A Singaporean's guide to living in Thailand

[yinyang]

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[Froggy]

 

[yinyang]

Froggy, thanks for editing last cartoon replacement.
Got a soft spot for caricatures, political and farang look at TiT

 

[yinyang]

 

[max90]

Good morning from Bangkok, had a good dinner at Nittya Gai Yang yesterday evening and would like to share some pictures. Please pardon the photography skills as I’m not much of an artsy

There were more food but I did not take pictures of those which were some spicy bamboo shoots and Gai tod. Delicious much and all in all with 6 bottles of beer we spent around 2.1k baht which was reasonable imo for a family of 6.
Stomach growling as I’m writing this post!

 

[Froggy]

Good morning from Bangkok, had a good dinner at Nittya Gai Yang yesterday evening and would like to share some pictures. Please pardon the photography skills as I’m not much of an artsy

View attachment 48205View attachment 48206View attachment 48207View attachment 48208View attachment 48209

There were more food but I did not take pictures of those which were some spicy bamboo shoots and Gai tod. Delicious much and all in all with 6 bottles of beer we spent around 2.1k baht which was reasonable imo for a family of 6.
Stomach growling as I’m writing this post!

Sawasdee Krup and welcome to Bangkok

Nitiya Gaiyang is Isaan food and had a few restaurants around Bangkok. Good choice as it’s very local unlike some tourist establishments.

Have a great stay here buddy

 

[yinyang]

 

[Froggy]

On a detox regime this week after all those food recent days, doing coffee detox and juicing.

A mixture of fruits and vegetables

Yield 1150ml today

One for me and one for the maid

 

[Froggy]

Peppe's Italian Restaurant for simple dinner

Anchovies

Paccheri in pan topped with truffles

Pork chop

Just for taste, NZ lamb

 

[yinyang]

Don't disagree with lousy ranking of Swampy

Suvarnabhumi in 4 words
On whether the main international airport can ever be in the World Top Three,
experts had a pair of two-word phrases: Lousy service, mediocre management.

Poor service quality dogs airport ranking

• Bangkok Post Published: 19/10/2018 at 04:31 AM
  
  Inferior service quality and poor management means that Suvarnabhumi airport is unlikely to be placed among the world's top airports, a seminar was told Thursday.

The event was held jointly on Thursday by the Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand (ACT), Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), Ministry of Tourism and Sports as well as Federation of Thai Industries in Bangkok, on the topic of whether it would be possible for Suvarnabhumi airport to become one of the world's top three airports.

Deunden Nikomborirak, the TDRI's research director, said there is no competition in the airport business and the quality of airport services has no implications for the Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT)'s earnings, which currently grow on the back of rising tourism.
Consequently, AoT has no incentive to pay attention to service quality, she added.

According to Ms Deunden, Suvarnabhumi airport received only three out of five stars from passengers' reviews due to the long queues at the immigration counters, insufficient numbers of chairs and electric outlets, a shortage of staff who can speak English, as well as the poor quality of the flight information displays, she said.
"These issues are not difficult to solve, so I do not understand why it has not been addressed," said Ms Deunden.
She said the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) and the Finance Ministry as AoT's major shareholder should step in to supervise the airport directly.
She said the CAAT must clearly lay out the standard threshold that airports are required to follow, and frequent checks must be carried out.
"If the service quality is still ignored, the airport's opportunity to become one of the top three airports would be only a pipe dream," Ms Deunden said.

Suvarnabhumi airport is ranked the 36th airport in the world, according to airport rating company Skytrax, said Ittirit Kinglake, the Tourism Council Of Thailand's president.
Singapore's Changi Airport is ranked first as it provides more facilities for passengers, including cinemas, swimming pools, game rooms and flower displays, he said adding the AoT should not be satisfied with the provision of basic services.

Government anti-corruption committee member and ex-AoT board member Tortrakul Yomnak expressed his disapproval of the AoT's plan to build Suvarnabhumi airport's second terminal.
He said academics, architects and engineers had agreed that it is impossible for the facility to serve 30 million more passengers, as claimed by the AoT, since no more aircraft parking bays will be built.
The 42-billion-baht terminal will be placed adjacent to the existing passenger terminal, on its northeastern side.
The plan differs from its original master plan, which was drafted in 1993, which covered only two terminals -- the existing northern terminal and another southern terminal, identical to the existing one.

Samart Ratchapolsitte, one of the master-plan drafters, said he believed Suvarnabhumi could become one of the top three airports if the AoT follows the original master plan.
"This will not happen if it continues to press ahead with the new project," said Mr Samart.
Meanwhile, AoT president Nitinai Sirismatthakarn said the construction of Terminal 2 is crucial as it will solve problems at the airport.
"We will certainly be better when the new and spacious terminal is finished," he told the Bangkok Post.
"We can [be among the top airports of the world] when the supply matches the demand," he said referring to passenger numbers and the airport's capacity.

He said the current terminal has a capacity to handle 45 million people annually, but 63 million people pass through the airport each year, with the number of passengers increasing by 8% each year.
The airport's existing parking bays can accommodate up to 90 million people annually. As such, there is no need to build more, he said.
He said construction of Suvarnabhumi airport's second terminal is not a departure from the master plan, as the construction of a new terminal to expand the airport's capacity is detailed in the original master plan.

 

[Bonut]

Don't disagree with lousy ranking of Swampy

Suvarnabhumi in 4 words
On whether the main international airport can ever be in the World Top Three,
experts had a pair of two-word phrases: Lousy service, mediocre management.

Poor service quality dogs airport ranking
View attachment 48270

• Bangkok Post Published: 19/10/2018 at 04:31 AM
  
  Inferior service quality and poor management means that Suvarnabhumi airport is unlikely to be placed among the world's top airports, a seminar was told Thursday.

The event was held jointly on Thursday by the Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand (ACT), Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), Ministry of Tourism and Sports as well as Federation of Thai Industries in Bangkok, on the topic of whether it would be possible for Suvarnabhumi airport to become one of the world's top three airports.

Deunden Nikomborirak, the TDRI's research director, said there is no competition in the airport business and the quality of airport services has no implications for the Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT)'s earnings, which currently grow on the back of rising tourism.
Consequently, AoT has no incentive to pay attention to service quality, she added.

According to Ms Deunden, Suvarnabhumi airport received only three out of five stars from passengers' reviews due to the long queues at the immigration counters, insufficient numbers of chairs and electric outlets, a shortage of staff who can speak English, as well as the poor quality of the flight information displays, she said.
"These issues are not difficult to solve, so I do not understand why it has not been addressed," said Ms Deunden.
She said the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) and the Finance Ministry as AoT's major shareholder should step in to supervise the airport directly.
She said the CAAT must clearly lay out the standard threshold that airports are required to follow, and frequent checks must be carried out.
"If the service quality is still ignored, the airport's opportunity to become one of the top three airports would be only a pipe dream," Ms Deunden said.

Suvarnabhumi airport is ranked the 36th airport in the world, according to airport rating company Skytrax, said Ittirit Kinglake, the Tourism Council Of Thailand's president.
Singapore's Changi Airport is ranked first as it provides more facilities for passengers, including cinemas, swimming pools, game rooms and flower displays, he said adding the AoT should not be satisfied with the provision of basic services.

Government anti-corruption committee member and ex-AoT board member Tortrakul Yomnak expressed his disapproval of the AoT's plan to build Suvarnabhumi airport's second terminal.
He said academics, architects and engineers had agreed that it is impossible for the facility to serve 30 million more passengers, as claimed by the AoT, since no more aircraft parking bays will be built.
The 42-billion-baht terminal will be placed adjacent to the existing passenger terminal, on its northeastern side.
The plan differs from its original master plan, which was drafted in 1993, which covered only two terminals -- the existing northern terminal and another southern terminal, identical to the existing one.

Samart Ratchapolsitte, one of the master-plan drafters, said he believed Suvarnabhumi could become one of the top three airports if the AoT follows the original master plan.
"This will not happen if it continues to press ahead with the new project," said Mr Samart.
Meanwhile, AoT president Nitinai Sirismatthakarn said the construction of Terminal 2 is crucial as it will solve problems at the airport.
"We will certainly be better when the new and spacious terminal is finished," he told the Bangkok Post.
"We can [be among the top airports of the world] when the supply matches the demand," he said referring to passenger numbers and the airport's capacity.

He said the current terminal has a capacity to handle 45 million people annually, but 63 million people pass through the airport each year, with the number of passengers increasing by 8% each year.
The airport's existing parking bays can accommodate up to 90 million people annually. As such, there is no need to build more, he said.
He said construction of Suvarnabhumi airport's second terminal is not a departure from the master plan, as the construction of a new terminal to expand the airport's capacity is detailed in the original master plan.

The worst part is security screening. In an effort to save money on screening gates, equipment and staff, the installed only 8 screening gantries before immigration checkpoints. Otherwise, 40 gates mean 40 or even 80 gantries at the gate hold areas.
By placing the security gantries before immigration, they have created unnecessary bottlenecks.

 

[Froggy]

The morning after was a great traditional breakfast on the streets of Bangkok.

Love these morning market scene
)

Street market

Owner of stall serving the never ending line of customers

Stall opens 5am closes when everything sold usually 9-10am

Delicious smooth pork porridge. The liver is so fresh, cut so thin simply melts in the mouth, don't be fooled by the white porridge as tasteless as meatballs are cooking in the porridge so the porridge is naturally flavoured. Add some of them freshly deep fried fritters this breakfast will bring you to cloud 9

Location
https://goo.gl/maps/s6bfUuwzP1A2

 

[Froggy]

Went to Boonthavorn, a mega hardware shop to buy some tiles for the new kitchen

After choosing and paying for the tiles I have to go to the warehouse to pick up the purchase

Park the truck at any lot and go to a counter to claim

Wait at the waiting room with TV and drinks

When called, the boys will load my purchases for me

All arranged nicely so that it will not move during driving

Finally, all set and ready to go

I now have another reason for the wife why the pickup truck is so important

 

[AhMeng]

Went to Boonthavorn, a mega hardware shop to buy some tiles for the new kitchen

After choosing and paying for the tiles I have to go to the warehouse to pick up the purchase

Park the truck at any lot and go to a counter to claim

Wait at the waiting room with TV and drinks

When called, the boys will load my purchases for me

All arranged nicely so that it will not move during driving

Finally, all set and ready to go

I now have another reason for the wife why the pickup truck is so important

I like your little truck. So nice and versatile

 

[Froggy]

 

[shittypore]

Wow! Killer lookin.. if any of us moving to Thai and want to build a small house can we hire frm u tat truck.

 

[Froggy]

When you miss mom's fried beehoon and you are overseas what do you do? Yes do it yourself.

Fried beehoon with braised pork, vegetables, mushrooms

and eggs

bon appétito

 

[Froggy]

Chiang Rai is the northernmost province of Thailand bordering Laos and Myanmar which why this is also known as the Golden Triangle. Visiting Chiang Rai these few days. Took a flight from Bangkok to Chiang Rai this afternoon took 1hr and 20mins.

Meal on flight (Thai Smile Airlines a low cost airline of Thai Airways for domestic)

Chicken

Kindda weird serving pink egg salad

Hazy Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai Airport

 

[Froggy]

Staying in this resort in Chiang Rai, video shows the resort and at 4min 34sec onwards is the room.



The room

 

[Froggy]

Good morning from Chiang Rai

Road to . . . .

Time to smell some flowers

In the mountains

Breakfast by the mountain