Sawadee Kha, TALI!
All work with no play leads to burnout. We care about the well-being of our employees, which is why we strive to balance hard work and play. Our team went on a trip to Bangkok last November 21 to 24, 2023, as a reward for all of our hard work the past year, and as a way to boost workplace camaraderie
We asked our teammates what they thought the key moments were that made our trip memorable and here are their picks.
From Tuk Tuk to tugstugs
A Tuk Tuk is a three-wheeled, brightly colored vehicle that decorates every street in Bangkok. Comparable to the Philippines’ tricycle, these vehicles speed through the gaps of traffic and are considered a must-try for every tourist.
“Our first Tuk Tuk ride was one for the books,” Arra Abella, our Head of Socials said, “Our Tuk Tuk driver was blasting Justin Bieber songs habang nakasakay kami. Para kaming nasa patok jeep. Our adrenaline was at an all-time high!”
Crossing the river to Wat Arun
From left to right: Mia Sancio (Insights and Analytics Manager), Arra Abella (Head of Socials), and Andie Ochoa (Junior Art Director) on the way to Wat Arun
Wat Arun, also known as the “Temple of Dawn,” is a Buddhist temple that sits on Chao Praya’s river banks. Wat Arun is named after the Hindu god Aruna and is known for its distinctive floral mosaics made from broken and colorful Chinese porcelain pieces.
Wat Arun features a central spire and four large prangs which you can climb. The climb up to the three levels in the central spire involves steep staircases and if you conquer this, the magnificent views of the Chao Praya River will reward you. It is no wonder that Mia Sancio, our Social Media Analytics and Insights Manager, considers Wat Arun as one of our trip's key highlights.
“The design of the temple is mesmerizing. I also loved how I was able to see the statues that represented the yakshas from Ramayana.”
What stood out to Mia was the cross-river ferry that takes you to the other side of the river where the temple is located. To our surprise, the trip only took five minutes. “Literal na tawid lang siya.”
The Coin Meditation and the Reclining Buddha
The Reclining Buddha
Visiting the Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho temple is another key highlight of our Thailand trip. The Reclining Buddha, which is 46 meters in length and 15 meters in height, is one of the largest Buddha statues in Thailand. Its famous reclining pose is said to represent Buddha’s last moments on earth before Buddha died and entered Nirvana.
Due to its massive size, it’s impossible to capture the Reclining Buddha in its entirety. Another activity you can do while inside this temple is coin meditation — a practice believed to bring you good fortune.
Anj Ayson, our Senior Copywriter, cites this as one of her key Bangkok moments. You can purchase a bowl of coins for 20 Baht, and drop one coin on each of the 108 bronze bowls lined up along the temple's wall. Why 108? This number is believed to be lucky in the Buddhist faith because it represents the 108 auspicious traits of Buddha. According to Anj, dropping coins in each bowl was such a meditative and calming experience, despite being surrounded by a large crowd going in and out of the temple.
Get in, gurl, we’re going shopping!
All smiles at Big Knit.
A trip to Bangkok wouldn’t be complete without a day allotted for shopping alone. With the city’s selection of eclectic shopping malls, it’s hard not to shop ‘til you drop!
From scouring the six floors of Platinum Fashion Mall for souvenirs to searching for Kinokuniya in Central World to trying out unique trinkets and pad thai in MBK Center — the TALI team indulged our inner Regina George and made the most out of our Bangkok shopping experience.
Take a bow
In Buddhism, bowing is a sign of respect for Buddhist teachings. However, one of our TALI teammates may have been too excited to bow down and show reverence to Buddha. In an unexpected turn of events, she lost her balance, buster her lip, chipped her teeth, and earned a sprain and a few bruises — all of these before the tour for the day even began.
Thankfully, no major injuries were reported. The tour proceeded as planned while making everyone stayed on their feet this time.
