Thai Airways is my most favourite airline. I have been flying Thai since 1970, when I joined UNESCO. I have flown in its Calcutta - Bangkok sectors many times, but, I have also flown in its Bangkok - Singapore, Bangkok - Chiang Mai and Bangkok - Beijing sectors. Its Calcutta - Bangkok sector is most interesting, with passengers from India and Nepal. Bangkok and Thailand have many Bhayyas from Uttar Pradesh working there. They do not know English, although some of them know the Thai language. Some of them have married beautiful Thai women. These Passengers boarDing at Calcutta in Thai flights are handled at the Bangkok Airport with sympathy . There is an Emigration Officer who knows Hindi, and he takes care of them. You should look at their baggage - gunny bags, medium size earthen pots containing pickles and Ghee. Their dresses are equally rustic, always with a headgear.
The Passengers are treated very cordially, and children are pampered with toys. Women passengers are presented with pink Orchids. In those days men passengers used to be presented with Orchids, but not so now. Being a non-IATA airline, it treats the passengers with the drinks of their choice. The food served is always hot and tasty.
The cute hostesses put on matter-of-fact dresses when service begins, and revert back to beautiful traditional Thai Silk attire at the time of landing. The inflight journal Swasdee, printed in art paper, and full of photographs, is much more than a Travel Magazine. I have carefully preserved all the issues of Swasdee. ’’Swasdee’’ in Thai means ’’Namaste’’ in Hindi.
Flying Thai, one lives in and sees Bangkok - its Floating Market, its Temples and Monasteries, the Sleeping Buddha, its air conditioned Super Markets, its street Bazzars, its Fruit Markets, despite radiating the pungent smell of Durian and its night life.
Thai cuisine is distinctly different from that of other Asian countries. Its soup and curry are hot, and a lot of herbs are used in them. The sea food, cooked for you according to your taste, is really good.
Thai boutique has unique features. The Thai Safari and ordinary Safari can be custom tailored within a few hours and delivered at your Hotel. The Hotels in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and other cities are world class. The Thai rural life gives a totally different picture having the toiling farmers producing different crops.
This is, incidentally my 200th Review, and I am glad that the subject is Thai Airways.