I used to have the same trepidation about the 17-hour aspect, but I found that the difference between my 12+ hour flight to Tokyo and the 17-hour flight to BKK just wasn't that significant, especially with the decent seating and IFE of the TG flight. And there's no more looming dread of the additional 6-hour flight from NRT to BKK. As a bonus, it's an absolute joy to arrive in the afternoon rather than at midnight. When I used some award miles for a trip from the US to BKK in CX first, I certainly enjoyed the experience and the pampering, but I can honestly say that the next time I flew to Bangkok I was happy to get back to the convenience of the TG nonstop, even if it was in lowly premium economy.