Dear
Hillary,
Has there been a change in the way Thai women think? I was here 10 years ago and
all the women were polite, couldn’t do enough for you, always wanting to “take
care” of you, even to putting your socks on in the morning. Now it looks as if
all they want to do is photograph themselves with their mobile phones and send
text messages to their girlfriends. That’s when they’re not stuck in front of a
computer screen posting pictures of themselves on Facebook. The ‘old’ Thai girls
were delightful - the ‘new’ Thai girls are boring.
Any comments on this, Hillary?
Barry
Dear Barry,
What you have just discovered, my Petal, is that all of life is change. Little
by little over time, these changes occur. It is only when you have been away for
a period of time, like 10 years, that you see a big jump in the way society
acts, not just Thai ladies. I’m afraid you will not change things, so you are
stuck with looking for 40 years old Thai women, who are not into Facebook, or go
looking for an alternative culture on some desert island where mobile phone
coverage has not reached. Best of luck Barry.
Dear Hillary,
You seem to have an endless supply of broken hearted men writing to you. It
gives the wrong impression of Thailand. What about all the happily married chaps
writing in to show the other side of the coin. I have been married to my fan for
15 years and while not a marriage made in heaven, we have just the odd spat now
and again, like all married couples. I was married before in my home country,
but that was not as good as this time with a Thai lady. My friends back home all
say they have the same problems with their farang wives, so it isn’t so bad in
Thailand. I’m happy.
Jack
Dear Jack,
I am happy you are a happy Jack, but you must remember that this is a column for
the lovelorn, so that is one reason that you don’t read letters from the happy
campers like yourself. I like the way you admit that it isn’t always plain
sailing, as no partnership ever is, but you have taken the rough with the smooth
and I am sure you will have many happy years in front of you.
Dear Hillary,
Your column appears to be only for men complaining about Thai ladies, what about
the gay men complaining about Thai men? Or don’t you print those letters?
Interested to know, “Petal”.
Jeffrey
Dear Jeffrey,
One simple reason that you don’t read items from the gay community is that they
haven’t written in. Over the years there have been a very few, but I can’t force
them to write, can I Petal!
Dear Hillary,
Do you know of any trustworthy dating places? I have seen a few advertised on
the internet, but don’t know if I should try them or not. They all want fees to
find you a girlfriend, but from what I can see, they’re all a bit past their
use-by date, and that’s why they are in a dating place. Where do I go, Hillary
to find someone right for me?
Bill
Dear Bill,
While there may be someone for everyone in this world, what are the chances of
that ‘someone’ signing up for a dating agency? Have you ever read Bangkok
Angel written by Mike Smith? He came over here and gave up the agency route
after repeated failures and then fell madly in love with the waitress at the
Huntsman pub on his last evening in Bangkok. It did work out for him in the end,
though it was a long hard slog. Our book reviewer wrote, “Everyone that visits
Thailand should read this book. It is a true record of all the highs and lows,
elation and anxieties that can occur when you meet the Love of your life -
especially when she is Thai. It is also a book that all western males in
Thailand will appreciate from first hand experience ... The book is like Mike
himself, humorous, self effacing and so truthful it hurts. Definitely a great
read.”
My advice is to keep looking my Petal, she is out there somewhere.
Dear Hillary,
The beautiful girls of Thailand amaze me the way they can sit sideways so
gracefully on the rear of a motorcycle. I have even seen one girl calmly
drinking a glass of red wine as they threaded their way through the traffic. Do
you know when did this custom start and do they fall off?
Side-saddle
Dear Side-saddle,
Traditional Thai dress has included the long wrap skirt for many years and the
Thai women have ridden buffaloes, elephants and oxen, long before the invasion
of the Japanese motorcycle. Riding side-saddle is an example of Thai
practicality. Imagine wearing a tight skirt and trying to throw your leg over
the rear of the Honda/Yamaha/Suzuki 125, the ideal motorcycles for a family of
five. Impossible! But you can sit sideways. Do they fall off? Yes they do, but
only when the rider loses control.