Travel and tips

Thai law prohibits torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment; however, NGOs and legal organizations continue to report that some members of the police occasionally torture and beat suspects to obtain confessions. During 2004, there were newspaper reports of numerous cases in which citizens accused police of using brutality, threatening false charges, and extorting bribes. Investigations were undertaken in most of the cases, including several in which the accused police officers were suspended pending the results of internal investigations.
A Thai senator, testifying as a character witness at the trial of four Muslim suspects accused of membership in Jemaah Islamiya, said that while in police custody bags were put over the suspects’ heads, and they were beaten on the back and the abdomen. The four were acquitted by the criminal court in June and released from custody. Police opened an internal investigation, but at year’s end no criminal charges had been filed.
On October 15, in Tak Province, a police officer said to be drunk at the time forced his way into a home, threatened and beat an older woman, and allegedly tried to rape an 18-year-old Burmese migrant worker. The policeman reportedly had previously extorted money from the girl. The two women returned to Burma, but a complaint was lodged on their behalf with the NHRC.
In March 2004, five suspects in the 2004 Narathiwat military camp raid alleged that police beat and administered electric shocks to them in order to obtain confessions. The suspects filed a formal complaint with the Ministry of Justice through their lawyer, Somchai Neelapaichjit, who subsequently disappeared and was presumed dead. Police opened an internal investigation of the officers suspected of abuse, but at year’s end no criminal charges had been filed.
There were no reported developments in the internal police investigation into the November 2004 claim by a married couple that they were beaten and robbed while under detention for 102 days without charge at the Lumpini police station in Bangkok.
In November 2004, police in Ayutthaya Province reportedly beat and applied electric shock to a man’s genitals to coerce a confession after arresting him for suspected robbery; 23 members of the police were transferred to Bangkok in connection with the incident, pending an internal police investigation. In December the complainant reportedly withdrew his complaint following an out-of-court settlement.
Have fun on your holiday – but don’t do anything stupid. Check the laws in Thailand before you go – they may be different than your home country. You don’t want to spend you holiday in a Thai prison.

Many individuals dream of going on an all-expenses-paid cruse to some warm, Caribbean location. Unfortunately for most of us that is simply not possible. Though cruses can be quite cheap they are still not affordable for every budget. Taking a cruse is just one of many ways to travel and see the world though. There are certainly many less expensive means of traveling for those who simply cannot afford to partake in a cruse or a similar costly adventure.
Many people go on road trips every year and these can surely be equally as enjoyable as a cruse, provided you go on one with the right people. Having a group of your close friends pile into a car with you for a couple of weeks as you drive across the country, exchanging turns driving can be an excellent way to vacation and observe different parts of the country you never seen before.
For those whose taste is a little bit more expensive taking a personal yacht for an outing may be slightly more to your liking. If you are fortunate enough to have your own yacht, partaking in an enjoyable excursion whether it is for just a day or for a more extended period of time, is another superb way to do some traveling. Flying to a foreign country and staying at a resort may be better suited to your taste also. Not only will the flight be a great experience for you, provided you do not have a fear of flying, but staying at a resort should also provide a great deal of pleasure.
If all of these methods of traveling and seeing different parts of the world do not appeal to you, then perhaps backpacking is more appealing. Many people desire to some day backpack across a country with a group of close friends and stay in a different hotel or inn each night. This can certainly be a gratifying experience if not a slightly more perilous.

To have the most benefit, see a health-care provider at least 4–6 weeks before your trip to allow time for your vaccines to take effect and to start taking medicine to prevent malaria, if you need it.
Even if you have less than 4 weeks before you leave, you should still see a health-care provider for needed vaccines, anti-malaria drugs and other medications and information about how to protect yourself from illness and injury while traveling.
The Center for Disease Control recommends that you see a health-care provider who specializes in Travel Medicine. Find a travel medicine clinic near you. If you have a medical condition, you should also share your travel plans with any doctors you are currently seeing for other medical reasons.
If your travel plans will take you to more than one country during a single trip, be sure to let your health-care provider know so that you can receive the appropriate vaccinations and information for all of your destinations. Long-term travelers, such as those who plan to work or study abroad, may also need additional vaccinations as required by their employer or school.
Although yellow fever is not a disease risk in Thailand, the government requires travelers arriving from countries where yellow fever is present to present proof of yellow fever vaccination. If you will be traveling to one of these countries where yellow fever is present before arriving in Thailand, this requirement must be taken into consideration.
Be sure your routine vaccinations are up-to-date. Check the Center for Disease Control web site to see which vaccinations adults and children should get.
Routine vaccines, as they are often called, such as for influenza, chickenpox (or varicella), polio, measles/mumps/rubella (MMR), and diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) are given at all stages of life; see the childhood and adolescent immunization schedule and routine adult immunization schedule.
Routine vaccines are recommended even if you do not travel. Although childhood diseases, such as measles, rarely occur in the United States, they are still common in many parts of the world. A traveler who is not vaccinated would be at risk for infection. Be safe and check with your doctor before you go. And if you participate in the nightlife, get checked upon return.

Lying along the western quarter of Maui a hidden treasure resides, the West Maui Mountains. Among locals the mountains are known as Mauna Kahalawai. Together the mountains form a shield volcano, so named for the undeniable shape of its profile. All along Maui one will find numerous dormant volcanoes combined with lava flows; however, the West Maui Mountains, or Mauna Kahalawai, features a wild beauty that can seldom be seen elsewhere.
Unfortunately, many visitors to Maui remain unaware of this priceless gem due to inaccessibility. In truth, as much as 75% of Maui’s land area is isolated and even inaccessible as the result of some rather rough terrain and rainforests. Few trails and no roads lead into the interior landscape of Maui, leaving it virtually cut off from the remainder of the island.
That doesn’t mean; however, there is now way to take advantage of the many spectacular attributes to be found here, including fantastic hiking, glorious beaches, lush valleys and even a few towns scattered throughout the interior. In order to view the wild beauty of the hidden interior one must only take advantage of the Maui helicopter tours.
Maui helicopter tours go where cars and even ATVs can only dream, providing access to the most spectacular and extreme terrains of the hidden interior. Beyond providing accessibility to the incredible beauty of the hidden interiors, Maui helicopter tours also provide a level of personal service that simply cannot be found in many other tour operations. Most other tour bus operators provide a view of the most common tourist attractions, unable to touch on any of the beauty of the islands that is simply inaccessible except by helicopter. With the highly personalized tour experience provided by Maui helicopter tours, visitors frequently comment they never feel as though they are lost in the crowd, a feeling frequently experienced by travelers on many tour experiences, but instead are treated to a highly unique and personalized helicopter limousine service.
Just a few of the features offered through Maui helicopter tours that you simply won’t find elsewhere include views of the wild and remote rainforest, hidden valleys, cascading waterfalls, exotic landscapes and so much more. After a Maui helicopter tour, you will take away memories of your vacation that will truly stay with you forever.
Flying above rainbows and blankets of gossamer clouds, a tour of the hidden interior of Maui will provide you with a true understanding of the depth of Hawaii’s beauty, much of it millions of years in the making. Maui, like the entirety of the Hawaiian Islands was formed over a long period of time by spirals of lava that rose up high above the interior of the earth. Trails of volcanoes were left in the wake, creating an unparalleled beauty.
Unfortunately, due to problems with erosion some of the wildly beautiful and exquisite sites located in the hidden interior will not always be with us. Haleakala is one of these examples. This summit rises sharply on the west side of the island, towering above a massive depression crater measuring some seven miles across and two miles wide. This natural feature allows the sun to only be seen as it rises up over the eastern side, giving meaning to the mountain’s Hawaiian name, house of the sun. According to traditional Hawaiian folklore, a Polynesian demigod named Maui and his grandmother lived in the crater and captured the sun in order that it would not travel so quickly across the sky. Through this they were able to draw out the day. Haleakala remains one of the most unique beauties to be found in the hidden interior of Hawaii.
In it’s entirely the beautiful hidden interior of Maui is without equal. Mist shrouded mountain peaks rise above magnificent valleys situated in rainforests that will both awe and inspire. Due to changes in the weather and wind that occur frequently, every single tour is likely to be unique and completely different from preceding tours. With waterfalls cascading from towering overhangs into gushing brooks below, many visitors are often surprised by the spectacular rainbows that are often an exquisite part of hidden interior adventure tours.
To add even more drama to your visit to the hidden interiors be sure to schedule your tour at sunrise or sunset. There is truly no other sight in the world quite like watching the sun rise from atop the West Maui Mountains. Layers of unbroken clouds slide past as the sun slowly rises to its ascent in the sky, leaving visitors with a slightly other-world feel they won’t soon forget.

Marmaris is definitely the pride and joy of the Turkish Riviera. Marmaris is one Turkey’s most convoluted and multi-faceted resort. Marmaris Turkey Resort is consigned where the Aegean Sea meets the Mediterranean. The embellished bay is well-known for its cruising and cosmopolitan atmosphere.
Marmaris is originally a Greek word with the essence of glittering and shining. This write-up is definitely a congruous one. Marmaris Turkey holidays remains as a golden moment in one’s life with its abounding accommodation aligning from small pensions like guest houses to sumptuous and costly 5 star hotels. Enormous number of restaurants, emporiums, tours, and other amusements and leisure-time activity underwrites full-time excitement.
Marmaris Turkey beaches are not the largest or widest of the beaches, in fact they ample and satisfy the tourists, no matter children or grownups. The back and filthy beach does not appear bad-looking to the viewers. The small beaches are covered with sunbeds and colorful umbrellas. These beach accessories can be bought or rented with a recent fee from any of the hotels residing on the banks of the beaches.
Beaches are the assets of the Marmaris Turkey Holidays. In order to make the holidays more fruitful and appealing, the hotels own certain private beaches. This ensures the customers more reliability and safety while engaging in water sports. The hotels also provides spruce sand for the decency of the customers.
Marmaris Turkey holidays becomes a reminiscence in the mind of the customers as there are enormous number of beaches. Swimming can be performed easily because of the warm and crystal clear water. A half an hour drive will take the tourists for a perfect holiday on the beaches. Cleopatra Island is the elite beach and is considered to be the best in the world. The sands found here are the best and the cream of all others.
The water fronts in Marmaris resorts are beautified with Bar Street. Luxury restaurants and average hotels can be booked though online. The pictures and room descriptions are adequately given in their official site. From these water front hosts, one can ideally hang lose to enjoy the beauty of the nature and the beach.
Netsel Marina is an important voyage centre full of utopian restaurants, cooperatives and boutiques. Marmaris Turkey holidays gifts moreover a voguish and debonair resort. The traffic-free meander laying out from the marina all the way round the bay to Icmeler is a sophisticating experience. Riviera appears involute partially nostalgic of St.Tropez.
Scattered by many stunning islands and villages, the Marmaris Turkey Holidays becomes more exciting. Gulets are seen all over the beach and the cruises along with the mouthwatering recipes of the grand hotels precipitates a wonderful day out. The dive companies introduce the viewers to many water sports. However, it always good to check the license and qualifications of such divers.
Apart the summers, Marmaris Turkey holidays appears in a different look in the winter. Though summer in Marmaris is rushed with tourists, many prefer to visit this place in the winter. As the winter season enables more relaxed and tranquilizing atmosphere.

There are many places on Earth that you can spend your time and money, and all of them are vying for your attention. However, there is one city that should be on the top of the list of places to visit before you die, and that city is Marmaris.
Marmaris is a small city in the southwest corner of Turkey, sitting on the Mediterranean Sea. It has an amazing history that dates back 8,000 years, as well as beauty that will leave you breathless.
When you are choosing where to holiday, you need to give this city a thought.
One reason, is the history.
This region of Turkey has seen some great men go through it in history, including one known as Alexander the Great, a man who Julius Caesar idolized growing up. As well, it has been a major vantage point for the Ottoman Empire from the 16th to 20th centuries.
If you are a history buff, then you can’t go wrong with visiting a place that has 80 centuries of history to look at.
One of the best places to see during your holiday in Marmaris is the castle. This castle has stood, been built and rebuilt, over the course of thousands of years and has served as a garrison for Alexander’s armies, as well as Knights of St. John during their fight against the Ottoman Empire.
This city is a great place to spend your holiday if you are a history buff. The sheer volume of history here means that you are going to need to keep coming back each year, just so you can see it all.
Think about it, how do you cram 8,000 years of history in a week-long vacation? You can’t, so if you really want to see everything this city has to offer in terms of history, then you are going to need to keep coming back on a regular basis to see the mosques, castles, historical structures and museums, just to understand how vast and important the role this place played in human history.
A wonderful place for a historical holiday.

Turkey has a long Mediterranean coastline and there are many tourist resorts along the coastline. Marmalis is one of the popular ones among them. Pine clad hills provide backdrop to clear waters of Marmaris beaches, whose medley of green and blue tones is fascinating. It has a charm of exceptionally beautiful natural location. The sea is warm, crystal clear and perfect for swimming. The beaches at Marmaris are mostly crowded with sunbeds and umbrellas but there are some fabulous beaches within half an hours drive. Icmeler Beach which is a wider and a quieter beach is just 15 minutes away. Cleopatra Island is only a 20-minute boat ride; it is said that the soft white sand here was brought all the way from Egypt for Anthony and Cleopatra’s honeymoon pleasures. Marmaris is a hub from which you could many shorts tours to many historic sites. You can take a trip to Ephesus, about 240 km away from Marmaris. This is probably one of the best preserved remains of the Roman Empire; when you walk through the streets of this old city, the way people lived and the houses and buildings in which they lived and worked in the Roman Empire almost come alive. Many people find that even the likes of the Pyramids or the ruins of Pompeii will pale to insignificance beside the brilliance of Ephesus.
Go and see Parnukkale. You will never come across a unique sight like that of the so-called “Cotton Castle” at Parnukkale. The ever-flowing natural spring waters, which are so very rich in calcium, cascade down the hill; and as calcium reacts with carbon dioxide in atmosphere, it turns in chalk. This forms the famous travertines of different colors and shapes, in terrace-like forms, with pools and overhanging fascinating stalactite shapes. The ruined city of Hierapolis which dates back to 2000 BC lies buried here. The water here is good for many allergies, skin diseases, blood pressure, etc.
There are many other sites to visit such as Rhodes Island, the Ancient City of Hieropolis and the Marmaris Castle. Marmaris is one of the most popular resorts in Turkey. It is famed for its unending nightlife in numerous clubs and bars stretching along the coast. There are many all night beach parties you could join, or there are many Turkish Belly dancer parties organized that you may fancy. There is so much you could find to enjoy in this popular and famous tourist destination you won’t know how time flies.
Marmaris Palace Hotel, barely 40 km from the Dalaman airport, is a very popular hotel. It consists of a main block of over 150 rooms and over 200 small bungalows. This hotel is set on a pine forested hillside and enjoys a private beach area next to the Turquoise waters of the Aegean Sea. All rooms have modern amenities like air-conditioning, TV, telephones, etc. The hotel has a large main swimming pool, a smaller quieter pool, a children’s pool and a water slide pool with four water slides. There is also an indoor swimming pool which can be heated. Days can be spent relaxing, taking boat trips around the bay or exploring Marmaris. It has good sports facilities such as billiards, mini golf, tennis, table tennis etc.; it also has beauty centre, sauna, Turkish bath, fitness centre, etc on the premises.

Historians teach that the USA emerged from its isolationist ways when it entered World War I …
Geography teachers may dispute that point.
Whenever an American media outlet wants to re-emphasize the issue, they merely find one of many studies that show a significant percentage of high school students can’t locate major foreign cities or countries on a map. The inference is that, no matter what the foreign policy, the average American citizen doesn’t know or doesn’t care about much of the world beyond his borders.
If that’s the case, I guess the average American viewer can’t get any more confused when NBC follows the international ‘corporate line’ and promotes the Winter Olympics as being based in Torino.
Americans speak English. In their language, the name of the city is Turin.
Somewhere in the past, cultures have seen fit to customize geographic names for reasons known only to them at the time. Perhaps it was a ‘pronunciation’ issue or a translation matter. Whatever the origin, it’s well-established. For example, the Germanic countries know the Empire of the Franks — Frankreich, in their language — is called France by those who live there. The French know their northeastern neighbors call their home country Deutschland and the English call that same country Germany, but to them, it’s Allemagne. Lesser-populated countries see their homeland re-christened in even more versions; Sverige to its inhabitants is Sweden, Suйde, Schweden to others. For the collection of Alpine cantons that has become a banking capital to the world, citizens there acknowledge their multiple cultures and recognize their own government — collectively and distinctly — as Switzerland, Suisse, Schweiz and Svizzera.
Their city names are affected, too. The list is long, so we’ll only cite two examples in that category, in German, French and English:Genf – Genиve – GenevaWien – Viиnne – ViennaThe Europeans are accustomed to this. None of them attempt to put on airs and use a version of a name that is out of its cultural context. They know that to do so sounds absolutely silly.
Such diversity is part of their immediate life.
Decisions are less logical and more simplistic on the other side of the Atlantic. I can only imagine that NBC’s promotional staff thinks the Italian version of the Italian city’s name just sounds cooler than the English version. Or, perhaps they don’t want to get into a religious angle when any American who actually has heard of Turin only thinks of the mysterious Shroud that is kept in safekeeping by the Catholic diocese there. Their rationalization is that it doesn’t matter what version of the city’s name they use, all their viewers will know is that it has lots of mountains, it has sufficient snow and ice to host the Winter Olympics, and it isn’t in the USA.
Now, this may seem to be a pedantic comment, but it underscores two longstanding complaints I have about the American educational perspective:1. Measurements of comprehension are done by standardized testing, which is useless, and2. The only time most Americans show any inclination to being ‘international’ — without an army on its way somewhere — is when they try to make a faux impression.
All that happens with the former is that teachers have simply resorted to ‘teach to the test’ in order to move students along. It’s hard to blame them. Funds for education are almost always lacking. The social stigma against students who don’t pass to the next level often has greater repercussions in their lives than it should, and there are many students who simply don’t ‘test’ well, which means teachers need to spend more time coaching them to the method as opposed to the material. The net effect is that students not only never really grasp the content of the lesson, they also don’t grasp the context of the lesson outside of a test environment. No personal relevance results in no educational retention.
The latter is a lingering effect of the general American populace being under the impression that the world is at its beck and call. Thus, there is no urgency for them to concern themselves about its nuances.
For their part, I suppose the best NBC can expect to do is convey that Turin is in northern Italy, amidst the Alps. Hopefully, they won’t have to underscore that it’s in Europe, and that Europe is on the other side of the Atlantic.
There won’t be a test on it later, but when someone somewhere in the USA eventually does so, or when the topic arises in a real-world situation, I’m sure it will be in English.
So will the correct response.

Halloween costume originality Keep in mind that when you hit the streets, you are sure to run in plenty of vampires, ghosts, and recent movie persona. So if you are hoping to stand out at the bar or be the life of the party, you may want to try and discover a Halloween costume that is more unique. If you do choose to go with a clichй Halloween spook, consider doing something about it that will make you stand out from everyone else.
One way to do this is to create your own Halloween costume. However, for most people, this is more laborious than it sounds, and the finished costume may leave much to be desired. An easier choice is to go to online Halloween costume stores. These will offer a much wider variety than your local costume retailer, allowing you to find something that is unique from everyone else.
Restrooms and crowded locationsIf you are headed out to the bar or to a celebration, not all costumes are going to work. For instance, if you are going to go out for some drinks, then there is a good chance you will want to use the restroom at some time in the evening. A costume that is tough to get in and out of can make this a problem. If there is going to be a large number of people in a small room, then bulky Halloween costumes can make it difficult to move around. Watch out for the sizes of objects like wings and other accessories to make moving about easier.
Watch your layersWhile attractive Halloween costumes can be proper for an indoor party, wearing one out on a chilly Halloween night to take the kids trick-or-treating can leave you shivering. On the other hand, the thick gorilla suit can cause you to faint from heat exhaustion in the center of a crowded party. So ponder where you will be on Halloween night and choose your costume accordingly. If there is going to be a assortment of venues, consider a costume that has removable layers so you can adjust it for the weather.
Carrying your essentials on Halloween Ever notice that Wonder Woman never carries a handbag? If you are going out on Halloween night, you will need to consider how you are going to carry your essentials like your wallet and car keys. Many costumes do not have pockets, so you might need to get creative with how you do this. Look for accessories that can double as a bag or handbag. Hidden wallets like are designed for travelers will also work well with some costumes as a hideaway for your money or ID.
If you plan ahead, your Halloween costume will prove to be less of a chore and more suited for partying.

London is the coolest city on earth, according to a big crowd of fans of the city, and there is quite some truth in that. The city on the Thames has an amazing lot of things to do. One can spend several weeks in the city alone, doing something different every day.
Cheap London hotels do not have to be dive hotels in seedy areas. All too often travelers think that if they are seeking cheap London hotels that they will need to sacrifice quality and safety for price. The reality is, however, that if you have the right travel professionals assisting you, you will find cheap London hotels that are clean, safe and enjoyable. You can either stay at cheap London hotels that will turn a great day into a nightmare in a hurry, or you can stay at moderate London hotels at cheap London hotels rates in order to keep your day on the same great tone. The choice is fairly obvious.
London has great sites to see for the entire family, as well as many things to enjoy. Shopping is legendary in London so staying at cheap London hotels can help you save some pounds for a shopping spree before you leave. You will also find that there are great restaurants with many different cuisines ranging from Indian food, Italian food and British food. By staying in cheap London hotels you are able to do more, see more and enjoy more. Most of the hotel accommodation in this bracket is termed ‘bed and breakfast’ hotels. This can be misleading to the unaware. No it’s not a cozy family owned guest house with personal attentive hosts, traditional English breakfasts and home-made offerings, commonly available outside London. The vast majority are small hotels with 20-50 rooms, staffed by immigrants on very low salaries with very simple rooms, seldom lifts and ‘continental breakfasts’. That is not to say that these establishments should be avoided, but there are an awful lot of poor quality ones.
The main cheap hotel districts in London are Bayswater, Victoria and Kings Cross. Here you will see lots of these bed and breakfast hotels together in clusters. An ensuite double or twin room with breakfast in these areas is around 70-100$US.
Kings Cross has a poor reputation, it used to be notorious for drugs, crime and prostitution. That is all largely behind it now and it’s a district on the up, the whole area is being rejuvenated and Eurostar Trains will terminate at Kings Cross station in 2007. The bed and breakfast hotels are all around a garden square immediately opposite Kings Cross Station.
Kings Cross is no more than a mile from the West End, the central entertainment area of London, and there is lots of public transport on your doorstep. Bayswater is on the northern border of Hyde Park, London’s biggest, and within a mile are Oxford Street, Kensington Palace and Paddington Station, (terminus for the Heathrow Express airport link. Bayswater is a traditional budget area and a great place to stay for the cost conscious traveler.
Victoria is very central, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey and the London Eye are all within walking distance. The cheap hotels are south of the railway station, stretching from the coach stations to Pimlico Underground. The area is pleasant and safe.
Some of the better bed and breakfasts include the Montana Excel and Howard Winchester Hotels in Kings Cross, the Central Hotel in Victoria and the Blakemore and Annur Hotels in Bayswater. Some of these may be advertised as three star hotels – beware in small print you may notice the words ‘self rated’.