Short Thai Trip in 2010

2010 was quite an eventful year for me and my wife.  I quit my job as I thought I would help my father with his business, our first child arrived, moved to Batam....  And we still managed to squeeze in a short trip to Thailand before my wife entered her third trimester.  A so called last chance to go on a trip before we'd get too busy caring for a newborn.

Can't remember where this place is although it seemed like Siam Paragon

We went for 4 days and 3 nights, staying in Amari Watergate which is just right opposite Platinum Mall where my wife would be shopping.  I also made time to visit my colleagues in Thailand office in Thanon Surawong's Ocean Insurance Building.

It was quite a tiring trip so I didn't take many photos.  Other excitements would be bumping to a red shirt protest convoy.  

From Top: Could be Siam Paragon, Red Shirt Protest Convoy, Clay Souvenir

We got a souvenir to so call commemorate our son's coming, he's going to be born in a year of the tiger while I'm the rooster and my wife the dog.  It was very nicely done.  I hope I can get to meet the person again if I visit Bangkok so he can add our daughter the snake.  

I find Bangkok very fascinating..  The animistic, modern, primitive and primal which are so contradictory can co-exist so close to each other.  It's almost like.. a balanced mess... messy but yet in order.

When I saw office buildings in Sukhumvit so near the Patpong Night Market with all the nightclubs, strip clubs and karaoke bars, yet a few blocks away is the serene Lumpini Park, and further down is a classy mall with art installations; there's no way I can ever imagine how was this city planned.

The Famous Four Faced Buddha Shrine at Erawan

Central World Art Installations at Main Plaza

I do like Bangkok (and Thailand in general) for the friendly people, great food, amazing culture and great tourist attractions. But I honestly can't stand the heat, traffic jam and the speedy drivers (oh yes, the speedy drivers who drive beyond 120 km/h in the expressway scares me!). 

I find this entry somewhat like a Deja vu as I have to go to Bangkok again at end of this month.  For some reason, my work revolves around Thailand even since the beginning of my career.  I did car carrier vessel operations with main loading in Laem Chabang near Pattaya, went to Bangkok & Pattaya for some work related meetings.  And now in my current office, I happen to handle Thailand office again although this time its for their container business.  It's not like I will enjoy my trip at the end of this month but hey, there's a job to be done and it pays the bills.  So there I'll go again later.

~ Photos taken with Canon 5D Mark II + EF 16-35mm F2.8L II And Fujifilm Natura Classica + Superia 400 ~