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Stories of drinking in the North East Morning people are often described as being weird, and to those people I say screw you! I am not weird because I can operate early in the morning! But I will happily tell you that Thai people take being a morning person to a whole new level! I arose at 5 in the morning to the chorus of crashing and banging outside my room. It was locals and my father rearranging the hallway for monks to come in and do a blessing. After my experience at the temple I knew that it was going to be a long morning but I had no idea what exactly was going to happen. It started out exactly as expected with the monks arriving and immediately they went in the hallway and got themselves comfortable kneeling getting ready for the blessing. They placed out there bowls and once again people gave them food and drinks into their bowls. As the sun slowly rose the blessing began. It started with those whom home was getting blessed sitting in the middle of the hallway in front of the monks. Eventually during the service both of the home
owners were asked to light candles on a small multi-level table full to breaking point with Buddhist paraphernalia on it. Shortly after the 30 minutes of chanting (and yes I say that sarcastically) and the lighting of the candles the service had ended. Well I thought it had ended at least. Little did I realise that the next part of the ceremony was actually the most chaotic and busy. It was the feast that I will always have memories of.
Several Thai women even during the blessing were busily preparing and cooking the food in an impromptu kitchen quickly erected in the driveway at 5 in the morning. Three different generations all working tirelessly and in quiet, quickly producing mountains and mountains of different foods. Chicken dishes, Rice dishes, Beef, Vegetarian, Fruits and even Smoke dried Fish were all being bundled out almost seamlessly on to the tables that were quietly set up directly behind me, which I didn't even realise were set up. A few of the elder women in the ceremony promptly ushered both my father and me to seats and began to stack our plates full of different types of food, irregardless of our
objections of "there is no possible way I could eat all of that." Never the less we began to feast and one of the gentlemen on the table decided to start pouring a beer in my empty glass. I gaze down to my watch and I assume there must have been some form of dumb, stupid look plastered on my face. It was not even 7 in the morning and the Thai people were all enjoying beers or stronger beverages. Not really being one to go against the flow of the locals, I start to drink. Several glasses later the feats had ended and a new form of torture was happening, every woman in the area had come up to both my father and me and were grabbing our arms and tying white cloth strings around our wrist whilst continuously exclaiming 'happy' even though I am pretty sure they had no idea what the word actually means.
Another experience involving the drinking culture that I know believe is truly Thai happened at a local bar. The bar was on the major regional highway that passed through the town heading towards a larger city of Mukdahan. It was
a small, rather quaint little roadside stall, with toilets, a basic kitchen and some tables and chairs in open faced garages that were directly behind the stall. The little stall seemed very makeshift. A rickety bar made of a bamboo substitute and the roof being woven leaves with plenty of patches were the weave had come undone. But to this day it still remains as one of the nicer venues I have ever been fortunate enough to venture to. The part owner was serving behind the bar and unusual for the region but rather typical of those in the younger generation was able to speak a little bit of English. The woman was probably in her mid to late 20's and she was more than capable of holding a conversation and more than plucky enough to chip in with some quick wit and devious and unexpected comments if the situation dictated it. She was a rather pleasant women and has probably been the most reliable person for telling me what the best dish is. If you ever are fortunate enough to be in Loeng Nok Tha and by some random miracle you end up at the same street side restaurant/bar,
do yourself a massive favour and order Pow Kun Pow Chicken and I guarantee you will love every single bite of it.
But after I partook in the eating of the meal I was sitting back ad noticed that a beautiful woman had been observing me the whole time, constantly looking up smiling at me and then quickly look down when she realise that I had noticed her. But eventually I picked up enough confidence and indicated through hand gestures to come and join me, but she was to shy to get up and come over However she did gesture me to come over and sit with her at the bar. So I left those who I was with and joined her sitting at the bar. Her name was Ora and she was born in the area in a place called Roi Et, but had been living in Ubon Ratchathani for the recent time. Ubon is the largest city in the North-Eastern part of Thailand. We started chatting with the absolute basics you get with a foreigner and a local. That typical banter or where are you from, why are you here and are you enjoying it
here. But very quickly the conversation got deeper and deeper. Whether that is was because we immediately felt comfortable talking with each other or, and probably more accurately was the by product of alcohol. But the conversation turned to problems with her life and how she didn't feel comfortable talking with her own people. She said she felt significantly more comfortable talking to Farang, because they aren't as obvious as what they want. I expect she was talking about sex.
She explained in pretty simple terms why you see Thai women chasing the Farang, which turned out to be because of the connotations of the Farang having money and because unlike the Thai men they are a lot less effeminate. The second part really didn't surprise me as whilst staying with my father the neighbours were very happy to make their six year old child preform a typical woman's dance for my enjoyment. But back to the bar, we were talking for an hour and then the woman behind the bar began to laugh after talking to another patron and immediately leaned into Ora. Soon they were both in fits of laughter and Ora reached over hugged
me and kissed me on the cheek and after explained in deliberate English what was so hysterical. Turns out there was a common sight in Thailand, a lady-man sitting directly behind me who quickly and without a single word spoken had found me attractive and offered to buy me a drink. This explained the laughter and the kiss on the cheek by Ora. I apologetically turned down the drink, continued to chat with Ora who in the entertainment had bought us both drinks and we continued our conversation on until the end of the night.
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