Two weeks ago, I finally had a chance to fly on the last remaining Thai Airways International 747-300s in first class. I didn’t plan on doing this initially but due to a cancelled flight out of Bangkok, this was my only option. More about that latter in the report.
Departing San Francisco
United Airlines 747-400
My flight to Thailand was on United Airlines 747-400 business class, through Tokyo.
Crazy & bizarre people always seem to follow me. When I got to my seat in San Francisco, the guy next to me smelled like a distillery. He was connecting from New York. He was an older Japanese man that had plenty of stories to tell. I knew I’d be in for an interesting flight. He claimed to be good friends with North Korean leader Kim Jong IL.
I wanted to hear more about his associations with Mr. Kim Jong IL but whenever I’d ask in-depth questions, he’d say that he was sworn to secrecy not to talk too much about it.
I have a feeling it was the whiskey talking. He ended up passing out shortly after takeoff. Didn’t even have meal service in flight or anything. I wanted to hear more of his stories.
The service was fantastic on both legs of the United trip to Bangkok.
Baiyoke Sky Hotel
Buffet
This time around, I treated myself to a couple of nights at the Baiyoke Sky Hotel. It’s the world’s tallest hotel. I don’t care what those people in Dubai say, the Baiyoke is the tallest because every floor is occupied and doesn’t have fake height like the tower in Dubai.
This is a four star hotel. The rooms are pretty good and of course, the views are amazing. My room was on the 67th floor.
There breakfast buffet is world class.
The rest of my stay in Bangkok was in the Nana district. I can’t believe I missed that part of town last time I was in Bangkok. I swore that I would never return to the Khaosan with all of the dirty backpackers that shower once a week.
Getting there was an experience. Every traveler has had that one crazy taxi driver. This was my turn I guess. I gave the cab driver the address to the hotel I was staying at and we agreed at 200 THB for the ride. Well he purposely took the long way and pretended to be lost. It ended up taking us almost an hour to get to my hotel and it should have only been a 15-minute ride.
Once we arrived to the Nana, he demanded 700 THB. I knew the guy was BSing me so I gave him the 200 THB that we agreed but he kept demanding an extra 500 THB.
So we’re standing there arguing and he started shouting; “Your trying to f—k me!”
“You f—k me, I f—k you!”
So he started taking his clothes off right there on the sidewalk next to his taxi. So I started to run away from the guy. HE CHASED ME 3 BLOCKS TOTALLY NAKED!!!!! He was shouting “You f—k me, I f—k you!”
This little old man was fast. I couldn’t out run him. This was quite a spectacle.
So I caved in and gave the crazy naked man an extra 500THB. So I lost the equivalent of $15 US. Big deal.
The ladies at the front desk saw the whole thing unfold and I can tell they were having a hard time holding in there laughs as I was checking in.
Models at mall
Of course I did the usual single guy stuff; meeting girls, message parlors, soapies, ect.
I made it out to that mall with all of those electronics. No bargains on cameras but did buy a camera case.
I also stopped by the Pink Pussy.
Sunset in Pattaya.
I got out to Pattaya this time around. When I was there, I rented a motorcycle and rode out to the countryside to see Thailand on my own. It’s nice to get away from all the tourist. On occasion, I had to share the road with elephants. When I was in Pattaya, I went to Pattaya Park and went to the top of that large tower. That was really fun being suspended from a cable and riding that down 52 stories.
That was once of the many highlights of Pattaya.
I had to share the road with these guys.
Plenty of good food vendors on any given street.
Cable jump
Christao17, me and Lufthansa747
Then it was back to Bangkok.
This time I met up with Airliners.net members Lufthansa747 and ChrisTao17.
It was brief but I was glad to meet some members that have moved there at this site. Me and Lufthansa did some spotting at Suvarnabhumi also.
The high lights was Lao Airlines AN-24 copy, Aeroflot IL-96 and Druk Air Bae146.
My flight out of Bangkok was cancelled so I had to buy a ticket out to Hong Kong to catch my connecting flight.
I wanted to fly Thai Airways International but the only two seats that were left were in first class. The very first class that I started a thread about last month in the Civil Aviation threads.
Elephant hanging out at Nana
Larry & Lari
Lufthansa747 ended up joining me on the flight to Hong Kong. From the time was got out of the taxi at Suvarnabhumi, we were treated like Kings.
Check in went swiftly and then we were chauffeured away in the Thai Airways golf cart to the Royal First Class Lounge. There we had champagne, omelets, bacon and a few other treats I can’t think of right now. The went on for a little over an hour prior to our boarding announcement. Then we were chauffeured across the airport to the gate. Then we boarded on to the beautiful 747-300!.
Breakfast
Walking in to that classy first class seating area with the velour velvet seats was like seeing the Taj Mahal for the first time! Yes, it’s old but I like it like that!
The service was out of this world!
The best in-flight service ever!
Thai Airways staff was very professional and very helpful.
Me and Lufthansa747 had finished off two bottles of Dom Perignon and several rounds of Johnny Walker Blue Label.
The breakfast service was mushroom & tomato omelet with bangers. I thought it was neat how the butter had the Thai Airways logo stamped in to it. I didn’t even want to spread it on my muffins. The presentation was so nice.
The guy in the background looked like a taller, angrier BMIFlyer.
Cart ride
I loved those old style first class seats with velour seating surface. What a shame they are getting rid of them.
Too bad, it was only a two-hour flight.
I ended up missing my connecting flight which wasn’t a bad thing after all. Lufthansa747 knows the streets of Hong Kong blindfolded so we ended up going in to down town and did some sightseeing. It was my first time in Hong Kong.
I was amazing by the architecture in Hong Kong. Skyscrapers on top of hilltops!
Hong Kong is not a place for those who are afraid of heights.
Blue label
Dom perigion
I arrive in Hong Kong
I will add more photos later on when I have more time.
SASDC8 From Norway, joined Mar 2006, 593 posts, RR: 1 Reply 6, posted (4 years 11 months 15 hours ago) and read 20554 times:
Nice report and good pictures.. Those old First seats looks really nice, albeit not up to today's standards
Looks like you had fun in Thailand... I think it is one og the best countries to be on vacation in
The Taxi story, I found rather scary. Had a TUK TUK driver chase me i HKT, but lucky was saved by hotel security
Aeroflot777 From Russia, joined Mar 2004, 2858 posts, RR: 36 Reply 8, posted (4 years 11 months 4 hours ago) and read 20321 times:
Great report Larry!
Didn't know you were off to Thailand again!
Just one small thing... The Baiyoke Sky Hotel is the tallest hotel in South-East Asia. The tallest hotel (excluding the fake-height of the hotel in Dubai) is the Grand Hyatt Shanghai in China. I stayed in a room over there on the 84th floor.
What was the purpose of your trip? Long time no talk!
Aeroflot777
There is no such a thing as a bad airline or airplane. If it flies in the skies, I'm on it.
PerthGloryFan From Australia, joined Oct 2000, 751 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (4 years 10 months 4 weeks 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 20163 times:
A very entertaining read! Getting chased by a naked taxi driver - would have to be Bangkok, that sort of thing would never happen in KL or Sinkers!
Quoting Superfly (Thread starter): Of course I did the usual single guy stuff; meeting girls, message parlors, soapies, ect.
Good to see that you aren't letting your standards drop as you get older SF
And I'm sure the last pic has a story to go with it but probably not to be shared on an all-ages aviation forum.
Bangkok is sure an "interesting" place - rats in the gutters the szie of cats - but it is a fun city. Glad you enjoyed it - watch any table tennis? Well ping pong balls anyway.
Lufthansa747 From Philippines, joined May 1999, 3109 posts, RR: 51 Reply 10, posted (4 years 10 months 4 weeks 1 day 8 hours ago) and read 19995 times:
I was waiting for this one, and had to go to the local 7-Eleven to buy a bottle of something decent to get into the right mood to read it.
Ahh, so it was at the Internet cafe... No wonder we couldn't figure out where that pic was taken. Plenty of high quality drinks were had by both that evening for sure... That bottle of SangSom was emptied faster than ever IIRC.
Quoting Superfly (Thread starter): Lufthansa747 knows the streets of Hong Kong blindfolded so we ended up going in to down town and did some sightseeing.
Well I know HK but remember that train ride back? I had to pop another San Miguel - leaving HK Station at 5.40pm for a 6.05pm departure was a bit too close for me... I don't know how we wasted all afternoon, but I'm thankful they have those golf carts at HKG. Without a cart and HKD 50, I'd have missed that Srilankan A330 back home. And I got the TG F experience all again... Haha.
As for that TG 747-300, I don't have an idea how we ever got on. I put us on waitlist at 2am that Sunday morning, straight on waitlist. It confirmed at 10am.
As fars as I'm concerned, F service was horrible. Nowhere near SQ, and pre plated drinks and no answer to call buttons was the worst.
Lufthansa747 From Philippines, joined May 1999, 3109 posts, RR: 51 Reply 11, posted (4 years 10 months 4 weeks 17 hours ago) and read 19851 times:
Quoting Lufthansa747 (Reply 10): As fars as I'm concerned, F service was horrible. Nowhere near SQ, and pre plated drinks and no answer to call buttons was the worst.
Considering I had finished a bottle of whisky by the time I posted that reply... let me rephrase that.
Of course it wasn't horrible, but some points:
- Pre-departure drinks on a tray - others serve individually in F, not just a pre-poured selection
- Juices/water similarly on pre-poured on a tray
- Meal served on a tray in F, even GF had a proper table setup on BKK-HKG
- My fish entree was completely inedible, the fish was hard as rock
- I tried to use the call button 4 times, nobody replied ever
The seats and drink selection was the only difference to C as far as I'm concerned.
Ground service in BKK was top notch, beats SQ and CX hands down.
Seems tomorrow is the last 743 to HKG, but it appears in PEK schedules until April 30.
NoUFO From Germany, joined Apr 2001, 7371 posts, RR: 16 Reply 12, posted (4 years 10 months 4 weeks 15 hours ago) and read 19805 times:
Quoting Superfly (Thread starter): So he started taking his clothes off right there on the sidewalk next to his taxi. So I started to run away from the guy. HE CHASED ME 3 BLOCKS TOTALLY NAKED!!!!! He was shouting "You f---k me, I f---k you!"
I'd give you the $15 you lost back in a heartbeat had I have the chance to see that.
A storyboard for a movie with a scene like that would probably not be accepted for being to "unrealistic".
Beautiful things can be built even from stones placed in your way. - Goethe
Christao17 From Thailand, joined Apr 2005, 787 posts, RR: 9 Reply 13, posted (4 years 10 months 4 weeks 1 hour ago) and read 19635 times:
I'm famous! I'm famous! Yeah!!!
Larry, nice report as always. I'll miss the TG 747-300s when they are gone. Hope you'll make it back to Thailand soon and I'll get you those details you asked for as soon as I'm back in town.
AirCop From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 14, posted (4 years 10 months 3 weeks 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 19421 times:
Saw a Thai 743 looking a little lonely sitting near some One-Two-GO 747's yesterday as we were taxiing to our gate. Larry I have to agree Thailand is a very interesting place...
Quoting Superfly (Thread starter): Once we arrived to the Nana, he demanded 700 THB. I knew the guy was BSing me so I gave him the 200 THB that we agreed but he kept demanding an extra 500 THB.
So we’re standing there arguing and he started shouting; “Your trying to f—k me!”
Let's meet up when you get back to San Francisco.
Thanks for the hotel update.
Quoting PerthGloryFan (Reply 9): A very entertaining read! Getting chased by a naked taxi driver - would have to be Bangkok, that sort of thing would never happen in KL or Sinkers!
Well that is part of the craziness of Bangkok. Overall, I still love that city.
Perhaps I could have out ran him if I wasn't carrying my suitcase and wearing sandals.
Quoting PerthGloryFan (Reply 9): And I'm sure the last pic has a story to go with it but probably not to be shared on an all-ages aviation forum.
Oh yes!
Most of my pictures are of that nature and can't post those at this site.
Wait a minute, this IS a pay site now, right? ;
Lufthansa747:
Sounds like you didn't have a good time on the Thai Airways flight. You were really drunk however.
Let's meet up again when I return to Bangkok.
Quoting NoUFO (Reply 12): I'd give you the $15 you lost back in a heartbeat had I have the chance to see that.
Hmmmm, if we meet in Bangkok, I just my find a caustic cab driver and see if it can happen again.
Christao17:
Yes you are a star!
Thanks again for the info.
Quoting AirCop (Reply 14): Sounds like a westerner surcharge to me..
I didn't see any Australian guys getting chased by naked cab drivers.
Lufthansa747 From Philippines, joined May 1999, 3109 posts, RR: 51 Reply 16, posted (4 years 10 months 3 weeks 3 days 14 hours ago) and read 19156 times:
Quoting Superfly (Reply 15): Sounds like you didn't have a good time on the Thai Airways flight. You were really drunk however.
Let's meet up again when I return to Bangkok.
I did enjoy the flight very much, just didn't match my expectations for F. It was more like average C in my opinion. Please bear in mind I have no idea about writing thet first reply... haha
Thankfully, you didn't see me drunk this time. Our drinking night in Soi 4 - my wife was telling me how happy she was when I came back not drunk...
Superfly From Thailand, joined May 2000, 35733 posts, RR: 88 Reply 19, posted (4 years 10 months 1 week 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 18507 times:
Quoting Omoo (Reply 18): Supafly....is this the local catch ? if so....i am going to Thailand as soon as i can save up some $$$$$$
Yes but they're all being faithful to me and waiting for my return!
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Haha, just kidding!
I've made lots of friends there and keep in touch. I love the place and hope you had as much fun as I did.
What airline choices do you have to Thailand from Tanzania?
BA319-131 From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2001, 7753 posts, RR: 57 Reply 20, posted (4 years 10 months 1 week 2 days 10 hours ago) and read 18488 times:
Me too. That was one of the few 'safe for work' photos I brought in to show co-workers. Everyone in the office wanted to see pictures from my trip. I of course had to make a separate CD for that.
That moment was almost surreal. I rode the motorcycle I rented out to the outskirts of town and found a nice restaurant on the beach. I was the only Westerner there. I had some of the best food ever and finally got a chance to see a live band play ethnic Thai music. This is where a lot of the locals go eat, drink and dance after a hard days work.
I'll post more images of this place later on.
Quoting Omoo (Reply 21): I dont live in Tanzania, but if i was coming from Tanzania i will have South African, Qatar, Kenya Airways and Emirates to name the easiest few.
I did see a Kenyan Airways in BKK.
Where are you located now?
Will you try to make the Airliners.net meet in Atlanta?
There are some cool members in your town that I have meet at meets in as Vegas and New York.
Bring back the Concorde
25 Omoo: Sure.....i am not sure when the next meet is, i will try to make it.
26 Superfly: Omoo: Here you go. Anyone In The ATL? (by AF773 Apr 11 2007 in Non Aviation) Any A.netters At ATL 1st&2nd May 2007? (by Yirina77 Mar 27 2007 in No
27 Superfly: Here is a photo of the Lao Aviation Xian Y-7 (AN-24). I was supposed to visit Laos on this trip but changes in plans prohibited me from doing so. One
28 CPDC10-30: Hey Superfly, Thanks for the great trip report! I read with interest as I was also recently in BKK and loved every minute of it. Lots of different typ
29 Superfly: Quoting CPDC10-30 (Reply 28): I must have taken about 20 taxis all around Bangkok and never had a problem with them trying to charge me more than what
30 Superfly: 5 months after my trip, women in my office still ask me; "what did you in Thailand Superfly?" I tell them; "The same thing you did in Jamaica".
31 PerthGloryFan: And do they look at you quizzically in a wtf sort of way? Or do they blush and lturn away in embarassment? PGF
32 DL021: Great photos....excellent trip report.....always enjoy telling Larry stories...but you getting chased by the naked Thai cabbie is a topper!!!! Dude...
33 Superfly: It depends on who ask. I have a wholesome rated G version of my trip and then of course I have the what really happened version. To answer your quest
34 Superfly: Come to think of it, I am still right about the Baiyoke Sky Hotel still being the world's tallest hotel. The Grand Hyatt in the Jin Mao Tower is only
35 Gunsontheroof: It would seem that this report has been up for awhile and I've missed it, great stuff! For someone being chased by a naked cab driver in another count
36 B747forever: Really great TR. Enjoyed to read it. The pics are really great. Thank you for sharing. B747forever.
37 Superfly: I forgot to mention that I am a proponent of higher learning and I prefer the educated intellectual types. I am glad that I had the extra ca$h at the
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