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) Luxury hospitality group to open deluxe hotel in Bangkok, Thailand
Rapidly expanding its reach in the world�s most alluring destinations, W Hotels, owned by North Sathorn Hotel Company, a joint venture between Dubai-based Istithmar Hotels FZE and Golden Land Property Development PLC, has announced plans to open its second hotel in Thailand, W Bangkok. The newly constructed 400-room hotel will debut in 2011 as part of a luxurious, mixed-use real estate development at the core of the city�s commercial and diplomatic center. W Bangkok will combine innovative, contemporary design and W�s signature services to create a transformative experience for modern travelers visiting Bangkok, one of Asia Pacific�s most captivating cities.�Ross Klein, President, Starwood�s Luxury Brands Group, said, �W continues to extend beyond the boundaries of everyday travel, offering a magical mix of sexy destinations and sublime design. More>>
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) 3-year hunt for perv suspect ends
BANGKOK, Thailand - A three-year global manhunt for a Canadian schoolteacher suspected of sexually abusing Asian boys ended yesterday when police raided a house in northeastern Thailand - off the usual tourist trail - and arrested Christopher Paul Neil.Police tracked Neil to the house in Nakhon Ratchasima province that he shared with a Thai transvestite friend whose phone calls had been traced by authorities.
Neil, who surrendered peacefully, was found though high-tech police work that relied on digitally unscrambled photos and tips from the public after an unprecedented worldwide appeal via the Internet.
Police Col. Paisal Luesomboon said Neil, 32, acknowledged being the man they were seeking, but didn't comment on whether he was the person depicted in about 200 Internet photos having sex with a dozen boys between the ages of 6 and 12. More>>
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) Free Times - Ohio's Premier News, Arts, & Entertainment Weekly
While Columbus-based singer-songwriter Victoria Parks' first two albums - her 1995 debut Sure Feels Like Home and 2003's Wild English Rose - showcased her traditional folkie side and her love of English folk and Celtic music, her latest disc is devoted to her humorous and political leanings. Duhmocracy, released under the name Victrola and the Duhst Bunnies, shows that full-on political satire is not dead. It features 10 tracks, most of which skewer George Bush and his rightwing fellow travelers from Parks' progressive activist point of view. Among the titles: "Duhbya," "Blame the Cows" (a reference to Rush Limbaugh's claim that cow farts caused global warning) and "What R Children Is Learning."One track that's sure to be a hit in some circles in Ohio is "Bye Bye Blackwell," with its resounding chorus "purging voters from the rolls/30 points down in the points/Blackwell bye bye!" There's a warning on the disc: "Lyrics are NOT explicit yet may not be suitable for the willfully ignorant or blissfully informed." For those not into politics, a handful of the songs on the album such as "Why They Call It Weed" are tongue-in-cheek takes on a failed relationship with an immature guy. More>>