Big Boy it doesn't have to be chicken, they will do the same for noodles, pork or just about anything that tastes good, for many, but not all, rich Thais, parking their limos sensibly, comes way down their list of priorities, just as long as they are no more than 20 paces from the table.
There was a noodle place just opposite us, that sold 2 simple chicken dishes, about Baht30 a go,
Richard may remember it. Large open sided place with about 20 tables and the food stall at the front.
There were a large amount of limos that were parked in front on Saturday and Sunday lunchtimes, but luckily the road is wide, so no real problem, as they tended to patronise our place after they had dined and spend good money with us.
We ate there often, you know the type of dish, chicken drumsticks, chicken blood slices, noodles and herbs. The food was quite addictive and somebody inferred, that there was something extra in the sauce.
. Maybe that was why the customers came back time and time again.
Could the same “special ingredient” be in the dishes that are sold at the place which caused your traffic problem?
I was once stopped from driving my car for over a week, back around 2001-2002!
I had bought a new car in BKK and we, together with the rest of the family, drove back to our place on Naebkehardt, parked up the two cars in the car port, had dinner and a few drinks, well a lot of drinks actually, then went to bed. Perchance to dream.
When I woke up in the morning, I went to check the mailbox, only to find that the Red or Green cross (can't remember which) had set up the fair in the road and had parked one of those kiddy roundabout rides, right outside our gate!
Customers on foot could get in and out, but there was no way our cars could!
My first thought was to get FIL to get them to move it, but we discussed it and came to the conclusion, that having the fair there was a good thing for us.
We had young nieces and other kids with us, so we took them out every night to have fun on the rides etc. and we all had a jolly good time. If we needed to get into town, we just phoned for a tuk tuk, or used a motor bike taxi.
I have an apology to make to you
BB, about the statement I made in a previous post, that
“all cops are crooked and all Hi So's are arrogant”. Sorry, but I find it's easier to agree with someone when they seem angry about a subject, so as not to inflame the situation, rather than tell it as I see it from my own experiences in Thailand.
We have made many good friends amongst the police (mainly through the FIL and our next door neighbour of our other place in Hua Hin, who is one of the chief's of police in BKK) and also amongst the BKK set, through the business.
Whilst I do agree, that many cops are lazy, arrogant and on the make, We are in danger of tarring them all with the same brush, as there are many who are very friendly and willing to help a farang and if treated with respect, will be a good friend for years.
Our neighbour, took my wife and I to a small restaurant, just north of the Palace, one of the soi's on the left that has an archway over the road, can't remember the number, but someone is bound to know it.
The place is owned by his brother, a retired BKK cop and is mainly frequented by cops.
There is a air-conditioned room with a blacked out glass door and if you open it, (something I would not recommend) you will find more high ranking cops and army officers from all over Thailand there, than you would find the equivalent ranks of British officers at the trooping of the colours, here in the UK.
We were made to feel welcome by all the officers, who wined and dined us and we went home later, (by blue light taxi) having had a thoroughly good night. We were invited back many times and I don't remember ever paying a single Baht for anything, despite us trying to pay. Many of them also became customers of ours at the coffee shop.
OK, I agree, we have been lucky where cops are concerned, but there are, I believe, many cops out there that are not as bad as we always seem to read about on the Thailand forums.
Maybe all ex-pats need to do, is approach them and strike up a conversation, who knows, you may find they want to be friendly. You won't know unless you try.
Our experiences with the Hi So's have, in the main, been equally as good, at least those we met through the business.
Yes they are rich and many are professionals in some form or other, many from the film and television industry and others with large businesses, but on the whole, good to talk to and more than ready to become friends.
One chap, a recently retired admiral in the Thai navy, became a very good friend and we used to talk on many subjects. He always insisted on saluting me when he brought his family in to us, it was simply his way of showing his friendship and became a running joke between us.
I'm not in any way trying to excuse the behaviour of many Hi so's, just trying to show, that like the BIB, they are not all bad. A lot of their behaviour in instilled into them at an early age and they will never change, but the same applies to people from many nationalities, not just Thais.
For me, the most arrogant and rude person I ever met in Hua Hin, was a rich Englishman (I won't name him)
who was obnoxious in the extreme. He had been banned from many bars and restaurants.
He had Thai “girlfriends” (on long term hire) and treated them like dirt. I heard recently, that he went too far with someone in Hua Hin, who ended up twatting him and he scurried off back to the UK.
Good bloody riddance.
As for the parking issue in HH, well, we are all aware of local councils ability to forward plan, so plan for the worse, as this problem could well end in HH becoming gridlocked and we could all be on shankses pony within a few years.
now and then, does help to let off steam, on issues we have no control over.
