From Hongkong with Love

Hi, I have decided to go queue jumping and trump in the hot and fresh Cathay's Bangkok report, obviously for the reason that I enjoyed the trip so much. To begin with, I would like to congratulate the CX inflight crews for their excellent services delivered. The flight was in itself a highlight of the journey.

The purpose of my Bangkok trip was not purely leisure. It was a rather short 3-day-stay. For me as a Hong Konger I feel compelled to visit the Thai Kingdom after the Boxing Day disaster. Albeit the geographical fact that we are all neighbours in the same region, I realise that everybody in Hong Kong feel connected to this tsunami-hit country in different ways. Some may have business or family connection there. Others may have spent a memorable time holidaying in the country before. Our friendship with the Thai people was sealed ever since the Kingdom was amongst the first to deliver its helping hands during the SARS crisis with some urgently needed medical supplies. When our mates are in trouble, this is now time we got behind and returned the favour.

Admittedly my means were very very limited, but it certainly beats sitting at home and feeling helpless with the situation. Tourism is in my opinion the best aid to regenerate economies in all affected areas; and as much as Hong Koner had experienced a dark time of our own desperate for tourist arrivals during the SARS outbreak, I was hoping that my little trip to Bangkok would at least mean something to ease the victims' hardship.

So here I was, on a trip to Bangkok. The good news was the city remained as bustling as ever, human spirit was high, and tourists were visible literally every corner of all major streets. The latest statistics already tells that the country is on a well recorded tourism rebound. In the near future I am also hoping to embark on another journey to the island of Phuket, whose paradise-like images had never faded in my mind since the last visit in February 2004.