Riff-Raffles Update #17

[MC_Ldop 40]

Kevin Meacher, owner of Jasmine Mansion on Soi Buakhao, has a few updates on his Riff-Raffles blog. In the last update, Kevin revealed that his marriage was over. This time around he writes about dealing with his wife while running a business with her and trying to raise kids, as well as his latest misadventures in book publishing. Check it out!

 

Looking for a Distraction and Legal Advice in Bangkok

I needed some space and a chance to stand back from the Pattaya-divorce war-zone I had been pitched into. The space was already planned, although it had been planned for entirely different reasons several weeks before. The Bangkok International Book Fair was due to be held between 24th to 29th March. Mark and I had arranged to go to the Fair to learn find out more information that would hopefully assist us in setting up our proposed publishing company. Several of the major retailers were exhibiting, there were printing companies and technology businesses listed as well, so we would hopefully get answers to most of our remaining questions.

The taxi arrived at Jasmine Mansion early morning and we headed over to Mark’s apartment building to collect him and then set off to Bangkok. The plan was to stop at our chosen hotel, a sister hotel of my base in Hua Hin two months earlier, have the taxi wait for us whilst we checked in and then take us the couple of kilometers to the Queen Sirikit convention centre where the book fair was being hosted. We would tour the fair throughout the remainder of the day, retire to our hotel for an early night and spend the next day looking at various office furniture and supply show rooms. So, you see, a simple plan and as such, one that gave little room for Mr. Cock-Up to put in an appearance. There I go again…getting carried away on a wave of positivism that is just an excuse for Thailand to slap me in the face and prove that this country cannot be defined through the use of Western logic!

 

We arrived at our hotel and, to my relief, they had two rooms available. I had telephoned them a few days earlier to make a reservation, however, I was told that this would not be necessary, of course they would have rooms available! We then offloaded our belongings and returned to the taxi and a within 10 minutes, we arrived at the convention centre. The general area was quieter than I had imagined although I really had no idea of what to expect. Oh well, it was the first day of the fair and still only late morning, so I presumed we were merely early arrivals. I did, of course, not presume we were as early as it turned out!

 

Full Story

 

 

Back to the Book Fair and Off to Summer School!

Before I continue with the ongoing tale of my separation and divorce from Mrs. Boss I will tell you a little of the second visit Mark and I made to the International Book Fair in Bangkok. This time around we were just going for the day and therefore arranged for our taxi driver to take us from Pattaya, wait in the car park and return us home. The same early-morning departure as one week earlier took place and light traffic saw us arrive only just after the doors had opened.

We were at the Queen Sirikit Convention Centre and it was awash with people. Inside the building much the same as outside with it almost impossible to move at a rate faster than a crawl such was the throng. There were numerous school parties, but most of the visitors were Thais stocking up on books as though television was just about to be banned for life. I doubt I have ever seen so many Thai people actually reading books.

 

Full Story

 

 

And Now, a Songkran Flashback

Ah Songkran. My favourite time of the year…where to go beyond the confines of the hotel is a guarantee of a soaking with ice cold water, usually sprayed or thrown by drunken farangs. Of course it would be totally wrong to blame just the farangs for the mayhem this particular week brings to Pattaya. The Thais, bar girls in particular, are equally guilty of some appalling behaviour and a complete and utter inability to follow the basic and simple rules of this particular period.

Songkran used to be Thai New Year. A few years back New Year was changed by the government to 1-January inline with most of the outside world, although 13-April remains in the hearts of Thais. The festival was originally an opportunity for the younger members of a village to pay respect to their elders. They would cleanse and bathe them and then provide them with new clothes. Houses would be fully cleaned and all of the possessions no longer used or required would be thrown out. Today, however, the festival has become an excuse for drunkenness. Road accidents have increased dramatically, as does the number of people who are seriously injured or perish as a result. A one-day festival now extends to two or three days unless, of course, you happen to live in Pattaya where one endures an entire week of this mayhem.

 

The only relationship to the original rural-village Songkran-festival is the use of water, although I seriously doubt that 100 years ago high-pressure water-guns were used for the purposes of cleaning the elders. It also strikes me that a few villages back in the UK will be missing their idiot for the duration of this festival.

 

Full Story

 

 

The Night Shift, The Nutter, and The Crazy Runner

I have enjoyed the pleasure of working the graveyard shift over the last five days. I start work around 6:00PM and am still on duty until Mrs. Boss arrives at Jasmine Mansion at 10:00AM. Unfortunately my body does not cope to well with nighttime working and, after a couple of nights, it starts to fall apart at the seams. At least these particular tribulations are almost at an end, as a new night receptionist has been employed and promises to start work tomorrow…but we all know what Pattaya promises are worth, so fingers crossed until then!

We have also added to our staffing levels by allowing Dan to return to work with us. He telephoned to explain his abrupt departure a couple of months ago was due to him disliking, intensely, Jed whom we had appointed hotel manager. He had heard Jed had gone and would like to return. I suggested he speak to Mrs. Boss and that she would call him later to discuss his proposal. Despite our current sourness, I had absolutely no doubt that she would tear Dan to shreds and thus use off some of her venom that may otherwise be spat in my direction. I could not believe it when she told me she had re-employed this insane being!

 

So here Dan is again, now prancing around like a fairy on heat and telling me how hard he will work, how his tales earlier in the year were because he was close to having a breakdown and how much he loved working here at Jasmine Mansion. I respond to his utterances with a dismissive air, the way I behave towards my children when they are just overdoing the silliness routine that children all seem to feel the need to go through from time to time. However, Mrs. Boss enjoyed Dan’s attention which he lavished upon her as if the well of attention could never run dry. He would sit, with legs crossed over and one palm on top of the other hand with them both resting on the uppermost knee, and practically salivate at every word she spoke. If she were to say “all gay people should be shot”, I am certain Dan would be agreeing wholeheartedly with her and offering to get the guns!

 

Full Story

Edited September 9, 2008 by MC_Ldop

[glynbuk 29]

Enjoyed reading the updates, cheers

[probe 11]

I respond to his utterances with a dismissive air, the way I behave towards my children when they are just

 

Similar to the way he responds to his guests' complaints.

 

I don't understand why you're hyping this guy. Are you getting a cut?

[MC_Ldop 40]

I don't understand why you're hyping this guy. Are you getting a cut?

 

A cut of what? He doesn't make any money from the site. I'm just helping him out because I like him.

[Obsession 571]

A cut of what? He doesn't make any money from the site. I'm just helping him out because I like him.

Please keep it up. I use your post to tell when theres a new update.

[probe 11]

A cut of what?

 

The book.

[MC_Ldop 40]

The book.

 

Pfft. No.

[papillon 695]

That is some of the most inane drivel I have ever had the misfortune to read!

 

Not as bad as Otherway's posts though

[MC_Ldop 40]

That is some of the most inane drivel I have ever had the misfortune to read!

 

That's what blogs are for.

 

Not as bad as Otherway's posts though

 

You know, part of me actually misses him a bit. He had an intelligent point three percent of the time. When he didn't, he was always loud, boisterous, and fun to laugh at.