bahtboy

I am using an HP laptop which I bought in Dubai about 7 years ago. I use it daily as if it were a desktop with a power supply from the mains, and it's switched on more or less 12 hours a day continuously. I sit it on a fan cooler which is powered from a USB. I use anti virus, anti malware and spyware and scan regularly. Also I use Tune Up Utilities weekly to keep the computer "clean".  This laptop has been absolutely superb and has never let me down. However, it's now telling me that it's ready to be replaced.....or is it? Over the past three months or so it's developed a continuous noise which is getting louder by the week. It sounds like I can hear it working when it used to run silently before. Any suggestions how I can get it to run silently again? I really don't want to have to replace my "best friend".

A few weeks ago I went on a bus and train trip around Isaan, stopping for a couple of days in many cities. I needed to plan ahead and book hotels etc. but had to find internet cafes to do this. I thought that an iPad would have been ideal and as the new iPad has just been launched in Thailand, and it's my birthday shortly, I thought I'd treat myself to a new toy. It would only get used infrequently on trips such as the one I've just undertaken and possibly the odd trip to other SE Asian countries, and am aware that it's possibly going to be an expensive purchase for the projected use. I know very little about iPads but thought that the 16GB model with WiFi and 4G would be the most suitable option. (yes,no?) What I don't have a clue about is the different packages for connection to the internet. I'd like some input on what might be the best for me bearing in mind the limited usage it would get. All advice appreciated.

I am running Firefox 12 (and have had the same problem with all versions from FF7 onwards). I'm using Windows 7 Professional. On forums such as Thaivisa, Pattayatalk, Pattayasecrets etc., if somebody opens a new topic and embeds (if that is the right word) a video in the opening post, I cannot see that video. Other forum members comment on the video so I assume they must be able to click on and play the video, but I can never see the video on which to click. Can somebody please tell me what is wrong. Do I need to change some settings?

I'm about to make a decision as to where I want my UK pension paid. The UK Pensions people advise me that they exchange GBP to THB through Citibank at "preferential rates" when sending to a Thai bank. My pension will be in excess of 200 GBP per week and therefore I would like to know from those who are already receiving their UK pension paid into a Thai bank direct how the rate compares.  I can't find any Citibank exchange rates on the internet.

I have a Paypal account linked to my SCB credit card. I deposited twice the credit card limit with SCB in order to be allowed a credit card. I no longer have a need for a credit card so today I went into SCB and asked them if I could have a new debit card which I thought I could link to the Paypal account and therefore be able to cancel my credit card and reclaim the deposited money. I have also an ATM card with SCB. The clerk advised me that their debit card is the same as their ATM card and can't be linked with Paypal. She also told me that I couldn't use a debit card to pay for purchases. Confused, I left the bank without changing anything. On arriving home I looked on the SCB website for "debit card" and found that it says "Enjoy additional features compared to ATM cards. Debit cards can be used to pay for goods and services just like credit cards, with amounts deducted directly from the bank account of your choice. No fee charged for cross-region or cross-country transactions."  So I'm now thinking that the clerk was not advising me correctly.  The debit card she showed me didn't have raised numerals, but was a totally flat card. It had "DEBIT CARD" written in the middle. The first 4 numbers were the same as my current ATM card.
  Has anybody else had any experience of an SCB debit card?
  If I can't link a new SCB debit card to Paypal then I think I may well open a new account at a new bank similar to the OP here, as long as I'm able to link it to Paypal with a debit card.