Film on cyclone survivors defies government crackdown.

Michele Hewitson revels in Thailand's balmy, barmy, maddening, exhausting, love affair of a capital city.

Tourism retailers see an upsurge in Kiwi's heading abroad as the strengthening dollar makes overseas travel more appealing.

Keen to kick-start a four-month adventure through Southeast Asia with a few weeks of R&R, we'd flown from Bangkok to Koh Samui.