Editor;
Re: Tremendous boondoggle (PM Mailbag Friday, 06 February 2015) – When I strike up a conversation with a vast number of expats I learn how insignificant my life has been. The army taught me how to drive a truck and that has been my lot after discharge.
If you were a lawn mower repairer, once you settle here you become a mechanical engineer. When you worked in Saudi you were Red Adair’s right hand man putting out oil well fires. Gardener? On the Horticultural Society board of directors. There were no cooks in the army, everyone was in the S.A.S or the Guards. Maybe did a tour with John Wayne’s Green Berets.
To say you were never frightened in combat, you are braver than I. Fear is a natural feeling and is no slight on you. You only need to master it.
What a great “brain drain” when these people left their countries and landed here. With all their expertise in civil engineering the tunnel will be a snack. That house plumber from the bar will take over any drainage problems & that coal miner who learnt his trade as a tunnel rat in Nam will oversee the actual digging. What a dopey lot these Thais are, how did they ever get on without us?
Brian Patricks
