Searching For Long Pants In Chiang Mai

[tigerfish]

o.k. ive just literally got back from a two day trip to chiang mai that i took with my wife and MIL.

the reason why will unfold in due course and i may drop the odd bit of detail in now and again as they may have some bearing on the story, but really do not wish to go too much into the facts as they dont bare much relevance on what i am about to say.

so here goes,

for the past 11 years of which i have known my wife of 10 of those years she has been involved in a court case that has been going on in chiang mai and i have accompanied her when she has had to take the trip up north to attend proceedings.

to cut a long story short, married to a hi -so playboy chinese type who thought it might be a good idea to rip a load of people off up north by selling land that wasn't his. got her, without knowing all the details of his actions to deposit large sums of money into a bank account. eventually got caught and has served jail time, but there is the added complication that all parties concerned have had to go to court, to either clear their names or try and claim back losses in the way of damages. ie, banks, people who have lost money, family members, other groups that were involved or in on the scam (including women he had got involved with whilst still being married to my wife) and of course her as well. too which she, her former husband to give him credit and other witnesses have always professed her innocence when having to give evidence.

anyway the last trip we took, which was 3 months back the judges residing over her case set a date in which we were to attend as they felt that they were nearing a final verdict. so this wednesday night just gone, the 3 of us get on the coach from bangkok and make the 9 hour trip up north to chiang - mai for the hearing that is to take place 9 a.m. thursday. arrive in to the main bus station at 6 a.m. and catch a cab to the hotel we say at, take a shower and grab a quick bite to eat. 8.a.m. take another taxi to the courts of law on the outskirts of the city. arrive in good time, although everyones a little tense, nervous,not saying much and understandable so as its been a long ride over the years to get to this point. everyone gathers themselves, deep breathes all around, hugs, tears, the wife and MIL do their bit with buddha and we head up the main stairs to the court house. at which point we are greeted by a security guard telling us that i am not going to be permitted to enter the courts because i am wearing three quarter length shorts. all three of us try to explain that its a very important day and that on other occasions when i have accompanied my wife to court there has never been a problem before with me wearing such an item. hes having none of it though, saying maybe different security that day. of course the wife and MIL at this point in time start getting all upset and i take a step backwards as i know im about to lose it big time. so what to do ? o.k. i explain to my wife trying to keep her calm, i will go off in search of a pair of long pants that will enable me to enter to court house and give me time to cool off. so after wishing her luck and telling her that i will be back soon with the said item of clothing needed i go off in search. worth adding that while all this is going on, the guy on the door had let in two women wearing shorts and a guy. all thai of course ! and when this was mentioned, he comes out with the crap line about them working there or first time in court, not understand.

what a sight i must of looked ! walking a long the main stretch of road, muttering away to myself, not really knowing where to go, fag in hand and sweating profusely. it must of taken a good hour before i hit the jackpot and stumbled across an outlet that sold a pair of what can only be described as a poor mans second hand pair of white flannel pants, all creased and dirty in a size 36 " waist. i payed the my money, 140 baht (<deleted> con farang price) and was on my way as i had just realized that i was carry in my bag the tambien baan that had been requested by the court for us to bring, so time was of the essence.

got back to the court house to be once again met by the chimp on the door, produced my new fashion item at which point he starts to laugh and joke stating "oh very handsome man, beautiful color ". could of layed one right on him at that moment in time !

so after a quick change in the loos i race upstairs to the allocated court room to find everyone still sat outside waiting to go in. worth bearing in mind that it is now nearly 10.30 a.m. and my wifes case is meant to be the first item on the agenda starting at 9 a.m. whats going on i said ? my wife replies," maybe have problem " with a sad expression on her face. no time to ask as the court room official calls everyone in as the judges are about to enter.

five minutes later laurel and hardy enter the room, everyone stands and then is seated. i haven't a clue as to what is going on and am unable to ask my wife as she is seated on the other side of the room. then theres a brief exchange of paperwork and documents being signed, with a lot of talking in between. everyone looking at calenders, MIL and wife looking decidedly unhappy at what is being discussed and all i can make out of the words that are spoken are 18, monday, day and october. with that laurel and hardy stand up and leave the court room. not a bad days work if you can get it ! court proceedings finished for the day, time to go and get 18 holes in on the adjacent golf course and maybe a coupe of hours spent with the mia noi, before heading home, after a hard day at the office.

we all then make our way outside and theres yet more lively debate and discussion about what has just happened and i am still none the wiser as to whats just gone down. then finally my wife comes up to me and says " have to come back on the 18th of october because the judge he not read all the case files " <deleted> !

now excuse me for just one minute ! and for pointing the obvious out, but has anyone ever heard of that little thing called a telephone ? i though that maybe having studied for such a long period of time and " worked " and i us the term loosely, to gain such a position of high status even in a country like thailand as a judge. they would maybe have taken into consideration the fact that people have had to travel (including my elderly 81 year old MIL ), take time out of work and used money to get to the court house in chiang mai. obviously not ! i then asked my wife, is it not the job of your lawyer and why you are paying him to ensure such matters are covered before embarking on such a trip ? why did i even ask, just got that ever so well known look i have become used to whilst living out here. yes you guessed it, blank with a un-assuring shrug of the shoulders, such is life.

id like to just pigeon hole it as saying well TIT or truly amazing thailand, but i cant ! to me its better suited to the well known phrase i used to use back in my own country of birth.

" couldn't organize a piss up in a brewery if they tried " i mean <deleted> 11 years to get a verdict on such a case.

sorry for the rant and i know im going to leave my self open for a lot of abuse, especially from the thai apologist contingent of this forum, but i ask you. how would you feel ?

tigerfish.

[spud1]

Did the pants fit OK.

[longstebe]

Useless as a 2nd hand tampax.

I would certainly be pissed off mate. I honestly thought you were gonna tell me where to buy the long pants.

Good luck for the next ordeal.

[tigerfish]

Useless as a 2nd hand tampax.

I would certainly be pissed off mate. I honestly thought you were gonna tell me where to buy the long pants.

Good luck for the next ordeal.

yes quite a fitting analogy there longstebe and whilst muttering to myself when going to look for the sort after long pants, id thought of a fare few more.

and yep the pants did fit just fine spud1, but im not sure my <deleted> where in total agreement with my choice of such an item. thoughts of windsor davies and the sit com " it aint half hot mum ! " came to mind.

[Thongkorn]

maybe they have leged it.