Evening 'entertainment' In Cr

[jubby]

Wow, what happened here. I suspect Chiang Rai is a thriving place for 'entertainment of the female variety' but mainly for Locals.

I'm sure you can party 24x7 here also. Oh. and I've never paid for Sex Either .................. Not directly anyway

[sausage3]

Strange guy.... very experienced poster, very few posts...

Not nice to threaten people though.

What do you think, Scea? Should I feel threatened? Seems a bit of a lightweight to me.

Excuse me, where were the threats? Let's not make things up here and pick on the new guy, there were no threats whatsoever, the bit that was deleted in my post (26) by one of the impartial mods was an alteration of villagefarang to village id1ot, I didn't think there would be a problem as he did the same to toybits user name in post 11 without it being deleted. And in post 22 villagefarang made a comment about my wife and then mocked toybits yet again in post 24 followed by another comment aimed at me in post 28 implying I had a 3 inch penis. He then continued his nonsense with another member which eventually caused the lovely beacher to proclaim he would never post on TV again. So like I said earlier, villagefarang is keen to dish it out but can't take it when people do the same to him. There seems to be a bit of an old boys club thing going on here as well, I should look out for secret hand-shakes when I'm out and about. And it seems that only people with a high post count are taken seriously but maybe there are plenty of foreigners living here with plenty of experience of life in Thailand but don't sit at their computer every day thinking they are better than everyone else just because they write a blog about themselves, their mountain biking and their dog. My cleaner could write a more interesting blog. Anyway, it's been nice guys but like the beacher I'll be leaving you now, ciao for now

[villagefarang]

Aren't we the sensitive one. Did we get up on the wrong side of the bed today?

Thanks for elevating me to the level of village idiot. That lifts me up the social ladder a few rungs.

Once again thanks for your generous patronage and promotion of my blog. I thank you and my dog thanks you.

[sausage3]

Aren't we the sensitive one. Did we get up on the wrong side of the bed today?

Thanks for elevating me to the level of village idiot. That lifts me up the social ladder a few rungs.

Once again thanks for your generous patronage and promotion of my blog. I thank you and my dog thanks you.

No darling I got up on the right side, your side as I didn't want to sleep on the wet patch. You don't need to thank me re your blog, I find it helps immensely when I have trouble sleeping and will continue to recommend it to other people suffering from insomnia.

[villagefarang]

Tacky, tacky. What ever happened to cultured wit and civility?

[harrry]

Tacky, tacky. What ever happened to cultured wit and civility?

So your blog is the night time entertainment to which he was refering.

[sceadugenga]

Beats me, what happened to the OP anyway?

At least I can't be accused of running HIM off.

[sausage3]

I would like to thank the youngster with the 3 inch sausage for plugging my silly blog.

'Tacky, tacky. What ever happened to cultured wit and civility?'

Is this your idea of cultured wit and civility? What's good for the goose is good for the gander!

[villagefarang]

Oh come on, my words were cute and obviously meant as a compliment. Anyway, I am inclined to take your disapproval as a ringing endorsement that I am on the right path. Surely the world is unfolding as it should.

[sceadugenga]

Not much chance of him naming his next born villagefarang or sceadugenga I predict.

[sausage3]

Not much chance of him naming his next born villagefarang or sceadugenga I predict.

Well hopefully in the next year or two I will be having a little one so should I name him/her after a beast that is neither living or dead or the worlds most boring blogger that thinks they are superior to every other foreigner living in Thailand? Difficult choice, let me sleep on it.

FYI, I had dinner in town close to Jet Yod Rd last night with my cousin and his Thai wife who works for an NGO up here and I mentioned that it seems most of the foreigners here in Chiang Rai, and elsewhere in Thailand, seem to think there's nothing wrong with paying for a girls company so we went and had a chat with some of the young ladies who work in the small soi adjacent to Jet Yod Rd which is probably the area the OP was asking about as my cousins wife knows many of them already through her work. Many of them are dependant on drink, drugs or both, many were physically, mentally or sexually abused when children and then sold to the 'entertainment' industry by their family which means they then have to sell themselves for many years in order to pay off their 'owner', many said they have had, or currently have, numerous STD's, many have young children of their own who, no doubt, will follow in their mothers footsteps and many also have abusive boyfriends who make them work there. If we'd stayed longer than the 30 minutes we were there we probably would have found out even more depressing information about their miserable lives but that doesn't matter, as long as big John can have a bit of fun while he's here in Chiang Rai that's OK. If people are happy to support and encourage this industry and all the guys pat each other on the back about it and have a good laugh it will continue to grow and create more stories just like these.

Happy Christmas!

[toybits]

Spot on!!! Couldn't have said it better. It's like giving money to a begger. Giving them money only encourages them to continue being dependent on other people like you. In the long run, it does not help them (or their children - tsk, tsk).

FYI, I had dinner in town close to Jet Yod Rd last night with my cousin and his Thai wife who works for an NGO up here and I mentioned that it seems most of the foreigners here in Chiang Rai, and elsewhere in Thailand, seem to think there's nothing wrong with paying for a girls company so we went and had a chat with some of the young ladies who work in the small soi adjacent to Jet Yod Rd which is probably the area the OP was asking about as my cousins wife knows many of them already through her work. Many of them are dependant on drink, drugs or both, many were physically, mentally or sexually abused when children and then sold to the 'entertainment' industry by their family which means they then have to sell themselves for many years in order to pay off their 'owner', many said they have had, or currently have, numerous STD's, many have young children of their own who, no doubt, will follow in their mothers footsteps and many also have abusive boyfriends who make them work there. If we'd stayed longer than the 30 minutes we were there we probably would have found out even more depressing information about their miserable lives but that doesn't matter, as long as big John can have a bit of fun while he's here in Chiang Rai that's OK. If people are happy to support and encourage this industry and all the guys pat each other on the back about it and have a good laugh it will continue to grow and create more stories just like these.

Happy Christmas!

[klikster]

Many of them are dependant on drink, drugs or both, many were physically, mentally or sexually abused when children and then sold to the 'entertainment' industry by their family

Actually, I believe I said something about "by their family" in one of my posts. So now that you are aware of how that cycle gets started, what good does it do to whine about it in this forum?

If we'd stayed longer than the 30 minutes we were there we probably would have found out even more depressing information about their miserable lives

If? Probably? What a silly comment. Is all your knowledge based on supposition? And you gave this issue all of 30 minutes. Amazing!

[svenivan]

sausage 3" said:

" I mentioned that it seems most of the foreigners here in Chiang Rai, and elsewhere in Thailand, seem to think there's nothing wrong with paying for a girls company"

Where have you got that information?

You did not understand OP´s first post, you could not read, or understand, his second where he said they were no sextourists and now "most of the foreigners here in Chiang Rai...." !

What is your problem?

I met a guy here many years ago that had the same problem, he saw ghosts in the middle of the day. He was an old retired journalist so that might be the reason for his problems.

What have the doctors told you?

[mcgriffith]

Jeez, go on a moto road trip for a few days; tempest in a teapot erupts...see you hooligans in a day or so (currently in MHS). Chill some dunkel:)

[villagefarang]

Jeez, go on a moto road trip for a few days; tempest in a teapot erupts...see you hooligans in a day or so (currently in MHS). Chill some dunkel:)

Are you insinuating that the Rai is nothing more than a "teapot"? Where is the praise for breathing some life into this lifeless backwater, teapot of a forum? We need something to get the juices flowing from time to time.

So the wolves prey on a hapless sheep from time to time. The hunt reinvigorates the pack, as the cries of the wounded ring out and stimulate primal urges. A teapot, indeed.

Enjoy your road trip. The weather is still good for it. I know I'm getting out as much as I can these days.

[mumbojumbo]

3", and 'Toybits have to save these girls. They are Doomed. Everyone i know here (frarang) is girlfriend, happily married w/kids maybe and is not fooling around. Ok, some do a"variety is the spice of all all life, but not many. (duck food comes to mind) Your whore mongerers are south of here.

[sceadugenga]

Everything is just too close to home mumbojumbo, I give 20B to a begging Akha lady in front of the Thai Airways office and the tuktuk driver across the road who's wife is my wife's aunt's second cousin lets the family network know and as soon as I get out of the car at home the wife wants to know why I give money to lazy people who don't want to work?

What chance would I have of getting my leg over on the side?

Guardians of public morals, despair not on MY behalf.

[toybits]

I have no illusions about saving these girls. What the OP got from me was friendly advice about what could happen if he should be so tempted .

Duck food and balloons...

3", and 'Toybits have to save these girls. They are Doomed. Everyone i know here (frarang) is girlfriend, happily married w/kids maybe and is not fooling around. Ok, some do a"variety is the spice of all all life, but not many. (duck food comes to mind) Your whore mongerers are south of here.

[Limbo]

.....so we went and had a chat with some of the young ladies who work in the small soi adjacent to Jet Yod Rd which is probably the area the OP was asking about as my cousins wife knows many of them already through her work. Many of them are dependant on drink, drugs or both, many were physically, mentally or sexually abused when children and then sold to the 'entertainment' industry by their family which means they then have to sell themselves for many years in order to pay off their 'owner', many said they have had, or currently have, numerous STD's, many have young children of their own who, no doubt, will follow in their mothers footsteps and many also have abusive boyfriends who make them work there. If we'd stayed longer than the 30 minutes we were there we probably would have found out even more depressing information about their miserable lives but that doesn't matter, as long as big John can have a bit of fun while he's here in Chiang Rai that's OK.

This is a horrible way to talk about these young ladies.

This is a humiliating way to talk about these young ladies, an insulting way: it is degrading.

As if they wouldn't have souls, as if they wouldn't have pride! As if their lifes were worthless.

There was an American missionary before in this area, who must have thought along the same lines

when he deciced that sterilisation would be the 'solution'.

Those among us who know about this sad but true history, also know about the life-long pain and misery for the young ladies

that accepted the 'vitamine-injection'.

I am very happy that the person, where the sausage is attached to, left.

He is immoral enough to use the Karma of other people, in this case less priveliged people, for trying to have the last word.

I thank Sceadagunga, Villagefarang, and those I didn't forget for their positive reactions and I apologize to the moderator of

this forum for my harsh words.

Limbo

[sausage3]

Klikster said 'Actually, I believe I said something about "by their family" in one of my posts. So now that you are aware of how that cycle gets started, what good does it do to whine about it in this forum?'

Sorry I didn't realise the posts on here were copyrighted and posts with the same info or opinion can't also be posted! And I was well aware of the cycle before reading your post. Whine?! This isn't something people whine about, it's not the same as if one of the old boys club run out of viagra, it's trying to make people understand that as long as they condone, encourage or personally support what's going on in these 'entertainment' areas then things aren't going to get any better for anyone working there.

Klikster said 'If? Probably? What a silly comment. Is all your knowledge based on supposition? And you gave this issue all of 30 minutes. Amazing!'

Once again sorry, thanks for correcting me, how silly of me! What I should have said was 'If we'd stayed longer than the 30 minutes we were there we definitely would have found out even more depressing information about their miserable lives'

And I said if because on this occasion my friend, who has worked for the last seven years trying to help these girls, is currently on holiday and so was not actually working. Plus we couldn't have stayed sitting there longer than the 30 minutes we were there anyway as the old guy of about 60 who was stroking a girls leg, who was no more than 18 but probably younger, was making us feel a bit uncomfortable.

Svenivan, from reading the comments on this post, and numerous other postings here on TV and other similar forums, the vast majority are of the opinion that there's nothing wrong with paying for a girls company, I have very very rarely seen anyone condemn it or highlight the reasons as to why these girls are working there in the first place, if you do feel differently than others why not give your opinion? Scared your drinking buddies will give you the cold shoulder? And I understood perfectly the op's 2nd post which tries to justify his query, they are not sex tourists just tourists who are happy to pay for sex while holidaying here, no difference really. I have no problem, just different views to most of the other members who have commented on here I and am not afraid to air them, I think it is only myself and toybits who haven't joined in the back-patting, jokes or excused it just because this is Thailand so therefore it's OK.

Whenever I have generalized in my previous posts people are very quick to say I'm wrong and that not everyone thinks the same suggesting you are of the same opinion of me but then joke about it. How can you say I'm wrong but then condone what's been said and not let your true opinion be known. I think I'd be right in saying that there are actually many more people who have similar opinions to myself but are scared to post them because they will be mocked and called moral guardians etc etc. Are these guys family and friends in Australia, America, etc aware that they support, condone and encourage these 'entertainment' areas. Even when faced with the truth about the girls history and the stories of drug addiction, STD's, abuse, being sold by their family etc etc people still joke about it, unbelievable! Mai pen rai though, this is Thailand, I'll join you guys for a beer and a joke about it all as soon as I've realised I'm being silly!

[sausage3]

.....so we went and had a chat with some of the young ladies who work in the small soi adjacent to Jet Yod Rd which is probably the area the OP was asking about as my cousins wife knows many of them already through her work. Many of them are dependant on drink, drugs or both, many were physically, mentally or sexually abused when children and then sold to the 'entertainment' industry by their family which means they then have to sell themselves for many years in order to pay off their 'owner', many said they have had, or currently have, numerous STD's, many have young children of their own who, no doubt, will follow in their mothers footsteps and many also have abusive boyfriends who make them work there. If we'd stayed longer than the 30 minutes we were there we probably would have found out even more depressing information about their miserable lives but that doesn't matter, as long as big John can have a bit of fun while he's here in Chiang Rai that's OK.

This is a horrible way to talk about these young ladies.

This is a humiliating way to talk about these young ladies, an insulting way: it is degrading.

As if they wouldn't have souls, as if they wouldn't have pride! As if their lifes were worthless.

There was an American missionary before in this area, who must have thought along the same lines

when he deciced that sterilisation would be the 'solution'.

Those among us who know about this sad but true history, also know about the life-long pain and misery for the young ladies

that accepted the 'vitamine-injection'.

I am very happy that the person, where the sausage is attached to, left.

He is immoral enough to use the Karma of other people, in this case less priveliged people, for trying to have the last word.

I thank Sceadagunga, Villagefarang, and those I didn't forget for their positive reactions and I apologize to the moderator of

this forum for my harsh words.

Limbo

Now I've seen the light, thank you Limbo for educating me, how foolish of me. Of course these girls are proud. They are very proud to have men older than their grandfather groping them every night and proud to accept their 'tea money' to please them. They must be proud to have been sold by their family and must love having to do what they do every evening in order to pay off the debt from the sale. They must be proud to have to be dependant on drink/drugs in order to block out what they do for a 'living'. Yes, the only thing we should all do is contribute to this industry personally and support and encourage other like-minded people. Please forgive me, I know not what I do or say.

[sceadugenga]

Forced prostitution by sale of the daughter does happen in Thailand. Maybe not to the extent it used to but it still occurs.

Prostitution through personal economic hardship is probably more common, the poorer provinces in the north east still supply most of the girls for the bars in the main tourist areas of Thailand.

Voluntary prostitution is a lot more common than people realise. A girl I know very well through family connections trained as a nurse aide, worked about a month, permed her hair and headed to the karaoke bars around the old airport. No pressure, family horrified, her choice.

There is work for almost everyone who wants it in the Lanna region, a lot of it seasonal and very hard. Prostitution can be much more lucrative. If people have to be forced into it why do newspapers in "free" countries like Australia have pages of "Adult Relaxation" ads every day?

I've spent more than 30 minutes in bars, I admit it openly, and have talked to many bargirls. Most will say what they think the customer wants to hear to keep him buying drinks. There are escape processes available up here, many NGOs help girls get away from the bars, but they have to want to go.

[sausage3]

Forced prostitution by sale of the daughter does happen in Thailand. Maybe not to the extent it used to but it still occurs.

Prostitution through personal economic hardship is probably more common, the poorer provinces in the north east still supply most of the girls for the bars in the main tourist areas of Thailand.

Voluntary prostitution is a lot more common than people realise. A girl I know very well through family connections trained as a nurse aide, worked about a month, permed her hair and headed to the karaoke bars around the old airport. No pressure, family horrified, her choice.

There is work for almost everyone who wants it in the Lanna region, a lot of it seasonal and very hard. Prostitution can be much more lucrative. If people have to be forced into it why do newspapers in "free" countries like Australia have pages of "Adult Relaxation" ads every day?

I've spent more than 30 minutes in bars, I admit it openly, and have talked to many bargirls. Most will say what they think the customer wants to hear to keep him buying drinks. There are escape processes available up here, many NGOs help girls get away from the bars, but they have to want to go.

Well the beast that's neither dead or alive has pretty much hit the nail on the head although it's actually forced prostitution, whether here or in free countries, that is more common than people think. Of course there are those who are doing it of their own free will for whatever reasons, usually because it's a more financially viable option than many jobs here in Thailand, but there are still many who are forced into it. Nobody ever said these girls are worthless and they are humiliated, insulted and degraded on a daily basis by their customers purely by doing what the are doing, not by people who are trying to help them and give them other options. Of course, if someone is doing it because they want to then they won't want anyone to help but there are many that do and I don't mean via the extreme measures mentioned by Limbo. If people continue to justify, ignore the facts and not take it seriously then it will carry on and keep growing but if the vulnerable communities where many of these girls & boys originate get help which enables them to have other options apart from selling their offspring then surely that is a good thing. People should be able to try and help without the jokes from Villagefarang and many others or the justifying of it by Limbo. Naturally there will be those who oppose help being offered to these individuals because they enjoy frequenting these entertainment areas themselves but to say there's nothing wrong with it and that none of the people working in this industry wants help is just ridiculous.

[sceadugenga]

For someone who considers himself a blog critic, you'd be a lot easier to read if you learned the art of the paragraph sausage.

Edited December 21, 2009 by sceadugenga

[sausage3]

For someone who considers himself a blog critic, you'd be a lot easier to read if you learned the art of the paragraph sausage.

Yes it probably would, apologies, I'm still young so plenty of time to learn. I heard you were Australian so shouldn't it be learnt, which is the British English version, rather than the American English of learned? If you enjoy correcting English you should spend a few hours checking out your friends blog

This is so much fun, I wish I'd joined this forum years ago!

[Limbo]

Is a man who pays a woman for sex and promises her nothing less worthy than one who preys on receptionists and shop girls,

promises them love, or even marriage, and eventually gives them nothing?

This is really where it is all about.

Of course there are in Chiang Rai and 'the rest of Thailand' many girls outside the sex-trade that want

to marry foreigners! In many cases however also these contracts are based on inequity.

There are many young ladies having low paid jobs hardly offering perspectives for career development and thus improvement.

Indeed like those that work as receptionists, shop girls, waitresses, etc. etc.

They are easily charmed by the slimy kind of foreigner as they are not always treated respectfully by Thai customers.

On top of that don't have time and/or the financial space to go out and meet potential candidates for friendship and marriage.

They think they see the light at the end of the tunnel when an obese, pimply foreign young man, well in his thirties, smiles to them.

There is also the category of a little bit better educated young ladies.

Also for them it isn't easy to find a husband as marriage in Thailand generally takes place at a relative young age.

And they 'lost' years during their studies and the first years of their careers.

Their education makes them a little bit more critical as well and this often leads to the situation that they

still aren't married when they are approaching or even passed the magical age of 30 (for most Thai considered 'over the top').

In this category we find nurses, secretaries, teachers, low ranked civil servants etc. etc.

Also their alternatives are limited. Also they are open for the overtures made by foreigners, especially if these pretend to be

honest, well to do and fairly educated (one of the reasons that many of the 'gentlemen' suddenly seem to have academical

backgrounds).

Yes, Thailand is paradise for instance for NGO workers, temporary teachers and tourists who do the empathic

'you can trust me' approach. The cultural difference makes that this trick works much better here than at home.

The members of the first category often get a 4WD from the boss (developmental work can not be done in a 2WD)

and blow up their ego's to a degree that one sometimes has to fear that they sooner or later will explode.

At home they might not be very succesful with the ladies but here they suddenly are, turning them into self-proclaimed

Adonises ('Thai girls don't mind when you are obese' they repeat until they believe it themselves).

They are often not honest to the girls, accept all the gifts and dedication, yes, even their love, untill

'sorry my dear, but I got a new job in Laos".

One of these 'I never would pay for sex'-types teached me in his enormeous generosity one of his tricks:

"The best thing", he said, "is that you wear relatively transparent shirts. In your breastpocket you put a bundle of

bank notes with a thousand note at the outside. You will see, it works!"

This is my personal answer to your question.

Limbo

[sceadugenga]

Is a man who pays a woman for sex and promises her nothing less worthy than one who preys on receptionists and shop girls,

promises them love, or even marriage, and eventually gives them nothing?

This is really where it is all about.

Of course there are in Chiang Rai and 'the rest of Thailand' many girls outside the sex-trade that want

to marry foreigners! In many cases however also these contracts are based on inequity.

There are many young ladies having low paid jobs hardly offering perspectives for career development and thus improvement.

Indeed like those that work as receptionists, shop girls, waitresses, etc. etc.

They are easily charmed by the slimy kind of foreigner as they are not always treated respectfully by Thai customers.

On top of that don't have time and/or the financial space to go out and meet potential candidates for friendship and marriage.

They think they see the light at the end of the tunnel when an obese, pimply foreign young man, well in his thirties, smiles to them.

There is also the category of a little bit better educated young ladies.

Also for them it isn't easy to find a husband as marriage in Thailand generally takes place at a relative young age.

And they 'lost' years during their studies and the first years of their careers.

Their education makes them a little bit more critical as well and this often leads to the situation that they

still aren't married when they are approaching or even passed the magical age of 30 (for most Thai considered 'over the top').

In this category we find nurses, secretaries, teachers, low ranked civil servants etc. etc.

Also their alternatives are limited. Also they are open for the overtures made by foreigners, especially if these pretend to be

honest, well to do and fairly educated (one of the reasons that many of the 'gentlemen' suddenly seem to have academical

backgrounds).

Yes, Thailand is paradise for instance for NGO workers, temporary teachers and tourists who do the empathic

'you can trust me' approach. The cultural difference makes that this trick works much better here than at home.

The members of the first category often get a 4WD from the boss (developmental work can not be done in a 2WD)

and blow up their ego's to a degree that one sometimes has to fear that they sooner or later will explode.

At home they might not be very succesful with the ladies but here they suddenly are, turning them into self-proclaimed

Adonises ('Thai girls don't mind when you are obese' they repeat until they believe it themselves).

They are often not honest to the girls, accept all the gifts and dedication, yes, even their love, untill

'sorry my dear, but I got a new job in Laos".

One of these 'I never would pay for sex'-types teached me in his enormeous generosity one of his tricks:

"The best thing", he said, "is that you wear relatively transparent shirts. In your breastpocket you put a bundle of

bank notes with a thousand note at the outside. You will see, it works!"

This is my personal answer to your question.

Limbo

Sausage seemed to assume some sort of personal attack when I wrote that and hastened to assure me that all his relationships in Thailand had been between equals.

As I had no idea of his current or past relationship status I had no way of knowing he'd been playing fast and loose with the ladies in the past.

Most do delude themselves though if they think that their success on the sexual scoreboard would have been imitated in their own country. Regardless of what others may think I remain convinced that the girls in question are looking for a long term relationship rather than a few nights fun in bed and are therefore vulnerable to this type of farang.

Your comment on better educated Thai girls is relevant. My wife has three attractive, personable, university educated nieces who, as the approach the big 3-0 are going nowhere in the marriage stakes.

Edited December 21, 2009 by sceadugenga

[Limbo]

I don't like topics of this kind and the good thing is that we so far in the Chiang Rai forum avoided these

endless repeating threads, often very dominantly present in other forums, about how bad and treacherous

'Thai ladies' are supposed to be.

It is good though that finally also the behaviour of a certain kind of foreign men towards Thai ladies gets attention.

For me it is clear that most 'rotten apples' can be found in the category that proudly declares that they never paid

for sex, at least not in cash.

"I had a contract for two year in Thailand and believe me, I never paid for sex", they will back at home proudly

tell their friends.

I could write a book about these moral knights on their high horses, these non-valeurs, and how they really behaved

here in Chiang Rai...

Limbo.

And SK1max, just tell your friend that he surely will have a good time here!

That's it for me.

[sceadugenga]

For someone who considers himself a blog critic, you'd be a lot easier to read if you learned the art of the paragraph sausage.

Yes it probably would, apologies, I'm still young so plenty of time to learn. I heard you were Australian so shouldn't it be learnt, which is the British English version, rather than the American English of learned? If you enjoy correcting English you should spend a few hours checking out your friends blog

This is so much fun, I wish I'd joined this forum years ago!

It's a personal decision, I prefer the sound of learned to learnt so that's what I write.

I find VillageFarang's blog very readable regardless of what you consider to be grammatical flaws. He has spent his entire working life in Thailand amongst sophisticated, well educated Thais and on retirement made the decision to live among simple villagers who, much to his horror, don't speak Thai.

This is a different scenario to many of us, who only holidayed in Thailand before deciding to retire here. His experience in things Thai is almost beyond the comprehension of someone like me, but it's amusing because he's placed himself in a similar position, (in some ways) to myself.

If English is your first language, which I suspect it is, then there's no excuse for the way you write. You're much closer to the source of your education than we are, as you keep drawing our attention to the difference between your youth and our geezerhood.

VillageFarang and myself probably haven't written a recreational word since we left school many years ago, and it's a skill that has to be relearned.