Ayutthaya - July 25, 2010

Went to Ayutthaya today. Ayutthaya is the ancient capital of Thailand and had its heyday during the 14th to 18th centuries. Today, it’s a popular tourist spot – one of those “not-to-be-missed” places in Thailand – and a UNESCO World Heritage site because of all the ruins.

Because it’s a popular spot and only about an hour or so north of Bangkok, there are lots of ways to get there – train, bus, tours from all the major hotels, even a boat up the Chao Praya River. But, I didn’t do any of those. I went by minivan – yes, minivan. A fellow at work had said that the easiest way to get there is to take a minivan from the Victory Monument traffic circle. (If you were feeling generous, you could say that Victory Monument is Bangkok’s version of Place de la Concorde.) A quick check of my guidebook confirmed this, so why not?


So, this morning I took the Skytrain to the Victory Monument stop. And yes, there were a lot of minivans all around. So far, so good. But, they don’t all go to Ayutthaya – some go to Pattaya, some to Ratchaburi, and some to Hua Hin. Hadn’t counted on that. But I eventually find one heading to Ayutthaya and the driver says “60 baht.” Which is about $2 and is what the guidebook said it would cost. The guidebook also said that the only wrinkle is that they wait until they’re full before leaving. So, the driver slides open the door and I see that there are only two seats left. While I’m paying, another fellow shows up so we’re good to go. Of course, it’s me and 14 other Thai people. I somehow had the illusion that there would be other tourists in the van, but nope, not a one. I am the only “farang” – foreigner.

We work our way out of Victory Monument circle and then onto the highway. I am immediately reminded of John McPhee’s description of traffic coming in and out of the Holland Tunnel as “an exercise in particle physics.” The lanes on the highway seem more to be suggestions than actual boundaries between vehicles. Yes, there are three lanes but that doesn’t mean we can’t squeeze another car in between. And if there’s any empty space, it won’t be empty for long – someone will put his car, taxi, truck, bus, or minivan there right away. But, somehow it all works. We stop twice at what seem like completely random points along the highway and someone gets out, but eventually we arrive in Ayutthaya.

The present city of Ayutthaya is nothing special and not worth spending any time in. The only reason to go is for the ruins. The ruins are extensive and spread out over several square miles, so walking isn’t really feasible. You can hire guides to take you around via taxi or tuk-tuk, but I’m not really into being led around. But, my trusty guidebook recommended that the best way to see the ruins is to rent a bicycle – which is what I did. And it was a very smart move. There are brick bike paths throughout and you can easily get from ruin to ruin. And you can avoid the crowds, who all arrive at the same time from buses in the car parks.

The ruins are stunning and are all from temples and other religious buildings because, in the Thai tradition at the time, only religious buildings were made of stone. Homes were made of wood, so they haven’t lasted. And because Ayutthaya was the capital from 1350 to 1767, you can see the different eras and influences in the architecture.

So, after about 4 hours of biking and taking lots of photos, I biked back to the shop, returned the bike, found another minvan heading back to Victory Monument and made the return trip. Again, I was the only non-Thai in the van, but that was part of the fun. Most of them fell asleep anyway, so it wouldn’t have mattered if they could speak English or not.

Chinatown – July 24, 2010

Decided to brave the onslaught and head into Chinatown today. I’d heard that it was an interesting place to visit, with lots of shops and restaurants. I’d also remembered from being here 20 years ago that Chinatown was incredibly crowded and noisy and chaotic. My guidebook used words like “seething” and “frenetic” – what could be more inviting, right?

Well, it’s all that and more. The streets are jammed with restaurants and shops that are more on the sidewalk than in the shop itself.

Every intersection is packed with delivery trucks, food stalls, and people – buying, selling, shopping, and eating. And I understand that Saturday afternoon is one of the more quiet times – Saturday night is when things really pick up.

I went down Trok Itsaranuphap – which is supposedly a street, but is basically a market that has taken over a street, with a narrow space down the middle that you can sorta/kinda walk down. The crush is overwhelming, with people buying and selling and, if you’re so inclined, passing through on a motorcycle. Really?!

But, it is possible to get away from the markets and find yourself on streets lined with Victorian buildings, what look like Art Deco sidewalks, and small details.

Lunch: It's Not All Chicken in Basil Sauce

Went to lunch with Nadda, Jaray, and Phon today. We went to a place on the next street over -- an open courtyard, with restaurants and food stalls all around the sides. They all want Japanese food -- works for me. So, we go to the Japanese place and they all order the same thing. I make sure there's no egg involved and then just order the same thing. I don't know what it is but I like Japanese food so whatever. We sit down and wait. And wait. And wait. They finally come over and tell us that they ran out of rice and it will take 20 minutes longer. Seriously -- you ran out of rice? In Thailand? At lunch? Basically every meal they serve here comes with rice. In fact the word for lunch and the word for rice are the same - "kaow." Turns out that they have enough for two meals, but not all four. So, Jaray and Nadda say that they'll go to another place to get something else and Phon and I stick with our Japanese meals.

We all convene back at the table outside. Jaray has some sort of chicken and vegetables over rice -- looks good. The food for Phon and me shows up -- it's basically stew but with pork instead of beef. But definitely stew -- carrots, potatoes, gravy. Over rice. It's tasty, but it's 90 degrees outside -- the perfect time for stew. Then, Nadda shows up with a bowl of noodles with some very odd looking things floating in there. I know it's rude, but I have to ask what each thing is. The first thing is fish paste mixed with flour, then fried and sliced so it kind of looks like sliced turkey, only grey and with air bubbles in it. The next thing looks like pieces of liver -- it's that shape and color -- but I'm pretty sure it's not liver. I ask what it is and she says, "blood." I say, "excuse me?" because I'm assuming I just misunderstood her accent. But no, she says "blood" again. I ask how it gets to be that shape and color and she says "you have to boil it." Okay, so she's eating slices of fish paste and blobs of boiled blood with noodles in broth. Seriously?

Benjakiti Park

The weather was reasonably pleasant this morning, so I went for a walk in nearby Benjakiti Park before work. It’s a huge park, with a big pond in the middle, a running path and a biking path around the pond, and then gardens beyond that.

A lot of expats live in this part of Bangkok so there were quite a few of us foreigners (“farangs” in Thai) out running and walking. We’re easy enough to spot – we definitely stand out. But there were quite a few Thais as well, and many elderly Thais doing tai chi in the gardens.

On my way out, a Thai father was also leaving. He was carrying his daughter – she was maybe three years old – and he was singing her a song. It sounded familiar to me but it took a while for it to register. He was singing “Mary Had a Little Lamb” – in Thai, but there was no mistaking the tune. Funny that that song is all around the world.

The good weather – okay, let’s not get carried away – the slightly less hot and humid weather continued at lunch so we went to Pak Bakery near the office and sat at a table outside. The name is deceptive – there is indeed a take-out bakery that sells pastries and desserts but they also serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Decided to have my first bowl of Thai noodles, so I ordered noodles in green curry with chicken. Was a little taken aback when the waitress served it to me with chopsticks. Seriously – for long, wet noodles covered in curry sauce? How long before that was all over my tie? But I had to admit – the dish was very tasty.

In fact, I can only think of one unpleasant eating experience. Well, drinking experience actually. I was offered a glass of tamarind juice. I asked twice to make sure that that’s what it was. And it was not good – it tasted like someone had taken sea water and tried to add enough sugar to it to make it palatable. Without success.

Jim Thompson’s House

Took the Skytrain today to the National Stadium stop to see Jim Thompson’s House. Jim Thompson was an American who came to Bangkok in the 1940s and became very successful in the Thai silk industry. His house is famous for its historical value. It’s actually a series of six traditional Thai houses that Jim bought in other parts of Thailand and had moved here. He then linked them into one impressive home. The scale is relatively standard and you can actually see it as having been a real home. But the design and the finishings and the artifacts are stunning. The house is almost entirely made of teak. The floors are Italian marble. Lots of Chinese artifacts from the 16th and 17th centuries. You can’t take pictures inside the house and you can only see the houses via a guided tour, so I learned a few interesting things –

• Traditional Thai houses are often on stilts to protect the house from flooding. Jim Thompson’s House is on stilts but Jim filled the first floor with statues and paintings.




• You often have to step up and over a low wooden barrier – maybe 8 or 10 inches high. These barriers are meant to keep bad spirits out of the room, since bad sprits are believed to travel along the floor.
  

Like so many things in Bangkok, the house is packed in pretty tightly, so it’s hard to get good photos. Here are a few of the house and the surrounding gardens.

Jim Thompson’s House is on the Klong Saen Saeb – “klong” means canal in Thai. Bangkok once had lots of canals, but many of them were paved over as the city grew. However, in a few places they still exist and people use them as a convenient way to get around. There are canal boats which travel back and forth all day long – as commuter boats for people in the neighborhood.

The boat pulls into a landing. You jump on – and quickly. No dilly-dallying. Then, the boat takes off. There are blue plastic tarps on the sides and the passengers pull them up to protect themselves from the spray. These boats really move! Girls – they look like they are maybe 16 or 17 years old – walk along the outside of the boat and make sure that everyone pays. You tell them where you’re going, they tell you the price, money gets passed back and forth, and you get a ticket with your change. All while the boat is rolling and flying along down the canal. Definitely a fun way to get across town.

What I’m Doing Here – July 18, 2010

Since I was asked, I’ll explain a little about why I’m here and the work I’m doing.

I am here on a short-term assignment with LMG Insurance Thailand. (LMG stands for “Liberty Mutual Group.” LMG Insurance Thailand company is one of our international companies.)

My assignment has three main goals:

1. To develop a training curriculum for two positions – the Claims field adjuster (the person who goes out to the scene of an accident and gathers the data) and the Claims analyst (the person who reviews the claim and determines what is covered by the insurance policy and what LMG will pay the customer).
2. To identify training needs for the middle managers
3. To develop a training road map for LMG Thailand – the different types of employee training to deliver, how and when, vendors to work with, etc. I’m not creating all of this – just laying out a strategy for how they might go about it.
   

At the moment, I’m concentrating on item #3. As a start, I am meeting with local companies in Bangkok to learn about their training methods and best practices. (The senior management here in LMG Insurance is helping with this – they are calling their contacts in various industries to get me in the door.) In particular, I’m meeting with large, multi-national companies here, because one of the challenges is to ensure that our training approach will be successful for Thai employees. It would be easy enough to just bring our US training practices and try to implement them here, but that would likely be unsuccessful. Thai employees are very different from American employees and we need to do this in a way that will be respectful of cultural differences.

So, yes, I am doing actual work – not just travelling around, seeing the sights, and eating good food!

July 13, 2010

A few quick anecdotes about life here in Bangkok --

Yesterday, after finally getting my work permit, I got back to work just in time for lunch. Tewtip, Jaray, and Phon were heading out, so I joined them. We went to what looks like a dive of a place across the street. You enter past the kitchen, which is basically on the sidewalk, and walk down a long, narrow hallway of less-than-sterile appearance. The hallway opens up into the interior dining room, which looked like it had been bought lock,stock, and barrel from the set of “Gilligan’s Island.” I had the lab moo – minced pork in chili/basil sauce over rice. But the best part about the place was/is the name – “The Love Scene.” There it was, printed across the top of the menu. In fact, those were the only words in English.

And speaking of crossing the street… I’m still getting used to the chaotic traffic. Even on our side street outside the office. There are food stalls on the sidewalk and in the street, cars coming in either direction, and of course the non-stop motorcycle taxis. Somehow it all works and I haven’t seen an accident – yet. Which is a good thing, since 95% of LMG Insurance’s business is personal auto insurance. My technique for crossing the street is to 1) not hesitate but instead to just, as smoothly as possible, insert myself into the general flow, and 2) always keep a Thai person between me and any oncoming metal—be it a car, a tuk-tuk, or a motorcycle.

On the way home from work, I was stopped by a group of seven or eight school boys in their uniforms – probably 12 years old or so. I’m still unclear about when kids go to school here – they seem to be in school uniforms late in the evening and on the weekends. Anyway, they wanted to “interview” me. Basically, it’s a way for them to practice their English skills. I remember running into this same thing years ago in Singapore. But, times have changed. When I said yes, the leader of the group pulled out his iPhone, scrolled through his apps till he got to one that looked like a little recorder, and then started to ask questions. They had a printed list of standard questions to ask – “Where are you from?” “How long have you been here?” “Do you like Thai food?” They took turns asking questions. Each time, the iPhone changed hands and they asked their question into it, then pointed it to me for my answer. Took about five minutes and then the leader took a picture of me with them. Wonder how they submit it to their teacher for credit?

Getting My Work Permit – July 12, 2010

Today, I am completing the last step in a very long, tortured process to get a work permit. US citizens who come to Thailand as tourists do not need a visa and can stay for up to 30 days. But, since I am staying longer and will be working here, I need a work permit.

The process started weeks before I left for Bangkok and involved filling out forms, sending copies of my passport, passport photos, lots of documentation from LMG Thailand about the company’s capital investment in Thailand, list of company officers, etc, etc. The first milestone was getting a non-immigrant visa B, which enables me to stay for up to a year. However, even with a non-immigrant visa B I still will need to leave the country every 90 days, re-enter, and get my visa stamped for another 90 days. Since I’m only here for six months, I’ll just need to do that once.

But, to work in Thailand I also need a work permit. Liberty Mutual has hired a local company to assist with this process. So far, I have filled out more forms, had my passport reviewed by the immigration company, and had a physical. The physical was interesting. I have heard that medical care in Bangkok is very good and that people come here for “medical tourism” – eye lifts, tummy tucks, that sort of thing. The hospital was quite plush and hushed and more like a hotel than a hospital. It was the only hospital I’ve ever been in where there were coffee, tea, and little sandwiches with the crusts cut off in the waiting area. An attendant even came by and asked me if I wanted to have breakfast. Say what?

The physical was a non-event – simple and straightforward, except that the poor nurse was very short and I’m tall by Thai standards so she had a hard time measuring my height. (Not sure why that was important anyway.) When I got the medical report afterwards, it turned out the physical was to ensure that I did not have, among other things, elephantiasis or leprosy. Really?!

Anyway, back to the work permit. I met Ms. Onanong this morning at the One-stop Service Center (seriously, that’s the name) for the final step in the work permit process. Took the metro for the first time to get here. The metro is fast and efficient and easy to navigate – especially since you can choose directions in English. You click the station you want to go to and it tells you the price. You put in the money and it spits out a token, which you swipe at the turnstile. To exit, you put the token back in and the turnstile opens up. Easy-peasy. But one odd thing about the subway – it was perfectly quiet. No TV playing like on the Skytrain. No one was talking – not on a phone or to a neighbor. And there were quite a few school kids on the train – even they were silent. Very strange.

This last step will take a while. (This may be the “One-stop” center, but evidently it’s one l-o-n-g step.) It’s like going to the motor vehicle office. You show up, get a number, and then wait. Onanong is managing the process – I just need to be physically present and sign something when they give me the work permit. She had a thick packet of forms and letters and official-looking documents, which she handed over at the counter. Now, we just wait. Onanong says that it will take at least 90 minutes, possibly two hours so I am downstairs in the lobby having a coffee and waiting. And waiting.

Finally done! Three hours later, I have my work permit! And the funny part is that I don’t have to do anything with it – I don’t have to show it to anyone, or have it recorded at work, or even have it with me when I travel outside the country. I just need to keep it in a drawer at work in case “immigration officials” were to come by and ask for it. Doesn’t seem at all likely, but I guess it’s better to do everything by the book and not take a chance. “Responsibility. What’s Your Policy?”

My Apartment – July 11, 2010

I am living at “Centre Point Executive Serviced Apartments” off Sukhumvit soi 10. My apartment is a one-bedroom, with a combined living/dining/kitchen area, and then a separate bedroom and bathroom. I recently changed apartments. The finishings in the first one were very nice – lots of wood (teak?) throughout, but the layout was odd – it basically felt like no matter which way you looked, you were always looking at the kitchen. So, I changed apartments when another one became available. I’m less wild about the finishings in this one – sort of French country, which doesn’t make a lot of sense in Bangkok – but the layout is better.

Here is the main living/dining/kitchen area. I really like the wood floors and there is a lot of storage. Need to fill up the bookshelves with a few things.

This is the bedroom. Again, lots of built-ins for storage. And a little patio, with a view.

The view is a bit odd since we overlook what was once a tobacco plantation. It is in the process of being turned into a park, but the recent political protests put a halt to that. Still, it’s a pretty view with the greenery up close and the skyscrapers behind.

Not sure you really need (or want) to see my bathroom, but here it is. It has both a tub and a separate shower.

Being a “serviced apartment” means that I have the services that you would expect in a hotel – room service, daily cleaning, wifi, laundry and dry cleaning available, etc. All in all, not a bad arrangement.

Team Building Event - July 10, 2010

Up early this Saturday morning to attend a company team-building event. It is a two-day event at Cholapruek Resort about an hour and a half north of Bangkok. I had debated going because… well… frankly… the whole thing will be in Thai, so what would I get out of it? I assumed there will be activities that require us to work as teams to build something and maybe I can contribute to that. But, the idea of spending two full days listening non-stop to a language I don’t understand did not appeal. Fortunately, Korada (the executive secretary) was only going for part of it and was coming back Saturday evening and she said that she would bring me back to Bangkok with her.

So, we all meet at the office for the bus trip up.


An experience right from the start. There is a TV going and it’s blaring some Thai pop music. Then, our MC grabs a microphone and starts to tell us what’s going to be happening. Evidently, he is quite the comedian since he’s got most of the crowd laughing hard. I don’t remember his name so let’s just go with Pitty Ting.

To keep the group entertained, Pitty Ting first asks each of us to introduce ourselves to the group by saying our name – more specifically, our nicknames since Thai people all have nicknames. Well, most people say things like “Poon” or “Nan” but one guy at the back of the bus says his nickhame is “Frankie.” Not sure where he pulled that out of, but okay, let’s go with that. I try to say that my nickname is “Doug” but Thais have a hard time saying words that end in “g.” They say it more like a “k.” So, I’m “Dok” or, worse,” “Duk.” Finally, Pitty Ting gives up and decides that “Douglas” will be easier all around. Next we play a game of Bingo. Well, they play a game of Bingo and I listen, since there’s no way for me to know if I have Bingo or not. But we play a few rounds and the winners are all awarded shrink-wrapped twelve packs of snacks – Lays potato chips or Bugles. Who knew they even still made Bugles? But they do – and it says right on the package “American Corn Snack.”

Eventually, we arrive at the Cholapruek Resort, which is very nice. Lots of little canals with lily pads and lotus blossoms, individual huts for sleeping, and mountains off in the distance. I had checked out their website before going –the fractured English translations are priceless.

“In present, it seems our world go faster , it makes people feel that there are reduce each day. Cholapruek resort is a place that welcome people who want feeling of touching the nature, make you feel you are at home. The resort has designed lodges to be surrounded by many types of plant, garden, refreshing of nature and nice decorated of lotus ponds harmoniously.” Gotta love it.

The morning activities were fine – they all involved physical actions so I could follow along and participate. Eventually, though, they moved on to word games and treasure hunts and I’m done. But, it was interesting to watch the group dynamics – to see how Thais interact with one another in large groups. While it may be true that Thais tend to be more conservative and reserved, they are completely comfortable with writing and singing team songs and developing dances to go along. I didn’t see them as reticent at all – they all seemed to be engaged and having a good time.

In the afternoon, there were a number of outdoor activities, which was unfortunate, since the weather was just brutal – incredibly hot and humid and still. Even the Thais, who seem impervious to the weather, were dripping. It was a fine time, but I was happy to get in the car with Korada and head back to Bangkok.

Street Scenes and Work Pix

Street life is constant in Bangkok. Here are some street scenes from my daily walk to work.

There is food everywhere. I don't think anyone eats at home in this city! By 7:30, the street vendors are in full swing, with people getting breakfast, fresh coconut juice, and quick sit-down meals.

But it's not all about food -- I actually do have to get to work. Here are a few pictures along the way --

Coming down the staircase from the Asok skytrain stop --

The entrance to the Sukhumvit metro stop. I don't actually take the metro -- I just use the underpass as a way of getting across the street. And of getting a little A/C along the way.

Back above ground, this is Soi 23 -- the LMG Insurance Thailand office is on this street.

Here's a shot of the office building. It's called the "Jasmine City" building. Hard to get far enough away to get a good picture.

The entrance to the Jasmine City building from Sukhumvit Road --

There are TVs in all of the elevators -- and they always seem to be playing music videos. From local Thai stars like "Yai Monotone" signing "Tomorrow."

The LMG Insurance entrance --

Typical cubicle life ---

The view from the LMG office --