Today is our designated shopping day. We would like to visit Mahboonkrong Center (MBK Center). I visited MBK Center more than tem years ago. I bought a few pieces of Thai shirts at MBK Center. It was my favourable shopping place. When we were planning to visit Bangkok, I read the book "Roger's Bangkok Bible" written by Roger Wu. There were more new shopping centres after my last visit to Bangkok. Therefore, we would also visit those new shopping centres.

We took a taxi to Central World after our breakfast. We would then visit Siam Paragon, Siam Center, Siam Discovery and Siam Square. Mahboonkrong Center would be our last destination for the day.

Before taking off, we reminded mama that we would have to walk for many hours, to take our lunch and dinner on the way. We would then be back to hotel at night.

Luxurious Shopping Malls

When we stepped into the Central World Shopping Mall, we saw shops of branded goods. The mall was huge and spacious. We only spent some times in BS2 Stationery Shop. We did not visit any other shop.

An hour later, we walked to Siam Paragon Shopping Centre.
There was a 3D movie Avatar at IMAX Theatre. Although I planned to see the 3D movie, the show time could not fit into our schedule and we dropped it. We visited the two shops listed in our schedule. There were Exotique Thai and Maya. But I could not get my Thai shirt there.
We then took our lunch at the Coco Ichibanya - a Japanese Curry Rice Restaurant. Solomon, his mother and I took Pork Cutlet, Chicken Cutlet and Sliced Beef curry rice respectively. I reminded the waiter I did not want the curry to be too spicy. She then showed me the different choices of curry the Restaurant served. There were choices of Mild, Standard, Medium Hot, Hot, Extra Hot, Super Hot and Crazy Hot.

We visited Siam Center Shopping Mall after lunch. The two shops I planned to visit were closed down. Most of the fashions were too young for me and too old for Solomon, Hence, we did not spend much time.

The next shopping mall we visited was Siam Discovery. We spent a few minutes in the shop of Asia Book. I found some good Thai-English dictionaries. But I did not buy any. At the shop of Mae Fah Laung Foundation, I did not see any shirt for me.

Siam Square

After visiting four shopping malls, we went to Siam Square at the other side of the road. There were shops around the few lanes of Siam Square. It looked like our Change Alley but there were about eight lanes.

I came to Siam Square many years ago and bought some Christian books and compact disc. But I could not recognise those shops and locations anymore.

Solomon went to an Internet Cafe for half an hour and I went to take a cup of drink with his mother at the restaurant nearby.

Mahboonkrong (MBK) Center

We visited MBK Center on the second night of arrival in Bangkok. We took our dinner at The Fifth Food Avenue that night. At that restaurant we were given a magnetic card at the entrance. When we bought our meal, the payment would be charged to the price. We then presented our card to the cashier at exit and made cash payment.

Tonight we took our dinner at the Food Center at the 6th floor. We bought food coupons at the entrance. When we bought any meal, we paid with food coupons. After our meal, we could get the refund with the balance coupons. The meals at the Food Center were cheaper that those at the Food Avenue.

Solomon would like to buy some accessories for his camera and I wished to get some Thai shirts for the Bangkok trip, but we were disappointed.

I was very glad to see one of the customer services provided by MBK Center. That was the service at the taxi stand. The taxi-keeper would ask the passenger his destination and announce it to the taxi driver. Therefore, the taxi driver would know where you were going to once you were aboard. There would not be miscommunication even if you did not speak Thai. A very good idea!

It was cheap to travel by taxi. The taxi drivers also thought that it was cheaper to travel by taxi than by mass transit. The Subway (MRT) and Skytrain (BTS) helped in releasing the traffic jam. It was a good idea for tourists to travel by taxi. I think the taxi fare is too expensive in Singapore. Will we be losing out in tourism sooner or later?

The high way	outside the Hotel
CoCo Ichibanya - the Japanese	style Curry Restaurant
Central World Shopping Mall	Busy Shopping District
Below the Skytrain railway	Car park at Siam Square
Old shops	Evergreen mall
The famous shopping mall -	Mahboonkrong Center in Bangkok

23.12.2009

We went around the hotel to take pictures last night. We again went to take pictures in the early morning. This was the last day we were in Bangkok.

The traffic was busy. Roadside hawkers started to sell breakfast. Sweepers were cleaning the streets. Monks were begging alms. While we were taking picture, I saw a building with the name of The Kek Yang Association of Thailand (暹逻揭阳会馆).

The name of the Building touched my heart. I have been the Secretary of Singapore Kityang Huay Kwan Teochew Opera Group (新加坡揭阳会馆潮剧团) for almost two years. Recently when some of the committee members know that I would resign from the Group when I fulfilled my term. They would like me to stay. But I got other commitment and I had to leave.

We were at the Lobby awaiting for the tourist guide after our breakfast. Solomon's mother said that the artist Zhou Chu Ming (周初明) walked passed. Later on I saw him walking towards the entrance. It seemed he had some problem in walking. I felt like he needed help. But I did not move forwards to greet him and ask about his health. Whether I could say any prayer or do anything for him.

Sometimes, fate is just like a flash of light.

Bangkok	at 7 a.m.
Roadside hawkers	in the morning
Traffic police	and the busy traffic
Postbox and	telephone booth
Hotel below	the high way
Kek Yang Association in Thailand (暹逻揭阳会馆)	Hawkers near the hotel
Bus and	taxi

We checked out and left the hotel at 9.45 a.m. It took about 35 minutes for us to travel to airport by coach.

It was rather fast for us to check in at the airport. As we took the' business class cabin, we went through the security check point for the crews. It was not crowded. After that, we walked around the shopping mall and went to the VIP lounge to surf the Internet.

On the day we came to Bangkok, I liked the glass came together with the meal set. I asked the air-hostess whether I could keep the pair of glasses as souvenir. She laughed and said, "I assumed I did not see." She might be in the difficult position to give them to me and I did not want to 'steal' them. Hence, I did not have them. This time when we were on the way home, I requested the air-host to give me two sets of playing cards. He later gave them to me quietly.

I love to collect playing cards, especially those from the airlines. Sometimes people are very funny. When they see you ask for playing cards, they will want to have it although they may not be interested to keep them as the collection. I used to buy playing cards while I was traveling. I got lot of playing cards in my luggage when I visited Beijing in 2008.

We arrived at Changi Airport at 4 p.m. We spent quite a while in the duty-free shop. When the shopkeeper came and served us, I told her that I wanted to buy some liqueurs because I wished to train my son to appreciate the liqueurs. She smiled and recommended a few types for us.

We took taxi home. It has been a long time that we did not take taxi in Singapore. Oh dear, I found the surcharge was almost 50% of the taxi fare!

Spacious	airport
Variety of goods	in the shopping mall
Scene outside the cabin	Games in the cabin
My vegetarian meal	Solomon's curry salmon fish