Rampant Violence In Isaan

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Security a must.

Actually not if you're willing to ban alcohol, which of course you're free to do at your own wedding, especially if you're paying for everything.

For those that object, sponsor a few cases of whiskey and pepsi at a cousin's house at least 5 clicks away, starting three hours after your ceremony's over.

And saving money on security will be the least of the benefits, those remaining will be much more pleasant company than those who leave for the booze. . .

[Pormax]

Security a must.

Actually not if you're willing to ban alcohol, which of course you're free to do at your own wedding, especially if you're paying for everything.

For those that object, sponsor a few cases of whiskey and pepsi at a cousin's house at least 5 clicks away, starting three hours after your ceremony's over.

And saving money on security will be the least of the benefits, those remaining will be much more pleasant company than those who leave for the booze. . .

By law if you have live music you have to inform the Police and fill out forms and also with the local 'Council Offices' who will then detail men from local villages to act as security.

I think without alcohol the idiots who cause trouble at these gatherings will arrive intoxocated anyway,

Edited November 6, 2012 by Pormax

[BigJohnnyBKK]

I think without alcohol the idiots who cause trouble at these gatherings will arrive intoxocated anyway,

Yes true the live music will attract them - maybe put that at the other location as well?

But if not, you will want effective privately paid security to make sure no one sneaks bottles in.

And at least the ruffians will be fewer in number and less drunk, make sure the performers understand strict instructions to douse the power and pack up at the first sign of trouble, maybe one warning pause and then they can pack up and go home - since they'll have been paid in full anyway probably would even work.

Attend the beginning of the cousin's place party as honored guest, have a few dances and make the rounds then quietly depart no more than an hour into it, head back to the more civilized dry quietude at the in-laws.

Or straight off to the honeymoon, that is after all traditional in our culture, least they can do is respect/accept that little bit, head for a nice beach resort with your teerak (and without the family!!! 8-)

[ttelise]

Really think your heading nowhere with the spelling / grammar issues, so much so your making me laugh.

One of the worlds best cardiac surgeons Toby Cosgrove headed the Cleveland Clinic cardiac unit, a place deemed good enough to treat the rulers of Kuwait & Saudi Arabia, maybe they didn't care his dyslexia was so bad he used to have to rely on his residents to write up his reports.

You can actually tell a lot more about a person by their writing style and skill than you would think. Additionally many people, when prevaricating, tend to subconsciously over-embellish and exaggerate narratives as they think this will make it more believable.

Doctors often have Residents write up reports

Dyslexia is a learning disability which doesn't necessarily manifest itself with below average writing skills. But are you suggesting the OP is dyslexic? Or that he had someone else write his post(s) for him?

Dr. Delos Cosgrove is a graduate of WiIlliams College ('62, History major) and UVa Medical School - believe me he didn't graduate from Williams with a History degree with below average writing skills.. Yes, he is dyslexic and as he acknowledges he overcame this disability with perseverance. According to his bio he has published nearly 450 journal articles. Perhaps he is an even better CEO than he was a surgeon as the Cleveland Clinic is indeed one of the leading medical centers in the United States.

Residents and interns probably do the vast majority if writing and editing. Old school doctors generally dictate the article and others revise. Then goes through peer review editing and etc. prior to publication. You end up with doctor's knowledge and someone's elses writing.

You obviously know very little about doctors. Doctors do very little writing, especially old school. What they do write typically is difficult to read, full of misspellings and very fragmented.

I have spent the last 17 years representing medical professionals and trying to interpret notes and charts. Their emails to me are typically not much better than their charts though some are better than others.

This is perhaps more a function if time and not feeling the need to impress unknown people on the Internet with writing style. Haha, some here try hard to impress with writing. These posts tend to have poor sentence structure with a bunch of forced words obviously gotten off a thesaurus.

OK, with three generations of Orthopedic surgeons, five in total including in-laws, in the family, the only doctors I know personally can write above the level of the OP.

I guess you are saying that nothing in the content or style of the original post raises any doubt in your mind that he is a licensed Physician and Surgeon?

I dunno what he is . . . Not sure I care too much, but he sounds like an older guy who is somewhat eccentric. Eccentric could be consistent with someone highly educated, but was educated a long time ago and does not engage in a profession that is constantly refinning or honing writing and communication skills.

I am sure my writing seems like a grade schooler on here, but I have a JD/MBA, clerked for a State Supreme Court Justice writing opinions, and taught Legal Methods writing class as an adjunct professor for an accredited law school. Wonders of iPhone typing.

Not sure that I can absolutely tell what profession someone is by reading a few posts. I do know doctors, and us lawyers, like to tell people what we do. Perhaps some sort of self-validation needed and could partly explain why we are driven to attend college for 7 to 10 years.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Perhaps some sort of self-validation needed and could partly explain why we are driven to attend college for 7 to 10 years.

Although by the time you pass the idealistic and pleasing-the-rents stage I imagine making a decent living's risen in the priority scheme a bit 8-)

[Neeranam]

Have you been able to remain sober dry without the benefit of such a program? If so, good on you, but I don't know many alcoholics that do. . .

I have been able to stay sober dry for 12 years using such a program. I've never met an real alcoholic that could stay sober for more than a couple of months with out a program. I've met a few that stayed dry for a few years though.

Sh1t! The last time I had an alcoholic drink was 1st May 1999. Never been near a programme in my life. Prior to 1999 I don't think I missed a day without having one or ten drinks since I was 16 years old; that time span was 25 years. That isn't boasting, it was just an occupational hazard

And now I find out that I probably wasn't an alcoholic....................

To Mooner with your statement:

"Ha ha! I liked your post until that statement! Barely a serious on helpful response on this site"

I would have to beg to differ. I'm off for a drink..................

Drinking every day doesn't make you an alcoholic!

There are certain criteria that define being an alcoholic. Maybe you were an alcohol abuser rather than an alcohol dependant(alcoholic). Personally, I trust a simple test - drink a beer in the morning, go to work, have one at lunchtime. Go out at night and drink one beer then drink soft drinks the rest of the night. If you can do this you're NOT an alcoholic. An alcoholic gets uncontrollable cravings due to natural opiates being formed in the brain. These opiates are not produced in 'normal' drinkers. But I'm no expert - the following are the criteria as stated by the experts.

Alcohol Abuse - Diagnostic Code 305.00

A. A maladaptive pattern of alcohol use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by one (or more) of the following, occurring within a 12-month period:

(1) recurrent alcohol use resulting in a failure to fulfill major role obligations at work, school, or home (e.g., repeated absences or poor work performance related to alcohol use; alcohol-related absences, suspensions, or expulsions from school; neglect of children or household)

(2) recurrent alcohol use in situations in which it is physically hazardous (e.g., driving an automobile or operating a machine when impaired by alcohol use)

(3) recurrent alcohol-related legal problems (e.g., arrests for alcohol-related disorderly conduct)

(4) continued alcohol use despite having persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by the effects of the alcohol (e.g., arguments with spouse about consequences of Intoxication, physical fights)

B. The symptoms have never met the criteria for Alcohol Dependence.

(Note that there are no course specifiers for Alcohol Abuse. A diagnosis of Alcohol Abuse is for life--it can never be removed from your medical chart no matter how much you improve.)

from DSM-IV-TR

DSM-IV-TR Criteria for Alcohol Dependence Alcohol Dependence - Diagnostic Code 303.90

A maladaptive pattern of alcohol use, leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by three (or more) of the following, occurring at any time in the same 12-month period:

(1) tolerance, as defined by either of the following:

(a) a need for markedly increased amounts of alcohol to achieve Intoxication or desired effect

( markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of alcohol

(2) Withdrawal, as manifested by either of the following:

(a) the characteristic withdrawal syndrome for alcohol (refer to Criteria A and B of the criteria sets forWithdrawal from alcohol)

( alcohol (or a closely related drug such as valium) is used to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms

(3) alcohol is often used in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended

(4) there is a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control alcohol use

(5) a great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain alcohol, use alcohol, or recover from its effects

(6) important social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of alcohol use

(7) alcohol use is continued despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by alcohol (e.g. continued drinking despite recognition that an ulcer was made worse by alcohol consumption)

Specifiers:

• With Physiological Dependence: evidence of tolerance or withdrawal (i.e., either Item 1 or 2 is present)
  
• Without Physiological Dependence: no evidence of tolerance or withdrawal (i.e., neither Item 1 nor 2 is present)
  

[PST]

http://www.thephuketnews.com/thai-wizard-held-after-bulletproof-tattoo-brawls-34393.php

May explain it?

PST

[chrisinth]

Have you been able to remain sober dry without the benefit of such a program? If so, good on you, but I don't know many alcoholics that do. . .

I have been able to stay sober dry for 12 years using such a program. I've never met an real alcoholic that could stay sober for more than a couple of months with out a program. I've met a few that stayed dry for a few years though.

Sh1t! The last time I had an alcoholic drink was 1st May 1999. Never been near a programme in my life. Prior to 1999 I don't think I missed a day without having one or ten drinks since I was 16 years old; that time span was 25 years. That isn't boasting, it was just an occupational hazard

And now I find out that I probably wasn't an alcoholic....................

To Mooner with your statement:

"Ha ha! I liked your post until that statement! Barely a serious on helpful response on this site"

I would have to beg to differ. I'm off for a drink..................

Drinking every day doesn't make you an alcoholic!

There are certain criteria that define being an alcoholic. Maybe you were an alcohol abuser rather than an alcohol dependant(alcoholic). Personally, I trust a simple test - drink a beer in the morning, go to work, have one at lunchtime. Go out at night and drink one beer then drink soft drinks the rest of the night. If you can do this you're NOT an alcoholic. An alcoholic gets uncontrollable cravings due to natural opiates being formed in the brain. These opiates are not produced in 'normal' drinkers. But I'm no expert - the following are the criteria as stated by the experts.

Alcohol Abuse - Diagnostic Code 305.00

A. A maladaptive pattern of alcohol use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by one (or more) of the following, occurring within a 12-month period:

(1) recurrent alcohol use resulting in a failure to fulfill major role obligations at work, school, or home (e.g., repeated absences or poor work performance related to alcohol use; alcohol-related absences, suspensions, or expulsions from school; neglect of children or household)

(2) recurrent alcohol use in situations in which it is physically hazardous (e.g., driving an automobile or operating a machine when impaired by alcohol use)

(3) recurrent alcohol-related legal problems (e.g., arrests for alcohol-related disorderly conduct)

(4) continued alcohol use despite having persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by the effects of the alcohol (e.g., arguments with spouse about consequences of Intoxication, physical fights)

B. The symptoms have never met the criteria for Alcohol Dependence.

(Note that there are no course specifiers for Alcohol Abuse. A diagnosis of Alcohol Abuse is for life--it can never be removed from your medical chart no matter how much you improve.)

from DSM-IV-TR

DSM-IV-TR Criteria for Alcohol Dependence Alcohol Dependence - Diagnostic Code 303.90

A maladaptive pattern of alcohol use, leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by three (or more) of the following, occurring at any time in the same 12-month period:

(1) tolerance, as defined by either of the following:

(a) a need for markedly increased amounts of alcohol to achieve Intoxication or desired effect

( markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of alcohol

(2) Withdrawal, as manifested by either of the following:

(a) the characteristic withdrawal syndrome for alcohol (refer to Criteria A and B of the criteria sets forWithdrawal from alcohol)

( alcohol (or a closely related drug such as valium) is used to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms

(3) alcohol is often used in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended

(4) there is a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control alcohol use

(5) a great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain alcohol, use alcohol, or recover from its effects

(6) important social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of alcohol use

(7) alcohol use is continued despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by alcohol (e.g. continued drinking despite recognition that an ulcer was made worse by alcohol consumption)

Specifiers:

• With Physiological Dependence: evidence of tolerance or withdrawal (i.e., either Item 1 or 2 is present)
  
• Without Physiological Dependence: no evidence of tolerance or withdrawal (i.e., neither Item 1 nor 2 is present)
  

Neeranam, I didn't fully read your post and I do apologise. Whereas it is true that I have been dry for the last 13 years, I never really considered myself with a drink problem, always classed myself as a heavy social drinker (15+ pints a night, etc) and was never reliant on the booze for me to function. My post was more tongue-in-cheek than anything.

If you want to stay clean, you do whatever it takes mate, all the better to you for doing it! I feel humbled.

[scorpio]

over the past ten years i have been to around 20 concerts in isaan, not khonkaen or udon but rural villiages, 90% of the time i seen riots , i mean fighting everywhere. my wife allways leaves these concerts early, i used to ask her why she wanted to go " people boxing too much " that was in the early days, im well used to it now.

no harm has every come to me though .

[Neeranam]

Neeranam, I didn't fully read your post and I do apologise. Whereas it is true that I have been dry for the last 13 years, I never really considered myself with a drink problem, always classed myself as a heavy social drinker (15+ pints a night, etc) and was never reliant on the booze for me to function. My post was more tongue-in-cheek than anything.

If you want to stay clean, you do whatever it takes mate, all the better to you for doing it! I feel humbled.

Ok. A misunderstanding. Thanks for explaining.

If I weren't an alcoholic, I'd drink every night

[DLock]

Civilization is a very thin and fragile veneer, just underneath the surface lurks the animal in each of us, and all it takes is the right set of circumstances for an orderly crowd to become a insane mob raging out of control.

Not any more or less true in one place or culture as opposed to another.

Wow, what an odd observation of the human condition?

First of all, in the OPs narrative there was no insane mob raging out of control.

And how often does this seething animal break loose from your thin and fragile veneer?

Finally, can you share some examples of when an orderly crowd transformed into an insane mob raging out of control? What prompted the transformation? How long did it take?

Yes.

The Thai Visa usual suspects enjoy the mob attack and getting a boot in when they can.

The OP's story was not so unbelievable.

Not saying his choices were ideal, but that's besides the point.

But the irony in this thread is quite amusing.

[bina]

here, when there are about 200-500 mostly male workers gathering for a party on FATHERS DAY OR MOTHERS DAY (here drinking happens on both those days since they are practically the only two days off the thai workers get when they can travel and visit)- the parties start in mid day, and carry on. mostly the employers also give alcohol in leiu of bonuses for the holidays, they also come by in teh beginning of the parties, to say hello, show some face to the pu yais of the thai workers (the 'big boys'), , the filipina girls show up for 'work' and 'fun', and by 23:00 people are passed out or there have been fights.

in ten years, i have run from five fight breakouts.l unfortunately, one was at a good friend/brother of hubby's; it was going away from israel party after 11!! years (half w/o visa), and the entire world was invited. there was the very low rate morlum band that is made up from thai workers that moonlight for this... i will never forget. at first, one guy started with me, so hubby got all hot headed. then, about an hour later, suddenly the whole world was running in one direction (this is all inside a packing house on a moshav near greenhouses) with guys yelling, then a guy with a bloody head, then suddenly the one employer showed up, and we hightailedit out of there cause the next step is always police and hot head moshav guys... and that was a quick end to our friend's going away party. that was the first time i ever got a real scare since hubby went running off to help (in any way he could) adni had visions of hospitals, head wounds, and police. i had otehr friends physically drag him back, and we zipped off in our car back to friend's own caravan. apparently the whole fight was along the lines of 'you lookin at me?', thai style. some guy from a different packinghouse touched or stepped on this guy by accident (500 guys sitting on floor in a packing house) bound to be someone who trips over someone especially after all the drinking.

real shame too cause up to that point the food was good and the music was passable -- the few farang attendees had long since left (folks here arent big on huge amounts of alcohol, preferring huge amounts of food and cake).since that party two years ago, i havent been to any. and for this reason have avoided helping the thai workers on our kibbutz do any tamboon or going away party that involves more then our guys and a few invitees who always bring their friends. even my new ;years party a few years ago we kept the alcohol very very minimal and then moved all the thais back to their own housing area, to continue as they wanted. in the center of the kibbutz i kept a very very tight lid on the drink, we had punch, some beers and hubby policed (we were also worried about yaa baa frankly, as that has started to be popular at parties as well).

i know about several stabbings personally here among the workers , during parties/mor lum sing song parties; thais themselves will shrug shoulders and say 'tamada' (par for the course). my kids when they were younger, would come to the parties, i would let them eat a bit, say hello and then send them back home; same reason we didnt have alcohol at our mornign wedding six years ago, because i had my 18 yr old daughter with me, big, blond and farang. the minute the drinking would start up, we would hustle her off to the farang style house we were borrowing from distant family relative, and that was that.

maybe with age ive gotten wimpier, but definately i prefer not to go to big mor lum type parties anymore. ive lost my fascination for them, adn i can see mor lum on you tube. also hubby seems to like them less, preferring to stay home rather then gong to all these vacation day sing song mor lum thing gatherings.

bina

[cooked]

Yes Bina, your postings are always interesting. Myself, if I drink too much I get stupid and go to sleep. I guess different nationalities react differently to alcohol.

[payak]

so a good time was had by all

[transam]

here, when there are about 200-500 mostly male workers gathering for a party on FATHERS DAY OR MOTHERS DAY (here drinking happens on both those days since they are practically the only two days off the thai workers get when they can travel and visit)- the parties start in mid day, and carry on. mostly the employers also give alcohol in leiu of bonuses for the holidays, they also come by in teh beginning of the parties, to say hello, show some face to the pu yais of the thai workers (the 'big boys'), , the filipina girls show up for 'work' and 'fun', and by 23:00 people are passed out or there have been fights.

in ten years, i have run from five fight breakouts.l unfortunately, one was at a good friend/brother of hubby's; it was going away from israel party after 11!! years (half w/o visa), and the entire world was invited. there was the very low rate morlum band that is made up from thai workers that moonlight for this... i will never forget. at first, one guy started with me, so hubby got all hot headed. then, about an hour later, suddenly the whole world was running in one direction (this is all inside a packing house on a moshav near greenhouses) with guys yelling, then a guy with a bloody head, then suddenly the one employer showed up, and we hightailedit out of there cause the next step is always police and hot head moshav guys... and that was a quick end to our friend's going away party. that was the first time i ever got a real scare since hubby went running off to help (in any way he could) adni had visions of hospitals, head wounds, and police. i had otehr friends physically drag him back, and we zipped off in our car back to friend's own caravan. apparently the whole fight was along the lines of 'you lookin at me?', thai style. some guy from a different packinghouse touched or stepped on this guy by accident (500 guys sitting on floor in a packing house) bound to be someone who trips over someone especially after all the drinking.

real shame too cause up to that point the food was good and the music was passable -- the few farang attendees had long since left (folks here arent big on huge amounts of alcohol, preferring huge amounts of food and cake).since that party two years ago, i havent been to any. and for this reason have avoided helping the thai workers on our kibbutz do any tamboon or going away party that involves more then our guys and a few invitees who always bring their friends. even my new ;years party a few years ago we kept the alcohol very very minimal and then moved all the thais back to their own housing area, to continue as they wanted. in the center of the kibbutz i kept a very very tight lid on the drink, we had punch, some beers and hubby policed (we were also worried about yaa baa frankly, as that has started to be popular at parties as well).

i know about several stabbings personally here among the workers , during parties/mor lum sing song parties; thais themselves will shrug shoulders and say 'tamada' (par for the course). my kids when they were younger, would come to the parties, i would let them eat a bit, say hello and then send them back home; same reason we didnt have alcohol at our mornign wedding six years ago, because i had my 18 yr old daughter with me, big, blond and farang. the minute the drinking would start up, we would hustle her off to the farang style house we were borrowing from distant family relative, and that was that.

maybe with age ive gotten wimpier, but definately i prefer not to go to big mor lum type parties anymore. ive lost my fascination for them, adn i can see mor lum on you tube. also hubby seems to like them less, preferring to stay home rather then gong to all these vacation day sing song mor lum thing gatherings.

bina

And here's me thinking you Mods only mixed with Hi-So folk. ...........................

[LarryBird]

enjoyed the read. well written

[lovelaos]

Why would a surgeon bringing in $250,000k a year (I'm assuming this is a normal surgeon salary) be married to some Isaan girl from Srisaket and attending some low life, outdoor party? If I put in 12 years of school and made huge money, I would have a super hot American girl half my age and maybe hit the odd party in Phuket or Singapore but never some shit show in Isaan. Maybe he's lying about the surgeon part.

Why wouldn't a surgeon be married to a woman from Isaan?

Why on God's green Earth would you like to be with an American girl half your age?

[payak]

why would anyone marry a girl half there age from anywhere.

why would anyone marry for any other reason then love, maybe the surgeon is in love and married for love but others who came for other reasons cant understand that.

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Why would a surgeon bringing in $250,000k a year (I'm assuming this is a normal surgeon salary) be married to some Isaan girl from Srisaket and attending some low life, outdoor party? If I put in 12 years of school and made huge money, I would have a super hot American girl half my age and maybe hit the odd party in Phuket or Singapore but never some shit show in Isaan. Maybe he's lying about the surgeon part.

For me the whole point of bothering to go to the trouble of becoming wealthy is to have the freedom to do whatever you like, including marry whoever you like.

You're speaking from your own preferences. For myself even millions couldn't persuade me to marry a young American girl, while the rice farmer's daughters from that part of the world are exactly my type.

And isn't it nice we don't all have the same taste, or we'd all be fighting over the same few girls 8-)

Apparently I've got a secret fan club here; it's just been brought to my attention that I've hit 1000 likes for my posts.

As my dear old Da used to say "that and a nickel'll get ya' a cuppa coffee", but thanks, appreciate the feedback.

[kevvy]

so you stayed after the fighting .. i would have got my family to safty after the first sign of it , and then you went all the way back to your CLV and got a weapon too .. wow ....

[kevvy]

yeah they are all the thugs from you party ..

[Mooner]

I do not condone the OP's action of drinking and driving. Can't believe people are criticizing him for going out with his family and extended family for a night out.

I agree that he should of removed his family when things turned ugly but perhaps everyone felt the situation was under control. As for the scalpel incident. I think to decide you need a weapon tells u that maybe its time to leave. Saying that i would use whatever i could get my hands on to protect my family, illegal or not! I pass no opologies for that!

What really annoys me about this thread is people's im superior than you attitude. I think its very easy to pass judgement on people from behind a keyboard. There is nothing wrong with saying that you disagree with people choices or actions but personally attacking them over some words they have written on a forum is out of order. In the the end it's their life and they live with the consequences!

Get off your high horses and worry about your own business. If your life is perfect, respect to you! Let us mere mortals get on with our lives!

So you don't condone people drinking or driving!!!

Even if that is your own feelings a bit stupid telling everyone as it would suggest you do this on a regular basis, and I would suggest that most TV members would gun you down for saying this as they do act responsible and have thoughts for others.

I have lost someone very dear to me because of a drunk driver and seen so many victims of drunk drivers. Perhaps if you lost someone close to you you might have a different view, though I somehow don't think so.

You want to kill or injure yourself through drink driving then I have no problem but to put others knowingly at risk is at the very least grossly negligent plus I could use many other words I would most likely be censured for.

I would like to see the penalty for drunk driving be as follows: confiscation of car, 1 year driving ban and 3 months in jail, then just maybe we will have a few less drivers like you on the road, less people killed and driving will be a little safer for all.

You read my post with me clearly saying " I do not condone drinking and driving" then when on to suggest it meant i do this on a regular basis. Wow! You come up with some amazing assumptions! You dont have a partner by the name of Watson do you? Im not sure how your brain works but i would reccomend you go talk to someone about it!

Oh by the way, I cant drive! I can get drunk though!

[panadolsandwich]

I married my wife for love - not money. I pity you if you think about marriage in terms of money - or even with a missed opportunity to marry an American girl half my age - which would make her 14 and reveals your insipid thoughts more then you probably realise - perhaps if you had more money you could be with a young American girl - what a sordid habitat you must mentally live in! I feel very sorry for people like you. You will probably never be happy.

[transam]

I married my wife for love - not money. I pity you if you think about marriage in terms of money - or even with a missed opportunity to marry an American girl half my age - which would make her 14 and reveals your insipid thoughts more then you probably realise - perhaps if you had more money you could be with a young American girl - what a sordid habitat you must mentally live in! I feel very sorry for people like you. You will probably never be happy.

Thai wife. ?

[BigJohnnyBKK]

Must be damned smart to be a qualified surgeon at 28. . .

[Neeranam]

Must be damned smart to be a qualified surgeon at 28. . .

It was just a matter of time before the lie bit him in the ass.

[panadolsandwich]

No - just reasonably intelligent, entrepreneurial and hard working - and so I used the benefit of rounding to my I advantage - I'm closer to 30. Still a young and corrigable one lol!

Also, I don't post here as some may think, like I was writing for a medical journal - most posts take much less then 30 seconds to type - typically 10 - completely off the cuff - the OP only took about 10 minutes to write, using auto-completion software that regrettably hasn't been trained in most medical terms yet. I often turn it off. My grammar and diction are merely incidental - I would write more poorly if it was possible, but that would be more work - and I never ever criticise people for their own misgivings and poor use of language (it's bad form don't you know?)- yet most people generally comment that what I have written is - well, well-written.

My wife is Thai. I met her when I was attending an international conference at one of the five star hotels in Bangkok. She was a waitress. I fell in love with her - even though she was from a poor rural background, her Dad was also a Doctor, and we got along very well. Perhaps this belongs in a completely new thread. When her Dad died I took over management of the land and assets which encompassed much more than I ever expected. I hired a competent legal team and discovered to my shock that In reality they were rich. I wouldn't have to work again if that was what I desired. A lot of the respect I was getting in the tambon wasn't because I was a young personable farang - but because I was their landlord through my wife and the well-chosen cronies my father-in-law had chosen. Yet they knew I was calling the shots. A patina or sheen I'd never thought I'd ever acquire, one of protection - perhaps you'll know me after you read this. I can and do grant favours - the old divide and conquer technique to keep them in line, and the police know me - as I mentioned before. So yes I did feel inviolate on the night. I may not have status here - I wish people would read between the lines, well technically I don't, but my wife certainly does - and it would be extremely bad news to anybody who touched us - and incidentally any attempt to defend my family would be treated with all due process.

[Rob8891]

What a pity you didn't qualify for dentistry. You'd have been a whizz at bridge work.

[panadolsandwich]

What a pity you didn't qualify for dentistry. You'd have been a whizz at bridge work.

I suppose the irony *does* escape you. Repeatedly, inferring I'm not genuine seems to be your sole preoccupation. I detect not a slight whiff of jeolousy and bitterness in the air. I like the power of the pen much more than might. If what you say is true - can I ask you why you seem to spend an inordinate amount of time on this poor thread? Mr Rob please? Are you the light of truth and justice? Or simply some pathetic creep that negates the positive things other people have to say?

[cooked]

Yes a very sorry thread indeed. I will be unfollowing now. I thought TV had put this kind of bitter, frustrated and irrational bickering behind it at least to a certain extent.