Bangkok 2008 Day 4-8: Work and The Like

Day 4 (Sunday)

I was pretty beat from the previous night. And so I've decided to stay in for the day. Ordered room service and just slept through the day. The rest shopped.

Walking out of Soy 20 and towards Asok BTS station

Asok BTS station

In the evening, I met up with the rest at Central (shopping complex located just beside the Chit Lom BTS station).

Central on the outside. There's a HUGE cemented compound just in front of the building.

When I got there, there was an ad being filmed. Not entirely sure an ad for what product, but if you look carefully, this is a red carpet scene. They were had a few takes while I was observing.

And if you look carefully here, you will see a green screen backdrop behind a new york cab and an NYPD police car. Eureka, the ad is based on a new york scene. ;-P Still don't know what the product is.

Central looks a lot like 1Utama's new wing, with spacious, brightly lid walkways.

One of very few malls decorating for the Chinese New Year

Cinema

Supermarket

The top floor is where a huge cinema is located, along with restaurants and guess what... a supermarket! I noticed the malls here seem to place their supermarkets on the top floors. >.< Dinner was meehhh... Headed to Zen for a short stroll (Departmental store). Looked at some potentially purchasable clothes at reasonable prices, and found Elizabeth (episode 1) in the video store. Rm40. Wanted to buy, but decided to pass up the opp. Headed home after that.

Some activities outside of the compound.

Day 5 - 9 (Monday - Friday)

Work was mehhh... Spent the entire week getting used to the War room environment and exploring the campus a little further. Nothing special.

Oh yeah, I learned a new word: "Kow kai jiao moo sap mai piet" literal translation: "Rice with minced pork omelete, no spicy!" Kekeke... will be using this a lot throughout my stay. ;-P

Day 8 (Thursday- Dinner)

We headed for Tony Roma's located nearby Nana square. Ordered the Baby back rips, catch of the day (Smoked salmon), starter appetizer, and a caesar salad.

Walking after Nana BTS station

Ze menu.

Tony Roma's

Caesar salad

Appetizer (Can't remember the name). Consists of cheesy potato wedges, buffalo wings and mozarella slabs

Original baby back rips, regular slab.

Catch of the Day. Smoke Salmon

All for one and one for all.

The most expensive meal I've had in Bangkok, and would be my last. I'm gonna go cheaposkate from now on.

More to come. Updates soon.

Bangkok 2008 Day 3: Shopping, Company Dinner, A Stroll at the Raunchy Places

After a morning swim and sorting out the laundry, planned to head to MBK to get more necessities.

The day was extremely hot, and since the apartment provide free tuk tuk service to nearby vicinities, took up the offer and was dropped off at the Asok BTS station, then straight to SIAM square where I made my way MBK.

Tuk tuk (Which literally translates as cheap in Thai), self explanatory for a transportation this size, but the actual fare is far from living up to its name

All my shirts were sent to the laundry for cleaning, so I needed to purchase myself a shirt for tonight's company dinner.

While the girls did their browsing at SIAM square, I was on the upper floors of MBK looking for my shirt, and found it pretty effortlessly. It cost me Rm19.

MBK, shopping treaure tove. One of many.

Upper floor of MBK

A view downwards Pt.1

A view downwards Pt.2

Top floor. Cinema floor.

Met up with the girls again for lunch in yet another Jap restaurant.

Then we did more cruising in the lower floors of MBK. Saw Alien VS Predator Requiem out on DVD! But too bad the movie's in THAI language only. >.<

Lower ground

We headed back at around 4.30pm and rested for dinner.

At approximately 6pm. Headed to Soy 33 (Practically located opposite of our street), and straight into the Novatel Lotus hotel where the dinner function was held.

Novel Lotus Hotel Entrance

Lobby, with a nice lily pad pond in the center.

Lobby view

We had an hour grace period before the dinner officially started, till then we occupied ourselves with some games and photo sessions.

Photos at the Coco cafe (9th Floor)

Dinner was alright. Got to meet some interesting people.

I did not stay very long though, had other plans. By 9pm I was off on my own to Pat Phong, the raunchy street (Basically the sex district). Didn't go there on Thursday, so decided to go looksie now.

The distance to Pat Phong spanned to a near 3-4km. Though it seemed further on my count. On the way, the cab driver introduced lot of places where I could catch glimpse of live sex shows and the lot. Everything within the pat phong vicinity.

I dropped off at Pat Phong and browse through the lanes where tourists swarmed stalls selling trinkets etc... the stalls are located in the centre while the sides stood all the raunchy bars. Some with doors opened so I could get a glimpse on skimpily clad go-go girls getting at it. Admittedly I was a little worried, traveling alone and all, and after what I've read on the net and warned by some, got scared that I might be conned/mugged and ended up on the streets. Unfounded worries, probably the due to the first time truly traveling alone at a dodgy place like this.

Along the way, one of the promoters carrying preview photos of the bar actually pulled me and try so insistently to get me into one of the bars. Despite my constant declines, he still insisted, and after about a 30 meters, he stopped. I was relieved.

Strolled a little more with very little interest in mind and I headed back to the apartment.

In short, if you're interested in seeing naked chickas/guys dancing on stage with poles, or getting conned by purchasing ridiculously priced trinkets. This is the place to be. But of course, for those who wish for a one time eye opener, I guess it ain't too bad.

Take care.

Bangkok 2008 Day 2: Work

My first day at work in the TOT (Telecommunication of Thailand) head office. More like campus because the compound is super huge! There are altogether more than 10 buildings, a huge canteen, etc... Heck! They even have their very own petrol kiosk!

The day didn't start out well though. Firstly, there was a small complication with finding the cab to ferry us. Initially there were only 4 of us traveling, so it was a no brainer, but now we have an additional member, so we had to hail 2 cabs.

Second complication is that no one was familiar with the Bangkok routes. The cab I took got lost heading to the client site. He wasn't familiar with that section of Bangkok and we practically spent more than 1 hour trying to ascertain the location. After many calls, we reached Telecommunication of Thailand's campus.

I was very nervous, being told of the extremely lousy working condition. 20 people cramped into a tiny space. And the room we were headed conveniently labeled 'War room' did not help either. But Thank God it wasn't as bad as I thought.

Into the jaws of death

In the belly of death

For lunch we headed to this huge canteen where there were literally 30++ stalls to patronize. The food was familiar and didn't quite stray from what I usually have in Malaysia, serviceable, but a tad oily so I couldn't finish.

Lunch time was sightly more than half hour. Too short for me though... Oh well, have to get used to it.

Work wise... it was pretty inconvenient. I had separate LAN cables to either access the work server/Internet server... I couldn't use both at the same time. This sorta made life hell because I had to constantly go back and forth between sending e-mails and doing work... and the steps taken simply just ate up A LOT of unnecessary effort.

Casual surfin after work

TOT's very own petrol kiosk!

A night stroll to the exit (Campus view pt. 1)

A night stroll to the exit (Campus view pt. 2)

Finished work at 7pm. Walked out of the campus and hailed a cab back to MBK shopping mall for dinner. And you know what!? This cab I was in got lost also! What are the odds? Sigh~ Anyway, was supposed to reach MBK before 8pm, but in the end, reached the place at 9pm... so decided to bail and just had something around SIAM square (A&W)... -.-".

On the way back from TOT, IT square.

After dinner, a short stroll in SIAM square. Just under SIAM's BTS station.

Headed back to the apartment via BTS after a tiny looksie around SIAM square. A lot of clothing vendors in every nook.

Pretty much sums up the day.

Bangkok 2008 Day 1: Groceries at Carrefour

21st Feb is a public holiday in Thailand (Magha Bucha Day). So hung out the entire day doing squat. Morning one of my colleague was teaching the others swimming. And then we watched movies and surfed net the rest of the morning. Bzzztthht*

Spent most of the afternoon at Tesco. Getting necessities. Pretty much it. Pix below:

Originally wanted to go for carrefour which I think is bigger, but since they haven't been to Tesco (Located just opposite the carrefour), crossed the road.

I'm afraid I'm gonna see A LOT of these in BKK (Stairs). >.< Tesco, with a potrait of the King welcoming the guests.

The lower ground. Lots of food outlets. Their KFC's got better variety. Latest promotion being a sushi like dish.


Had lunch at a Japanese restaurant, which I noticed there are a lot. I wonder if Thais do love Jap delicacies a lot. I think someone mentioned before. Can't remember.

Something I did not see back home. This is a cabinet to store your trolley of purchased goodies. Bring your own locks. Coowl idea.

More shops on the 1st floor. Shakey hands.

Bought a BIG pack of Oishi original green tea flavour. Missed it a lot.

Was pretty much bumped after shopping. Prolly didn't get enough rest the previous night. So I decided to skip dinner. Turned in pretty early, around 8pm BKK time to 6am this morning. The rest headed to Pat Pong for dinner but I was too darn exhausted. Will be sure to keep this in the list and head there later on.

Niways, below are some views of the room.

Beds...

Tv... workstation...

View from balcony.

That's all for now. See ya *Muak*

For more info on the hotel/apartment. http://www.ballys-studio.com/index.html