It took the usual thirteen hours from Detroit to Narita in Japan to get me in striking distance to most anywhere in the Orient. This time it is six hours to Bangkok Thailand for installation of a Labtap System. Thanks to my Gold Elite status Northwest upgraded me to Business Class but this breached my consumption moderation outlook. I had to partake of their good offerings of French Bordeaux with Japanese prepared salmon and who could resist a little cognac. My midnight arrival made for easy passage to a potential sales representative’s recommendation of SC Park Hotel. 
Now, slipping a day, it was Tuesday and an afternoon meeting with their staff. The orientation went well but pointless as their entrance to my customer was denied. That evening I had a nice dinner with the owner, her husband, and daughter. I had picked up small Harley biker shirts at the airport as gifts for people unknown. Having adopted the thought of Chinese women being so small, this is not the case with affluent Thai people. The shirts found a home with the daughter and another sister.
Wednesday at 8 am I was picked up by my customer for an hour and a half drive to their R&D lab. Truly an impressive facility fitting of a petroleum company with a government owned majority. Machine setup and general introduction to the system with the crew was plenty for the first day. Lunch and dinner were hosted at local restaurants by managers and crew. Both meals held similarity to Vietnam’s Tan Hiep Pot as a soup dish with a variety of other foods fired by charcoal on your table. My quarters were at the company hotel within their compound. It was a stately room in the manner of hospital construction with teak furnishings and marble bath. I was probably the only guest. I was handicapped without the Internet or cable television but I did get some productive work and writing done.
To generate some background noise I had the TV on. Their language was not comprehendible and in no time became nauseating. A State dinner was on all of the eleven channels. The King and Queen must have felt it was important for all to witness. Silence was better for me. I would not say in Thailand there was any resemblance to portrait presence in the days of Chairman Mao or Saddam Hussein but you got know the Royal Family in hotel lobbies and the King extended blessings all along the highways. My host company wore uniforms of yellow in respect to the King. They call this a constitutional monarchy. And yes, the King is definitely a Figure Head.
The second day with classes for four or five chemists left me a bit unsure of where they would be a month from now but I gave it my best. My last dinner was the best. The young lad from the lab and a lady chemist hosted me. At the local town of Saraburi, we ate at Fuku Garden Restaurant which had much the same food but it just tasted better.
My work was complete. As anticipated, I had two days and three nights before my return home. Now I was free to carry out an awaited option. With a little help I was able to secure flight and hotel in Cambodia for a 40 hour trip to Angkor Wat.
Now, slipping a day, it was Tuesday and an afternoon meeting with their staff. The orientation went well but pointless as their entrance to my customer was denied. That evening I had a nice dinner with the owner, her husband, and daughter. I had picked up small Harley biker shirts at the airport as gifts for people unknown. Having adopted the thought of Chinese women being so small, this is not the case with affluent Thai people. The shirts found a home with the daughter and another sister.Wednesday at 8 am I was picked up by my customer for an hour and a half drive to their R&D lab. Truly an impressive facility fitting of a petroleum company with a government owned majority. Machine setup and general introduction to the system with the crew was plenty for the first day. Lunch and dinner were hosted at local restaurants by managers and crew. Both meals held similarity to Vietnam’s Tan Hiep Pot as a soup dish with a variety of other foods fired by charcoal on your table. My quarters were at the company hotel within their compound. It was a stately room in the manner of hospital construction with teak furnishings and marble bath. I was probably the only guest. I was handicapped without the Internet or cable television but I did get some productive work and writing done.
To generate some background noise I had the TV on. Their language was not comprehendible and in no time became nauseating. A State dinner was on all of the eleven channels. The King and Queen must have felt it was important for all to witness. Silence was better for me. I would not say in Thailand there was any resemblance to portrait presence in the days of Chairman Mao or Saddam Hussein but you got know the Royal Family in hotel lobbies and the King extended blessings all along the highways. My host company wore uniforms of yellow in respect to the King. They call this a constitutional monarchy. And yes, the King is definitely a Figure Head.
The second day with classes for four or five chemists left me a bit unsure of where they would be a month from now but I gave it my best. My last dinner was the best. The young lad from the lab and a lady chemist hosted me. At the local town of Saraburi, we ate at Fuku Garden Restaurant which had much the same food but it just tasted better.
My work was complete. As anticipated, I had two days and three nights before my return home. Now I was free to carry out an awaited option. With a little help I was able to secure flight and hotel in Cambodia for a 40 hour trip to Angkor Wat.
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