WANTED: Bangkok travel guide & street map

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M and I will be traveling to Bangkok in July. It's our first time, and we're excited. I'm looking forward to street food and muay thai. She's looking forward to making me carry gunny sacks of shoes and dresses.

We booked a couple of cheap AirAsia tickets back in February, but have yet to plan anything else (yes, it's my fault). I'm looking into budget hotels now. Preferably something that's really close to the Skytrain / MRT, has a swimming pool, is not too far from a 7-Eleven, and is in either Sukhumvit / Siam.

In the meantime, do you have any good travel guide books and street maps which we could borrow (or buy)? We're making full use of the Internet, but nothing beats something you can touch, hold, flip, fold & tear (ok, maybe not the last bit).

Those books with sexy legs - have you read them?

On a recent trip to Borders, Mel pointed out that all of Adele Parks' books feature "pretty" long legs.



I haven't read any. Don't think I will. But the covers are sexy, don't you think?

On my book shelf: May 13

I picked up a few copies of the May 13 book by Dr. Kua Kia Soong on Tuesday from Gerak Budaya after hearing about it here and here.



Excerpt of the synopsis:

This is the first credible account of the May 13, 1969 racial riots in Malaysia using documents recently declassified at the Public Records Office, London after the lapse of the 30-year secrecy rule. These documents provide the only available confidential observations and memoranda by British and other foreign embassy operatives based on their intelligence and contacts with local officials and politicians. They include dispatches by correspondents which were then banned in Malaysia. The local media were suspended at the time and local documents remain classified under the Official Secrets Act.

Interesting read, as it paints a different picture of the events that occurred back in 1969 and the years to come.

I've got a few extra copies with me. If you're looking for a quick read which may influence your viewpoints on Malaysia, I'd suggest this one. emailme at praveenrajan dot com.

Related links:

• Wikipedia: About the May 13 incident
• The Star: Another look at incident on May 13
• Screenshots: Surviving 38 years of the May 13 bloodshed
• Elizabeth Wong: Book Launch and Public Forum: "May 13"

How to get a free copy of BUSINESS 2.0 every month!

The Business 2.0 is a monthly magazine that you can buy at most news stands. It is a substantial magazine that covers the latest news, trends and opportunities in technology.



Rather than pay US$3.99 for a print edition, you can just read the entire copy online, for FREE!

Just point to: http://digital.business2.com

As far as I know, they are not promoting this link yet, but I have been reading the magazine online for the last few months. The service is run by Olive Software, and does not provide an archive of back issues.

Here's a screenshot of the online magazine in action:



The magazine opens in a new browser window, and the requires Flash. You can download the magazine for offline reading (with IE), or alternatively print the entire magazine; print it as a PDF, and you instantly have a back issue!

You can do most of the things you do with a regular print edition, and this includes zooming, printing and panning the page. However, you won't be able to fold the pages, or paste your colourful Post-its =)

By the way, if you live in the US / Canada, you might want to subscribe to the print edition of Business 2.0 -- it's an amazing deal at $6.99 for 11 issues! That's about 64 cents per magazine, WOW!

Cziplee's got a blog!

It's nice to see that Bangsar's treasured stationery shop has got a blog of its own. If you haven't been there yet, visit both their blog and retail outlet (opposite Bangsar Village II)



Something tells me one of them in the family is a good artist -- lovely sketches. And for all you Moleskine fans, they've got the latest Van Gogh series too ;)



Related links:

• Cziplee: retail outlet maps

Pay Less Books warehouse sale

Pay Less Books is holding a stock clearance in February -- wanna go?

• Date: Friday, 2 Feb 07 - Sunday, 4 Feb 07
• Venue: YMCA Hall, Kuala Lumpur (Brickfields)
  
• Time: 10am - 7pm

Promos:

• Fiction: buy 5 for RM12
• Non-fiction: as low as RM3
• Kids & teen books: as low as RM1

Related links:

• Pay Less Books: stock clearance details