Yesterday afternoon in Bangkok, Thailand was mostly spent realising that I am going to have to watch that dreadful Hangover 2 movie again just to see all the amazing places in Bangkok that I have now seen in real life. Rest assured I will do so alone. I won't be shouting out "I've been there!' to some poor loved one. Unless I bribe them. In addition to this, I learned the following:
1. Shoes in most stores in Thailand come primarily in a size 2. That's adults shoes.
2. Burmese men don't wear underwear and so one of the Thai fashion companies we met is trying to create that market in their neighbour. Jolly good.
3. We were told that Thai women no longer want to look like a European/Thai mix. Now they want to look Korean/Thai. The vagaries of fashion, eh.
4. Umbrellas are big business here. And the prettier ones are mostly from China. Sad.

5. Fashion competition has just started to heat up here in Thailand. Zara, H&M and Uniqulo have just entered the country and bringing fashion right up to date.
6. It is now better value to manufacture clothing and accessories in Thailand than in China. Just not shoes. We have discussed this. Awful.
7. You can get lost in a mall. Mind you only the food court, not the clothing bit. That I had sussed in about ten minutes in the biggest mall in South East Asia.
8. Thai teenagers do all their fashion shopping online or in the discount fashion mall. Older ladies still prefer department stores with trained 'store girls' as they call them.
9. The Thai silk Ikat design is recreated on the walls of the temples. Amazing to see.

Aside from that I also learned that coming from the land of gold doesn't prepare you for the overwhelming gold of the Emerald Buddah Monastery. Nor the Grand Palace. Yikes. They are GOLD. Spandau Ballet gold. Who knew.
Click on any of these pictures to make them bigger.