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2007-09-15T02:47:00.000+07:00

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Diversifying your Online Income

2007-01-08T15:18:00.000+07:00

If you are reading this article, you are probably already earning money online, or are interested in learning how to start earning money online. Many business owners have one web site that brings in revenue, usually through sales of products or services that the business owner provides.

The online business arena is known for frequent and drastic overnight changes. A web site that is a darling of major search engines one day, getting thousands of targeted hits, can see its search engine traffic reduced by half (or worse) overnight. A successful Pay-Per Click-Search Engine campaign can turn bad and stop sending quality traffic to your web site in what seems like an instant. Your link exchange partners can remove links to your web site, and (indirectly) affect your web site's search engine positioning.

There are many things that can go wrong, and while you can (and should) correct the problem and regain at least some of the traffic, what can you do in the meantime? How can you earn profits while you are working on restoring your search engine rankings and making changes to your pay-per-click campaigns? How can you cope with these changes, and make sure that they don't have a similarly drastic effect on your overall online profit? Diversification of your online properties and income is your answer.

What is diversification? Instead of having a single web site selling products and services, imagine having two web sites, selling different products and services. The web sites should have different copy and sell different products, since search engines may penalize web sites that have identical content. Even if search engine rankings of one of your web sites decline in any given month, chances are that the other web site(s) will maintain their position, and can still earn you money.

Let's take this concept a step further. Instead of two, imagine having ten different web sites, all selling different products and services. Not all products have to be products that you produced yourself - there are many affiliate programs out there, offering generous commissions on everything from food containers to ebooks to workout videos. Again, with ten web sites you are increasing your overall online profits, and at the same time protecting your business against the vagaries of search engine algorithms. While it is possible that several of your properties might get poor rankings for a few months and not sell as much, it is highly unlikely that all web sites will get bad rankings at the same time.

By diversifying products and services that you sell, as well as the web sites from which you sell them, you will increase your profitability, and will be better able to cope with changes in online marketing landscape.

About the author: Biana Babinsky is the online business expert who has helped many business owners attract more web site customers, bring in more online publicity and increase the bottom line. Visit http://avocadoconsulting.com/free_newsletter.html to subscribe to her newsletter full of marketing tips and ideas and join her online business coaching program at http://www.MarketingSalad.com

7 Search Engine Optimization Strategies

2007-01-08T13:21:00.000+07:00

by saichon sannok
Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Search engine optimization refers to the technique of making your web pages search engine friendly so that search engines are more easy to understand and analyze your website. Consequently, your site has a better chance to gain high search engine ranking.
However, please be reminded that high search engine ranking is not your only objective, and your objective should be website traffic and conversion. The following advice helps you to achieve the objectives.

1. Make Sure Your Site Will Not Be Penalized
Webmasters realize the importance of attaining top search engine rankings. Hence, they perform many search engine optimization activities on their sites. However, improper implementation of search engine optimization can get your site heavily penalized by search engines. To avoid your website being penalized, webmasters must not commit to the following practices:
- Use of hidden texts or hidden links on web pages.
- Use of cloaking
- Excessive automated queries to search engines like Google Web pages loaded with irrelevant words
- Keyword stuffing
- Multiple pages, sub-domains, domains with substantially duplicate content

2. Select Correct Keyword Phrases
Correct keyword phrases allow you to drive targeted visitors to your website. Therefore, this step determines whether your search engine optimization effort can improve business result or not.
Do not restrict yourself and be open minded in this area. You may think that most of the search is coming from 1 word keyword. However, it is wrong. Most people uses 2-5 words keyword phrases because they are more descriptive and yield precise results from search engines.
In addition, think creatively and perform linguistics research can help you generate useful keyword phrases.

3. Optimize Title and Meta Tags
According to Internet Marketing Articles, One of the important steps in search engine optimization is to optimize Title tag in your web page. Pages with the keywords appearing in the title tag are often assumed to be more relevant to the search query than others. Remember, title tag is the most important location of a web page after the main content of the body tag. Almost all search engines give importance to this tag.
Some search engines also give importance to the presence of the keyword in the meta description and keyword tag. Currently, it does not applicable to Google though.

4. Optimize Website Content
All search engines place emphasis on your body text content. The main content of your web page should contain the keyword a considerable number of times to make the search engine spiders feel that the content is relevant to the search query. The first two paragraphs are extremely important in search engine optimization.
To prevent your site from being regarded as "over optimization", you should not stuff keywords heavily in your body content. We suggest that you should present the keywords in a natural way. Apart from this, your website copy should have at least 200-250 words.

5. Ensure Clean Coding
To allow search engines to index and analyze your website correctly, you must check correctness of HTML coding manually. Webmasters may build webpages from WYSIWYG HTML editors such as Microsoft Frontpage 2003, but these HTML editors may leave some duplicated or unnecessary tags in your copy especially when you edit the pages very often during web design phase.
In addition, search engines are not good at understanding Java Applet and Flash. If you have Flash or Java applet navigation menu, make sure to duplicate somewhere and include HTML links as well.
Please also check whether your website has broken links. They may stop search engine spiders to crawl other web pages in your website, it may result in loss of hundreds or thousands website traffic per month, and waste your search engine optimization effort.

6. Link Building
In case you have a little bit knowledge about search engine optimization, you likely know that link popularity is very important to attaining high search engine ranking in major search engines such as Google, MSN, Yahoo, etc..
Yes, search engines use link analysis to determine search engine rankings. The phiolosophy is that if an inbound link points to your site, your site must have some value. Therefore, the inbound link is regarded as a "positive vote" to your website. The more inbound link you have, the higher is your link popularity. This can boost your search engine ranking.
However, quality of links (link reputation) is also important. If you can get an inbound link from a high popularity website, your site will get more benefit.
There are many methods to perform link building including seeking one-way link, reciprocal links, 3-way links, etc. Because link popularity and link reputation are of great importance to search engine positions, many search engine optimizers spend most of their time in link building.

7. Optimize Dynamic Website Content

Search engines are not good at understanding dynamically generated web pages. Therefore, I suggest you should change your dynamic URL to static URL. If it is not possible, you should consider using some advanced search engine optimization techniques such as Mod-Rewrite to optimize website.

Google Reader Adds Trend Analysis

2007-01-08T12:51:00.000+07:00

By : Thomas Claburn

InformationWeek Thu Jan 4, 2:00 PM ET

Google Reader can now help you analyze your feed reading habits.

Taking a page from Google Trends, Google software engineer Mihai Parparita said on Wednesday in a blog post that Google's browser-based RSS reader now includes a Reader Trends page.

Google Reader's new Trend page shows the user his or her subscriptions, starred items, read items, and shared items. It tracks the number of items posted by a given RSS source and the percentage of them the user has read. It details tags added by the user to categorize posts and it presents bar graphs of user-reading habits.

For Google Reader users, particularly those with hundreds of RSS subscriptions, trend analysis may offer some useful insight into where one's attention is being spent.

"If you have any New Year's resolutions about time management or are a chart geek like me, trends should be useful and fun," Parparita says in his post. "You may discover things about your reading habits that you didn't know."

And after you measure how keeping up on the blogosphere impacts your productivity, perhaps you'll want to share that information with your supervisor. Or not.

How to Create Effective Web Publishing Content

2007-01-08T12:42:00.000+07:00

by: Biana Babinsky

I frequently tell my coaching clients about the importance of regularly updating web site content. Fresh content keeps customers coming back and gets indexed more frequently by search engines. Novelty spurs attention, whether human or technological. A few months ago, I received a question from a student who really wanted to update his web site on a regular basis, but was struggling with finding new material. Here are a few ideas for generating fresh content:

Update Existing Web Pages. Virtually everything in life changes on a regular basis. You may not notice it, but almost every aspect of your business changes, too. Did you recently update conditions of a service? Add a new product? Create a revolutionary turnkey solution that is likely to save your clients thousands of dollars every month?

Your web site should reflect the most up-to-date information about your business. Update the details and delivery methods of your services, add a new product to your database and web site, and by all means, don't forget to prominently display information about your new and improved solutions.

Write Articles for Your Web Site. Articles are a valuable resource for your business. Articles on your web site educate your web site visitors and showcase your expertise.

In addition to posting articles on your web site, you can use them in your own newsletters, and submit them to other newsletters and web sites for syndication. Many business owners are looking for web site and newsletter content - let them use your articles, along with your by-line and resource box. This will let you leverage your articles and generate free publicity, exposing you to new audiences.

Many of my clients have asked me how to find topics for new articles. The topics are everywhere - in today's news, conversations with clients and colleagues, networking events you attend, speeches you hear. This very article started as a question from a marketing student.
Start a Blog. Blogging is fast becoming the tool of choice for showcasing new content on business web site. A blog is an excellent tool to answer your web site visitors' questions, inform them about new products and services and tell them about industry news. Don't be afraid to share your opinions - your blog is the perfect place to showcase your business and expertise. A blog is an excellent vehicle for connecting with your visitors, as well as generating fresh web site content.

Updating your web site on a regular basis is very important. Put article writing and blogging in your business schedule - you will start reaping the rewards of frequent updates very soon.

Basics of Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

2007-01-08T12:23:00.000+07:00

by: Biana Babinsky

Have you heard stories about legendary online entrepreneurs who hit it big after getting a #1 rank in several popular search engines? You probably wondered what it would take for you to achieve that elusive #1 spot in the search engine result pages (SERPs). Search Engine Optimization (SEO) plays a vital role in ensuring that your business gets the best possible search engine ranking, which can lead to increased sales for your online company.

What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?

Search engine optimization is the process of modifying web page content and meta-information to improve the search engine ranking of the page. Meta-information includes certain HTML tags (title, heading, emphasized text, keyword and description meta-tags), as well as the internal (links between pages on the same site) and external (links between pages on different sites) link structure of a web site.

Impact of High Search Engine Rank on Sales

Internet market research estimates that between 70% and 90% of online shoppers use search engines to find a specific product or service. Let’s examine factors that influence sales to see how effective search engine optimization can boost your revenues.

Three metrics are required to forecast online sales: the average ticket, the conversion rate, and the amount of web site traffic:

* The average ticket is the amount of money spent by a customer on a typical transaction. Computer and electronics stores have high average tickets (hundreds or thousands of dollars), while bookstores have low average tickets (tens of dollars).

* Web Site traffic is measured by the number of site visitors, typically expressed as the number of page views per month.

* Conversion rate is the number of sales divided by the number of page views per month, expressed as a percentage.

Let’s look at an example. The Ultimate Taupe Widget (UTW) store has an average ticket of $25, a conversion rate of 2%, and gets 5,000 page views per month. The estimated monthly sales are $2,500 ($25 average ticket * 0.02 conversion rate expressed as a decimal * 5,000 page views per month). Achieving a high search engine rank will increase the number of page views, and therefore increase sales. In this example, if traffic doubles to 10,000 page views a month, UTW’s monthly sales should (approximately) double as well (to $5,000).

Keep in mind that a high search engine rank will produce a measurable increase in traffic only if there is significant marketplace interest in taupe widgets and your web site appears in the first thirty search engine results.

However, search engine optimization is not going to produce measurable results if there is very little demand for taupe widgets. The #1 spot in search engine result pages is not particularly impressive if only two people search for “taupe widgets” each month. Role of Keywords in Search Engine Optimization

Keywords are words or phrases users provide to search engines to locate information. Search engines examine page content to determine whether a specific page is relevant for a particular search word or phrase. Thus, effective keyword selection is one of the cornerstones of search engine optimization.

Each keyword is characterized by supply (number of search engine result pages) and demand (number of searches). The easiest way to improve search engine rank is to select keywords that have favorable supply-demand characteristics; that is, ones with a relatively high demand and a relatively low supply. It is much more difficult to improve the search engine position of a page on a high supply, competitive keyword.

Good keywords must be relevant to your product line, as well as your line of business. A #1 rank for “navy widgets” is worthless if you sell taupe widgets exclusively. A potential customer will find your page, quickly discover that you don’t sell any navy widgets, and promptly go elsewhere. In effect, the conversion rate for irrelevant search engine hits is very close to zero.

Using Keywords Effectively

Choosing a set of target keywords is the first step in search engine optimization. The second step is using them in the body, title, headings, and meta-tags of a page.

Include the target keywords in the text of the page. Don’t overdo it, though — the keywords should fit smoothly into the surrounding text. Search engines use several techniques to detect excessive keyword density, or too many keywords stuffed into very little supporting text, and will reduce the rank accordingly. A page has too many keywords if they interfere with the general flow of the text on a page and appear to be glaringly out of place

The title tag should contain information that describes the page. Unless you operate a multi-national conglomerate that is already a household name, your company’s name is not a descriptive title. Most search engines use the title tag as the first line of your listing in the search engine result pages. Strive to make your title tag say “click me” to a prospective customer. “Superior taupe widgets - 50% off every day” is a good page title, while “Ultimate Taupe Widgets, Inc.” is not.

Incorporate keywords into the headings on the page, as well as into emphasized sections (bold or large text). Even though search engines are de-emphasizing descriptive meta-tags, include keywords in them nevertheless. The description meta-tag should have an accurate description of your page, and the keywords meta-tag should contain a set of keywords (separated by commas) that list key concepts mentioned on the page.

Understanding the basics of search engine optimization is an important first step in creating an optimized, well-positioned web site.

About The Author
Biana Babinsky shows you how to drive thousands of targeted visitors to your web site in her Step by Step Search Engine Optimization Special Report. Learn more about the report at http://avocadoconsulting.com/rlinks/zseo.

The best blogs all have a quite few things in common - regular, well written

2006-12-23T14:38:00.000+07:00

content and a large number of subscribers are base requisites for a Technorati Top 100 Blog. But what other traits do these select few blogs share?

Blogging Software

The software that a blog runs on is key to the presentation and features available, and there are a multitude of different applications available, all with their own respective pros and cons. It is perhaps unsurprising that almost half of the Top 100 blogs run on specialized (or heavily customised) software - high traffic demands and specific needs are common within the top few blogs.

Movable Type is also a popular choice, offering a wealth of now-standard tools for blogging, including trackbacks, and the usual host of comments, categorization etc. Perhaps the major advantage of Movable Type is the extensive customizations and stylistical changes that can be made.

Wordpress boasts many similarities to Movable Type, with perhaps one major advantage - it's free. Similar levels of customization can be made, and there are a multitude of themes that can be installed to customise the look of a blog.

Hosted services such as TypePad, Blogger, and MySpace also feature in the Top 100 blogs, although they tend to be less customizable, they are considerably easier to set up.

Monetisation

Blogging is big business these days, and most (79%) of the Top 100 blogs had some form of advertising. A mere 21% had no explicit advertising at all.

he most popular form of monetization is the ubiquitous Google Adsense, appearing on 24% of the Top 100. Easy to set up, and with a large catalog of advertisers, it's a common choice.

BlogAds and DoubleClick constituted a relatively significant portion of ads, with Federated Media et al lagging behind.

Language

The blogosphere is largely dominated by English language sites, but Japan and China have a reasonable representation. Spanish, Farsi (Persian), French, Russian and Taiwanese constitute the remaining 7%.

Topic

Technology leads the way in terms of topics - blogging is dominated by the likes of Gizmodo and Engadget, Technology obviously being a popular topic amongst early adopters and otherwise techy types.

Genre-busting 'General' blogs covering a broader range of topics are second in popularity, followed by a mass of (chiefly American) political blogs. Personal blogs weigh in at a mere 9% of the top 100, despite the blogosphere consisting of mostly personal material. Gossip and News feature quite prominently, followed by a mixed bag of miscellany for the last 17%.

Background Colour

An overwhelming majority of 47% of the top 100 blogs opt for a plain white background - simple, clean, and consistent with current design trends. Neutrals are a popular choice, it would seem, with grey being second choice.

Blue is another safe choice - with 1 in 6 blogs choosing an azure tone for their backdrop. Pink, black, beige and green are rank outsiders, with the remnant consisting a mere 3%.

Body Typeface

Unsurprisingly, given the limited choice of fonts available on the web, certain choices are very popular - Verdana is used as a body font in 43% of the Top 100 blogs.

Helvetica rip-off Arial, stylish serif Georgia and Trebuchet take the next 3 positions, with erstwhile favourite Times used in just 5% of the blogs.

CREDIT :: http://www.modernlifeisrubbish.co.uk/article/leading-average-top-blog-trends

"Goong" [Princess Hours]

2006-12-22T18:25:00.000+07:00

Details

Title: 궁 (宮) / Goong (Gung)
Also known as: Palace / Princess Hours (MBC Global Media) / Imperial Household
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Episodes: 24
Broadcast network: MBC
Broadcast period: 2006-01-11 to 2006-03-30
Air time: Wednesday & Thursday 9:55 PM
Songs: "Perhaps Love" by HowL & J. , "You & I Are Fools" by Stay, "Parrot" by HowL
Inserts "Ice Pond", "Give Me A little Try"
Related TV shows: Goong 2 , Goong S

Synopsis

Goong (궁) is based on the same titled manhwa by Park So Hee.

Goong is story about the love in face of tradition, politics, and intrigue. Korea is a constitutional monarchy and the Royal Family lives in a grand Palace, the Goong. Story opens with a startling diagnosis that the King is terminally ill. Faced with the decreasing popularity among the public for the Royalty, a grand wedding for the Crown Prince, Lee Shin, is decided to be the best publicity move to improve the image of Royalty and at the same time prepare Shin for immediate succession. The intended bride? The headstrong, awkward, and sweet spirited Shin Chae-gyung that just happens to go to the same exclusive art school. Chae-gyung was betrothed to become the next Crown Princess by her grandfather and Shin's grandfather. As in life, humor maskes the pain in this beautifully shot drama.

Preparations for the sequel Goong (궁) Season 2 is underway, as confirmed by Eight Peaks. Eight Peaks has confirmed that they will try to engage the same cast for the sequel.

Goong S is a drama produced by a separate production company, Group Eight (http://www.group8tv.com), and is not an official sequel of Goong (궁). Both cast and storyline for Goong S are totally different from Goong (궁).

Cast

Main Cast

Yoon Eun Hye as Shin Chae-gyung
Joo Ji Hoon as Lee Shin
Kim Jeong Hoon as Lee Yul
Song Ji Hyo as Min Hyo-rin
Choi Sung Joon as Kang In (Shin's friend who secretly likes Hyo-rin)
Lee Yong Joo as Jang Kyung (Shin's friend who likes Kang Hyun)
Uhm Sung Mo as Ryu Wan (Shin's friend who's filming every moment)
Jun Ji Ae as Lee Kang-hyun (Chae-kyung's friend with the glasses)
Lee Eun as Kim Soon-young (Chae-kyung's friend)
Dan Ji as Yoon Hee-soong (Chae-kyung's friend)
Kang Nam Gil as Chae Kyung's father
Im Ye Jin as Chae Kyung's mother
Kim Suk as Shin Chae-joon (Chae-kyung's brother)
Lee Yoon Ji as Princess Hye-myung (Shin's sister)
Park Chan Hwan as King
Yoon Yoo Sun as Queen
Kim Hye Ja as Queen Mother (Shin's grandmother)

Production Credits

Original Work: Manhwa 「궁」 by Park So-hee (박소희)
Production Company: Eight Peaks (http://www.eightpeaks.com) (에이트픽스)
Director: Hwang In Roe (황인뢰)
Writer: In Eun Ah (인은아)

CREDIT :: http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Goong

Rookie Employees Talk About the New Hit Show “Super Rookie”

2006-11-01T16:40:00.000+07:00

Kang Ho (Eric), a graduate of a provincial university; Lee Mi-ok (Han Ga-in), a female contract worker; Lee Bong-sam (Oh Ji-ho), the stereotypical elite professional; and Seo Hyeon-a (Lee So-yeon), the privileged child from an impressive family background. These are the four “rookie” employees of the fictional LK group whose struggles for survival are the subject of MBC’s hit show “Super Rookie.” The drama, which has recently recorded ratings in the 20% range, is a brisk, lighthearted satire on corporate culture and unemployment among the younger generation. It is eliciting varying responses from professionals in their 20s and 30s, sometimes offering catharsis through identification (“That’s exactly what I went through!”) and at others receiving criticism for unreality (“There’s no way that sort of thing could happen!”). So how do real “rookies” in large corporations view the show? Three new employees from Samsung, LG, and SK engaged in a free discussion on the MBC drama.
Lucky Kang Ho Can Be Annoying-
Cho Dae-gon: Every time I watch “Super Rookie,” I feel like it’s my own story. Even my boss asks, “Did you see yesterday’s episode?” and says half-jokingly, “Although you don’t have Kang Ho’s looks, you should at least try to take after his spirit and ambition!”

Lee Eun-ho: But sometimes Kang Ho seems to lack an intellectual side or even basic etiquette. Sleeping until 10:00 a.m. in the conference room, or impulsive actions like putting makeup on his own face at his desk in order to research the product—that sort of thing is unrealistic.

Kim Hyeon-jin: On the show, Kang Ho always emphasizes the fact that he graduated from a provincial university. But in real companies, not all graduates from universities outside of Seoul act like Kang and broadcast their academic background. On the contrary, most of them quietly go about their work.
Mi-ok Lacks Professionalism-
Lee: Kang Ho once joined Mi-ok, who is a contract employee, in a rally to “abolish discrimination against contract workers” at the front entrance to the company building. I was really impressed by that. In fact, I wish Mi-ok could be portrayed not simply as a contract worker, but a professional career woman who is an equal to the regular employees.

Kim: Maybe it’s because I’m a woman, but I view the character of Lee Mi-ok as representing female culture within large corporations. She didn’t draw much attention when she was in a uniform hidden behind horn-rimmed glasses, but when she appeared in regular clothes with makeup on, a lot of men began drooling over her. And after that, she’s been regarded not as a contract employee, but an ordinary woman who occupies one end of a romantic triangle.

Hyeon-a Needs to Be More Ruthless-
Cho: I think Seo Hyeon-a, the show’s villainess, is the least realistic character of all. Who nowadays brags about being an executive’s daughter in a professional environment? It’s more likely that such a person would try to hide that fact as much as possible. If an executive’s daughter were to receive special treatment, the organization would be in shambles. In this age of cutthroat corporate competition, a company that engages in such behavior would fall behind.
Kim: If Hyeon-a concealed her family background and became more ruthless, she would be quite an arresting female character. As she is, Hyeon-a is rather lukewarm. And Lee Bong-sam isn’t a 100 percent villain either. He experiences his own tears and frustrations, and we see a lot of his human side.

Lee: On the show, Director Song criticizes Bong-sam by saying, “The problem with kids like you is your textbook way of thinking. You always come up with the same answers.” Lee Bong-sam is portrayed as the victim of Korea’s standardized education. The amazing thing is that he always feels jealous of Kang Ho, who’s from a provincial university.

Wishing Bong-sam Would Be Rewarded for His Efforts-
Kim: I guess that’s more apparent because Kang Ho and Bong-sam are on the same team. I have a colleague at work who began the same year as I did, and I feel a sense of competition as well. My desire to do better fuels that feeling. But I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing. Rather, I’m annoyed from time to time to see Kang Ho have all the good luck. Bong-sam’s unfaltering pursuit of his goal appeals to me more.

Lee: I believe that Bong-sam has a higher chance of surviving at his company. Kang Ho has a lot of lightning-flash ideas that seem attractive for the moment. But someone like that tends to show his limits the higher he climbs up the corporate ladder. I feel like Bong-sam, who is consistent in his efforts, will come out on top in the end.

Cho: It would be great if “Super Rookie” ended with the message that a person who works steadily toward his or her goal, rather than someone who has good luck or gets chance opportunities, will eventually succeed. Because that’s the hope of all of us real “rookies.”

4-Hour Room Service: The Rachamankha, Thailand

2006-10-03T13:33:00.000+07:00

By Danielle Demetriou

Published: 30 September 2006

The rickshaw driver was unable to contain his surprise. "Are you sure this is a hotel?" Bypass the bustle of Chiang Mai's night bazaar, continue past temple after golden temple towards the western edge of the ancient city walls, and you'll stumble across a hotel that even the locals don't know exists. The Rachamankha is a peaceful retreat that - to the confusion of some - has been built in the style of a traditional Lanna temple. Two courtyards filled with blossoming frangipani trees take centre stage, surrounded by buildings with tiered terracotta roofs. The décor reflects the cultural fusion of north Thailand's Lanna culture: stone corridors are lined with artwork from Laos, gold manuscript boxes from Burma, stone animal sculptures from China.

White sofas under the lofty temple-style roof provide a place for guests to sip green tea while perusing the Bangkok Post. Stone steps lead to a bougainvillea-filled garden with a teak-tiled swimming pool that provides the perfect respite from the stifling city heat. In a traditional pavilion muscle-stretching Thai massages take place, and, as is always the case in Chiang Mai, food is taken very seriously. The restaurant has high wooden ceilings, tall latticed doors, and geometric black and white lanterns.

LOCATION

The Rachamankha, 6 Rachamankha 9, T Phra Singh, Chiang Mai, Thailand (00 66 539 041 11; www.rachamankha.com). In a small, residential street near all major attractions.

Time to international airport: only 15 minutes by airport taxi, costing around 120 Baht (£1.70)

COMFORTABLE?

Tall wooden temple-style doors line the open stone corridors that lead to the 23 guest rooms. While each room is different, they all share a simple palette: white orchids, black lacquer boxes and a splash of red cushions, for example. Bamboo blinds, antique cabinets and Chinese porcelain lamps complete the picture.

Freebies: delicious lavender aromatherapy products and sleekly packaged black charcoal soap. Small glass phials of citronella oil with wax sealed lids are also provided.

Keeping in touch: the library - a little less temple-like with its chandeliers, leopard print cushions and decanters of whisky - has two computers and Wi-Fi.

BOTTOM LINE

Superior double rooms from 15,900 Baht (£223) rising to a 25,740 Baht (£363) for a two-room suite including breakfast.

I'm not paying that: for a cool and sleek urban hotel with an atmosphere that's more "party" than "temple", check into the recently opened D2hotel, 100 Chang Klan Road, Tambol Chang Klan, Amphur Muang, Chiang Mai (00 66 539 999 99; www.d2hotels.com). Doubles from US$181 (£106) including breakfast.

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2006-09-29T15:05:00.000+07:00

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Top 10 Web Hosting Packages

2006-09-25T00:08:00.000+07:00

WebHostingGeeks offers independent reviews of all major web hosting providers.
In order to provide our customers with the highest quality, all our web hosting packages include at least one free domain name registration and 30 day money back guarantee!

Rank	Web Host	Features	Bonus Features	Web Hosting Rating
1	Bluehost	Space: 30Gb Traffic: 750Gb Price: $7.95	Free Domain Forever, Host 6 Domains in 1, Free $50 Yahoo Credit	Bluehost Review Host Rating: 99% > Editor's Choice Hosting
2	Yahoo	Space: 5Gb Traffic: 200Gb Price: $8.96	Free Domain Name, $100 Yahoo Credit, $50 Google Credit	Yahoo Review Host Rating: 99% > Best Value Hosting
3	Startlogic	Space: 35Gb Traffic: 750Gb Price: $5.95	Free Domain Name, $50 Yahoo Credit, $50 Google Credit	Startlogic Review Host Rating: 98% > Best Windows Hosting
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Thank Source:: http://webhostinggeeks.com
Publish Post For :: Education only

"Domestic interest rates to begin to drop early next year:Top bankers"

2006-09-07T21:50:00.000+07:00

BANGKOK, Sept 6 (TNA) - Local interest rates are set to begin to fall early next year in the wake of the global economic slowdown, according to top executives in the Thai banking sector.

KASIKORNBANK's President Prasarn Trairattanavorakul said on Tuesday that the interest rates offered by local commercial banks are very likely to drop early next year along with a possible decline in the United States' key interest rates this year due to the economic slowdown.

Under the circumstance, Thailand's policy interest rate is expected to decline to 4 per cent from 5 per cent at present.

Bangluesak Pussarangsri, Director of Bangkok Bank's Macro Economic Analysis Center, said the policy interest rate is projected to drop in the first quarter of next year by 0.25-0.50 per cent.

So, it is forecast that interest rate cuts by commercial banks will be seen in the third quarter or in the second half of next year due to the global economic slowdown.

Angkana Sawasdipoon, Executive Vice President of Siam City Bank, shared the common view that the policy interest rate and the interest rates offered by local commercial banks would begin to decline early next.

Still, how much the interest rates will decline depends on the liquidity of each bank and its loan growth.

She said the economic slowdown would remain a risk factor to commercial banks' performance next year because it could reduce their loan growth.

However, she said, the interest rate decline would help reduce bad debts in the domestic banking system.

(TNA) - E005

http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=24591

"Discount Airline Tickets"

2006-09-05T22:35:00.000+07:00

How to book airline travel online without pulling your hair out!

Tips for buying discount airline tickets online and getting free plane tickets.by Lola San Francisco & BrianX

How to buy Airline tickets online!

"Online airline tickets are deeply discounted because the
airlines sell about 7-100 seats on each flight to contracted online vendors. For
example: Expedia.com will get 3 seat on United Flight 233 LAX to ORD and they
buy the 3 for $100 each and resell them for $125.00 then sell the other seats
like everyone else.
On a flight with 300 seats the airlines have a set
number of seats at a set price. This is called "A class of service." The lowest
class of service is the cheapest and sell first. These seats are also allotted
to companies to buy in advance, as in the example above. A flight price could go
something like this:
10 seats, Y class (Class of service) sell for $100
each50 seats, X class sell for $110 each75 seats, S class sell for $150 each100
seats, C class sell for $300 eachAnd so on...
So if there are 5 of you
traveling, you're going to see $500 in your search price. But if you buy 1, 2,
or 3 tickets at a time you can get them for the $300 price, depending on how
many are left on that site. The trouble is no one knows how many discount
airline tickets are available at any given time. You have to take it from 5 to 4
to 3 to 2 to 1 and you may find that that is all the airlines have sold in
total! But, it's still better than $500 for everyone.
Remember: most discount
airline tickets are non-refundable and non-transferable. You book that
discounted airline ticket and you go! However, as of September 2003 some
airlines began letting travelers use their tickets for future travel, provided
that the discounted airline tickets "change fee" is paid for (around $100) and
changed BEFORE the scheduled departure date on the original ticket that was
purchased.Regarding last minute travel and discount airline tickets: The highest
price tickets are 14 days before travel. Try to find the discount seats
discussed above, if there are any seats left to buy the original
discount."

Get the Cheapest Flights with These Tips

Now that you know how the system works, you can combine it with some other advice on how to book discount airline tickets. Keep these tips in mind as you plan your vacation and flights.
The major plane ticket search engines (Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, Hotwire, Priceline, and so on) release their new prices on Wednesdays. So when you buy plane tickets online, you can get the best deals on Wednesday from midnight to around 5am.
Consider the time of year. Summer is high season and you'll find some of the highest rates in June and July. Another peak travel period is winter holiday time between Christmas and New Years. If you're looking for discount airline tickets during these times, it will be tough. If you fly mid-January to the end of February, April through May, mid-September to mid-December, you should be able to buy your airline tickets at a discount. Less people are flying during those times and so the rates are better.
If you are more flexible with the dates you choose, you are more likely to get a better rate. For example, if you can fly on January 4th instead of January 2nd, you could benefit from a lower fare. Avoiding holidays altogether is best. Also, the earlier in advance that you book, the more you can save. Even 2 weeks of notice can save you money.
You can get a bigger discount on airline tickets by flying on the day of a major holiday. For example, the price for flying on Christmas day (December 25) will be cheaper because everyone wants to be at their destination by then. In fact, if you do fly on that day, you'll have almost the entire plane to yourself in many cases.
Netfares are deals offered by airlines that are only available if you book with their online system. That saves their customer service people time and easily ensures a booked seat.
Most people buy return tickets but in case you want a one-way plane ticket, make sure you check the return rate. Traveling both ways can actually be cheaper (even if you only use half the ticket)!
Weekends are usually more expensive than weekdays. That's because most people have short trips over the weekend. There use to be a system where staying over an a Saturday night would get you a better discount but that's not true anymore.
If you are looking online for discount airline tickets, be sure to check out several websites. Different airline ticket websites offer a range of prices and all have their own policies and approaches. You should also consider speaking to a travel agent who may be able to get you an equally good deal.
You may be able to get a better discount if you purchase a package deal. For example, if you fly to Los Angeles and book a hotel room, rent a car, and have your flight included, you are more likely to get a good deal.
Many online airfare ticket brokers have an automated system where you choose a destination and price and they will email you every time that price is offered. Sign up with these!
Try to fly on the same airline each time you travel. That way you can build up frequent flyer points and miles which you can redeem for free airline tickets. If you are planning to fly very far (such as from New York to Sydney Australia) you will get so many points that you may even qualify for a short flight within the US (such as New York City to Boston). Make sure you are using those frequent flyer benefits!

Types of Discount Airline Tickets

"While most people can use the above ticket buying tips,
some people even qualify for especially cheap airline rates. For example,
military discount airline tickets are available to qualified personnel and
students frequently get an added discount. Whether you are flying to Hawaii,
Latin America, or Hong Kong, you can use these tips to get a cheaper flight. In
fact, these tips will be even more powerful and helpful towards getting deep
discount airline tickets by simply traveling to Boston, New York, Las Vegas or
Los Angeles! One last point about buying plane tickets at cheaper prices is that
some airlines give you better rates if you book online versus calling them or
getting tickets through your travel agent.
While it may be more difficult to
get discount international airline tickets, you can find deals online. On the
other hand, American airlines such Delta, United airlines, and well, American
Airlines, tend to offer exceptionally great deals for people traveling within
the continental United States."

How to get Free Plane Tickets

Believe it or not, there is a way! We have expanded this section into its own article How to get free airline tickets so check it out and good luck!

Discount Airline Ticket Info

If you want to buy discount airline tickets, this online article should help. Other than that, for good deals check out the other BrianX travel articles.

"Top 5 Hotels of the World"

2006-09-05T03:31:00.000+07:00

Wedgewood Hotel Vancouver, B.C., Canada

If you are looking for a stay in London and that too in a limited budget then go for Wedgewood Hotel. Located on the Leinster Square in London this two star hotel is an ideal place to stay during your tours to London. Wedgewood Hotel is specialized in serving its guests with some of the best facilities within a budget. Delivering perfect accommodation, dining and recreation seems to be the motto of Wedgewood Hotel in London.

Accommodation at Wedgewood Hotel in London offers you to stay in any of its 59 well-equipped rooms. Some of the facilities that you can avail while staying at Wedgewood Hotel are Safety Deposit, Laundry, Radio, Hair Dryers, Television, Tea/Coffee Maker and Direct Dial Telephone. Moreover, the multilingual staff is available round the clock at the reception. So, come and have a great time staying at the Wedgewood Hotel in London.

Alvear Palace Hotel Buenos Aires, Argentina

Tour to Latin America can be made more pleasurable with a great stay at the Luxurious Alvear Palace Hotel. It won't be wrong to say that there is no better way to have a gala time in Latin America than a stay at Alvear Palace Hotel. Specialized in delivering the world-class facilities coupled with elegant d้cor is the Five Star Alvear Palace Hotel in London.

Feel free to stay in any of its Junior Suites, Deluxe Suites, Diplomatic Suites, Governor Suites, Presidential Suites and Royal Suites. Needless to say that all these rooms are well equipped with all the world-class facilities. Apart from the superb recreation facilities like the Health Club, Swimming Pool and Beauty Salon, you will be bowled over by the hotel's sumptuous dining. Drop in at the hotel's L'Orangerie Restaurant and Lobby Bar to feast upon your favorite food.

Shangri-La Hotel, Bangkok Bangkok, Thailand

Situated on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok has always been the first choice of the tourists to stay in Bangkok. Located at a 30 minutes drive from the International Airport and adjacent to a Sky train Station, Shangri-La Hotel is a great 5 Star Deluxe Hotel. Surrounded by lush green gardens, Shangri-La Hotel is an expert in delivering the world-class facilities to its guests.

With a whole variety of 799 Guest Rooms and Suites, Shangri-La Hotel is a name to be trusted in the hospitality industry. Hair/Beauty Salon, Pasty Shop, Car Rental, Airport Transfer, Clinic, Photo Processing Service, Baby Sitting are some of the facilities that one can avail during a stay at Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok. So, come and pamper yourself with a great stay at Shangri-La Hotel in Bangkok.

Mombo Camp Botswana

Located just off the northwestern tip of Chiefs Island in Africa, Mombo Camp is the one great place from where you can enjoy highest quality wildlife viewing in Africa. Situated deep within the Moremi Game Reserve, Mombo Camp offers you to stay in its 9 large safari tented rooms. All these tents are well equipped with attached bathroom and solar-powered lights. Dotted with expansive plains, Giant Umbrella Thorns and Ilala palms, Mombo Camp is famous for its wildlife. Perhaps this is the reason that several wildlife documentaries have been shot at the great Mombo Camp in Africa. Exploring the Savanna jungle under the guidance of a well-trained guide is one of the activities that you can undergo while staying at Mombo Camp. So, come and have an adventurous stay at Mombo Camp in Africa.

Fairmont Kea Lani Maui

Resting gracefully on the southwest shores of Maui, Fairmont Kea Lani offers all the world-class facilities o its guests. Known as the dream place for wedding, Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel specializes in wedding planning. No wonder, why Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel is considered as a true paradise for all those wishing to have a memorable wedding amidst the beautiful surroundings and services of Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel.

Some of the facilities that you can avail while staying at Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel are an easy access to Polo Beach, nearby Golf Club, Tennis Court and Shopping Center. Moreover, Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel also features three Swimming Pools, 24-hour Fitness Center, Lounge and Business Center. Snorkeling, Scuba diving, Sailing, Canoe Paddling and Yoga are some of the activities that you can undergo while staying at Fairmont Kea Lani Hotel.

http://www.mapsofworld.com/world-hotels

"Hate veggies? 9 ways to sneak them into meals"

2006-09-04T20:58:00.000+07:00

75 percent of us don't get enough, here's how to fool yourself into more

"Slip healthy vegetables into your diet by adding them to sandwiches, pairing them with other foods and even eating pumpkin pie."

By Susan Yara

Updated: 6:47 p.m. ET Aug. 20, 2006

We all make excuses, whether it's for failing to return a phone call, showing up late to a meeting or skipping the gym. Even into adulthood, some of us are particularly creative when it comes to explaining why we don't eat our vegetables.

"I've actually had someone tell me they can't eat vegetables because they make them gag," says Dr. Connie Guttersen, a dietitian and author of "The Sonoma Diet," which emphasizes eating flavorful, healthy food and vegetables for improved health. "I thought, well, how big were those pieces?"

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 75 percent of Americans don't eat the recommended five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables per day. That's alarming, considering how important vegetables are to maintaining a healthy and productive lifestyle — but not surprising, given that many people would love to have barbecue sauce classified as a vegetable and be done with the whole affair.

For that reason, dietitians have had to get more subtle with their advice. The secret to getting their clients to eat more greens is not to explain their health benefits — it's sneaking them into their diets.

"It's all about baby steps," say Guttersen. "My clients are convinced they need to eat more vegetables. They just need more ideas."

Tips for downing the super foods
Vegetables are basically super foods. They add fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, iron and calcium to a person's diet, but not a ton of calories. Chances are, you're never going to eat too many vegetables. But as any doctor will tell you, the same can't be said about potato chips or cookies.

"Vegetables serve a number of purposes," says Marissa Lipert, a registered dietitian in Manhattan. "They help lower cholesterol, prevent diseases like cancer and heart disease, aid in digestion and help maintain satiety, so you feel full for a longer amount of time."

For those who would rather eat mothballs than their daily serving, Lipert suggests getting creative by combining vegetables with favorite foods. Instead of having a meat-only sandwich, or one garnished with a limp bit of lettuce, toss on some tomatoes, sprouts and spinach to fulfill one serving of vegetables. Loading your pizza down with sausage, pepperoni and extra cheese may not be the road to health, but throw on half a cup of broccoli, spinach or mushrooms and at least you're getting another serving in.

"You can also get really creative and incorporate vegetables into baked goods, such as zucchini bread or carrot-raisin bran muffins," she says. "That way, it doesn't seem like you're being forced to eat a side or plate of veggies."

Pumpkin pie counts
Vegetables can even be dessert, says Jo-Ann Heslin, a registered dietitian and co-author of numerous nutrition books, including The Complete Food Counter. Half a cup of pumpkin pie counts as a serving of vegetables, and if you make it without the crust, you can cut calories, too.

Standard serving sizes don't have to be tricky. One serving equals a half-cup of raw, cooked or pureed vegetables (including tomato sauce and vegetable soup), one cup of raw leafy greens, or four to six ounces of juice. There's also good news for french fry lovers: One medium-sized potato counts also, but it isn't highly endorsed.

"We eat two to two-and-a-half servings of vegetables a day, and often, one is a potato," Heslin says. "Potatoes do qualify as a vegetable, but we'd like people to branch out further."

Palatable pairings
Another way to make vegetables more palatable is to pair them with other foods, which usually brings out their best flavors, Guttersen says, and so does adding certain oils and seasonings. What's more, tasty combinations can help the body better absorb precious nutrients from vegetables.

"Greens, especially bitter greens, such as broccoli rabe or dandelion, taste their best when in combination with three ingredients," she says, "A healthy source of fat, such as olive oil, nuts or peanut oil; a bit of acid, such as lemon juice or flavored vinegar; and a dash of heat from crushed red pepper."

Experts also suggest that their clients add a little color to their diets. So, don't stick to only green vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli. Veggies come in a wide variety of shades, such as red, yellow, orange and purple, and each color brings a whole new set of vitamins and minerals to the table.

Vitamins don't compare to real food
For those who just can't — or won't — make vegetables a part of their daily diet, there are always supplements that can be taken, but be warned that many vitamin supplements are not well absorbed by the body, nor do they take the place of real food. Guttersen says trying to take separate nutrients in pill form can never compare to eating real, whole foods.

"Scientific evidence shows that the protective nutrients found in vegetables work in harmony to improve health, rather than alone, as in supplements," she says. "So, you're not getting the same benefits."

"BUSINESS BRIEFING"

2006-09-04T15:53:00.000+07:00

RETAIL

Nardelli Staying at Home Depot

Home Depot chief executive Robert L. Nardelli said he hasn't thought about leaving the nation's largest home improvement store chain during the controversy over his high pay and the company's lagging stock price, but he acknowledged that critics may be causing a public distraction. "It's never been my intention to be a distraction for the company," Nardelli told the Associated Press.

Nardelli, who has received $123.7 million in compensation, excluding certain stock option grants, since becoming chief executive nearly six years ago, also said he does not intend to ask the Home Depot board to withhold further cash bonuses until the company's share price improves, as some critics have suggested.

AIRLINES

Delta Asks to End Pension Plan

Delta Air Lines told a bankruptcy judge that it must eliminate its pilots' pension plan if it is to exit bankruptcy protection and remain in business.

The nation's third-biggest air carrier had asked to end its pension plan for pilots effective today. But the plan remained in place after the judge continued a hearing on the matter until Tuesday.

If the judge decides to terminate the plan next week, he can do so retroactively, which Delta said it would request.

LEGAL

Enron Wins Ruling in Fee Case

Enron won a legal ruling in its effort to recover more than $100 million in electricity contract fees from buyers in the West.

A federal court in New York denied a motion to dismiss Enron's suit against Luzenac America and Snohomish Public Utility District of Washington state. A judge said the matter should be handled by the bankruptcy court.

Enron is trying to recover $116 million plus interest from Snohomish and $6.7 million from Luzenac. Enron is challenging legislation that gave the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission the sole authority to rule on the payments, owed when the power buyers terminated their contracts to purchase electricity from Enron.

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

Regulators Clear Bid for Inco

Brazilian miner Companhia Vale do Rio Doce said it received clearance from Canadian and U.S. regulators to take over Toronto-based Inco if its $17 billion cash bid is approved. The announcement came two days after Inco urged its shareholders to reject CVRD in favor of bid from U.S.-based Phelps Dodge, which offered cash and stock worth $17.4 billion. Shareholders vote Thursday.

CVRD is the world's largest iron ore producer, Inco is the second-largest nickel producer and Phelps Dodge is the second-largest copper producer.

TRADE

U.S. Puts Off Brazilian Complaint

The United States blocked a request by Brazil for the World Trade Organization to investigate compliance with a ruling against subsidies to U.S. cotton growers.

Brazil argued that the United States still does not comply with international trade rules despite having eliminated a subsidy ruled illegal in 2005.

The United States said it has sufficiently changed its cotton program to bring it in line with its WTO obligations. Countries have the right to block the first request for an inquiry at the WTO, but cannot stop a second.

AUTOMOTIVE

VW Strike Goes On in Brazil

Workers at Volkswagen's largest Brazilian factory extended a strike until Monday, when they will decide whether to do more to protest the planned layoff of 1,800 employees.

The strike began Tuesday after workers began receiving termination notices. Employees are showing up for their shifts, but aren't doing any work in what union leaders are calling a "strike of occupation."

Volkswagen has said the plant in Sao Bernardo do Campo, an industrial suburb of Sao Paulo, is unprofitable because of its high labor costs. The factory has 12,000 employees.

COMPUTERS

Gateway Rejects Bid for Unit

Gateway turned down a $450 million offer for the part of its business that sells computers through retailers.

The Aug. 22 offer from Lap Shun Hui, who sold EMachines to Gateway in 2004, isn't in the best interest of shareholders, the company said. Hui owns 4.9 percent of Gateway. He made his bid a day after Firebrand Partners and Harbinger Capital Partners, which own more than 10 percent of Gateway, demanded a meeting with interim chief executive Richard Snyder to discuss how to improve sales and profit.

Gateway lost more than $40.9 million in the past nine months and its share price has have dropped 62 percent since the purchase of EMachines.

SOFTWARE

Microsoft Releases Vista Test

Microsoft completed the test version of its Windows Vista operating system, which it plans to release to consumers by January.

The test version was made available to about 15,000 Microsoft customers and partners. More than 500,000 others will get access Tuesday, the company said.

Microsoft plans to release Vista to corporate customers in November before the software becomes generally available in January.

Compiled from reports by Washington Post staff writers, the Associated Press and Bloomberg News.

http://www.washingtonpost.com

"Protesters want Pluto kept on"

2006-09-04T10:40:00.000+07:00

Las Cruces, New Mexico _ Size doesn't matter.

That was the message as friends and colleagues of the late Clyde Tombaugh, the astronomer who discovered Pluto, gathered on the New Mexico State University campus to protest against the International Astronomical Union's recent decision to strip Pluto of its status as a planet.

About 50 students and staff members turned out on Friday for the good-natured challenge. Some were wearing T-shirts and carrying signs that read "Protest for Pluto" and "Size Doesn't Matter."

Mr Tombaugh's widow, Patricia, and their son, Al, also participated.

NMSU astronomer Bernie McNamara told the crowd that textbooks shouldn't be rewritten.

"Why not? Because the debate is not over," Mr McNamara said.

The IAU determined last week that a planet must orbit the sun and be large enough to assume a nearly round shape, as well as "clear the neighborhood around its orbit." Pluto's oblong orbit overlaps Neptune's, which led the IAU to downsize the solar system to eight planets from the traditional nine.

Mr McNamara argued that only about 400 of the union's thousands of members were present when the Aug 24 vote was taken.

"This was not a statement by the astronomical community at large," he said, adding that a petition opposing the IAU definition of a planet is circulating among the world's planetary scientists and astronomers.

Mr Tombaugh was 24 when he discovered Pluto while working at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, in 1930.

Some say Mr Tombaugh's discovery was significant because it took 60 years for stronger telescopes to locate another object with an unusual orbit like Pluto's, and 73 years before scientists discovered a bigger object in the area.

Thailand also still cannot decide whether it should rewrite the textbooks.

But a Thai astronomer has warned the current educational system would make any attempts to improve science content difficult to achieve.

The science curriculum in the country had been usually improved every 10 or 20 years partly because of the dated belief that the knowledge is constant, fixed, and unchangeable, said Wipu Rujopakan, a researcher for the Thailand Research Fund, who is taking a doctorate on physical astronomy in the United States.AP and BANGKOK POST

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News

"Phuket Diving"

2006-09-04T02:41:00.000+07:00

Facts about diving in Phuket
Phuket is one of the best places in the world for diving. The water is warm so you don't need a wetsuit. Very good underwater visibility. There are big variety of corals, species of reef fish, not to mention tens of thousands of species of other reef creatures. There are dozens of scenic island destinations within range of daytrips and live-aboard cruises from Phuket.

Snorkeling
First, you don't need to have or take PADI (diving) license or take expensive diving trips to discover the beautiful underwater of Andaman sea. Snorkeling is a great experiece too and is recommended for beginners and normal tourists. If you like this, you can continue with scuba diving.

Great places for snorkeling (close to Phuket) is Freedom beach, the north and south end of Kata beach, Phi Phi and Racha Island. You can reach Freedom beach by longtail boat, approx. 200 baht/person (roundtrip). Racha Island is a diving site for divers but snorkelers are welcome too, approx. 1050 baht/person with a daytrip boat with breakfast/lunch included. Racha is also accessible by speedboats from Patong or Rawai beach.

Diving - Daytrips
There are many diving sites around Phuket and it takes between 60 to 90 minutes to get to most of these sites. Phi Phi island is a 2 hour boat ride, tought. However, many people take a ferry to Phi Phi and stay overnight. You can then dive from boats out of Phi Phi's harbor for one or more days.

Generally, one day boat dive tours from Phuket pick you up between 7:00 and 7:30 am and return late afternoon with at least two or three dives. The boats departure from Chalong Bay harbor, located on the east side of Phuket island, around 30 minutes from Patong beach.

Phuket Diving destinations include:
The Shark Point (Hin Mu Sang): This is a beautiful and colorful place and you have the possibility to spot sharks, mainly leopards.
King Cruiser Wreck: The King Cruiser was a catamaran-hull type passenger ferry 85 meters in length and 25 meters in width. She sank few hundred meters off shark point.
Anemone Reef: This dive site is found less than a mile north of Sharkpoint and it's a single large submerged rock covered in sea anemones.
Racha Island: This island offers easy diving with clear water and a good variety of tropical marine life, suitable for beginners and snorkelers.
Phi Phi Islands (Hin Bida): A big variety of tropical fish and Leopard sharks and turtles are spotted easily.

Live aboards
The diving sites west of Phuket are only accessible by live abords and are one of the world's best diving sites. These sites includes Similan Islands, Richelieu Rock, Koh Surin, Burma Banks and Mergui Archipelago.

Protect the environment!
Please, do not plan to collect souvenirs while snorkeling or diving or disturb the undersea environment in any manner. Take care and try not to brush your fins, tanks etc against coral.

http://www.phuket-info.com/diving.htm

WORLD AIRWAYS, NORTH AMERICAN AIRLINES OPERATE LEBANON EVACUATION FLIGHTS TO THE UNITED STATES

2006-09-03T03:09:00.000+07:00

PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. (Aug. 3, 2006) – World Airways and North American Airlines, both wholly owned subsidiaries of World Air Holdings, Inc. (OTC: WLDA.PK), operated a series of 11 charter flights on behalf of the U.S. Department of State to return Lebanon evacuees to the United States. World and North American operated more than 25 percent of the commercial evacuation flights, transporting passengers to Atlanta, Baltimore and Philadelphia. World Airways flew eight missions aboard its MD-11 aircraft, and North American operated three flights with its Boeing 757 aircraft.

“Both of our airlines played a major role in the response to the State Department’s request for assistance, providing more than 3,000 seats for this urgent mission,” said Jeff MacKinney, president, World Air Holdings. “We are proud of the way our crewmembers and staff responded on short notice to help take thousands of people out of harm’s way.”

World Air Holdings has three wholly owned subsidiaries, World Airways, Inc., North American Airlines, Inc., and World Risk Solutions, Ltd. World Airways is a charter passenger and cargo airline founded in 1948, North American is a charter and scheduled passenger airline founded in 1989, and World Risk Solutions is an insurance subsidiary established in 2004. For further information, go to www.worldairholdings.com.

http://www.worldair.com

"Kia takes a detour off road"

2006-09-02T07:58:00.000+07:00

Forget what you first thought about the Sorento; it's a fully fledged 4WD, as far as the maker is concerned

Off-roading is a world of its own. It’s a fascination for some, an obsession for others; an adventure to talk about over a couple of beers. Then there are those who don’t want anything to do with it.
There are names that come along with this world. Names like Land Rover, Jeep, Hummer, and Land Cruiser. But when you hear someone say: “Kia four-wheel drive”, it feels about as misplaced as a camel in the Antarctic.
Kia? Really? Since when did they move on from making cheap cars that fall apart in three years to four-wheel drives? This was the mindset that Kia Motors had to overcome on a test-drive trip involving me and a few other sceptical members of the media. Not that Kia was totally inexperienced in four-wheel drive motoring. There was the Sportage, but it was more an on-road vehicle than something in which to pursue Tarzan through the jungle.
So the “off-roader” I was to test was the Sorento, and it’s no surprise if you’re not too aware of the model.
The Sorento is a mid-size SUV, competing with the likes of the Lexus RX300 and the Ssang Yong Rexton (another niche player). Basically, the Sorento is a big SUV when compared, say, to the Honda CRV. It can seat five people in comfort and is big enough to make you reconsider if you regularly use small sois.
Now for some 4x4 lessons: The Sorento can operate in two transmission modes, auto and 4-low.
Auto mode is the one you’re likely to find every Kia customer using. It is a fuel-saving mode where only the front wheels are engaged. But if the sensors detect a loss of traction, then in come the rear wheels for support. This helps the Sorento get out of little puddles and is similar to the 4-high mode of other off-roaders. It allows torque transfer between front and back and also left and right.
Then comes the more serious mode – 4-low – which allows the Sorento to deal with extreme off-roading. Now when you don’t expect much from a car and it performs, you’re impressed. This is what happened between me and the Sorento. The 4-low actually manages to pull the vehicle out of mud thick enough to delight a herd of buffaloes – and it does it with highway tyres. Overall, the Sorento does “all right” when you take it off-roading.
It also comes with leather seats, which means you can sit in the car even with wet clothes – a common state for off-roading enthusiasts.
Then, there are things you notice when the honeymoon pales and you begin to pay closer attention to the Sorento, like when I was driving it around the off-road paths in Kaeng Krachan National Park. For instance, when you engage 4-low mode it feels like someone has rear-ended you. There is a “thump” sound, which shows that Kia hasn’t yet perfected the art of gear changes.
Then there is the lifeless and vague steering that gives the impression you could do the cha-cha-cha while driving and the tyres wouldn’t move. As a result, placing the tyres exactly where you want them, which is crucial for off-roading, can be difficult.
The Sorento comes in two versions, diesel and petrol. The 3.5-litre petrol model can be difficult to deal with off-road because it needs vigorous work on the gas pedal. However, the diesel variant is so responsive that driving smoothly is an art that I didn’t manage to master in two hours on the off-road course.
All that aside, why did Kia bother to take us, previously sceptical but now convinced journalists for a beaten track trip into the hills? It boils down to marketing. When the Sorento was first offered on the Thai market, it was branded as a land yacht that got you from A to B in comfort, as long as the road from A to B was sealed. Then Kia realised that failing to tap into the Sorento’s off-road appeal was like running on bare feet when you have a pair of Nikes.
However, it is worth noting the Sorento isn’t particularly impressive on the road either. The sloppy steering, along with huge amounts of body roll, tend to automatically back your foot off the gas before entering corners. But what makes the Sorento an attractive buy is its price, when coupled with some of its accessories. This model has an altimeter and a barometer, along with slight aesthetic changes to the front and rear bumpers. The units currently on sale were imported before the new tax structure was implemented, re-classifying SUVs into a different segment. As a result, the 2.5-litre diesel is priced at Bt1.88 million and the 3.5-litre petrol model costs Bt1.99 million.
The Sorento is not the best SUV in any situation. Its on-road capabilities are a lot more than a stone’s throw away from other SUVs, and its off-road capabilities haven’t yet been refined. But for its price, the Sorento is a car you just might be prepared to dent when you’re off-roading – just a little.

Vijo Varghese
The Nation

"Classy Camry"

2006-09-02T05:29:00.000+07:00

Toyota is clearly targeting buyers of European luxury cars with this latest incarnation. But will those executives be convinced?

Toyota loves to make headlines and with its new Camry mid-sized sedan, the Japanese carmaker has done just that. The new Camry, priced from Bt1.299 million to Bt1.749 million for the top-of-the-line version, comes with enough features to attract buyers from the luxury car segment dominated by European makes.
Why spend Bt4 million for a German luxury car, when you can get the same from a Camry, at less than half the price? That’s the question Toyota is asking consumers, mainly company executives and those looking for a big family car.
In essence, what you should expect from the Camry is comfort and convenience, for which the model is already known. But this time, Toyota has also given it a little bit of spice in terms of the drive character; getting rid of the soft, boring ride and replacing it with some athletic ability.
The top-of-the-range version comes with a 2.4 litre VVT-i engine capable of producing 167 horsepower and 224Nm of torque. For those who want a little more fuel efficiency and perhaps don’t need as many features in the car, then the 2.0 litre VVT-i engine, with 147 horsepower and 190Nm of torque, should do just fine.
The 2.4-litre engine is mated to a five-speed automatic gearbox, with a manual shift mode, while the 2.0-litre motor, which sounds a bit more sporty when revved up compared to the larger engine, comes with the usual four-speed auto.
Although it feels sluggish when taking off from rest, the Camry 2.4 manages to maintain a decent level of acceleration from the lower midrange thanks to the closer gear ratios. In top gear there is also enough grunt for the car to overtake on the highways, resulting in a highly relaxed motoring style.
The 2.0-litre engine, on the other hand, also suffers from sluggish take-off, but then invites you to push it a little bit more – from the midrange the engine becomes throaty and delivers the sort of sound you’d associate with a sports saloon. Bearing in mind that this is only a 2.0-litre in a pretty big car and mated to a four-speed auto, one is tempted to give the bigger applause to the smaller engine.
As mentioned, Toyota has decided to put in some excitement into driving the new Camry resulting in a more solid suspension and steering system.
Although the steering is a little slow and vague at low speeds, once it reaches cruising mode things get better. I took the car for a test drive last week between Bangkok and Koh Chang and it handled surprisingly well along the country roads and the sharp corners on the island. On the highways the car stood up well against cross winds and although you can’t say the ride is as plush as the old model, it sure is more convincing in terms of all-round performance.
The Camry hugs on to corners in a way a matured car should, allowing you to glide through smoothly, while the steering offers fairly good accuracy, although the resistance on the steering feels artificial.
ABS-governed disc brakes, 16-inch in the front, 15-inch in the rear, with Brake Assist and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution come as standard across the range, which raises the question: shouldn’t the brakes be upgraded for more power from the 2.4-litre engine?
Toyota, as well as other Japanese auto-makers including arch rival Honda, usually offer no brake upgrade for more powerful versions in the same model range. I didn’t raise the subject, but the reply would surely be that the 2.0’s brakes are overpowered! Perhaps it’s time to follow the Germans in this respect – that is, the size of their brake discs (or braking performance) should become larger (or better) as the engine gets more powerful.
I’m just waiting for the day when I drive a new Toyota and say “Wow, great brakes!”
From the outside, the Camry looks good. The unique and sleek rear window is there and although the hips remind you of the Honda Accord, my points go to the Camry. Just replace the “T” on the front grille with an “L” and you instantly get a new Lexus model.
The Camry boasts a huge cabin, with lots of room, especially in the back seat. Even with a six-footer up front, there is still plenty of legroom for another six-footer at the rear.
With the top V version, you get everything that makes it a great executive car, including rear air vents (still waiting for them to be located on the b-pillar like the European models), ashtrays on each rear door (mandatory for Japanese executives) and special control buttons for the front passenger seat, which can be controlled by the rear passenger (this allows the rear passenger to conveniently increase legroom further).
There’s also a DVD player for the 2.4 V, although it is positioned on the centre console and does not work when the car is in motion (for safety reasons). Perhaps if the screen were moved out of the driver’s sight (for example between the front seats or on the ceiling), then I would see some use to it.
With the present set-up, you need to park the car and engage the parking brake in order to watch the video.
Then there’s the automatic climate control system with “Plasmacluster”, which makes it sound like a home air-conditioning unit. Well, this turned out okay, helping to get rid of cigarette stench pretty well (another boon for the Japanese executives).
Only the front seats come with cooling fans with three speeds (now Japanese executives won’t be happy about this), and although there’s a navigation system for the top model, we didn’t get to try it out. I hope it’s better than in the previous model, which needed five minutes to get started and means the first response from the navigator would always be “find a safe place to make a u-turn” or “where the hell you think you’re going?”
The features list in the Camry keeps on going. The headlights turn on and off automatically, have automatic height adjustment and turn along with the steering wheel to offer better visibility. There’s also a Smart Entry system (with push start button) as well as dual front airbags, side airbags, whiplash injury lessening system, five seatbelts, traction control and Vehicle Stability Control.
I’m not a designer but there’s something I can’t understand about carmakers – why do they love to put leather, aluminium and wood together?
Leather and wood is a proven combination, and if you want a modern look, replacing the wood with aluminium will do the job properly. But putting the three together is just suicide – it is a pity because the interior design of the Camry is great to start with.
I wish car designers would just look at the mobile-phone designs and see where the world is heading these days.
The new Camry comes with loads of features, but there’s also a price to pay (by the way, navigation costs an additional Bt110,000).
Toyota knows this, so there are three 2.4 litre versions to choose from as well as the 2.0G, which can save as much as Bt450,000 compared to the top 2.4V with DVD and navigation.
Verdict? The new Camry is way above the model it replaces and stands among the top contenders in the mid-sized sedan category. Toyota had a point when it said it expects the Camry, with the comprehensive package offered, to steal a good number of customers from the European powerhouses.

Kingsley Wijayasinha
The Nation

Jungceylon to open ‘by December 1’

2006-09-02T05:01:00.000+07:00

The long-awaited Jungceylon project is expected to officially open for business by December 1, with tenant Carrefour expected to open at the site October 15.

PHUKET CITY: The long-awaited Jungceylon project will open for business by December 1, a top executive for project owner Phuket Square Company Ltd told the Governor today.

Prawit Janyasittikul, Deputy CEO of Phuket Square, visited Phuket Provincial Hall this morning to brief Phuket Governor Udomsak Uswarangkura on the progress of the project, located on Rat-U-Thit 200 Phi Rd in Patong.

Jungceylon, originally slated to open November last year, was halted after ballooning costs, liquidity problems and a legal dispute between its two principal investors resulted in project contractor Powerline halting work at the site for five months.

Work resumed April last year after former investor Manit Udomkunnatum’s 53% share in Phuket Square was bought out by US-registered investment fund Real Estate Capital Asia Partners (Recap).

Today, K. Prawit confirmed that work on the project was nearly complete and that the project would open for business on December 1.

Following the buyout, the cost of which he put at 5 billion baht, all available retail space has been reserved, he said.

One high-profile tenant, French hypermarket Carrefour, would open on October 15, he said.

With so many businesses preparing to open at one time, Jungceylon and its tenants needed to launch a publicity complain to find enough employees, he said.

Gov Udomsak told K. Prawit that he hoped Jungceylon would be a success, and raise the profile of Phuket and Patong among foreign tourists.

However, he expressed concern that Jungceylon’s key location, on 55 rai in the heart of Patong, might draw business away from existing businesses, causing hardship and resentment.

K. Prawit said Jungceylon is planning an October 9 press conference at the site to introduce the project to the public.

http://www.phuketgazette.net

"Thailand's all mobile phones become 10-digit numbers"

2006-09-02T02:30:00.000+07:00

BANGKOK, Sept 1 (TNA) - All mobile phones in Thailand become 10-digit numbers as of September 1, but the 9-digit based system will be intact for another two months--until the end of November--to ease impacts on consumers and facilitate their communications during a transitional period, according to the National Telecommunication Commission (NTC).

Along with the NTC official announcement, local mobile phone service providers are launching their own public campaigns nationwide to alert their customers on the change.

In Bangkok, the country's two major mobile phone giants, Advanced Info Service Public Company Limited (AIS) and Total Access Communication or DTAC, on Friday organised special caravans travelling to major places to create the public awareness.

As well, they have set up service points to serve the public on converting their mobilie phones to the new 10-digit system.

The alteration of local mobile phones to the 10-digit system, wth all numbers preceded with "08", instead of "0", is to cope with the kingdom's expanding demand for mobile phone services in coming years, according to the NTC. (TNA)--E002

"Trial int’l flights at Suvarnabhumi Airport successful"

2006-09-02T01:56:00.000+07:00



BANGKOK, Sept 1 (TNA) -Two first international flights smoothly flew out of Suvarnabhumi Airport Friday in a trial which officials described as successful. One flight left for Hong Kong and the other for Singapore. Thai Airways International (THAI) and Airports of Thailand Plc (AOT) conducted test runs on all aspects of international flight operations, starting from passenger check-in and boarding pass issuance to the conveyor system. Passenger check-in took only 20 seconds per person while the immigration and customs procedures went without any problem, Transport Minister Pongsak Raktapongpaisal said, showing confidence that the new airport would be ready to serve international flights. Full-scale operations are scheduled for Sept 28. The only changes following the test, according to the minister, will be minor adjustment to security in the passenger terminal and aircraft handling in order to improve service. From today to Sept 28, various airlines will conduct similar trial flights. As an added benefit, airport tax for THAI clients will be dropped from now until the official opening. Chotisak Asapaviriya, AOT President, said the Australia-based Jet Star airlines will operate three daily flights from Suvarnabhumi to Singapore on Sept. 15. Flying Officer Abhinan Sumanaseni, THAI President, said questionnaires were distributed to all passengers aboard the trial flights and data obtained would be used to assess services for improvement before the commencement of domestic flights from Suvarnabhumi on Sept. 15. THAI intends to operate five flights daily from the new airport from that day. Somchai Sawasdeepon, General Manager of Suvarnabhumi Airport, said AOT will start phase-two construction of runways after the official opening. Two runways are operational while the third and fourth will be added in next project, said Somchai, adding that the new international airport should increase THAI’s annual income by 6-7 percent. Louis Moser, Joint Airport Manager QF/BA (Qantas and British Airways), said he believes the new airport will see a leap in growth in Thailand’s aviation, tourism and related businesses.(TNA)

"Govt called to probe death of Italian prince"

2006-09-01T18:48:00.000+07:00

The government is urged on Friday to provide full information on the death of an European aristocrat in a Bangkok jail last month.

Christoph von Hohenlohe, a prince and member of the Agnelli family, the powerful Italian industrial dynasty, died the hospital unit of the Bangkok Remand Prison on August 6. He was arrested on July 31 for forging travel documents.

Pracharaj Party deputy leader Pramuan Ruchanaseree, who said the government should be aware that lack of cooperation in providing information on the matter would affect foreign ties.

"Thai authorities should investigate the cause of the prince's death at the soonest. This will show respect to the prince and his family," he said yesterday.

Thai authorities have declined to comment, but hospital reports suggest von Hohenlohe died from a possible blood infection or lack of insulin.

His mother, Princess Ira von Furstenburg, has already demanded an autopsy.

Von Hohenlohe was arrested at Don Muang airport while trying to leave the country. He had failed to get a flight home to Hawaii before his visa ran out was delayed by three days. He changed the date on his arrival card in pen to save time on more paperwork, but it was spotted by immigration officials.

The Nation

"Bombs hit 22 bank branches in Yala"

2006-09-01T15:14:00.000+07:00

Retired major killed, 24 others badly hurt

POST REPORTERS

An injured man gets out of a van at a hospital following yesterday's coordinated bomb blasts in Yala province. Southern militants staged near-simultaneous bombings at 22 bank branches, killing at least one and injuring dozens. — AFP

Yala _ Near-simultaneous bomb explosions at 22 branches of leading commercial banks in Yala killed at least one person and severely injured 24 others yesterday. Maj Suchart Srithong-on, a retired military officer, was killed while making a transaction at the Kasikornbank branch in Muang district.

Police detained five suspects in connection with the explosions, some of them natives of neighbouring Narathiwat and Pattani provinces.

The blasts hit branches of Siam Commercial Bank, Bangkok Bank, Kasikornbank, Islamic Bank of Thailand, Islamic Krung Thai Bank, Siam City Bank, Thai Military Bank, Bank of Ayudhya, Government Savings Bank and Krung Thai Bank.

Police said men and women dressed like vocational school students carried bombs in books, folders and plastic bags and dropped them on newspaper shelves and bank counters.

Fourth Army chief Ongkorn Thongprasom said none of the bank branches were targeted individually.

The militants wanted to disrupt a financial lifeline and damage the economy in the region in order to worsen the situation, he added.

He believed one mastermind was behind the strikes, which coincided with an expected influx of Malaysians celebrating their country's national day, the anniversary of the founding of the militant Bersatu group, and payday for many people.

Some analysts thought the attacks were aimed at unseating Sonthi Boonyaratkalin, the army chief, who was recently given full powers to pacify the deep South, which has been wracked by violence since a militant raid on an army depot in Narathiwat on Jan 4, 2004.

An anonymous postcard received by the Bangkok Post yesterday called on Gen Sonthi to resign because he had failed to stop the violence.

Speculation was rife that caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was unhappy with Gen Sonthi's performance. There were also rumours that the army chief is trying to befriend Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda in order to save his skin.

Gen Prem recently visited the region and on Aug 26 asked for a solution to the troubles as a birthday present.

Caretaker Defence Minister Thammarak Isarangkura na Ayudhaya said the violence had escalated because militants had forced the state to reverse its previous politics-oriented policy.

Bankers were horrified at the bombings.

''This isn't just a terrorist attack, but a war,'' said Viroj Nualkhair, a former president of Krung Thai Bank.

'' They [the militants] aim to force local residents out of the area by attacking basic infrastructure. If the banks can't operate, it will undermine the entire area,'' he said.

''I don't see any light at the end of the tunnel. Things are getting worse each day,'' he added.

Prasarn Trairatvorakul, president of Kasikornbank, said he was especially disheartened by a report that a customer had been killed while conducting a transaction at its Yala branch.

Kasikornbank closed all seven of its branches in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, but expected to resume normal operations by Monday at the latest.

Tarisa Wattanagase, a Bank of Thailand deputy governor, said no bank had yet sought permission to close any branches in the area permanently.

''Each bank is assessing their operations, and have mostly received assurances that their local staff want to continue work,'' she said.

The Bank of Thailand allowed banks in the region to close yesterday to facilitate maintenance and security upgrades, and to help with the police investigation.

All banks have agreed to reopen on Monday and ensure that ATMs are sufficiently stocked to meet demand.

Paiboon Kasemsutti, president of Yala's Chamber of Commerce, said the attacks would hurt the local economy and said the failure of state agencies to avert the attacks, even though they were forewarned, reflected flaws in their strategies.

A4-sized leaflets were distributed across Yala ahead of the attacks with a message, signed by a militant leader, threatening retaliation against Thai innocents for the government's actions in the South.

Yala's Bank of Ayudhya manager Sub-Lt Nopporn Thammasart said an official received a warning call and employees were evacuated to a strongroom. But the bank failed to alert two customers, who later sustained injuries.

Sutham Wongveera, Yala's Bangkok Bank manager, said money transfers and cash transactions were temporarily suspended, distressing salaried workers and civil servants on payday.

Tawee Piyapattana, chairman of the Southern Federation of Thai Industries, put the blame on the government, which he said had not taken problems seriously, leading to a lack of unity and direction among security forces in the region.

Federation of Trade and Industry chairman Santi Vilassakdanont stressed the need for new elections to be held and a functioning government put in place

http://www.bangkokpost.net/News/01Sep2006_news01.php

"First-ever university rankings published"

2006-09-01T15:04:00.000+07:00

Credibility doubts as Thammasat opts out

The Higher Education Commission yesterday published the first-ever rankings of the top 49 Thai universities, amid questions over the credibility of the initiative after the withdrawal of Thammasat and opposition by some institutions. The long-awaiting rankings were based on assessments of 49 out of 138 public and private universities across the country.

The main aim is to use them for universities to improve their performances and budget allocations.

The information can be used by high school students in making decisions when they apply to study for undergraduate degrees.

There was controversy, however, after Thammasat University decided not to join the initiative.

The university had not accepted the ranking results and the Higher Education Commission had to take responsibility for any problems which might result, rector Surapol Nitikraipoj said.The research and teaching ranking indicators were not credible and were inadequate, he added.

The ranking of universities should be entrusted to the Office of Academic Accreditation and Educational Evaluation, Mr Surapol said.

But Pavich Tongroach, secretary-general of the Higher Education Commission, ignored the criticism and said he would not give up the effort.

He vowed to continue evaluations of all universities in the future and improve the rankings.

''It's okay if someone does or doesn't recognise these rankings. They are subject to debate for academics,'' he said, and insisted the assessment was based on information supplied by universities.

Mr Pavich said even the rankings made by overseas agencies were not accepted by universities in Thailand.

Some companies in Thailand had even rated universities as a basis for recruitment of new employees, he said.

What concerned the commission more than criticism from universities was that private firms might not get the right information to judge universities, he added.

The rankings are categorised into research and teaching, and 60 universities and colleges gave information to the commission for assessment.

But the HEC counted only 49 participating institutions which had sufficient data for calculating their performances.

Each area has five levels on a scale from outstanding to excellent, good, fairly good and needing improvement.

Chulalongkorn, Chiang Mai University and Mahidol are the only three universities in the top group for their teaching and research performances.

Rajabhat and small private universities fall largely into the ''needing improvement'' category.

The criteria in the teaching category included the numbers of students and lecturers, the qualifications of lecturers, university budgets, the number of foreign lecturers and alumnis' international awards.

In the research category, the criteria focused on the amount of research funds, the number of researchers, the number of research textbooks published in foreign languages and the number of doctorate students and doctorate graduates.

Universities have also been graded according to disciplines taught.

In science, Mahidol University's science faculty ranks first. Chulalongkorn University comes top in technology, while Ramathibodi Hospital's faculty of medical sciences ranks first in biomedical science.

In humanities and liberal arts, Silpakorn University's faculty of decorative arts tops the list.

Ranking first in social science is the Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration of Chulalongkorn University. Kasetsart University's faculty of agriculture is placed top of the agricultural category, while its faculty of education was judged outstanding in its field

SIRIKUL BUNNAG

http://www.bangkokpost.net

"AEROTHAI ready for commercial services at Suvarnabhumi Airport"

2006-09-01T14:19:00.000+07:00

BANGKOK, Sept 1 (TNA) - All systems of Aeronautical Radio of Thailand (AEROTHAI) are now fully in place to support commercial operations of Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi Airport.

AEROTHAI demonstrated its full capacity and potential Friday morning when two international flights of Thai Airways International (THAI), the national flag carrier, simultanenously took off from Suvarnabhumi Airport's two runways in a test run prior to the new airport's officially opening for commercial services on September 28.

The THAI TG8814 and TG8816 flights, bound for Hong Kong and Singapore, successfully took off from Suvarnabhmi Airport's eastern and western runways.

The 3,700-metre eastern runway and 4,000-metre western runways are 2.2 kilometres far apart.

Thirty five AEROTHAI's air traffic controll officials, the agency's full personnel capacity for its standard operational services, are on duty to serve the simultanenous test run of the national airline.

"It's an unprecedented record, historically, as AEROTHAI had never served any simultanenous flight take-off," Bhuddawan Noirod, who heads the AEROTHAI's public relations department, told TNA.

"It shows the readiness with full potential and capacity of the AEROTHAI's overall systems at Suvarnabhumi Airport," she added.

Two more THAI flights, TG8815 and TG8817, flying from Hong Kong and Singapore are scheduled to land on the new airport's western and eastern runways simultanenously Friday afternoon. (TNA)--E002

http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=24473

"Heightened security continued for Thai PM"

2006-08-31T21:50:00.000+07:00

BANGKOK, Aug 31 (TNA) - Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has continued to observe his official duties with no publicized schedules amid heightened security measures.

The heightened security preparedness was remarkably seen Thursday morning from the caretaker premier's residence in Bang Plad area to his official residence here, Ban Pitsanulok, where he met senior officials, including Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan, who is also deputy leader of his Thai Rak Thai (TRT) Party, Deputy Transport Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, who is TRT Party deputy secretary general, Secretary General to the Prime Minister Prommin Lertsuridej and Government Spokesman Surapong Suebwonglee.

Agenda of the meeting have not been disclosed, but the prime minister will reportedly chair a meeting of an official committee in charge of organizing the kingdom's grand celebrations of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 80th birthday in 2007 Thursday afternoon.

The heightened security for Mr. Thaksin, with security officers deployed at all intersections along the route and positions in his motorcade altered, has been in placed followed a foided alleged assassination attempts against him on August 24 and a discovery of a fake bomb near his residence on August 28. (TNA)--E002

http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=24451

Eerie hush over stolen tsunami money

2006-08-31T01:47:00.000+07:00

PHUKET CITY: Phuket Governor Udomsak Uswarangkura has warned that government officers must shoulder the burden of responsibility of their positions and accept the “sharp thorns” of a government career.

He was referring to the lingering police investigation into whether Apichart Nooprod was involved in the theft of 2.05 million baht in tsunami funds on February 15 last year.

K. Apichart, Chief of the Finance Division of the Phuket Provincial Financial Office, denies the charge, and alleges that he has not received a fair review during the investigation.

Governor Udomsak said, “[The money] was his responsibility, but something like this could happen to anyone. I have had similar experiences. As government officers we are open to this type of accusation.

“If he is found not guilty, that would be good because he will have been proved innocent, and he will have the right to sue for damages,” said the Governor.

“As for his reputation, even I, as Governor, receive complaints that can damage my image. Government officers have to walk past these ‘sharp thorns’. He has to accept the allegation because the money was his responsibility at that time,” Gov Udomsak said.

However, the Governor added, “He can continue working as normal because he has only been accused; no judge or committee has found him guilty yet.”

Apichart was initially cleared by an investigative committee of government officers, who declared that the money was missing as a result of “poor accounting” – despite police photos showing that the strong box in which the money was kept had clearly been forced open.

However, on April 22 last year Phuket police charged Apichart with being involved in the theft, but the case was moved to the State Attorney’s Region 8 Office, in Surat Thani, after Apichart filed a complaint that he was not receiving a fair investigation.

The police case against Apichart stalled after the Public Prosecutor in Surat Thani asked for police in Phuket to provide more evidence against Apichart as the prosecutor was not willing to take the case to court on the evidence given.

That was nine months ago. Phuket City Police at that time said the delay was because they were still waiting for results of forensic tests being conducted in Bangkok.

Prasert Waranasereekul, the Special Public Prosecutor in the State Attorney’s Office for Region 8, told the Gazette that he was still waiting for more evidence. “I don’t know why it is taking so long, but that is not my responsibility,” he said.

“However, with a case such as this, we have 15 years [from the date the accused was charged] to bring the matter to court,” he added.

http://www.phuketgazette.net

"Thais urged to heed HM the King's advice on energy conservation"

2006-08-31T00:37:00.000+07:00

BANGKOK, Aug 30 (TNA) - Chaipattana Foundation Secretary-General Sumet Tantivejakul on Tuesday called on Thai people to put into practice the Royal advice given by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej on ways to save energy and to use alternative fuels if they admire them.

Speaking at a seminar on "Grand Energy Fair in Honour of His Majesty the King's Initiatives," he said that His Majesty had initiated and introduced severa kinds of alternative energy, such as bio-diesel and ethanol.

In particular, His Majesty the King has suggested the introduction of ethanol since 1975.

What His Majesty the King has suggested is not only a way to save the energy, but also an approach to using it to the maximum benefit.

He said Thai people admire His Majesty the King's charisma wherever he has visited and given suggestions. But surprisingly, most have failed to put His Majesty's good advice into practice.

For instance, on June 9, His Majesty the King suggested four approaches for the Thai people for the sake of peaceful living during the Diamond Jubilee ceremony, Dr. Sumet said, but the suggestions have yet been followed.

Dr. Sumet also mentioned His Majesty the King's advice on producing bio-diesel from pure palm oil for fishermen in the country's southern region, which has proven an effective substitute for diesel fuel.

However, Dr. Sumet warned the government to ensure sufficient water supply if it wants to promote oil palm plantations nationwide.

Unless the water supply is sufficient, according to Dr. Sumet, growers will be adversely affected.

Dr. Sumet hinted that the government should adopt a tax incentive to promote solar cell production, which is one of the Royal projects, because it could encourage the use of solar cells with lower energy costs. (TNA)-E005

http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=24440

"Top oil traders further cut gasoline, gasohol prices by Bt0.50 per litre"

2006-08-30T22:43:00.000+07:00

BANGKOK, Aug 30 (TNA) - Thailand's leading oil companies will further reduce petrol and gasohol prices Thursday, following a drop in world market prices.

PTT Public Company Limited (PTT) and Bangchak Petroleum Public Company Limited (Bangchak) both announced Wednesday that they would cut their retail gasoline and gasohol prices by Bt 0.50 a litre, taking effect from 05:00 a.m. on August 31, following a continuing drop of oil prices on the world market.

PTT's Senior Executive Vice President for Oil Business Group Chaivat Churitti said that falling oil prices on the world market had caused fuel prices in the Singapore market to decline.

However, the diesel price remains stable; so PTT would not cut its price, he noted.

Mr. Chaivat said that the high season in the US and Europe has ended; thus, gasoline prices are in decline.

However, western countries have started diesel storage for winter, which will either make the diesel price remain stable, or even increase, according to Mr. Chaivat.

Bangchak President Manoon Siriwan said that his firm would cut gasoline and gasohol prices on Thursday as well.

He said that crude oil and gasoline prices on the world market had dropped, as a UK-based BP refinery in Alaska is, again, operating at full capacity and the situation in the Middle East has not worsened.

"The market margin of diesel fuel remains at one baht per litre; so the diesel price will stay the same," he noted.

Other oil traders are expected to follow suit to reduce gasoline prices.

The move by PTT and Bangchak will reduce retail prices in Greater Bangkok to Bt 28.49 per litre for premium gasoline, Bt 27.69 a litre for regular gasoline and Bt 26.99 a litre for gasohol.

It is the fourth decline of domestic gasoline prices in two weeks, with the total decline mounting to Bt1.70 per litre. (TNA)--E004

http://etna.mcot.net

"Bid to create 77th province to mark King's 80th birthday"

2006-08-30T03:43:00.000+07:00

By :: AMPA SANTIMATANEDOL

FEASIBILITY STUDY PARTS OF PHETCHABURI AND PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN MAY BE MERGED

A feasibility study into carving Thailand's 77th province out of parts of Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan will likely be finished in time for His Majesty the King's 80th birthday next year. The areas designated for the proposed new province comprise Cha-am district in Phetchaburi and the districts of Hua Hin and Pran Buri and Sam Roi Yot subdistrict in Prachuap Khiri Khan.

The study was approved at yesterday's cabinet meeting.

Caretaker Interior Minister Kongsak Wantana said the plan has been considered for some time.

The creation of a new province, yet to be named, would celebrate the King's birthday.

The Interior Ministry has the Provincial Administration Department to gauge local opinions about the new province.

The seaside province would enjoy administrative flexibility with tourism as its main cash generator, said interior permanent secretary Sucharit Patchimnand.

Beaches in Cha-am and neighbouring Hua Hin draw local and foreign tourists to the two provinces.

Findings from the study would be presented to the cabinet for consideration. The creation of a new province would have to be approved by parliament.

A source in cabinet said the new province was Mr Thaksin's own idea.

http://www.bangkokpost.net

ทฤษฎีเกม (Game Theory) ทฤษฎีเศรษฐศาสตร์ชี้ชะตาโลก

2006-08-29T04:38:00.000+07:00

ดร. วรัญญู สุจิวรพันธ์พงศ์
CEO บริษัท อินฟินิตี้ ไอที คอร์ปอเรชั่น
อาจารย์พิเศษ MBA จุฬาฯ และ วิทยาลัยนวัตกรรมการศึกษา ม.ธ.
นักเขียนประจำ วิชาการ.คอม

สงครามย่อยๆ ที่ตะวันออกกลางซึ่งอิสราเอลได้ทิ้งระเบิดถล่มเลบานอน หรือการที่เกาหลีเหนือซ้อมยิงขีปนาวุธเขย่าขวัญญี่ปุ่น หรืออเมริกาจะตัดสินใจ คว่ำบาตรอิหร่าน ล้วนเป็นการตัดสินใจ ที่อิงกับการประยุกต์ทฤษฎีเศรษฐศาสตร์ ที่ชื่อว่า “ทฤษฎีเกม” หรือ “Game Theory” เป็นอย่างมาก

ท่านผู้อ่านหลายท่านอาจจะเคยสงสัยว่า การตัดสินใจทำอะไรลงไปซักอย่าง ของเราในชีวิตประจำวัน ของผู้บริหารต่างๆ หรือของมหาอำนาจแบบอเมริกา หรือรัสเซีย หรือจีน ทำไมจึงจำเป็นต้อง มีทฤษฎีอะไร มากำหนดกระบวนการตัดสินใจด้วย จริงๆ แล้วกระบวนการตัดสินใจ ที่ไม่ซับซ้อนมันได้อยู่ใน Common Sense ของเราอยู่แล้ว แต่ในบางสถานการณ์ที่มีความสลับซับซ้อน ทฤษฎีเกม หรือ Game Theory จะเป็นกระบวนการที่มาช่วยวิเคราะห์ เรียบเรียง และทำให้การตัดสินใจดีขึ้น และแม่นยำ โดยเฉพาะประเทศที่ศัตรูเยอะ และการตัดสินใจที่มีผลกับความเป็นไปของโลก เช่น สหรัฐอเมริกาได้มีการศึกษา และวิจัยทฤษฎีเกม กันอย่างจริงจังในระดับชาติ เพื่อช่วยให้การตัดสินใจ ในการปกป้องผลประโยชน์ของประเทศตัวเอง ให้มากที่สุด

นอกจากการประยุกต์ใช้ทฤษฎีเกม ในการวิเคราะห์การตลาด และเพิ่มความสามารถ ในการแข่งขันของธุรกิจแล้ว
ทฤษฎีเกม เป็นทฤษฎีทางเศรษฐศาสตร์ ที่มีชื่อเสียงมาก แม้ว่าจะเป็นทฤษฎีทางเศรษฐศาสตร์ แต่ก็ถูกคิดค้นขึ้นมาครั้งแรก ร่วมกันโดย นักคณิตศาสตร์ ชื่อ Von Neumann และนักเศรษฐศาสตร์ชื่อ Oskar Morgenstern ในปี 1944

จนอีก 50 ปีต่อมา (ปี 1994) ทฤษฎีเกมมาโด่งดังอีกครั้ง เมื่อนักเศรษฐศาสตร์ และเป็นศาสตราจารย์ ที่มหาวิทยาลัยพรินซ์ตัน (Princeton University) ประเทศสหรัฐอเมริกา ชื่อ จอห์น เอฟ. แนช (John F. Nash) ซึ่งมีโรคประจำตัวคือโรคจิตเภท ได้รับรางวัลโนเบลสาขาเศรษฐศาสตร์ ร่วมกับนักเศรษฐศาสตร์อีกสองท่าน ในด้านทฤษฎีเกี่ยวกับ Non-Cooperative Games ซึ่งหลายท่านอาจจะเคยได้ชมภาพยนต์เรื่อง Beautiful Mind กันมาแล้ว ซึ่งเป็นภาพยนต์ที่ถ่ายทอดเรื่องราวของ จอห์น เอฟ. แนช ดังกล่าว

หลักการพื้นฐานของวิชาเศรษฐศาสตร์ จะสมมติว่า ตลาดสินค้า มีการแข่งขันกันอย่างเสรี เพราะมีจำนวนผู้ซื้อ และผู้ขายมากราย (เข้าสู่ Infinity) รวมทั้งมีข้อมูลครบถ้วน ที่ทำให้ผู้ซื้อและผู้ขาย สามารถตัดสินใจซื้อ – ขาย ได้ในกรอบของความแน่นอน และไม่ต้องคำนึงถึงว่า ผู้ซื้อ – ผู้ขายคนอื่นๆ จะตัดสินใจอย่างไร เพราะการตัดสินใจ หรือการกระทำใดๆ จะถูกกำหนดโดยกลไกตลาด ท่ามกลางข้อมูลที่โปร่งใส และถูกต้อง

ซึ่งจะแตกต่างจากการเล่นเกม เช่น หมากรุก ที่ผู้เล่นต้องกำหนดกลยุทธ์ในการเล่น และต้องคาดเดาพฤติกรรมการเดิน และการตัดสินใจ ของผู้เล่นฝ่ายตรงข้าม หรือการจีบสาว ที่ชายหนุ่มจะต้องเดาพฤติกรรม และการตอบสนองของสาวเจ้า รวมไปถึงคู่แข่งด้วย

ตัวอย่างง่ายๆ ที่ใช้อธิบายทฤษฎีเกม

คือในกรณีที่มีคนร้ายสองคน ถูกตำรวจจับได้ และมีหลักฐานการทำความผิดในระดับหนึ่ง ที่สามารถสั่งจำคุกได้ แต่ยังไม่สามารถระบุความผิด ของทั้งสองคนได้ ดังนั้นตำรวจจึงแยกกันสอบสวน และให้โอกาสสารภาพ และซัดทอดซึ่งกันและกัน โดยตั้งเกณฑ์ไว้ว่า หาก นาย ก สารภาพและซัดทอด นาย ข แต่ นาย ข ไม่สารภาพและไม่ซัดทอด นาย ก แล้ว นาย ก จะได้เข้าคุก 2 ปี และนาย ข จะถูกจำคุกนาน 10 ปี ทั้งนี้โทษจำคุก ก็จะกลับกันหาก นาย ข สารภาพและซัดทอด นาย ก โดยนาย ก ไม่ปริปากใดๆ แต่หากทั้งสองคนไม่ยอมให้การใดๆ ที่มีประโยชน์ ตำรวจจะทำได้เพียงจำคุกทั้งคู่คนละ 1 ปี แต่หากทั้งสองคน ปรักปรำซึ่งกันและกันก็จะถูกจำคุกคนละ 5 ปี

หากท่านเป็น นาย ก ท่านจะทำอย่างไร ?

จากโจทย์ข้างต้น เราสามารถตีตารางเพื่อวิเคราะห์ พฤติกรรมได้ดังนี้

		นาย ข
		สารภาพและซัดทอด	ไม่ปริปาก
นาย ก	สารภาพและซัดทอด	(5,5)	(2,10)
นาย ก	ไม่ปริปาก	(10,2)	(1,1)

ตัวเลขในวงเล็บคือจำนวนปีที่ติดคุก ตัวเลขแรกในวงเล็บคือตัวเลขของ นาย ก และตัวเลขหลังของ นาย ข
จะเห็นได้ว่า ทั้งนาย ก และ นาย ข ควรจะร่วมมือกัน โดยไม่ปริปากใดๆ เพื่อให้ทั้งสองได้รับโทษสถานเบาคือ (1,1) แต่ในความเป็นจริง ด้วยความกลัวที่จะถูกอีกคนหนึ่งทรยศ โดยการปรักปรำ ทำให้ทั้งสองฝ่ายจะร่วมมือกับตำรวจ ซึ่งทำให้ติดคุกคนละ 5 ปี (5,5) พฤติกรรมที่เกิดขึ้นที่ไม่ใช่จุดที่ทั้งสองฝ่ายได้ประโยชน์สูงสุด เนื่องจากตำรวจจับแยกห้องขัง ทำให้คนร้ายทั้งสองไม่สามารถร่วมมือกัน หรือแจ้งข้อมูลซึ่งกันและกันได้ ซึ่งต่างจากตลาดสินค้าเสรี ที่ผู้เล่นทุกฝ่ายมีข้อมูลครบถ้วน ดังที่กล่าวมาข้างต้น ซึ่งหากคนร้ายทั้งสอง ได้มีโอกาสแลกเปลี่ยนข้อมูลซึ่งกันและกัน จะทำให้ทั้งคู่ได้รับประโยชน์สูงสุดคือ (1,1)

ตัวอย่างข้างต้นเป็นเกมขั้นพื้นฐาน ที่มีผู้เล่นเพียงสองคน แต่ก็สามารถสรุปได้ว่า มนุษย์ที่มักจะต้องการความเสี่ยงน้อยที่สุด จะเลือกแนวทางที่ทำให้เกิดความเสียหาย กับตนเองน้อยที่สุด ในกรณีที่เกิดสถานการณ์เลวร้ายน้อยที่สุด สำหรับในกรณีตัวอย่างข้างต้นนั้น สถานการณ์ที่เลวร้ายที่สุดคือ การถูกเพื่อนซัดทอด จึงต้องเลือกระหว่างติดคุก 10 ปี หรือติดคุก 5 ปี จึงต้องเลือกสารภาพ และซัดทอดให้เพื่อน เพื่อให้ตัวเองติดคุกเพียง 5 ปี

หรือในอีกกรณีที่มีข่าวดังในบ้านเรา และศาลท่านไม่อนุญาติให้ละเมิดอำนาจศาล โดยการวิพากษ์วิจารณ์คำตัดสิน แต่ศาลท่านได้กรุณาอนุญาต ให้ทำการวิเคราะห์ และอธิบายในเชิงวิชาการได้ ซึ่งผมคงไม่กล่าวถึงในจุดนั้น แต่จะขอย้อนกลับไป ถึงการวิเคราะห์การตัดสินใจของ กลุ่ม ก2ต และ พรรคเก่า ว่าทำไมผลลัพธ์จึงออกมาเช่นนี้ โดยใช้ทฤษฎีเกม ดังนี้.....

หรือในอีกกรณีที่มีข่าวดังในบ้านเรา และศาลท่านไม่อนุญาติให้ละเมิดอำนาจศาล โดยการวิพากษ์วิจารณ์คำตัดสิน แต่ศาลท่านได้กรุณาอนุญาต ให้ทำการวิเคราะห์ และอธิบายในเชิงวิชาการได้ ซึ่งผมคงไม่กล่าวถึงในจุดนั้น แต่จะขอย้อนกลับไป ถึงการวิเคราะห์การตัดสินใจของ กลุ่ม ก2ต และ พรรคเก่า ว่าทำไมผลลัพธ์จึงออกมาเช่นนี้ โดยใช้ทฤษฎีเกม ดังนี้

หลังจากที่มีเหตุการณ์ทางการเมืองที่วุ่นวายในบ้านเรา พรรคเก่าแก่ ได้ประกาศว่า กลุ่ม ก2ต ได้ทำผิดกฎหมายเลือกตั้ง และให้ กลุ่ม ก2ต ลาออกเสีย มิฉะนั้นแล้วจะส่งเรื่องฟ้องศาล ให้มีความผิดทางอาญา ซึ่งกลุ่ม ก2ต เชื่อมั่นว่า ตนเองได้ปฏิบัติตามกรอบของกฎหมาย และไม่มีความผิด และมีความชอบธรรมที่จะปฏิบัติหน้าที่ต่อ

ซึ่งหากท่านเป็น กลุ่ม ก2ต และพรรคเก่าแก่ ท่านจะตัดสินใจอย่างไร ?

เราจะใช้ทฤษฎีเกมวิเคราะห์ ซึ่งในกรณีนี้จะเป็นแบบ Sequential Move คือมีคนใดคนหนึ่งตัดสินใจก่อน ในกรณีนี้ กลุ่ม ก2ต จะเป็นผู้ตัดสินใจก่อน โดยเราต้องเขียนตารางคะแนนประโยชน์ อันเกิดมาจากการตัดสินใจ ในมุมมองของทั้งสองฝ่าย โดยกรณีที่มีคะแนนมาก หมายถึงได้ประโยชน์กับตนเองมากกว่า ดังต่อไปนี้

มุมมองของ กลุ่ม ก2ต

	การตัดสินใจของ ก2ต	การตัดสินใจของพรรคเก่าแก่	คะแนน
1	ไม่ลาออก	ไม่ฟ้องร้อง	4
2	ไม่ลาออก	ฟ้องร้อง	3
3	ลาออก	ไม่ฟ้องร้อง	2
4	ลาออก	ฟ้องร้อง	1

มุมมองของพรรคเก่าแก่

สถานการณ์	การตัดสินใจของ ก2ต	การตัดสินใจของพรรคเก่าแก่	คะแนน
1	ลาออก	ไม่ฟ้องร้อง	4
2	ไม่ลาออก	ฟ้องร้อง	3
3	ไม่ลาออก	ไม่ฟ้องร้อง	2
4	ลาออก	ฟ้องร้อง	1

จากตารางข้างต้น เรามาเขียนแผนภาพ Decision Tree ของกรณีทั้งสองได้ดังนี้

โดยตัวเลขในวงเล็บตัวแรกคือคะแนนของ กลุ่ม ก2ต และตัวหลังคือคะแนนของพรรคเก่าแก่ จากแผนภาพข้างต้น กลุ่ม ก2ต จะต้องเลือกไม่ลาออกแน่นอน เพราะมีประโยชน์กับตนเองมากกว่า และไม่เสียศักดิ์ศรี โดยเชื่อมั่นในความชอบธรรมของตนเอง จะเห็นว่าได้คะแนน ไม่ 3 ก็ 4

เมื่อ กลุ่ม ก2ต ตัดสินใจไม่ลาออกแล้ว ก็ถึงตาพรรคเก่าแก่ต้องตัดสินใจบ้าง ทีนี้พรรคเก่าแก่ ก็จะต้องเลือกการตัดสินใจที่ตัวเอง ได้คะแนนสูงสุดเหมือนกัน หลังจากที่กลุ่ม ก2ต ตัดสินใจไม่ลาออก จากแผนภาพข้างต้น เราจะเห็นได้ว่าพรรคเก่าแก่ต้องเลือกฟ้องร้องแน่นอน เพราะว่าได้คะแนน 3 ซึ่งมากกว่า 1 คือไม่ฟ้องร้อง ผลลัพธ์จึงออกมา ดังเช่นที่เราทราบข่าวกันตามหน้าหนังสือพิมพ์ คือ ก2ต ถูกพรรคเก่าแก่ฟ้องร้อง จุด (3,1) ในแผนภาพข้างต้นเราเรียกว่า จุดดุลยภาพ

จากกรณีดังกล่าวข้างต้นทั้งสองกรณี มีผู้เล่นเพียงสองฝ่ายเท่านั้น แต่ Thesis ปริญญาเอกของ จอห์น แนช ที่เขียนขึ้นสมัยเรียน ที่มหาวิทยาลัยพรินซ์ตัน เมื่ออายุเพียง 25 ปีนั้น ได้พัฒนาทฤษฎีเกม โดยแยกแยะกรณี ที่ผู้เล่นสามารถร่วมมือกัน เพราะสามารถทำความตกลงระหว่างกันได้ กับกรณีที่ผู้เล่นไม่สามารถร่วมมือกัน เพราะไม่สามารถ หรือไม่ควรทำข้อตกลงระหว่างกันได้ เช่น ในกรณีของการแข่งขันในตลาดที่มีผู้ผลิตน้อยราย ที่ไม่ต้องการทำสัญญาฮั้วกันระหว่างผู้ผลิต

ทฤษฎีของ จอห์น แนช มีความสำคัญ เพราะเขาได้พิสูจน์ว่า เกม ที่ไม่มีการร่วมมือระหว่างผู้เล่นหลายคนนั้น จะสามารถดำเนินไปสู่จุดดุลยภาพ (Nash Equilibrium) ได้ อย่างไรก็ตาม แม้ว่าในบางกรณีจะมีจุดดุลภาพหลายจุด เช่น เป่ายิ๊งฉุบ แต่การค้นคว้าพบว่า เราสามารถหาจุดดุลภาพได้ และมีจุดดุลยภาพจำนวนจำกัด

ซึ่งทำให้เราสามารถวิเคราะห์ คาดการณ์ผลลัพธ์ ที่จะเกิดขึ้น ว่ามีความเป็นไปได้ในลักษณะใดได้บ้าง
ทฤษฎีเกมของ จอห์น แนช ได้กลายเป็นเครื่องมือหลัก ในการศึกษาวิเคราะห์การแข่งขันระหว่างผู้ผลิต และการวิเคราะห์โครงสร้างอุตสาหกรรม และในบางกรณีก็ถูกนำไปใช้ในการวิเคราะห์ นโยบายเศรษฐกิจมหภาค การเจรจาการค้าระหว่างประเทศ ตลอดจนนโยบายทางด้านการเมืองต่างๆ รวมไปถึงการจะยิงขีปนาวุธ ของประเทศมหาอำนาจ

ทฤษฎีเกมนั้นมีความสลับซับซ้อนมาก เพราะการกระทำ หรือกลยุทธ์ของผู้เล่นคนใดคนหนึ่ง หรือหลายคน จะมีผลกระทบต่อผู้เล่นคนอื่นๆ ในระบบ ทำให้เกิดการปรับตัวไปสู่อีกภาวะหนึ่ง โดยอาจจะทำให้เกิด การตอบโต้จากคู่แข่ง ที่อาจจะไม่มีสุดสิ้นสุด ดังนั้นการที่ จอห์น แนช สามารถใช้ทฤษฎีเกม อธิบายว่าปรากฎการณ์ไม่ว่าจะยุ่งเหยิงเพียงใด ย่อมจะสามารถนำไปสู่จุดดุลยถาพได้ จึงได้กลายเป็นประโยชน์ต่อมนุษยชาติมาถึงทุกวันนี้ เหมาะสมกับรางวัลโนเบลที่ได้รับเป็นยิ่งนัก

http://www.vcharkarn.com

จุดกำเนิดของ กูเกิ้ล (The birth of Google) ตอนที่ 4

2006-08-29T04:35:00.000+07:00

จาก โปรเจ็ค BackRub Project สู่ โปรเจ็ค Google

ผศ.ดร.บุญญฤทธิ์ อุยยานนวาระ
สถาบันเทคโนโลยีนานาชาติ สิรินธร
มหาวิทยาลัย ธรรมศาสตร์
นักเขียนประจำ วิชาการ.คอม

Page และ Brin ได้ร่วมกันคิดหาสูตร หรือ วิธีคำนวณว่า จะให้คะแนนแต่ละหน้าเว็บเพจอย่างไรดี เว็บเพจหนึ่งหน้า ถ้ามองให้ดีมันก็เป็นเหมือนผลงานวิชาการชิ้นนึง ภายในผลงานวิชาการนี้ ก็จะมีการอ้างอิงผลงานคนอื่น (หรือลิงค์ไปหาคนอื่นนั่นเอง) (แต่บ้านเราอาจจะไม่เป็นแบบนั้น เพราะบ้านเรา ถ้าเห็นว่าเรื่องไหนดี ก็ใช้วิธี cut-paste เนื้อหานั้นไปเลย โดยไม่ได้อ้างอิงที่มา นอกจากจะละเมิดลิขสิทธิแล้ว ยังถือว่าเป็นการเสียมารยาทอย่างรุนแรงด้วยครับ แม้ว่าจะนำไปใช้ในทางไม่ก่อรายได้ ที่อาจจะไม่ผิดลิขสิทธิในบางกรณี แต่ก็น่าจะมีมารยาทในการอ้างอิงถึงที่มาของเนื้อหานั้นด้วย ช่วยๆกันผลักดันให้มันไปในทางถูกต้องมากขึ้นนะครับ) เพราะฉนั้นหากหน้าเว็บใดมีคนอ้างอิงถึง (ลิงค์) ถึงหน้านั้นเยอะ ก็น่าจะแสดงว่าหน้านั้นมีข้อมูลที่ดี หรือ น่าเชื่อถือ ซึ่งหากมีการให้คะแนนแต่ละหน้าเว็บ Page คิดว่าการอ้างถึงจากเว็บอื่นก็จะมีส่วนสำคัญต่อคะแนน

ภายหลังเค้าตั้งชื่อเล่นระบบคิดคะแนนของเค้า ว่า Pagerank (ซึ่งล้อคำ 2 ความหมาย คำแรกคำว่า Page หมายถึงได้ทั้งหน้าเว็บ หรือ หมายถึงชื่อของเค้าเอง) ซึ่งก็ล้อเลียนการคิดคะแนนมาจากการอ้างอิงกันของผลงานวิชาการ เพราะเค้ารู้ว่า การอ้างอิงกันของเอกสารทำอย่างไร มีการให้คะแนน Citation Index อย่างไร และเค้าก็ได้เพิ่มเรื่องของการให้และลดคะแนนพิเศษด้วย หากว่าลิงค์ที่ลิงค์มาหาหน้าใดหน้าหนึ่ง เป็นลิงค์ที่มีคะแนนสูง เป็นเว็บที่มีความน่าเชื่อถือ เว็บที่ถูกลิงค์ ก็จะย่อมได้คะแนนสูงด้วย และหากนำเว็บมาเรียงลำดับกัน เว็บที่ได้คะแนนสูงกว่า ก็จะอยู่ลำดับต้นๆ ส่วนเว็บที่มีคะแนนต่ำก็จะอยู่ท้ายๆ

สมมุติว่าเว็บ วิชาการ.คอม มีลิงค์ไปยังเว็บของ สสวท. ในขณะเดียวกัน เว็บของเด็กชาย ก. จากจังหวัดสงขลา ก็ลิงค์มายังเว็บของ สสวท เช่นกัน แต่มีคนลิงค์มาหา เว็บ วิชาการ.คอม อยู่ก่อนแล้ว สมมติว่าเป็น 1000 ลิงค์ ในขณะที่ มีคนลิงค์ไปหาเว็บของ เด็กชาย ก. เพียง 10 ลิงค์ ทำให้ วิชาการ.คอม มีคะแนน สูงกว่าเว็บของ เด็กชาย ก. ดังนั้น เว็บของ สสวท ก็จะไ้ด้คะแนน จาก เว็บของ วิชาการ.คอม มากกว่า จากเว็บของ เด็กชาย ก. ด้วยนั่นเอง (คือไม่ได้นับเฉพาะจำนวนของลิงค์)

ตอนที่ทั้งสองคนคิดระบบให้คะแนนนี้ขึ้น ทั้งสองคนไม่ได้คิดถึงเรื่องของการค้นหาข้อมูลบนเว็บเลย ที่คิดอยู่ในหัวก็มีแต่เรื่องที่ว่า จะค้นหาให้ได้ว่าใครลิงค์มาที่เว็บเพจหน้าหนึ่งๆบ้าง (ฺBacklinks) โดยที่ทั้งสอง ทำโปรเจ็ค Backrub นี้ มาจนถึงขั้นที่ รับ ลิงค์ (URL) มาหนึ่งลิงค์ มันก็จะให้ ผลลัพธ์ มาเป็น ลิงค์ที่ลิงค์มาหา (backlinks) ทั้งหมดที่ลิงค์มาหาหน้าที่กำหนด โดยเรียงลำดับตามความสำคัญ (เช่นถ้าใส่ เว็บ สสวท ไป ก็จะได้ทั้งเว็บ วิชาการ.คอม และ เว็บเด็กชาย ก. และเว็บอื่นๆ ที่ลิงค์มาหา สสวท เป็น ผลการค้นหา แต่เว็บ วิชาการ.คอม จะอยู่ด้านบนกว่า เว็บของ เด็กชาย ก. เป็นต้น)

ซึ่งเค้าก็พบว่าจริงๆแล้วมันสามารถประยุกต์ ไปทำเป็น Search Engine น่าจะได้ หลังจากเล่นไปเล่นมากับ กราฟของเว็บ ที่ทั้งคู่สร้างขึ้นมา พบว่า การค้นหาข้อมูลทำได้รวดเร็ว และ ถูกต้อง อย่างไม่น่าเชื่อ ชนิดที่ทั้งสองคนยังงงว่าทำไม ไอเดียที่จะใช้เรื่องนี้ทำ Search Engine ถึงไม่ผุดมาในหัวตั้งแต่ต้น เพราะมันชัดเจนเหลือเกิน

หลังจากทดลองปรับแต่ง Backrub ให้กลายเป็น โปรแกรม Search engine ทำการค้นหาข้อมูล บนหน้าเว็บหน้าใดหน้าหนึ่ง (ผมละเชื่อเค้าเลย สองคนนี้ ปกติแล้วเรื่อง การค้นหาข้อมูลใน document นี่ไม่ใช่เรื่องง่าย เพราะไม่ได้ค้นกันแบบ เอาคำเทียบคำ แต่ต้องมีการแปลงรูปแบบของ ข้อมูลให้เป็นเมตริกซ์ ทั้ง SVM กับ LSI (Latent Sematic Indexing - เป็นวิธีการที่กำลังมาแรง) ก็สุดหิน ที่อยู่ในวิชา Information Retrieval - แต่สองคนนี้เล่นเรียนรู้เรื่องเหล่านี้ชนิดที่ประมาณว่า ชั่วข้ามคืน) เค้าพบว่าผลการค้นหา ดีกว่า search engine ที่มีอยู่ในตอนนั้น เช่น AltaVista หรือ Excite มาก โดย Search Engine ที่มีอยู่นั้นมักจะให้ผลการค้นหา ที่ไม่ค่อยจะเกี่ยวข้องกับเรื่องที่ต้องการหาจริงๆ เพราะอาศัยเพียงแค่การจับคู่คำ ไม่คำนึงถึงสัญญาณ หรือข้อมูลอื่นๆที่ใกล้เคียง search engine ใหม่ของพวกเค้า ไม่เพียงว่าผลการค้นหาจะดี แต่ ระบบการให้คะแนนนี้จะดีขึ้นเรื่อยๆ เมื่อเว็บโตขึ้นเรื่อยๆ กราฟของเว็บโตขึ้นเรื่อยๆ ผลการค้นหาก็จะดีขึ้นเรื่อยๆ เพราะจะมีตัวให้คะแนนซึ่งกันและกัน เยอะขึ้น ตรงนี้นี่เองที่ ทั้ง Brin และ Page รู้ว่าเค้า สะดุดขุมทรัพย์ มหึมาเข้าให้แล้ว...

และแล้ว โปรเจ็ค search engine โดยนักศึกษา 2 คน ... ก็เริ่มเป็นรูปร่างที่ชัดเจน ...

ทั้งสองคนจึงตั้งชื่อ search engine ตัวใหม่ของเค้าว่า Google ที่เพี้ยนมาจากคำว่า googol (ที่แปลว่า เลข หนึ่ง ตามด้วย ศูนย์ 100 ตัว - สังเกตุสัญลักษณ์ของ Gooooooooooooooooooooogle) และ Google เวอร์ชั่นแรก ถูกปล่อยออกสู่สาธารณะชน ไว้บนเว็บของมหาวิทยาลัย Stanford เป็นครั้งแรก ตอนเดือนสิงหาคม 1996 - เพียง 1 ปี หลังจากที่ทั้งคู่เจอกันครั้งแรก - เพียงไม่กี่เดือนนับจากเริ่มศึกษาปัญหา - โอ จอร์จ ทำได้ยังไงเนี่ย !!!!! อัจฉริยะจริงๆ !!!

http://www.vcharkarn.com

จุดกำเนิดของ กูเกิ้ล (The birth of Google) ตอนที่ 3

2006-08-29T04:22:00.000+07:00

จอมไต่เว็บ Crawler และ PageRank

Page เริ่มที่จะคิดว่า เราจะทำไงถึงจะรู้ว่า ลิงค์ใดบ้างที่ลิงค์มาัยังเว็บหนึ่งๆ หลังจากที่ศึกษาเกี่ยวกับเรื่องนี้ได้ไม่นาน(ไม่กี่เดือน) Page ก็พบว่า จริงๆแล้ว เรื่องของการลิงค์ไปลิงค์มาของเอกสารนี่ มีกันมานานแล้วในวงการวิชาการ

ก็คือเรื่องของ ผลงานวิชาการ นั่นเอง คือโดยปกติแล้ว หากนักวิชาการท่านใด คิดทฤษฎีอะไรออกมาได้ใหม่ๆ หรือค้นพบอะไรใหม่ หรือต้องการจะแก้ไขสิ่งที่มีอยู่แล้ว ก็จะทำการตีพิมพ์ผลงานของตนเองในวารสารวิชาการ (Journal) โดยจะต้องอ้างอิงถึงที่มาของความรู้ หรือ ผลงานที่มีมาก่อนของคนอื่น หรือที่ใกล้เคียง ก็เพื่อให้องค์ความรู้ใหม่ที่ตีพิมพ์ มีรากฐานจากองค์ความรู้ ที่ได้รับการพิสูจน์แล้ว (ตีพิมพ์แล้ว) นั่นเอง

ดังนั้น ผลงานวิชาการ ไหนที่ได้รับการอ้างถึง (Citation) บ่อยๆ จาก นักวิชาการคนอื่นๆ แสดงว่า ผลงานวิชาการชิ้นนั้นได้รับการยอมรับอย่างจริง ในวงการวิชาการเรามีตัวชี้วัดกันเลยว่า ผลงานหนึ่งๆ มีการถูกอ้างถึงมากน้อยเพียงใด เราเรียกดัชนีตัวนี้ว่า Citation index ซึ่งการอ้างอิงด้านวิชาการถือเป็นเรื่องใหญ่ ใหญ่ขนาดไหนครับ ก็ใหญ่พอที่จะมีิวิชาที่ว่าด้วยเรื่องนี้โดยเฉพาะเลย คือวิชา bibliometrics (ผมเองก็ไม่เคยเรียนครับ แต่เข้าใจว่าน่าจะเป็นทางกลุ่มนักศึกษา วารสาร หรือ บรรณารักษ์ หรือ สารสนเทศ - เดี๋ยวจะค้นมาให้ว่าที่ไหนสอนบ้างในเมืองไทย)

• Kiattisin Kanjanawanishkul and Bunyarit Uyyanonvara, Novel fast color reduction algorithm for time-constrained applications, Journal of Visual Communication and Image Representation, Volume 16, Issue 3, June 2005, pp. 311-332 (2005)

• Y. Sirisathitkula, S. Auwatanamongkola and Bunyarit Uyyanonvara, Color Image Quantization using Adjacent Colors’ Line Segments. Pattern Recognition Letters, Vol 25/9 pp 1025-1043. (2004)

• Lloyd Bender, David J. Spalton, Bunyarit Uyyanonvara, James Boyce, Catherine Heatley, Romina Jose and Jaheed Khan, POCOman: New system for quantifying posterior capsule opacification, Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, Volume 30, Issue 10, October 2004, Pages 2058-2063 (2004)

ตัวอย่างของการอ้างอิงทางวิชาการ

ตอนที่ Tim Berners-Lee (ตอนนี้ได้รับการแต่งตั้ง เป็น Sir Tim Berners-Lee เรียบร้อยแล้ว) วิศวกรอิสระของ CERN คิดค้น World Wide Web ขึ้นเป็นครั้งแรกของโลก (ไว้วันหลังค่อยเขียนเรื่อง จุดกำเนิดของ WWW อีกทีแล้วกัน) คุณ Tim แกก็คิดว่า เราน่าจะมีวิธีที่ละลิงค์ผลงานวิชาการของนักวิชาการเข้าด้วยกันเลย ไม่ต้องมานั่งกำหนดรูปแบบที่ยุ่งยาก (เหมือนที่เห็นในกรอบด้านบน) คุณ Tim ก็เลย คิดเรื่องของ Hypertext ขึ้นมา แต่สิ่งที่ Page กำลังทำเป็นการ Reverse Engineer ของ WWW เพราะเค้าต้องการค้นหาถึงที่มา ต้นตอของเอกสารที่ิลิงค์กันนั่นเอง

ด้วยความรู้นี้ งานของเค้าก็ง่ายขึ้นเยอะครับ (แม้ที่เหลือก็จะยังสุดหินก็ตาม) ที่เหลือก็คือว่าเค้าจะต้องหาให้ได้ ว่า ใคร อ้างอิงจาก ใคร โดยอัตโนมัติ พูดง่ายๆ ว่าเค้าต้องวาด กราฟของอินเตอร์เน็ต ขึ้นมา บนเครื่องคอมพิวเตอร์ของเค้านั้นเอง

แน่นอนว่า กราฟที่เค้าจะสร้างขึ้น จะมีความซับซ้อนสูง และการคำนวนจำนวนลิงค์ ที่เชื่อมหากันก็ทำได้ยาก เนื่องจากกราฟมีการเจริญเติบโตเรื่่อยๆ เพราะความซับซ้อนของข้อมูลสูง ดังนั้นสูตรการคำนวณเพื่อให้คะแนนแต่ละหน้า ก็จะมีความซับซ้อนด้วย ตรงนี้นี่เอง ที่ทำให้ Brin กระโดดเข้ามาในโปรเจ็คนี้

ด้วยพื้นเพ back ground เดิมของ Brin ที่เป็นนักคณิตศาสตร์ ที่จัดว่าเข้าขั้นเป็นอัจฉริยะคนหนึ่ง มีเชื้อสายเป็นคนรัสเซีย เกิดที่รัสเซีย มีพ่อเป็นนักวิทยาศาสตร์ชาวรัสเซีย ที่ทำงานที่องค์การ NASA และ เป็นอาจารย์สอนคณิตศาสตร์ ที่มหาวิทยาลัยแมรี่แลนด์ (University of Maryland) โดยครอบครัวเค้าอพยบ มาอยู่ทีอเมริกา ตอนที่ Brin อายุแค่ 6 ขวบ Brin เรียนจบ ม.ปลาย 1 ปีก่อนชาวบ้าน และหลังจากจบปริญญาตรี ที่แมรี่แลนด์ Brin ก็มาต่อเอกทันทีที่ Stanford

ตัว Brin เองก็ต้องมองหาโปรเจ็คปริญญาเอก ด้วยเช่นกัน แต่เค้าเลือกไปเลือกมา่เกือบ 2 ปีแล้ว ก็ยังหาหัวข้อลงตัวไม่ได้ จนได้เข้ามคลุกคลีกับโปรเจ็คของ Page ก็เกิดความสนใจ ที่จะเข้ามาทำในส่วนคณิตศาสตร์ ของโปรเจ็คนี้ และอีกสาเหตุก็คือเค้าชอบ Page (ฮั่นแน่! กะแล้ว เหมือนหนังไทยไม่มีผิด)

การสร้างกราฟของอินเตอร์เน็ตโดยอัตโนมัติ เป็นจุดเริ่มให้ Page เขียนโปรแกรมเล็กๆ ประเภท Crawler ขึ้นมาตัวหนึ่ง ในห้องนอน ตอนที่ Page เริ่มเขียน crawler นี่ จำนวนหน้าเว็บทั่วโลกก็มีอยู่ประมาณ 10 ล้านหน้าเห็นจะได้ แต่จำนวนลิงค์ที่เชื่อมกันอยู่นี่คงนับไม่ถ้วน โดยหวังจะให้เจ้า Crawler ไต่ไปเก็บข้อมูลมาสร้างเป็นกราฟโดยอัตโนมัติ ในตอนนั้น เค้าอาจจะยังไม่รู้หรอก ว่าโปรแกรมเล็กๆที่เค้าเริ่มเขียนในห้องนอน จะเป็นสิ่งที่ประสบความสำเร็จที่สุดในโลก ต่อจาก Internet ....

หลายคนคงอาจจะยังไม่คุ้นกับคำว่า Crawler ผมขยายความให้อีกนิด Crawler เป็นโปรแกรมเล็กๆโปรแกรมนึง ที่ทำหน้าที่ไปดึงเว็บเพจต่างๆมา ซึ่งปกติแล้วข้อมูลแสดงหน้าเว็บไซท์ที่เราเห็นนี่ เป็นแค่ text file หรือ ข้อมูลตัวอักษรธรรมดาๆนี่เอง (ลองกดที่เมนู view->source ดูนะครับ นั่นแหละคือข้อมูลของหน้าเว็บที่แท้จริง) พอโปรแกรมประเภท บราวเซอร์ เช่น IE หรือ FireFox ได้รับข้อมูลพวกนี้แล้วมันก็ทำการแปล และแสดงให้เป็นสิ่งที่คุณเห็นบนหน้าจอตอนนี้อีกที) หลังจากที่โปรแกรมประเภท crawlwer ได้รับข้อมูลมาแล้ว มันก็จะทำการแยกข้อมูล และลิงค์(ที่จะไปหน้าอื่น) ออกมา สมมุติว่าหน้าที่คุณอ่านอยู่ตอนนี้นี่ มีลิงค์ออกจากมันไป อีกประมาณ 30 ลิงค์ เจ้าตัว crawler ก็จะทำการจัดการเอาลิงค์เหล่านี้มาเข้าคิวเรียงกันไว้ แล้วก็ไล่ไต่ไปทีละลิงค์ตามคิว แล้วก็ไปดึงข้อมูลหน้านั้นมา แล้วแยกลิงค์แบบเดิมอีก แล้วลิงค์ที่ได้จากหน้าถัดไปนี้ก็จะเอามาเข้าคิว เรียงต่อกันไป เรื่อยๆ เพื่อจะทำการไปดึงข้อมูลมาในเวลาถัดๆไป เพราะฉะนั้นมันก็เลยให้ความรู้สึกคล้ายๆกับว่า เจ้า crawler มันค่อยๆคืบคลานออกจากจุดเริ่มต้นไปทีละน้อย ทีละน้อย

และแล้ว ในเดือนมีนาคม 1996 (เพียงแค่ไม่ถึงปีจากที่เค้าเริ่มศึกษา) Page ก็ปล่อยเจ้า crawler ตัวแรกให้เริ่มทำงาน โดยไต่จากหน้าเว็บเพจของเค้าเอง ที่อยู่บนเว็บไซท์มหาวิทยาลัยสแตนฟอร์ด เจ้า crawler เวอร์ชั่นแรกของ Page ไต่ไปตามเว็บเพื่อเก็บแค่ ชื่อเว็บ และ ข้อมูลใน header เท่านั้นเอง แต่ก็ถือว่าเป็นจุดเิริ่มอย่างเป็นรูปธรรมของ Google (ที่ในปัจจุบันกลายเป็น ซุปเปอร์อภิมหาอมตะนิรันดร์กาล crawler ไปแล้ว เพราะมันไต่ไปเก็บข้อมูลทุกอย่าง ของทุกหน้าเว็บ) เพราะตอนนั้นขืนเก็บทุกอย่าง ทรัพยากรของระบบ เช่น memory หรือ ฮาร์ดดิสต์ ที่จะต้องใช้ในการจัดการกับข้อมูลเหล่านี้ ก็คงต้องมีขนาดใหญ่มหึมา และมันก็มากเกินกว่าจะเป็นโปรเจ็คของเด็กนักเรียนคนนึง

จุดกำเนิดของ กูเกิ้ล (The birth of Google) ตอนที่ 2

2006-08-29T03:51:00.000+07:00

อินเตอร์เน็ต ทฤษฎีกราฟ และ BackRub Project

Page เริ่มหัวข้อวิจัยเกี่ยวกับเว็บก็จริง แต่ไม่ได้เริ่มมองหาวิธีที่จะค้นหาข้อมูลบนเว็บ แต่สิ่งที่เค้ามองเห็นกลับเป็น มุมมองทางด้านคณิตศาสตร์ของเว็บไซท์มากกว่า

Page มองแบบนี้ครับ ถ้าหากมองว่า 1 เซอร์ฟเวอร์ หรือ 1 เว็บไซท์ เช่น วิชาการ.คอม หรือ 1 คอมพิวเตอร์ เป็นเพียง จุด (Node , Vertrix) จุดหนึ่งบนกราฟ (Graph) และ ลิ๊งค์ (link) ที่เชื่อมไปยังเว็บไซท์อื่นๆ เหมือนกับเป็นทางเชื่อมต่อกัน หรือ ขอบ(Edge) ระ่หว่างจุดเหล่านั้น หรือ พูดง่ายๆว่า Page มองเห็น อินเตอร์เน็ตเป็นกราฟ นั่นเอง (แฮ่ะๆ แบบนี้เรียกว่ามันอยู่ในสัญชาติญาณ มองอินเตอร์เน็ตเป็นกราฟ ทำได้ไงเนี่ย)

ซึ่งบ้านเรา นิสิต นักศึกษาระดับปริญญาตรี ด้านทางสายวิทย์ มักจะได้เรียนเรื่อง กราฟ ประเภทนี้ ในเรื่อง ทฤษฏีกราฟ (Graph Theory) แถวๆปีต้นๆ (ซึ่งน้องๆตัวเล็กๆอาจสับสนนิดนึง เพราะกราฟที่คุ้นเคยอาจจะหมายถึง กราฟที่เป็นตัวแทนของข้อมูล เช่น กราฟแท่ง กราฟเชิงเส้น ซะมากกว่า) ถ้าไม่ใช่ในวิชาคณิตศาสตร์ ก็จะเป็นวิชา Algorithm โดยเฉพาะพวกที่เรียน วิทยาการคอมพิวเตอร์ ก็น่าจะผ่านหูผ่านตากันมาแล้วทุกคน (ถ้าไม่ใส่ไหคืนอาจารย์ไปหมดแล้วซะก่อน) (มีอาจารย์และนักคณิตศาสตร์ ในเมืองไทยหลายคน ที่เชี่ยวชาญเรื่อง Graph Theory เช่น ดร.จริยา อุ่ยยะเสถียร ภาควิชาคณิตศาสตร์ จุฬาลงกรณ์มหาวิทยาลัย ที่จบปริญญาเอกเรื่องนี้มาโดยเฉพาะ เดี๋ยวจะลองเกี้ยวมาช่วยเขียน เรื่อง Graph Theory อีกซักบทความ)

แต่คราวนี้ลองจินตนาการดูนะครับ ว่าแน่นอนเว็บไซท์หนึ่งเว็บ ก็ลิงค์ไปยังหลายร้อย หลายพันเว็บ และมีเว็บไซท์หลายๆเว็บ ที่ลิงค์มายังเว็บไซท์หนึ่งๆ และปัจจุบันเรามีกันเป็น พันๆล้านเว็บ เพราะฉนั้น กราฟอินเตอร์เน็ต ก็จะเป็นกราฟขนาดมหึมา และมีความซับซ้อน โยงกันไปโยงกันมาอย่างยุ่งเหยิง

ซึ่งตรงนี้แหละที่ Page มองแล้วเห็นว่ามันช่างน่าตื่นเต้น น่าสนใจ น่าติดตาม เสียเหลือเกิน Page เคยบอกว่า Internet คือ กราฟที่ใหญ่ที่สุดที่มนุษย์เคยสร้างขึ้น และมันก็ยังจะเติบโต ใหญ่ขึ้น ใหญ่ขึ้น ทุกๆวัน ด้วยอัตราเร็วในการเติบโตสูงมาก โอ! มันช่างเป็นเรื่องที่น่าสนใจทำวิทยานิพนธ์เหลือเกิน (ถ้าเป็นคนสามัญชนคนไทยธรรมดา ก็อาจจะบอกว่า โอ! มันซับซ้อนเหลือเกิน ไม่มีทางทำได้หรอก ทำไปเดี๋ยวไม่จบ หนีดีกว่า) ซึ่ง Prof. Winograd อาจารย์ที่ปรึกษาของเค้าก็เห็นด้วย และเห็นว่า น่าจะศึกษาเรื่องของโครงสร้างของกราฟของเว็บเป็นการเริ่มต้นวิทยานิพนธ์

Page ทำการศึกษาด้วยตัวเองอยู่ไม่นาน เค้าก็เจอปัญหาแรกเข้าให้...

โอเคตรงนี้เราเข้าเรื่อง graph theory กันนิดนึง (เอาเป็นว่าผมพยายามวงเล็บภาษาอังกฤษของคำไทยไว้ด้วยครับ จะได้ช่วยให้คนทีคุ้นเคยกับคำอังกฤษในวิชานี้แล้ว ได้เห็นภาพง่ายขึ้นนะ) คืออย่างนี้

ในกราฟปกติ ขอบของกราฟ (Edge) จะเป็นตัวบ่งถึงความสัมพันธ์กันระหว่าง จุด (Vertrix) ซึ่งโดยปกติแล้ว เราจะรู้และนับจำนวนได้ว่า จากจุดจุดหนึ่ง มีขอบ หรือ เส้นลากไปยังจุดอื่นๆ อีกกี่จุด และมีกี่จุดที่ลากมาหาตัวเอง

แต่หน้าเว็บเพจกลับไม่เป็นแบบนั้นซะทีเดียว เพราะ ที่หน้าเว็บเพจหนึ่งๆ (สมมติว่าเว็บ 1 หน้าเป็น 1 จุดในกราฟ) เรารู้ครับว่า จากจุดที่เราอยู่ปัจจุบัน มันลิงค์ไปยังหน้าไหนบ้าง คือ เรารู้ว่ามันมี ขอบที่วิ่งออกไป (Out Degree) จากตัวเองกี่จุด และไปที่ไหนบ้าง แต่ที่เราไม่รู้นี่คือว่า มีเว็บเพจใดบ้าง กี่หน้า ที่ลิงค์มาหาหน้าที่เราสนใจ ลองนึกตามแบบนี้นะครับ ว่าหน้าเว็บที่คุณอ่านอยู่ตอนนี้เนี่ย ลิงค์มาจากหน้าไหน URL อะไรบ้าง มีข้อมูลตรงไหนบอกมั้ยครับ ถ้าคุณไม่กด Back แม้คุณกด Back คุณก็รู้แค่ลิงค์เดียวที่ลิ๊งค์มาหาหน้านี้ แต่ที่จริง อาจจะมีหน้าเว็บอื่นอีกเป็นร้อยๆ ที่มีลิ๊งค์มาหาหน้านี้ คำถามคือ แล้วเราจะรู้ได้ยังไง ?

ซึ่งตรงนี้หล่ะยาก เพราะอินเตอร์เน็ตไม่ได้ให้ข้อมูลนี้มา และตรงนี้เองที่ Page คิดว่า มันน่าจะดี ถ้าหากว่าเรารู้ (หรืออย่างน้อย มีวิธีการที่จะทำให้รู้) ว่าใครลิงค์หาใครบ้าง หรือ มีใครลิงค์มาหาหน้านี้บ้างกี่คน Page ก็เลยเลือกเอาปัญหานี้ มาทำเป็นวิทยานิพนธ์ปริญญาเอก และตั้งชื่อเล่นโปรเจ็คของเค้าว่า "BackRub Project" (โครงการ "ถูหลัง" - แหม! ผมแปลตรงตัวไปหน่อยหรือปล่าวเนี่ย - สงสัยว่า Page คงอยากรู้ว่า ตอนที่อาบน้ำนี่ ใครถูหลังให้เค้าบ้าง - เอ้า ! ว่าไปโน่น)

จาก BackRub Project ที่ค่อยๆ เติบโตมา ด้วยน้ำมือของนักศึกษา 2 คน ที่ใช้ห้องนอนที่หอพักนักศึกษา ทำเป็น ห้อง Server และ ห้องเขียนโปรแกรม ได้กลายเป็น Google Project โปรแกรม Search Engine ขนาดจิ๋ว ที่ดูดทรัพยากร Network ของมหาวิทยาลัย สแตนฟอร์ด ที่ได้ชื่อว่า Network ที่เร็วเป็นอันดับต้นๆของโลก ได้อย่างไร

ที่เราใช้แทน

http://www.vcharkarn.com

จุดกำเนิดของ กูเกิ้ล (The birth of Google) ตอนที่ 1

2006-08-28T21:43:00.000+07:00

เซอร์เก บริน¹ (Sergey Brin) และ ลาร์รี่ เพจ (Larry Page)

ผศ.ดร.บุญญฤทธิ์ อุยยานนวาระ
สถาบันเทคโนโลยีนานาชาติ สิรินธร
มหาวิทยาลัย ธรรมศาสตร์
นักเขียนประจำ วิชาการ.คอม

แหม เห็นแฟนๆเรียกร้องกันมามากมาย ก็เริ่มทนไม่ได้ครับ ต้องหาเวลาที่ว่างที่สุดของวันที่ไม่ค่อยว่าง ปั่นต้นฉบับเรื่องจุดกำเนิดของ Google จุดเริ่มต้นของเรื่องนี้อยู่ที่ มหาวิทยาลัยสแตนฟอร์ด
( Stanford University ) อีกหนึ่งสุดยอดแห่งมหาวิทยาลัยด้านไอที (จริงๆแล้ว Stanford ก็จัดว่าเป็นอันดับต้นๆของโลกในสาขาอื่นๆอีกมากมาย ด้วยเช่นกัน) มหาวิทยาลัยแห่งนี้ นอกจากจะเป็นต้นกำเนิดของสุดยอด 2 ไอเดียออนไลน์ระดับโลกอย่าง Yahoo! และ Google แล้ว มหาวิทยาลัยแห่งนี้เป็นต้นกำเนิดของคอมพิวเตอร์ที่เราใช้ๆกันอยู่ด้วยซ้ำไป ที่นี่เป็นที่ที่ คุณ John von Neuman (จอห์น วอน นูแมน) คิดและประดิษฐ์คอมพิวเตอร์ที่มีสถาปัตยกรรมที่เหมือนกับที่เราใช้อยู่นี่แหล่ะ เป็นคนแรกของโลก (แม้จะไม่ใช่คอมพิวเตอร์เครื่องแรกของโลกก็ตาม – สับสนมั้ยครับ – คืออย่างงี้ครับ คอมพิวเตอร์เครื่องแรกของโลกชื่อว่า ENIAC ซึ่งเป็นเครื่องที่มีความซับซ้อนสูง ต่อมาคุณ von Neuman ซึ่งก็ช่วยงานในการสร้างคอมพิวเตอร์ ENIAC อยู่ด้วย แกเสนอว่า เราน่าจะแยกส่วนของคอมพิวเตอร์ออกเป็น หน่วยประมวลผล หน่วยความจำ หน่วยรับเข้าและส่งข้อมูล ซึ่งเป็นสถาปัตยกรรมที่แตกต่างจากคอมพิวเตอร์เครื่องแรก และเป็นสถาปัตยกรรมที่เรายังใช้มาอยู่จนในปัจจุบัน หลายสถาบันก็เลยยกย่องให้ von Neuman เป็นบิดาของคอมพิวเตอร์เลยทีเดียว) แหม! พูดถึงมหาวิทยาลัยสแตนฟอร์ดซะยืดยาวเลย พักไว้แค่นี้ก่อน เดี๋ยวหาใครที่กำลังเรียนแถวนั้นมาบรรยายสรรพคุณของ Stanford ต่อ ตอนนี้เข้าเรื่องกูเกิ้ลดีกว่าครับ เดี๋ยวกระดาษจะหมดซะก่อน
เรื่องก็เริ่มตอนปิดเทอมภาคฤดูร้อนปี 1995 ที่มหาวิทยาลัยแห่งนี้แหละครับ ตอนนั้น Sergey Brin (เซอร์เก บริน ออกมาซักหน่อย เข้าใจว่าหลายคนคงเรียกร้องเพราะจะเอาไปทำรายงาน (ผมแนะนำให้ cut-paste ไปเลย – พูดเล่นครับ – เพราะถ้าทำจริงขอให้ได้ 0 และ คงได้ 0 แน่นอนครับ เพราะภาษาที่ผมใช้เขียนต่อไปนี้เป็นภาษาพูดครับ ไม่ใช่ภาษารายงาน อ่านแล้วก็เอาไปเรียบเรียงใหม่เป็นรายงานเองนะจ๊ะหนูๆ)¹) 1 ใน 2 ของผู้ก่อตั้ง กูเกิ้ล เป็นแค่นักเรียนปริญญาเอก ที่กำลังจะขึ้นปี 2 ของภาควิชา วิทยาศาสตร์คอมพิวเตอร์ (Computer Science) ธรรมดาๆ คนหนึ่ง ที่อาสาเข้ามาเป็นนักศึกษาช่วยงาน Open House

โดยปกติทุกๆปีในช่วงก่อนเปิดเทอมนี้ มหาวิทยาลัยต่างๆเค้าจะมีการเปิดบ้านต้อนรับผู้มาเยือน เราเรียกว่า Open House (ที่เมืองไทยก็เห็นมีบ้างแล้วหลายมหาวิทยาลัย) คือว่าใครที่สนใจที่จะเรียนในมหาวิทยาลัยไหน คณะไหน ก็จะไปงาน Open House ของที่นั่น ที่จะมีคนมาคอยพาทัวร์ และแนะนำสถานที่ แนะนำคณะ แนะนำ Lab แนะนำครูอาจารย์ เป็นปกติเหมือนทุกๆปี แต่ปีนี้เองพระเอกคนที่สองของเรา คือคุณ Larry Page (ลาร์รี่ เพจ) ก็โผล่มาในงาน Open House ในปีนี้ หลังจากได้ดีกรี วิศวกรรมศาสตร์บัณฑิต จากมหาวิทยาลัยมิชิแกน (Michigan University) มาหยกๆ

ทั้งสองเจอกันเพราะ Larry Page ไปอยู่ในกลุ่มทัวร์ ที่มี Sergey Brin เป็นหัวหน้ากลุ่มทัวร์พอดี

ดูท่าว่างานนี้ไม่ใช่รักแรกพบครับ เพราะระหว่างทางที่เดินทัวร์มหาวิทยาลัย และเมือง San Francisco อยู่ ทั้งสองคนนี้ก็มีเรื่องให้ถกเถียงกันได้ตลอดเวลา โดยเฉพาะเรื่องของการจัดผังเมืองของ San Francisco (??!!??)

Page เล่าให้ฟังว่าตอนนั้นเค้าจำได้ว่า Sergey Brin เป็นคนที่มีความคิดที่ค่อนข้างจะติดยึด เป็นคนที่ไม่ค่อยโสภาที่น่าจะอยู่ใกล้เท่าไหร่ ถ้าคิดว่าตัวเองถูกละก็จะเถียงหัวชนฝา ซึ่งบังเอิญว่า ตัวเอง (Page) ก็เป็นคนแบบนั้น ส่วน Sergey ก็บอกว่าจริงๆแล้ว Larry ก็ออกจะแปลกๆอยู่เหมือนกันแหละ เถียงหัวชนฝา ไม่ค่อยยอมใคร (เอากันเข้าไป มิน่าหล่ะ เถียงกันได้ทั้งวัน)

เอาเป็นว่า ทั้งคู่ถกเถียงกันเรื่องต่างๆทั้งวันที่เดินทัวร์ แม้จะไม่ลงรอยด้วยดี แต่ทั้งคู่ก็จำกันได้ดีก่อนจะแยกจากกันในตอนเย็น (แหม! พล็อตยังกับหนังไทยเลยครับ พระเอกกับนางเอกเจอกันครั้งแรกจะต้องมีทะเลาะตบตี ต่างคนต่างบอกว่าเกลียด แต่ในใจคิดถึงอยู่)

อีก 2-3 เดือนถัดมา มหาวิทยาลัยก็เปิดเทอมครับ Page ก็เข้ามารายงานตัว และเลือก Prof. Terry Winograd ผู้เชี่ยวชาญด้านการโต้ตอบระหว่างคอมพิวเตอร์และมนุษย์ เป็นอาจารย์ที่ปรึกษา และก็เริ่มมองหาหัวข้อวิทยานิพนธ์

พ่อของ Larry Page (ขณะนั้นเป็นอาจารย์ด้าน Computer Science อยู่ที่มหาวิทยาลัยมิชิแกน) บอกว่า Thesis ปริญญาเอก จะเป็นเหมือนกรอบ ที่จะคอยกำหนดอนาคต ด้านวิชาการของเราไปทั้งชีวิต ก่อนจะตัดสินใจเลือกทำให้ไตร่ตรองให้ดี ทำให้ Page ใช้เวลาอยู่นานในการเลือกหัวข้อทำวิทยานิพนธ์ หลังจากลองนึกๆดูสิบกว่าเรื่อง สุดท้ายก็มาลงที่เรื่อง World Wide Web นี่เอง

และแล้วจุดเริ่มต้นของไอเดียเล็กๆ ก็กลายเป็นไอเดีย
ที่เปลี่ยนโลกอินเตอร์เน็ตทั้งใบ จุดกำเนิดของยักษ์ใหญ
่ในวงการซอฟท์แวร์อีกตน ก็เริ่มขึ้นที่นี่ …

Remark¹ ชื่อ Surgey Brin อ่านออกเสียง ว่า เซอร์เก บริน โดย Assoc. Prof. Stanislav Makanov (อาจารย์ชาวรัสเซีย ประจำสถาบันเทคโนโลยีนานาชาติสิรินธร มหาวิทยาลัยธรรมศาสตร์)

http://www.vcharkarn.com

"How a Top Ten U.S. Commercial Bank"

2006-08-28T05:34:00.000+07:00

How a Top Ten U.S. Commercial Bank
Relies On ChoicePoint's BridgerInsight
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by ChoicePoint Inc.

Published on: August 14, 2006
Type of content: CASE STUDY
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Length: 2 pages
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This bank found everything they required - and
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The solution is easy to customize and scale for
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Read this case study to discover the benefits
of using ChoicePoint's BridgerInsight.

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2006-08-28T05:01:00.000+07:00

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"Hilight in Phuket Thailand"

2006-08-27T22:12:00.000+07:00

4th Phuket Surfing Contest at Kata Yai beach

8 -10 September 2006 : The 4th Phuket Surfing Contest, the main annual event for local wave surfers, was held on Kata Yai beach over the weekend.

Jointly organized by the Karon Municipality, Kata Karon Hotel Business Association, and Love Kata-Karon Club, the event is aimed at promoting the water sports as well as spice up the island’s tourism during the green or rainy season.

It was opened on Friday by the Phuket City District Chief Veerawut Chanpen but there was a lot of rain over the 3 days rather putting off the number of expected spectators, which disappointed the supporters like the T.A.T . There were also strong winds of up to 40 kilometres an hour, but the gusts broke up the top of some of the best waves that were reaching 3-4 metres in height. However in general the 120 surfers and the main organizers, Chanin Aiyrak, President of Phuket Boardriders Club and khun Jirasak Tanakittitham, Manager of the Kata Karon Hotel Business Association were happy with the conditions and support from sponsors:

The 8 judges came from the USA, UK, Australia and Thailand, and one of them Tom Fekete, originally from USA, now living here, told us how they judge the competitors:

There were different divisions like Short Boards of up to eight feet, and Long Boards over 8 feet, Groms or Beginners under 19 years old with the youngest competitor only 12, and lastly Open or the top division for men over 19 years old, with one competitor aged 56. We spoke to one of the younger Open finalists, Jimmy Smith, who is half Thai and half Kiwi or New Zealander, with his trusty short board beside him:

Despite Phuket not having the best conditions for year round or regular surfing, the competitors, judges, organizers and spectators enjoyed Kata Beach’s waves at the best surfing location there is in Thailand plus the easy going atmosphere of friendly rivalry and relaxed rules of the Phuket Surfing Contest 2005, and we’re sure they will be back next year, riding out the waves, whether there is a tsunami or no tsunami.

www.phuketsurfingcontest.com

"Thai Agriculture"

2006-08-27T19:17:00.000+07:00

ACRICULTURE, FISHING AND FORESTY

The most part of the working labour about 60 percent, are working in the agriculture or in fishing, but that´s only 12 percent of the GNP.

The latest decenium have Thailand increased there agriculture-production three times, and this is done by increasing the cultivation-area by using watering-systems, artficial fertilizer and new high-prodictive crops. To survive into the future with this new development, the farmers were forced to take loans from private persons which included very high rents. And for security they pawned their land which later many farmers lost. The result of this was that almost half of the farmers in Thailand lost there land.

Rice is the main crop in Thailand and the rice is very competitive at the international market. Thailand is the greatest exporter of rice in the whole world. The greatest part is sold to Japan, and USA as the second, followed by Holland.

In 1994 Thailand produced annually approximately 18.5 million tonnes of rice, up from about 11.3 million tonnes per year in the 1960s. The second most important crop in value is rubber, which is raised mainly on plantations on the Malay Peninsula.

In 1994 approximately 1.68 million tonnes of rubber were produced. Other important crops include maize (3.8 million tonnes), sorghum (300,000), cassava (19.1 million), sugar cane (37.6 million), cotton lint (14,000), tobacco (52,000), coconuts (1.4 million), and kenaf (166,000), a fibre used in making canvas. Livestock in 1994 totalled about 4.3 million buffalo, 7.6 million cattle, 4.9 million pigs, and 127 million chickens.

Fishing is also an important industry, and in 1993 the total catch was 3.4 million tonnes of prawns, fish, and shellfish.

The fish-industry have slowly increased to a greater part. In later years there have been a big decrease in the schrimp-fishing. The freeze- and tin-industrys have increased their export which in the greatest part goes to Japan.

The forrestry was earlier important because the country was covered by forrests. In the northern part of the country were 25 percent of the forrest consisting of teak-forrest. But the forrest were devasted so they were almost finished. The result was problem with earth-erosions and flooding. In the latest years have new forrests been planted, but still there are illegal selling of teak-wood to foreign countrys.

About 28 percent of the total land area of Thailand is forested. The most valuable forest product is hardwood. The annual roundwood timber harvest in 1993 totalled about 38 million cu m (1.3 billion cu ft).

In an attempt to reduce the illegal opium-production in the north and west of the country, atempts are made to get the farmers instead to cultivate coffe-beans, fruit, vegetables and flowers. This attemps are financed for example by United Nations in co-operation with authorities in Thailand..

http://www.thailandcentral.com/Eagricul.html

"THAI FOOD"

2006-08-27T19:01:00.000+07:00

Everybody knows the famous food of Thailand, which is a mix of spicy and sour tastes. Thailand is divided into four main area : North, Northeast, Central, South. Each area has its own culinary specialities.

Rice is the basic aliment in Thailand. Rice is eaten with most dishes. The word "to eat" in Thai language is "KIN KHAO" (กินข้าว), which means "to eat rice". There are different types of rice. The steamed rice is called "KHAO SUEY" (ข้าวสวย). One of the most famous is sticky rice ("KHAO NIO" - ข้าวเหนียว) from "ISAN" area (อีสาน - northeastern part of Thailand). Thai people eat it with hands by making small balls. Central plains people often say that "Eating sticky rice make you lazy" so that's why before "ISAN" people have the wrong reputation of being lazy. Nowadays central plains people also like eating sticky rice. With migration of many workers to Bangkok, recipes from different regions of Thailand has come to the capital.

During a Thai meal, all the food is served together. No entrée, main dish and dessert like in westerner countries. Meals are eaten together and shared. In most cases, Thai people don't eat dessert. Dessert (fruits, cakes) are eaten when going out for a walk. All food in the plate shall be eaten. Thai people don't like to waste food, especially rice.

Thai food is famous for its small pimento ("PHRIK KHI NOO" - พริกขี้หนู). Some are red, green and most of times pimento are cut in slices. Most people think they can get rid of the "spicy" taste by drinking water. That is false. A good way is to eat rice.

Thai people like to speak about food, about next meal. The sentence กินข้าวแล้วหรือยัง ("Have you already eaten ?") is same as "How are you ?" in everyday speech and is often used to start a conversation.

n Thai markets, meat is often sold in the open air. No refrigeration. Sometimes the vendor moves a small broom to frighten the fly. But there is no problem because meat is boiled and used in some meals like soup noodles

Fishes are also sold in open air. No ice to refrigerate them. The weather is so hot! Anyway fishes are always fresh. Fishes stay in a bowl filled with water before being killed.

In "ISAN" area markets, it is possible to eat bugs like scorpions, grasshoppers, larva, beetles and even sometimes dogs. These days, farmers are making more by harvesting lice than rice. Now Bangkok residents also appreciate eating bugs. Canned grasshoppers, locusts, water beetles, crickets, silkworm pupae and ant eggs are available at the supermarket. Bangkok residents think of bugs as a healthy, low-calorie treat.

Many people buy meals in the markets such as soup, curry dish, grilled meat and eat at home.

ll famous vegetables, i.e coriander ("PHAK CHI" - ผักชี), ginger ("KING" - ขิง), galingale ("KA" - ข่า), green lemons ("MANAO" - มะหนาว) that highlights the Thai taste can be bought in markets.

Meat dried in the sun ("NEUA DET DIAW" - เนื้อแดดเดียว) and ("SAI KROK" - ใส้กรอก) are famous in Isan area. Dog meat is popular in some towns of Northeast area, especially in Sakhon Nakhon.

http://www.thaiworldview.com/food.htm

"A Brief History of Thai Boxing"

2006-08-26T21:10:00.000+07:00

Almost as ancient as the country itself, the art of Thai boxing is deeply ingrained in the history of Thailand. It is believed that the forbears of the modern Thai migrated from the South of China. In the course of their exodus, they had to hide from aggressive attackers and met with resistance from local people. A great number of battles had been fought and countless lives had been lost. The wars were fought using ancient weapons like bows, arrows, knives and spears. However, during the close-contact combat these weapons became cumbersome and thus arms, legs, elbows and knees were used to fight instead. These bodily weapons must have worked, because Muay Thai was later adopted as a required part of military training and became one of the skills expected of a real (brave) man in those days.

How it all began...

During the Ayudhya Period (1365 - 1768), Thailand (then Siam) had to fight a series of gruelling battles against neighbouring Burma, Cambodia and Vietnam. King Naresuan, ruling the country at the time, was a trained boxer himself. When he was captured during one of the battles, the King was given a chance to fight with Burma's top fighters in exchange for freedom. He returned to Siam as a hero and, not too long after, 'Siamese-style' boxing was recognised as a national sport. Muay Thai was at its zenith of popularity during the time of Pra Chao Sua (the Tiger King), when it was widely practiced in all levels of society. The King was well-known for his deep passion for Muay Thai and said to have participated incognito in various village contests and won many titles.

When Ayudhya fell, many Thais became Prisoners of War. One of them was a fighter named Nai Khanomtom. He was captured and taken to Rangoon, where he was requested by the King of Burma to fight against the Burmese champion. Nai Khanomtom prepared himself for the fight by performing the ritual 'Wai Khru'. When the fight began, he charged out at his opponent and quickly defeated him. The people were convinced that the Burmese opponent was distracted by the 'Wai Khru' and this rendered the knockout void. The King then asked Nai Khanomtom to fight again to prove himself, this time against nine other Burmese champions. Nai Khanomtom beat them all in a row and was granted freedom to return to Siam, where he had been a boxing legend since.

Muay Thai was banned during the 1920's due to an alarming rate of injury. However, it was later reinstated (1937) with a new set of rules for protecting contestants. And at the time of the Revolutionary Period permanent boxing stadiums were set up around the country, but they ceased to exist when World War II broke out. However, when the war ended, boxing stadiums re-appeared. In 1945, Thai people saw the advent of Rajdamnern Stadium, Thailand's very first standard boxing stadium.

Today, Muay Thai is said to be one of the deadliest forms of martial arts in the world. Although the number of participants have decreased over the years, Muay Thai is still a popular spectator sport. Television networks broadcast fights five days a week, and match results are reported in all major newspapers. International boxing is also very popular, and the country has produced dozens of world champions, who all started out as Muay Thai fighters though. Recently, many Thai films have been made to celebrate the art of Muay Thai. 'Beautiful Boxer' tells the story of a fascinating transvestite boxer while 'Ong Bak' and 'Tom Yum Goong' feature Tony Jaa, Muay Thai sensation who has been hailed as the new Jackie Chan. These films seem to have revived Muay Thai's popularity in Thailand and spreading the art of Muay Thai all over the world.

http://www.bangkok.com

Ready to Fly

2006-08-26T18:03:00.000+07:00

Suvarnabhumi International Airport is huge, gorgeous and nice to Mother Nature - gonna be a bummer getting a taxi, though

With long runways stretching from north to south, a cluster of terminal buildings, a tall control tower and giant tubes of concourse topped with a strange roof, Bangkok’s new Suvarnabhumi International Airport looks, at first glance, rather like an alien space station.
Thirty kilometres east of Bangkok, the long-awaited airport will not open for commercial flights until next month, but it’s already a hot destination.
According to the agency, Airports of Thailand, more than 300,000 people have already visited Suvarnabhumi, curious to see it.
The airport is accessible by five routes from downtown Bangkok. From my place in the suburbs of Bang Na, down Bangna-Trat Road, then turn left onto a newly built four-lane road.
At the southern entrance, I pass long-term parking and the catering and airline offices, and turn left again to the terminal. It takes just 30 minutes.
Suvarnabhumi was designed by Helmut Jahn, the German architect also responsible for the United Airlines terminal at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport and the Sony Centre in Berlin.
To get a sense of Jahn’s design for Suvarnabhumi, think of a huge “H” on the ground.
The two vertical legs of the H are the parallel runways, each 60 metres wide, one 4,000 metres long and the other 3,700. The crossbar is home to the passenger terminal complex, parking lots and airport hotel.
Unlike the tired-looking Don Muang airport, Suvarnabhumi has a single terminal, with both domestic and international travellers passing through the seven-storey complex.
Departures is on the fourth floor and easy to access from either of the two multi-storey car parks.
“As at Don Muang, you can drop departing passengers at the platform and then go the car park. The system also applies to arrivals,” says a public-relations officer.
While Jahn’s modern design has led to complaints that there is nothing Thai about the new airport, Suvarnabhumi has what we need: transparency and environmental friendliness.
The extensive use of glass in the passenger terminal is an energy-saver and, with light streaming in from all directions, including the roof, there’s a tremendous feeling a space – and a terrific view of the sky.
The typical central air conditioning hidden behind the ceiling has been replaced by an energy-efficient system.
“Cold-water pipes run underneath the floor and fans lift the cold air upwards,” explains an airport guide, adding that the cold water is a by-product of the electricity plant.
Check-in Rows A to G run from the east wing to the west, offering passengers 360 counters. For those who prefer to travel light, 100 are for flyers with no luggage.
After passport and ID control, domestic passengers go straight to the transit concourse, building where there are plenty of shops and kiosks selling drinks, magazines and souvenirs.
International passengers head the other way, to Concourse Building D, where there are a wide variety of duty-free shops.
Arriving passengers approach the passenger terminal via the second floor.
“There are 145 counters for passport control,” says the PR man. “There are 17 conveyor belts for international passengers, five more for domestic, and one specially designed for larger aircraft like the A380.”
Once baggage has been collected and customs cleared, passengers can go to the third-floor meeting points, restaurants and airline lounges. From there they can catch a shuttle bus to the taxi stand some six kilometres away.
This is a major change for Bangkok flyers. Taxi drivers are not allowed to wait outside. Those dropping passengers off must leave the terminal immediately.
However limousines can be called in, and private cars can wait on the second level. Tourists arriving in groups have to walk down to the first floor to their buses and coaches.
While the transport system is likely to cause some grumbling, Suvarnabhumi Airport offers passengers a far more efficient service in an attractive environment.
And Jahn’s futuristic design leaves enough space for some Thai touches.
The walls of the paths leading to the concourse are hung with works by Thai artists, and 12 mythical demons stand in the arrival hall.
“They are duplicates of the 12 demons at Temple of the Emerald Buddha,” explains the PR officer.
For looks, Suvarnabhumi is second to none. As for space, the passenger terminal has claimed a world record for largest user area. And, yes, the control tower is the world’s tallest.

Phoowadon Duangmee
The Nation

'Bomb plot to kill Thaksin foiled', questions linger

2006-08-26T17:53:00.000+07:00

Explosives 'ready to be detonated near motorcade'; Army officer held for questioning

A car loaded with explosives that was intercepted by police early yesterday morning was possibly to be used in an attempt to kill caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra while he was travelling in his motorcade, National Intelligence Agency director Jumphol Manmai said yesterday.

The police general said he learned that the bomb, containing 14.23 pounds (6.5 kilograms) of a combination of TNT and C-4 composite explosive as well as a type of 64.57 blasting agent, was ready to go off. He said he did not know who was behind the possible assassination plot.

Metropolitan Police Bureau commissioner Lt-General Wiroj Jantharangsee said the explosives in the sedan were completely assembled, equipped with a remote unit sensor and ready to be detonated, and that it would have a radius of impact of around one kilometre.

Five uniformed police officers pulled over the silver Daewoo sedan at the foot of a flyover on Borromratchonnani Road near Bang Phlad Intersection and arrested the driver, Army Lieutenant Thawatchai Klinchana, who said he was paid Bt200 by a man to drive it to an area called Suan Oy.

Thawatchai, initially charged with having explosives in his possession, was later brought to the Crime Suppression Division compound for questioning, with two military officers present, after police searched his official residence near the First Military Precinct headquarters, where police found and seized two licence plates and a personal computer.

A police team later searched Thawatchai's own home in Nonthaburi's Bang Bua Thong district and found no illegal items. A Thai Rak Thai Party blazer was found there.

A police barricade was set up around the car and a large crowd was herded away to a 400-metre radius from where it was parked. A team of police ordnance experts were called in to examine the car. They neutralised some of the explosives on the front passenger seat by using a high-powered water gun to disassemble what appeared to be cloth bags with something inside.

Police discovered later that the sedan's licence plate Thor Santhan-Chor Ching 3085 BKK was registered to a woman and had already been classified void. An investigation was underway to find out how the invalid licence plates came to be attached to the car and what the car's body serial number, which had been scratched out, was.

At a press conference later on, the officer displayed a number of items he said were retrieved from the sedan. Explosives-related items included TNT sticks weighing 10.73 pounds in total, a number of C-4 explosive sticks weighing 3.5 pounds and a combination of blasting agents identified as Anfo (ammonium nitrate-fuel oil) contained in 13 lubricant plastic cans.

Wiroj said such types of explosives were the same as those used in terror bomb attacks in the restive South by insurgents, and that the impact would have been massive. "Nobody within the lethal radius of 30-40 metres would have survived and buildings within the range would be destroyed completely, including the flyover," he said.

The officer said it was possible the car was intended to attack the motorcade of Thaksin, which regularly uses the route to take him from his home in nearby Charansanitwong Soi 69 to Government House.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com

Bye bye, planet Pluto

2006-08-26T12:34:00.000+07:00

Generations of children, who have grown up over the past 76 years under the illusion that Pluto was the ninth planet of the solar system, will be wrong with retrospective effect.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has just met in Prague and demoted Pluto to the level of a dwarf planet on the grounds that despite orbiting the Sun, it neither has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a nearly round shape nor has it cleared the neighbourhood around its orbit.

After being ejected from the big league, Pluto will now join the asteroid Ceres — also a planet in the 19th century — and UB313, nicknamed Zena by its discoverer Michael Brown of the California Institute of Technology.

While TV anchors all over the world, including the PYTs (Pretty Young Things) on Indian TV news-channels, have tried to cheer up the erstwhile planet by saying things like “We still love you Pluto”, the demotion goes against the grain of the latest trends in all non-planetary spheres where the norm is to keep adding to the number instead of subtracting!

Take the European Common Market that started off with just six member-states and now has more than quadrupled to suit its present nomenclature of the European Union (EU) to an extent where even Turkey is on the short-list for admission despite parts of that country lying in what has traditionally been regarded as Asia Minor.

Take the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), which now includes nation-states that are so far away from the Atlantic that they were once part of the Soviet Union. Or take India’s reservation quota for jobs and admissions, which has doubled to almost 50% in just six decades of independence.

Fortunately, Pluto has not yet been demoted from its status of the household pet in Mickey Mouse comics where children can still identify with it!