Re: Hatyai,Thailand For Sawadee Newbies
 

This is the location for the 300 to 400 baht bonk! I know that i have posted this before but this CNY not every body can get a "cheap" bonk so hope this helps!

http://img250.imageshack.us/img250/7...htplace0dq.jpg

Wish that every can have a good bonk!!!!:p

Re: Hatyai,Thailand For Sawadee Newbies
 

yipee! Dailo...yipee!!!!:D
i am so happy!!

Re: Hatyai,Thailand For Sawadee Newbies
 

There will be quite a few of us there, pm me your no. and one of us can contact u.

Re: Hatyai,Thailand For Sawadee Newbies
 

easy la..
just give KLK contact lo..
kekeke

Re: Hatyai,Thailand For Sawadee Newbies
 

Re: Again....
 

Sunday
January 8, 2006

Two Thai policemen killed in insurgency in south

BANGKOK (Reuters) -- Insurgents killed two policemen in the Muslim-dominated south of Thailand on Saturday and a bomb wounded three people, including a Malaysian, in the latest attacks in the restive region, police said.

The policemen were on duty in a market in the southern province of Yala when two gunmen opened fire, killed the officers and stole their weapons, a police official said.

In another incident on Saturday, a bomb exploded at a tea shop and slightly wounded three people in the town of Sungkai Kolok, on the border with Malaysia, police said.

"One of them is a Malaysian and other two are the tea shop owner and a customer," a police spokesman told Reuters.

Gun and bomb attacks have killed more than 1,000 people and become a part of daily life in Thailand's three southernmost provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat since violence flared in January 2004.

The presence of 30,000 soldiers and police in the region, where 80 percent of the people are Muslim, has mostly angered local southerners who have complained of unfair treatment at the hands of Bangkok officials.

A Singapore-based security expert warned last week that Bangkok could face a terrorist attack within a year as tension rises between Muslim and Buddhist communities in Thailand's south, home to most of the country's 6 million Muslims.

Thailand's 63 million people are mostly Buddhist.

Rohan Gunaratna, a security analyst at the Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies (IDSS), said the Thai government needs to expand its intelligence network, engage the country's Muslim political leadership and work with Malaysia to stop the spread of cross-border terrorism.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has dismissed the threat of an attack in Bangkok and his government insists it is making progress in ending the unrest.

Re: Sunday info
 

THAILANDS TOP 5 SEX DESTINATIONS
1) PATTAYA Here's a city with more places to find a woman than places to find a newspaper. Family-type tourists are shocked by Pattaya Beach and the seedy bar-beers and a-go-gos that make Vegas seem like a Montana ranch. Tourists seeking sun, white beaches and clean water are well-advised to amend their itineraries. But there's a seedy funkiness found here. The place seems to revel in its anti-hipness. When the U.S. Navy's in town, the resort swells to 15,000 or more hookers, some from as far away as Chiang Mai. An entire soi in South Pattaya is "zoned" for gay entertainment- Boystown. Pattaya may be Thailand's gay mecca. For the greatest variety of sexual entertainment options, without having to deal with Bangkok traffic to find them, Pattaya ranks as Thailand's premier sex destination. It receives our grand prize as the Pagan of Siam.

2) BANGKOK This is where it all started-as far as foreigners are concerned. GIs on R&R from the war in Vietnam transformed a haven for Asian sex seekers into a den of sin, American style, by overrunning the recently developed red-light Patpong area. For sheer outrageousness and variety of sexual entertainment options, Bangkok is perhaps unsurpassed in the world. The city's Patpong area is the most legendary sexual mecca on the planet, where anything and anyone-despicably, at any age-can be had for a price. Elsewhere, sickeningly, bogus "escort" and "guide" services provide children as young as 10 years old for short-time sex. Child prostitution and slavery is the biggest boil on Thailand's back, and nowhere is it in more abundance than in Bangkok. From 200-baht short-time hookers to 30,000-baht call girls, from the a-go-gos of Nana Plaza to the tea houses of Chinatown, from full body massages to secret snuff sessions, Bangkok is the big reason why at least 70 percent of all foreigners who visit Thailand are male. But Bangkok is a huge, rank city with the worst traffic problem in Asia, if not the world. It can take an hour to move only a few hundred meters. The City of Angels is rapidly losing its appeal as a hub for Southeast Asian tourism, as more and more potential visitors are asking themselves: Why bother? But the city's fleshpots will continue to prosper, even in the worst of times.

3) PHUKET Slowly becoming a shadow of its former self for sex tourists, more and more sun seekers and conventional vacation tourists are overrunning this idyllic tropical island. Bar-beers and sexotic shops are beginning to close up shop, as the fear of AIDS is keeping increasing numbers of sex seekers away. Patong Beach is where the action is, with a number of a-go-gos and perhaps 100 bar-beers. A much younger clientele is found down here than in Bangkok. But Phuket is becoming expensive, and so are its girls. Gays will have a more difficult time consummating their pursuits in Phuket than any other sex destination in Thailand.

4) CHIANG MAI It's a shame people target Chiang Mai as a sex destination, with so many other things to do in the magnificent region of Northern Thailand. And not many folks do, fortunately. As a sex destination for farangs, Chiang Mai's offerings pale in comparison with Pattaya, Bangkok and Phuket. The options are quite limited and confined to a very small section of the city. But if it's sex you're seeking, you'll easily find it here. The number of sex tourists has dramatically fallen off in recent years, according to the locals, as well as tourists in general. The traffic problem is getting worse here, as companies relocate here from Bangkok, seeking to escape the capital's chaos and myriad pollution and mobility limitations. Problem is, they're bringing those problems with them.

5) HAT YAI A boom town, but a sexual and touristic backwater. Few farangs come here to get laid. Hat Yai is a huge sex stop-but instead for Thai Muslim insurgents and horny, Koran-circumventing Malaysians who hop across the border once a week to get a nut and go shopping. Hat Yai has none of the bar-beers and a-go-gos found in Thailand's other sex stops. Instead, girls are offered at hotels, barbershops, hair salons and the region's vast number of songs-or brothels-which outnumber 7-11s by about 11 to 7. Many of the hilltribe girls bought out from their families by sex slavers end up in the southern provinces. Some don't see the light of day for years, until their debt is paid off.

Re: Hatyai
 

Hatyai – anxiously referred to as the Land of Dreams where local women from all over Thailand come to seek better lives and men from all over South East Asia come to have their sorry hearts broken.

Hatyai – eagerly referred to as the Anchor of Activities where sex is as common as shopping and visiting massage parlors is as common as visiting temples.

Hatyai - jokingly referred to as the City of Fakes where men wear fake Rolex watches, fake Dunhill belts and fake Bally shoes while women carry fake Louis Vutton bags, wear fake Channel blouses, fake Levis jeans and put on fake Christian Dior perfumes. To say the extreme, you can even find women with “fake” beauty, from their nose jobs to their double eyelids, from their breasts to their private parts. Even virginity can be faked!

Being the third largest city in Thailand and one of the most common getaway for Asians, it is a pity that Hatyai has never been listed as a tourist destination for the Western tourists.

Re: Hatyai Story telling time
 

I was in Hat Yai over a year ago, so things may have changed, but for
the record I offer the following information: Hat Yai is a town on the
border with Malaysia and does a booming trade with sex tourists from
Malaysia. The town has a bit of a wild west type flavour to it, and
while I wouldn't describe it as overtly dangerous, you should, of
course, take the usual precautions with money etc.

I stayed at the Cathay Guest House above the Magical Tour Co on Nipat Uthit
Rd. Good clean place, reasonably priced and usually full of backpackers.
The old woman at the desk will usually go knocking on the doors of all
single male guests around 8-10pm most nights - failing this you can always
speak to her directly, or anyone behind the front desk. She offered a girl
for b1,200, which is a little expensive, but the time was from 4pm until
9am the following day. I graciously acepted and soon after a rather plump,
but attractive, girl arrived and I proceeded to get my money's worth.
Well, that is to say I would have, had I not been so loaded up on speed.
Anyone who has ever tried to fuck on speed will know that it can be an
impossible task. Eventually though, I did manage the act.

Back to the point; it was expensive but the girl was good at her job and
pleasant enough. It also eliminated the hassle of going out and looking
for something elsewhere and then bringing her back to the hotel. Also, the
hotel is a reputable one, and therefore I figured they would be unlikely to
supply me with a girl who would rip me off.

There are many "Barber Shops" and massage parlours all over the city with
the same one way mirror set-up as elsewhere in Thailand. I wouldn't travel
to Hat Yai especially for the women given what is on offer everywhere else
in Thailand, but if you're in the neighbourhood, or happen to be passing
through, then a stay of one or two days would probably be a good
investment. there are plenty o places to shop around, plenty of attractive
women to screw and basically the whole place (just like all of Thailand
really) exists for you to fuck.
Happy Hunting!!

Re: Hatyai Story telling time 2
 

Hat Yai is a major travel junction on the Malaysia/Thailand overland
route, and many Western visitors to this southern Thai metropolis are
just waiting for a minibus transfer or a share taxi or train outta
there. However, due to its proximity to the wealthy centers of western
Malaysia, Hat Yai has more than its share of professional carnal
delights. It's an Asian scene, with massage parlours, karaoke and
hotel services, rather than the bar-pickup scene found in farang
destinations like Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket. If you can remember to
smile, treat people with respect and speak a little Thai if possible
(even badly), you'll have a great time, without the jaded tourist
hustle of some of the more heavily-travelled areas.

If you are travelling from Bangkok to Penang, and plan to take a train
(safe & comfortable), book an overnight sleeper to Hat Yai instead and
you'll save the exorbitant surcharges of the International
Express. The IE runs once a day, but you have a choice of five trains
a day to Hat Yai. Overnight there, enjoy yourself, and take a
share-taxi or minibus to Penang the next day. This never seems to
occur to many travellers, but most travellers seem more fixated on
cheap hotel rooms and banana pancakes than gorgeous young Thai women
with smooth-as-silk skin, ripe firm young tits and asses so firm that
you could bounce a five-baht coin off them. Ah well, to each their
own, but in Hat Yai, I leave the glum backpackers to their fruit
smoothies and head off in search of great cheap food (Malay, Thai,
Chinese, etc) and heavenly little cuties to pleasure my protruding
prong. Onward!

HOTELS: The central area is rather small and you will find many hotels
on and around Niphat Uthit Roads 1, 2 and 3. Most bellhops will pitch
girls to unaccompanied males in the elevator on the way to the room;
if not, just ask. Try the King's Hotel, where rooms are B250-400 (a
note on prices: all my Thai travels occurred before the baht
devaluation of mid-97, when the baht was pegged to the US dollar at
B25=3DUS$1. Prices are bound to have risen, as the baht now hovers at
B37=3DUS$1. Farang prices in Thailand vary, based on your bargaining
skills, the phase of the moon, and other factors). My first night
here, I accepted the bellhop's offer of an all-night girl for B1200,
a bit pricey as I specifically requested "smoke" (head), which is
still a bit of foreign concept in Thailand, the head being the highest
part of the body and sacred in Buddhism, but if you're reading this
far you should know that already! Anyway, she was delivered to my
room: a 7 or 8, late-twenties, a bit fleshy, fine firm tits and a
striking Bettie Page-type haircut which I wish more Thai girls would
adopt. She jumped in the shower and we went after it with condom
(again, if you're reading this far, you know to wear those
"one-finger gloves" when sportfucking). After I'd cum once, I
hopped in the shower myself, only to be joined by her. Cleanliness is
important in Thailand, and showering often with fragrant Lux body soap
is one of the charms of the entire experience; the girls do not
appreciate sweaty, dirty men and you'll have a much better
experience if you smile, joke around and keep it clean, you know what
I mean. Soap was deployed, suds flew about and the tiled bathroom
reverberated with laughter. We spent the next few hours fucking in
various positions, hopping in and out of the shower, and eating some
exquisite crab-fried rice which she ordered up from room
service. After eating, I suddenly remembered that I hadn't gotten
the head I'd requested, so that was her dessert; she was obviously
uncomfortable with the process (not part of her repertoire), but
delivered a passable, condom-free blowjob which resulted in orgasm
#3. After this, it was the usual "all-night" deal, as she said she
would leave and come back at 2 or 3 AM. This is why I seldom take Thai
girls all-night; they satisfy you, then go out and hustle short-times
and come back when they feel like it, so they can fuck you in the
morning (which ain't so bad), eat breakfast with you, etc. I'd
rather sleep alone, get my own breakfast and prowl around the next
day...some girls will of course stay all night, or all week if you
want, but a lot of working girls aren't willing to pass up "rush
hour" just to hang out with you. Don't take it personal; there are
few professions where people approach the midpoints of their careers
at age twenty-five or so. Anyway, I simply cut her loose, with a small
tip as a +++en of my appreciation.

Hilltribe girls 'sold' into prostitution by their families
 

Bro Taurus,

We had debated about the 'fact' that some hilltribe girls were 'sold' by their families because of poverty and that they are 'bonded' to the 'farms' until their debts (including interest charged) are fully paid off.

Some bros had disputed this 'statement' and stated that such things don't exist anymore.

What is your view on this subject ?

Re: Hilltribe girls 'sold' into prostitution by their families
 

what i think is that there will still be supply becoz of demands...
unless there are no more hill tribes families..
and there will still be bastards or OKTs or agents trying to lure 'innocent and naive' young gals into this trade and trying each and every ways to rip off their youth in exchange for fast bucks...
only my personal view...

Re: Hilltribe girls 'sold' into prostitution by their families
 

Maybe, if you all like reading..you can visit these websites:

[1] Collection of reports on Thailand's sex trade:

http://www.uri.edu/artsci/wms/hughes/thailand.htm

[2] Read from page 14 onwards:

http://www.iepfpd.org/images/files/T...port_Final.pdf

[3] Read this UNICEF report from page 11 ~ 14:

www.unicef.org/vietnam/childse.pdf

To me, it is still existing but you may not easily find them in Hatyai. So far, I was approached by those OKT's that offered underaged hill tribe girls [age 12 ~ 13] when I was in Golok way back in 1990. Of course lah, me no like young girls one..didi also can not stand! So declined loh.

To what I have seen [limited experience from such a short stay in Hatyai] those Hatyai WL's dun have features or resemble any of those Northern hill tribes [Meo and Lishu]. Most have Chiangmai / Chiangrai looks [Thai Yai], of course lah very pretty loh. :D

SOUTH: FROM GUERRILLAS TO TERRORISTS-New face of violence
 

Report from The Nation dated Monday 9 January 2006 :-

SOUTH: FROM GUERRILLAS TO TERRORISTS-New face of violence : More Muslims than Buddhists being killed; battleground shifts from jungle to streets

While the nature of the insurgency has evolved from guerrilla tactics to urban warfare - in which militants are organised into small, independent cells - the authorities have failed to adapt. Instead they are continuing with the same security mandate and are treating the violence as, more or less, a conventional threat.

The previous generation of militants clashed with troops in remote hills and the jungle, but today’s violence is concentrated more on soft targets and religious sites. Yet the country’s policymakers and their security chiefs regard this shift as a “minor and insignificant difference”.

At a recent Chulalongkorn University seminar, an Army colonel from the Internal Security Operation Command (ISOC) dismissed outright any review of the security mandate and the tactics being used to tackle the violence.

To this particular colonel, the current generation of insurgents is carrying out the same guerrilla-style hit-and-run tactics and roadside bombings, followed by gunfights. So what is the big deal?

Maybe so. But a closer look at police data from the two years of incidents shows that most of the violence is occurring in towns and cities, which contrasts greatly to the activities of the previous generation of insurgents who clashed with government troops in remote hills and mountains.

Just as notably, and contrary to popular perception, most of the victims are local ethnic Malay Muslims, not Thai Buddhists. Ninth Police Region records show that more than half of the non-security personnel assassinated over the two years are Muslims. In Pattani, Muslim casualties number 330 against 141 Buddhists; in Yala it is 222 to 99; and in Narathiwat the figures are 1,406 to 237.

Officials say they believe many of the Muslim victims were either government informants or civil servants, and thus deemed acceptable targets to this generation of insurgents.

Conversely, most of the security officers killed in the line of duty, such as on patrol, were Buddhists - seeing as the forces assigned to the region come from all parts of the country.

According to the Fourth Army Region, between January 4, 2004 and January 4, 2006, a total of 1,076 people have died and 1,600 injured in the region. These deaths and injuries, inflicted by both government forces and the insurgents, were related to the separatist campaign.

Moreover, the collateral damage over the past two years has reached unprecedented proportions, as insurgents turn their guns more and more on non-security personnel.

Sydney Jones of the Brussels-based International Crisis Group has warned that if the conflict is perceived as one between Buddhists and Muslims it could drag foreign radical Islamic groups into what many perceive is a local issue.

Another disturbing point, warns Kumar Ramakrishna of the Singapore-based Institute of Defence and Security Studies, is that the Malay-speaking southern provinces may be heading along the dangerous path of religious conflict that will see Buddhists pitted against Muslims as more and more religious sites, temples and monks come under attack.

As he notes, the violence being directed against Thai Buddhist civilians today seems to be a departure from earlier methods in which the insurgents limited their attacks to security and government targets.

A tally of the incidents and the victims between January 2004 and November 2005 clearly indicates that the religious sector, both sites and people, are significant targets of today’s insurgents. The religious targets number eight in Pattani, 13 in Yala and 10 in Narathiwat, figures that are remarkably similar to those concerning attacks on police and security forces.

By comparison, the conventional separatist groups that emerged in the 1960s, who incorporated “ethno-nationalistic” ideology in their struggle, regarded Buddhist temples and shrines as being off-limits.

Today, it would seem that attacking religious sites and religious symbolism is the easiest way to shatter the fabric of society in the deep South.

Since the troubles began, four monks have been hacked to death and one has survived a machete attack. The first such attack was on January 22, 2004 and the latest at a temple on October 16 last year, when suspected militants slit the throat of a 76-year-old monk and killed two teenagers before torching the temple.

Shootings are the most popular means of inflicting violence. The highest number of attacks using guns is in Narathiwat with 1,586, followed by 465 in Pattani and 279 in Yala. The vast majority of shootings are of the “drive-by” type in which a gunman riding pillion on a motorcycle fires several rounds at point blank range at the victim.

Bombing attacks are more common in Yala. While the previous generation of militants used time bombs, today’s tactics have evolved with technology in which mobile phones are being used to remotely set off explosives.

The government has now required all prepaid mobile-phone users to register their phones with the authorities. But this tactic may not produce the desired result as prepaid SIM cards can be easily purchased across the border in Malaysia.

Explosives are sometimes hidden in cars but officials are refraining from using the term “car bomb” for fear that it could evoke the kind of images seen in the activities of terrorist groups in other countries.

Twice, Yala city hall has been attacked with explosives hidden underneath vehicles, while on December 23, about 15 kilograms of explosives were detonated in the heart of Narathiwat, injuring at least seven people.

At the provincial level, Narathiwat is the hardest hit over this past two years with nearly 1,000 violent incidents of all sorts. But at the district level, Yala’s Muang has the most with 198 incidents, followed by Narathiwat’s Rangae district, according to police records seen by The Nation.

Eight districts in the three southernmost provinces that saw a significant number of attacks were Pattani’s Muang and Yarang, Yala’s Muang, Than To and Raman and Narathiwat’s Muang, Sungai Padi and Rangae. The central city areas of the three provinces are major hot spots indicating that urban areas have become the battlefield, rather than rural areas and the jungle.

In spite of the number of troops with heavy firepower and relaxed rules of engagement, little headway has been made in terms of intelligence, much less new and more innovative strategies to win the hearts and minds of the local residents.

Demographic work has produced no meaningful policy other than the “zoning areas” that would colour-code each village to reflect the level of intensity of violence.

Tactically, zoning might serve as a reminder for troops on the ground when entering so-called “red areas”. But as the statistics show, the chances of being killed or attacked in towns and cities are as high as a military patrol being ambushed.

This is the concluding report of a three-part series. The earlier reports were published on December 13 and January 5.

Supalak Ganjanakhundee,
Don Pathan
The Nation

Re: Hatyai,Thailand For Sawadee Newbies
 

Wah... again teasing me ah... I go SG and fark ur ass soon :p

Re: Hatyai,Thailand For Sawadee Newbies
 

shhh..be careful if not u will start to stir up the excitement in Katoeylover...
kekeke..
when u coming to sg?

Hatyai,Thailand For Sawadee Newbies
 

Errrrrrr............. You are talking about me behind my back ???

What can I do for you ?

Friends, please remember : " I STAND SOLIDLY BEHIND YOU AT ALL TIMES !!! "

not like some people who always 'sabo' or talk bad about other people behind their back-sides ...........

Baht may hit 38 per dollar in Q1 2006
 

Report from Bangkok Post dated Wednesday 11 January 2006 :-

Baht may hit 38 per dollar in Q1 2006

The Thai baht is likely to appreciate to 38 to the US dollar in the first quarter of this year because investors in the United States have shifted funds to invest in stock markets in Asia and weighed more investment in Thailand, according to a veteran banker.

Prasong Uthaisaengchai, Senior Executive Vice President of Bangkok Bank, said here on Tuesday that the US investors had sold dollars heavily and brought the money to invest in stock markets with more attractive returns since the US Federal Reserve signaled an end to its interest hikes following continued upward adjustment for up to 18 times.

Most investors have paid much attention to investing in Asian stock markets, resulting in all regional currencies, including the Thai baht, strengthening.

He said the Thai currency had rapidly appreciated since early this year because foreign investors brought a lot of funds to invest in the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET).

They viewed stock prices in Thailand are lower than those in other Asian markets.

The price/earning (p/e) ratio of the SET now stays at 8-9 times, while a p/e ratio of stock markets in neighboring countries average 13-14 times.

“The baht is very likely to strengthen to 38 to the US dollar in the first quarter of this year because the currency has rapidly appreciated since early this year. The baht used to appreciate to that level in the past,’’ he said.

With the strengthening of the baht, Mr. Prasong said, the country’s international reserve had increased to around US$54-55 billion baht.

The Bank of Thailand (BOT) has a duty to supervise the baht to ensure that it stays at an appropriate level, according to the veteran banker.

Re: Baht may hit 38 per dollar in Q1 2006
 

Just wondering what is US$54-55 billion Baht. Is it US$54 to US55 billion or
B$54 to B$55 billion?

Anyway, sorry for the intrusion. Hope it cause no offence.:)

Re: Hatyai,Thailand For Sawadee Newbies
 

see i knew u will come back to be instantly...kekeke..u are always behind me...
how's life brudder?
i only kidding la...
notice sg keeps on raining for days liao..wondering if hatyai also kena..or not..
PRAY...

Re: Hatyai,Thailand For Sawadee Newbies
 

xe.com Universal Currency Converter ® Results
Live mid-market rates as of 2006.01.11 10:23:20 UTC.

1.00 SGD Singapore Dollars = 24.3860 THB Thailand Baht
1 SGD = 24.3860 THB 1 THB = 0.0410071 SGD

1.00 MYR Malaysia Ringgits = 10.6408 THB Thailand Baht
1 MYR = 10.6408 THB 1 THB = 0.0939777 MYR

http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/5...tstorms8yq.gif

Re: Hatyai,Thailand For Sawadee Newbies
 

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/2...nawatra8kt.jpg
Rumors persist of Shin Corp sale by Thai PM's family

Rumors that the family of Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will sell its controlling stake in the telecoms group he founded are being kept alive by analysts and investors despite the firm's repeated denials.

Tuesday, January 10, 2006

Rumors that the family of Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will sell its controlling stake in the telecoms group he founded are being kept alive by analysts and investors despite the firm's repeated denials.
Singapore Telecommunications, Asia's fifth-largest phone company, was a likely buyer of the family stake in Shin Corp, a holding company that controls important firms in the sector, analysts said Monday.

China Telecom was another potential buyer for the stake, now worth about US$1.6 billion (HK$12.4 billion), that Thaksin handed over to his family when he went into politics, a move that has not prevented opponents of accusing him of shaping government policy to suit Shin Corp, they said.

Thaksin denies the allegations and Shin Corp has brushed off the rumors his family wants out of Shin, which has more than 20 companies under its umbrella in the wireless, satellite, Internet, budget airline and consumer finance businesses.

Many investors, however, believe there may be substance to the rumors. Last week, Shin shares romped to a 10-month high in the belief SingTel was serious about winning a greater presence in Thailand's lucrative cell phone market.

Shin, whose shares have shot up nearly 20 percent since the rumors began last month, owns a 43 percent stake in Advanced Info Service, Thailand's largest mobile phone operator with a 55 percent share of the domestic market.

SingTel, which has spent billions of dollars buying firms in high-growth Asian nations and Australia, already owns 19.26 percent of AIS and 1.08 percent of Shin, which is valued at US$3.3 billion on the Thai bourse. It is 49.61 percent owned by the Shinawatra and related Damapong families.

Analysts said it was possible that the Shinawatra family was considering moving into other businesses offering higher returns than a cell phone market that is moving rapidly towards saturation. "From a business perspective, it makes sense for the family to dilute the stake," said a telecoms analyst at a foreign brokerage .

It would also help AIS, because a company like SingTel would facilitate its move into 3G mobile services, which require massive investment and advanced technology.

SingTel would help strengthen AIS's position in a market where competition was expected to sharpen after Norway's Telenor had taken control of Total Access Communication, the number-two operator, analysts said.

Some analysts said a sale would also help improve Thaksin's image as he fights allegations that his government is growing more corrupt. Others doubt that would be the sole motive.

"It's clear that SingTel has an intention to get a bigger role in AIS," said Amarit Sukahvanij, head of research of Kasikorn Securities. "But it is hard to believe the sale is just for transparency of the family." Thaksin and his wife established a computer dealership in 1983. It grew into Shinawatra Computer and Communication, which changed its name to Shin Corp in 1999.

Thaksin resigned from every position in his telecoms empire and transferred shares to his family before entering politics.

If a deal goes through, the Shinawatras would be the third Thai family to sell at least some of its holdings in the telecoms business to a foreign company.

In October, the Bencharongkul family sold its 40 percent stake in UCOM to Telenor, giving the Norwegian firm a controlling stake in Total Access. In December, the Vilailuck family of Samart Corp sold a 24 percent stake in its cell phone distribution unit - reducing its stake to 49 percent - and all of its cell phone operation in Cambodia to Telekom Malaysia.

Thailand, which has a population of 64 million, has more than 29 million cellphone subscribers, or 46 phones per 100 people, versus 65 percent in Malaysia, roughly 40 percent in the Philippines and about 90 percent in Singapore.

The market is expected to grow 10 percent by the end of 2006, analysts said. Shin Corp shares rose 1.12 percent to 45 baht (HK$8.8) Monday. REUTERS

Re: Useful Info on Hotels From TeeVee
 

I find this piece of list /info on hotels price very useful... i know teevee wont mind me posting his origin here on my thread...as the purpose and intention is similar..*to share and care for fellow Hatyai brudders!

These are the general prices of hotels in Hatyai when you purchase the respective vouchers from travel agents. (source from teevee)

Prices are without breakfast unless indicated.

Ambassador - 400 Baht
Asian - 650 Baht (old) 750 Baht (New)
BP Grand Tower - 700 Baht
BP Suite - 800 Baht
Crystal - 690 Baht
Diamond Plaza - 800 Baht
Daiichi - 570 Baht
Emperror - 450 Baht
Florida - 630 Baht
Golden Crown - 650 Baht
Grand Plaza - 680 Baht
Hatyai Asia - 400 Baht
Hatyai Garden Home - 400 Baht (old), 600 Baht (New)
Hatyai Greenview - 510 Baht
Hatyai Inter - 470 Baht
Hatyai Meridian - 550 Baht
Hatyai Merlin - 400 Baht
Hatyai Palace - 500 Baht, suite - 700 Baht
Hatyai Rama - 550 Baht
Indra - 450 Baht
JB - 1200 Baht
Kosit - 550 Baht
Lee Garden - 550 Baht
Lee Garden Plaza - 1050 Baht (with breakfast)
LK - 460 Baht
Mae Nam - 380 Baht
Ne-O Boutique - 600 Baht
New Season - 850 Baht
New World - 440 Baht
Novotel - 1200 Baht
Pink - 570 Baht
President - 500 Baht
River Inn - 400 Baht
Regency - 600 Baht (old), 950 Baht (new)
Racha - 450 Baht
Rado - 330 Baht
Sakura 520 Baht, suite - 770 Baht
Sakura Grand View - 850 Baht
Siam Centre - 830 Baht
SK - 350 Baht
Sakol - 650 Baht
Tanapat - 480 Baht
VL - 600 Baht
Yee Fah - 450 Baht

Prices accurate at the time of posting and are for non-festive season periods.

Re: Lelong Lelong...!!!
 

Re: Lelong Lelong...!!!
 

$85.25very very cheap.

Rumours spread of 'days of danger' ( 10 to 29 Jan 2006 )
 

RED ALERT !!!!!

Report from Bangkok Post dated Wednesday 11 January 2006 :-

Rumours spread of 'days of danger' ( 10 to 29 January 2006 )
Deputy Prime Minister Chidchai Vanasatidya has dismissed rumours that further violence would occur in the three southernmost border provinces during a period of so-called "19 days of danger" coinciding with the Chinese New Year holidays.

Pol Gen Chidchai, who also is justice minister, said he had instructed authorities in the South, especially Narathiwat Provincial Police commander Pol Maj-GenYongyudh Charoenwanich, to stay on alert during the approaching Chinese New Year holidays because of rumours that violence will take place between Jan 10 and Jan 29 in the border region.

The deputy prime minister, scheduled to revisit the southern border provinces on Friday, assured the public that no critical action would take place during that period as has been speculated.

Interior Minister Kongsak Wanthana dismissed speculation that RKK or Runda Kumpulan Kecil, an armed group of Muslim insurgents thought to be specially-trained in Indonesia, had plotted further action during the days leading up to Chinese New Year.

Air Chief Marshal Kongsak said he had not been informed of any movement by the group -- which is suspected both of receiving specialised military training in Indonesia and of being implicated in the slaying of a Buddhist monk at Wat Prompasit in Pattani last year.

The interior minister asked the authorities--including the Ninth Provincial Police--to step up security measures throughout the region. He said the Thai authorities would not only have heightened security measures against possible insurgency during such holidays as the Chinese New Year but also during other times.

The authorities will adhere to the rule of law and continue to provide assistance for Southern villagers in a bid to keep them from being misled by the insurgents, he said. - TNA

Re: Hatyai,Thailand For Sawadee Newbies
 

http://img458.imageshack.us/img458/4...torms268qe.gif

xe.com Universal Currency Converter ® Results
Live mid-market rates as of 2006.01.12 01:24:20 UTC.

1.00 SGD Singapore Dollars = 24.3803 THB Thailand Baht
1 SGD = 24.3803 THB 1 THB = 0.0410167 SGD

1.00 MYR Malaysia Ringgits = 10.5747 THB Thailand Baht
1 MYR = 10.5747 THB 1 THB = 0.0945656 MYR

Re: Lelong Lelong...!!!
 

yeah man cheap! but have to open eyes and see clearly for some of the brudders..coz it says excluding 28 Jan 06 - 03 Feb 06 (CNY period)

Re: Promo
 

Re: Hatyai,Thailand For Sawadee Newbies
 

Bro Taurus,

We appreciate your initiative with regular update on baht exchange rates. But are the rates for TT (transfers), as conversion for "cash" (notes) is less favourable? Just for practical benefit of bro samsters to be realistic when changing their small fortunes in LOS.

Caution: ATM exch rates really sucks (outside the bank charge/commission)

Cheers:rolleyes: