Do you believe in luck? I didn't. I've always believed that luck is nothing but a state of mind. If you believe that you're lucky, then you will be; if you don't, then you won't have any.
But there are just some things that made me believe that maybe luck played a role in making them happen. Just like what happened to Dr. Panut Oprasertsawat.
Who is he? He is the half a billionth AirAsia passenger who got a humongous surprise from AirAsia's Group CEO, Tony Fernandes.
That guy is LUCKY! More about his envy-inducing prize later. In the meantime, I'll give you a quick tour of the hotel where we stayed at in Bangkok: Centara Grand Ladprao! It's beautiful!
Bangkok, by the way, is the latest AirAsia Philippines' destination.
CENTARA GRAND LADPRAO BANGKOK
Centara Grand Ladprao is conveniently located right next to the mall where AirAsia's Half A Billion celebration took place. Suhweet!
We were supposed to stay at a hotel that's a little bit farther from the venue. That one is nice, too. But this one's nicer!
First off, the location of the hotel is superb. It's connected to the Central Grand Shopping Mall and is also close to Chatuchak Park. Avid bargain seekers would be delighted to know that the Centara Grand Ladprao is just minutes away from the famous Chatuchak Weekend Market as well.
Complimentary breakfast is one of the joys of staying in a hotel - as long as the food's good, of course. This one has that. I'm not big on breakfast, and would rather sleep in that start munching on something early in the morning. But if I'm staying in a hotel that I've never been to before, I'd take advantage of what the kitchen has to offer. I mean, it's just right.
So for three blissful mornings, I stuffed myself with two and a half bowls of Kuai Tiao (noodle soup) with Sen Yai rice noodles. I added various add-ons that characterizes Thailand's cuisine starting with the Prik Nam Pla (fish sauce with chili). This simple-looking bowl is filled with so much flavor!
You can't skip having a few slices of fruits when you're in Thailand! Best to dip them in salt-chili-sugar concoction. I remembered my mom while I was enjoying a few slices of papaya and watermelon. She would always bring back a peeled variety back to our hotel room. Not all smelt good; but everything tasted excellent.
Kuai Tiao trimmings
The Tummy Traveler getting her fill of honey
Centara Grand Ladprao's front desk and restaurant outlets. Behind the wooden partition at the far is one of the hotel's exits that leads directly to the mall.
The hotel's lobby is furnished in modern Asian style - marble meets wood.
Another hotel with an exhibitionist shower. Why is this a thing nowadays? It's useful if you have your significant other with you. As for me, I used the see-thorough glass to watch BBC while taking a shower. My life's that exciting. I was also alone in my room with two soft beds.
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First-class service with comfy beds, nice en suite, great location, good food, and perfectly working A/C makes this hotel a winner for me. Those who live in the tropics will understand why the last criterion is super important.
AIR ASIA'S HALF A BILLION CELEBRATION AT CENTRAL PLAZA BANGKOK
This is why we're in Bangkok. Yes, we did get to experience the city's sites, but this event is why we went there in the first place. AirAsia hit its 500 million passenger milestone in just 16 years! And that passenger is no other than Thai national, Dr. Panut Oprasertsawat.
Before the winner was introduced to the public, AirAsia's Group CEO Tony Fernandes, gave us a brief history of AirAsia's humble beginnings. "We started in 2001 with just 2 planes, 200 Allstars (AirAsia employees), and 200,000 guests", he explains. "Today, we have more than 200 planes, 20,000 Allstars, and 500 million passengers," he concluded.
The best takeaway from his speech is this: "NEVER TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER." I like that.
As a thanks, AirAsia gave away a couple of free tickets to random people who attended the event that day. A mob of AirAsia and Pope Thanawat (second from right) fans patiently waited at the venue for over an hour. The free tickets and their idol were their rewards.
To the fans of Pope Thanawat, please don't take offense to what I'm about to say: I had no idea who Pope Thanawat was. I was told that he's a superstar in Thailand. Don't worry guys, I don't even know the TV personalities in my country; the new ones at least. I'm simply not in the know anymore. Hashtag getting old.
They cordoned off the way leading to the venue. You have to pass by these group of eager fans when when going to the loo. And when I did take a quick loo visit, I did what any woman would do: I sashayed my way down this runway. Well in my mind, it was a catwalk. You'd do the same thing I bet.
The 500 millionth passenger of the World's Best Low-Cost Airlines, Dr. Panut Oprasertsawat. The original prize was 3,000,000 big points. That's a lot! When AirAsia Big goes on sale, they sometimes have one-way flights for only 8 points!
While the good doctor was posing for the photogs, Tony Fernandes got the microphone and said the most envy-inducing statement. "Since I'm the CEO, I'll give you a lifetime of free AirAsia flights instead." That includes AirAsia's long haul flights, AirAsia X! Even the guy's significant other got free flights, too!
Told you he's LUCKY!!!!!!!! This is not rigged, by the way. The winner was really the 500 millionth passenger of AirAsia. Instances like these is what makes me believe in luck.
AirAsia Philippines
Website: www.airasia.com
Facebook: AirAsiaPH
Twitter: @airasiafilipino
Instagram: @airasiafilipinoOnward and Upward!
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