May
15
Howdy
May 15, 2007 |
By Ken Bower
Howdy (Sawatdee in Texan),
My situation “may†be a little different than most who first come here looking for love. I first came to Thailand in 1971 as a 35 yr. old American soldier who had already been to 8 other countries outside his own, and fell in love with the country.
From that first year, when I was posted at the U.S. Army Satellite Communications Station at nearby U-Tapao Royal Thai Navy Airbase and later as Station Chief of the Army Microwave Communications Station at Sriracha, I had found my shangri-la, my paradise. I knew then that I would eventually retire in Thailand (which I did on my 36th trip to the country in Oct 2005).
I lived that year in Pattaya Beach (1971-1972) back when it was indeed just a fishing village. I befriended a Greek man named Barbos, who owned the best restaurant in town, and a boat builder and his family who built custom boats, mostly Chinese Junks that found their way to Aberdeen and the other harbors of Hong Kong.
I just loved Thailand from the first moment and grew to love it even more with each month. Upon being re-assigned back stateside, I then began making trips each year back to Thailand. It was on the 30th trip that I met and eventually married my present wife. (the youngest daughter of my Buddhist monk). She seemed so different than anyone I’d met here and was exactly the woman I had dreamed of all my life. (I don’t smoke or drink you see, leaving me a very boring sort….lol)
We moved back to San Antonio Texas some 7 months after our marriage and lived there and in Yuma AZ for the next 9 1/2 years. Then we jointly decided to just return to Thailand for good instead of splitting our time between the two countries.
It was the best decision I/we’ve ever made.
Ken Bower
Chiayaphum Thailand
This was originally submitted as a comment to my old blog site. It was to good to lose, so with Ken’s permission I have posted it as a blog entry.
Rune
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