Orientational bistability of the nematic liquid crystal occurs on the frustrated surface alignment of checkerboard. Macroscopic orientational switching takes place between two states by an appropriate in-plane electric field. The threshold electric fields decreased in both switching directions as temperature increased. The focused laser light could heat up only the selected region in the cell including a light-absorbing medium. Irradiating the laser concurrently with an appropriate electric field, we switched the selected regions in the alignment pattern. The switched region was stable without the disturbance from the exterior. Extending this process, we realized extremely fine bistable devices. Here we mention some issues like the switching domains and the relation between the threshold electric filed and temperature.