HAPPYNUFF

A   Chinese/Thai family near us, very wealthy, naturally,  have a son  learning to be an airline pilot.   Nice kid really, but cant speak a word of English. Through my wife I tried to explain to him that  not only must he learn  to speak  that language, but be proficient in it, as  it is the International language in the airline industry.    His reply,  ",,not interested,   Thai is best language."...I read the other week there are some 600 qualified Thai pilots   unemployed   in this country..That was  before the  virus     put many more out of work. Oh well, I suppose he will join them, when hes finished his training.

250 handpicked Senators were  asked their opinion, surprisingly, each and everyone     voted for   the guy with the long nose ( while  looking over their shoulder  to  make sure it was safe).

This fools  intellect and forward thinking  never ceases to amaze me, Im not sure whether the word to describe  him is stupendous or stupid.

Tell  her, Ok Somchai, I''ll  live by  your customs and wai,    your boss can live by my customs and shake hands.

Respect  is  something that is to be earned,  and   without offence to your wife, I have yet to   come across any government worker here that gets   respect from me..  Now  that attitude is one that has come about by observing   how government workers here treat   the common man and woman, as if they are superior  in some way..   I admire  the Thai worker, doing their best to survive in a country living  in the past.

Im not really interested in a persons religion, race, skin colour,  hair style, dress sense or anything else. What I am interested in, and react to, is their attitude, and behaviour.   If they  cannot behave  as a sensible decent human,  I react accordingly, and treat them as they deserve, in a like manner.     How often  have all of us suffered some fool of a  shop assistant, taxi driver, public servant,  etc,  no matter  what that persons  background or nationality.

They may have never developed anything, but they certainly have perfected corruption,  amongst  a few other  little  nasties.

I mean, really,   under the current situation here, the mans the perfect choice,  a fool with a loose mouth,  just what Thailand needs to carry on   the road to  disaster.

Living in everlasting hope that I will, one day, find another bottle of Bushmills Irish whisky, as I did once, long ago here,,, and as a bonus   a  bottle of   decent  wine, without  the "fruit juice added" sign on the label.

"Boss, not many    guests at hotel"

""Ok, Somchai, go outside  and  change sign, put prices up"

I have no problem with being referred to  as "farang"  in Thailand.  How else  can they speak about us ,  "that   dumb sod"   "that   r/sole" ,,"that thing"????...      I read once,  and damn well forgot  to   mark it for  future use,  that the word  "farang"    came  from    the days of the  crusades,  when Europeans       headed east to  save the "holy land"   from the infidels. (?)

and it referred to    the thought  that these invaders  were  Frank, or Frankish,   as     a large part of western Europe then was called.,   the   term  gradually    altered to"  "farangsi",, "falang",  "farang"  and    different pronunciations.  It is/was in common use, in its various forms, throughout    the Asian area I    read...       Noting now Thais in particurlar   mispronounce many  English sounding words,, (mower si...,,motor cycle)     (satar...star) etc..       Frank/Frankish      easily  becomes  farang...  Who cares,  call me what you want, just dont call me late for breakfast, and its your buy, Somchai.

And   just who was it said that life was cheap in Thailand.   A dollar is a dollar.

Gee , those 6 million Poms that  the Thais said were going to come here will be disappointed.

ChCI, I am positively thrilled, delighted  and chuffed that you have placed me amongst the elite of this world by obviously sighting me  walking through the lobby of  Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, Evason  hotels etc,  on my way to using the  toilet facilities, after   dining  at the roadside stall outside.   Did  you like my eccentric attire,   flip flops, Chang T shirt  and football shorts too.   Of course    all the staff at these premises  assume I am   just another oddball filthy rich tourist  who stays   at their establishment.  Who am I  a  poor cheap charlie, to enlighten them??

I  find that I have very little conversation  with Thais, especially  if Im quoted some outlandish price for something. . I just walk away.  Why bother even haggling with a thief?      If my wife   wants  to buy something, I   get her to  ask the price, she may haggle if she wants, but if I consider the price is ridiculous, I just collect her and walk away.   I dont mind paying for quality or good workmanship, both of which are rather scarce in this country.   I fear these people will never change,  corruption is just inbred in them, together with their ridiculous sense of superiority  in such a little poor  country.

Well, Ive just had the pilot  warm  up my Lear Jet,  and the  Captain prepare   the     ocean going   launch.   The wife and I sat  and   discussed where to go  this  year on our   wheeler dealer, big spending holiday.,  Visa, Mastercard, Amex , Diners  cards all   packed and  ready as well.

We   decided somewhere upmarket, clean, safe, good infrastructure,  hospitable, friendly people.     So  Sorry,    Thailand didnt even get a mention.

Im  told that  those of officer rank in the Thai Police  receive some training at an academy  of some sort,  but does anyone know what, if any training the lower ranks receive.,   . I have one  cop live near me,  his sole duty seems to be driving   his superior around the   area, and hes certainly not the brightest light in the house to talk to.    Maybe    their   failure to do anything is simply because they dont know anything about  road  or traffic laws.

Some years ago, my  aunt, now retired, was the credit manager of a  5 star hotel, with   hotels world wide beginning with the letter" H"..   One      afternoon  I was  at  the hotel,  talking with her, when I noticed two  attractive  young women sitting in the    foyer area, looking bored.     I  commented in a joking manner to  my aunt," your  guests  looked like   their not happy"

"Oh" my aunt replied "their not staying here, their a couple of prostitutes waiting for business"...     I was rather surprised at this somewhat casual comment considering  this  was/is a 5 star hotel with a reputation to maintain,  but my aunt went on to explain   they   cater  to international business men, who often  request   the services of female companionship, so the hotel   doesnt object  to   looking the other way, so to speak , to     the women   being present, and "on display".