Thai Experience, Why Did I Not Listen, Part 3

April 2005.

Here I was the reformed butterfly waiting in Phuket for the return of my Kampaenphet beauty, Goi. This time 4 of my friends from work joined me here, 1 had been to Thailand years ago but the other 3 were virgins in LOS. I stayed at the same hotel with them and looked forward to my holiday in the sun.

Doing the right thing I took them to my friend the cashier in my drinking bar and introduced them, if you like any of the girls take them as they will not rob you and will look after you. I asked my well known bargirl friends with whom I had gambled and drank with if Goi had been in town since I left. The Isaan Mafia confirmed that Goi had left for Kampaengphet the day after I had left and had not returned. During this period I had sent her money to help with her mushroom business which I had received photos of.

Help me Stick I sent a bargirl money.

Goi arrived in Phuket the day after me and our relationship continued at a rate of knots, my learning to read and write a little Thai was starting to pay off as with the eloquence of a 5 year old I could even start to read a menu. It is good when work is so quiet I can practise my Thai writing. Goi said to me she wanted to go home to Kampaengphet for Thai New Year. I said okay I am doing tourist things with my friends. Everyone said how much Goi was happy with her life now she has her business and is back in the village. The good heart strikes one for the good guys.

Stick I have been lied to.

Goi went home to the village, having had girlfriends of the village type in Papua New Guinea I decided I would test Goi and give her some money she was not to spend over Thai New Year. This money I said was for the business I was coming up to see and would be used for substantial capital investment of more sheds and an improved irrigation system. I am a methodical person and had done research into this product. If this girl was to become my girl the family would have a business so they would never ask me for money.

Goi cut her phone off, would not reply to any of my calls and that of her friends, I had of course been robbed by her.

Why did I not listen ?

So up to Bangkok and the bus to the sleepy town on the river Ping, Kampaengphet the "Wall of Diamonds" and finding a Thai girl in Kampaengphet

On my arrival in the central plain I soon realised how bad my Thai language skills were. I could barely make myself understood to these country people with little or no experience of farangs.

I booked into the only hotel in town I knew from the internet and started my search for the missing Goi. After 3 days of the locals wondering who this lone farang is who speaks very bad Thai but can understand some of what we say if we were speaking to a slow child. To the police I went and explained my problem.

Say what you want about the Thai police but in a country town they are not like in the tourist spots. The policeman I spoke to had recently been promoted to Police Lieutenant equivalent. He was a man of good military bearing and had obviously not fallen to the evils of Thai whisky. This man put substantial police resources into finding the girl Goi, I thought how much will this cost me? Having read about the corrupt Thai police.

After 2 more days Goi was found. She had been drinking for about 8 days and blown half the money I had given her. Her life had now changed for the worst. People in town knew she was bargirl, no secrets in a small town. I was the talk of the town, this farang chased the girl from Phuket because she had robbed him. I was the town news. Goi cried at the police station saying to the police what will I do now? My man hates me and everyone talks about me. I had been with the police to her village and seen her big house still being built and her sheds for the mushrooms and the 2 sons she never told me about.

I finished with Goi, recovered some money and some of the gold in compensation I had given her. The stipend to the police for their effort in finding Goi, lunch and dinner with a lot of drinks for the men who found her. 5,000 baht, a bargain. My next 2 days in this town were spent meeting good Thai girls and good Thai people in general.

Stick I have started to find the real Thailand, hooray.

Yes a tale of some woe but I love Thailand and the real Thai people. In October 2005 back I will go first to Phuket to see the Isaan bargirl mafia then to Kampaengphet to be with the real Thais.

Stickman's thoughts:

You could write a book about this one. That must have been hilarious at the police station with them traipsing over the province hunting for her!