H.R. Princess Sirindhorn formally opens the Chinese New Year's festivities at the Chinatown Gate and walks Yaowarad.

Kook, Jim, Paat and Tong at the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation's booth.

Lunch at the famous crispy pork and rice shop.

Rochana, Patrapa. Chookiat and Pichai get ready for the Chinese New Year festivities.

Parichat and Petter Granli.

We take over Parichat's air-conditioned Sublangka office while she is taking Joyce and Petter to visit with the elephants.

Khun Puert uses his saw to clear the road while the girls give a helping hand.

Paat, the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation's Chief Accountant rests after lunch.

Sivaporn talks to Plai Srisakorn.

Joyce Poole and Petter Granli try out Karaoke for the first time in their life with Kook and Mor Bic.

Khun Puert and his architect friend and best man: Niroj ("Odd") , at his property near Pah Hin Ngam National Park in Chaiyaphum Province.

Rochana enjoys a margerita at the Sirocco with Joyce Poole, Petter Granli, Tong and Paat.

The same Golden Dragon is lit at night.

Kook poses in front of Golden Dragon being assembled in front of the Elephant Reintroduction offices at Yaowarad Road. The Dragon is the Chinese Government's gift to H.M. the King on the 60th Anniversary of His Reign.

Khun Salinee Wangtharn, on behalf of the group, presents Sivaporn with a "Pah Kama", his favorite present, for him to use when he visits with the elephants.

Members of the FRAC secretariat, formerly from the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Thailand, are now scattered all over the place and Khun Ankana spent special effort to get them together at Sonie's Restaurant.

Belated New Year's party with the FRAC (Financial Restructuring Advisory Committee) Secretariat which approved the Tier 1 and Tier 2 Capital for Financial Institutions with deficit capital adequacy after the Crisis 0f 1997.

Khun Tanya and Khun Pavilai come to visit Minnie's baby pups.

Plai Lomsak suddenly dies on Friday 13th at the full moon rising. Sivaporn is very sad that we lose this 2 year old male elephant. It was part of the diminishing number of endangered Asian elephants. It is a great loss to the world.

For more photos please go to elephant blog at http://elephantreintroduction.blogspot.com

Bringing Duangrat to drop off at the TISCO Building, we meet another birthday group. From left: Standing next to me: the birthday girl Sasinee, Karantarat, Srisooda, Nattamon, Suthinee, Yutiga, Rochana, Sudpirom, Phavilai, Duangrat, and Pattira. (Please notice Yutiga's bright and colorful designer skirt.)

Happy Birthday Khun Sasinee!!

Duangrat, Anchalee, Rochana and Pusadee surround the birthday girl at "The 9th Cafe".

Khun Ponpimon Limlomwongse, my secretary when I was President of TISCO, celebrates her birthday by wearing a bright and colorful imported top.

Khun Pichai and Aor ride away on the Segways around the Benjasri Park, next to the Queen Sirikit Convention Center.

Posing on Segways are Sivaporn, Pichai and Karantarat. All three of us got an "Official Segway Operators Permit" which qualifies us to operate a Segway Human Transporter anywhere on earth.

Khun Pichai tries out one of the great inventions of this century, the Segway, invented by Dean Kamen. It is gradually becoming popular among people who don't like walking great distances. The present drawback is it's high price. In the background, Jeff Jarvis is trying to teach Aor how to ride.

Khunying Jintana, Dr, Sumet's wife receives a grand flower bouquet from Gen. Prem for listening to Dr. Sumet.

Dr. Sumet Tantivejkul gives talk about H.M. King Bhumipol's as "The Working King" on the occasion of the 60th year of His Reign, outlining H.M. the King's achievements in painting, music, photography, craftmanship, water resources, inventions, translation, Good Governance and the New Theory of Sustainability. His Majesty's tireless and unending effort for the betterment of the lives of the common people and for the conservation of the environment were highlighted.

Former Prime Minister, Gen. Prem Tinsulanon, Chairman of Privy Counsellors and Statesman, introduces Dr.Sumet Tantivejkul at the ballroom of the Imperial Queen's Park Hotel.

Khun Vannee, Khun Anchalee and the undersigned are also invited as special guests to the TISCO Asset Annual New Year's Lunch. Khun Siri just smiles because he doesn't drink.

Khun Suthas hosts New Year's lunch for TISCO Asset management at Lyon Restaurant as always.

Wedding anniversary dinner: Sivaporn offers Rochana a T-Bone steak.

Mom and Dad get a Wedding Anniversary flower bouquet from the kids.

Sivaporn signs documents for receipt of the 23 Hog Deer, while Khun Sakol, Head of Huay Sai Wildlife Center Cha Am Province, and Khun Pichai are smiling. Finally, after a very long process, some of the hog deer will be released into the Sublangka Wildlife Sanctuary.

Khun Tua shows her delightful New Year's present to all.

The girls hurry to open their New Year's presents.

Joint New Year's luncheon party of the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation and Rama IX Art Museum Foundation at famous Yim Yim Restaurant in Chinatown. Khun Bundit took this photo, that's why he is not in it.

It is tradition that the TISCO management and the TISCO Foundation come to wish me a "Happy New Year" at the start of each new year by coming to my house and having a pork rice porridge ("joke") breakfast. "Pa tonggo", a deep-fried dough, my favorite type, is also brought over to enjoy with coffee and the "joke".

The other end of the table.

Our beagle, Minnie, with her 6 healthy babies, 2 male and 4 female: Eeny, Meany, Mynee, Moe, Itsy, and Joe.
The year 2006 is the "Year of the Dog", so this must be a good sign!

Our beagle, Minnie, checks in at Chulalongkorn Veterinarian Hospital ER at 11 AM and starts delivery of first baby boy at 7:45 PM. The sixth baby beagle is delivered at 0:30 AM on Jan.3, 2006. A delivery interval of approximately one hour per baby provides time for the mother to clean and groom the baby and eat the placenta. Eating the placenta provides instant nourishment for the mother. It also helps aid in milk production and will cause the uterus to shrink back down to size. Most importantly. the placenta provides hign protein food for the mother who cannot stray afar from her litter in search for food.

My New Year special luncheon at Nippontei Restaurant. Japanese celebrate the New Year with special New Year sets that are specially and exquisitely prepared using exotic and unusual ingredients. Eating these very expensive sets is supposed to bring the eater good luck and fortune, but more so to the restaurant.

Best Wishes for a Very Happy New Year to All.

Nong Dear takes this photo of the New Year party.

Patrapa brings out the fruit tart she just finish making and it disappears in a flash.

Khun Pichai is a little too full of good food.

Raksana, Puvanai and Art tune up for the night.

The game of chance table gets crowded.

Khun Bundit prepares his Thai-French steaks.

Mom, Busakorn, Peter and Khun Puert get into a serious discussion.

Khun Thanom entertains the group with a New Year dance routine.