OK, I'm at BKK now, in the TG F lounge in Terminal 1.

I checked my bag through HKG-BKK-CDG-LHR (including the interline from TG to AF at BKK), which I think practically guarantees that it will get lost

I was given a first class transfer card, but the lounge guardian gave me a lot of grief about getting into the lounge, despite the ground services person who met me from the plane insisting it would not be a problem. I've been sternly warned that I have to leave by 6pm, which still leaves me a few hours before my next flight, because "[they] have a lot of passengers".

Excuse me if I can't control my disbelief that their late evening departures to Europe that arrive on Christmas Day will be overfilled with pax.

The policy as stated to me by the lounge guardian is that use of first-class lounge on arrival is only for pax continuing on TG. If that's the actual policy, then be aware.