Chapter 2 - Arrival in Bangkok


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I arrived in Bangkok Don Muang Airport in the early afternoon and got picked up by two girls from the CIMCO office, Miss Kob and Miss Tick. So here is the first thing you need to know about Thailand. Most of the Thais use only their Nicknames and not their given names. Family names are something quite new to the Thais as they have been introduced only in the 20th century. Before that only Nicknames and given names were used. Most of the family names are real monsters in terms of length, so Thai people don't address anyone with family names. For example, the name Jananya Julsaksrisakul, upon introducing herself she would only tell her given name Jananya or her nick name which, for girls is usually something sweet like Kung (shrimp), Kob (frog), Poo (Krab) or Moo (Pig). Don't ask me what is sweet about sea food, Pigs and frogs though. Because most girls like the same nick names you are quickly surrounded by frogs and shrimps ;-) And who would be able to remember the last name Julsaksrisakul anyway... So Thais address each other using the first name or the nick name. However, it would be impolite to just address someone without using the word Khun in front of the name - first lesson learned, it is Khun Kob which roughly translates into honourable frog :-)

So Khun Kob and Khun Tick called a Taxi and escorted me to my first place, called UK Mansion, there I had a room with air conditioner, clean water and it was right around the corner from the office - at least that was what Khun Kob told me. She also told me that Mr. Victor wanted to see me for dinner. So I called Khun Duangdao who had meanwhile changed her job, because she did not like the way her boss treated me, "tough lady", I thought by myself and asked her to come along for dinner, and she agreed.

In the evening Victor came to the Hotel and soon also Duangdao joined us. We had dinner together and Victor told me everything I needed to know for the next day. Duangdao did not talk much but looked at Victor all the time (later she told me that she did not dare to stare at my face).
Because I was still tired from the jet lag we called in the day early, but not without fixing another date for the next day.


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