The Stranger in Bangkok's latest facelift explained

Many people have asked me why I choose not to use a beautiful family photo as the backdrop to my blog, since it is relevant to what I write and will attract more readers who are interested in family-oriented blogs.

The answer is simple. My family and I are here primarily due to my company (ie. no company, no Stranger in Bangkok). I came here in 2009 with nothing but a small luggage to start a new company, and it is only because of the small success of this company am I able to remain here happily with Li Li and Noah. Therefore I would like to retain the initial spirit of the blog by using it to chart the gradual progress of this other baby of mine.

Here's to review the banner I just removed, which was taken during my company's incentive trip in 2012, in comparison with my latest banner.

Hua Hin 2012

Suan Phueng 2013

A simple headcount will tell you that the number of staff has increased, and everybody seems even more jubilant. This is progress that fills me with a lot of pride, and explains why I continue to use my company pictures as the main backdrop for this blog.

Aside of the positive development of the company, 2013 has been a progressive year for this Stranger in Bangkok blog as well.

I became part of the Daddy Matters group in Singapore. This is something that I hold very dearly to my heart, especially after Noah came into my life. As an involved Daddy, I truly believe that Daddy Matters too, and that we might be getting too little support/understanding from those around us.

Thanks to the initiative of 11 Daddy bloggers in Singapore, the Daddy Matters Group was formed, with me being one of the foreign-based correspondents. Finally, there is a platform for Daddies to support one another when we have problems (and joys), and hopefully help others out there with the resources we share.

I have also been selected by www.bangkok.com, to be one of their currently 19 interesting blogs about Bangkok. This endorsement really came as a pleasant surprise. There are at least hundreds of blogs in relation to Bangkok, and to be the only family-oriented one to be listed in tandem with all the other outstanding blogs on the list, I am truly encouraged. It also tells me that though I feel tired and isolated typing away on my keyboard at 4am in the morning, I am not alone on this blogging journey.

Internations is an international organisation active in countless major cities in the world linking expats together with frequent fun and interactive events. I am also honoured to be recognized by them as one of their currently 10 top recommended expat blogs of Bangkok. As I have said many times, I am not an expat, just an enterpreneur who is not Thai, so I am glad that my blog can be of information or as a source of hope for any foreigners trying to settle down here!

I was featured on 3rd March 2013 on Ai Sakura's blog. Being featured is one thing, being featured on the winning family blog at the 2013 Singapore Blog Awards is another! Here's to thank Ai again for giving me the honour of appearing in your excellent online space, and hopefully this will not be the Stranger in Bangkok's final guest post on another blog.

This blogging journey has not stopped giving me unexpected rewards. It is getting more and more difficult to update it frequently due to added job responsibilities and a devotion of more time at home with my family, but it seems like there is every reason to keep it up and alive. To all my readers, this is a promise made here from me to you that no matter how many more facelifts there will be on this space, there will be an unwavering determination to uphold the true spirit of this blog, so do continue to drop by from time to time.

Last but not least, since this is such a jubilant post introducing my new banner showing me and my staff leaping with glee, this is a close up of someone who quietly stole the show in the picture, if you have not already noticed.