Trip to Bangkok 18May to 20May, 2007.

Inside aircraft cabin of Tiger Airline.
Another section of the SMD employees.
Chia with Sabrina and Jacquelin
Happy faces all round.
Anna from Continental-5 presenting birthday cake to Robert.
Robert with his birthday cake.

'Cabin crew' at the aircraft pantry. Getting ready to serve cake.
Lining-up at the new Bangkok Airport Immigration centre.
At the baggage collection centre.

This is the start of the second day. Boat ride to feed the heavenly fishes and visit to Wat Arun.

Joanne (SMD Techtronics), Anna Lim (ex-employee), Anna (from Tour Company), Dorwin and Robert.
Waiting for the ferry boat to arrive.
It's a hot day, sunglasses come in handy, otherwise will be collecting dust in the drawer.
At the river pier, boarding the ferry.

This river taxi plies along the river, stops at designated stations for passengers to get in or off. It is operated by Chao Phraya Express Boat Company. Along the river there are several stops of interest: The Si Phraya Pier offers famous arts and antiques, handcrafts and silk clothings; The Ratchawongse Pier takes you to Chinatown; Tien Pier brings you next to Wat Pho, featuring the largest reclining Buddha and the largest collection of Buddha images in Thailand and across the river, Wat Arun or the temple of Dawn so named because King Taksin arrived there at early dawn; The Chang Pier brings you The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo, the temple of the Emerald Buddha. Wat Phra Kaeo adjoins the Grand Palace which was consecrated in 1782 during King Rama I. For 100 Bahts, travel for the day is unlimited along the river.
This is the Chinese Foundation with its distinctive Chinese pagoda of the Mahayana Sect of Buddhism. Ladies outnumbering the guys, so they take pole positions.

Thai temple by the river.
The Memorial Bridge built by King Rama VII to link the east and west of Bangkok in commemoration of King Rama I. The centre section of the bridge can be lifted to allow ships to go through.
Wat Arun from Chao Phraya river built during the Ayutthaya period. The tall tower is called Phra Prang, now a distinctive landmark of Bangkok.Good counterbalance on the left-side otherwise the ferry will tilt towards the right.

Cruising along the muddy Chao Phraya river.
Pretty ladies Lek Foong Mei, Ang Seok Tin, Kong Ling Ling and Clara Chua on the morning boat ride.

Feeding the 'heavenly' fishes.

Unfortunately, no picture is available showing shopping activities. Visits to MBK (1 day shopping minimum), Pratunam Market, Pratunam Complex, Bangkok Bazaar, Big C, Isetan, Central World, Siam Discovery Centre, Siam Centre, Siam Paragon...and the list goes on and on, and for Pasar Malam experience, the Chatuchak weekend market will requires minimum 1 day to walk and shop. In shopping complexes, generally fix prices but for bazaars or weekend market, they are priced for bargain.

At the Cabaret Show.

Only one is a transvesite. Guess which one! Get the wrong one, expect a bad knock.

At Bangkok Safari Park.

Getting ready to go home.

Early birds group photo at hotel lobby.

Click on the picture to enlarge it.

Group photo outside Asia Hotel before boarding bus to airport.

Front row: Frank Chua, Jacquelin Lion, Sabrina, ex-employee Anna Lim, Dorwin Yap.

Middle row: Joanne Tow, Chua Geok Choo, Lee Yok Sam, Pang Ah Wah, Kong Ling Ling, Lek Foong Mei, Mala, Tan Seok Bee, Chan Miew Heng, Normala, Agnes, Lam Kwai Kerng, tour agent Anna and Ah Wah's friend Peter.

Back row: Robert and wife, Sim's sister Kim Neo, Ang Seok Tin, Sim's sister Ah Gin, Anna Sim, Alice Sim, Lam Wei Kuo, Clara Chua, Chia Chee Keong(hidden).

Jacquelin at the new Bangkok Airport.

Hope everyone has a memorable trip for years to come.

PART 2

We departed Kukup at 1.30pm.

We had to do what all Singaporeans will do: SHOPPING

Our plan: Go to as many shopping places as possible.

1st stop: Giant Hypermarket at Plentong

A very crowded place, 1 storey and many supporting

tenants besides Giant. Must get back to the coach

by 3.30pm.

2nd stop: Jusco Hypermarket at Tebrau. 3-storey

shopping centre, very crowded, mixed upper middle-class

tenants, must rush otherwise cannot make it back

to the coach by 4.45pm.

We decided to drop by SMD Techtronics JB since

we were quite near to it, unfortunately no key to

open the factory door.

We departed for Kulai town where we had our

dinner waiting for us.

A quick blowing of balloons followed in a flurry,

and you should know, a birthday party is in the order.

The Recreation Committee planned an advance

birthday party for Robert Tai, complete with a

birthday cake.

With balloons and banner saying it aloud, the

birthday song in English, Mandarin and Bahasa

broke the peace of the restaurant with our less

than polish chords.

Following tradition, a symbolic cut on the cake

followed, preferably with the help of loved one

if possible.

Some of our JB employees took the trouble

to join us for the dinner and here's the photo

to record their presence.

From left: Kunalan, Watie, Joanne, Robert Tai

and wife, Thian, Joyce (face partially hidden)

and son.

When we share table with the birthday 'boy', we

automatically have the honour of having our faces

appearing as well!

and cannot forget a little present. I presented it

on behalf of the employees and the Recreation

Committee.

We headed back to Singapore after our course

dinner arriving SMD Kallang Bahru at about 9.00pm.

We have to thanks Dorwin Yap and the rest of

the Committee member for a memorable trip.

PART 1

The Recreation Committee of SMD Singapore organised a family day outing to Kukup on 7 May 2006. The employees, family members and some friends gathered at Block 50, Kallang Bahru and the coach left at 8.00am to Kukup via the 2nd Link. After clearing the Singapore and Malaysian immigrations, we had to change to a Malaysian coach for our onward journey.

Our first stop was at Gelang Patah, a small no-longer sleepy town where we had our breakfast. Some people say that the small kueh-teow soup served there is special and delicious.

This is one corner of the coffee shop where we had stopped for breakfast. This man in the picture above was making la-mien (ramen).

After breakfast, we left for Kukup town, 1 hour and 30 minutes journey away. The road leading to Kukup town is a typical Malaysian country road that winds through small villages where villagers spend their time tending to small holdings of fruit trees and an occassional stretches of oil palm trees along the road. The youngsters have probably gone to the cities in search of jobs and leaving behind old folks who are spending their sunset years in their villages.

We were already on the ferry that will take us to the kelongs. We were all from the same group, so if you do not recognise some of the faces, then you will know what you have missed for not joining the trip. The orange packages above our heads are life-jackets, still in its original packing which are turning brown and which probably will never be opened.

Now, you will surly recognise Sabrina (catwalk on the ferry?) plus those people in the background. The benches look pathetic but still serve their purpose.

This is also taken on the ferry immediately after embarkation. We were all ready to start the ferry ride and awaiting for the weather-beaten man to get it going, a job that he has been doing for years.

This is a small part of the kelong. They actually stretches over a very big area, probably this the only livelihood available to the people. When this picture was taken, the ferry stopped and we saw fishermen on sampang removing jelly fishes that were entangled on the nets. Some of them were huge, up to 10" diameter. The jelly-fish bodies were harvested and the remainder thrown back into the sea, food-folder for other sea creatures.

The better looking houses-on-the-sea also serve as accomodation to visitors who want an over-night stay for groups of 6 to 10 people, but not quite suitable for romance unless you book the whole unit.

This was taken on the kelong itself. Walking along the planks doesn't need alot of balancing skills. So you can chat, walk or wave... you won't fall.

From left to right: Siew Koon's friend, Ang Seok Tin, Pang Ah Wah, Anna Lim, Anna's friend, Sentil Kumar, 'Ramo-Ramo'.

Similar shot and watching some demo on the water-spitting fishes.

We invited Joanne from SMD Techtronics to join us. She hopped onto the coach at the Malaysian immigration at the 2nd link.

Dorwin and Sabrina for momento. At the background was another kelong with visitors. You cannot have catwalk on the kelong, high-heels can get caught on the many gaps present. The weather-beaten planks formed a framework and there are nets under each of the sub-section where fishes are reared and harvested. So different sub-section may have different types of fish.

A second honeymoon maybe?

Trying to show off with King-crab, especially with Karim's children around. The king-crab is not for the kitchen but its eggs are sold to restaurants as delicacy. You do not need alot of skills to handle it as it does'nt bite and of course children get impressed.

Whole family on the hammock, luckily never break, otherwise have to pay for one. I would'nt mind having one under the coconut trees for retirement! As with other kelongs, the kelong owner also have on displayed for sales sundry and food items for the visitors to bring home. Most of the items like prawn crackers or cuttle-fishes can be bought from just any other sundry shops or supermarkets any where else on the mainland!

While we watch the people, the people actually spent their time watching us. These are actually residential houses along the coast but on stilts. During low tides, you can see the mud on the ground. Amongst the houses are several temples, indication of strong Toaist tradition among the people living there.

Back from the kelong and having a good lunch

Table #1

Table #2 comprises mainly Muslim employees and family members.

Table #3 with Clara Chua looking straight into the camera.

Some people can be recognised just by their size.

Table #4. Chia still busy with the crabs while the rest of us just relax.

This winds up the morning part of the trip.