Straight Out of Bangkok

March 2000 Edition 

Welcome to my March edition!! ! 
 
 

Hello everyone......
 

It's been awhile, yes....  but you will understand my lack of attention to my homepage recently.   The good news is I'm back at full force!!!!
 

Hmmm.... how should I start......   why don't I start with the biggest event
 

it's GOOD BYE
 

and ENJOY

Yes, shocking but I have decided.   As of May 1st, I will join Coca Cola Thailand after 8 years of dedication to Unilever - my second home.    Lots of emotions, lots of memories, lots of good times, lots of hard works..... but it's time for me to move on.    It's not an easy decision, a lot of thoughts involved and even soul searching time for me.  There is nothing wrong with Unilever (for those whom I'll leave behind), it's a very good company with opportunities, but I'm not ready to settle down with just one company, I guess.   I will take with me the fond memories, the friendship, and the gratitude that I have for Unilever and venture into the world.  This time it's for real, unlike my many backpacking trips.  Wish me luck, everyone 

By the way, please use my internet email address

pichai_s@yahoo.com    and I am still looking forward to receive jokes, get together email, chain letter, and etc. from all of you, ha ha ha....

Ok, now that I got that out.... what had happened recently.....

First, it's the annual Management Meeting at Kanchanaburi.  The land of the river Kwai with the famous bridge.  The bridge was smaller than I remember actually.   Didn't have time to take the picture which is a pity, really.  The meeting went well, although I personally think that the evening entertainment got too bland.    Unlike the old times when my batch of young managers organized it.   Another sign that I stayed with Unilever for too long, hee hee hee....
 

I went to Singapore again end of January,  you guys must be bored if I were to tell you about Singapore again.  I know I would be, ha ha ha.....    The meeting we had was arranged at the Shangri La hotel at the Sentosa island.  So, forget about sneak out and do some shoppings.   The weather was rainy, and cloudy, the beach looks artificial (don't quote me on this, but I have heard from somewhere that Singapore bought some sands from Indonesia and dumped it on the Sentosa island to make a nice beach area).    Nevertheless, I enjoyed the change of atmosphere and the food was good.

Early March, I  went to Jakarta for a meeting.   There is no direct flight from Bangkok anymore.   Every flight has to stop in Singapore which stretches the travel time from 4 hours to 6 hours.    With two hours flight to Singapore, transit and another 2 hours flight,  it's not long enough to finish a movie and it's not short enough to not getting bored on the plane.   The Asian financial crisis does affect me afterall.   Oh, but I bumped into my old high school friend, Joy.   We sat together for the flight to Singapore.   She is working for Duetsche bank and on her way to a meeting in Singapore.   I got some investment tips from her, ha ha ha....  making the flight much more enjoyable.

I didn't see much of Jakarta.  Meeting and working for the full two days.   But from the way to the airport, I got a good glimpse of the city.  It's similar to Bangkok, a vibrant growing city.   Long stretch of roads, tall buildings, cars, signs of economic recovery.    My colleagues took me out for dinner - a fine Spanish restaurant, the cost of living in Jakarta is lower  than in Bangkok.

The flight back to Bangkok is ok.  I met an ex Unilever friend at the Bangkok airport.  He's working in Vietnam for Pepsi.   It would be fun for the next get together when he knows that I will be working for Coke, hee hee hee...

I would leave you guys with more pics from my files.....
 

Enjoy……..

Moo

Pete
 
 

  Downtown Bangkok, taken from my (soon to be former) office window
 

Ariel view of the Gulf of Thailand


 
 
 
 
 

I don't remember where, but looks like a place I could spend my retirement, ha ha ha....


 
 
 
 

  Jakarta airpot.  That's what I call a national airport.  It's got character (check out the roof of the building)


 
 

   The art of local ice cream making.  Double barrel with ice and salt to freeze up the content.


 

   Adding the fuit flavor, in this case, it's Durian

 
 
 

   Stir well, and....




 
 
 

    Ready to serve.  Ok, it doesn't look so bad, but believe me, if you have seen the detail process like I did, you don't want to eat it, ha ha ha






 

  A nice lunch box, Indonesian style




Lastly, but very interesting.....   below are the live camera of key traffic areas in downtown Bangkok.  For those who has never seen Bangkok, here are the sights, and for the Bangkokians,  you can check out the traffic conditions before getting in your cars.
 

 Rama IX Bridge ( especially useful if you're heading to Hua Hin for the weekends)

 Thai-Belgian Bridge (Sathorn, Silom, Rama IV area)

 Express Way - Rama IV Junction

 Express Way - Bangkok Port Exit
 
 

Enjoy......                      
 

Back Issues..... (I have received numerous responses from readers that there are some particular back issues or previous month homepage that they really like, therefore if you want to take a look at the previous months.... here they are.  Let me know which one you like best)
 
 
 

The Exodus (first page)	July The Star Wars Edition	August Buriram province
September Home Sweet Home	October Singapore, and asian gastonomies	Novemeber/December Moon Cake Festival, Amsterdam, Den Haag, Scheviningen, Oldenburgh, Breman, Hamburgh, The Thai Royal Barge Procession
January 2000    The millenuim page

 
 
 

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