Goodbye

For the past week, I've been saddled with sadness and disbelief a family friend had passed away in a diving incident off Pulau Aur, Johor.

For reasons yet unknown, he encountered some difficulty with his rebreather underwater and passed out. The crew administered CPR while speeding him to the nearest hospital which was quite some distance. Sadly, he never regained consciousness.

My heart goes out to his family, especially Tristan, who is yet to be born and will never know how good a man his father was. Take care Marcus. Godspeed and may you rest in peace...

http://wildsingaporenews.blogspot.com/2009/10/diving-tragedy-diver-was-honing-his.html

Back

Ahhh! Finally some time in cyberspace. Have been so busy the past month with the opening of my new restaurant, 'Chiim'.

I'm excited its happened after what seems like forever. Its still a work in progress as I plan to add things here and there as the business grows. Still can't really believe I'm a restaurateur now. One thing I can really believe are the hours involved. By the time I get done, I'm so knackered my social life is spiraling downwards.

I love the challenge. I've always wanted to own a restaurant(well, a chain of them!)and now this is the beginning of my passion. I'm hoping it will drive me and keep me motivated for as long as I'm still breathing.

'Food is the only thing that truly nourishes'

So why not let it be a passionate occupation at the same time?

Behold

Coming soon....Tickling your palates in August.

Culinary or Hospitality? Thai or European?

During my hiatus from the professional world, I've been contemplating going back to school. Best time to go back is during a recession. Yes, that's what we're knee deep in now.

Back to the topic. Its a toss up between culinary and hospitality. Though cooking has the edge, they're both definitely the core in the F & B business. Exploring options at the moment, may go back to Bangkok for it since there's a number of great schools catering to both.

Though mum and dad prefer their youngest to go for Thai, I'm leaning more towards European. Have never cooked anything Thai. Well other than emptying the ready made green curry ingredients into a cooking pan, stir and wait to simmer. Still some time left, though before you know it, its already the end of March.

Ok, time to weigh options!

CNY '09

* GONG XI FA CHAI *

Trip

So I was in Shenzhen recently for an unscheduled business trip.
For some time now, I've been persuaded by my brother and father to come aboard their company, in which their efforts have been fruitless.

About a week before new years, where plans were already made to meet up and celebrate with friends, dad calls to have a father-son talk. He started with the usual banter - my life and work in general. Then after a long pause and out of the blue he asked if I remembered how messy the family business became because of the internal conflicts. Bewildered, I nodded and answered at the same time.

"Well I want both you and Koko to be a successful team together." o.0 Uh?
"You can learn from his experience and complement him at the same time. I know you've built up something over there, but its my wish to see the both of you work closely, hand in hand. So do daddy a favor and go to China with him, at least have a break and consider."

I then knew where he was going with this.

Dad has always instilled in the both of us to support each other no matter what. The 'blood is thicker than water' has been an embedded phrase in our lives. I love my brother unconditionally and he likewise, but our working styles are very different and funny as it may sound, I don't want to end up jeopardising what we have, like dad and his brothers. Dad always regretted the family dispute, even if he was the victim. However, he was gentleman enough to let bygones be bygones and paid visits to them during the lunar new year as a show of respect.

Initially, I never understood his unforgiving gesture because he was forced out during the conflicts, and yet we received the best of education and quality of life as a whole. As a maturing adult I began to see he was the bigger man and I was proud of my father. The least I could do was give it a chance while taking it as a holiday.

Sorted out travel details and off to Shenzhen I went. In truth I was excited and happy. Part of me always wanted to visit the motherland and seeing dad so happy I'm giving this a chance. Its not often I see him happy and when there's the stolen laugh, smile or even a grin, its quite a Kodak moment.

While in Shenzhen, because my Mandarin's so rusty, I had to rojak-ed it up with Taiwanese Mandarin, local Mandarin(Pu Tong Hua) and some Cantonese as a means of communication. Hey its been almost twenty years, give me a break!

Though I didn't get to experience the sights and sounds as much, I'm glad to have made the trip. I learned about the Chinese culture, whereby at a business lunch, guests are required to 'feast'. The food though greasy, were delectable, great Szechuan cooking. Not surprising in just a space of nearly a week I piled on almost 3kg's... -_-"

And what's with all the honking???

2009

May the new year bring each and everyone of you the very best of WEALTH - though it seems recession will be in full swing this year; HEALTH - though it seems the global crisis will affect one's physical and mental well being, leading to stress disorders; and last but not least, LOVE - Ahh! With one's bank balance taking a hit, coupled with spiking stress levels....Er..........

HAPPY NEW YEAR to you from cold cold Shenzhen ( :

Dedication

Dear Pae,

Your departure shook and saddened me where no words could possibly describe.

In that instant, it brought back times when we hung out at our usual spot in between or after classes. Your exceptional cheekiness brought countless pangs of laughter to our lives and made a boring day, a much better one.

How is it that you went for a study session and came back with a girl's uniform hanging at the back of your car is beyond us. That I guess, is what makes you, you.

I regret not catching up with you after university, and took it for granted we will cross paths once again. Please forgive me...

I hope you're in a better place now and may your soul rest in peace. All of us, family, friends and loved ones pray you'll be watching over us. Take care, Pae.

p.s. Don't spend all day chasing skirts up there ( ;

10 reasons NOT to boycott Beijing

1. If countries like the USA don't go then the Chinese will win more medals and, as everyone knows, its the winning, not the taking part that counts.

2. Thailand would miss out on medals in boxing and weightlifting.

3. If we boycott this Olympics we'll have to boycott London 2012 due to Britain's role in the invasion of Iraq.

4. If you boycott the Olympics then the logical conclusion is that you should stop trading with China and NOBODY is going to do that.

5. If China has to give up Tibet, the USA should get out of Hawaii and New Mexico.

6. No-one should be denied the chance to compete for a medal in archery after four years of strenuous physical training.

7. Poor, unfortunate sponsors like Coca-Cola and McDonald's would suffer from bad publicity.

8. The Chinese people aren't responsible for the regime and they're looking forward to being good hosts.

9. The opening ceremony is bound to be really exciting.

10. A boycott won't make any difference anyway.

Misconception

Here's something you might not know..

The nutritional value of shark fin is no different from that of chicken stock. Not only is it tasteless but has no special medicinal or health purposes.

Killing FOUR sharks would yield a mere one kg of fins.

You CAN make a difference. Say NO to fin soup.

Poy

Would you just look at that...sizzling hot isn't she?

You can say that again.

Female species in The Land of Smiles are renowned for their beauty.

Behold...

Treechada 'Poy' Malayaporn, Miss Tiffany Universe and Miss International Queen 2004.


You read correctly - Miss Tiffany Universe

Worrying times ahead indeed for Thailand's straight population.

IDIOT

Thank f*ck Zainuddin Maidin lost.

One can only wonder how an imbecile such as himself could be made Information Minister. We were the laughing stock of the world after his disgraceful interview with Al Jazeera a while back. His tirade was less than comprehensible and I couldn't help but be sickly ashamed as a Malaysian.

Even a leading opposition branded him 'Minister of Misinformation'.

I am relieved he and other ministers who've been redundant in their cabinet posts are finally out of the political picture. Its about bloody time and I'm thankful to be part of this historical change.

There will be conflicts - It has already begun between the prime minister and our new Penang chief minister. For the first time, Malaysia's political scene looks set to be an interesting and perhaps turbulent ride for the next five years?

Dirty

I have rarely commented on politics but upon hearing the transfer of Thailand's Police Commissioner Seripisut Temiyavej, I couldn't help but cry foul.

This of course has to do with the dirty world of politics.

He was promoted to the position of Commissioner during the previous interim government in 2007. His integrity, honesty and no-nonsense approach were primary reasons to the powerful appointment. Never one to be afraid of cracking down on the influential shady individuals namely Por Pratunam, reputed mob boss of a large gambling den in the Pratunam area.

He led the sting with the collusion of fellow senior officers. A team of commandos scaled the high walls and stormed the compound to arrest patrons, henchmen, and those involved in the illegal operation.

It was one of the most daring moves by a high ranking police officer which won over plaudits, and at the same time scrutinised upon by colleagues, deemed to be on the payroll of the godfather himself.

Having an excellent track record, he was handpicked by post coup Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont to replace incumbent Kowit Wattana, who was accused of neglecting his duties in the 2006 Bangkok New Year's Eve bombing.

With the return of the old power clique, it is little wonder of his removal from the force's apex. From his appointment till present, Seripisut has not put a foot wrong and the injustice of his transfer has the word 'dirty' written all over it.

The former Police Commissioner has vowed to take his case to court on charges of wrongful dismissal if there is a lack of transparency on his controversial transfer to an inactive post.

The power play of scum politics.

The Beginning

So at the start of 2008, what's been happening? First and foremost, I've given up smokes and doing well maintaining my stance. Even though I'm surrounded by smokers I haven't flinched or starved crazed to have a puff. All I need to beware is the alternative to quitting, and that substitute is of course munching. The last casual and unfruitful attempt made me gain a significant amount of weight. To replace the habit of lighting up, I turned to mini Wrighley's chewing gum. I bought an entire box load, has to be at least a hundred and fifty odd chewies in there and in a disaster move I managed to polish off the entire quantity in about two and a half weeks.

So much for finding a proper substitute -_-

That was years ago and now with a lot more control of my actions, which we all would like to call maturity, I've been able to suppress the desire to put nicotine into my bloodstream. My substitution when I go out to pubs or clubs, is still gum. Two sticks at most. My disassociation with ciggies are working in my favor though. As of December, the government has banned lighting up in restaurants, pubs, bars, clubs and so on. You can puff outside the vicinity only. So all the better for yours truly.

The next change is at the office. After a two month hiatus(which I shall elaborate later), I came back to the company helming a new division - Branding & Communications. During my absence, there had been a busy period at work and the unexpected surge in business. One of our biggest worldwide distributors, Jim Stott, a shoot and capable man with twenty years experience was roped in to take on my role. So now the structural changes are his distribution has been shifted to another solid individual with impressive credentials in Canada. Jim has been working closely with the new distributors about marketing and strategic planning in Canada while taking on the role of VP for Business Development at our company.

My main concerns now are the retailing of our very own brand for the moment, targeting the local market before going into export. Will be dealing a lot with designers about the outlook and packaging of the product and attending a bevy of branding seminars and workshops. Looking very forward to learning new ideas to succeed in this important industry, or should I say, staying alive.

Now, about my two month sabbatical, I was back in Malaysia for a personal project. I'm finally happy to be made a partner in a Thai restaurant with both my parents. Having worked in their restaurant before, the passion of having a say in an F&B business has always been an interest of mine. Its been a relative success since its opening in January and we're struggling to provide more seating capacity for happy customers. In order to keep abreast of its development, I'll be visiting more often than before. It all works out since I can see family much more than I ever could, especially my little darling niece, Olivea.

Its almost the third month of the year, and things are looking quite positive. Another nine more months to go and I can tell you its going to be a challenging one, which I look forward to overcoming obstacles headed my way. One needs to do whatever they can, as time seems too short these days. I sincerely hope you all will have a productive and successful 2008, aided by a robust health to keep the fuel burning.

Over & out!

Smug

I don't think Edison Chen will be getting any endorsements from electronic brands. Ever.

GONG XI FATT CHAI

Mourning

It hasn't been the best of starts to 2008.

On the sixth day of the new year, the girlfriend of a mate was involved in a hit and run and succumbed to her injuries at the hospital. Its been absolutely horrid for him and been keeping to himself ever since. The poor fella was right beside her when it happened but came away without a scratch.

I'm still so gutted thinking back. I had arrived at the scene just after the incident and saw a pool of blood on the road. They were already on the way to the hospital by then. At the casualty ward, I spoke to an on duty nurse about her condition and was told to be critical. Basically she had flat lined on the way to the ER and had to be resuscitated upon arrival. It didn't sound good right from the start and were told by the doctor to pray, very hard for her.

Within a few hours that morning, she passed away without regaining consciousness.

I had just only met her that fateful night while our friends met up. He introduced me to her and I thought what a beautiful girl with an attractive personality. She was young, happy and in love. So was my mate. Alas, life is sometimes cruel and unfair. God has written the course of our fate the minute we were created. Tragically for him, she was called too early.

At her eulogy, her relative spoke and touchingly included, "...during the last moments of her life, she was able to spend it with someone she loved...."

To my mate, there are no words I could possibly say to make you feel any better since I am not going through that colossal lost you are enduring. I sincerely hope you will find the strength and solace, with the help of time, be able to experience happiness again.

When I saw her that night with you, I have never seen a more radiant human being. Keep her legacy alive and cherish the priceless, happy memories.. she would have wanted that.

Looking ahead to 2008

Random

Been a while since I last updated, been busy with work and travel mostly. Am seriously thinking of changing my profession since having an influx of friends or guests popping to Bangkok for a visit for the last three months or so. I think I'll do quite well as a tour guide...

Its been raining cats and dogs recently, widespread thundershowers throughout the week with isolated heavy falls. I'd prefer it when I'm already back at the apartment...and dry. Then again, I love the rain especially during the night. I always imagine it will 'clean' the city of all the dust and dirt; lower the temperature; offer some breeze; reminisce the good times.. It does wonders filtering out the noise pollution from the traffic, sound of the rain hitting tar, concrete, rooftops and so on completely dwarfing the audio episodes on the road.

Since mumsy left, my Sundays have become very quiet. No more lunches or get togethers, but she's happy back home with everyone, especially little cutie, Olivea. She called to tell tale how Oli ran towards her and hugged her by the legs upon seeing mumsy stepping through the door.

Ahhh that's bliss right there for you.

I miss everyone back home, and this is the longest time I've not gone back in the past ten years. That's why I can't wait to jump on the opportunity for a long break in December. There's no deny seeing friends and family again recharges the soul and makes you appreciate every available minute in their lives.

*Reminisces*.....

"Oiiiiiii!! Back to work!!!"

*POOOOOOF*

"Do you know..."

A couple of weeks ago, I accompanied Jon to Conrad for some drinks with his acquaintance, who was already there waiting. On the way, Jon briefed me a little about her, whom I'll call F, who happens to be a relative of a powerful godfather/politician.

Jon did tell me a few days before, he was at a club when she called for him to escort her from the entrance down to the venue. As Jon appeared from the exit barrier, F saw him and proceeded to enter the same way. Out of nowhere came a bouncer who said this is an exit only walk way and F needed to show some identification and proceed on through the entrance gate.

She then turned into some kind of monster and started shouting at the bouncer saying she wanted to go through the exit into the club. The Bouncer became a little annoyed and retorted..

"I guess you won't be going in then".

Now there was fire in her eyes and she whipped out her ID and gave the common Thai 'threat'...

"Do you know who I am?" While handing bouncer, who happened to be doing his job, her ID.

He took one long look and was probably jolted. Upon returning her 'I rule the world' pass, he apologized and let both Jon and F through. At this point, I thought, alright at least the drama was done but she went on..

"What the f*%& is your name? Do you want me to have you removed or transferred?"

The rest of the story was a bit of a blur but I met F, and although I thought she was quite stunning, her attitude left much to be desired.

I've always held a high regard to those coming from influential families who maintained a humbled posterior, to me that exudes class. It showed although being someone, there isn't any need to be putting it out there.

Unfortunately this is a common sight in Bangkok. Everytime an arguement erupts, some tosser would always bark "Do you know who I am?" Yes it does have its advantages, especially with the law, when the police appears they will always look at IDs and check last names.
My business partner holds quite a well known surname, his uncle is a famous ex-senator and a crusader against AIDS, and everyone, whether stopped by traffic police, a supplier we visit, client meetings, would always ask how are they both related when exchanging name cards.

Some people like the attention while others shun it, you probably know my preference but what is yours?