Reader Submission: This can happen to you in Thailand

I had to go to the mall this morning. On my way out I pass a small coffee bar. You know them a table, two chairs and two bar stools. Occasionally I drink coffee there, but it's been a few months since I was last there.

A Thai man was sitting alone and the coffee teacher invited me to drink coffee. The man agreed, good coffee he said and that persuaded me.

I sat down at the table where the man was sitting and we had a conversation. He said that he came from a village 40 km away, but was now in the city for hospital visits. I asked what was going on, mild diabetes he said. He was for his 3-monthly checkup. That was free, because he had been an officer in the Navy.

He showed me a picture in uniform, which again struck me how few decorations he had. You see uniforms everywhere in Thailand and with many to very many decorations. Really senior military I've encountered have few decorations. However, they are real! He had 2 decorations: “Vietnam he told, a lot of shooting.” I asked if he had also fought in Laos. Yes, he had fought there too, with the Thai army.

He was Catholic and had previously attended school in Bangkok. His teachers were foreigners, especially Dutch and Italians. Now he was retired, 67 years old and had a pension of 25.000 baht per month. The coffee lady was his niece, worked both in the coffee bar and next door in a clothing store. With that she earned a good income, he said.

After half an hour his wife came, finished shopping and he settled the bill. He insisted on paying for my coffee as well.

This has happened to me before, but every time I am amazed at this kindness. The ease with which a Thai speaks about himself also surprises me.

This afternoon I was at a cremation. One of the deceased's nieces, around 25 years old, walked around in a shirt with a skull and crossbones underneath. How can you make it up?

Submitted by Ruud Siem