WNK Boathouse

Khun Pichai sends a bigger picture of our neighbor 's boat house.

Wang Nam Khieo

New neighbor to our southwest plunks a boathouse on his land within last week. Khun Pichai sends the photo by mobile phone.

Panna Cotta finds that sleeping on Grandfather 's chest is warm ,nice and cosy.

Pavalyn feeds Minnie mouse as Grandma feeds baby Panna Cotta.

Asiatic black bear cub learns how to climb a tree. However , she has a much harder time learning how to climb down.

Our friend John Hancock of Baker McKinsey obtains his Thai citizenship and the Thai name of Kajohn Pothivihok. Dr. Savit hosts party to celebrate the occasion and also his own birthday at Ma Masion.

Dinner at Lyon Restaurant with Dr. Snoh Unakul, Khun Anand Panyarachun, Dr. Phisit Pakkasem, Ambassador Nidtya Pibulsongkram, and Issara Vongkusolkit.

Pavalyn plays with one of the 5 baby beagles that will be given away.

Grandma Rochana enjoys feeding baby Panna Cotta.

Pa Paan's Classic Thai Restaurant near Wat Khao Paeng Mah is nearing completion.

Khun Pichai's introduction of the lotus plant into Khun Paweena's pond is successful.

Been almost 4 months since we last visited the cabin in Wang Nam Khieo. Everything seems to be in order and in working condition.

Great Grandma Banchob stops by every few days to bring food, goodies and clothes for Pavalyn.

Parichat feeds the Asiatic black bear with baby formula.

Woodstock 1969 - Forty Years Ago

We should have gone to Woodstock which is not far from Troy, N.Y. home of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where we go our Bachelors of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1968, but we flew back to spend the summer in Rome, Italy. Really missed the fantastic happening. But we followed it has much as possible from the news, videos and records.
In the Summer of 1969 Chumpol Na Lamlieng asked me to go down from Philadelphia, where I was studying for an MBA at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, to have an interview with him in Washington D.C. where he was working with the World Bank. I went down to D.C. and he drove a red MG midget convertible singing a Beatles song(It's Been a Hard Days Night) to pick me up for a meal at a Chinese restaurant. He said that he had been chosen by Bankers Trust of N.Y. to help set up an investment bank in Thailand. The first one. And he needed to recruit a core of Thai business graduate students to work for the company, to be called Thai Investment and Securities Co., Ltd. or TISCO. He asked if I would join immediately, but I said that I needed to finish my MBA first and then I would join which would be 1970. Thus I went to work for Bankers Trust as trainee at US $ 1,000 a month which was good money those times for over three months in New York City. I still kept the apartment in Philadelphia so I commuted every day by subway and train to NYC. I trained in underwriting, venture capital, fiduciary departments and at the Asia desk of the bank. Bakers Trust picked up the plane fare and the cargo for the trip to Bangkok. I stopped in London for a week to look at the Bankers Trust International operations there.

PeterD said in comments...
:-) You were one happy camper. I remember you got yourself a brown Italian leather briefcase, and thank you for the Tissot with the 24hr face. It was my wristwatch for the next 15 years. Dad, too, was really happy and proud. Was the golf club set at the same time? (nick on the Steinway)

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Thanks Peter for the memories. Yes the leather briefcase was because a business man had to have one, and I got it near Piazza di Spagna. The golf set, Wilson X31, was because Chumpol said I had to play golf because that was how to get business in Thailand.

Tong Panda

In line with the latest fad, Khun Premjit -Tong wears a Panda mask to work.

ETC's Best Wishes Card

I am really touched by this card that the ETC Group gave me!

ETC Dinner for me

The ETC Group or Ex-TISCO group hold a very joyous and rousing dinner party at Sorrento Restaurant to greet and cheer my heart bypass operation recovery. I am very thank you for all the good wishes and kind thoughts given to me by this very dear group.

Panda Crocs

The Panda hysteria in Thailand is far reaching. Even the crocodiles in the crocodile farms have adapted new colorings.

Bundit Saowan's Birthday Dinner at Lert Ros

SOCCEF holds birthday dinner for Khun Bundit at Lert Ros Restaurant. Khun Thanom also prepared SOCCEF baseball caps as gifts for all members.

Sublangka Panda

Because the Thai people are crazy about Pandas ever since the Chinese panda in the Chiangmai Zoo gave birth to a baby panda,Khun Parichat has painted the Thai black bear to look like a Panda.

Our neighbors, Nong Oey and Nong Nut, across the soi come over to visit with baby Pannacotta.

Baby Asiatic Black bear confiscated from a monk by the Sublangka Wildlife Head and given to Parichat to raise.

Thamnoon at Damnoen Saduak Hospital

Thamnoon Duangmanee

Thamnoon at the Damnoen Saduak Hospital where he is undergoing rehabilitation after suffering a stoke a few years ago. He has recovered his speech and humor. Thamnoon was our long time Managing Director of Thai Securities and Director of the Securities Exchange of Thailand . He is now 71 years old.

Sathit, Pichai, Patarin and Rochana take Khun Thamnoon and Khun Kannika for lunch at Nong Maew Restaurant which is 15 minutes from Damnuern Saduak Hospital. Khun Thamnoon remembered how I hired him to become MD of Thai Securities, the securities brokerage arm of TISCO, from Thai Financial Syndicate. Khun Sathit remembered that Thai Securities was a Thai company because under the Alien Decree, brokerage business was secured for Thai companies only , I had to sign in Thai and whereas I signed in English for TISCO. We also remembered how we had to set up the Thai holding company: Tun Thamrong Co., Ltd. The name was given by Khun Bancha Lamsam.