Thailand 2012 The Land Of Smiles

The thing that is the most striking about the Thai people is their smiles.

The People of Thailand are very hard working and live for The Buddha & their King.


These monuments are all over Thailand.

Stefan & Thong-Jai (Gran-daughter)

Stefan & New (Stefan & Ning's daughter)

Stefan & Ning dancing.

Stefan & Ning live in Italy and in Thailand for vacation.

Real Love!

This photo taken in Korat while visiting Ning's Mother.

This day in Bangkok was to pray at three different Wat's and if you look the rest of the family is sitting behind Ning in the mini-truck bed. Well guess what there were 12 of us traveling in that truck (60 miles per hour on the highway). Nang & I with Stefan & Ning were the guests and rode in the cab with the A/C that meant the women & children rode in the pickup bed.

Yes everybody was still smiling all day!

Thailand 2012 The Market

ที่รัก (Thai word = Honey) Let's go to the Market!

I use the word "honey" all the time referring to someone very sweet and wonderful. I use this word with most of my family and a few others. Nang now calls me ที่รัก.

Please understand this is not about bragging about how we help this 3rd world family. This is about the 3rd world that I only saw on TV during my life before I made my first trip to Thailand in 2007. The month Nang & I were in Thailand we fed the family just about everyday excluding 3 or 4 days. The cost of feeding 6+ adults each day was less than $30.00 and most of the time about $15.00.

When you go to Target or Wal-Mart you see a perfect surroundings, everything is served up perfect. You do not think that a bunch cows/chickens/fish were killed to get your tummy full! Lol. The Thai market we shopped the fish were so fresh that they were still bouncing on the counter waiting for the fish seller to put them in a plastic bag. It is a quite moving to see what you eat dies before you get it home. Yes you can feel the little guys moving in the bag.

The flies also are everywhere and it is amazing how many dogs are around. Yes the 3rd world will move you very much.

The Thai people just got over weeks of flooding with water over 80% percent of their country. So now they seem to be back to normal. This Market had water standing about 2 feet during the flooding.

Pork etc.

Curry powder.

About the size of a football field it is a pretty big market and this day we were early so not very crowded but about 6:00pm this place is packed every day.

Fish

These fish were alive!

This is the most popular of American's right? Chicken Feet and very part of the Chicken you can desire. The Items below are per kilogram. 1 Kilogram is equal to 2.2 lbs. So 35 baht for 2.2 lbs is $1.15 American dollars.

Vegetables.

Vegetables.

Vegetables.

ที่รัก (Thai Dictionary) enter the word honey and press on the speaker to hear the word sound. It comes up as the 9th definition on the page.

Life Goes On!

Please do not cry Anthony is in Heaven & very happy!

February 15, 2012 marks the day 18 years ago my son Anthony was killed when a car that came into his lane on the highway by our home. You never get over a loss of a child, I feel so sorry for all who have lost a child or loved one.

Robbie & Tom worked at our best and we lived and continued on after this accident and all the other trials & happiness that occurred while raising children.

Today is a wonderful day; we have a wonderful family & wonderful grandchildren.

Robbie, Anthony & Tom

Jennifer, Chris & Anthony

Best Friends For 17 Years!

The photos are from 1986 taken by a Canon A1 camera using a thing call 35mm film. I started scanning in the photos I have taken with that camera and only have about 1000 left to scan. lol

Retirement means you have to much too do!

Tom in Texas

Nang is still in Thailand with her family until February 20, 2012

Thailand 2012 Chinese New Year

My wife is a Buddhist and told me she had to pray on this day. Her family had put the food out on the front porch for display. I was just amazed how pretty the flowers were. Chinese New Year is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays.

In Thailand you will see from time to time food sitting on the Buddhist shrines. I've observed that some very poor street people do eat or drink at these shrines. One day I saw a paper plate of food just sitting on the ground; it was a full meal and 4 cigars. I ask my wife why? She whispered people leave food for their dead family or friends etc. I've notice a lot of dogs in Thailand and normally very healthy but I have never seen them smoking cigars. This year however they all seem to have lot of fleas. I think this is probably from the flooding Thailand had in 2011.

I think it is amazing what the Thai people can do with flowers, just beautiful.

Thailand 2012 while I was gone from Texas!

A Tribute to the family next door MY Wonderful Neighbors. This family all works all the time farming over 5000 acres in Texas. Yes when it comes to helping others (not just me) they are always there! When you are on vacation 1/2 way around the world you have your brother check the house while gone. So I was never concerned about being away because in the past when I traveled to Thailand & spent a month nothing major occurred. Well 2012 Thailand was totally different. You see I forgot to plug-in the pool pump and the pool was half full of mucky water, but that was easy when I returned home I just plugged in the pump & 12 hours later the pool is empty. I called my brother a few times while in Thailand and all seem well until the third call. He said the water was off at the house! OUCH I knew something was up, so Paul called the water company and they said I had a leak and they turned of the water. In the mean time my neighbor went over to my home and found the leak and repaired it. Not a small leak it was a giant 2 foot whole in the area the water was flowing out. I am sure my neighbor & crew spent 1/2 to a full day repairing my leak. A Tree that fell on my barn was the next disaster and as you can see in the photos (My neighbor's cell phone) this was not an easy job. I am amazed how wonderful people can be when it comes to helping others.

This is the tree which for Texas medium to large. With a base of 30 inches it was a major job performed by my Neighbor & crew.

The tree left a large whole in the roof of my metal barn.

This was a major job that must have taken 1 full day or more. I am from the city and it amazes me how hard country people work. The following photos were taken by me after I return home.

Hero's come in all forms, from the one's who save lives, the one's who protect our wonderful country, the one's who give there time to the helpless & the one's who help neighbors. I am sure I left out a whole lot of wonderful Hero's in this world.

Thank you for being the best neighbor I've ever had in the last 65 years.

Respectfully,

Tom in Texas

Thailand 2012 Coming Soon!

Just got back and still in "Jet Lag". More Soon!