Swine Flu Thailand: Clean Up

In what to many may seem a desperate move to control swine flu among school students the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration yesterday closed around 400 schools in the Thai capital for a clean up. Meanwhile schools under direct Ministry of Education control in the city remain open as do most other schools throughout the country. This move follows close behind the government decision to close tutorial schools and seek voluntary closure of Internet cafes for a two week period.

Thai TV newscasts yesterday carried pictures of students and staff from the closed schools actually at their school washing everything with soap and water. Now I am not a flu expert but I do know that the virus has a limited life span once it is released from the host so washing desks and the like would seem to be a bit of a wasted effort.

True it might create a feel good factor or be a booster to public confidence but you only have to look at the news pictures of Pattaya bar girls scrubbing the street of that city a few weeks ago to realise there is a thin dividing line between fact and what might well be seen as government propaganda.

One of the best pieces of advice given by all leading authorities to avoid contamination is frequent hand washing using soap and water. Now this is fine if you are at home but if you visit a public toilet or indeed one at a place of entertainment or school in Thailand, while there may be running water, there is never any soap.

Its just a thought but perhaps the powers that be might be better employed spending funds on providing decent hand washing facilities rather than wasting soap and water cleaning desks and corridors at the countries schools.

When Avian Flu, which continues to threaten Thailand, is detected the most effective way of dealing with it seems to be by culling chickens. Which leaves me hoping that the boffins who thought up the swine flu clean up don't suddenly come up with a plan to employ the Avian Flu approach to infected students, if cleaning the countries schools fails to halt the spread of the virus.

OK I promise to clean up my act, no more swine flu news from Thailand this week.

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Singapore to Bangkok

The distance from Singapore to Bangkok is about 1400km or 800 miles and can be flown comfortably in two hours although there is an hours time difference between the island state and the capital of Thailand.

Believe it or not you can get a budget airline flight with Jetstar from as little as £20 to fly the journey one way. This is great if you are on a tight schedule but if you are planning a bit more of an extended holiday and would like to take in parts of Malaysia as well then can I recommend using the train as an alternative. You can complete the whole journey with a break at KualaLumpar and Penang for around £40 OK its a little more than the cheap flight with Jetstar but it includes two overnight sleeping car berths.

So why would you want to take the train? For me the answer is simple, you meet interesting people and you get to see another country on the way to your final destination.

This is the itinerary I used when I last travelled the route.

1. Leave Singapore on the 0740 morning train to KL- you arrive around 1430.
2. Stay in KL for 3 days-this gives you plenty of time to take in the sights of the city.
3. Take overnight sleeper which leaves at 2000 to Butterworth-this is the station for Penang.
4. Arrive Butterworth at around 0530 and take the ferry to Penang-terminal adjacent to train station.
5. Stay 3 days in Penang to take in the main sights.
6. Take overnight International Express(sleeper) which leaves Butterworth at 1420 and arrives Bangkok around 1030 the next day.

An alternative route into Thailand using the "jungle train" is also worth considering although not necessarily recommended due to security conditions in Southern Thailand. That said travellers report this route as offering fantastic scenery and an opportunity to stopover in one of Malaysia's huge national parks, Taman Negara.
To take this route you travel to KL and then from there on the Wakaf Bharu train stopping off at Kuala Tembeling.

Reservation of train tickets can be completed online from Malaysian Railways.

Tickets are also available at stations in Singapore and Malaysia-advanced booking is required on all trains and opens 56 days before travel. Just a word on pricing here, tickets booked and purchased in Singapore are priced in Singapore Dollars and are more expensive than those purchased in Malaysia in Ringgits. Online bookings are all priced in Singapore Dollars. You can only book North bound International Train travel in Singapore or Malaysia i.e from Butterworth South bound International Train travel must be booked in Thailand.

Finally if you are interested in travelling from Singapore to Bangkok extensive information including timetables and prices is available from The Man in Seat Sixty-One.


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