You will get the kits, my thinking is that your mother would prefer the non stop, dropping down in HKG or TPE is a hassle, in HKG you need a cut lunch and a compass to get to the lounge. By the time you deplane and find the lounge, it will be time to board again. However if you and your mother love airports and a lot of us do, it is fun to explore these airports and it breaks the trip, letting you stretch your legs. There would be no difference in mileage, but there would be in price, TG will often discount these indirect flights on the website. Tell the FA's that this is your mother's first trip and ask do they have a THAI memento.