Korean Job Discussion Forums

Bulsajo · Joined: 16 Jan 2003

It happened last week; I can't speak for CNN and the BBC, but I saw it on the news and read about it in the paper. I'm guessing it WAS on breaking news for those stations at some point (just not when some of you happened to be watching) and probably got bumped rather quickly by events in Haiti, Iraq, the latest Blair govt. scandal, the tanker explosion off the Virginia coast, the latest Palestinian attacks and Israeli reprisals, and yes even the Oscars, etc. There are plenty of online links if you need to catch up:

http://news.google.ca/news?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&edition=ca&q=ferry+Philippines&spell=1

animalbirdfish · Joined: 04 Feb 2004

As an above poster said, Malaysia is more laid-back and I daresay an easier place in which to travel than Thailand. Most everyone speaks English, it's a relatively clean place, and no one's trying to swindle you all the time.

As for times to go - just stay off the east coast between November-January, I believe. That'd be monsoon season. But the west has Pangkor, Penang, Melacca...plenty to see. And the Cameron Highlands in the central mountains.

If you have time (don't rush it), why not do both? Fly to Singapore and work your way up through Malaysia and Thailand? This is what I did with about a four week holiday. 'Twas great.

tsgarp · Joined: 01 Dec 2003

For what it's worth, Malaysia recently passed Thailand as a tourist destination for the first time.

desultude · Posted: Mon Mar 01, 2004 6:09 pm Post subject:

Why is it being ignored? I don't know. It is a huge tragedy and a huge story. There was nothing in yesterday's New York Times. There is coverage there of the young Philippina who was murdered a year ago in New York. Go figure.

Maybe its being ignored because the threats there have been related to the U.S. military presence, which some are saying is a violation of Philippine law, and most don't really know about. The U.S. military is fighting the Phillipine left in Mindanao. In the Manila press there is heated debate about the U.S. role there. When we were in the airport last week the security was intense. We heard people talking about threats because of the U.S. presence (honestly, that is what was being said.) The attack happened the next night.

I found this in the Guardian. It is from A.P.:

Abu Sayyaf Claims Philippines Ferry Fire

Sunday February 29, 2004 4:46 AM

By JIM GOMEZ

Associated Press Writer

MANILA, Philippines (AP) - The Muslim extremist group Abu Sayyaf claimed responsibility Sunday for an explosion on a ferry that sparked a fire and left 180 people missing, according to a radio report.

The Radio Mindanao Network, which the Aby Sayyaf has often called in the past, said group spokesman Abu Sulaiman said it was a revenge attack for alleged incidents of violence in the southern Mindandao area and victimization of Muslim woman.

Fire raced through the Superferry 14 on Friday shortly after it left Manila for central and southern islands, killing one person and injuring 12 others. Witnesses reported a powerful explosion that sparked an inferno.

Officials have said they could not rule out terrorism even though police sniffer dogs checked the ferry before it left Manila.

The fire also occured the same day that two alleged Abu Sayyaf members were convicted and sentenced for kidnapping an American in 2000 and another was arraigned for a separate mass abduction.

Police intelligence reports have said the Superferrys, one of the main forms of interisland travel in the sprawling archipelago, as a potential Abu Sayyaf target. The Abu Sayyaf, on the U.S. list of terrorist groups, is known for kidnappings, murders, bombings and banditry.

Officials had initially reported that 100 passengers were missing, but authorities raised that to 180 after a meeting with the ship's owner, WG&A, in which they realized some of the rescued had been counted twice, Coast guard chief Vice Adm. Arthur Gosingan said.

He said officials now have accounted for 565 of the 744 passengers and all but two of the 155 crew members. Most of the survivors jumped into the sea or boarded rescue boats.

``We are still hoping that they (the missing) are still out there ... and that they will come to us soon and tell us that 'we are here','' WG&A spokeswoman Gina Virtusio said.

Officials said the missing might have been trapped inside the blazing ferry, or drowned in Manila Bay, and some could have been picked up by fishing boats. The still-smoldering ferry was towed to shallow water but was too dangerous to conduct a thorough search.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said search efforts ``will not be called off until all of them are accounted for.''

``The authorities will get to the bottom of this incident ... and take steps to ensure it does not happen again,'' she said in a statement, urging stricter implementation of maritime laws.

Relatives of the missing waited outside Manila's coast guard headquarters to hear any news of their loved ones.

tokki · Joined: 26 Jul 2003

Joe,

I was being fair to Thailand I think. I could have mentioned the beggars and shantytowns in BKK, the packs of wild dogs running around BKK, the drugs, etc. I wasnt slagging Thailand, I was pointing out the differences between Thailand and Malaysia. Anyway, my fav place was Singapore anyhow. Make Singapore your base and explore Malaysia from there, and spend a week, at most, in Thailand, giving BKK 2 days and then somewehere as far away from touristy places as possible. Even then, hawkers are almost everywhere and con artists are everywhere so be careful.

As for Germans, lets just say that they make up a huge part of the sex-tourist trade.

Juggertha · Joined: 27 May 2003 Location: Anyang, Korea

I've been to Thailand twice and am a big fan. If you head out of BKK you can avoid "some" of the traps.

Tiger Beer · Joined: 07 Feb 2003

tsgarp · Joined: 01 Dec 2003

ma cherie · Joined: 13 Feb 2003

It's probably too late to post this, but I say nix Thailand and Malaysia and head to Indonesia instead. I was there for three weeks and had a great time visiting Java, Bali, and Sulawesi Islands.

Indonesia has something for everyone: beaches, nightlife, mountains, pristine landscapes, etc. I think it's about the same as Malaysia price-wise (Bali is slightly more expensive), and it's only drawback is that it's too damn big. You have to fly from certain places unless you have a lot of time on your hands and can take a 12 hour+ boat.

I like Thailand and Malaysia very much (especially Malaysian Borneo), but I highly recommend Indonesia.

Just my two cents.