A few days ago, in a very quiet town up north, I entered for the first time my local Chinese medicine store. Armed with very rudimentary Thai and a note written in Thai by a friend, I attempted to convey that after a heavy 4 week trip back to England and coming back just in time for Songkran, I was a physical wreck, off the sauce and needed something to cleanse my liver and bits and help me sleep.

Before I could finish my garbled effort, a kind lady beside me started speaking to me in English and helping me out. A bag of pills was produced to 'help me drink' and to be taken 'after drunk'. I explained this won't be happening for a while and showed her my trembling hands. Anyway, we laughed and she then told the store guy that I needed some help sleeping. So he produced another bottle of pills. Happy to come away with quite an unusual purchase that required such little effort, I felt pretty pleased with myself.

Before returning it to me, the lady read my note again, laughing, and asked if it was about me. Obviously it was (that'll teach me to trust my Thai mates to write notes of this kind for me! ;o) ). I didn't know exactly what it said, but could take a good guess, so, pretty embarassed and feeling like a skanky drunken miscreant, I tried to slide out of there with a few words of thanks, but she grabbed me and...this is why I love Thailand...shoved a bussiness card in my hand and offered me a teaching job in her school! hah hah hah!

It just seemed like such a preposterous situation (even more so as it's probably not even uncommon here) that I thought I would share it.

Well, you got what you wanted. Thailand is sabai sabai. Was it a regulary pharmacy or a Chinese traditional medicine shop?

Well, you got what you wanted. Thailand is sabai sabai. Was it a regulary pharmacy or a Chinese traditional medicine shop?

'twas a traditional Chinese medicine shop.

But.............you failed to mention if the pills helped..or not...

LaoPo