BANGKOK GTG IN NOVEMBER???

Bob
I won't be there at that time, but I see you'll be in BKK for Thanksgiving. I'll bet Maeng is fixing turkey and all the trimmings (Thai style...lol)... on that day. You probably already have every meal planned waaaaay ahead, but I'm sure Maeng would set a table for 4!
Carol

we do hope to have maeng's garlic shrimp one day while there..

karen wants to be as far from turkey as she can be!!

Bob, we may overlap with you in Bangkok on one day. We arrive in Bangkok on the 20th and fly out very early in the morning on the 26th.

So far the 25th(Wednesday) looks the best with Kathie and Cheryl, the Bobs and the Andys + NYwoman?

i arrive in bangkok on the 20th(ua), then leave on the 29th. kathie, we might be traveling together from narita.

anytime is a good time for me for a mini or maxi gtg. lol.

bob, i'm with karen. no turkey for me.

kathie...we return to the plaza anthenee about 6PM on the 25th....should be able to connect that nite...

so then maybe the question is: WHO WILL BE IN BKK ON NOV 25 IN THE EVENING??

Muffin and I also arrive on the 20th! But looks like we will miss all the fun...DRAT

Ken, we'll be flying from Rangoon on the 20th. It sounds like you'll be there if we meet on the 25th - that's great! It looks like we'll have a nice-sized group.

I won't be there on the 25th but if you do get together, please raise a glass to me - it's my birthday. Hopefully there will be other Fodorites in Bangkok when Jeane and I are there in February.

If we plan the GTG early enough in the day, Bob won't be awake and we can have a great time. We will certainly raise a glass to Craig as long as the Yankees don't win the World Series.

it came to me that Kineree on soi 8, sukhumvit might be a good place for a thai dinner and meeting....maybe i will ask carol to check it out for us in the next few weeks.....she loves to do kimball errands, but then its "her neighborhood"....

if we went there it would give kathie and andy and others a perfect chance to check it out...

I'll try to keep my travel plans clear for the 20th - 26th. Kinnaree sounds good. Those that do want turkey may want to check out Bourbon Street. I haven't make it there yet for Thanksgiving, but everyone raves about it. I think he serves it all weekend, so it doesn't have to be on the day. You could do Maeng's one day and Bourbon the next!

ttt

we need more attendees on the 25th....

TTT

So Bob, when I walk down soi 8 to Kinnaree in the next couple of weeks, to check out a possible GTG location there, how many folks do you think you'll have at your GTG? Looks to me to be about 10-12?? Are you looking for a private room or just a large table?
Carol

that's probably about right...maybe 10 by my current count, but perhaps a few more..

How about a table for 9 and a table for one?

panda... tsk...tsk... You two are going to give people an impression that you don't get along... haha!

so why would you sit alone gpanda?? many of these people have met you before and know what you are like...

the list of attendees continues to grow daily...nywoman says she probably will be there....lori?... kathie and cheryl...pook el al....ken....

As everyone may have guessed, the solo table is for the POB. That will give him ample opportunity to engage the reataurant manager in a long, extended, tedious conversation and not bore the rest of us. Also, it will make it easier for the waitperson to spit in his food and not confuse it with ours.

It sounds like we have a fine group!

Even better. There has been some background discussion of schedules and grids concerning this trip. With any luck, there may be a clash of wills. Of course, the ever-peaceful panda will not be a participant.

the panda sits back and lets the rest of us do all the work and then spends the rest of the trip complimenting himself on how perfect things were, or complaining about everything...

For an example of the above, I note that I had absolutiely no involvement in the purchase of our BKK tickets whatsoever. I just looked on Orbitz and the lowest fare for our dates in $1477, more than twice what we paid. Bob and Beth did all the work and Karen and I shall reap the rewards. Just as it should be. The universe is properly aligned. For the moment. It was not when I got the parking ticket in NYC.

I may be able to come. How fancy do you folks dress up?

No need to rent a tux, degas. We're all pretty casual.

No Speedo!

So true! Something between a tux and a speedo.

Okay - I'll buy some new gym shorts and white tennis shoes From Target just for this special event.

and a wife beater T shirt....you will be fine...

Let's talk about the no speedo rule. They're stylish and cool. You rarely have to worry about someone wearing the same speedo as you. Basic black is good for evening wear. Sounds perfect.

Ok Gpanda go ahead! Picture this, hot and humid even with the A/C on. Vinyl covered seats at the restaurant - enjoy!

My fur never sticks, even to vinyl. Plus, if you're wearing a speedo there's only a tiny chance you will spill food on your clothes. Think of all the ties and shirts that could have been saved with a little forethought.

So you wear a extra small Speedo?

speedos look good on hunks or guys from 15 to 27 but old men should think twice....

Hanuman-in truth, I usually wear the largest speedo available, except when I'm swimming with Bob. For those occassions I wear the bear minimum (a pun for the panda lovers).

Bob-I used to be between 15 and 27. No longer a hunk, currently a chunk.

So, I as at a 'do' at the royal navy auditorium (good dinner with the lighted Grand Palace as a backdrop to the brightly lit dinner boats on the river, with fireworks over the river for dessert - nice) and it occurred to me that with so many of you here at one time, we might have a quorum of people interested in seeing the Thonburi palace, which is in the headquarters of the royal navy.

The palace has been rather nicely restored, but it's only open by appointment for groups of five or more, so if four of you are interested - and available on the same day - I'd be willing to organize it. Let me know if any of you are interested, with the dates and number of people. Here's a link to my write-up of the palace from my last (and only) visit:

http://thailandforvisitors.com/central/bangkok/palaces/thonburipal/index.html

On a completely unrelated note, I saw a rather interesting, if slightly creepy, development in Thai puppetry last night. Check out: http://twitpic.com/d4t3t

aye aye mike, count me in. being an ex-swab, it will be very interesting for me. perhaps another ex-swab might find it interesting as well. thanks for thinking of this opportunity.

i will be free anytime from nov. 21-28, so i can work around anyones tight schedule.

we (2) would have interest in a visit too....and probably gpanda and mrs panda (2) would come along and our other travelling companion (1), so that would be 5 right there... so nov 26 or 27 would be best for us...

let us know michael what would work for you...

Thanks for the offer, Michael. We would be interested, but our time in Bangkok is so limited this trip, it may not be possible to squeeze it in. Make arrangements on the basis of other people's schedules, and if it happens to work for us - great.

SO IN MY MIND I AM THINKING 7:15 PM on Nov 25.....does that work for everyone??

Can anyone explain what in other part of his body could Bob be thinking...

"So in my foot I am thinking 7:15 PM on Nov 25?"

This is dumb even for a Needhamite.

We have to asume he is talking about the GTG NOT the palace visit. Talk about flight of ideas!!! Try living with him.

Maybve we can get him to go to the palace during the GTG. That would take some nifty footwork by MichaelBKK.

[Now in Bali] Yes, 7:15 is a little late for the palace, which I think closes at 4:00 in the afternoon. I'll stat looking into this, to see if there are dates that are better for them, as I think the guides who have to take you through are volunteers.

I shall have to check if Pandas, or Bobs, are allowed at all.

Thanks Michael. If you can get Bob to go there when it's closed, it would be a feather in your cap.

Thanks guys!

TTT for nywoman

OK... an update is in order here. I really believe that my next BKK trip will be in October, not November. I'd prefer to space my BKK trips out just a bit better. Anyway, mcbeanie will be in BKK (as will DS) in October! I'll still have company... not that I need any.

Looks like the BKK GTG will be minus ME. Have fun though.

Carol

i bet you are going to a TA GTG!!!

Just hit "purchase" for Oct 21 to Nov 3.... sorry! TA... NEVER!! Sandra (mcbeanie) and her DH and Brad and I will hopefully have a mini GTG of our own in BKK.

Sorry I won't see you in Bangkok. But you'll be HNL won't you?

Yes, Kathie, I'll be in HNL. Can't wait! See you there.
C

Thanks for the TTT Bob. I'll be there on the 25th as you know.

fanny, we look forward to seeing you again....it should be fun and you will get to meet some of the famous bkk members and others

Womens intuition is working in my favor. DH and I just booked our (I thought we'd miss this year....) trip to Switzerland!! We leave on T'giving Day for 2 weeks. Now see, there was a good reason for me to visit BKK in October, not November!!!
Carol

so its looking like we will have a decent group of up to 15...kineree will provide us with good foods and we will have a private room so gpanda will wear his red speedo....and probably dance on the table....

so remember its 7PM on the 25th november at kineree on soi 8 sukhumvit if anyone else wants to join us...

correction....i just looked at the reservation and its for 7:15...

This might help those that are not too familiar with Bangkok: http://www.kinnareegourmet.com/map.html

thanks for the link, Hanuman. Yum, they serve Mieng Kham.

So if a guy went to that dinner on the 25th do you think he could make it to an 00:50 flight to Nagoya on the 26th?

daijyobu.

if you are gonna be there a few days earlier, ring me up and we can go see the races.

Easily done! Leave the restaurant at around 9.30 - 10.00 PM and you'll be at the airport by 10.30 PM giving you plenty of time.

So I think this could be an opportunity to meet with Hanuman and bury the hatchet.

KW,

If you attend the GTG I'll be there. Confirm with rhkkmk as he is the coordinator for the event.

Okay, so we need to arrange for one of those metal detector thingies to make sure no hatchets are carried into the GTG.

lol

Don't worry, pandas are experts in paw-to-paw combat.

Beware of exploding Pandas at the GTG!

As long as you aren't planning to bury the hatchet IN Hanuman...