Wednesday, July 27, 2005

I can't say THANKs enough.

You have made some people very very happy. Thank you so much:

Adrain
Alvin
Dawn
Dianah
Edwin
Farah
Janet
Kok Kuan
Isabel
Qiyun
Marcel
Lian-Yi
Pan Liang
Rauda
Reza
Samantha
Simon
Soo Hian
Vika
Uma
Wanchurn
Wee Liang
Yasmin
Zhiwei

Pay
Touk
Dong
Mee
Onn

Have I missed out anyone?

I hope I can do the same thing for you, someday, somehow...

Saturday, July 23, 2005

Welcome to Ang Mo Kio


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Originally uploaded by Xaisongkham.

Market and Foodcourt


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Originally uploaded by Xaisongkham.

Welcome to my house


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Originally uploaded by Xaisongkham.

Please come in


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Originally uploaded by Xaisongkham.

You are a visitor no 34


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Originally uploaded by Xaisongkham.

Bathroom and toilet are on your left


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Originally uploaded by Xaisongkham.

Please make yourself at home


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Originally uploaded by Xaisongkham.

Hungry? Let's go for lunch.


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Originally uploaded by Xaisongkham.

Thank you for your visit. Please come again.


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Originally uploaded by Xaisongkham.

Security Check my Ass!

My siblings and I were heading home from Sentosa,thanks to TUesday Group, and out of the sudden, we were stopped by two security guards who stationed inside Harbour Front MRT."Sorry sir, could we check your bag," commanded one of them. They were armed with a pen each. "Why you stopped us and not others?" asked me. " It's just a random check, sir," said he. "But why us? Is it because of our appearances?" I was irritated. I wasn't trying to be difficult; I was just a bit embarrassed inside MRT and in front of the crowd rushing home from Sentosa. "No sir, it's just a random check. Please open your bags," he pointed his pen to our bags. My sister looked terrified and embarrassed. Inside her bag there was her wet-cloths. "Please open the plastic bag...Ok. Thank you." We walked away after "security check" and my sister asked me what it was about and why they had to check us. "Maybe they were afraid we're illegal immigrants," said my brother.

I've got nothing against this so-called security check;I just feel irritated and insulted by the fact that people still stereotype or classify other people by their appearances and races. Only dark-skinned people commit a crime? Only average or below-average-looking people do evil things?

Oh how naive are you! If I were a bomber, I wouldn't carry my bag around looking suspicious.

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

My best shot


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Originally uploaded by billabonque.
Why do I look so happy?

Monday, July 18, 2005

I hate the first day at work.

Frustrated and lousy! That's how I feel every time I start the first day at work.

Today I started working at Teleperfomance; I had to call Thai customers in Thailand. Although I can speak Thai reasonably well, I haven't spoken for ages. And the opposite me was a native-Thai lady; I was nervous like hell. I mixed Lao with Thai words from time to time. Luckily no one around me understood Thai, except the Thai lady opposite me. Damnit.

Sunday, July 17, 2005

My family portrait


My family in Savannakhet
Originally uploaded by billabonque.
We never hug each other. And we never utter love to each other. But we know we love and care for each other. Poverty tears us apart physically. But we know we'll always be together. And I am glad I have a family to call my own. One day I hope we will all live under one roof once again.

Last night I dreamt about you again.

How many of you dream about someone or something constantly? I've been dreaming about my parents almost every single night for the past 10 years or so. My mom passed away on Feburary 2nd, 1992, and my dad, July 1998.

And two years ago, I lost my friend who was very dear to me. Since then I've been dreaming about him.

These three persons appear in my dreams again and again. They come and go; I smile and cry, in my dreams.

Love and miss you so much.

Thursday, July 07, 2005

A house is not a home if there is no one there.

I've just moved into my new house! The coolest house ever, literally. Owned by one of MPs in Ang Mo Kio, the shophouse, where I'm living now, is located in the heart of Ang Mo Kio. It's surrounded by the police station, market, food stalls, ATM, 7-Eleven, swimming pool, Bishan Park...How cool is that?

Although the house is still messy, we have more and less all stuff that we need; we bought and some people donated to us.

But the sad thing is I always come home late at night, wake up late in the afternoon, and go to work until late at night. And repeat. My housemate goes to work early in the morning and goes to bed pretty early in the evening. So we haven't seen each other at all since we've moved in. Our mode of communication? Via written notes, FOOD IN THE KITCHEN, posted on the door, and phone messages. Our new house is simply a place for resting for now.

Shit! It's been almost a week and my room is still messy.

Friday, July 01, 2005

Lao movie? Really?

New Lao movie to release in July
Khonesavanh Latsaphao

The Lao National Film Archive and Video Centre held a press conference yesterday in Vientiane to say it will screen a new Lao movie next month after its filming was completed.

The film has been made to welcome the Second Party Congress of the Ministry of Information and Culture and the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting scheduled for July 24-29.

“This movie will not be free to the general public because movie producers are raising funds for future productions,” said the archive's Director, Mr Bounchao Phichit.

The movie titled Leum Tua will play for three days at 8:00 pm , July 16-18, at the National Culture Hall; tickets are priced at 10,000 kip for adults and 5,000 kip for children.

“The movie is about a man named Kienphet, who participated in the Lao national fight for liberation, but has forgotten everything that he did,” said Bounchao.

In the movie, the Lao government appoints Mr Kienphet, after the Lao liberation, to an important directorial position at the Lao Construction Enterprise in Vientiane . But he doesn't do any work, instead spending his time drinking beer and wooing the girls of Vientiane .

“We spent 18 days producing this movie which we started filming at the end of 2003. The movie was delayed as many actors in the film are Ministry of Information and Culture officials and were very busy,” said Mr Bounchao.

The movie's production costs totalled 35 million kip; all the actors in the movie are veterans.
The producers admit that Lao people would have preferred to see new actors in the movie, but because of budget limitations, they were not able to afford them.

“I want Lao people to watch this movie, so that we can earn money to produce more movies,” said Mr Bounchao.

Only six Lao movies have so far been produced, although there is a demand for them. Lack of funds have proved the deterrent factor.

Source: http://www.vientianetimes.org.la/ (01-July-2005)