Accommodations

Dinner reception

Pichai plants symbolic tree to mark the occasion of our vist to the reforestation project.

Ayudh Ladplee, MD of Petchaboon ASK, explains his reforestation work of 14,099 rai in Pakdichumpol, Chayapoom Province sponsored by the TOT (Telephone Organization of Thailand). In his 40 years of reforestation work Ayudh has replanted over 100,000 rai with over 15 million trees in denuded forest areas.

Khun Banyong is very delighted to have reintroduced Pang Duh back to the forest on the occasion of his 72nd birthday anniversary- a very commendable merit making. SD, as Sec.Gen of the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation congratulates Khun Banyong on this auspicious occasion.

Banyong Lamsam, with a little help from his grandchildren, open the gates to reintroduce Pang Duh back to the forest.

Banyong Lamsam, Chairman of Kasikorn Bank, and family feed Pang Duh some sugar cane and bananas at Sublanka Animal Preserve, Lamsonthi, Lopburi Province prior to release.

SD extends Songkran best wishes to Dr.Korb, Khop, Chayalak, Teerin, Nucharin, Ankana, Chananun, Varin, and Woraporn

Belated Songkran: Ankana leads BOT team in traditional Thai New Years Greeting for Grandma Banchob, Chittra, Rochana and Pol.Gen. Chookiat Pradiprasen 

Joy Sirinun Senakan and Prin Panichapakdi lunching at Pan Pan Restaurant. Joy is now teaching at ABAC Bang Na and Prin is going for his MBA at LSE. Prin's mother( Rachanee) used to work for TISCO in the Accounting Department in 1970. She left TISCO for Bank of Thailand , met and married Dr. Suppachai and later changed her name to Sasai after the cooking gas explosions near her house.

Khao Ang Kaew Shareholders Meeting: Metha Pingsuthiwong dutifully attends shareholders meeting on behalf of TISCO.  

Dole Board Meeting: Graham Cox, Amy Tabeta, Javier Idrovo. Chumpol NaLamlieng & Dr. Snoh Unakul 

Dole Board Meeting April 29, 2005. Dr.Snoh Unakul, Danko Stambuk, Banyong Lamsam(Chairman), Mark McKinney and M.L. Usni Pramoj declare a dividend of Baht 55 per share on common.

TISCO Foundation Board Meeting April 28. Seated left to right: Pliu, Dr.Suvarn, Kamchorn, Sivaporn and Suthep. Standing: Pattira, Srisooda, Uvares, Wannee and Duangrat. The Board approved the granting of 3468 scholarships worth over Baht 7.6 million to needy children throughout Thailand.

Boonrawd Brewery Board of Directors April 5, 2005. Jutinan,Piya, Chamnong, Vutha, Vaphi, and Santi Bhirompakdi. They declared a dividend of Baht 20,000 per share.

Patrapa Attends Boonrawd Brewery Shareholders Meeting
When this maker of the famous "Singha" beer was founded in 1933, it was intended that it would have a paid-up capital of Baht 1 million. However, the amount that could be raised was Baht 600,000, consisting of 6000 shares of Baht 100 par value each. Grandpa Nant was the company's chief accountant until he retired. He owned a total of 16 shares. Khun Vutha Bhirompakdi recalled that the company granted Grandpa Nant an all expenses paid trip to Rome on his retirement since it was his wish to visit the Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica.

Cafe D'Oro - Pichai enjoys a cup of coffee with Sasinee and Nut at the coffee shop under the TISCO Building 

K.Sathit and the Floating Green. Should be ready for the soft openning on May 1. This signature hole is one of the outstanding features of this world-class golf course. 

Amata City Golf's Signature Hole #17 

Back in Bangkok again, Rochana and SD relax in front of favorite super car. The Lamborghini Countach LP 5000S (1982) was bought by SD in 1989 from K. Poom, who only drove it from his house on Petchburi Road to the Bubbles discotech at the Dusit Thani Hotel. The Countach has a 5 liter boxer 12 cylinder engine with 395 horsepower. It is a real supercar because it takes a super effort to drive it. The clutch and brakes are very heavy. The gated gear lever is tough. Rearward visibility is almost nil. It is very hot and noisy. Steering is heavy. But it is a trill and joy to drive it! SD had many good years of fun driving it. Now it is retired to the garage as a work of art. (April 22, 2005) 

The NZ Tour Group (Bikers and supporting crew) pose for compulsory group photo in front of Croydon House B & B in Christchurch at the end of South Island tour. (April 17, 2005) 

The Bikers: Bundit Saowan. Peter Michener, and Sivaporn in Teanau, NZ (April 12, 2005) 

In Queenstown, NZ. 

Origin of "Bangkok"

Why is the name of the capital city of Thailand "Bangkok" not used by Thai people? "Krungthep" or City of Angels is the official and normally used name.

It has been said that the name "Bangkok" comes from two words: "bang" which means "place" and "makok" which means "olives" or a Thai species of fruit looking like an olive or "Hog Plum". And that there once was a grove where the "makok" florished. Thus the place was known as "Bangmakok" ( Place of Olives) and then later shortened to "Bangkok". Throughout Thailand there are many places named according to this fashion. Such as : "Bangmot" is "Place of Ants", "Bangsai" is "place of the banyan tree", etc. I have yet to find a vestige or ikling of this grove of Thai olives or hog plums.

Now I have a new theory. Historically, it has been well documented that the Portuguese first visited Thailand, then known as Siam, well over 400 hundred years ago. It is known that the sailing ships first docked at a location near Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) before making the upstream journey to the then capital city of Ayutthya where the Kings resided. Accordingly, the Portuguese would have to unload most their crates and barrels of provisions before making way up river in the shallower waters. A majority of the provisions consisted of olives, raisins, olive oil, wine and rum . Some of the olive casts may have split spilling some olives around the Temple of Dawn storage location. Since the Thai word for olives is also "Makok", I believe the Thai started to call this place of olives "Bangmakok" after the Portuguese olives and not the Thai hog plum. Thus the shorten "Bangkok" is used primarily in the English and foreign languages as the official name of the capital city of Thailand.

The presentation and open house was well received.

Iftekhar Hasan makes presentation on the Lally MBA programs to Thai RPI alumni and prospective students at the Inter-continental Hotel in Bangkok during his visit.