To facilitate bonafide foreign tourists who plan their tours at a short notice, Government of India has decided to introduce “Tourist Visa-on-Arrival” for a period of one year for citizens of five countries viz. Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore on an experimental basis w.e.f. 1.1.2010. Tourists from the said countries can also procure [...]

The trains in Thailand are quite OK. But as usual, the casues are human factors. The real problem lies with extreme complacency and a lack of discipline. “Ratchaphruek” is a royal flower festival hosted by the Thai government held in Chiangmai. I’m very doubtful how the State Railway of Thailand’s promise to “urgently seek measures [...]

We arrived in Bangkok on the evening of the 8th of August. For me, I was landing in Suvarnabhumi Airport for the first time. I don’t normally take time to admire airports, but landing in this swanking new airport for the first time after being so familiar with Don Muang all these years gave the [...]

I woke up at about 7.00am. Jack Daniels was still bobbing in my head, but I was sober enough to start off on a long bus journey to be broken at Kanchanaburi. Realising that I was late, I picked up my backpack without washing up and stepped out of the hotel room. As the only [...]

It poured in the night and drizzled a bit in the morning. I figured that I would never be able to see all the scenic spots I encountered en route to Sangklaburi if I tried to retrace my steps on one of the ramshackle buses. I had to charter a vehicle that would allow me [...]