Last year I flew in business class on Thai flt. #791 nonstop from JFK-BKK since there was no F cabin on that plane. The seat was quite comfortable and the food & service was good too. Had no problem getting an award ticket many months out but I was traveling solo.
If you transit in BKK you can book your award ticket all the way through on Thai to CNX or HKT. that will save you some baht. Then stop in Bangkok on the return if you like.
As long as you are flexible with your travel dates it should not be difficult to get seats on the carriers of your preference. Having that flexibility with dates and routing is the key. Let us know what you find.