Either in the beginning of our trip or at the end of the trip, we would end up in Bangkok, Thailand. Our stay was at The Landmark Hotel which to my knowledge was a Thai hotel and our plant(s) put us up there and on the Executive floor. Centrally located, it was easy to get to the plants and the airport. What you are looking at is the lobby. To the left of the picture, you can see the check in-out counter. Super polite and always smiling. If you were a returning customer, you would be upgraded if not already on the Executive floor. Breakfast was included and the rooms were larger. Not that we were there much as the hours could be late. The return to the hotel took time during the rush hour. There are pictures of the front of the hotel in the
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Bill Haskell considers the following as important: Cheap Charlies, Education, Journalism, The Landmark, US/Global Economics
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Either in the beginning of our trip or at the end of the trip, we would end up in Bangkok, Thailand. Our stay was at The Landmark Hotel which to my knowledge was a Thai hotel and our plant(s) put us up there and on the Executive floor. Centrally located, it was easy to get to the plants and the airport.
What you are looking at is the lobby. To the left of the picture, you can see the check in-out counter. Super polite and always smiling. If you were a returning customer, you would be upgraded if not already on the Executive floor. Breakfast was included and the rooms were larger. Not that we were there much as the hours could be late. The return to the hotel took time during the rush hour. There are pictures of the front of the hotel in the link above. I have never seen the front devoid of people.
After work, a Thai supervisor would accompany us to dinner at a restaurant of his choice. We would eat Thai which was really good and can be extremely hot. I can tolerate the heat; but not the acid indigestion coming with it later. Tums is a good thing to have with you if you are not already on some type of drug such as generic Prilosec.
Cheap Charlies
One place, we would usually hit is “Cheap Charlies.” An outdoor Thai bar offering American and European liquor and beer besides Thai. You see 80 for all the drinks which is 80 Thai Baht which is $2.33. That is today’s exchange rate. We would have a couple of beers and relax.
Kind of a unique place and owned by Satit Budkajang a Thai. He gave it a uniqueness by decorating it with many different items. See pictures and the link. The new Cheap Charlies evolved from the land being sold where the old Cheap Charlies was located.
After traveling through Asia and eating the food offered up in each nation, we would go to a local Hard Rock for a burger.
Shopping at Sukhumvit Street Market
Sometimes we would go across the street to shop for fake watches or other things. I had brought one of the company’s female employees with us. Young and blonde, I was not going to let her go alone.
She finally found a silver necklace she wanted and was negotiating the price. Finally, they agreed on the price. I asked him for the pad of paper they were exchanging back and forth with prices. I wrote a slightly lower price on it. He shook his head yes to me. He was still making money and he did not want to lose the sale by my losing face.
For Americans?
Thai people appear to be very happy. They took care of us and suffered our visits. As we were part of a Japanese/American company scheduling wire harness lots for their plants. The plant personnel making the harnesses were mostly women who could look up and see who entered and still keep making the harness. Much dexterity and impressive skills.
Around the hotel, there was much poverty on display. There were three Thai Catholic nuns on the street one time looking for donations. I placed 100 Baht in their bowl and the one nun chased me down the street to give me a receipt. I had also passed one spot where there were three children with a bowl in front of them for coins.
My last night there I was on my way to an American Pub I was introduced too. I saw the three children and their dog in the usual spot with their bowl in front of them.
Exchanging Baht for American dollars is a losing proposition. I already had one money exchange document which showed I received fewer Baht for my $dollars. I knew I would not lose any money on my expense report. I dropped a crumpled up 500 Baht note in their bowl. On my way back to The Landmark I passed the same spot and they were gone. I knew their parents were not far away either. They were gone also. That was close to $10 dollars back then. Enough to feed then for a while.
Just some stories coming to mind of what I experienced while working and traveling.