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Thankfully, on 5 July the WHO announced that
it no longer recommends the restriction of travel to any areas.
Taiwan was the last area to be removed from the list. The announcement said it had been 20 days, or two consecutive 10-day incubation periods, since the last case on June 15. Based on country surveillance reports, the human chains of SARS virus transmission appear to have been broken everywhere in the world. Full details on: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/releases/2003/pr56/en/ However, due to the many questions remaining about SARS and the possibility that cases may have slipped through the surveillance net, WHO warns that continued global vigilance for SARS is crucial for the foreseeable future. The world is not yet SARS-free. the most important message for international travellers is to continue to be aware of the main symptoms of SARS: high fever (> 38° Celsius, >100.4° Fahrenheit), dry cough, shortness of breath or breathing difficulties. Persons who experience these symptoms and who, in the last 10 days have been in an area which has experienced a recent outbreak of SARS are advised to contact a doctor. Luck is in the Air
So now is the time to make travel plans
again and this issue of the newsletter is devoted to Thailand, which we
have not covered for some time. The first item is a piece of good news from
Thai Airways International, who announced: on 3 July the first "Lucky
Draw". The lucky draw was the first of a series for international outbound
passengers on THAI flights leaving Bangkok and all domestic flights. Also
included in the draw were passengers on all international inbound flights
who missed the opportunity to win a prize during the inflight draw starting
from June 22, 2003. One lucky draw event is being held each week over the
next 15 weeks.
If you want to know more, see the full details on: More on Thailand
Kristina's excellent and comprehensive journal of her March 2000 trip to Bangkok with her mother makes excellent reading. As well as the lovely photos she includes all the prctical details that you might want to ask if you are planning a trip. Places visited, transport used, meals eaten and all with details of prices and problems. This is a really useful resource and I can thoroughly recommend it at:
http://www.wired2theworld.com/BANGKOK2000.html
Kristina and David (the same Kristina as the one mentioned earlier) certainly tell it like it is. Kristina's opening words give you a taste of what is to come:
" I really wanted to love Thailand. And I expected to love Thailand after all I'd heard, read, and seen about it. In fact, before we left home, when people asked where was I most looking forward to going, my reply was always "Thailand". After our journey here from Penang, I came dangerously close to hating it. Thank God common sense and patience prevailed." The joys and perils, delights and disasters, loves and hates are all fully and faithfully recorded and give you an invaluable insight into travelling in Thailand. You can share their trip at: http://www.wired2theworld.com/thailand1.htm
This excellent site bills itself as "Travel guide with pictures, photos, maps and information about Koh Chang, Koh Kood, Koh Wai and more islands in Thailand". It is every bit as comprehensive as it says it is. I very much enjoyed browsing round this site, and I can completely endorse its own description of itself:
"www.Ko-Chang.info enables you to get a comprehensive impression of Koh Chang, Koh Kood, Koh Wai and more magnificent islands close to Bangkok and Pattaya in the Gulf of Thailand. The following pages reveal numerous beaches, bays, many localities, objects of interest and much more on Koh Chang and Koh Kood, with pictures, maps and detailed information. We hope to give you an impression about this island-paradise around Koh Chang, Koh Kood and Koh Wai, located between Pattaya and Cambodia in the province of Trat - to help you planning your next holiday and travel to Thailand. www.Ko-Chang.info contains valuable information about Koh Chang, arrival & departure, entry formalities and so on. In addition you find interesting information about Thailand, useful addresses and telephone numbers of the most important institutions on Koh Chang and the closer surrounding area, also of embassies in Europe and in Thailand and much more besides." Phew! But amazingly it delivers all it promuises, as yoy can find out yourelf at: http://www.ko-chang.info/kohchanginformation/holidayinfo.htm
Another collection of photos from Thailand, but these are worth seeing and it is a large collection. The pictures reflect just one of the many varied interests of Ronny Stobbaerts and you can find out more about him and lots about amateur radio on his main page at http://www.on4cay.com/. However, the Thailand photos can be found at:
http://www.stobbaerts.com/pictures/thailandreis/index.html For useful books if you intend to travel to Thailand, you will find a comprehensive listing with prices and reviews on my ConnectedGlobe Thailand books page on:
There is excellent hotel accommodation available in Thailand at international standards. However, you don't need to pay international prices. There are substantial discounts available if you know where to look. Our research suggests that the best deals in Thaialand are usually available from the Agoda reservations system which you can find on:
Back issues of this newsletter are available. You can find them on:
http://www.connectedglobe.com/thaiairnews/ The countries covered in other issues are:
Far East Air Fare deals from ConnectedGlobe
There are some excellent prices to be found on flights to Thailand. For flights originating anywhere in the world use
the ConnectedGlobe fare finder page.
Other
Useful Links
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