After checking the website everyday for the updates on them I’m glad to have found this after two long tiring days in Chanthaburi.

The photos of the babies as well as the mother are up on the SCAD website

The mother has been named Chaiya (we kept calling her the phoo-ying because she was always with babies), and her babies are Rama, Shiva and Kali.

I miss them so much. When we walk pass the parking lot where they used to live in, I feel sad not having the phoo-ying come out to greet us like she always did.

But it’s better this way. At least now they’re being taken care of by a team of people who really care, when before it was just two of us against the whole condo building, and we couldn’t even feed them everyday. Now all they need is a loving home. It would be nice for them to be able to stay together but if not then it’s fine too.

I’m gonna pay them a visit some time this week and donate some food to the center.

Remember these babies?

We finally found a temporary home for them at the Soi Cats and Dogs center.

I approached them knowing that adoption isn’t their priority as I was desperate to find home for these kittens.

As I tweeted, or blogged, before, the last batch of babies by this stray mother cat were met with untimely death, thanks to the “kindness” of the condo management, who thought these kittens were making too much mess in the garden around their pool.

I later asked someone from the condo, and they said the kittens were actually left at a nearby temple, though you can’t really be sure, considering the temple is right next to Klong Saen Sap.

But anyway, we wanted to get the mom sterilized but then she got pregnant again, and this time with these cute little babies, and we couldn’t let them get killed again.

So I asked SCAD what they could do. Turned out the kittens were eligible for their Rehoming program. Usually the center would go to a neighborhood, neuter the dogs and cats, and bring in ones that they think would be adoptable (healthy, clean, nice). They don’t encourage people to drop the animals at the center, but we were lucky as they said these kittens would find home quickly.

Now the kittens are up for adoption, as well as the mother, to our surprise. They usually release sterilized animals back into the neighborhood but the mother however charmed the staff and got herself a spot on the adoption list also.

So, if you’re planning to get yourself a cat, consider SCAD instead of a pet store. It’s free to adopt and they always make sure the animals are friendly and healthy before putting them up for adoption.

Photos of the babies and the mother cat will be posted on their website soon, and I will update this post with the links to them.

This past few days the People of BTS have given me too much of a headache. Also a few actually gave me an illness as my throat is now clogged up. I’m guessing it was due to the kind ladies next to me on Monday who were constantly sneezing all the way from On Nut to Siam.

Just in case you’re new in town, and foolishly thinking that taking Bangkok’s BTS or MRT is like taking one back home. Though the trains may look like an old Shinkansen model, and the stations may look like they have been airlifted from Singapore, but the truth remains: in Thailand, things are not the way they seem.

Someone once told me, Thai people think of the BTS/MRT as a bus. A Thai bus. The one that speeds away from their stop, stops for no one, and speeds off just as fast before you fully get on. It’s also crowded, no room to be polite, you have to be selfish to get to your destination.

This bus culture is still pretty much evident on the BTS/MRT. And just in case you’re not already familiar, here’s a simple set of guidelines for surviving a Bangkok’s public commuter train.

1. Always form a neat queue when waiting for the train. But once it comes, run as fast as you can and push everyone aside so you could get yourself in front of the doors first.

2. No food or drinks on board. But packed sidewalk treats are allowed. Make sure they are as smelly as possible. Think fermented fish, garlic-laced pork barbecue, som tum, fried salted fish, and when possible, ripe durians.

3. If you’re coming down with a flu, don’t worry about carrying a napkin or handkerchief. Once you’ve sneezed, feel free to wipe your hands on the handle bars.

4. When you see that the BTS/MRT is already packed with people, by all means jump right in, especially when the warning sound starts. Just like the yellow light in traffic, the warning sound means “motherfucker go go go” and not “get ready to stop” like the rest of the world.

5. Right in front of the doors but this isn’t your stop? It’s alright to stand and act as if you’re a tree and rooted in your position. Others definitely don’t mind trying to maneuver themselves around you. Just make sure you have an extra layer of skin on your face and all will be fine.

6. See the poles? They’re not for holding. They’re for leaning and hugging, and sometimes as a practice space for your nighttime performance. Feel free to flung your arms around it like it’s your long lost friend. Better yet, lean your sweaty body against it so no one else can hold it. It’s yours to keep.

7. What’s more important? Checking your BB or holding a handle bar? Of course the BlackBerry wins. So when the BTS finally brakes, you can rightfully fall on other passengers. That’s their purpose you know, to be your cushion.

8. Girls, and I’m sure you already know, EVERYONE LOVES your perfume. So go crazy on that bottle of knock-off No. 5 from the talad you bought the other day.

9. Kids. We know those backpacks are heavy. But please don’t rest them on the floor for your convenience. We like it when that thing bumps into the backs of our heads, and you being completely oblivious to the whole thing.

10. Despite multiple staircases, and in Siam, multiple escalators available, you should be lazy and take the same one as everyone else. Because you know, an escalator takes you places faster, even if it means you have to wait in line as long as the BTS itself.

Though it wasn’t as packed as last year, and I left before midnight because my feet failed me, it was still fun.

I brought my birthday present, the Hello Kitty Fuji Instax Mini, with me. I took more photos than what’s shown here but some were stolen right from my hands when the camera spotted them out. Guess that’s the effect instant cameras have on people.

Bonus: Anyone can provide home for these kitties. The last batch from this Mommy Cat were “taken care of” by the condo management. I don’t want it to happen again. Just contacted SCAD but taking in strays isn’t exactly their focus. Please pass the word around. The babies are about a month old.

I’ve been debating with myself whether to write this blog post.

I recently received an email newsletter from my favorite clothing store, The Old Story, informing me of its move to the new location, as well as showing off what the owner, P’ Ying, has been working on since the closure of the old outlet.

And since she didn’t BCC her customers, I could see all the email addresses of her die-hard fans.

And the list is too damn long.

But I’m not gonna be selfish. After all, if she gets no business, I get no clothes.

Her store is one of the most unique in the whole Suan Lum Night Bazaar. Perhaps even Bangkok. She designs and makes every piece by herself, with the help of her rockstar-looking boyfriend whom you would have never guessed could sew. Especially if you know the style of fashion in focus here.

1950s-1960s Vintage.

Think Mad Men in the psychedellic colors and patterns of Pushing Daisies.

According to the person who lived the era, my mom (OK she’s not that old but still closer to the period than I was) the fashion of the items here are nothing special. Things you’d find housewives wearing back in the day, not models. But the best thing about The Old Story is that they are faux-vintage, so you don’t have to deal with the holes and the musty smells like you do with real vintage clothes ie. ones that survived 40+ years.

She makes everything: dresses, skirts, blouses and even pants. Since I discovered the store, I’ve bought six blouses and shirts, two pairs of pants, four dresses and four skirts. I wish she would make shoes too so I can rebuild the whole wardrobe.

She was located near the MRT before but now the lot is gonna get bulldozed and turned into a DoiTung outlet, she then had to move further into the market in the competitive Lopburi area.

I’m going there tomorrow to grab the best pieces before the Lopburi shoppers start taking notice of her store and stop buying their Thonglor-appropriate attires and start getting on my bandwagon.

Here’s what I need to go home with at least: