Thai Biz Trip 2016

It's time for a business trip again to Thailand.  The first for the year in fact.. I should expect at least 1 more trip in June when the system they will use go live.  And it will be for a much longer duration...  This time I had to visit both Bangkok and Hatyai.  The trip took 5 days and 5 nights altogether.

So the trip starts from Changi as usual, flying with Thai Airways, smooth as silk.  Thai Airways is always one of my favourite airlines to fly with whenever I go to any destination in Thailand.  I'd go on Singapore Airlines too if their fares were cheaper due to some promotions.  

I didn't bring any cameras, just using handphone camera which this time is a Sony Z5 Premium.

The plane ready to go on the tarmac

Arriving at the so familiar Suvarnabhumi, although I only go there once a year in the last 2 years.

Taking the travellator to immigration clearance

This time the office arranged for the office driver to pick me up so I can avoid travelling in a taxi and save quite a bit on the transport costs.  It was a very spacious and comfy Toyota Fortuner that took me to the same old Hotel Montien again.

Mr. Pornchai patiently waited for me in the airport and drove me to the hotel - Top
The familiar sign boards that tell you this is Bangkok - Bottom

And after arriving in Montien I quickly checked in.

1 floor lower than last year and the view is not towards Wat Hua Lamphong

I took a short walk to nearby Chamchuri Square for some quick shopping for basic necessities and a local SIM card. On the way back to the hotel I took a photo of this very interesting cafe.

Too fast to sleep?  Nahh.... I'm tired...

Before going back to the room, a quick stop in Ruenton cafe in the hotel for dinner.  I tried something different this time around but it was not as god as the first time when I had the seafood horfun.

Good old Ruenton and chicken Kway Teow for dinner

Then this is the familiar room in Montien again.

The room looks exactly the same as the one I stayed in last year

Monday....  I woke up to this view from my room before heading to the office to start the user training.  I wish I had the room facing Wat Hua Lamphong, but this will do I guess.

Good morning Bangkok - That's Rama IX road If I remember correctly

Shortly after 8:30 a.m. the attendees start streaming into the class and close to 9:00 a.m. everyone were in.

Okay, settle down everyone!

The class started promptly and I ended the day at about 5 p,m.  After going back to the hotel for a quick dinner, I took a quick walk to nearby Jim Thompson to get something for the kids.  Along the way I snapped some photos of thanon Surawong.

Thanon Surawong, you look so good as the sun sets

Then it was back to the hotel for preparations for the next day and a much needed rest - I never sleep well whenever I travel....

Tuesday looked pretty much like the first day and ended up much earlier.  It was such a joy to see the IT team packed things up.

It's a wrap!

Before the day ended I went for dinner with 3 colleagues from the IT team.  We had had a close working relationship from the past 3 years and it was just a relaxing dinner with close colleagues.

After dinner I decide to go to Erawan shrine.  After so many years I finally have the chance to go to pray there again.  While I was there I took some photos of the ever so busy Ratchaprasong intersection.  That was a really nostalgic visit.  It reminded me of the times I used to go there with my family many years back...

A Collage of Erawan Shrine and Ratchaprasong intersection

Wednesday started with a short discussion to discuss the go-live and cut-over plan.  At noon it was time to leave for Hatyai on a 90 minute flight by Thai Smile.  I made the trip with the manager of the project team in Bangkok.

And welcome to Hatyai

A familiar face picked us up, he's a colleague who liaised with me quite a bit last year in setting up the information to appean on an e-commerce website for the company.

As for me, it was the first time I visited Hatyai and the place is... well..  I don't know how to quite put it.  The buildings look like those in Indonesia,  The place is almost like a bigger Tanjung Pinang, the city centre is like old Jakarta in Gajah Mada, some parts of the road reminded me of Solo in central Java.  Just that the people are different....

Going to the city

Before going to office we had to go to the office to setup the routers and tested that the internet connections work.

Welcome to "K" Line Thailand Hat Yai

We stayed in a hotel near the office called Hansa JB.  The room look almost similiar to Montien.

Hansa JB Room

The stay was not so good..   I got a gastric pain which made the stay quite unberarable.  However the colleagues there are very friendly.  And it was really nice meeting them.  I finished the training there by Friday afternoon and couldn't wait to fly back home.  The flight back was by Tiger Air - it's quite amusing because I never thought of using budget airline for business trip.  But that was the only direct flight to Singapore from Hatyai, so I couldn't care, I just wanted to get back home fast.

Here's a closing shot of Hatyai from my room.

Hatyai under different lights

~ Photos taken with Sony Z5 Premium Dual ~