#9, Colombo, Sri Lanka

• Until the Friday before last, Bangkok was officially under martial law. This wasn't at all obvious if you happened to be there at the time.

• Thailand’s new Bangkok airport, Suvarnabhumi, is glorious to look at, but cracks have been found in some runways. This caused an understandable controversy, with delayed flights and embarrassment for officials. The ruling military Junta, however, actually seem to be playing up the problems in order to discredit, by association, former President Thaksin, a major advocate for the project. As a consequence, what should be a major source of pride for the Thai people is being deliberately turned into a national embarrassment – by their own government.
• Dhubai is building the world’s largest airport, Dhubai World Central. When completed the airport complex will have a permanent population of three quarters of a million people.
• Shanghai airport has a mono rail that travels at 450 kph. The journey, which used to take over an hour by road, takes roughly 10 minutes. [Conversation in Singapore Airport]

• Items for sale on a street market outside Bangkok's royal palace: post-cards, trinkets, bad food, and second-hand dentures.
• There were some bombs in Thailand recently. No one is sure who did them, but suspects include the Government. The Government is now ask Thai people to send their dogs to bomb training school.