About Us
Here’s where you can find out more about the authors of Thailand Musings. Where we came from and where we are going as well as the motivation behind Thailand Musings.
Sawasdee krup from Steve
I first went to Thailand in 1997 and immediately fell in love with the country. Well, not the whole country since my experience at that time was limited to Bangkok and Phuket, but I knew I wanted to come back again and again. Thailand at that time to me was mysterious and exotic, full of potentials and pitfalls.
Fast forward to 2010 and here I am after 13 years and many trips back to the LOS and sharing, with the help of my beautiful wife Golf, what I’ve learned (and am still learning) with the readers here at Thailand Musings. Thailand has lost some of it’s mystery for me, but it is still exotic and wonderful and I always remember that first feeling when I stepped out into the Bangkok smog for the first time.
I don’t pretend to know everything about Thailand and thankfully for all of us Golf is here to correct me when I err, but I do want to share what I have and will make every effort to learn more each day to share with you here.
As I sit here just 4 months after starting Thailand Musing I feel the blog is just beginning to find it’s voice and indeed it is just beginning to gain some regular readers and subscribers. For that I am extremely grateful and I look forward to watching it grow over the coming years and to growing along with it and you, my readers.
I’m sure that some (most? all?) of you want to know how Golf and I met, what brought us together and how we bridged the cultural differences. I will leave the telling of that tale to Golf and you can certainly learn more by subscribing and coming back to Thailand Musings often. Or connect with me personally on Google+
Sawasdee Kaa from Golf
We both got an email from one of our readers 2 weeks ago and he mentioned about “Steve and Golf ” page so it made me realized that I totally forgot to put anything more about me and Steve. So now here I am…and this is about our story from me “Golf”.
My real name’s Adchara, but unfortunately for American people they can’t pronounce it right so ok…just call me Golf then. Which is my nickname and also usual for Thai people to have their own nickname. Kind of funny though because everytime when people here ask about my name I’m just like…ok…just call me Golf. But still they really don’t believe me that my dad is the one gave me this name even he’s not a golfer at all.
Me and Steve found each other from one of dating Thai dating website named Thailovelinks.com. One of my friends at work (in Thailand) recommend me about it. And now I believe that she has a happy family with the internet guy that she met from Canada. Cyber world is contradictory with my culture and for Thai people not that open for dating like this. Maybe just small group and I think I’m the part of this small group.
I went to be a member at almost the same time as Steve. And because of Steve wanted to have Thai girlfriends before he traveled to Thailand for his vacation in April 2006 we met and started talking right away. Kind of funny though because first time we chat for me and him wasn’t happy situation for him at all. I made him mad with my stupid question. I was wondering about why “mostly an old foreigners like to chat with young Thai girls”, but honestly I didn’t mean anything about him. But for him already thought that I meant him so that question it’s just like caught his attention (make him wanted to talk to me again and that’s what he told me later 
).
We started to talk online almost a month or so and then started to talk on the phone. Everyday and every single minutes…day by day. And sometimes I get my day off from work we would talk like 24 hours, can you believe that? Finally I have to end up with 2 batteries in my purse in case this one all gone so I will have another one to be in reserve. We were talking like a crazy at that time until we met in April.
I don’t know about destiny, but I just believe how I feel and follow my heart. We both talked a lot, getting serious day by day. And for finally when we met in April we decided to sign marriage certificate without asking my parents. Even so I took him to see my mom and dad on that time and told them how much we love each other (even he knew a few Thai words).
And by the end of the trip I told them about that. I really love my mom and dad it’s not because of they won’t complain, but one thing that they said is they both respect my decision. And what if I made the wrong decision they still will be there for me. I’m so glad I have them both and don’t know how to thank them enough to giving my life.
After we had a serious conversation between Steve, my mom and dad which was by me translated. We were planning for visa to come over here and also all about traditional Thai wedding ceremony in November 2006. Visa processing is the one that make me headache, but not as much as have to prepare my wedding ceremony by myself. I know Steve when you read this you will tell me it’s not true Golf because I’m the one who responsible for money for all kind of things. But honey…let think about this I have to run around go to shopping the souveniors, cards etc. And I have to go and get a sample to show him on the webcam and let’s see which one will be the one we wanted.
I got my visa in October and seemed to me like it took forever because I started my process in the end of April. So it took like 6 months totally, but that’s because we paid for the agency and they have to wait for their clients and everything have to be ready at the same time. If I already done for my paper work, but for the rest 3-4 not finish so it’s mean I have to wait. It is the problem to pay for the agency to get to visa. But the good thing is you no need to worry about what kind of paper work that you have to prepare and they’re professional enough to give you a guarantee that you will get visa 100%.
And then in November we both had a great beautiful wedding in my hometown which is really nice and traditional. I cried and my dad was cried (happy tears). I will show you the pictures of our wedding in here sometime. And then we flew back to the U.S. by the end of the month. And now here I am…
Steve,
I have been reading all your link with awe and excitement. I have heard about Thai girls and how they are one of the most gentlest beings in this world. Have never been to Thailand but would love to one day if I am able to find someone to be with and company me around. Thank you for putting in all your experiences as well as those who had shared their experiences. A beautiful site with plenty of information.
sawasdee steve and golf,
i been in love with a bangkok girl. im so happy to read that u both got married. for us..its still long way to go. since now im not good enough in financial ..we just hang on until we have enough money to get married. feel so happy to find your blog but i dont have much time to get online. btw… im happy u got married…. and pleas pray for us too….
btw… sorry because my English is not so good.
Hi..I was contacted by a thai woman a little more than half my age through her friends match.com site…we have been chatting and she has sent some photos and I have sent some back. She asked what i thought about the distance and age difference and I said it was a bit odd..what did she think and want and she asked same…she sounds nice, looks good, is this a scam?..she wanted to know if I would ever visit and maybe take her back home someday?…I said I was in no hurry to rush into a serious relationship but wouldn’t mind doing so once I was sure. Also said I would love to visit someplace i have never been but don’t want to hurry things since i am finishing my divorce. i just retired at 62, and can afford the travel, if all goes well. Where is this headed?
Sorry it was met to be Laos for the fourth language.
I’m falling in love with a Thai girl, I’m met her in a night club in Phuket, she is absolutely stunning, she was telling me stories of her ex and how he broke her heart, now I think I just promised to marry her some day and she told me she couldnt take another brake up, I don’t what to do cos I actually like her and she said she didn’t care about money she just wants to be with someone that makes her happy. She speak Thai, English, french and leio, and said she wants to go back to school. Is it going to end bad if I persue this relationship.
Il also add she didn’t have much makeup on, she did have a fish tatto on her shoulder and a dragon on the Leg And a belly button piercing
Im not that bad a looking guy, I work out, I’m 26 she’s 25, She tells me she has other guys ask her to come home with them every Night she goes out but doesn’t because she doesnt like them she broke up with her ex and just wants to be happy with some one and that’s me
So is this one of the new age Thai girls that is really looking for love or should I run
Please I really need some good advice here.
Hi,
dont trust fully ,just take some more time together,get to know her more,test her some.. you can ask any other european guy to contact her and kind of like pretend to like her,then invite her to meet up and see what she will do after… dont open your heart fully…. any girl not only thai can play with mans heart by telling how bad they were with ex or how much they dont want any other guy… so careful!
We hope and pray you guys and other ex-pats are all ok and high and dry.
Choke dee to all.
Ray & ott
Thanks Ray & Ott, so far we’re still dry and we are hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst.
Sawasdee Steve and Golf
Nice to read about you both and your stories.
Especially your great story of meeting eachother ……made me smile and given me great hope.
At the end of November I am off to Phuket to meet a Thai lady, we met on Thailovelinks.com and have been talking not stop on line for 4 months. It feels very similar to your situation. A day without speaking to eachother is painful.
I hope the meeting is as successful as your……..
Du laa toa eang na
We both hope your meeting turns out to be just as successful as ours too!
Chok dee!
We are 3 couples wanting to tour Thailand. Looking for a tour guide. Must be a local Thai. Want to tour on scooters. Can you assist Tnx Johan
Thank you Steve and Adchara, I too have a wonderful Thai wife from Ban Boo Mak Lan Kumpawhapi near Udon. I met her at Siam Paragon while shopping with a Thai Army Pilot, that I sponsored in the United States. I saw a beautiful young lady working the ladies counter at FQ&L and ask him if it would be impolite to say, “Hello” to her. He assured me it would be fine, but expect getting shot down. He joined me as my wingman, and probably to have a funny story for our fellow pilots. I went over look her in the eyes and said, “Sawawdee Kap” complete with a respectable “Wai”. We made small talk, I asked her if she and a chapperone would join me and my Thai counterpart for dinner. She spoke with her girlfriend and said yes, if her brother Num could also join us. I accepted and we all had a great first date. We spent as much time together (chapperoned)as possible getting to know each other before I returned to the states. Upon my return stateside we e-mailed, phoned, chatted and skyped daily. I returned six months later asking her to marry me and then flying up to meet her parents to ask for their blessing “In my very bad Thai”, she translated much to make it sound correct. She laughed when dad asked, if I was lôok krêung, ลูกครึ่ง half-Thai.
We discussed a “Sin Sod” which I was well aware was for mom and dad and was less than I expected, (from all the Farang horror stories). We were married in grand fashion in December 2009. It was awesome! I felt like a king, she looked like a queen and half of the town was there. During the actual ceremony I doubled the “Sin Sod” discussed without telling anyone, causing quit a stir. I am not a material person and know that, “Nam-jai”, Charma,Character is more important, its just money. Dad tried to return it afterwards and I told him if he didn’t want it, to give it to his mom (ยาย), his daughter was in good hands. I Love my Thai wife, and I Love the Thai life.
Gerald thanks for that wonderful story, it’s one of the best I have heard in some time. You sound like a great guy and I think your wife and family are lucky to have you in their lives.
All the best to you!
I would like to wish all ex-pats and their families and all Thai
people a Warm and Happy New Year.
Ray & Ott Fisher
Thanks to Golf & Steve for this format and the recipe’s.
Thankyou i almost made a big mistake. Your info was invaluable
I adore Thailand , and will live there But i have honour . I am not a seedy old Farang.
Hi Steve and Golf, I have just found your site, nice to meet you both and it is great to hear such good information and some great stories to read. I’m here with my wife (thai) and our 4 sons, living in Bangkok as I still working, but with the desire to move out to Isaan when we can.
Cheers
Chris
I met my wife on Match.com . I was just tooling around on the site and found I could see ladies in other countries. I thought wow wonder what the ladies look like in Thailand . I msged the first lady I saw online thinking I doubt I ll get a responce . 5 minutes later a HI came back . To make a very long story short 7 years later . I am married to that same woman and living in Chiang mai.
Life is good here , I know from talking to other not everyone is as lucky as I have been …
That is a really amazing story and the two of you are very fortunate to have “bumped” into each other.
Hi Steve and Golf,
I found your site through TV, and enjoy reading it. I have a 7 month old son and I hope that he’s able to stay with me this summer on Cape Cod. Do you have any idea how difficult it might be for his Mom to get a tourist visa? We probably won’t marry. Twice for me already.
I’d be interested in reading about life with your luksow narak.
steve, i had a same-same-but-different story how i met my wife. it was online, but not thru match sites. i had been to thailand 4 or 5 times and was going back. i wanted to meet native people before i went, not just touristed thai’s. i was going to cambodia and vietnam that trip so i want to meet people there. i searched thru the directories of yahoo, aol, ICQ and would message people. if i got ???? back- no english. so i created a screen name of “speakerofenglish” and i did better with that. over the course of a couple of months, i was messaging with several people in each country. it worked out that when i was going to be there, Tok (my now wife) was going home to her village for new years and i could meet her at the bus station in bangkok. perfect! a trip to the country and village life. she was one of several people i chatted with in thailand. our conversations were pretty platonic, i wasn’t looking for a girlfriend, just friends. but when i met her in person, and spent a few days with her in lomsak, i really really liked her. i called her at her job in chantiburi and we spent another weekend together, then on to a week in phuket (two weeks after the tsunami) and i was committed. i also met a guy in cambodia and got together with him, and a young guy in saigon and met him also on that trip. but meeting tok changed my life. i posted a short version of the story http://thaikarl.blogspot.com/2006/01/how-i-met-tok.html and another post about my asking her to marry me: http://thaikarl.blogspot.com/2007/07/070706-thaikarl-lucky-like-moon.html
amazing thailand!!!!
It was great hearing from you and learning that Wanwisa has made an honest man of you. Congratulations to the both of you!
Your words brought back memories of my own wedding where we too had over 300 guests and I spent two days practicing my wedding speech in an effort to improve my abominable pronunciation of Thai. Even though the speech was nothing to write home about it was so well received by everyone and brought tears to more than a few eyes. I’m sure yours will go just as well and will be just as appreciated by both family and guests.
Both Phuket and the Similans are absolutely beautiful and the perfect honeymoon spot. Not sure where you are staying in Phuket, but Golf and I both enjoyed our time at Mom Tri’s on Kata beach enormously. Just quiet and secluded enough, but still a bit of nightlife…and the staff there was amazing. I hope your hotel is as good or better.
I can’t wait to see the photos and hear about your thoughts of the wedding ceremony. Merry Christmas to you and yours and again a hearty congratulations!
Hey Steve,
It is me.
Today is my big day. I am writing you from Phattalung Province and I will be marrying my girl Wanwisa tomorrow. I could not be happier. We will spend our honeymoon close to Phuket. We will travel and stay out at The Similian Islands. She planned the whole wedding and honeymoon. We took photos for album also. She is planning on over 300 guests. I am practicing my thank you speech for being part of our happy wedding. I am very confident that I found a winner here in Thailand. Thanks for your website and writing. It had alot to do with allowing me to be comfortable and go online to meet this girl. We both thank you.
I will keep in touch and when it is all over will send you some picts for your enjoyment.
Happy Guy in Thailand!!!
Adchara and Steve, I just wanted to stop by and say ‘Hi!’ I really enjoyed reading how you two met, and how your relationship blossomed.
I had no idea that there were wonderful sites such as Thailovelinks.com. And after your explanation, I will be sure to send some dear friends that way (I have a few in mind
Anyway, happy holidays! I hope you aren’t too snowed in (just enough to be cozy, but not uncomfortable).
Catherine
Hi Catherine,
Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave a comment. Hope you keep reading in the future about our ongoing “adventures” together.
Yes, Thailovelinks.com really is a great site, not just for Golf and I. I have received many emails from guys that have met their wives and girlfriends there and Golf knows several of her Thai girlfriends that found love there.
It’s now looking like more than a cozy snow…reports are calling for as much as 25cm of snow! Not bad if you’re in Alaska, but a load of snow for here.