Ignoring all red traffic lights, our driver brings us to the airport of Kolkata at 05:00 o’clock. Somehow typically in India: forbidden but not followed. Equipped with our usual approx. 50 pages of briefing material (landing maps, weather infos, description of ADIZ procedures, operational flight plan, en-route charts, etc.) and a verbal weather briefing by the friendly adviser of DWD everything is prepared for the approx. 950 naut. miles flight. The usual thunderstorms over Bangladesh stand to the north of our flight route – in the arrival area some "isolated embedded CBs" are awaiting us. The equator gets closer. Thus rising processes of the ITCZ (Intercontinental convergence zone) affect our weather more and more.
We fly Bangladesh and Myanmar, provisionally the last countries in which we would not necessarily like to interrupt our trip for a technical stop. General aviation does not play an important role in these countries. For that, a major repair on our Cessna would be a real challenge.
Although we are at flight level 190 (19000 feet), a rather high altitude, the communication with the radar controllers break down fairly often. Squelch suppression on our radio is a perfect luxury in these countries. Therefore some stress arises when authorities require additional position reports 10 minutes before reaching of an ADIZ (military identification zones) boundary. In the case of Bangladesh we were supported by a friendly Indian radar controller who transmits our position report to Bangladesh.  
Now, on the way to Thailand (a country that appears substantially friendlier to pilots of General Aviation) we have to request some course corrections, due to the fact that Don Mueang airport of Bangkok is circled by some impressive CBs.
On our approach to RW21L we discover - to our big surprise - an absolutely freely accessible, fully occupied golf course between the runway 21L and 21R. No one would hit the ball upon a landing aircraft, someone assures us sometimes later.
More warmly than here one cannot be welcomed. Now after approx. 50-hour flying time, since the last maintenance in Worms, our aircraft needs a regular check. The employees of SGA (a Cessna authorized maintenance company) are ready to receive the airplane when we park in front of their hangar. The ground handling agent, MJets resolves the paperwork within no time, while we are invited to relax in their wonderful VIP lounge. We are the first guests of the MJets office in Bangkok and thus have to sign our pictures that will be displayed on the wall of their pilot's briefing room in the future.
Don Mueang is the former International airport of Bangkok which today is used mainly for the national and international flight of the general aviation. The airport buildings are looking a bit bizarre while we are driving through sheer endless corridors with a golf kart to get to the Customs counter for the "CIQ" procedure. The terminal is preserved in excellent condition but completely empty. The building is about one kilometer long. An impressive building – some international airports in Europe would easily fit into this complex.
The picture that the international press paints about Bangkok we cannot find at first: only a pulsating city. However, one strikes, there are predominantly national tourists to be found. They obviously enjoy it to have their holy sites for themselves.
Here - in contrast to China and Japan - the figure of the Buddha is slim. Gold and glitter, reflecting stones, as well as mixing beings of snake, lion and eagle defeat the evil.
A young monk sits smoking, a coke tin beside him, on the steps of the temple. A normal young man, not completely serving our stereotype of a monk. Here the young men at the age of 20 years are obliged to become a monk. "Unfortunately", so the complains of our guide, „ meanwhile equal rights have matured also here“. Now young women with white garments and shaved heads start their studies of Buddhism.     
From Egypt to here we managed to stay clear of most of the tourist traps. Now we stumble voluntarily in one the biggest one: the swimming markets of Bangkok. It is very interesting to glide by boat through the canals and to observe the swimming kitchens on the narrow boats. But of course also the people here are not making their living by the watching tourists. We are guided from kitsch, to souvenirs, to all sorts of tourist entertainment.  
In the afternoon we have to postpone all plans for the day. Right in front of the hotel a great demonstration of the "red shirts" takes place. Actually, we wanted to avoid any interference with the announced demonstrations by selecting a hotel located directly at the airport of Don Mueang far away from the city center. After one hour the event is over leaving back some groups of police and a little bit oppressing feeling whether we really take off in the morning as planned.