Life Before Thailand

I first came into contact with Thailand many years ago, when I was a young man in the US military. At that time, the US had a significant presence in Thailand and I had the opportunity to spend several months in Bangkok and the air force base in Uthai Thip. I did the usual things a young sailor would do on short leave and I always left Thailand with a lasting impression of its friendly people, pleasant climate and excellent food. After I was done with my military service, I got married and started a family. From time to time, I reminisced about the good times in Thailand and the wonderful feelings for the country and everything that it encompassed.

About five years ago, my wife passed on. I was not at my emotional best after my wife's death. My mental health had hit an all-time-low as I was still grieving over her death two years on. This, along with my impending retirement, caused me to reevaluate my priorities in life. My children were all grown up and independent; everyone had set up his own family. I wasn't keen on the dating scene for seniors as it wasn't my style, and most importantly, I didn't feel like a senior citizen. The youth-oriented American culture, however, didn't make it easier for me as I felt discriminated against because of my age.

Retiring in the Land of Smiles

I began traveling again in 1999. There was a work-related conference and exhibition at the Sirikit Center in Bangkok, and I took advantage of that to combine work with pleasure. Subsequently, I returned to Thailand for vacation on many occasions. I visited almost every well-known province such as Ko Samet, Koh Samui, Koh Chang, Phuket and Chiang Mai.

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First Published: Oct 09, 2005