The Search Function

[MrDK]

The Search Function

Being new to this board can be a bit overwhelming. So much information and so much you want to know. So where do you start to get your questions answered. If you ask the existing board members you will likely get the same answer from most of them: “Use the search function”. You may also be recommended to “look around”. There is a fair likelihood that you will be able to find the answers using either or both recommendations. After putting some efforts into finding the answers on your own and you still cannot, then would be a good time make a post or start a thread to ask. If you have many unanswered questions, put them all in one post.

If you do not know your way around the board and are not familiar with the search function, here are some guidelines:

Find by Browsing:
This forum is divided in to sections each describing the topics of the threads within.

Newbie Section: Where this thread is posted. This section has a number of pinned (always at the top) threads with a variety of good reads to get started on the forum. It also includes threads started by or intended for Newbie’s. For example you will find introductions by many who have decided to become active on the board.
Other Sections: There are a number of other sections. In the Phuket area there are sections for Nightlife, Accommodation & Transportation, General, etc. In the Other Destinations area there are sections specific to destinations covered in this forum, i.e. Bangkok, Pattaya and Cambodia / Vietnam / Philippines. If your travel is taking you to Phuket and you are looking for a hotel, then go to the Accommodation & Transportation section in the Phuket area and start reading. More often than not you can get a feel for the topics discussed by the title or at least by the opening post.

Depending on what you are looking for it may take a bit of reading before you feel that you have the answers, however, as you read you it is likely that you will also get answers to questions you did not know you had.

Find by Using the Search Function
This forum includes both a basic and an advanced search function:

Basic Search



Type one or more keywords that you are looking for: i.e. Hotel Pattaya. All threads that include both words will be listed. You can further narrow the search by adding more words, like for example pool. If you are looking for a specific hotel you may search for Holiday Inn Phuket. As you use the search function try to think of a few different entries for the same search for example instead of Holiday Inn Phuket, you may want to search Holiday Inn Patong.

Advanced Search



This type of search uses a form will allow you to be more specific. For example you can choose to search titles only. So if you are looking for threads that are specific to Visa’s type Visa as the key word and then select Search Titles Only. This form also allows you to limit the date range, sort by various parameters and limit the search to certain areas and sections of the forum.

Find by Using External Search Engines

Both Yahoo! And Google (and other) search engines include site searches. This will allow you to use all the advanced features of those sites to search Phuket-info. When doing a search on Google or Yahoo! Add the following to the search criteria: site:Phuket-info.com. There are a number of advantages to use the common search engines. They allow specific multiple word strings (phrases) and can search words of 3 characters or less. The Phuket-Info search function requires 4 of more characters. Another benefit (or drawback) of site searches using common search engines is that each search is limited to a page of 25 posts, rather than the entire thread. A definite drawback of the using common search engines is that data is only available as they are stored on their server. In my experience Yahoo! Has the most updated information, but in any event the data is 3-7 days behind the post date.

Search using engines such as Google and Yahoo!

Here are some examples of searches that cannot be done with the Phuket-info built-in search function (all examples are in blue and searches Phuket-Info only):

• Strings or Phrases (in quotations “”)
  “sexy girls” MTB site:phuket-info.com
  Search for thread pages or posts that includes “sexy girls” (as a phrase) and includes MTB on Phuket-Info. Use the quotation marks to define a string (a phrase).
• OR function
  “Holiday Inn” (Phuket, Patong) site:phuket-info.com
  Search for thread pages or posts that includes “Holiday Inn” and either Phuket or Patong.
• Multiple AND & OR
  “Bar fine” (ST, “short time”) (LT, “long time”) site:phuket-info.com
  Search for thread pages or posts that includes “Bar fine” and either ST or “Short time” and either LT or “long time”.
  Read: “Bar Fine” AND (ST OR “Short time”) AND (LT OR “Long Time”).
  You could add the location, i.e. Pattaya or (Patong, Phuket) to narrow the search further.
• Exclusions
  Freelancers -“single post” site:phuket-info.com
  Search for thread pages that includes Freelancers, but not “single post” on Phuket-Info. Google and Yahoo stores both thread pages and single posts. Conversely you can all add “single post” without the preceding minus to see specific posts (only) that includes you search words.
• Wild-cards
  Pic* site:phuket-info.com
  Search for thread pages or posts that includes words that begin with 'Pic'. This would include Pic, Pics, Picture, Pictures, etc.

Both Google and Yahoo! have advanced search forms: Google Advanced Search and Yahoo! Advanced Web Search respectively. Just enter Phuket-info.com in the site / domain field.

[dizbuster]

Top man MrDK

Nicke just needs to take my post out and make yours a "sticky"

[itstime]

Great work, This is so much better and does not put people off the
forum and also makes them feel that there is some help out there

Much better than ****** reply in the Money thread 24 hours ago.

[IRISH JONNY]

well done..........

[aussie dollar]

good post and reckon a sticky would be good.
but dont let it stop BMs asking questions cant see any harm in that.
if you dont want to help just dont answer the question simple as that.
or if been discussed before how about putting the link up.

[falanger]

Nice one MrDk, Should be made a sticky...

[Werwolf]

Is a sticky now ..and closed.