Happy New Year from Thailand

If you are visiting Thailand as a tourist these days, you already know that the Songkran festival, the Buddhist new year, is in full swing. Crammed at the back of pick-ups and armed with water guns supplied by huge water tanks, their faces turned white with talcum powder, the happy fighters won't give you a chance! So prepare yourself to get wet, very wet and soaked to the skin! Fortunately the weather is very hot, and this is all for good luck, so you will also get blessed in the process. Don't even think of getting out with your mobile phone or your camera, leave any valuables in your hotel safe, go buy yourself one of those nice Hawaiian shirts and join in the fun. Happy New Year!

I gotta a job to do and I'm gonna do it!

We had already written about US airports about to fingerprint all 10 fingers of foreign passengers. Now another story shows again how far the so-called "security agents" can abuse their power.

A teenage boy from Orlando (Florida, USA), said that a TSA (Transportation Security Administration) agent endangered his life by opening (and there-by contaminating) his backup sterile feeding tube that he carries with him in case of an emergency. He reportedly said: "Please don't open it" and the TSA agent replied: "I have to open it whether you like it or not. If I can't open it, I can't let you on the plane."

So it looks like another good example of the "I gotta a job to do and I'm gonna do it whether you like it or not" American mentality. But of course it could also be another good example of the "I found a mouse in my cheeseburger and I'm gonna sue you for 10 million dollars" American mentality... ;-)

All US airports to fingerprint foreigners

Since 2004, nonresidents traveling internationally have been required to allow airport personnel to scan their two index fingers at airports as part of a program called US-VISIT. But now, foreign travelers will be asked to scan all 10 fingers, an enhancement the U.S. Department of Homeland Security hopes will help officials more closely monitor watch lists of suspected terrorists, criminals and immigration violators. By the end of the year, the devices are expected to be up and running in all of the nation's international airports, as well as seaports and border points.

Wow, travelling by plane is already becoming more and more of a hassle, especially with all the stupid regulations concerning liquids, but USA is now really treating anyone entering their country like a potential criminal. But surely this will help make the world a better place...

England, Kenya or Colombia?

If you still don't know where to spend your next holidays, we have some exciting ideas for you: get yourself kidnapped in Colombia or try a riot safari in Kenya! If you are not on the adventurous side, then Liverpool in England is also doing his best to attract tourists.

Colombia is officially safe, according to... officials. It is now the "former kidnapping capital of the world" (so which is the current one, does anyone know?), and it received nearly 1.3 million tourists in 2007, twice as more as in 2002. I would also love to visit "Colombia's Caribbean beaches, cosmopolitan cities and Andean peaks", but maybe I'll get myself kidnapped somewhere else.

So what about Kenya? It used to be one of the most prosperous and tourist-friendly countries in Africa, but since the riots and ethnic violence erupted after the December 27 vote, travel warnings have been issued by most western countires and more than 5,000 tourists canceled trips at the last minute. Jake Grieves-Cook, spokesman for the tourism federation, said: The image of Kenya has changed from "giraffes, welcoming people and stability" to "the lunatic with a machete sharpening it on the road," he said. "So we have a lot of work to counter that image." Indeed!

If you prefer to stay safely in Europe, we can also recommend Liverpool, who is European Capital of Culture for 2008. A huge outdoor concert will launch the event, with Ringo Starr and Dave Stewart as presenters. Quoting the new item: "To give tourists a better impression, rundown buildings - including rows of dilapidated houses near downtown Liverpool - have been hidden behind billboards covered with paintings and poetry."

As for me, I might just choose one of the safest countries of the world, Singapore, just to see the new airport terminal they have just finished building, which has an indoor garden and waterfalls.