Bangkok Dangerous

"kailan ako lalaya? sa anino ng pag iisa? mga rehas lang ang tanaw, nanginginig sa seldang maginaw." - eheads (NGA PALA, NAKARATING NA KO PILIPINAS, SALAMAT SA DIYOS! -12/01/08)

How does it feel to be a prisoner in an invisible jailhouse? This is what i'm feeling right now. I flew here from Manila to attend a business meeting last Saturday. My flight back was booked last Wednesday afternoon. But Tuesday night, there was news that protesters blocked the International Airport leaving no choice but to stop business - all flights cancelled - until further notice. The people are demanding CHANGE. Let the prime minister step down his office and start a new era of good governance. The world will know their plea by demonstrating a peaceful protest in one of Asia's biggest airport (infact 18th bussiest in the world) - Suvarnabhumi.

Ok, this wouldn't probably take long....and so i thought. Today is Sunday, my 9th day in Bangkok. Both local and international airports here are closed. You have to go to Pattaya (+ 2hours) or Phuket (+12 hours) then fly to Cambodia or Vietnam or Malaysia or Singapore if your flight carrier can accomodate you. Everyday, the number of stranded tourists are in the thousands. 5 days post airport seige. Booking for train (earliset available booking Dec10!), car (hotel car to Phuket - 17,000 Baht!), bus (fully booked), boat or plane (prioritize nationals - Cathay for HongKong, SQ for Singaporeans, Thai Airways for those already booked) to any destination away from Bangkok is like joining the Amazing Race! Until finally, you're too tired of thinking all the possibilities.

Shop. Eat. Walk along the streets of Bangkok. Watch CNN. Sleep. Drink. Sleep. Watch CNN. Walk along the streets of Bangkok. Eat. Shop. Plenty of things to do. A lot of sites to see. But no matter what i do, the reality is - i'm stranded, i'm stucked in prison without the jailbars.

I want to go home. I miss my family.... ganito pala ang malayo sa mga taong minamahal mo, sigh....

I AM (LEGEND) doctor

i am a member of pinoymd yahoogroups, and there has been a long email thread recently about the plight of doctors (salary, status, hirap ng buhay). I dont know if i met Carl during residency, but i sure can relate to him on the realities of training in that big hospital sa Taft Ave. Here's my response to his post.

and btw, this is not a will-smith-wannabe-post :-)

Dear Carl,

Wow, i wasnt able to read this the first time. It is a sad reality that not all of us are "Anak ng Diyos", people have the general notion that all Doctors are on the top tier of the society (financial-wise). And even if you want to tell them that we're no different from all the fresh graduates of the University, it's just hard to change such an established notion.

The truth is, having a diploma, additional two letters at the end of our name (and probably a few more post residency) a white coat and a stet hanging on our shoulders are not 100% ticket to success. We still have to work our way up and climb the long ladder to success.

The harsh reality of our economy not only affects the tambays in the kanto, the millions of mang pandoy and the countless indays. Doctors are not immune to experience the difficulties of establishing a practice.

On a positive note, we studied so many years to attain doctorhood. We met so many people along the way. All the prelims, midterms, removals, practicals, decuries and board exam made us logical people. So i'm sure all of us can pass this chapter of struggle in our career. In the end, its the benefit we contribute to the society that makes a mark to the lives of people we have touched and healed. One patient at a time.

Carl, hope you're all good in the new path you have chosen. Doctors are survivors. And to all of us, keep evolving, tandaan mo, hindi ka nag-iisa. Kudos Carl for this great contribution.

rheiboy17

globe imposible 3

dear globe (all comes in trilogy)

thank you for the quick response. i already got my reimbursement. SM San Lazaro Globe people were so kind, friendly, accomodative and efficient. Such a pleasant site to visit........hmm, i wonder why? Sa globe, POSIBLE. smart din pala sila ano?

.....will end my rant here (for now, actually). :)

kind regards,
rant-tarat-a-lot

globe imposible 2

dear globe

after i sent my email last saturday. i received a quick reply yesterday. in about six hours, i received a confirmation that i can now get the reimbursement at sm san lazaro! you see, i waited six months, i made an email expressing my disgust, and in six hours, i can now get my refund. amazing! sa globe POSIBLE! so? should i say now that globe people are actually smart afterall....... (it pays to rant....sometimes)

naaah, they should have done that months ago.

ps: they gave me an extra, i no longer need to reapply for my roaming everytime i fly abroad, they made my status permanent. am off to UK, see you guys after one week (talk about giving a price for their lack-of-"patient"-care)

kind regards
rant-arattarat

globe imposible

i'm tired of going to the mall following up the reimbursement from globe, so i emailed them.....

good day,

i have two accounts from globe that i requested for termination last december 2006. I have continously followed up the status of my termination. The instruction was that i will receive a final bill, and then i can have my refund to any globe station.

i have inquired with globe sm manila, sm north edsa, and the last was at sm san lazaro. By coincidence (or maybe, just maybe, there's a ghost employee), from all the 3 globe stations, the officer-in-charge was either on leave or already out of the office. If i remember right, sm manila instructed me that i can go to any globe station and claim my refund. but a month ago, i went to sm san lazaro to inquire for that. i filled up a form regarding my termination of 2 accounts, and told me that they will inform me if the fund is already available for pick up. the personnel specifically told me that i cant get the refund instantly, the instruction given to me by the sm manila personnel was wrong!

now, i have never received any follow up from your company. sm san lazaro told me that they will text me or call me after two days. is 2 days equivalent to 2 months globewise?.

the terminated number i have are: 09178586199, the other one, sad to say this, but i have already forgotten because i'm not the one using it (and its been almost half a year!).

please do check my account: these are my mailing address from the previous account ......(privacy).........sta cruz manila
the other account is mailed at ........(my dad-in-law doesnt want a penpal, sorry)..... san pedro puerto princesa city palawan

i hope that someone will address my concern, its been almost 5 months now. if this is the way you handle reimbursements, then you better improve the system. your people from different branches are saying different instructions. Sa globe POSIBLE! then prove it! All the while i thought globe people are smart...... sigh.

kind regards,
rant-arattarat

MENTALLY STIMULATING AND EXHAUSTING

I told myself that this year, I will blog atleast once a day (along with my 2007 resolution of staying fit, jog 2-3x/week, healthy diet – which, as expected, I am unable to do). No particular topic, just write anything. But due to unforeseen circumstances – meetings, lectures, approvals and all – I basically parked blogging and indefinitely shut blogger world out.

This week is no exception. Anyone can make a book of complaints about everyday toxicities in life…. but that’s not me. I’m no saint either. I have come to a realization that its human nature to feel panicky as if the end of the world is near whenever there’s a deadline to beat. Its human nature to be “oscar the grouch” when things don’t turn out the way you expect it. Its human nature to say “I give up” when you’re sanity’s practically hanging by a thread. And I’m human.

But after all the complaints, morbid thoughts (is it suicidal tendencies?) and countless cussing, its human nature to say, “hey, I can do this.” Surprisingly, I did.

Ahhh, this is my life. This is my job. Mentally stimulating and at the same time, exhausting. Paradoxical indeed. I’m only human. We’re only human. And yes, I love my job and I’m facing the challenge!

see? blogging is therapeutic! i feel good!

is there somethin wrong huh?

after the taiwanquake (well, every netizen actually in south east asia) noticed the intermittent internet connection since late dec2006. and yes, just like singleguy said, it can really piss you off.

the weird thing about this though is that some sites easily pops out, while others do not. like this one - gmail, blogger and google (obviously came from one creator) are sites i find difficult to access at a single click, early january its even worse! i usually get timed out. i already said this to ryeurn but i thought it was just nothin. until singleguy posted a comment sayin he's havin difficulty posting at blogspot.

oh well, i hope the cables are fixed by now. the connection may have gone haywire, but it will never stop me from blogging (it may slow me (us) down though)

welcome to the wonderful world of blogging.....

netizen in distress

i have a deadline to beat. i was in front of the computer all night to finish some stuff and slept at the same time the sun was having his majestic entrace at this side of the planet.

12noon, my little rascals are jumpin all over me, askin me open the computer and play DISNEY! (sorry guys, give me a break, its weekend - kids rule and i allow them to use the net - weekdays is a no no). To my surprise (or dismay) i cant access the net! Imagine the reaction of my kids - the tantrums and all, no matter how well you can explain the situation to the kids, believe me it will not work! so i called the service provider - glitch again. taiwanquake really made an impact. i read in one daily's that their workin on it already - exploring the seabed and fixing the cables (reminds me of fix you by coldplay). fix it, fix it, please, please please.......

kids? you know how they are, after a while they will give up as if nothin happened. there they are - playing with their thorn, worn-out toys, incomplete train, robot without a head, etc etc etc. - easy to please (unlike you guys! OLD people you!)

ME? i have a deadline to beat. am now in a net cafe, sending my accomplished work-of-art to my boss. (extracharge though, sigh)

done.

back to earth

after about two weeks of shutdown (well, its not actually a shutdown for me, since i visited the office during those days - the only difference though is that i was with my faded low-waist(ed) jeans, shirt and sneakers) everybody's going back to earth.

back to the hussle, busy, sardines-like travel to the office, snail-paced honkytonk ride at EDSA, beating the deadlines, and yah, coffee-gone-cold at the table. the christmas vacation is definitely a must for us lowly workers.

if i can only have a universal remote and in just one click freeze office time and get to do everything without deadlines, that will be cool, no, that will be excellent! if only santa clause grant my wish of having all the goodies for my kids, that will be satisfying. if only i can have a reloadable mind, that you just insert an SD card and can copy all data in a single push of a button, ey that will be brilliant!if only......

oh well, can't help but day dream. back to earth. i am a worker. and this year i will do my best for my family, job, community and country! (booyah, now that's the spirit!)

plus! uh, and i will continue blogging