Now bangkok State of Emergency... Damn it..

Today Bangkok was place under State of Emergency... Nobody is suppose to be on the street... Before that our operator got a insider news.. and inform all our customer to get to the airport via taxi.. before the announcement of emergency...

And today is Sunday.. a customer departing for Bangkok call us.. And ask us what is he going to do.. We really go no answer for him, as the airline are close on Sunday....

damn it.....

Pattaya State of Energency. Here it goes again...

Just read from CNN news that Bangkok has impose a state of emergency in Pattaya.. Pattaya a venue for ASEAN Summit and because the Pro Democracy protesters (red t-shirt) stomp the meeting venue.. Thailand's Prime Minister have to declare a state of emergency in Pattaya...

Well... when i read this news.. i was like, ooh dear, NOT again.. Tomorrow there will have lots of customer who book Bangkok / Pattaya tour to start calling us for refund.. or change departure date.. We are going to get busy and become the punching bag for those tongue lashing customers again... Already had a hell a of time being scolding by so many customers during the late November 2008, Bangkok airport closure..(it is not our fault)..... :-(

Customer complaint hotel charge her for day use...

Today a customer stomp into our agency with a hotel bill and wanted to complaint. This customer just came back from Bangkok few days ago. and now wanted to complaint that hotel (Centrepoint Petchburi15) charge her extra while she checks out... If she refuse to pay the charges (about 3000 baht), hotel refuse to let her go to her room to collect her luggage... She also demand that we refund her the amount she paid to the hotel....

Our Bangkok side already inform us that, this customer went shopping and did not check out of the hotel till 4pm.. Hotel check out time is 12pm.. The hotel staffs tried to contact this customer but unable to find them, as they are out of the hotel, doing shopping... When they finally check out in the late afternoon, the hotel charge them extra... Centrepoint Petchburi 15 has a good security feature.. once if the customer do no check out by 12pm.. their room door card will not be unable to access after that.. so no choice this customer have to pay up so that the hotel can reprogram the card for them to access their room.

I told this customer that, the hotel reserved the right to charge extra if customer did not check out on time.. (most hotel will charge 1 more night rates) and this is between the customer and the hotel.. (since she check out late).. She keep telling me that she is a regular traveller and has also been leading groups overseas.. Then she bloody well know what is the standard check out time... If she think it is unreasonable, she can seek to talk to the hotel while in Bangkok... and not till return to Singapore and start screaming at us and demand for a refund.. She

used the room she has to pay.. The hotel main business is to sell their room.. of course hotel does not tolerate guest who overstay and resulting them unable to get ready the room for the next guest.. or and in worst case unable to sell the room..

F1 fans in Singapore... Not much..

Since i got the news that Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix ticket will be on sale from 20 Apr09.. Me and my best friend Albert has been going around gathering friends to buy the 3 day walk-about pass and join us for this very exciting event at Marina Bay in Sep09.

But unfortunately.. most of our friends are not into Formula 1 and they just simply not interested in it... .. and those who are.. but they are not very die hard fans that will buy the tickets to watch it live at Marina Bay.. Some said they prefer to watch on TV, and some say because of the bad economy, they are unable to afford the $168... for 3 days walk-about pass...

For me and Albert, regardless of how hard the economy is.. we will still go ahead to purchase the 3day walk-about ticket... For those who are not been to last year race, they don't even know what are they missing.. The excitement and the atmosphere are great, especially the race day..

Malaysia Grand Prix has less no of spectator that last year, due to the world financial woes... Many of the foreigners are not coming to Asia to watch the race.. Because they have to factor in their air ticket, F1 ticket, accommodation and meals.. It night be cheaper to watch in their own home ground... And in Singapore, Formula 1 is still new to the Singaporean.. There are still many who don't even know about this motor racing sports comparing to the English Premier League (Soccer). Uncles would rather bet on Soccer matches that Formula 1 races.. Because they don't have the knowledge for motor sports..

Minus those aunties... and those ladies who are not interested in motor sports.. also minus those soccer betting uncles.. and minus those geeks who only into computer games... and with a Singapore driver or team to cheer on with... I think there are not much local Formula 1 fans in Singapore..

Messa, Hamilton, Alonso, Button, Piquet, Rosberg, Kimi, Webber, Kubica.. and company.. you will not be driving alone in Singapore Marina Bay street circuit... Cos me and Albert will be there to cheer you on... VVRROOOOMMMM....................

Weird Dream..

Last night i had a weird dream.. It goes like that..

In my dream.. i was working in a mega home electrical appliances store... The because the store air-conditioning is spoil.. my boss ordered a few set of new air-condition and i was place in-charge to make sure the contractor did a proper job to install them..

While busy checking the contractor... i saw the socket of one of the display set goes into sparks.. follow by small flame of fire.. the quickly inform they supervisor in charge of that department.. Quickly he grab a fire extinguisher and try to fight the fire.. the fire spread very fast.. I shouted for everyone in the store to get out of the store. For those who got trap in the store, i instruct then to get into the room behind and close the door...

Someone manage to call the SCDF (fire dept.).. They arrive in a few minutes time.. I approach one of the fireman to inform him that there are a few people taking cover behind the room.. and he assured me that he will rescue them...

The RIIIINNNNNGGG!!! the alarm clock, wakes me up from the dream... It was 6am.. in the morning time for me to get my daughter ready for school..

Chong Qing Steamboat..

Last night, we went out for Chong Qing Steamboat dinner at Chinatown area.. We tried the Tom Yam and Pork Bone Soup combination... The tom yam soup was sweet and super spicy.. not very sour ... we ask the waitress to add some chicken soup to reduce the spiciness.. and the pork bone soup was slightly spicy too.. too much pepper... My daughter don't enjoy any of the soup because they are too spicy for her..

We love the dumplings there are Beef Dumplings, Pork Dumplings and Mutton Dumplings.. The sliced beef are nice too.. goes well with the spicy tom yam soup.. We enjoy the crab very much.. and the prawns are fresh.. The buffet spread of the fresh items are a lot.. there are sliced fish, squid, mutton slice, pork slice, chicken slice fillet, mussel, chicken feet, pork liver, mushroom, corn, instant noodle, egg, hot dog, Chinese sausage, green vegetables.. etc... The cook food section are full of Chong Qing local side dishes.. which are spicy too.. But the bun and other fried food are nice...

The place was so hot like sauna... my wife just unable to bear with the heat. of so many hotpot... Even my ice cold beer is not chilled after a few minutes.. After all i can't rate on this dinner.. because i don't think Chonng Qing dishes are to my taste...

So Tired...

Have been waking up at 6am since my kid start primary one.. For four months.. i have been feeling the fatigue... Can't get enough sleep.. when you have to wake up at 6am in the morning and get to sleep at the earliest 11pm.. (most of the time i feel asleep at 11.30pm or 12am).. Most of the night i have been waking up after 1 to 2 hours of sleep.. Just don't know why, maybe i was too tired mentally and physically..

I also believe most parents in Singapore also wake up that early to prepare their children to school.. but i was a bit different, i wake up early like other parents but because i work retail hour and my job usually finish at 9pm, so i sleep late... By the time i reach home it was 10pm.. then take my shower and had a little catch up with my wife.. and the next thing i know was 11pm - 1130pm..

Every week i only look forward to weekends.. (Sat and Sun).. and i could sleep a bit later till 8am.. because i still got to work during weekends (remember i work retail hour).. Sometime because of my lack of sleep.. i do make some silly mistake at work...