IN MY HEAD THROUGH TYPING...


Wednesday, January 25, 2006


Thailand Shopping Mecca

I take my family to the so-called “the biggest indoor Aquarium in the world” at the Siam Paragon- the biggest and newest shopping mega center in Bangkok. It dwarfs all the shopping center that comes before it.

Every time when I visit Bangkok, there must be a new shopping mall project springs up.

It seems to me they are moving up scale. The past decade, all the ultra expensive brand name like Cartier, LV, Gucci and etc have anchored themselves here. The reasons are plenty. Firstly, since the economy is expanding, Thai people have more purchasing power. Secondly, Thailand becomes the center of the South East Asia economy; thousands of multi-corporations from around the world do the business here. They dispatch thousands of their high income workers to Thailand as well. Lastly, Thailand has attracted more and more of tourists all around the world who have money to spend.

To attract more foreign currency, Thailand has to compete with countries like Singapore, Malaysia or Hong Kong. However, I believe Thailand has an edge over those countries to become the next world shopping center. Comparing to those countries, we are a lot richer in terms of places to visit and cost. We have very beautiful beaches, we have very spectacular mountain views, we have the unique culture and architecture, we have good food, fabulous services and the most important we are cheaper than any other countries. As a result, it is like hitting two birds with one stone, when the tourists visit Thailand, they can do both shopping and traveling to all kinds of different places.

Hanging out in the malls becomes like a way of living here. With the hot weather is looming, people evacuate themselves to the free air conditioner in the malls. Moreover, unlike the malls in the United States, the malls here include everything that you can think of- theaters, food court, game stations, banks, clinics, hair salon and etc. So you can do one stop shopping and activities by just going to the mall.

Come back to the Siam Paragon, the interior is so spectacular, the shops are totally upscale. Everything here is jacked up by their location and images. I am not sure how many Thai people really do shopping here. I guess most of the people just want to walk around, window shopping, buy food and just hanging out at the restaurant. I think shopping those ultra expensive goods have to be a job of those high purchasing power tourists.

Talking about the aquarium, the price to the aquarium is a little too expensive for the local. Moreover, I do not really think it’s that great like they advertise themselves. I am not sure whether I am too old for the aquarium anymore or still jet lag. But my three nieces, a nephew, my two sisters and my mom are so excited about it. At least, I am glad they have fun even though I almost fall to sleep while watching the shark feeding. However, I am not sure if anyone wants to come back again to pay that price. I think this aquarium goal is to attract the tourists than the local people because of the price.

However, apparently Thailand has become a shopping Mecca for people around the world.

Tae Athikomvittaya

posted by sagicaprio at 8:11 PM
5 comments




Sunday, January 22, 2006


My Trip in Thailand Begins


It has been three days that I have to run around between my apartment and the post office. I am still waiting for the last big four boxes of vitamins that I give them to my family. The bad thing is I am going to fly out tomorrow morning but I still do not know if I will get them in time.

Finally, I receive the notice from the post office at 6.30 pm but I am not sure if I will get them tomorrow.

I wake up at 6.30 am. The first I do is to call the post office. The supervisor knows right away when I mention my address. When I get there, they have separated my packages. I just mention about my address and they hand them to me right away. I think all the staff there must have known me by now because I went there everyday and had some fights with them all the way to the last day.

Nicky picks me up at 8 o’clock but I am still packing. Thanks to his patience, my packing goes pretty smooth.

It will take a day to fly back to Bangkok. However, I pack myself with all the investment books so I guess I will be all set during those boring hours.

This is my first time I fly the American Airlines. I have to say it’s such a painful flight for me. The food is bad and the seats are so uncomfortable. The only good things I can think of are its emptiness and the movie “In Her Shoes”. Since the seats are so uncomfortable, the emptiness really helps. It helps when no one sits besides me and I can stretch my legs. It helps when I cry while I am watching the movie “In Her Shoes” and no one see it.

Even though this movie is nothing new in term of the story line but something about family and the love between sisters (or brothers) always make me cry. Since I don’t have anything to do on this long boring flight and all those investment books start killing my eyes, I watch this movie twice. The effect is the same, I cry like crazy.

It takes me 12 hours to the Narita International Airport in Tokyo. Then it takes another 3 hours for the transfer. I fly out of Japan with the Japan Airlines. It’s crowded and the seats are still so uncomfortable as well. However, I find the Japan Airlines flight experience is pretty pleasant. Unlike the American Airlines, the food is great, then service is excellent and the products they use are premium.

It is totally different experiences between these two companies. I notice that almost all the flight attendants in the Asian flights are a lot younger and more beautiful than their American counterparts.

Don’t mention about service because those Asian flight attendants always trump those American ones.

I arrive Bangkok at midnight. My mom and my sister are waiting for me. I am very happy to see them again.

This one month trip would be a lot of fun.

Before I will leave this post, I want to share the poem from the movie “In Her Shoes” that Cameron Diaz reads for her sister on the wedding day. I find it so beautiful.

I carry your heart with me(i carry it in my heart)

I carry your heart with me(I carry it in my heart)

I am never without it(anywhere I go you go, my dear;

and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)
I fear no fate(for you are my fate, my sweet)

I want no world(for beautiful you are my world, my true)
And it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
And whatever a sun will always sing is you
 
Here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(Here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;

which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
 
I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart)
 
 
Tae Athikomvittaya
 

posted by sagicaprio at 11:43 PM
0 comments




Previous Posts
MY BLOG HAS MOVED TO www.xanga.com/sagicaprio
See Ankor Wat and Die! (Part I)
Yellow Monday. LONG LIVE THE KING!!
Miracle and Religion Conversion
Thai Massage
A Coup to the Bush Administration
In Retrospect
The Nation Party
Bill Maher Last Friday
Go with me


Archives
1990-05-06
2005-02-13
2005-02-20
2005-02-27
2005-03-06
2005-03-13
2005-03-20
2005-03-27
2005-04-03
2005-04-10
2005-04-17
2005-04-24
2005-05-01
2005-05-08
2005-05-15
2005-05-22
2005-05-29
2005-06-05
2005-06-12
2005-06-19
2005-06-26
2005-07-03
2005-07-10
2005-07-17
2005-07-24
2005-07-31
2005-08-07
2005-08-14
2005-08-21
2005-08-28
2005-09-04
2005-09-11
2005-09-18
2005-09-25
2005-10-02
2005-10-09
2005-10-16
2005-10-23
2005-10-30
2005-11-06
2005-11-13
2005-11-20
2005-11-27
2005-12-04
2005-12-11
2005-12-18
2005-12-25
2006-01-01
2006-01-08
2006-01-15
2006-01-22
2006-01-29
2006-02-05
2006-02-12
2006-02-19
2006-02-26
2006-03-05
2006-03-12
2006-03-19
2006-03-26
2006-04-02
2006-04-09
2006-04-16
2006-04-23
2006-04-30
2006-05-07
2006-05-14
2006-05-21
2006-05-28
2006-06-04
2006-06-11
2006-06-18
2006-06-25
2006-07-02
2006-07-09
2006-07-16
2006-07-23
2006-07-30
2006-08-06
2006-08-13
2006-08-20
2006-08-27
2006-09-03
2006-09-10
2006-09-17
2006-09-24
2006-10-01
2006-10-15
2006-10-22
2006-11-05
2006-11-12
2006-11-19
2006-11-26
2006-12-17
2008-06-01

Links
MY HOME PAGE
MY OTHER BLOG
MY SPIRITUAL LIFE

Credits
Powered by: Blogger
Images by: Stock.Xchng
Webset by: ChrisOfCourse

Image © Stock.Xchng
Webset © Chris...of Course!