Monday, November 26, 2007 Seares: Tires and banana cutters By Pachico A. Seares News Sense
OVER dinner last Monday in Pattaya, 147 kms. away and about two hours drive from Bangkok, Filipino journalists talked about (a) car tires and (b) banana cutters.
The Pinoys were among 60 Asia-Pacific print and broadcast media workers flown to the resort capital, which draws more than five million tourists a year.
Goodyear launched its newest member of the Wrangler family: HP AW, initials for “high performance, all weather” tires.
Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, Goodyear’s publicist, says the Wrangler HP AW offers SUV owners “perfect formula for road satisfaction and sets new standard in delivering smooth ride quality and low road noise.” Translation: SUV drivers get a quiet and smooth ride in a car with the new Wrangler.
Test drives
The journalists watched, and some took part in, test drives, both on-road and off-road, in the world-famous Bira Circuit.
Named after Prince Bira, the first and only Thai driver to race in Formula One, Bira Circuit (say P for B) provided karting track, off-road test track and race track for the new tires to prove their mettle, for testers to see if HP AW Wranglers are “strong, quiet, totally luxurious.”
Riding in one of the Toyota Fortuners with HP AWs, I wondered though how one could separate tires from car, performance-wise. Which can be credited for the strength and reduced noise?
About banana cutters: Some women in Bangkok’s thriving sex industry reportedly have that special skill.
I didn’t manage to see one. No great loss. Someone told me our home-grown counterparts can outdo Thais in banana cutting—and cigar smoking or bottle opening.
