Filipino Restaurant in Bangkok

      

    Do you want to try Filipino foods? Do you miss Filipino foods? Are you craving for your favorite Filipino dishes?

       
    I have heard from fellow Filipino friends about the Filipino Restaurant here in Bangkok as well as grocery store selling popular Philippine products. But I just took those talks as information and had the minimal desire to visit the place and try their foods. After all I do not have cravings of my country's famous dishes as I was used to eating simple foods when I was in the Philippines.

Bulalo

Crispy Pata

   My two years and four months stay in Bangkok, Thailand marked two first time for me: 1)meeting fellow Filipino electrical engineers who had opted to leave our very own Philippines for a greener pasture in the Land of Smiles, just like me; and 2) dining at the New Mabuhay Filipino Restaurant at Soi 19 Petchaburi road. The ordering of food was left to the choice of Ayi who led us to the restaurant. There we had bulalo, crispy pata, chopsuey (pad pak ruam mit in Thai). Of course, for the guys the highlight was the cold San Miguel beer. Since I do not drink beer, canned Del Monte juice was a nice substitute.When there, I had the feeling of being back home in the Philippines as the food servers and customers were all kababayans, though there were a few of other nationalities having their dinner. The place itself have a Filipino setting showcasing the Filipino groceries for sale.

    With a short talk from the owner, we had been informed about the other services they offer such as  sending money to the Philippines as well as goods. He said that their rates are lower than the famous money sending agency, the Western Union.
     
     Would you like to go there and try their dishes?  The restaurant is easy to find and accessible as it is situated at Pratunam area, opposite the road where Platinum Mall is. Look for Street 19 or Petchaburi Soi 19, walk through the inner part of the street and turn to the left when you see a small street. There is the New Mabuhay Filipino Restaurant.
        By the way, I almost forget aside from serving Filipino foods, they also have some well-known Philippine products for sale. Of course the staff as well as the owners are Filipinos and speak in their native tongues. For sure when you are inside the place, you will not have the feeling of being away from home as it is just like being home. And as the famous saying goes "there is no place like home". If you miss home, I recommend visiting the restaurant. For non-Filipinos, try the Filipino restaurant so you will have the taste of Filipino foods.

Renewing Philippine Passport in Thailand

On the 23rd of July 2011, I went back to the Philippine Embassy in Bangkok to claim my 4th passport issued by the Philippine government as the 3rd one had expired. I have been given the latest type, the biometric or popularly called e-passport with microchips and maroon in color. From date of application, it took more than a month before I was able to claim it, though a month earlier than the announced estimated time of release. It has not been long time since the Philippine government has been issuing the e-passport, a machine readable copy and so there was a huge backlog that explained the reason for a prolonged time in acquiring a Philippine passport. The Embassy informs the applicants that it would take at least two months after the filing of application. My passport would expire on the 31 January 2012 but I applied for renewal six months before the expiration. I would not be able to use it anyway or be allowed to enter any foreign country except in my own country since one of the international requirement when traveling in another country is for the passport to have at least 6 months validity period. Secondly and the main reason, I had to extend my Non-Immigrant B visa that would expire on the 11th of August 2011.

Weeks before I went to the embassy for the application, I gathered information through the website and asked my friend whom I know had renewed also her passport few months ago on what are the requirements in applying for a new passport. My friend told me that it took her only three weeks waiting time after application. She also recommended a photo studio near the Philippine Embassy where I can have  my passport picture taken. In the application for the renewal of passport that I downloaded in the website indicates that a 4.5 cm x3.5 cm picture with dark blue background should be attached.

When I arrived at the Embassy, before I entered the compound I asked the security guard where I can have my picture. There on the opposite road from a distance to the embassy is a photo studio and so I had my photo taken. It took only few minutes for the picture taking and photo processing and so I proceeded to the consular section and submitted the printed application form which I had filled up days before in my office.

  That day I learned some things:

1. Picture to be attached in the application form can be of any color or background, size is 4.5 cm x 3.5cm; 
2. Passport picture shall be taken in the embassy by an embassy personnel; (Funny because I tried hard to make myself beautiful when my picture was taken in the studio but in the embassy, I found my hair in different directions ha ha ha but oh! I am glad because my photo in the passport went out fine. :-) )
3. The processing fee increased from 2,500 baht to 2,700 baht (approximately 3,780 pesos or 90 USD);
4. An applicant can request certification that she/he has applied for renewal of passport. The said certification is given for free.; and
5. As a Filipino citizen it pays to be updated with the latest news on consular services by checking the Consular Section page.

At the same time I took the opportunity to officially inform the Philippine government that I am here in Thailand by registering myself in the Embassy. I got an ID in return. I downloaded the form in the website but the personnel in the counter gave me another form. So better, just request at the embassy the form if you want to register yourself and get an ID rather than downloading in the website. But if you are a Filipino, it is but wise to register. And oh by the way, you need to submit 1x1 picture for the ID.

As I checked the website now, the information contained are more comprehensive and complete, a sign that it is being updated regularly. There is no need then to go to the Embassy just to inquire. Calling the Consular Office would make one feel welcome because they are accommodating in answering queries. Overall, I can say they are efficient in their services. Mabuhay!

Update: For the latest information (year 2016), kindly refer to this blog . 

Filipino Electrical Engineers in Bangkok

     On the 4th of September 2011, there were two first time for me with my history of stay in Bangkok, Thailand: meeting fellow Filipino Electrical Engineers working in Bangkok and dining at a Filipino Restaurant. I write here about the meeting of Filipino EEs and in another page about the New Mabuhay Restaurant.
      We were five electrical engineers (Ayi, Jun, Francis, Omar and me) in the meeting and two of which came with their partners. I was the only lady among the engineers but it was a normal occurrence for me as there are only few lady electrical engineers in general and more so in a foreign land. The meeting was initiated by Engr. Ariel Luces, who has been working in a foreign multinational contracting company in Bangkok as a EE/ME Manager. How he met the other engineers? I presume through business transactions.

      How Ariel and I met may make one say "small world" just like I had exclaimed when I knew that we had some sort of 'connections' back home. It went this way: I met his wife in an online community for Filipinos in Thailand. It started with the desire to find fellow Bicolanos in Thailand. As his wife and me exchanged information, I had learned that her husband graduated in the same university where I had taken my BSEE (Bachelor of Electrical Engineering) and that he was an instructor in the same university. When Ariel left the university to work here in Bangkok, his teaching loads were passed on to me. Aside from having familiar faces, we never had any chance to talk to each other while in our hometown and while in the university as students. And now here in Bangkok we are friends.
         The time agreed to meet was at 2 in the afternoon at the Food Center of Central World Plaza but I came about 1 hour late as I took bus 40 which goes through the traffic loaded street of Sukhumvit. Nevertheless, it did not matter to them I guess because everyone were busy talking to each other while I was on my way. 

      In the evening, we walked through the sidewalk and proceeded to New Mabuhay Restaurant in Pratunam. We had Filipino foods (bulalo, crispy pata and my favorite chopsuey) and drinks (San Miguel beer and Del Monte juices). We parted ways at about 9 in the evening. It was a great time indeed meeting colleagues in the same profession.
         However, it is not the last meeting but rather the first as the group agreed to meet at least once a month. The second meeting is set tentatively on October 2, 2011. We hope more Filipino electrical engineers or even technicians can join us. If you know someone, kindly refer us. We look forward to expanding the network of EE here in Thailand.