In years past, because I was speaking in Catholic parishes in the United States and flying there through Thailand, I would stop in Bangkok—usually stopping on the way TO the US--for an annual medical check-up. This year, because I was not going to the US for speaking, I made a separate trip to Bangkok for the medical exam.
| I had planned to take the bus to Bangkok to save money but one of our major donors asked us to make a ten-year plan and budget in a very short time so I had to fly to Bangkok. Still trying to save money, instead of taking a taxi from the airport (300 baht), I took the Airport Train (18 baht) to Phaya Thai station where there is this inter change with the local Sky Train (13 baht). I took that to a bus stop where I could get a bus (13 baht) to the Maryknoll office where I stayed. | |
| This is the Sky Train platform at Phaya Thai station. The Sky Train, known as the BTS to the local people, is an attempt to reduce and avoid the horrendous traffic at street level for which Bangkok is known. I finally got to the Maryknoll office about 7:30 PM. |  |
| At 8:00 AM I was at BNH Hospital, a little later than I had planned--although still on time--because of the Bangkok traffic. I took a city bus and they are always slow. Notice the Valet Parking on the hospital sign. Hospitals and medical care in Thailand are quite different from that in the United States. |
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| Another difference is the Buddhist and animist shrine in front of the hospital. Some Catholic hospitals in the US might have their statue of St. Joseph or Mary. Here they have shrines and spirit houses, to placate the spirits who were displaced when the hospital took their land. |  |
| Bangkok must be the 7-11 capital of the world! Their stores are everywhere! I walked three blocks from the hospital to the bus stop and passed this 7-11 and three others all on the same street. There's almost always one—sometimes two--in every block in the commercial areas. |  |
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Another unique part of Bangkok culture are the displays honoring the king. Now in his 80s, he has been in hospital for quite a few months. He has an almost semi-divine status among the people who genuinely really love and respect him. Unfortunately the society cannot talk about succession and what will happen when the king dies. |
| I got up at 4:50 AM to get to the airport for my 8:10 AM flight. The delays at the airport have gotten much better the last year or two so getting there really early is no longer necessary, but there really was no worry because there was no traffic at that hour of the morning and the taxi was doing 75 MPH on the expressway to Suvannabumi Airport. Bangkok Airways is the only carrier that I know that has a lounge for economy class passengers. That's nice in itself, having a place to go when I arrive early, but it's also in an out-of-the way place and very few people use it so a few of us have it to ourselves. |  |
| After working on a budget for a major donor in the lounge, I went through passport control and into the gate area. This large statue of Thai mythology is the first thing that greets departing tourists. It's very thoughtfully placed, probably giving visitors a last good feeling about Thailand as they leave. |  |
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