• Ramblings

    Bangkok Thoughts

    October 9, 2008

    It was a tiring trip, the weather was sapping my energy, and the juggling between a full day session and another project back in Singapore was really killing me.

    **************************************************

    And I pity those elephants that the Thais used to earn money on the crowded roads of Bangkok. They should be happily roaming in the wild, not being driven by someone on his back along the roads, with cars so close to them. Their sad eyes seem to tell me that they are resigned to the fact that they will never be free.

    **************************************************

    I checked the hotel invoice, found some discrepancy, and got them to reprint it again. Smiling smugly to myself, I forgot to check the reprinted invoice again. The hotel had charged me for an extra night.

    **************************************************

    Did not realise there was a bloody riot going on the day I left Bangkok. I was mildly frustrated when I had to go through another security check upon landing in Changi Airport, thinking it was just to be cautious. It was only when my mother called me to make sure I was fine as I was about to board the taxi that I realised there was a riot. The area around my hotel in Bangkok was calm, and I saw no panic nor fear in the Thais I met.

    **************************************************

    I have to go back to Bangkok again.

    Read More
  • Ramblings

    Can’t Blame Me Right?

    October 2, 2008

    *phone rings*

    Me : Hello?

    Lady : Hi, may I speak to xxx?

    Me : Speaking. If you are selling me anything, I am not interested.

    Lady : No Sir. I am from xxx. You ordered delivery from us between xxx and xxx.

    Me : I don’t remember.

    Lady : It’s alright. I just want to tell you there was a contest going on, and you have won xxx.

    Me : Right <sarcastically>. And I have to attend some talk with you all before I can get it right?

    Lady : No Sir, I just need your particulars, and we will send you a letter to claim your prize.

    Me <skeptical again> : Wait a minute, I used my house phone to order, not my handphone.

    Lady : Yes, and your house phone is xxx. We have your handphone number on our records.

    Me : Ok, so what you need from me?

    Lady : I will need your particular, name, IC number and address.

    Me : My name is xxx, IC number is xxx, and address, <skeptical yet again> hey, wait a minute. If I ordered delivery from you, won’t you have my house address?

    Lady : Yes, but we only have your block and street, not your unit number. Your address is xxx right?

    Me : Ok. Here is my house address xxx.

    Lady : Thank you Sir. You should receive a letter within 1 week. You will need the letter to come and claim your prize.

    Me : Ok, thanks.

    Lady <trying to convince me fully>: Please go to this website xxx to find out more about the contest. Thank you.

    ********************************

    Well, you can’t blame me right? Considering the kind of scams going around all the time, not to mention I hardly won anything before, and with all those irritating MFs, I can’t help being skeptical.

    I must say the lady was very patient, though I bet I was not the first person to react like this when she made these calls.

    Read More
  • Ramblings

    Bangkok Again

    October 1, 2008

    I am needed at Bangkok again.

    Truth be told, I am needed too in Singapore. But as I realised long ago, I let the management decide where they want me to be. And this time, they decided that I should be in Bangkok for two days. My boss said that I have to make plans to ensure that my work in Singapore will not be affected. Hmm, I don’t know, how about I plan to have myself cloned? The world will not end, the sun will not rise from the west and the rivers will not turn into blood when I am gone, so I am not going to make any extensive plans.

    The previous few times to Bangkok were a rush, fly in, check in, do my job, check out, fly back. This time round I am thinking of flying there earlier and doing some tourist activities, like some shopping. I just might do that.

    Read More
  • Ramblings

    Telemarketers

    September 29, 2008

    I am seriously getting sick and tired of all these telemarketers.

    I have been getting calls from them at least once or twice regularly. Previously it was just companies representing banks, recently I get calls offering me makeovers, insurance, PCs from Dell and even a call from India offering to sell me Oracle software. The worst was when I refused to pick up one of the calls, and they just kept calling me a few times for a few days! When I finally picked it up and started to scold the person, he just slammed down the phone!

    There should be a law somewhere to prevent all these telemarketer calls.

    Read More