Hello,
I will be flying from Bangkok to Chicago on Jan 26(My return flight). The flights are Bangkok to Shanghai (PVG) via Thai Airlines. Then Shanghai (PVG) to Chicago via American Airlines. 2 hour layover at PVG. When I arrive in Shanghai where do I go to make the transfer? I will not have any checked luggage but I don't think I will have an AA boarding pass prior to arriving at PVG (on the original flight from Chicago to Bangkok, AA did not give me a Thai Airlines boarding pass)
When I flew from Chicago to Bangkok stopping in Shanghai I may have gone through the wrong process. It ended up taking so long the Thai airlines counters were all closed and no representatives could be found. It was still 30+ minutes before flight was scheduled to leave. I ended up getting a hotel for the night and negotiating with AA via phone for a flight the next morning on Thai Airlines.

Questions:
What is the best process to follow to minimize such issues on my return flight?

Assuming I will need to get my AA boarding pass at PVG where can I do that? I found information suggesting that AA operates a check-in counter from 1-4PM at PVG, but my flight arrives at 3:50PM. I assume this is going to be a problem.?