Thailand – Eat Like a Local

Thailand’s borders have at times included parts of Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), and Laos, and all these peoples, along with Chinese, Indians, Indonesians, ethnic Mon and Khmer, Persians, Europeans, and the Thai themselves, have added ingredients to an extraordinarily diverse cuisine.

Last Minute stuff and Duty-Free Shopping at Hong Kong Airport

Last-minute shopping is always possible at the Airport Express Hong Kong or Kowloon Stations. Above Hong Kong station you have the IFC mall ( which carries Fancl House, Origins, L’Occitane, CK Jeans, Mango, O.Z.O.C, Links of London, Swarovski, Papyrus… Or shop at the Dickson Warehouse at Kowloon Station, where you can get renowned brands at clearance prices.

Should you find yourself on Lantau island before your departure, another option is the Citygate Outlets in Tung Chung. The five-level mall, attached by a walkway to the Novotel Citygate Hong Kong, is only 10 minutes from the airport by taxi or S1 airport bus. Open from 10am to 10pm, the mall includes a host of discount shops and factory outlets selling Vivienne Tam, Laura Ashley, Esprit, Levis, Le Saunda, Joy & Peace, Follie Follie, Quicksilver, Adidas, Nike, New Balance, Timberland, Columbia, Aji Ichiban, Fortress, OSIM and SaSa. Other choices include one of the first Jill Stuart factory outlets in Hong Kong, an I.T outlet, a Polo Ralph Lauren factory outlet, Lancel, Lanvin, Bally, and Kate Spade .Discounts may range between 30 and 70 percent.

And if you’re still long on conscience and short on time, there’s always duty free shopping at Hongkong International Airport’s refurbished SkyMart in the departure area and the new SkyPlaza located in Terminal 2. Both offer acres of space and browsing before your flight. This is the place for duty-free shopping at Hong Kong airport. The SkyMart has a “Downtown Pricing Guarantee” that the price you pay for a product will be the same as for an identical product downtown. The SkyPlaza includes shops like Adidas, Calvin Klein Jeans, Chanel, Mango, Swatch, Coach, Hermes, Ermenegildo Zegna, BVLGARI, and Giordano. Duty-free prices are competitive with Singapore and Dubai though electronic items can be a tad high-priced at times. Pick up a duty-free Hermes silk tie at Hong Kong airport for HK$1,200, a Zegna tie for HK$1,150 or a BVLGARI Rose Essentielle eu de parfum 50ml for HK$540. Take your pick.

Cosmetics store in Hong Kong

COSMETICS & FRAGRANCE SUPERMARKETS
The best buys in this category are noteworthy in terms of availability, not price—check out scents that have been introduced in Europe but not in the U.S. And I am not going to mention a brand just because it’s new or hot in Hong Kong, such as Kiehl’s (the latest thing), because you can easily get Kiehl’s for less money in the U.SMany big-name cosmetics companies manufacture for the Far East in and around Hong Kong; often they will have a product with the same name as the one you use at home, but it will be slightly different. They may also have a product or shade that you have never heard of and will never find again anywhere else in the world.
If you just wander through any of the malls, especially Harbour City, you will finds tons of little shops selling brands that may interest you—a few local labels, some European brands that don’t have good distribution in the U.S., and many Japanese products.

BONJOUR
Locations all over town.
This is a chain possibly devised for adolescent girls; I’m not crazy for it, but your 12-year-old might enjoy it. It’s a knockoff of the SaSa concept (see below).

BOOTS
IFC mall, Central (MTR: Central).
Boots is a British chemist that sells several of its own brands of makeup and treatments, among other things. Some Watson’s stores carry the line at in-store boutiques, but there is a growing trend toward free-standing stores for beauty items only (these are not Boots stores as we know them in the U.K.), with an emphasis on well-being products. The line No. 7—a riff on No.5, as in Chanel—is an excellent color cosmetics selection at a moderate price.

Suvarnabhumi Airport december 2008
updated : December 3, 2008

Suvarnabhumi siege ends
Rush to get airport functional again. PAD leaves, claiming ‘final battle’ won as Somchai no longer PM
People’s Alliance for Democracy followers last night started bidding farewell to Suvarnabhumi Airport, bringing an end to their eight-day siege that has caused incalculable damage to the country and the economy.

Thailand Travel Warning

Thailand travel warning

24 countries have issued travel warnings about traveling to Thailand, 10 of the 24 countries have raised the level of alarm of travel warning following the government’s violent and abusive crackdown on PAD anti-government protesters. The 10 countries are Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Japan and the UK, ten counties that account for over 60% of Thailand’s tourism revenue.

Thai protesters at Bangkok’s international airport updates

December 1st, 2008
Thai protesters to end government headquarters siege
BANGKOK, Thailand — Anti-government protesters said Monday they will give up their siege of the government headquarters and join the thousands who have occupied Bangkok’s international airport.

Parnthep Puapongpan, a spokesman for the People’s Alliance for Democracy — which is leading the protests — did not say how soon the demonstrators will end their sit-in of the Government House.

What to wear in hong kong December

If you come in fall ( September – Mid-December ), as this is firmly the best time to land in Hong Kong. At this time you can still wear T-Shirt and shorts for most of the season, although you’re advised to bring a sweater for evenings, especially towards the end of the fall.

Thursday, 27 November 2008

Bangkok International Airport and Don Mueang Airports still Closed Down

Due to the Airports of Thailand (AoT)’s suspension of services at Bangkok International Airport / Suvarnabhumi International Airport, all inbound and outbound flights were cancelled since 04.00 hrs. during 25-26 November 2008, causing inconvenience to over 3,000 passengers. The stranded passengers who fly with THAI have been accommodated by Thai Airways International.