Travel Insurance: Plan your Safety Journey

Fire Safety:
Know your fire escape plan

By: GAG

Since we are all in the our country or during on vacation in other countries, ... we often get a chance to travel around the world and stay in many exotic places. We all should be aware that not all countries and/or cities where we may have occasion to visit/stay are as safety conscious for tourists'/visitors' welfare as we are used to in our place -- Home Sweet Home!

So..... in many, many casws, we have to watch out for ourselves and our loved ones.

It is always "a good things" to be observant of the surroundings around us.

One of the "things" one should really be observant of, when we are visiting foreign countries and staying in hotels or resorts, is how to get out of the building and to a safe area in case of a fire.

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More frequently than you might think.

So, when you have cheecked into your rooms and before you settle down for the night, take a quick look around your room/floor for the stairs (don't try to use the elevator during a fire!) and a way out -- just in case!! Point out the "exits" to your fellow travelers and most importantly --- Your Children!! --- They depend upon you in an emergency!! It is especially important to make sure they understand that they must escape; they can't hide from fire under a bed or in a closet.

Summer: Swim against the sun

GAG says, 'Swimming Pool Safety'

(GAG: Good Advice Guru)

The weather is warming up to the point that we will start to spend more and more time at the pool. With the warm weather we experience here in Chiang Mai, we could swim the entire year!

We'hv read about 'Pool Safety' of the State Department -- Drowning was the leading cause of accidental death for toddlers.

However, drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death for toddlers in the United States! Never heard what is the cause of death for toddlers in Thailand. Well be safe this summer.




Why are toddlers vulnerable to drowning in swimming pools?

• Toddlers typically drown by the time their caregivers notice their absence. Look in the pool first if a child is missing.


• Their center of gravity is high. Combined with their lack of balancing skills when bending, they are prone to falling when leaning or reaching over the water.


• They lack the awareness to master water safety skills such as survival floatation, safe poolside behavior or energy conservation swimming.


• Toddlers drown silently without a splash or a scream. They simply sink rapidly and quietly to the bottom of the pool.


• To prevent brain damage, toddlers must be resuscitated within 3 minutes after breathing and heartbeat stop.

** Always ensure that toddlers and children are directly and constantly supervised in or around the pool

The Ancient Customs and Traditions of Songkran

There are three aspects to Songkran

April 13th - The First Day

On the first day, April 13th, various activities are undertaken to "send off" the outgoing year. In the morning, merit-making rituals are performed and offerings are made to the Buddhist monks. Spring-cleaning and personal cleansing are also part of this "renewal" process. Later in the day, Buddha images are bathed with lustral water in a gesture of respect. The religious ceremonies include a procession of Buddha images through the city streets offering an opportunity for residents of the community to take part in the bathing rites. An annual "Miss Songkran" parade and floral floats are part of the popular festivities held to greet the Thai new year.

April 14th - The Second Day

On April 14th, the day when the position of the sun is mid-way between Pisces and Aries, merit-making continues in the morning with offerings being made to Buddhist monks. The world-famous Songkran water-splashing festive fun takes place all day helping revellers to beat the summer heat. In the evening, sand is brought to the temples for the building of sand castles which are then decorated with colourful flags and flowers. The practice reflects an ancient belief that when an individual walks away from the temple, particles of sand from the temple grounds are inadvertently carried away on one's shoes or sandals. The building of sand castles for the temple is seen to be a practical way of replacing the sand lost and a merit-making act through which blessings are earned.

April 15th - The Third Day

The Thai New Year falls on April 15th. Typical merit-making rites performed on this day include the presentation of food and other offerings to Buddhist monks at the temples; donations are made; fishes and birds are released; and a bathing ritual is observed whereby lustral water is poured over respected elders in a gesture of respect and reverence. The seeking of their blessing or forgiveness for past wrong-doing is also implied.

Additionally it is believed that through these acts of merit-making, loved ones, long-departed are endowed with Songkran are principally performed to bring good luck and prosperity. The rituals are also acts of gratitude and indebatedness undertaken in the memory of those who have passed on to another world.

Saving Time early, Daylight Longer

To Help the World saving energy
(Daylight Saving Time)
By: Bob Aldrich



Spring forward...Fall back....

It's ingrained in our consciousness almost as much as the A-B-Cs or our spelling reminder of "i before e...." And it's a regular event, though perhaps a bit less regular than the swallows coming back to Capistrano.



Yet in those four words is a whole collection of trivia, facts and common sense about Daylight Saving Time.



In 2005 and 2006, Daylight Saving Time begins for most of the United States at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of April. Time reverts to standard time at 2 a.m. on the last Sunday of October.



Beginning in 2007
Daylight Saving Time is extended one month and begins for most of the United States at:

2 a.m. on the Second Sunday in March - 2 a.m. on the First Sunday of November.



One of the biggest reasons we change our clocks to Daylight Saving Time (DST) is that it saves energy. Energy use and the demand for electricity for lighting our homes is directly connected to when we go to bed and when we get up. Bedtime for most of us is late evening through the year. When we go to bed, we turn off the lights and TV.

In the average home, 25 percent of all the electricity we use is for lighting and small appliances, such as TVs, VCRs and stereos. A good percentage of energy consumed by lighting and appliances occurs in the evening when families are home. By moving the clock ahead one hour, we can cut the amount of electricity we consume each day.

Daylight Saving Time "makes" the sun "set" one hour later and therefore reduces the period between sunset and bedtime by one hour. This means that less electricity would be used for lighting and appliances late in the day. We also use less electricity because we are home fewer hours during the "longer" days of spring and summer. Most people plan outdoor activities in the extra daylight hours. When they are not at home, the appliances and lights are turn off.

A poll done by the U.S. Department of Transportation indicated that Americans liked Daylight Saving Time because "there is more light in the evenings / can do more in the evenings."

In the winter, the afternoon Daylight Saving Time advantage is offset by the morning's need for more lighting. In spring and fall, the advantage is less than one hour. So, Daylight Saving Time saves energy for lighting in all seasons of the year except for the four darkest months of the year (November, December, January and February) when the afternoon advantage is offset by the need for lighting because of late sunrise.