Dear
Hillary,
It is amazing all the stories you get when living in a foreign country. It is a
debate “them or us”. A foreigner stands no chance. A Thai judge and a Thai
lawyer…
Jack
Dear Jack,
You will have seen that the middle section of your letter I did not print as you
are making allegations, which I have no intention of exploring or defending;
however, you should be very careful when making these sorts of statements. I
should not have to remind you that you are a guest in this country. It is easy
to point fingers at deficiencies in the laws in any country, but a well-mannered
guest does not do so in public.
Dear Hillary,
Since everyone uses emails these days, which are pretty anonymous, how do you
know whether the letters you get are genuine? I reckon some of them are using
the fact they can hide behind nicknames and the email system to pull your leg.
Do you honestly believe everyone who writes to you is real?
The Disbeliever
Dear Disbeliever,
I am an Agony Aunt, not a detective, my Petal. Does it really matter if someone
tells a few porkies? I may be na๏ve and old, but I can recognize that behind
every nickname there lies a frightened little boy who is having some kind of
relationship problem, usually with our young Thai ladies. So, what’s your
problem “Disbeliever”? And, not everyone uses emails, as you will see by this
letter I received this month.
Dear Hillary,
My husband appears to have a problem, which in turn gives me a problem. He has a
tendency to drink heavily at times and then can go into extreme rages. During
one of these turns he can do anything - stupid things like breaking windows or
kicking down doors and the like. I never know what to do when he gets like this,
and neither does any of our friends as a few of them have witnessed it too, and
some have refused to go out with us, “just in case.” This has been brewing for
some time and it is nothing for him to drink six large bottles of beer before
dinner and then a few more after that. Have you any suggestions that I could
follow? I did suggest he should see someone about this problem, but when he’s
sober he thinks he doesn’t have a problem. He has been a good husband until the
past couple of years, but I can’t take much more of this.
Confused and worried
Dear Confused and worried,
You surely do have the cares of the world on your shoulders, but you are
probably shouldering more than you should. Unless you are the cause of your
husband’s drinking, the main problem revolves around his responses to too much
alcohol. Why does he overindulge? Does he admit to the irrational behavior? Is
he sorry afterwards, or does he blame someone else - or you? Quite frankly, I
think you need to get him to seek professional help and very soon, before he
does you, or someone (or even himself) an injury. Just be sympathetic towards
his problem, but don’t wear it yourself. He is the one with the problem, not
you. Best of luck, but be prepared for an upheaval in your life. This is a very
difficult situation.
Dear Hillary,
I read and been told not to touch Thai girl on head because Thai think very
rude. What I wanting to know is how do you kiss Thai girl? On the hand?
Wolfgang
Dear Wolfgang,
This is why the Thais have the “sniff-kiss” which is like the “air-kiss” of
Europeans, which I expect you know about. Instead of making kissy-kissy noises
beside the ear, Thai people make a gentle sniffing sound beside the cheek. Much
more romantic.
Dear Hillary,
I have noticed that you do spend much of your weekly columns appealing to your
worried clients to send you champagne and chocolates. Do you think this is fair?
These people have problems and you dismiss them with a “send chocolates and
champagne” answer. What is it with you and the chocolates anyway? Are you
envious of us young folk and need a warm comforter?
Not a chocaholic
Dear Not a chocaholic,
You young people are all the same these days - so sure you have the world by the
tail and wanting an answer for everything. Some things are just written in the
stars, my Petal. Nothing to do with age at all. I suppose you also want to know
why the earth is round, when the simple answer is just because it is! Likewise
with me and my chocolates. Now, for having read your letter, that’s one
chocolate bar. For replying to it that’s another. Remember that not everyone is
like you, my little enquirer. I had a lovely man who wanted to build me an Amari
Hotel in the front garden of my townhouse who dropped in a beautiful bottle of
French wine the other day. Thanks but next time bring one with bubbles! He knows
what life’s about, Petal! You’ll get there too - eventually!