1. INTERNET: I do not recommend anyone bringing their laptop overseas, unless for business. Tough to find safes that will hold the laptop. Have heard many stories of guys downloading there digital photos on their laptop, only to have their laptop stolen. Internet cafe's are everywhere and are usually about 60 baht an hour. Most of the internet cafes have a selection of beer and cofee.

2. PHONE CALLS: For international calls, you should purchase a card at 7-11. The international phone card booths are all over Soi 4 and Sukhumvit. For domestic, you can use the coin-operated phones or get a domestic card. The rates are pretty reasonable. Do not use Internet cafe's or your hotel to make calls...a total ripoff.

3. CELL PHONES-Even if you don't plan on staying long, it is a good idea to have a cell phone in Thailand. If you have an extra phone with a SIM card, you can purchase one at MBK for about 1,300 baht for international calls or 500 baht for local calls and they include minutes. Bar girls sell their phones all of the time at MBK. As a result, nearly new cell phones go for about 3,000 baht with minutes. You will find cell phones here that are more modern and cheaper than in the U.S.. I found one the size of a credit card with internet features for 4,000 baht and it included 500 local minutes. Shop around, as there are tons of vendors in MBK.

Since I am on travel for business, I lock up my laptop by chaining it to my large suitcase; that way, anyone who steals my laptop will have to drag my suitacase along, too. If this plan works, you won't be reading a sad email from me later on.

I bought the chain for about $30, and it connects into a port on my laptop.

The safes at the GP and Solitaire take my rather large Sony no problem. Even when I have not have a safe I have been Ok, but point taken - be careful. I think if you stay in good hotels and keep the notebook with you outside you should be OK and of course insure it and keep good backups! I copy my photos onto CD just in case.