AirAsia invites you to Thailand – Land of Shop and Dine!

Nope, I didn't get my facts wrong. While I know that Thailand is better known as the Land of Smiles but with the way things are happening in the country now, I think Land of Shop and Dine is pretty apt too!

I will usually hit Bangkok every 1 - 2 months not just because of my business there but also because my love for this place. THE FOOD! And I don't just mean Thai food but the wide choice of international cuisine as well.

Besides the food, there's the shopping too!  I always visit Bangkok with a huge (empty) luggage even if it's just for a 3D2N trip I will load it up with my shopping - clothes, snacks, toiletries and even props for my photography and videography projects. They have way more options at wayyy better prices.



The most recent trip was however a little different. I was there with AirAsia and the Tourism Authority of Thailand to attend the launch of Thailand Shopping and Dining Paradise 2017. Besides myself, I was accompanied by a team of beautiful ladies from Singapore with 4 of them – Roz, Rebecca, Cinddie, and Jill - representing Singapore to face off Hong Kong and Vietnam to win the title of AirAsia Top Shopper! The winners will eventually walk away with 1 year of unlimited flights with AirAsia! Tbh, I even considered drugging Jill's food so I can be the one participating. LOL. Sorry Jill if you are reading this.


To be honest though, I don't think I can do it half as well as any of them. Look at their energy!

The contestants were tasked to shop around Bangkok for delicious local food, local fashion, and local everything else. The team that comes in the fastest and completing all the challenges with the least amount of money will raise above the rest as the Top Shopper!



Singaporeans might be known for our fast walking speed, ability to shop whole day, as well as how kiasu we are but unfortunately we did not win the game. But take a look at these images below and you will feel like they are already winners just being part of it.


Shopping, eating, traveling, and basically having fun!

The challenges were really no simple tasks. We were trying our best to catch up with them to take photos and we had such a hard time because they were so fast!

Tuning in to their Instagram Live broadcast got me all tickled. They were perpetually in a frenzy mode all the time trying to get all their shopping done. There was a challenge where they were tasked to do some grocery shopping and they went all over the place shouting "BENTO BENTO BENTO!" LOL



They were really committed to winning the game I'm sure. Rebecca did everything she could to get a discount! LOL.

And we could tell they really tried their best. Not just to win but also to entertain everyone!



So I was saying how hard it was to catch up with the ladies during the challenges right? So what were we doing since we lost them? *Cough* Well, no one can say no to the magic of Thailand's shopping and dining scene, right?



That's not all. After the challenges in the day, the ladies were also asked to put up a fashion show in the evening with some of the things they bought at Asiatique. The ladies sure went above and beyond. Instead of just a fashion show, they gave what the judges called a variety show. The girls were singing and dancing and got everyone's night filled with laughter and joy. See, who says Singaporeans only know how to follow rules?



After all the challenges, Team Hong Kong emerged as the overall winner!



Actually, I did so much shopping, dining, and partying, it felt like I was the real winner too!


We really did quite a bit despite it being a short trip. Can't wait to be back in Bangkok soon!

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Where to stay in Bangkok during vacation?

Bangkok didn't give me a good impression some years ago when I first visited but my recent visit showed me otherwise! I guess it's really important to pick the right place to visit even within the same country!

The view outside our hotel - Grande Centre Point Ploenchit. So pretty it's like Gotham City.

Of course this trip was proudly "tour guided" by my #girlboss, the pseudo Thai and also the very handsome Gunrata. Yeah, you guys remember him, the very handsome guy from my bali trip.

We actually stayed at two different hotels for this trip. The Grande Centre Point Ratchadamri and Grande Centre Point Ploenchit. Both the places are so beautiful! And they are very centrally located.

THIS IS BANGKOK! 

Grande Centre Point Ratchadamri

You can totally feel the cultural heritage of Thailand once you stepped into the hotel and room. Just look at the piece of artwork above my bed. It totally shouts out the culture of Bangkok.

From the room, you can actually oversee the (almost, depends on how far your can see) whole of Bangkok. And my room also came with things like washing machine and microwave oven which I warm up my left over pizza!

It is also very centrally located. In fact you are within walking distance towards the famous Erawan Shrine and the malls around it! I like how it is near but yet at the same time not immediately smack in the middle of it. It's a good balance between convenience and still peace.

Eh, this is not the four face buddha. This is my girlboss outside the place cause erm, I don't dare to anyhow shoot a picture of the four face buddha. 

Grande Centre Point Ratchadamri 
153/2, Soi Mahatlek - Luang 1, Ratchadamri Road, Lumpini, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand. 

Telephone : +66 2 670 5000
Fax : +66 2 670 5100
Email : ratchadamri@gcphotels.com
Website : http://www.grandecentrepointratchadamri.com

Grande Centre Point Ploenchit

Grand Centre Point Ploenchit makes me feel like I'm home but only better. It is so luxurious and at the same time feels so much at home. You know some times when you travel you still feel like you are away and you will miss home but Grande Centre Point Ploenchit makes me feel like I'm actually already at home. I think the very spacious room really helps that way. 

It is near to the BTS station - Ploen chit so if you have heard a lot about the great Bangkok Traffic, you do not have to worry at this hotel! In fact you can just go to the BTS station and take some OOTD too. haha. 

Just check out this place out already. I really don't wanna go home! 

As much as I do not want to go home, here I am writing about these places in front of my computer AT HOME. How tragic. :'( 

Grande Center Point Ploenchit
100 Wireless Road, Lumpini, Patumwan,
Bangkok 10330, Thailand. 

Telephone : +66 2 659 5000
Fax : +66 2 659 5100
Email : ploenchit@gcphotels.com
Website : http://www.grandecentrepointploenchit.com

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Hello Bangkok, It's me.

Hello Bangkok,

Taken during last trip at BKK!

How have you been? It has been awhile since we last met and I hope you are doing fine. A lot has happened since we last met and I can't wait to be in you again. (okay. that sounded a bit wrong.)

I blogged about you and 75 mentioned that they love to visit you as a place for holiday while 123 mentioned that bkk is like erm.. too boring and mainstream already. I am sorry to hear that but I will try my best to do you well justice this time round. 

Anyway, the reason why I am writing is because I will very highly likely be visiting you again but this time is for work lah. And since we parted I've also level up my photography skill a little and I promise I will take some nicer shots of you and attract more people to visit you. I will try my best to pimp you! Or maybe I should just upload more pictures of Gunrata and that gives people reason to click this blog and visit Bangkok already. 

SO HANDSOME! 

We did a  shoot recently for HotelQuickly and the Thai Restaurant near the hotel got me thinking of you. Don't you think the pictures look and felt a lot like you (Bangkok)? 

Because of my new found part-time job love of photography, I am very much lusting for the Sony camera that everyone in the team is using! 

That's the camera. Hello, focus on the camera, not my chio bu bauss.

And to fund my new camera I am also selling my Canon kit on Carousell. I mean I do not see a point keeping two sets of cameras. So good bye Canon! Old one don't go, new one cannot come. Loosely translated from the popular Chinese saying and also that's what my wife told me about managing my bank account. 

(Talking about photography, I mean there is no way anyone could have missed this online "saga" but just in case you did. - Wedding Photography Gone Wrong? Okay lah, I digress a bit.)

How is this photo editing? Bo leh? 

You might be asking me, why the hell do I need my own camera since I am already sharing my kit with the team but I also want to have my own so I can shoot my son at home. Yup, in case you haven't been following my IG or Facebook, (OIE!) I now have a son who was like a tiny little sperm inside my wife when we last visited you. 

You know you are pretty lucky? I actually rejected two other sponsored trips to visit you. Because of lil Seth, I am trying to manage my frequency of being out of town. I feel so bad to the two sponsors but I think I feel worst for leaving little Seth and wife "alone" at home. I actually really miss Philippines as well but I also cancelled my March's PH trip lor. 

Until next time. I shall now go back to playing my Pocket MapleStory.(I don't believe I actually admitted to playing Pocket Maple. I don't even dare to take it out and play on the train! haha. Guilty pleasure, please don't judge.) Actually most of the time it is just auto combating while I'm doing my work. LOL. Ok, I shall get back to work. BYE! 

XOXO,

Smith

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My Bangkok Trip in Numbers

Despite the fact that I am working at a tour agency, writing tour blog post ain't exactly something I do best of enjoy. I hate reading travel log like tell you what I do day 1 to day 4. I mean I get bored writing it less say you reading it.

My travel companion - the wife, @melpig and also #TBKK. Thanks for showing us around!

I am not exactly very good at street photography to show the country with nice pictures. And those places I have visited ain't exactly something I can share in terms of "5 best shopping malls in Bangkok" type of articles so I guess for easy reading I will share information in terms of numbers. Because people like to ask me like "how much is this" and that kinda questions and I am very bad with such details. So I better write it down before I forget.

Photography skill level too damn low.

So presenting to you, Bangkok in numbers.

1 is the number of

bowl of tom yum soup we drank

2 is the number 

of hours for the flight from Singapore to Bangkok

of Mango sticky rice we ate

of Papaya Salad we ate

of times I went for Massages

4 is the number 

of days I was at Bkk

I think she is asking for 4D numbers.

of faces the buddha i prayed to has

of t-shirt I bought for myself

5 is the number

of pairs of new boxers I bought

Can you believe it! My neighbours from Punggol leh!! Bump into at CTC Market when there are like 10,000 people there.

of Singaporean friends I bump into at BKK

6 is the number

of serving of ice cream I had

7 is the number 

of 3s Steph Curry scored during NBA Finals game 5 where I was screaming my head off watching in the hotel room

11 is the number 

of bowls of boat noodles i ate

13 is the number 

of times we took taxi

44 is the number

Selfie game is strong in this.

of selfies I have taken

50 is the number 

of baht i paid for mango sticky rice at the road side

of Baht I paid for my favourite Basil Pork Rice with Egg

180 is the number 

of baht i paid for mango sticky rice at the airport

574 is the number

of pictures I've taken during the trip but most likely will not see the light of publishing because I am too lazy to like edit them .

800 is the number

of Singapore dollars we changed for this trip but still have outstanding

1,036 is the number 

of Singapore Dollars I paid for 2 pax for this trip that put us up at Amari Watergate as well as Thai
Airways

1504 is the number 

of the room we stayed at after they gave us a room which was occupied on the 10th floor.

2,450 is the number 

of baht I have remaining when I reached back Singapore

3,378 is the number 

of pretty girls I saw at BKK. (That I think are girls)

39,736 is the number

of steps I walked at BKK. As accurate as Jawbone says it.

Doing silly things in super market again.

So now I am back and I hope this post shine some light on things you need to know about my trip if you are even interested. To be honest, BKK ain't exactly my favorite country to go because Taobao ruined it. Everything I might like or wish to buy can be found on Taobao but lucky for me I had fun travel companion to make it fun and also all the good food that cannot be found on taobao.

So, do you like traveling to BKK for your holidays?

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