July Trip To Thailand

[william3rd]

A week away from another "exciting" trip. Actually, it is exciting for me but it would probably be boring for many.

I am moving two antique tables over this time. These end tables were my great grand mother's and will look really nice in our living room. Since I have no suitcases to carry, these tables will use up my baggage allowance.

Wife won some award for the most beautiful yard so I cant wait to see it. Got a few gifts to get still but it is nice not having to pack anything.

I still owe some writings from last time and I didnt send out any pictures so I can do that this time. I still plan to write about marriage ceremonies, bar girls, hospital treatment and, unfortunately about IMBRA.

Trip starts next Tuesday at 10PM from LAX on Thai Airways nonstop to Bangkok. After a three hour layover, I will fly on to Udonthani. Yes- they have consolidated the airports from the beautiful traditional airport to the ugly modern one.

[piglett]

I think i would take great care in boxing those tables or maybe even bubble wrap them & then crate them
bagage handlers in the business are called ......."THROWERS"
gee i wonder how they got that name?

good luck, have fun & please take us some pictures of this place


piglett

[michaelb]

bagage handlers in the business are called ......."THROWERS"
gee i wonder how they got that name?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2ZeIoLz8FE&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRFcbWdn360

[sean126]

Have a safe trip and BRING ME BACK A HARD ROCK CAFE HAT!!!!

[william3rd]

I will see what I can do for you, Sean!!!!!!

[william3rd]

Sorry guys- not being ostentatious here- this flight cost me $65.00. Having been flying for years and still having 500000 air miles in my mileage banks, I decided to use some mileage for a free flight. I had to opt for business class since the only way I could use economy miles was to fly LAX to Frankfurt to Bangkok to Sydney to LAX- around the world with 48 hours of total time in the air. I asked if I could fly that round theworld in business class with lounge privlege but they said hell no. Business class does come with some privilege so I used my baggage allowance to move some small antique tables to my house in Udonthani.
 
Thai Airways is one of the better airlines out there, far surpassing its US counterparts. Thai believes in feeding you constantly and going the extra mile for you where United and its US contemporaries try to starve you and cut corners whenever it can be done.

The only unfortunate thing about the flight is that it departs from LAX, which used to have the one of the worst business class facilities on the planet prior to the remodel of the last two years, which now made the facilities average. However, as it turned out, I was thankful to have the use of even these average facilities.

What is really great about Thai is that its flight now departs at 1110PM. This late departure allows me to fall asleep right after the first meal service and get about six hours of uninterrupted sleep before the next meal service. The flight lands at about 730AM in Bangkok. This early arrival allows for the prompt connection to the Thai domestic flight service.

The aircraft was late on arrival; this delay meant that it would be late on departure as well. Two hours late, as it turned out. It would be a miserable start to this trip to spend the first two hours of it trying to catnap at the departure gate. Good thing I had ended up in business class. After passing through the screening, I took the elevator to the 5th floor for Thai Airways. This is a multi airline lounge shared by several international carriers including US Air.

The new lounge facilities are tastefully designed in darker woods with subdued lighting. The facilities are spacious compared to its closet like predecessor. Each table has its own lamp. The seats in the main section look very fashionable but are not designed for comfort. I think 10 year olds would get the appropriate back and neck support for a nap in these seats. Adults just cant sit back in comfort. For persons desiring to work, there are power plugs and small tables for the use of laptops Obviously, designed for the workaholic.

There is an internet station with about 8 computer stations available. There is also a view room  of the runways, equipped with high backed seats and wide screen plasma TVs. The view room clearly had the best seats.

The snack section is average with some sandwiches such as smoked turkey and wasabi sandwich-all tasteless. There is a soup- passable if you dump alot of salt and pepper into it.  The snack section is all self-serve as are the drinks.

 I got my high backed chair in front of the wide screen and was soon sleeping soundly-US news broadcasts have that effect on me. I was awakened by an air hostess a couple of hours later. Sssuhh, sssuuh, it time to boaahhd the ayahcuhraft. A brief five minute walk finds me at the gate. Judging from the number of people at the departure gate, the flight will not be full. This is in part due to the higher fare that Thai airways charges for economy.

The aircraft is an Airbus 340-500. Business class seating is 6 across with these incredible throne-like seats that fully recline. The seat control is a 19 function control which includes a back massage button. I had previously experienced these seats in Lufthansa First Class about 5 years ago and was pleasantly surprised to see them here.

You can WALK upright into your seat!!! There is a space approximately 3 feet between the rows. Unlike economy class, where you sort of swing into your seat while grasping the top of the seat(and not the hair of the passenger in that seat) in front of you,  you walk in and sit down.

As soon as I was seated, the stewardess brought a mimosa and a menu. There are three full meals on this flight-the first is a five course gourmet meal. I am planning to enjoy lamb in a garlic and thyme cream sauce.  After the order comes another mimosa. Boarding is quickly accomplished and we taxi down the runway at 130AM.

After takeoff, the air hostess offers up another mimosa- I switch to orange juice and water. The airline is really trying to keep the passengers hydrated- a 16 oz bottle of chilled water is presented and several trays of fruit juice make the rounds. Having flown economy class before, I know that the same policy is in effect aft of where I am sitting.

By about 315AM, having sated myself, I hit the recline button and am soon asleep, not to awaken until almost 9AM LA time. Just in time for Chicken Yakitori and vegetables. I start messing around with the entertainment system. They have gameboy, language lessons, too many pg movies, documentaries. It took awhile to figure it all out- I vaguely remember an information video discussing the use of the control system that I now wish that I hadnt ignored.

 I look through the duty free catelogue- I see a Mont Blanc pen that I previously purchased some years back. Holy Crap- 315 dollars!!! I originally bought it at 170. What a difference the rise of the Euro has made.I had thought about buying another one- but not at 315 dollars.

After the last meal, a very good fried rice with shrimp, we are preparing to land. The aircraft has made up some of the time lost due to the late departure and will land about 815AM.

I had cleared customs by 915, purchased some currency, and was at the domestic checkin by 945. Since the first flight to Udon leaves at 9, I had booked the second flight of the day just in case that my international flight was delayed. I still had 3 hours to kill but I still had my reserved ticket. Three more hours until I got to see my wife again.

[william3rd]

Arrival-

Having received my boarding pass for the flight to Udon, I tried to call my wife, only to find that my phone was dead. I had forgotten to turn it off after I checked the charge a few days before. Brilliant. I tried to purchase a universal charger at the electronics store near the departure gate but the sales girl insisted that the charger wouldnt work for me.

I stopped by the restaurant concourse in the domestic departure area and found the following-

Auntie Annies- a coffee and cake shop
A Thai restaurant- full menu Thai-Chinese
A Japanese restaurant- full menu
Dunkin Donuts- no explanation needed
Burger King- not sure if it is flame broiled or even beef but-there it is

A short hour long flight later and I am in Udon. My tables survived the flight, my wife was waiting for me at the airport and, thanks to the business class travel, I am in pretty good shape. No jet lag this trip at all. Fifteen minutes later, and I am home.

Upon hearing of my telephone predicament and having been worried over the lack of communication, my wife presented me with a charger for the telephone-the same one that I had tried to buy in Bangkok. And it did indeed work just fine.

I suggested that we go out for a drive seeing as how I have a Thai driver's license; my wife refused to go with me and refused to let me drive on the highway. Ahhh- C'mon mom I want to DRIVE.

SO- I had to be content with driving around our housing grid for an hour a day. right turns for about twenty minutes, then left turns for about twenty minutes, parking, backing, etc. A driver side right vehicle does take some getting used to. The shift is on the left, the driving lane is reversed, the highway lanes are also reversed. So maybe now that I have mastered the seven small streets in our development, I can head out on the highway today.

Our development has changed from it's original design. Sales had been very slow so they upgraded some of the designs. They are constructing ultra-VIP units for the last 28 lots in the project. Double large lots with double large houses selling for about 12 million baht apiece-350,000 dollars. Some with private pools. These upgrades have the tendency to drag our home values upward. I have a medium house on a large lot and have invested about 4.2 million baht thus far. The top house in the project was originally to be about 6 million baht. The small house on a much smaller lot next door just sold for 4.8 million. We may be at 6 million baht in value now but it really doesnt matter because we have no interest in selling; this is our home.

I am out shopping for a rice field this week. Not to farm but for holding the land for future developments. Or- I can buy the jungle behind my house to keep my view.

TOP THAI INVESTMENTS RIGHT NOW-
Precious metals
Alternative energy
Water producers
Desalinization technology

BTW- I have lots of pictures but I dont have a patch cable for my camera with me. I will take care of this next week when I get home.

THE WEATHER- This is the rainy season. The sky is overcast in the morning and it rains a few hours every day. Like a warm shower. It is really nice to lay out in the hammock and watch the rain and smell the flowers. IT usually dries up again within a couple of hours and then the sun is bright for the rest of the day

I had two short trials right before I left-on the Friday before and the Tuesday. Won both so it is a great vacation.

Wife decided she wanted to try caviar and assorted cheeses. Treat for me but Or was not so sure. She liked the roquefort but found camembert not flavorful enough.

Antique tables look great in the living room.

We have a maid now-Thai style DEMANDS a maid of some kind. A matter of face. If you can afford one, you have to have one. Frugality is not a part of Thai style. Ten visits a month- two cleaning women. They ride up on their motorbike at about 9AM and finish at around 12noon. $70 per month.

[sean126]

so far...good trip report.  nice read.  I'm waiting to hear about you joining a muy thai kickboxing club over there and how your shins are toughening up as your kick the heck out of a tree.

I'm curious to see pictures of your house now.  bet it looks really nice. 

[william3rd]

so far...good trip report.  nice read.  I'm waiting to hear about you joining a muy thai kickboxing club over there and how your shins are toughening up as your kick the heck out of a tree.

I'm curious to see pictures of your house now.  bet it looks really nice. 

Sean- I AM the tree. . . . .  .

No Hard Rock Hats. Found a Hard Rock Cafe Phuket T-Shirt. Interested???

[william3rd]

One of the nice things about living in the central part of Thailand is that we are pretty close to everything that we want to see. "Close" is a relative term and means that we can drive fairly easily to most points of interest in the north and northeast.

With all of the money that Thailand has poured into its infra-structure over the last few years, surface travel has improved dramatically.

I had wanted to see the Petrified Forest Museum and my close friend, Tang, was staying in Bangkok and wanted to meet up for lunch. So, we decided to meet up in Korat. Korat was only an easy 3.5 hour drive. Easy as defined as we stopped for refreshments or restroom breaks whenever we felt like it. Tang had a little longer six hour drive to Korat. This is a far cry from the 12 hours that it used to take to get this far from Bangkok.

Since the petrified wood museum is closed on Monday, a common malaise for Thai Museums, we met up at the Phimai Historical Park, which is a series of ruins from the Khmer Angkorian Empire which was capitaled at Angkor Wat. This particular city was built in approximately 1100 AD although people have lived here in a pastoral and farming environment for thousands of years.

The city wall was constructed of earthen ramparts with formal gates located at the four points of a compass. The city was completed in the 1200s and fell into disrepair less than 400 years later. The remaining ruins are considered to be one of the biggest and most  important religious sanctuaries found in Thailand and is also one of the most important Mahayana Bhuddhist Temples. This means lots of Krishna without the Hari. . . . more of an Indian influence. . .

While the reason for abandoment of the city old city itself is clear as the collapse of the Khmer Empire meant abandonment of many Khmer cities throughout central Thailand, the people themselves did not leave and remain to this day living in the farms and shops of their fore fathers.

We met up at the site at around 1130AM. Tang had a new girlfriend with him. Gorgeous Thai girl, 23 years old named Fang. Tang is 65. Hmmm- 42 year age difference. Let the age debate begin.

Lunch time. We were directed by the information clerk to go west across the street and then south to the 7-11- the #1 franchise in Thailand. Fortunately, there was only one 7-11 to find (some Thai street corners have 3 corners dedicated to 7-11s). Past the 7-11 was an alley and down the surprisingly clean alley was a restaurant and guest house.

The restaurant was clean and had excellent food- Their tod mun plah was extraordinary with chilis and spices fried right in with the fish chunks in a fried dough. In addition, their ka na moo grohp-fried pork sauteed with spices with Chinese broccoli- was great. Since the menu is in Thai only and the owners speak no English at all, you will need a translator to eat there. Lunch for four with soft drinks was only about 400 baht- 12 dollars. The ubiquitous thai dogs usually found laying around the pavements in front of most thai restuarants and hotels were definitely missing. We hypothesized that they had probably all been eaten. So maybe we had Ka na Mah Grohp for lunch-Mah is Thai for dog.

We spent a lot of time discussing Thai politics and the war criminal Taksin's current efforts to gain a royal pardon for his misdeeds. This activity is considered a complete misuse of the pardon process and is almost a joke since Shinawatra's attempt to cause an insurrection last year should have resulted in his trial and imprisonment, assuming that Shinawatra has the backbone to return. The crimes against humanity aspect of this individual should result in his being surrendered to Thailand from his current refuge in Libya.

After a couple of hours inspecting the ruins and trying to figure out all of the various structures , we went our separate ways. Ironically, we are both flying back on the same flight this Sunday on Thai Airways. So, I will see Tang in Bangkok.

BREAKING NEWS- The worst hotel in Thailand has been discovered!!!!

The Golden Land Resort-

We found the hotel via the internet. Close to the fossil and dinosar museum. It looked inviting with sweeping views of jungle and fields. But- that was all it had going for it. It was a mystery how it could be so bad. And you will find out in part two of this saga!!!  More later. . .

[sean126]

No Hard Rock Hats. Found a Hard Rock Cafe Phuket T-Shirt. Interested???

Hell yeah dude!  When I go back to Barranquilla I'll return the favor.

[sean126]

size large.

[william3rd]

OK- I will do that!!

[william3rd]

   You can find photographs of the museum on its webpage.

   The museum is designed around a guided tour concept. Tour busses are accommodated every two hours. The rest of us are urged to join the guided group that starts every 30 minutes. Unfortunately, the tour is in Thai and I was lost amid the flood of technical language surrounding the formation of petrified wood.

   The museum itself is set in the midst of a petrified forest garden of ancient conifers and palm stumps. As you enter the museum, you go through a series of tunnels between each portion of the subject matter. There are three auditoriums that have film exhibits and several interactive exhibits.

In the museum are many gem-quality examples of petrified wood. There is an eight to  ten foot long stump that is now an opal.

   Of the interactive exhibits, there is one where you can see a T-rex head off to the side of the tunnel as you head down to the dinosaur exhibits. A photocell is activated and the T-rex "wakes up" and lunges forward bellowing with its mouth gaping. Pretty cool. Thailand is becoming a major site for dinosaur fossils.

   There are Holocene and Paleocene exhibits. Of the 40 elephant types known, 8 were discovered in Thailand. Four-tusked elephants are interesting to see. Apparently designed for rooting, these tusks are about two feet to three feet long and are almost sword straight. 

   Of the presence of early man, there are representative cave paintings several thousand years old and some hand axes referenced that are about 500,000 years old.

   Gift shop is decent and aimed at students. Restaurant is located away from the museum and is superior compared to most museums I have visited.

   The problem with many of the Thai museums are their remoteness. Rather than moving the exhibits to a museum site in Bangkok, the museums are constructed where the exhibits are. It is a long drive-about 6 hours- from Bangkok to reach these sights. The same goes for Buddha relics and the like. The items are not collected and grouped; items are held where they are found.
   I remember my first visit here with my now-wife. It took three days to see all that the province had to offer-only because of geographics. One day would have been sufficient to see everything.

Worth a visit if you have the time.