Free. All general Duty Free items are available at reasonable prices. There are other shops scattered around, however it generally tends to be cheaper to buy the same goods in downtown Bangkok, especially such as books etc. so do think about what you need to take back before leaving.
The Domestic terminal is very simple, they have a very basic Thai airways business class lounge, and about three Burger Kings in the one terminal !
Book shops can be found in each of the terminals but as mentioned before the choice is limited and more often than not the same book may have been cheaper downtown.
If you are arriving at Bangkok International Airport, you will be able to buy Duty Free before passing through customs. These shops are just after immigration and are located at either end of the baggage reclaim area. Cigarettes are a good buy with a packet of Dunhill International Red costing 490 Baht but alcohol tends to be a little expensive, a bottle of Balvenie 10 yo will cost you roughly 1,600 Baht. Wine is definitely expensive so if you enjoy a good claret then bring it in with you.
If you are meeting friends at the airport be SURE to ask which way out of customs you should turn. At the domestic terminal this will not be a problem however in both the International Terminals this can cause confusion and mild panic, as you can turn both right and left ! Generally the meeting area is on the left if you have your back to customs, however the right side is always less crowded and you will find your friends/family much easier here
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