Bangkok airport not so Suvarnabhumi anymore
In the last week, I’ve been in and out of Bangkok twice and I have to wonder, is it just me and bad luck or are there cracks appearing in the seams at the airport named Suvarnabhumi or “Golden Land”?On the first flight out, for my return to Singapore, I went to the information counter at the a [...]
Low cost Singapore Girl, you’re a cheap way to fly?
Last night, I was the MC for a charity dinner for the Akaraka Foundation in which more than $100,000 was raised for children’s education in the Philippines.One of the items put for the live auction was a pair of boxing gloves signed by Manny (Pacman) Pacquiao who, to people who know boxing, is to [...]
What exactly is a ‘Social Media Job’ and how do you get one?
I was listening a to a panel the other day where the participants were discussing what a ‘Social Media’ job might involve nowadays and how someone might go about getting one.It wasn’t that long ago that I used to hear lots of stories about companies not knowing where their social media compete [...]
Borrowed time, borrowed home – a new way of travelling
There I was, sitting out in the garden in my Airbnb-rented home in Pornic, France, taking in the cool breeze coming off the Atlantic Ocean. There’s a bit of sunshine trying to break through the clouds. The house cat, Mouss, is on my lap. He knows where the most comfortable spot in the house is.It [...]
Sabah shows off one of the world’s last vintage steam locomotives
Every time I go to Sabah, I inevitably end up either savouring the rich cultures and cuisine of the local people in remote villages or hanging out on one of the beautiful islands in the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, just a few kilometres off the state capital Kota Kinabalu.On my next visit to the [...]
Shock. Horror. Scandal. Death of a Tabloid.
I am leaving the UK today with the final edition of News of The World. I bought it on Sunday at a local co-op in Splott Road, Cardiff.There were just three copies of Edition number 8,674 left. The Indian proprietor told me it had been selling like hot cakes since start of business. In all, an extra [...]
Stories in the air, Bali on the ground and hey presto, I am in Scandinavia
I landed at Frankfurt airport last night, after a 12-hour flight in which I watched three movies, a television drama, two episodes of British nursing comedy “Getting On” and still managed to get some work done.
Amazing what you can squeeze into a tube of time when you are stuck with nowhe [...]
The angry customer wins?
As the plane landed, a ball of fire lit the sky. Paris on an early summer morning. Glorious. The promise of a beautiful day ahead in the French capital.Unfortunately, I won’t be enjoying it because I am in transit at Charles de Gaulle to Rabat, Morocco, for a couple of days.Getting here wasn’t e [...]
The “Hand” opens on a new Singapore
Thursday evening, standing out on Marina Bay, waiting for the Wonder Full sound-and-light show that would herald the grand opening of Marina Bay Sands, a thought struck me – I will have to get used to a new Singapore.A new Singapore where people can come and go and gamble anytime they want, just l [...]
Hotels, ‘last milking cow’, grappling with rising customer acquisition costs
With customer acquisition costs escalating in an increasingly intermediated distribution environment, hoteliers need to re-think their sales and distribution strategy and regain control of their inventory.Bob Gilbert, CEO of HSMAI (Hotel Sales & Marketing Associates International), visiting Sing [...]
