Christmas in Bangkok.

[Sprucegoose]

Memory revival is alive and well. I recall being chased by an elephant down Soi Cowboy and I was forced to seek protection in a bar!

How spooky was that?

 

[RooFlyer]

And some more great examples of electrical wiring Bangkok style.

I too have admired the electrical wiring in Bangkok, Saigon etc. But in the above photos, I wonder if the coiled wiring is for internet/"cable TV" etc? You see the optical fibre coiled like that when its strung up on poles around where I am.

 

[drron]

Until now we were not pleased with the stay. Service was well below previous standards. The Executive breakfast for plats and above was outstanding. Now they have slightly reduced the offerings but as well if the main restaurant is too busy they send many upstairs. It turns it into the second zoo available for breakfast and the service gets even worse. This happened on 3 out of our 5 days and were told it would be every day until the New Year.

The Living Room has only the senior barman and the piano players left from the pre Covid staff. So the wait staff are brand new and appear to be quite forgetful. Also pre Covid at least 1 executive would visit the Living Room each night and talk to the guests. This was our 4th night and we hadn’t seen one.

So I had posted on Flyer Talk our experience and how this was our 101st stay and probably our last. I admit that was a deliberate ploy as the previous manager always read the SGS thread on FT. They apparently they still do as the GM arrived in the lounge and came straight over to us and we had a long talk and not pulling any punches. I think you will see in the next few posts how different the last two days were.

 

[Pushka]

Until now we were not pleased with the stay. Service was well below previous standards. The Executive breakfast for plats and above was outstanding. Now they have slightly reduced the offerings but as well if the main restaurant is too busy they send many upstairs. It turns it into the second zoo available for breakfast and the service gets even worse. This happened on 3 out of our 5 days and were told it would be every day until the New Year.

The Living Room has only the senior barman and the piano players left from the pre Covid staff. So the wait staff are brand new and appear to be quite forgetful. Also pre Covid at least 1 executive would visit the Living Room each night and talk to the guests. This was our 4th night and we hadn’t seen one.

So I had posted on Flyer Talk our experience and how this was our 101st stay and probably our last. I admit that was a deliberate ploy as the previous manager always read the SGS thread on FT. They apparently they still do as the GM arrived in the lounge and came straight over to us and we had a long talk and not pulling any punches. I think you will see in the next few posts how different the last two days were.

101 stays. Wow.

Its interesting how the different hospitality sectors track forums. Viking always reads Cruise Critic main threads and roll calls. They made a major change to our itinerary next May a few days after I posted that the port date in Haifa Israel was on Jerusalem Day and not safe according to a major private shore excursion company who refused to organise a private tour on that day.

 

[drron]

So to Thursday morning. Down to Rossinis for the Executive breakfast and they have the overflow buffet again but with an important difference. Only those who qualify for the Executive breakfast can sit in the restaurant and the others in the Living Room or Library.

But as soon as we exited the lift a staff member came and escorted us directly into the restaurant. On top of that everyone addressed us by name, carried our plates and our orders were correct.



The mango here is always very good.
So the day had started very well.

 

[drron]

That day Mrsdrron had planned to visit the Jim Thomson outlet in Sukhumvit Soi 93. It is 6 stations away by the train and now costs 48 baht each way- $2. Were then going to have lunch there as they had a little restaurant there with a great pomelo salad and a lemongrass drink.

The area had changed with a massive new apartment complex. Still lots of street stalls though. The view as we walked from the train station.


When we got to Jim Thomson Mrsdrron was disappointed with the paucity of choice. Before 5 floors packed with merchandise. The prices were all significantly higher.


The view from the top floor.



What was even more disappointing was that the restaurant was no more.
Walking back and some street art outside the new apartment complex.


What Soi 93 used to look like.


And Sukhumvit road under the station.



So back to the hotel for a rest.

 

[drron]

Just after we got back this was delivered.


Wow what a difference a day makes!
We kept the bottle of wine as it will come in handy when we move to the apartment on Friday. But ate the cheese.

Once again I then took off on an afternoon walk. Really pleasant with no humidity. I first went over to the Westin to check out the menu in their Japanese restaurant. Lobby is on the 7th floor so up in the lift . The restaurant is on the 8th floor so I started to walk to the stairs. I turned and looked at the lobby and there was their new GM who we had known for 10 years as he worked his way up to Assistant GM at the SGS with 6 months as Acting GM on the retirement of the previous GM of 20 years.

So I walked over and we had a 20 minute chat. A lovely fellow. I cut it short so he could get on with his job.

 

[drron]

I then walked up the street between the Westin and Terminal 21. Yes it had bars and massage places but more upscale. The street was also lined with trees. A marked difference to the day before.




As I kept walking the buildings improved in quality and decoration as well as now having guards.

 

[drron]

At the end of the road I came to this.


And next to it the Wattana church.


Now I thought I would have a walk around the school grounds as although it said no unauthorised entry there were lots of people walking in and out. But just inside the gate was a large board with the dress code and shorts were not allowed so I turned around and then down the first side road.


A variety of spirit houses.





And then came to the Four Points hotel and next door to…..


I guess the guests need to keep abreast of the going’s on in Bangkok.
Coming up the road to the Four Points was a fellow who easily looked 80+ .overweight.red ,sweaty and short of breath holding hands with his Asian granddaughter. I wonder if he survived.
And lastly an Argentinian steak house next to Terminal 21.

 

[drron]

Once again to the Living Room for happy hour. Tonight we got to talk to 3 of the executive team. One of them walked straight over to us and had a chat then left. One was again the GM. Starting to feel a little embarrassed by the attention but then decided to lap it up.

On top of all that they made a special chilly free plate of canapés for Mrsdrron. First time that has happened in approximately 500 nights. Not only that but 2 people thought of the same thing so she got 2 servings. Forgot to take a picture. A little later we shared plates of chicken and pork satay.


We once again stayed on until the second of their jazz trios played.







A good night.

 

[oz_mark]

I too have admired the electrical wiring in Bangkok, Saigon etc. But in the above photos, I wonder if the coiled wiring is for internet/"cable TV" etc? You see the optical fibre coiled like that when its strung up on poles around where I am.

Indeed. That mass of wiring includes telephone cables and stuff.

 

[drron]

Friday and our last day at the SGS. Once again at breakfast we were escorted past the queue into the restaurant. Mrsdrron didn’t have to do anything. They had noticed that she always began with a plate of mango. She ended up with 3 plates on 2 of them the mango was peeled. Her usual omelette came without needing to be ordered. We were asked whether we wanted our cappuccinos again without having to order.

Then back to the room and packed. The plan was to go to the Terminal 21 food court about noon and have an oyster omelette for lunch. Mrsdrron though wasn’t hungry so I went by myself. Fortunately the price hadn’t gone up again since May but the number of oysters had gone down.



We left just before 1400. One of the doormen wanted a discussion about his son when he found out I knew about hearts. His son had hypertrophic cardiomyopathy so I was able to tell him a lot that he hadn’t been told including having family checked as being picked up early in life a high chance of it being genetic.
So when the taxi arrived the staff got a card signed by the driver agreeing to the fare that they thought was appropriate. They took some time for the driver to agree.

So service recovery was excellent.

 

[Gladstone Tim]

As you say, drron, service recovery was good. But should it require a high level guest to go to such lengths? And will they be addressing and correcting the actual cause or now that you have left will they revert to their old ways?

 

[Quickstatus]

So service recovery was excellent.

I wonder now that you are gone, will it return to normal programming?

 

[drron]

I too have admired the electrical wiring in Bangkok, Saigon etc. But in the above photos, I wonder if the coiled wiring is for internet/"cable TV" etc? You see the optical fibre coiled like that when its strung up on poles around where I am.

So today on my walk I paid particular attention to the wires and indeed it seems the coiled wires are for cables as mainly outside hotels and apartments. As well have obvious boxes near coils.




But some places it is just a jumble.


And here there were cut wires,jumbles and wires coming near to the ground.




So it looks like the Tasmanian East Coast has been trying to catch up to Thailand’s level of technology.

 

[TheRealTMA]

So today on my walk I paid particular attention to the wires and indeed it seems the coiled wires are for cables as mainly outside hotels and apartments. As well have obvious boxes near coils.
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But some places it is just a jumble.View attachment 311335
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And here there were cut wires,jumbles and wires coming near to the ground.
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So it looks like the Tasmanian East Coast has been trying to catch up to Thailand’s level of technology.

Turnbull’s version of NBN!

 

[RooFlyer]

So today on my walk I paid particular attention to the wires and indeed it seems the coiled wires are for cables as mainly outside hotels and apartments. As well have obvious boxes near coils.

If that was in Australia they'd get an Arts Council grant!!

 

[drron]

The jumbles are a good imitation of Turnbull’s mind.
Though spell check wanted to change his name to Turnbuckle. They must know him.

 

[maia200]

The diagnosis is a fractured head of humerus and now waiting in the waiting room of the Orthopod.

Oh no so sorry to hear that. I still wonder why she passed out. This will change your holiday. I hope that she recovers without too much pain.

 

[drron]

So back to Friday and our arrival at the Mayfair Apartments. Across the road is the new Kimpton hotel.

The entrance is nicely decorated for Christmas.



There were 2 checking in so I stood behind them. They sent a woman out to talk to me and I said I had a booking for a 1 bedroom apartment with a washing machine. She asked me when the booking was from and I said today. She then asked when I would leave so I told her January 3rd.
She told me to sit and she would be back. A few minutes later she returned and said we are completely booked and we can’t give you a room. I had suspected she had no idea what I was talking about so I had the email confirming the booking up on my phone.

Oh sorry and we go to the desk. The fellow brings up my booking and I sign agreement. He then says he wants the amount of the booking as a deposit. This had happened at the SGS twice this year and it may be a Bangkok thing or just Marriott. He then said a block would only last 2 weeks so could I pay in full now. I thought it strange but I was just 4 days past my Amex statement date so it would make no difference to when I would have to pay. So I agreed.

But then he says I will need to take a deposit for the incidentals of 1000 baht a day. I pointed out he initially wanted the amount I had just paid as a deposit so why did I have to pay an extra deposit. Like talking to a brick wall and he finally said if I didn’t pay the deposit they would remove everything from the minibar. He wasn’t ready for me saying I would like that to be done as we never use it anyway. So then he said that I wouldn’t be able to charge anything to my room.

So I let him take the deposit but his GM and head office are going to hear about it next week.

He then handed me my welcoming letter.


More insult to the injury.