utapaortnab

I read somewhere that Thai Int'l Airlines will offer non stop flights from LAX starting sometime next year using a new Airbus configuration. That will help.

Arrival times in Bangkok in the morning or afternoon would be a plus also.

More competative pricing to match China, Eva, Korean, Asiana and ANA would certainly help as well to boost passenger loads.

In 35 trips I've made to Thailand not once have I used Thai Int'l so can't vouch for the food comparisons, but don't see how the meals could be worse than on United and Northwest Orient.

In recent years, I have mostly used EVA Evergreen Deluxe Class for the wider seats, private line check in, and early arrival in BKK which allows me to get to my destination (usually Pattaya Beach or Chiayaphum) in the late afternoon or early evening, in time to have a good meal and then rest. Sure helps with the jetlag.

But when EVA Deluxe Class is NOT offered, I usually take China Air because it is the cheapest from LAX.

When we fly direct from San Antonio here, United has the best of the two worst offerings (United and Northwest) without changing carriers. Can fly ANA from Houston however which is usually also super cheap.

As I used to be a Travel Agent (6+ years back in the 70's and early 80's), I know most of the shortcuts to finding the best fares and have a list of most of the consolidators/bucket shops/wholesalers on my homepage:

http://homepage.mac.com/mgnewman/KenLat/

Just page down the left hand subheadings column to Travel, then click on all the URL's listed within. 95% of the time the one that says best fare to BKK will offer the cheapest from any major city in the U.S.

Be sure and bookmark our homepage for additional wealth of info on Thailand and other topics of interest to you.

Ken and Rattana Bower

San Antonio Texas USA

Visiting Thailand since 1971

Go to our homepage:

http://homepage.mac.com/mgnewman/Kenlat/

Page down the subheadings on the left hand side to Forums, and have a look at the U-Tapao Group (only open to those who served at U-Tapao RTNAB), the Korat Forum, TLC Brotherhood and the other Vets forums listed.

IF you WERE stationed at U-Tapao, we'd love to hear from you. We have over 300 members in our group and it is the favorite of all the 34 or so Forums I belong to. Post a reply here ASAP if you were at U-T.

Be sure and bookmark our homepage for a wealth of info on Asia, Bangkok, Hotels, Military, Pattaya Beach, Thailand, Travel and other subheading topics.

Ken and Rattana Bower

San Antonio Texas USA

Visiting Thailand since 1971

I've been living in, working in, or just vacationing in Thailand since 1971. During that time I have had all kinds of mail that did not get to it's destination, mostly when posted to Pattaya Beach and Chiayaphum.

From 1971-1995, I oft times sent letters or birthday and holiday cards to friends in Pattaya many times with small amounts $100 or less included and only occasionally would the mail NOT make it to it's destination but since 1995, no letter, birthday card or holiday card with a return address in the United States or foreign country I've been working in or visiting has made it through to Pattaya and now the mail from the U.S. to Chaiyaphum with money enclosed is coming up empty.

I have tried everything from enclosing extra sheets of plain paper to assure that no one could see through to the money, to using aluminum foil front and back inside to again insure that no one could see inside.

When I voiced my concerns to the Post Office in Pattaya I was told the following.

Mail that comes from offshore (return addresses outside Thailand) is all expected to have money in it and therefore more apt to come up missing or not get to it's intended destination. Any odd shaped letter mail is suspected to be a birthday or holiday card that is more apt to come up missing.

I could file a complaint on any such letter I sent from offshore by filing out a complaint form not more than 30 days from the postmarked date of the letter or card at the Pattaya Post Office.

Since for the most part, we only make one trip to Thailand each year, it would for the most part be impossible for us to make a trip to the Pattaya Post Office within 30 days of mailing money there.

AND whenever we have sent mail with money enclosed, all mail from our address to that particular person in Pattaya now fails to get to it's destination.

That only leads me to believe that once mail addressed to a person in Pattaya is found to have money inside, the perp steals all mail addressed to that person from offshore addys expecting that all mail will have money inside.

Somehow all postcards get through....... go figure

Ken Bower

San Antonio Texas USA

Axel,

Always Medium RARE for anything beef, well done for all other meat, and for fish, seafood never OVERCOOKED.

Ken Bower

San Antonio Texas

I really don't go in for Indian food or any food that is not HIGH in meat and taters.

My favorite stateside meals are:

Prime Rib

Rib Eye Steaks

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Pork ribs

Babybackribs

Pork Tenderloin

Ham (I prefer salt cured ham like they have at Cracker Barrel Rest. in the states)

Pork Steaks

Pork Chops

Fuddrucker quality hamburgers w/jalapina cheese and bacon

Salmon

Crayfish

Raw Oysters

Scallops

Norweigen Cod

Anything with anchovies, i.e. pizza, soups, salads

Any sausages, prefer hot & spicy

Any Veal dishes

Pasta w/white or cream sauces

Twice baked potatoes

American fried Potatoes

Lumpy mashed potatoes

Hash brown potatoes with cheese

Excuse me, now I'm so hungry I'm gonna eat everything in the ice box.

Ken Bower

Gold metal winner in Overeating

While reading this week's Asia Bugle, I found the URL for a Pub/Restaurant in Bangkok that I just check out on our next trip to Thailand. It is the Witch Tavern on Soi Thonglor (ref. Soi 55) Sukhumvit, Bangkok.

http://www.witch-tavern.com/about.html

Be sure to have a look at their food and drink menu's.

As most of you know, I don't drink so the bulk of my time is spent finding new restaurants that I can try. Seeings as how, Lat and I spend little time in Bangkok, we really do not know of the favorite eateries in the Big Mango.

We DO plan to spend a little more time in Bangkok during our next vacation to LOS so would like to know if any of you have tried the Witch Tavern and your comments and if you have the time/inclination, please tell us your favorite Thai food and Expat food places in Bangkok.

Ken and Rattana Bower

San Antonio Texas USA

My wife and I are living here in the United States and just visit Thailand frequently for month trips but it seems to me that the 400,000 in savings figure is NOT unrealistic being only about $10,000 U.S. and an income of 40,000 baht is only about $1,000/mo.

Am I nuts or am I correct in thinking that anyone trying to live and support a wife (and perhaps kids as well) on less than that would NOT really be "supporting" a family life under anything but poverty levels?

I have always wondered how anyone could "live" in Thailand supporting just himself for under $1,000/mo, let alone properly supporting himself AND a wife under that figure.

I am very interested in hearing from those who do live there for under $1,000 to tell me in detail what kind of magician they are and what kind of creative budgeting must be done to sustain a happy, productive marriage at that level of income.

Ken Bower

San Antonio Texas USA

Visiting Pattaya since 1971

Try our homepage for maximum info on Asia, Thailand, Bangkok, Pattaya Beach, other destinations in Thailand, Hotels, Travel Tips, Photos and so much more. Just page down the subheadings section on the left hand side until you find a topic of interest and then click on all the URL's within that topic heading.

http://homepage.mac.com/mgnewman/KenLat/

I am currently married since Sep 1995 to a Thai wife who has been the most possitive thing to ever happen in my life.

I think the number one cause of failed marriages between any two people is that one or both of them is unwilling to compromise and fully respect their partners needs and wants.

Number two would be infidelity by either or both. I know that is the 30+ years that I have been visiting Thailand, most of the failures have been due to the farang not wanting to give up his skirt chasing and to be fully faithful to the woman he asked to be his lifetime partner. I'd say 60% of the failures would fall into this catagory and perhaps most of the other 40% would be that the Thai partner would continue to be unfaithful while the farang/expat was in his home country and away from her. Many of those infidelities occur because of non financial or inadequate support for the wife.

From my personal experience few of the Thai wives have been unfaithful after they were legally married unless provoked by their husbands infidelity or non-support.

Just my opinion. Please do not pay much heed to my opinion; I never do. Just trying to voice my opinion of what I have personally experienced.

Ken Bower

San Antonio Texas USA

Visiting Pattaya Beach since 1971

I haven't been in Cambodia since my old Viet Nam War years. Things were friendly enough back then to entice me to return. ....lol

But I have returned to Pattaya Beach for a 35th trip since living there in 71-72.

And as I grew up in Lafayette Indiana and once lived in Prospect Heights for a short period of time, I agree with NOT living in Chicago

Ken Bower

Veteran Human Being

Stepmom fo' sure

I find at age 67 (will be 68 in May, God willing) I cry a lot in emotional movies.

Guess it's ok since I have happily married, do NOT have to impress anyone,and can let my emotions loose.

Ken Bower

Veteran Human Being

Gentlemen,

I first arrived in Thailand while still in the U.S. Army at age 35. I was posted at U-Tapao Airbase and later in Sriracha. Lived in Pattaya Beach the whole year (1971-1972) and have returned almost every year since.

I have worked in, lived in, or visited/vacationed in 39 countries in my 67 years on this planet and other than my home country (USA) I love Thailand the best (Australia would be 2nd).

During my first year in Thailand, I envied those in the military who were the typical bulk of the military force stationed there (19-21 year olds) and thought what a great lifetime experience it must be for them to spend a year or more in Thailand.

From the day I completed my tour of duty in Thailand, I planned to return for good someday. I thought of Thailand as my absolute choice for my retirement years.

I would have liked to just moved to Thailand for good in 1972 when my tour was up. I think that many if not most "expat/farang tourists" in the age bracket of 19-59 would love to move to Thailand permanently but the major problem for the majority of those tourists is they do NOT have retirement incomes or savings that will support such a move.

Now, a better than 50% of the same expat/farang tourists over age 60 do have some sort of retirement income, stocks, savings or whatever that would allow them to retire permanently in Thailand BUT something happens to about 90% of those who could afford to do so.

#1 Sex is NOT the driving force that rules their every thought and decision.

#2 By this age, most have kids/grandkids that they do NOT want to be far distant from. Frequent visits with them MUST be considered and living nearby, or at least in the same country so flights or roadtrips to visit them are feasable.

#3 They are NOT as easily adaptable to the changes that MUST be adhered too in order to live in another country i.e. learning another language in order to fully appreciate life in that country, driving on the left hand side of the road, not having ALL the "comforts of home" readily available (300 channels of CCTV in English, DSL computer speeds, grocery stores that have all their favorite food products at reasonable prices, choice of over 20 first run movies at nearby theators, long time friends and neighbors to socialize with.

#4 Medical problems are a cause of concern, i.e. diabetes, heart problems, arthritis, cancer, or other major maladies cause them to NOT want to move to a foreign country. (Yes I know that Bangkok and Pattaya Beach hospitals are probably as good as those in most cities in the U.S. and other 1st world countries).

For us (my wife is from Chiayaphum Thailand which is one of the reasons why we still plan yearly visits to LOS) and even though I do NOT drink or smoke and never butterfly, I still enjoy our one month visits.

I would like to hear from all others who agree or disagree with my take on this.

Ken Bower

San Antonio Texas

Visiting Pattaya Beach since 1971

http://homepage.mac.com/mgnewman/KenLat/

Please bookmark our webpage:

http://homepage.mac.com/mgnewman/KenLat/

Within the homepage you will find a very extensive list of Books on Asia, info on Asia, Thailand, Bangkok, Pattaya Beach, Travel tips, forums, hotels, and so much more. Just use the handy subheadings list on the left hand column of the homepage to page down to the subheadings that are of interest to you.

And please share our URL addy with all your friends/family.

Ken Lat Bower

San Antonio Texas

Visiting Thailand since 1971

I have been working in or living in or vacationing in Thailand since 1971. My wife is Thai. I enjoy our vacations, visiting with her family AND visiting all the farang and Thai friends we've made in the country each trip.

What I haven't enjoyed is the increase every year of lowlife farangs who are in the country illegally. I hope the crackdown continues and every single farang in the country illegal and every one who overstays his visa is caught, deported and never allowed to return.

Same thing would be great here in the United States as well BTW.

Ken/Rattana Bower

San Antonio Texas

I'm sure I don't have all the Forums URL's listed within our webpage:

http://homepage.mac.com/mgnewman/KenLat/

But I think you can find enough to take up 24/7/365 if you read all the entrees on each one I DO have listed.

Just bookmark our homepage, then page down on the left hand subheadings section to Forums, then click on each and every one of interest to you.

While you are looking at the webpage, have a look at all the other subheadings and make a mental note so in the future when a question pops up in any area included in our webpage, you will know where to go first to have a look for the answer you need.

Ken/Lat Bower

San Antonio Texas

Visiting Thailand since 1971

http://www.pbase.com/search?q=Thailand&x=30&y=12

Next time you have a "rainy day" real or imagined, just take the time to look at all 500 photos listed here and then just let your mind take you "back in the day" to your last visit to the Land of Smiles.

Ken Bower

San Antonio Texas

Thailand Visitor since 1971

http://homepage.mac.com/mgnewman/KenLat/

Here is my take, unpopular as it is:

As a non citizen of Thailand you have no more right to work there than the foreigners that come to your country and work illegally, stealing jobs from your citizens.

Foreigners in Thailand have NO right to any job that can be done by a Thai citizen.

Now, working as an English as a 2nd Language position is so low paying that most who do not have other income could not live comfortably on it.

Import-Export businesses ARE legally bound by the tax laws of both countries I believe.

And the worst of all continguencies for those who are not professional pub owners with years of experience is to open yet another bar/club/gogo.

Guess you should plan on continuing to live in England until you can acquire enough steady income to move permanently to Thailand and be satisfied with yearly visits until then.

Ken Bower

San Antonio Texas

Visiting Thailand since 1971

Subject: Oh the Memories

ADVERTISEMENT

As we near the end of another year, I'd like each of you to take the time to reflect back on this year and try to remember each person that you've met for the first time during these last 12 months.

Then remember everything about each and every new friend that brought a laugh or a smile or something possitive in your life.

Then somewhere on your computer, start a new file with all those thoughts.

If there was anybody that you met for the first time this year that had a negative affect on your life, erase that person's name and actions from your memory.

Now comes the hard part. Go back to 2002 and try to remember each and every person you met during that 12 month period and add their names and how they brought possitive karma into your life. Record them in the file.

After that, go back to 2001, and on back to the year you were born. There may be years when you cannot remember anyone that you met for the first time and that is sad. Every year we meet someone who will affect us in some way or another, and once those memories are forgotten, they are hardly ever re-remembered so please, start your file today and add to it as the memories pop back from time to time and most importantly, add to this file all the rest of your life. On New Year's Day each year, (after football and basketball or course) have a long look at your file. Doing so will add more joy to your life than any other single act you'll preform all year.

Just my opinion, and I never take it too seriously, so you shouldn't either.

But that said, remember that I did remember you this day.

Ken Bower

US Army Retired

Veteran Human Being

In every one of the other 38 countries I have worked in, lived in, or visited, the "Flagcarrier" of that country possessed the best gates, most convenient departure and arrival areas, AND most importantly the best arrival and departure schedules.

From the U.S., many outsider airlines have the best arrival times (Eva, China, Cathay Pacific among others have mid morning or early afternoon arrivals while Thai Int'l have late evening arrivals normally.

I think some rethinging has to be done to assure that Thai has the best arrival/departure times, best gates, best lounges, but firstly, they have to spend some $$$ and get new equipment with modern perks (like in seat entertainment systems on ALL aircraft etc.) and they should restructure their fares to ALWAYS be competitive with whichever airlines are lowballing them in THEIR market.

Just my opinion, please don't pay much attention to it, I never do.

Ken Bower

San Antonio Texas

Ex Travel Agent

washingtonpost.com

Fixing Bonds Broken by War

By Ellen Nakashima

BANGKOK -- For as long as she can remember, Jang

Rattanapim has carried a snapshot of her father.

Whenever she felt low, she said, she took the

yellowed photo of the handsome young American gunship

pilot out of her wallet.

"I would talk to my dad's photo when I felt I

needed somebody," said the tall young woman with sharp

Anglo features and a creamy Thai complexion. Long

ago, her mother, who is Thai, told her that her

father had been killed during the Vietnam War. In

truth, he left Thailand two days before she was born.

That was 32 years ago.

Last spring Jang met her father, Bryce Menninga,

for the first time. They were reunited by a former

U.S. military intelligence officer named Gene Ponce

who has made it his mission to bring together U.S.

veterans and the children they fathered during the

Vietnam War.

"It's a miracle," said Jang, who towers over her

friends at 5 feet 7 inches. "It's the best thing

that's ever happened in my life."

Thousands of babies were born to Thai women and

U.S. servicemen stationed in Thailand, and many were

left behind, Ponce said.

"The fathers are getting old," he said. "In their

consciences, they know that they left a child that

they may never know. For some, it's been on their

minds for quite a while. Now they just want to close

a chapter in their lives."

Ponce's mission began with his own story. When he

was a 23-year-old airman stationed at Korat air

base in northeast Thailand 32 years ago, he fathered a

daughter by a Thai woman.

Although he was not ready for marriage, there was

no way, he said, that he was going to leave his

daughter behind. After negotiating with his girlfriend

and her parents, he brought his daughter, Vassana,

to the United States. The child lived with Ponce's

parents until he married several years later. Ponce

and his wife raised Vassana and two children of

their own. Today he is retired, remarried and living

in Bangkok with a Thai wife, Supawan Ponce, who is

his interpreter and partner in sleuthing.

His idea to reunite fathers and their children

took shape in December 2000, when he moved to

Thailand and began thinking about the children he saw in

the orphanages he visited as a young man.

"I always wondered about these children over

these 30-plus years," he said. "I thought: Whatever

happened to them? Where are they now? Is there

anything that I can do to help now?"

He started building a database of veterans and

civilians who served in Thailand. It now has about

100,000 names. He also has 10 Web sites devoted to

pilots, soldiers and sailors who were assigned to

Thailand during the war.

A reunion here in October 2002 for Thai and U.S.

military and civilian personnel who had served in

Thailand unexpectedly advanced his project. He was

standing in the lobby when a woman approached and

said she had heard he had a veterans' database. She

asked if he would be able to locate a friend in the

United States. Ponce found the friend's name in his

database, contacted him on her behalf and soon had

his first success. Delighted, the woman spread the

word.

Among the people she told was Tuenjai Rattanapim,

who was a bartender at the officers' club at Ubon

air base in northeast Thailand during the war. Last

January, she contacted Ponce, telling him she had a

daughter who had never seen her father, a former

pilot. She wanted to know what had happened to him.

She had his name, the approximate dates of service

and one yellowed photograph.

Ponce agreed to help. His database yielded no

hits, so he searched Internet phone directories. Ponce

found just one Bryce Menninga, in Texas. On his

first try, he reached Menninga's wife. When Ponce

called back a few days later, Menninga was "very

silent," Ponce said.

In "shock" was how Menninga described his

reaction in an e-mail reply to questions.

"In the next few minutes I experienced panic --

how do I tell my family? suspicion -- does somebody

want a lot of money? and thankfulness -- she found

me, and I may really get to meet her."

He asked for a little time to tell his wife,

Kathy, and two daughters, Crystal and Brandy, who did

not know about Jang. But he wanted to see his Thai

daughter.

A few days later in Bangkok, the Ponces, Tuenjai

and Jang gathered at a McDonald's. "Jang, your

father's still alive," Tuenjai said. "Gene has found

your father."

"But you told me he's dead," Jang said.

"I lied to you," she said.

"I was shocked," Jang recalled later. "Is this

really happening?"

She relayed her mother's explanation for

withholding the truth: "She told me, 'I did it because your

father had already left and I didn't know if we

would ever find each other again, and I didn't want

you to be unhappy about that. And so I told you that

he died in a plane crash.' "

Jang has memorized the date April 24, the time --

11:55 p.m. -- and the flight, Northwest 001, that

brought her father to her. She recalled their

meeting, their first embrace, at the airport. He was

tall, 6 feet 4 inches, hair graying now, still

handsome. She thought he looked like her.

"He was trembling and he held me very tight," she

said. "He said he was so sorry. Both of us cried."

"I was messy, smelly, dirty and extremely

fatigued," Menninga recalled. "I picked Jang out of the

crowd immediately, mostly by her height. . . . We

hugged each other for a long time, shedding a few

tears in the process. . . . It was an unbelievable

experience. The more I got to know her, the more I was

impressed with her."

"I thought about Jang many times," he wrote in

his e-mail. "I felt quite guilty about not being

there or doing more for her and also very sad about

missing her growing up. . . . Being young and foolish

(and in a stupid war), it never occurred to me to

report her birth to U.S. authorities." Now, he

wrote, Jang is finding it difficult to obtain a visa to

visit him in the States.

Ponce, who also has located a son for a father in

Texas, is working on 46 other cases. Ten are

requests from fathers, 16 from sons and daughters, 20

from mothers of Amerasian children. The requests come

from the United States, from Thailand and from

Europe. He has a Web site, amer-thai2001.tripod.

com/gspresearch/.

If he locates a father who does not want to be

reunited with a child, he said, he tells the son or

daughter that he just could not find the father. "I

know it's not correct," he said, "but after finding

a father, you know you just can't tell the child,

'He said no.' I don't think anybody could do that."

Menninga, now a 58-year-old commercial airline

pilot, is thrilled that Ponce found him. "It filled a

void I expected to take to my grave," he said.

"There have to be dozens, if not hundreds of dads who

would like to be reunited. The children deserve to

know something more than just, 'He was an American.'

"

Jang agreed. "I think it's unfair for a child to

be born without knowing who the father was," she

said in an interview at a hotel in Bangkok.

Menninga gave Jang a white album that his wife

had helped put together with photos of his family, of

Menninga as a baby, as a college basketball player

and a pilot in the cockpit of his AC-130, the plane

he flew over the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos.

His daughter, Crystal, wrote a letter, saying she

was excited about meeting Jang one day.

In her album, Jang has placed a copy of a letter

she sent to her father and his family.

"Never before did I learn how much it means to

hug and to call someone a dad," she wrote. "It still

seems unreal and unbelievable that I have a dad and

he is still alive! But I have! The last piece of

puzzle in my life has been put together finally."

Howdy,

As most of you know, my wife Lat and I returned last month from a full month's vacation in Thailand (Oct 17-Nov 18). The first two weeks were spent with our participating in the U-Tapao Group's First Int'l Reunion at the Nova Lodge in Pattaya Beach. We also were planning on both participating in my wife's only still single sister's wedding.

I, however, never made the wedding. I, along with 3 other ex-military troops were chosen to represent ALL the military troops who served in Thailand during the Viet Nam War at a dedication for HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. As this was the one chance in a lifetime, I quickly had a suit, shirt and tie made and attended the ceremony. As it turned out, I am so very glad I did.

HRH was presented with a scrapbook containing over 150 photos taken by the G.I.'s and civilians who worked at U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airbase "back in the day" along with some short two paragraph statements of what we thought about Pattaya Beach back then and now.

In return, to our surprise, HRH took the time to speak directly to each of us and presented each of us with a Royal Gift.

One of the four who attended is a friend of mine named Gene Ponce. He has worked for years reuniting children born during the Viet Nam War with their birth fathers. His cause is probably the most unselfish and honorable causes I have ever known of in my lifetime. He is finally, just now, getting the press coverage that his cause deserves both in Thai newspapers and here in the U.S. as well.

Please take the time to read the following article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/artic...-2003Dec17.html

be sure to read both pages of the article and print it out if you like. Once you have finished reading, please take the time to bookmark Gene's website:

http://amer-thai2001.tripod.com/gspresearch/

I'm sure you will agree with me that this man deserves everyone's praise. If you like, take the time to e-mail him your thoughts @ [email protected]

Ken Bower

It is a terrible thing that the Japanese Flight Attendent and this Chinese Lady were both accosted by taxi drivers but the same thing happens in Manila almost on a daily basis to foreigners and I'm sure in London, New York, Los Angeles and perhaps even Sydney.

I do not know the layers of security Thailand has policing taxi drivers but I'm sure the gov't will have to review and perhaps tighten the regulations now if force or perhaps lay on new rules.

Of the 39 countries I've lived or worked in or visited, I feel safer in Thailand than any other country. That said, I do think that the Thai government needs to constantly review their security proceedures and tighten up a bit on regulations already in place.

Just my opinion, and don't take it too seriously, I never do.

Ken Bower

San Antonio Texas

Freq. visitor to Thailand since 1971

My take is that Bernard Trink and Harold Stephens are about the best two reasons for reading the Bangkok Post. It and the Nation are just not the newspapers they once were.

I'd love to see TV pursue lining up a contract for both. There are those like myself who would certainly spend the time to read what both have to say.

Never miss a chance to improve TV.

Ken and Rattana Bower

San Antonio Texas

Try this addy:

[email protected]

It is the e-mail address for the Retired Actions Officer at JUSMAGTHAI in Bangkok. He should be able to assist you.

Ken Bower

San Antonio Texas

To all addressees/members;

I am a 67 year old happily married man who does not drink, smoke or butterfly EVER so if you are expecting to read another boring report from someone whose only claim to fame is how many women for hire he has bedded during a one month vacation, please hit the delete button now.

For those who are the least bit curious about how someone who is far too old to cherish the vises of the young, and how one such person can fill a 30 day vacation read on.

This vacation was long awaited and long overdue. My wife Rattana and I had last visited Thailand in Oct 2000. We planned no Thailand vacation for 2001 because I was to retire for good finally in 2002 and we had planned two separate vacations for 2002.

Then in early 2002 I had my first "heart event" which ended in a stint being put in a heart artery. So in Apr. 2002 I retired. Just 5 weeks after retiring, I had a 2nd heart event and this time it required a double bypass. That caused the cancellation of both 2002 trips. We once again scheduled two trips for 2003 but our May 2003 trip was cancelled due to the SARS scare. Finally, we decided on Oct/Nov 2003 for our month's trip.

The purpose of this timeframe and trip was threefold. Firstly it co-insided with the U-Tapao Group's First International Reunion which meant we'd finally get the opportunity to meet several members of the group that we'd only had e-mail contact with the past 3 years. All the group was stationed at U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airbase during the Viet Nam War, hence the common bond.

The second reason for the trip was to attend my wife's only still single sister's wedding, and the third was to meet with old friends from past trips and to meet people I had long wanted to break bread with but never met in person.

Well, that WAS the plan.

The U-Tapao Group Reunion filled the first 2 weeks of our trip and it allowed us to finally meet:

John Ault

Dan Banes

Peter and Ae Cabrey

Jim Gilmore

Ray Hayes

Dave Galvan

Dan Galvan

Larry Keough

Don and Manee Meurett

Bill Miller

Gene and Supawan Ponce

Greg Robinson

Corey Robinson (Greg's adult son)

Michael Weldon

My cousin Gene Kendall who frequently travels with us and one of my ex boss's Buddy Wilcox also joined the trip and many of the Group activities.

Never in my life have I met so many quality people that bonded together so well at one time. I am proud to call each of the people above as new lifetime friends who I would like very much to spend much quality time with in the months/years to come. I could fill a book just on the great get togethers/events we had together but I'm sure that the one highlight that stood out the most was a day trip onto U-Tapao RTNAB again. Stopped off at the Swan Lake Hotel nearby U-T and met Phuntitaya Wiwatpetchrayuth G.M. and his son Sarakit Anodard, present Manager while there.

During our Reunion Dan Lovering an Associated Press Reporter posted in Bangkok came down to Pattaya and took statements from each of us that were later posted by him in a report titled VIET NAM WAR VETERANS RETURN.... Suddenly our trip was shared with thousands of readers around the world.

From day one, I tried to make all the FLB meetings each Wed/Sun nite in order to meet old friends and make new ones. Also attended Friends of Pattaya Saturday morning meetings and Pattaya Expat Club Sunday morn meetings. It was during one of the Pattaya Expats Meetings that Drew Noyes, the Club's President, asked if anyone had old photos of Pattaya taken during the Viet Nam War. I proudly held up my hand and met with Drew after the meeting which was the flashpoint for the most important 15-20 minutes of my life even though it caused changes to our vacation schedule.

We had planned on attending my wife's sister wedding in Chiayaphum on the 11th-12th of Nov and meeting with several old hand friends who live in Bangkok on the 13th of Nov. Well, all that was changed my my wife's father deciding that my wife's sister Piroon must marry on the 13th, meaning I would have to miss the NO HOST get together with all my Bangkok friends that nite. Then I was informed that myself and 2-3 other ex military personnel would be asked to meet with HRH PrincessMaha Chakri Sirindhorn on the morning of the 14th of November as part of a dedication ceremony. Well, that meant cancelling my participation in my wife's sisters wedding AND changing the date for the Bangkok get together until the 14th. It also meant cancelling my Chiayaphum Resort reservations and changing the Bangkok hotel reservations to arrive on the 14th.

So much of the "free time" from the date I was notified of the Princess's dedication until it actually happened was filled with meetings, finding, sorting and posting old photos and trying to get as many candidates as possible to attend the dedication.

As it turned out, all four of the participants were members of our U-Tapao Group SFC Kenneth R. Bower (myself), Master Sergeant Gene Ponce, Sergeant Pete Cabrey (who fly back all the way from Hawaii just to attend this event), and Petty Officer John Ault (US Coast Guard). We were briefed that Drew Noyes, the MC for the event, would be presenting the Princess with a photo album containing the 50 best of all the photos plus some short greetings stating what many of the vets in our group did during our assignments at U-Tapao and what our thoughts were of Pattaya back then and today.

We were also told to bow in her presence but not to speak to her or look directly at her. Well, all that changed in the actual event. Our participation was to be a simple 5 minute thing but when she arrived (along with every General, Admiral, and their staffs and every city, county and ampur official) she did NOT sit down on the throne provided but stood there directly in front of us and spoke to the four of us for a full 15-20 minutes asking and answering questions about the "Cold War", our participation, and her memories and also asked/answered her memories of questions about Pattaya back then and thanked us for our participation. Then, she gave each of us a gift, handing them directly to us and not handing them first to a man who would pass them on to us. We simply were in shock.

The gifts turned out to be 2 cups/saucers with the Royal Academy crest wrapped in Royal academy paper with the Royal Family ribbon. The teacups/saucers are Royal Porcelain. A gift to cherish a lifetime.

If it's true that everyone gets their 15 minutes of fame, well we just got ours.

Although just the events above would have already made the trip the best ever month of my life, I was able to squeeze out time to meet some very special people I have looked up to for years including:

Jesse F. Gump, my favorite author who at our brief meeting gave me a signed copy of his third book EVEN THAI GIRLS CRY. I already have signed copies of his first two books. He flew in from Kings Mills. Ohio.

Dean Barrett, my second favorite author who Lat and I met at the re-scheduled No Host party on the 14th and again a couple of days later at our hotel. He gave us a signed copy of his SKYTRAIN TO MURDER novel and also a children's book he had written.

The third person we met finally was Mike Newman who flew in from Saipan. Lat and I are very indebted to him because he put our webpage: http://homepage.mac.com/mgnewman/KenLat/

Another couple we've been waiting to meet was Roger and Kit Nelson from Ft. Walton Beach FL area. They gave us a tour of their So. Jomtien condo. It is terrific. Also had a couple of meals with Roger and Kit and her sister Thep joined in for the second one.

Drew Noyes, publisher, real estate mogal, Pattaya Expats Club President. He changed the lives of four of us forever. (Princess dedication participants).

Sermsakdi Sabhananda, President-Editor in Chief of the Leader's Digest Newspaper and VP of the Expat's Club

Among the other new friends we had the opportunity to meet during our month filled with activity included:

Ron Montgomery (toured his great new condo in Naklua), Peter Lissaman, Sandy Johnston, Jeep Holthaus, Vilai Roongroj, George Bell, Tim Lewis, FM of Mistys, Les Strouse, exc-Air America pilot/charter member of the TLCB, Richard Bartram a UK lawyer of note, Max Rommel, Expats Club Treasurer, Alan D. Sherratt, Consultant, C.W. Tavich, Pattaya City Council Chairman and Raymond J. Byrne

I just realized that the problem with listing those who I met and remember is that there is probably another list of those my CRS won't allow me to remember since I took NO notes during my vacation nor did I do a daily journal of any sort. Well, anyway, for those new friends I forgot, please e-mail me so I can add you to my memory...

Besides doing all mentioned above we still also had time to visit with old friends Bobby Peterson, George Knickerbocker, Kim Fletcher, Kevin and Bao Fortt, and Pete and all the gang from the FLB or course.

We somehow were not able to connect with Gary Fulmer one of our most valued friends nor Keith/Koy Fortt, and so many more old friends. New friends we had planned to visit with include MacAlan Thompson, Harold Stephens, Rick Armstrong, Stephen Leather, Christopher G. Moore, Colin Piprell, Jungle Jim Traywick, Bernard Trink, Stickman and his lovely wife, Dan Hill, Jake Needham, Tom Sanpawon Vamvanij, Mekong Kurt and again several more whose names escape me.

OurHotels: ova Nova Lodge Oct 19-Nov 1 1000 Baht/nite including full breakfast Rooms adequate but our assigned room was very smoky until Lat took the air conditioner apart and found the filter to be filled beyond capacity with dirt. She called the maintenance engineer who came and cleaned the entire air conditioner unit and replaced the filter. Problem solved. This property has a great olympic sized swimming pool, comfortable lounge and lobby and professionally managed tour desk. Also includes a minature golf course on property and a great German Restaurant adjoining.

Lek Hotel Soi 13/Pattaya 2nd Rd: Nov 1-14 Our rooms in the new wing at a November price of 960 Baht/nite was quite a surprise in comparison with the old wing. Very comfortable to be sure and only glitch was the lighting too dim. We love the Lek and are both friends with Manager Kek for many years. The Lek has a great buffet breakfast for 95 baht and great swimming pool. The rooms in the new wing (facing north) get little heating from the sun and are very quiet.

Honey Hotel Soi 19 Sukhumvit, Bangkok Nov 14-17: Standard Room 800 baht Superior Room 900 Baht Deluxe Room 980 baht. We chose the superior room and it was quite small and smoky. The hallways were also smoky but the staff was quite pleasant and so was the tour desk personnel. The restaurant was adequate. Swimming pool small but adequate. It is the only hotel in Bangkok with a great location (convenient to Robinsons, MacDonalds, good Thai and Int'l Restaurants, Sio Cowboy, Nana, and Wash. Sq.) I'd stay there again if on the cheap. Otherwise I'd think about the Windson Suites or Imperial properties.

Restaurants:

Best of the trip: Our 3 meals at the Cafe New Orleans. Their BBQ Babyback ribs are to die for and so is their Noon-4PM weekend BBQ Ribs-Fish-Chicken entree for 265 Baht if memory serves. Also tried the Cajon Pork Chop which was very good. Staff is very pleasant as well.

Other restaurants in order of our liking include Captains Corner (but you have to watch which entrees you chose). We found the tenderloin steaks very tender but all other steak choices tough. The pork chops were great as were the shish-ka-bobs. I love the peanut sauce on everything. I love the fact that they pick you up at your hotel and bring you back. Certainly a plus. The entertainment is quite good as well.

Our meals at Shenanigans are also still a favorite with us. Never disappoints. Probably the most professionally run restaurant/pub in Pattaya

Best new restaurant by far was our five meals at the Tequila Reef. Too bad we NEVER did get to meet the owners/manager.

P.I.C. Kitchen also provided a great meal and I love their pricey but great Jazz Lounge.

Also the two meals we had at Ruen Thai were better than average. The tr5aditional dancers/music are acceptable.

Biggest disappointment was our meal at the Blue Parrot. They no longer serve you food and offer you a music menu to chose the music you listen too. The staff was very unattentive and food quality was questionable.

Missed out on eating some submarine/hoagie sandwiches at the Viking Beachcomer this year and also to eat a meal or three with BJ up at his restaurant.

There are so many Int'l and Thai restaurants to chose from I fear, at age 67, I shall never have time to visit them all.

In Bangkok our best meals were the one on the Evening Cruise on the Chao Phya Princess and the Thai food meal we shared with Gene and Supawan Ponce in Nonthaburi. I wish I could remember the name of that restaurant as it was quite exceptional.

All in all, we packed in more during this trip than any in my 67 years. More very special memories and more new lifetime friends than in any 30 day period ever. A great trip that probably can never be outdone in my lifetime.

See, even those of us too old to be punters/sanukers CAN enjoy our vacations in Thailand. I have handed over the gauntlet and responsibility of running the streets to all you youngsters some nine years ago so carry on with your drunken stupers and skirtchasing. It's required of you. But I'll sleep tonite and for many nights to come with the memories of a most successful vacation.

Ken Bower