Page Of Remembrance

[Maejo Man]

We have lost another nice fellow - who was a wizard at tickling your ribs with his amusing and erudite conversation: Neil Lawson, the original genial host of The White Lotus restaurant & bar at the junction of Loi Kroh and Charoenprathet........................................

Unfortunately his visits to Chiangmai seemed to get further apart. Another sad loss for Chiangmai. Rip Neil

[Blinky Bill]

We have lost another nice fellow - who was a wizard at tickling your ribs with his amusing and erudite conversation: Neil Lawson, the original genial host of The White Lotus restaurant & bar at the junction of Loi Kroh and Charoenprathet........................................

Unfortunately his visits to Chiangmai seemed to get further apart. Another sad loss for Chiangmai. Rip Neil

Agreed. He was always a gentleman.

[...Ken]

David Francis died in May of 2008. He lived up past Mae Taeng for over 20 years and wrote sometimes for Good Morning Chiangmai and others.

[Flatouthruthefog]

We have lost another nice fellow - who was a wizard at tickling your ribs with his amusing and erudite conversation: Neil Lawson, the original genial host of The White Lotus restaurant & bar at the junction of Loi Kroh and Charoenprathet........................................

Unfortunately his visits to Chiangmai seemed to get further apart. Another sad loss for Chiangmai. Rip Neil

Agreed. He was always a gentleman.

Another pleasant and interesting member of the old bar scene has left us.

The funeral of 'Abe' Libby takes place tomorrow (Mon) at 3.00pm at the crematorium of McKean rehab Centre. He had a fall and hit his head badly.

Sorry for short notice. An appreciation follows.

[Gonzo the Face]

Need to gather my thoughts a bit before posting a bit on this one

RIP my very good friend..... RIP

[Maejo Man]

Need to gather my thoughts a bit before posting a bit on this one

RIP my very good friend..... RIP

Me too Have known Abe for over 20 years, and spent a lot of fun times together. I remember last month when we were only talking about him. Sadly I did not get to see him. Safe journey my old friend...........RIP

[slapout]

If the meek/humble are to inherit the earth, Abe will be front row, center and deserving to be there. His knowledge and contribution to the Chiang Mai scene over the years will be fondly remembered. RIP

[Gonzo the Face]

.......for the first time in many years, and the first time ever, for someone not of my own blood, I can truly say , I know what it is to have a heavy heart.

My heart is heavy with sadness and I am not sure for whom. Is it sadness that a very, very good friend, Abe, has passed on, or is it sadness for myself, that I am still here and with one less good friend?

Abe is gone.......

That doesn't seem really possible. It seems that Abe has been here for as long as there has been a Chiang Mai.

I'm not really sure when, exactly, I met Abe for the first time. The when was probably sometime during 1989-90, and the where would have to have been somewhere around the then Bar Beer Center/Dominoes, pre Loi Kroi days, business district.

Abe was a very special and different type of person. Never having a lot, but never asking for anything. In those days, he smoked and drank, as did the most of us. Sometimes more than our individual limits. Rarely having more than change in his pockets, but in true friends, one of the richest men I have ever known.

Abe seemed almost like an extension or each of us. If we bought a drink, it was only natural to buy one for Abe. If we smoked, it was to be certain that Abe would have cigs also. If you had an extra shirt or pair of pants around, it seemed perfectly normal to give them to Abe. As Abe wasn't in need of being a fashion plate, one size fits all was ok with him.

Abe had no visible means of support, but I never saw or heard him ask for help.....but his friends seemed to watch out for him.

The saga of Abe's non existent visa runs was never discussed, and shall not be here, but needless to say, some of his friends helped him over this hurdle and that unmentioned difficulty got sorted out and with it came a little pension that while not much, enabled him to be even more comfortable.

It would be difficult to remember an instance when Abe was without a book or a crossword puzzle. To me he seemed like a crossword wizard. He would come up with answers to crossword questions that no one on this planet should know. When Abe was engrossed in a book , you could holler out Abe, Abe, Abe , and as his head would rise out of the book you would swear that it looked the same as if the words in the books were sticking to his eyes and being stretched out of the book. We would always save books, magazines or definitely crossword puzzles for him to go over.

In more recent times Abe made his home at McKean. He no longer smoked, and I have not seen him have a drink in some years now. Every so often I would bring him up to my place and we would just talk about the old days, eat, read, do some crosswords, eat some more and then would get him back.

One thing that really hurts now is that I had planned on taking down a turkey dinner to him just a couple weeks ago and apparently kept convincing myself that I was too busy, and never got around to it.......now that he is gone , it hurts all the worse. I do know in my heart that I would have had him up for Christmas Day to share food and the good times with him, as we had done on past holidays. Now that won't be happening either.

I won't be going down to his farewell, as I don't think I would be able to make it through. I'll make do with the thoughts of the good and the funny times we all shared.

I must be getting old.....there are tears running down my cheeks.

I won't be there in person Abe, but I will be in my heart. Gonna miss you my friend, but I know that right now you are raising heck with Skipper, Andy, J.B. And all the rest of the guys.

Keep a seat warm for me.....

Edited December 21, 2009 by Gonzo the Face

[neverdie]

^That was lovely Gonzo, my condolences to you and others that have lost this special friend, my thoughts are with you, stay strong, your friend lives on in spirit.

[jaloochapurr]

Who was the pleasant fellow who passed on who used to run Dominos with his brother who is in Malaysia now?

Bloody hel_l UG, that was Martin West

One of the good guys!

old ABE of dominos and blue sky.

Last week passed at McKain.

[jaloochapurr]

.......for the first time in many years, and the first time ever, for someone not of my own blood, I can truly say , I know what it is to have a heavy heart.

My heart is heavy with sadness and I am not sure for whom. Is it sadness that a very, very good friend, Abe, has passed on, or is it sadness for myself, that I am still here and with one less good friend?

Abe is gone.......

That doesn't seem really possible. It seems that Abe has been here for as long as there has been a Chiang Mai.

I'm not really sure when, exactly, I met Abe for the first time. The when was probably sometime during 1989-90, and the where would have to have been somewhere around the then Bar Beer Center/Dominoes, pre Loi Kroi days, business district.

Abe was a very special and different type of person. Never having a lot, but never asking for anything. In those days, he smoked and drank, as did the most of us. Sometimes more than our individual limits. Rarely having more than change in his pockets, but in true friends, one of the richest men I have ever known.

Abe seemed almost like an extension or each of us. If we bought a drink, it was only natural to buy one for Abe. If we smoked, it was to be certain that Abe would have cigs also. If you had an extra shirt or pair of pants around, it seemed perfectly normal to give them to Abe. As Abe wasn't in need of being a fashion plate, one size fits all was ok with him.

Abe had no visible means of support, but I never saw or heard him ask for help.....but his friends seemed to watch out for him.

The saga of Abe's non existent visa runs was never discussed, and shall not be here, but needless to say, some of his friends helped him over this hurdle and that unmentioned difficulty got sorted out and with it came a little pension that while not much, enabled him to be even more comfortable.

It would be difficult to remember an instance when Abe was without a book or a crossword puzzle. To me he seemed like a crossword wizard. He would come up with answers to crossword questions that no one on this planet should know. When Abe was engrossed in a book , you could holler out Abe, Abe, Abe , and as his head would rise out of the book you would swear that it looked the same as if the words in the books were sticking to his eyes and being stretched out of the book. We would always save books, magazines or definitely crossword puzzles for him to go over.

In more recent times Abe made his home at McKean. He no longer smoked, and I have not seen him have a drink in some years now. Every so often I would bring him up to my place and we would just talk about the old days, eat, read, do some crosswords, eat some more and then would get him back.

One thing that really hurts now is that I had planned on taking down a turkey dinner to him just a couple weeks ago and apparently kept convincing myself that I was too busy, and never got around to it.......now that he is gone , it hurts all the worse. I do know in my heart that I would have had him up for Christmas Day to share food and the good times with him, as we had done on past holidays. Now that won't be happening either.

I won't be going down to his farewell, as I don't think I would be able to make it through. I'll make do with the thoughts of the good and the funny times we all shared.

I must be getting old.....there are tears running down my cheeks.

I won't be there in person Abe, but I will be in my heart. Gonna miss you my friend, but I know that right now you are raising heck with Skipper, Andy, J.B. And all the rest of the guys.

Keep a seat warm for me.....

Yes I also knew Abe well. Not as good as you. When I did come to town I would go and see him.

me and hardcastle and chris ashton helped him with his first fall at blue sky and a short awful time at lahu village.

I will miss him because he reminds me of the real difference I made in someone's life.

God speed Abe.

[jaloochapurr]

For me Abe will always be a reminder of how I saved a life.

I found out Abe had fallen and was in the hospital. I went to visit him and over the course of time the doctor said I had to take Abe away someplace.

Well Abe had nowhere to go and needed car. The only place I thought that would be was up to the Lahu village.

I removed him from the hospital with all the medicines he needed to survive and we went up to my village.

I installed him into a rental lahu house and before I had left Chang Mai I had collected enough funds from friends and my own funds to see him though.

Because I was living in another village I gave these funds to DW who was living in the village at the time. He was living with his girlfriend and was going to be able to see that Abe would get foods and care during his time.

Well DW felt that Abe did not need his medicine and Abe got worse. In the meantime DW had gone off somewhere to do something crazy and left Abe’s care to his girlfriend who really was nothing more than a Thai junky.

Abe became worse and when I came back to check on him, he was lying in his bed covered in his own shit.

I had to carry him on my shoulder and showered him and then clean all up.

DW was nowhere to be found and the money was gone in drugs by his girlfriend.

I needed help.

I got David Hardy from chiang mai too help, we got a jeep and came and fetched Abe, and he was dying and needed to be back into the hospital.

We took him to the hospital and then he got better, where another friend named Chris Ashton with help from the British consulate got Abe a passport and he was gotten into the McKain place, with a small pension from the British government. Hence how Abe ended up there.

DW was a hunted man having hid out at the Lahu village and also was a criminal in Thailand for possession of pot.

I made sure immigration knew his whereabouts and that they were reminded of his past in Thailand and he was deported.

Many people disliked me for my actions but he in his stupid ways almost killed Abe and was not taking any blame, so I saw payback.I am not ashamed of my actions because I was mad at DW for his crazy way of making all look so good.

I saved Abe for a little longer. I do not know if he was happier or not but I believe he was grateful for my help.

[Shazza]

Sitting here today, thinking about Christmas, thinking about what wonderful songs David Crisp would have shared with us all via The Spirit House Singers if he were still here with us... sadness overwhelming me as I think of David, Roger, Ron all missing from Chiang Mai and my Mum who has left a huge gap in the lives of many family and non family members in New Zealand and in our family here in Chiang Mai... I know she's not from here, but the gap is here all the same...

My condolences to all who are missing Abe at this time of year... sending you hugs and love and hopefully understanding as you grieve....

[WaiWai]

I am very moved by the messages about Abe, though I did not know him. Try to take consolation in the knowledge of having been his steadfast friends.

He is at peace now.

Condolences to Shazza, also, and to all who are grieving or thinking of absent friends or family at this time.

Edited December 22, 2009 by WaiWai

[ferd54]

I saved Abe for a little longer. I do not know if he was happier or not but I believe he was grateful for my help.

In the year or so before I left Chiang Mai for good, my wife and I were at the McKean Institute to look around because it was near our home, is historic and has so much land. Interesting place. Anyway, who should suddenly appear? Abe, whom I knew fairly well from my early days of hard partying at the Bar Beer Center (particularly the Blue Sky Bar). He told me that he lived there on the condition he did not drink and stayed put. He said he had a pension from the UK government. In all, it seemed an excellent solution.

Sorry to hear of his passing, but the fact he made it that far is remarkable in many ways. Abe was a gentle soul who survived in Chiang Mai due to the kindness of so many people, many of them Thai who didn't have a lot themselves. In all, a very positive story considering the depths of his descent into drink.

[KevinHunt]

For me Abe will always be a reminder of how I saved a life.

I found out Abe had fallen and was in the hospital. I went to visit him and over the course of time the doctor said I had to take Abe away someplace.

Well Abe had nowhere to go and needed car. The only place I thought that would be was up to the Lahu village.

I removed him from the hospital with all the medicines he needed to survive and we went up to my village.

I installed him into a rental lahu house and before I had left Chang Mai I had collected enough funds from friends and my own funds to see him though.

Because I was living in another village I gave these funds to DW who was living in the village at the time. He was living with his girlfriend and was going to be able to see that Abe would get foods and care during his time.

Well DW felt that Abe did not need his medicine and Abe got worse. In the meantime DW had gone off somewhere to do something crazy and left Abe's care to his girlfriend who really was nothing more than a Thai junky.

Abe became worse and when I came back to check on him, he was lying in his bed covered in his own shit.

I had to carry him on my shoulder and showered him and then clean all up.

DW was nowhere to be found and the money was gone in drugs by his girlfriend.

I needed help.

I got David Hardy from chiang mai too help, we got a jeep and came and fetched Abe, and he was dying and needed to be back into the hospital.

We took him to the hospital and then he got better, where another friend named Chris Ashton with help from the British consulate got Abe a passport and he was gotten into the McKain place, with a small pension from the British government. Hence how Abe ended up there.

DW was a hunted man having hid out at the Lahu village and also was a criminal in Thailand for possession of pot.

I made sure immigration knew his whereabouts and that they were reminded of his past in Thailand and he was deported.

Many people disliked me for my actions but he in his stupid ways almost killed Abe and was not taking any blame, so I saw payback.I am not ashamed of my actions because I was mad at DW for his crazy way of making all look so good.

I saved Abe for a little longer. I do not know if he was happier or not but I believe he was grateful for my help.

I know who Abe was, saw him about, but never knew him personally - I wasn't much of a bar-hopper in the old days. I'd like to express my thanks to you, Hardy, Chris Ashton, the Consul and the many people that helped a fellow farang in his time of need. A very sad and yet heartwarming story at this special time of year.

An interesting anectdote I heard tonight was that if you were fortunate enough to have Abe in your team on any of the local quiz nights it was a guarantee of being in the winning team. He was very well read and extremely intelligent, by all accounts. 

It's always sad to hear of the passing of one of the old expat charachters of Chiang Mai. RIP.

[KevinHunt]

Reading about Abe, I wonder if anyone remembers another of Chiang Mai's old charachters Harry Ineichen? A cockney of Swiss descent, he was an interesting charachter from the old days of The Escape, Domino Bar, Daniels bar etc. He passed away in December 2006. I was fortunate enough to know him and visited him during his last days at his little haven in Tambon Tassala, and attended his funeral rites at a temple nearby. His lovely wife Pongsri moved back to her home town of Phrao.

         

In a similar vein, I was also fortunate enough to have the lovely English gentleman Bill Latham as a regular customer at the pub. His plight as a victim of smoking-related circulation problems was related in Good Morning Chiang Mai , and was used as a warning as to the dangers of smoking.

Bill Latham - amputee

Bill Latham - Part 2

His obiturary was posted in Chiang Mai mail Obituary

I visited him regulary in hospital, in his last months,  and I felt honoured to be able to help in a small way. I was also with him when he passed away - a very sad memory. I'm pleased to say that I am still good friends with his long-time partner Noy. A Thai angel, if ever there was one. Unfortunately, Bill's last days were spent in extremes of discomfort but Noy was forever at his side. She still remains, to this day, one of my heroes. I also remember, with great admiration and gratitude, the fantastic help and support offered by Khun Panida at the Bristish Consul.  

Edited December 22, 2009 by KevinHunt

[Flatouthruthefog]

If the meek/humble are to inherit the earth, Abe will be front row, center and deserving to be there. His knowledge and contribution to the Chiang Mai scene over the years will be fondly remembered. RIP

Very well said!

In fact, Abe would have been Amazed to find that he has received more positive plaudits on these pages than anyone else since the thread was started. Deservedly so, in my view.

Abe came from Newquay in Cornwall, a lovely agricultural part of UK and always related to the Royal Navy. He served for 6 years in the Fleet Air Arm of the RN, which of course led to his later employment in the Middle East (Oman, I think) on aircraft maintenance. I've learned since his death that he was a radio specialist.

When I first had the privilege to drink with him some 15 years ago in CM, he came here on holidays from that job and was a totally contented chap, as indeed he seemed to remain all his days.

After one particularly heavy session he was just ONE day late back to Bkk to fly back to the job. Some 'jumped up' young new manager fired him on the spot, and without any argument, Abe returned to CM to resume drinking. I heard that the company soon fired the young manager for firing Abe, who was so well regarded that they made attempts to trace him in CM and get him back. He heard of this, muttered something unintelligible into his beard, and carried on drinking.

Some months later his funds were failing and he moved into a cheaper and less secure guest house. There, he was robbed of everything including his passport. Undeterred, he carried on with the booze and the books. He was contented at Blue Sky, where the Thai lady owner is to be praised for her kind support of him.

His sad decline from that point has been accurately reported here. 'American Billy', DH and Chris Ashton were indeed the friends in need when they were needed most.

However, praise should also be given to English financial advisor Martin Chappell, who took on Abe as a 'charity case' and discovered that he was eligible for a small RN pension. Martin, who still visits CM, stands head and shoulders over the others of this ilk, and Abe was not his only low (or no) budget deserving case. Another very good hearted Brit, Paul Sizeland (then No 2 at the Bkk Embassy and now sadly retired) promptly issued Abe with a replacement passport and the wonderful Panita (still at the UK Consulate here) found him the place at McKean. Abe was an unusual long term care case there, and unique in McKean history at that time. Not only did he totally justify his place by totally dropping the drink, his presence was such a success that McKean now have a 3 stage 'hospice' plan at very low rates for people needing special long term care. (PM me for details, giving your own e-mail, if you'd like more on that).

Thanks to his beard and always-pleasant attitude, Abe was known to one and all there as 'Santa Claus'.

The funeral ceremony on Dec 21st was attended by almost 20, including British, Americans and Thais who had been 'called to the bar' during the era discussed here by other posters. The service was organised by McKean Deputy Director Heather Smith and conducted in Thai by the Chaplain, Aj Pongsawat Patoonjai.

Glenn Croston represented the new CM sub-branch of the Royal British Legion, laid a union flag drape on the coffin, presented a wreath, made a short address and played appropriate music.

A verbal tribute was made by Chris Ashton, who thanked McKean for their excellent care of Abe. DH sang 'What's the Life of a Man', an appropriate trad English folk song from the west country.

In short, our good old friend could not have been given a better send off to a better place.

It is a sobering thought (!) that when his passport was passed to the Consulate, it was noticed that he was just 59 years old.

[KevinHunt]

 DH sang 'What's the Life of a Man', an appropriate trad English folk song from the west country. 

You mention Chris Ashton and Martin Chappel, plus a few others that helped Abe in his time of need who was the mysterious DH?

[jaloochapurr]

 DH sang 'What's the Life of a Man', an appropriate trad English folk song from the west country. 

You mention Chris Ashton and Martin Chappel, plus a few others that helped Abe in his time of need who was the mysterious DH?

David Hardcastle

[Blinky Bill]

Another old friend of 20 years has passed. Abe was one of the good guys.

I just got this news, been offline for the past month.

Edited December 28, 2009 by Blinky Bill

[KevinHunt]

 DH sang 'What's the Life of a Man', an appropriate trad English folk song from the west country. 

You mention Chris Ashton and Martin Chappel, plus a few others that helped Abe in his time of need who was the mysterious DH?

David Hardcastle

Well why didn't he say!! 

[Sao Jiang Mai]

I am saddened to add a family friend to this list. David Sailsbury passed away peacefully while watching the sunset from his condo last night.

[Gonzo the Face]

I am saddened to add a family friend to this list. David Sailsbury passed away peacefully while watching the sunset from his condo last night.

Sorry to hear about your friend P. The name sounds familiar, can you please post a little more info

Thanks

Gonzo

[Sao Jiang Mai]

I am sorry he was my parents' friend and I didn't know him well but he was always lovely. He was American, and his wife, Khun Pui, is in a wheelchair. He passed away peacefully.

[JuniorExPat]

A regular visitor to Chiang Mai and frequent bar companion at Mad Dog, Greg Lowndes, has "collapsed and died in Osaka. He was only 49 years old."

The quoted text is from a post his mother made on his Facebook page during this last weekend.

Greg was a kind hearted soul, I will miss bumping into him both in Chiang Mai and online.

JxP

[harrry]

For those who knew him. THe Scot who owns the Panniya Guesthouse near the Arcade Bus Station dies yesterday. I have not met him but he must have been a very special person as he did a wonderful job in making the guesthouse fully accessible to peoploe with disabilities.l I am sure he will be missed.

[Paagai]

This week marks a year since the tragic murder of David Crisp. I know he is missed by many in CM. RIP David.

[kurushektra]

I was going to mention David Crisp. A year today. My god.

Aslo Blue, what a character.

And Tony Knowles. Nice man.

Good to remember them all.

Met the founder of Babylon resto. Fogotten him.

RIP all.

Pim, maybe you should do an article on these.

[Ulysses G.]

Don't forget John of expensive watch "transporting" fame. A very clever guy who got his tilac in the end.

Edited January 21, 2010 by Ulysses G.