Healthy Food

Juicing

Bitter gourd and Apple juice

One day back at the site office of Penang Times Square, my Senior Quantity Surveyor, Mr Lim
introduced me to a healthy drink and he mentioned that it should only be taken twice a week, space it out within the 7 days. I would say that taking it in the early morning, an hour be breakfast would be good .I did it in this schedule. The juice is made of Bitter Gourd (1 no) and Green apple (1 no).This juice is normally use for cleansing




The Bitter gourd is very small............................For some people skin of apple is not peel


Drink the juice in EMPTY STOMACH, 1 hour before a breakfast meal.


There are other type of juices and the one I like the most is Wheat Grass drink
I do not have picture. Anyway the following procedure will be explained later.

Gratitude to Thai Family

The Beloved Trisanawai Family


Buay and Keng in the Mall 3
Ramkemphang 3/12/07 arriving to pick us up for dinner in their house.



Cartoon: now and before I left Bangkok in 26/1/97




.Buay 's parent in the new house( 2/12/07)

Dinner at the MK restaurant with Trisanawai Family


Xing Yi with Buay and family at MK restaurant (1/12/07) He left Bangkok 13 years ago and was very happy for his first wish was to eat in a Steamboat restaurant either MK or Cocoa


I wonder whether I have written of the Thai family that helped me so much especially Buay, when I was working in Thailand, constructing Tongkah Tower, presently called True Tower. During the trip, my son Xing Yi asked me about the Thai family that we will visit during our trip in Bangkok.

Son: Why is Buay so special to our family?
Dad: Well, I will answer this question when on our way to Thailand, Bangkok.
Son: I remember that you always take us to her house when we were there during our school
holiday.She is a Thai Chinese and the whole family speaks Hainan , a dialect.
Dad: Yes .
Son: Buay was the one who took me to Pharam Kao hospital when I got into diarrhea. Is that right?
Dad: Yes. She has also followed us to many trips during our stay in Thailand.
Son: She is like a younger sister to you.
Dad: Yes, my son and you and your brother have to call eldest sister too. When we arrived at her house you have wished her father and mum first, the Thai way.
Son:Yes, I will. She also came to our house in Penang for there was a picture taken with me too
Dad. The last visit to her family was in 2004 if I can recall when I was in Thailand as a study trip of Bangkok's basement construction.




Xing Yi, Buay and me (1994)in Penang ....................Xing Yi ,Buay and Tee (2007)

The Reunion (1/12/07)

On the 2nd day in Bangkok, Xing Yi and I went to Chatuchak weekend market and meet Buay who will be arriving with her eldest sister and Tee. Well, by the time we met , the time was almost 1.00pm and Xing Yi and I have to eat lunch on our own. Lucky for me , I could still speak a bit of Thai language and that helped in our order of Pork leg rice ( Kao Kah Moo) and Fried Big Noodle( Phat See You).
Buay, her sister, and Tee helped us to purchase dresses ,bag and all souvenir after meeting her and then we took the MRT back to Rachadapesik where she parked her car to continue our journey to her new house. By the time we reached it was nearly
6.00pm.
I have not got the time to look thoroughly through the house but even then I acknowledged that the interior was very well set up.

How did Buay help me when I was in Bangkok.

At the very begin she taught me the Thai language so that I communicate with all the Thai foremen and general worker. I received a lot of complaints from the Thai construction group that the existing Construction manager was not helping them to solve problems. The real test that the Thai people did on me was whether I dare to climb up the Tower Crane which was alway breaking down. I remember telling the operator through Buay( as an interpreter) that I would be up in his cabin by half an hour but then the operator was shocked to see me up there in 15 minutes. Well he has no idea that I was always climbing the Tower Crane when I was constructing Hotel Equatorial in Penang. Why in Penang? Well, I have always been working in Heavy Industries Construction but not in High rise projects so whenever the Tower Crane break down I would assist the Electrical technician in his repair work and that eventually helped me to understand what was Tower crane.
At one particular project, the tower crane operator felt sick and did not turn up for work. I told all the head men that I would go up only once and whatever they wanted to lift, they have to do it immediately. After that time, I told myself that I should not do it again for the safety rule do not permit an incompetent operator
.
Do you understand the Thai culture? Well, I do not but was guided by Buay and her family, eventually I gained all the respect of the Thai construction team. Before continuing, I would like to thank my staff, Prasat, Mahidol and even the contractor foremen, Khun Utasin and Khun Porn Chai, the design engineer and so many Thai people who helped me to accomplish constructing this project. Not to forget ,my Project Manager, Mr Barry Morrison, both Engineers: Khun Teh, Khun Chen, and the Architect, Miss Eton and Khun Wen, who trusted me in controlling the project until the end.

What other things that Buay did? There was once when I took up the Autocad lesson and the lesson was conducted in Thai. Even with a English book on Autocad, I could not understand what the lecturer was teaching until Buay explained it to me in English. the valuable time that she can spared to be beside me on her off day, Sunday, for the lesson was very unforgettable.I was introduced to computer by my Eldest brother. He told me that MIT,USA did a project on computer for a client and the team from MIT managed to cut the cost down for that project.

Well,finally the most important of them all was her family that welcome me and make my home sick subsided. I remembered that my monthly phone bill back then to call my family was Rm800 per month until my return to Penang. Thinking back that time , if only Personal computer was very advance, I could speak through Internet phone, Skype and that could save alot



Buay with me in the office.................. With Keng in the cable car to Sentosa Island,Singapore


How did you help her?

I could only taught her how to save enough for her education for she was taking up a part time degree course in ABAC in Bangkok, very near to her grandfather house. Sometimes she would be in our apartment on Sunday where I would help her with the lesson and Mr Teh and Mr Tan would help her with the Additional Maths and other papers. Miss Wai Lan would cook lunch for us during that day. Taking her for short trip with my family,Mr Tan's family and Mr Teh and Wai Lan.
One of the our outing.

How did she address you ?

Well, she would call me "Kor" in Hainan dialect, meaning eldest brother. Until today whenever she email she would always be signing off with this word.
I did return to Thailand after completing the Tongkah Tower project, and during that time in their home they would also discuss confidential family matter with me. Until today, this is the utmost important, Trust that I have from them.
So far, I have visited them every 3 to 5 years.

The delicious home cook Thai food

When arrived back to house, dinner was served.


The cooked food in Buay's house........... My favourite Tong Yam seafood. One bowl each person,HO LIAO. forget to ask the chef for the recipe

Special gift from Trisanawai family

On arrival to the house on the second day in Bangkok, Xing Yi got an
"Ang Pow" from Buay's mum. He was very happy and in spite of that was given an extra 'Polo' T shirt specially from Buay. Everyone has got a T Shirt from her and also from her sister, Keng. Wearing to dinner yesterday night, I was asked where I buy it and I mentioned, given by my Thai sister, Buay

Leader Commitment

How to built a team.

When I was in Balikpapan, Indonesia, constructing the Oil and Gas job under Bethel International, I was ordered by my Project Manager to take over the job as Area Superintendent for Hydrocracker Train "A". The first problem that I have to solve immediately was to stop the other section head from sending some skilled workers back to Singapore. Initially, there was no problem if the company terminate one or two just to show the worker that they have to perform and keep the schedule on time. To terminate one , another competent skilled workers has to be mobile and replaced immediately. time was not on our side and the cost overrun due to flight fare started to surface.

I have no choice but to group all the "rotten" workers and find out the reason from each individual one. From the information that I have gathered , I found out that the main problem derived was from the Senior head and not from the workers. The senior head did not communicate any problem voiced out by the skilled workers on the job was not attended due to his temper and proud ego.

My Project Manager finally has to step in and reassigned him out to another section and I have take over. I got panicked for I have no knowledge of Oil and Gas works but only Civil and Structure and even then I could not lead these team for the three completed projects were totally of different scope, a highway project ,a chemical plant, and an electrical substation.My Project Manager called for an urgent meeting and informing everyone that I will be taking over. His next move was to identify all the leader( Mechanical engineers and supervisors) and assigned extra duties. Being a Mechanical Project Manager, he was very experience and during the meeting he listened in detail of all the problems and how each solution highlighted was solved. His team was communicating freely with him as a leader and a "friend".
I learned this problem solving meeting from him and till today I am still apply what he has taught me.

How to look for the leader within that person. A few quality to look for:

1. The Positiveness of that person: He has to have the ability to work with people and
situations in a positive way. Even problems are tough to resolve he has to be calm.
2. Follow-through: Any job given or assigned to him have to be completed by till the end
and just pass to the person.
3. Loyalty
4.Discipline
5.Gratitude: An attitude of thankfulness when help by other
6.Integrity: trustworthiness and solid with his words.
7. Resilience: Be able to able to stand firm and resolve problem when problem arises,
8. Good team leader: As a team player to the rest of the organisation other than his department.

But then the leader himself must has vision if not he will not be able to foresee the down line potential leader problem. He himself has to adopt to change and not worrying that his staff will take over his post.
Finally, pay the leader according to their prices/value.

Training New Leaders

Principle behind developing leaders

Recently when I was in Bangkok and a close friend of mine asked me how I managed to train staff to be the next leader after me. I smiled and informed him that you have to read some leadership training book and sometime it just came automatically. Anyway I was so happy to share with him thess few principles that I have with me for so long.
Before going further, I always recall these words,

"Those closest to the leader will determine the success level of that leader,"

This words have positive and negative when approaching it. Well, think of the positive side.You need to encourage Team Work that means you have to encourage your group to become team player.

Then you should stop for a moment and think of any staffs closest to your organisation. Are you developing them? Do you have a game plan for them? Are they growing? Have you been able to lift your work load?

The most important responsible that one must have before developing any leader whether they are just a supervisor to be promoted to Senior
supervisor are

1. appreciate them as who they are
2.believe that they will do their best in the new position
3. praise them for their accomplishments
4. accept your personal responsibility to them as their leader.

So, in other words the leader must be able to be outspoken rather than being rude when dealing in any SITUATION ESPECIALLY during negotiation of problem.

The leader most important task is acquiring and keeping good staff and teaches them where they lack in.

Stop here my friend said to me and let go for a local Thai coffee beside the road side which he knew that I love , not in Coffee Buck or Coffee Bean.. He called out to his secretary, Nuk, and informed her of our agenda.Walking out of his office, I was hoping that I could find some pork "satay" beside where we were going to drink coffee

When at the store, he mentioned of the office problem for there were many ............

The 3rd day in Bangkok

Window Shopping on 2/12/2007

On this day,we went to Siam Paragon,Siam Center, Siam Discovery Center and than walked over to Mah Boon Kong.I was so lucky to witness the basement work of Siam Paragon during my trip back to Thailand 3 years back. Took some pictures as construction methodology



One of my favourite shopping complex, Mah Boon Kong



Siam Paragon under construction in 19Sept 2004. Taken from BTS Siam station

Lucky Acquaintance (1st day:30/11/2007)

We took this taxi back to the airport. There are many taxi in Bangkok now


The Poster of the Korea Star,Lee Jun Ki




The Stage built to welcome him


After praying to Phra Prom at Erawan, my son and I walked across to Central World to window shop. Once we entered we were surprised to see a poster of one very famous star, Lee Jun Ki.
Xing yi got excited and said that we could be lucky to see him in life person. Well, my son was indeed very lucky on these event, meeting film star and so on, for he has also met one of Thailand supermodel, Pancake, in Koh Lipe (Thailand) during our last Chinese New Year trip to marine islands.



With Pancake in one of Thailand exclusive marine island.
Chinese New year, 2007


We saw the stage which was erected for welcome him and decided to go on with our shopping. My son said that we could hear all the commotion when he arrived. True enough as we were to leave the complex we heard sudden disturbance of the quite atmosphere and we quickly went over. Since we were one floor above the stage, we were very lucky to see him walking behind the stage and my son get excited and said, Dad start shooting with your camera. Being excited too, I also started to take picture of the idol. Previewing the picture when back to hotel room, we were lucky to have one better shot as shown below.


Bird Eye view of Lee Jun Ki .

I told my son of the dinner appointment and we left the complex immediately and has to walk back to the hotel for the traffic jam has just started to built up.

The Multinational Gathering

The Thai , Malaysian,Chinese and Down Under meeting

Before leaving for Thailand, I made a final call to my younger Thai sister, Buay to confirm the flight and my daily schedule when in Thailand. Over the phone, she told me that my Project Manager, Mr Barry Morrison is in Bangkok for 2 months and a dinner arrangement has been made for all of us on the first day of my arrival. Very surprised of the arrangement, I told my son,Xing Yi that we have to reschedule the Friday tour. He agreed for he wished to eat the Thai foods in the restaurant.



A normal daily traffic affair. Love it and Hate not.



The Meeting after 13years


All in the meeting Barry Morrison, Buay, Chen Yau Hui , Xing Yi and me

The Thai food


Kung Pao. ( Baked Fresh Prawns).....................................

I cannot remember the name of the restaurant except there is a train passing by every hour. Food served were good.

Other Places ,Old Friend and Delicious Thai Foods

The Soi ( Lane)beside Chinese Embassy

Beside where I formally worked was a Soi, (Lane) called Chinese Embassy Lane, which I would walk each morning to work. This is the Soi that lead to the apartment,Deluxe mansion, which I stay when constructing True Tower.
Along the Soi, I met a good friend the Chicken Rice seller and they would ask about my welfare.


The Chicken Rice Store...............................................A post with them and questions later!!!

Robinson Department Store

Here, I would window shop during my dinner or when my family visited me during their holiday. Most important the MK restaurant that I took the my Thai Steamboat


Robinson along Rachadapesik Road......................and the MK restaurant inside the complex


Foods normally found along the Soi



Pork satay, my most famous food .Without fail even in Hatyai, I would search for it in the morning


Noodle along the street.............................................Mixed vegetable rice



Thailand most famous food, "Som Thum"...........Coffee are mixed here on the street

Priority place to visit before the rest

Phra Prom
Place of utmost important

Every trip back to Bangkok, before visiting all my favorite places, I would visit the Lord Phra Prom Shrine at Erawan and pray to him.





My son after praying to Lord Phra Prom............................and me too.

Thailand: recall of the memory (updated 11/12/07)

Recall.

Son: Dad, can we go back to bangkok?
Dad: Why?
Son: Well, I have left Bangkok for 13 years and I wish to recall all the places when I was a small
boy. You were working beside a China Embassy along Rachadapesik. Is that right?
Dad: Since you have a short semester break , we will go from Penang to Bangkok and back
throught Hatyai.
Son: When arrive in Bangkok ,can we go to the apartment that we have stayed first and than at the project that you have completed.
Day: Okay, but but we have to go and pray to Phra Pom ( 4 faces Buddha) first at Erawan.
Son: Anything will do.



Deluxe Manasion
The Place where I have stayed when working in Bangkok.



My son standing on the pedestrian flyover now and before,1994 with Buay,Pei Yi and Mum on the road below the flyover
Both picture show the True Tower,formerly called as Tongkah Tower, Telecom Tower
behind






The True Tower
Decorated with Banner to celeberate the King 80th Birthday on 5/12/07


Arrival in Bangkok on 30/11/2007


Inside the new airport.........................................Dad, we are in Bangkok.

The Hotel that we stayed for 4 days (30/11/07 - 4/12/07)








n the central heart of most attractive landmarks, Petchburi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok. 0.8 km from the
Ratchathewi Station (BTS).


The well designed staircase of the hotel


Reception Area of Grand Watergate Hotel....The very neat and cosy hotel room