Why Did You Come To Thailand The First Time?

[Tippaporn]

Well, this thread seems to be winding down rapidly . . .

[cdnvic]

Is everybody calm now?

cv

[Rigger]

Is everybody calm now?

cv

Yes boss

[Ulysses G.]

Is everybody calm now?

cv

Yes boss

What we have here is...failure to communicate.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

it isn't full moon until the last week of January either

[ilyushin]

Long ago the Bamboo Telegraph (word of mouth) was the way the expat community communicated as the Thais did too. We didn't get nasty unless it was in-order to do so. Those were the days before cell phones and internet. So communications was sacred. I remember 25 people to 1 phone (landline ) in Bangkok. You could actually escape the scene in those days. Hide out at Blue Fox Bar, JUSMAG Happy Hour, Outdoor Superstar Beer Bar, Bier Stube, Lucy's Tiger Den, Kangaroo, Texxan, Madrid and loads more. Lady's drinks were about 10 Baht and draft Amarit was 19 Baht. No Cola Hounds around! Sorry just off day dreaming.

Just remember this thread is about why we came to LOS in the first place. A commonality we share. Lots of good posts from real professional expats and seasoned tourist.

"Riding a south bound train on a north bound track"

AC-ilyushin

[wahwa]

Get back on topic, if you can remember what it was, otherwise be quiet, little boys.

I didn't know there were 'little boys' posting here, but then, I haven't read very much yet.

However, I hope the mods here aren't 'little boys'...

[Tippaporn]

Long ago the Bamboo Telegraph (word of mouth) was the way the expat community communicated as the Thais did too. We didn't get nasty unless it was in-order to do so. Those were the days before cell phones and internet. So communications was sacred. I remember 25 people to 1 phone (landline ) in Bangkok. You could actually escape the scene in those days. Hide out at Blue Fox Bar, JUSMAG Happy Hour, Outdoor Superstar Beer Bar, Bier Stube, Lucy's Tiger Den, Kangaroo, Texxan, Madrid and loads more. Lady's drinks were about 10 Baht and draft Amarit was 19 Baht. No Cola Hounds around! Sorry just off day dreaming.

Just remember this thread is about why we came to LOS in the first place. A commonality we share. Lots of good posts from real professional expats and seasoned tourist.

"Riding a south bound train on a north bound track"

AC-ilyushin

Love hearin' 'bout the good ol' days of the Wild East! (And glad you brought this back on topic, ilyushin, which BTW is a great read all in all.

But . . . what brought you here, ilyushin? Sounds like it would make for an interesting tale.

Edited January 8, 2006 by Tippaporn

[Old Croc]

I won a heap of money in a lottery in 1976 and jumped on a cruise ship around SE Asia for a month.

Was berthed in Bangers for 3 days and have been coming back irregularly ever since.

[Glauka]

I won a heap of money in a lottery in 1976 and jumped on a cruise ship around SE Asia for a month.

Was berthed in Bangers for 3 days and have been coming back irregularly ever since.

because that was the year i was born i think it would be very nice of you to share some of that money with me (it there is some left) or you can make me a nice present...you see my birhtday is going to be soon...

[Old Croc]

I won a heap of money in a lottery in 1976 and jumped on a cruise ship around SE Asia for a month.

Was berthed in Bangers for 3 days and have been coming back irregularly ever since.

because that was the year i was born i think it would be very nice of you to share some of that money with me (it there is some left) or you can make me a nice present...you see my birhtday is going to be soon...

Three wives looked after most of it my love. It's a big birthday this year isn't it? Where will you be and what will you be doing on 31/1 for the big day? I need to know where to send the present.

[Glauka]

I won a heap of money in a lottery in 1976 and jumped on a cruise ship around SE Asia for a month.

Was berthed in Bangers for 3 days and have been coming back irregularly ever since.

because that was the year i was born i think it would be very nice of you to share some of that money with me (it there is some left) or you can make me a nice present...you see my birhtday is going to be soon...

Three wives looked after most of it my love. It's a big birthday this year isn't it? Where will you be and what will you be doing on 31/1 for the big day? I need to know where to send the present.

to Spain??

shall i PM you my address

Indeed is a big day I am gonna be thirty and I am single...

[Old Croc]

I won a heap of money in a lottery in 1976 and jumped on a cruise ship around SE Asia for a month.

Was berthed in Bangers for 3 days and have been coming back irregularly ever since.

because that was the year i was born i think it would be very nice of you to share some of that money with me (it there is some left) or you can make me a nice present...you see my birhtday is going to be soon...

Three wives looked after most of it my love. It's a big birthday this year isn't it? Where will you be and what will you be doing on 31/1 for the big day? I need to know where to send the present.

to Spain??

shall i PM you my address

Indeed is a big day I am gonna be thirty and I am single...

Surely not single for long with your personality and other charms and talents. Not everyone in Spain can be blind.

[Glauka]

I won a heap of money in a lottery in 1976 and jumped on a cruise ship around SE Asia for a month.

Was berthed in Bangers for 3 days and have been coming back irregularly ever since.

because that was the year i was born i think it would be very nice of you to share some of that money with me (it there is some left) or you can make me a nice present...you see my birhtday is going to be soon...

Three wives looked after most of it my love. It's a big birthday this year isn't it? Where will you be and what will you be doing on 31/1 for the big day? I need to know where to send the present.

to Spain??

shall i PM you my address

Indeed is a big day I am gonna be thirty and I am single...

Surely not single for long with your personality and other charms and talents. Not everyone in Spain can be blind.

why? Why you have already three wives...

[Old Croc]

I won a heap of money in a lottery in 1976 and jumped on a cruise ship around SE Asia for a month.

Was berthed in Bangers for 3 days and have been coming back irregularly ever since.

because that was the year i was born i think it would be very nice of you to share some of that money with me (it there is some left) or you can make me a nice present...you see my birhtday is going to be soon...

Three wives looked after most of it my love. It's a big birthday this year isn't it? Where will you be and what will you be doing on 31/1 for the big day? I need to know where to send the present.

to Spain??

shall i PM you my address

Indeed is a big day I am gonna be thirty and I am single...

Surely not single for long with your personality and other charms and talents. Not everyone in Spain can be blind.

why? Why you have already three wives...

It may be already for you, but long gone for me.

[TRIPxCORE]

Caught on to this topic late.

I first came here in January 1997 at the behest of my friend who wanted a traveling partner so he wouldnt get bored. Of course my friend was coming here for the ladies. That first trip I didn't like LOS much at all. Being a relative novice in international travel at that time, LOS wasn't much to my liking. Later on that same year, he wanted to come back again and forced me into it again. I started to like it the 2nd time around and on that trip I met my future wife in a restaurant. Been coming back ever since. At first to visit my fiance and then after we got married and came to the U.S., we visited to see her family. More than 40 trips have been made so far.

[khall64au]

Deeeeeeeeeeep breath! Considering you lot have so many tales to tell... mine is probably quite uninteresting. But... I came to Thailand as a BACKPACKER in the mid-80's - a very bright-eyed bushy-tailed gal in my very early 20's. I continued on with my travels but never quite forgot Thailand.

Then, way back in the year 2000 I finished up a university degree and had the opportunity to organise a correspondent's conference... anywhere in the world. I chose Bangkok and realised I wanted to live in Thailand as it seemed to be the centre of the universe. Two years later, I moved to Phuket to work in the media promoting this paradise to the world.

My life, ever since, has been crazy to say the least... but I would never trade it in. This is now my 4th year in LOS and... as a foreign woman, I can say that it has been the best years of my life. I have grown as a person beyond belief. My professional life has been fuelled by skyrockets. My personal life has taken me places I never dreamed possible. Even though, here, I've had the worst time of my life, I would not trade this experience for a regular time back in the west.... for richer or poorer, through tragedy and health. Thailand has made me a much better human being!

[udon]

I won a heap of money in a lottery in 1976 and jumped on a cruise ship around SE Asia for a month.

Was berthed in Bangers for 3 days and have been coming back irregularly ever since.

because that was the year i was born i think it would be very nice of you to share some of that money with me (it there is some left) or you can make me a nice present...you see my birhtday is going to be soon...

Three wives looked after most of it my love. It's a big birthday this year isn't it? Where will you be and what will you be doing on 31/1 for the big day? I need to know where to send the present.

to Spain??

shall i PM you my address

Indeed is a big day I am gonna be thirty and I am single...

Surely not single for long with your personality and other charms and talents. Not everyone in Spain can be blind.

why? Why you have already three wives...

It may be already for you, but long gone for me.

I'm dieing to say something, but it would be OT

[Tippaporn]

Go on, Udon, spit it out. You won't be the first to go OT here.

[khall64au]

Yeah... go on! Spit it out Udon

[IMA_FARANG]

It seems we see many many threads about bar girls all the problems ect. All the advice about staying away from them and hooking up with the more educated women. They all seem to run the same bar girls bad, not thier fault though money for thier poor Issan famalies. Let me say this one thing and I will get off my soap box, there are many many poor girls in Issan that never end up in bars. The poor people in Thailand as far as I can tell are by no means poorest people in the world. Must be a reason why people from Laos want to get here. Ok thats over.

So now what brought you to Thailand, not job or military related in the first place?

I'll kick things off I came for a party with beautiful women, nothing noble about it and very self serving. I had that party for three weeks and paid through the nose for it, it was worth every penny spent, no complaints.

The lifestyle I have now is what brought me back, which has nothing to do with the original party I had. But the reality if I had not been enticed here by that party I would have never had what I have now.

There were prices to pay to have what I now have and just like the party worth every penny.

So no matter how your life is now what really brought you here in the first place or made you return after the military or job you had here?

I had been working in Ethiopia. Job ended, and I had some money for a vacation. Had previous experience in Southeast Asia, but had never been to Thailand. Intended to go to BKK, then on to Manila, then return to states. Expected 60 days maximum outside U.S. 90 days later, I was still in BKK. Never made it to Manila. Have been back to Thailand at least once a year for last 30 years since then. When I eventually retire (2008), it will be in Thailand.

Edited January 8, 2006 by IMA_FARANG

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Get back on topic, if you can remember what it was, otherwise be quiet, little boys.

I didn't know there were 'little boys' posting here, but then, I haven't read very much yet.

However, I hope the mods here aren't 'little boys'...

[bbigman21]

Working on getting to know as many Thai ladies as could in the short amount of time. But d***** if I did not fall in love.

[ray23]

Deeeeeeeeeeep breath! Considering you lot have so many tales to tell... mine is probably quite uninteresting. But... I came to Thailand as a BACKPACKER in the mid-80's - a very bright-eyed bushy-tailed gal in my very early 20's. I continued on with my travels but never quite forgot Thailand.

Then, way back in the year 2000 I finished up a university degree and had the opportunity to organise a correspondent's conference... anywhere in the world. I chose Bangkok and realised I wanted to live in Thailand as it seemed to be the centre of the universe. Two years later, I moved to Phuket to work in the media promoting this paradise to the world.

My life, ever since, has been crazy to say the least... but I would never trade it in. This is now my 4th year in LOS and... as a foreign woman, I can say that it has been the best years of my life. I have grown as a person beyond belief. My professional life has been fuelled by skyrockets. My personal life has taken me places I never dreamed possible. Even though, here, I've had the worst time of my life, I would not trade this experience for a regular time back in the west.... for richer or poorer, through tragedy and health. Thailand has made me a much better human being!

Your back packer story reminded me of something I experienced in the past. I was working at a very small Jewish school in Los Angeles, a lot of the teachers and parents were from Isreal, they all female and male had served in the military. When there service was complete everyone of them had back packed Thailand. They all loved it, they got here long before I did although they were much younger then I was. They explained to me that it was a tradtion in Isreal, true I don't know, but it was a tradition for them

[ding]

Udon has the key to the gate of the garden of love and he ain't letting on....

[mraitchison]

I came here to throw the sent off the sniffer dogs.

I always found that crossing a large body of water confused them better than a going up stream.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I came here to throw the sent off the sniffer dogs.

I always found that crossing a large body of water confused them better than a going up stream.

and they haven't found you yet it seems

[camerata]

I got off the plane and met my wife to be about 5 hours later...

tutsi, I'm chagrined . . . you beat my record my a whopping 10 hours!!

I got off the plane and met the love of my life 25 years later. Is there something wrong with me?

[dr_Pat_Pong]

A bit slow of the mark perhaps LOL

[Tippaporn]

I got off the plane and met my wife to be about 5 hours later...

tutsi, I'm chagrined . . . you beat my record my a whopping 10 hours!!

I got off the plane and met the love of my life 25 years later. Is there something wrong with me?

Not at all. You were simply banking your wife's youth for your golden years.