'If Truth Be Told': commentary, not sales job ...

[Smiles]

The other thread about this book has now slipped into a slanging match (gee, how unusual) between others and the original poster who was ~ as he said himself ~ flogging it, not necessarily recommending it.

But the book itself does not deserve that fate, so I shall attempt to resuscitate the topic by actually recommending it as a book that most of you would enjoy very much. It's fairly slim (242 pages) group of short stories, all with a vaguely related common thread: things which happen to gay farangs during their long-term or short-stays in Thailand. It's not all-about-sex, though desire pops it's head up frequently. It's not a travelogue, though one at all times knows one is in a Special Place, definitely not like their home town.


Some background:

Some years ago now the gay Thailand message boards (and I'm talking mainly about the original Dreaded Ned, the later PattayaGay, and the early Sawatdee Forum) were of a rather different ilk. Mostly ~ for me at any rate ~ that difference was that many posters wrote great longish stories about their experiences in Thailand. They were full of wonky observations of gay Thailand, fleshed out into diaries of experience which were written down on the Board for no other reason than to let other folks into their version of a Strange Land. Whether others agreed or disagreed, these stories stood on their own as one person's shared journey. Mostly, this sharing was appreciated.

It's hard to forget Charles's (Brad the Impala) long and fascinating description of his boyfriend becoming a monk. Smiles (himself) wrote long-winded (loving) stories about banging along country roads in rickety buses, motorbiking along the banks of the Mekong, and the sublime and quiet ruins at Muang Tam or Whihan. PeterUK filled the old Boards with memorable observations about Thai boys' 'to-fart-or-not-to-fart', snooker playing, and small Thailand snippets expanded into moral quandaries. Dodger helped us out quite often with his sex stories ... described in a detail only he would proffer to the Board's genteel sensibilities, yet which delighted our own senses of glory-in-raunch (not that we would ever put such things on post). And quite a few others, most long gone.

The Boards hardly have this kind of writing any more, and for me that has always seemed a great shame. The Boards are different now, and although still vibrant, they are so for different reasons and different tones. Now, when exposed, a naive-yet-not-foolish joi de vivre is often denigrated, rather than luxuriated in . . . and so folks stop posting the stuff that may well receive ridicule rather than enjoyment. It's unfortunate.


But . . . a saving grace: One of the Board's best writers & contributors has written 'If Truth Be Told'.

Some of the stories ~ or at least part of the experiences ~ in this book were in fact offered as posts on PattayaGay or Sawatdee. To those of you who were part of the original Dreaded Ned board (crazy place it was!) . . . do you remember the poster "Rick" who's modus operandi when taking guys off from a gogo bar was to investigate their butts by flashlight before making The Deal? 'Rick' received great disparagement on Dreaded Ned for such behavior ( I think he was a troll, just egging on the crowd ~ and doing well ), and the howls of horror rang high. Well that poster's distasteful predilection finds it's way into the short story "Flashlight Karl" in this book. The author takes the bare bones and runs with it, and ends up with a picture of the man (Rick/Karl) which we can laugh at, feel sorry for, and ~ in the end (so to speak :cyclops: ) ~ enjoy his final discomfort.

And yes, Smiles (himself) is in there ( " ... after that first visit, David, a crop-haired, compact, round-eyed Canadian in his mid-fifties, who had retired to Bangkok to live with his Thai boyfriend . . . " ) . . . much to my round-eyed horror when I read the story "Elephant Madness". "Compact"? Maybe you'll find yourself sneaked into sentences, or morphed into a paragraph about the behavior of customers in Thai GoGo bars.

Peter has a way with the ambiguous ending which may seem unsatisfying for those who like their stories wound up tightly at the end, but in fact life is just like that . . . all ambiguity at every turn of the corner . . . all options, rather than certainty.
His stories are all about acute observation, and you will recognize many of the situations, and certainly many of the feelings.


So ~ whatever you want to pay, go out a buy this book. Take it down to the beach an slip quietly into Peter's World . . . and recognize many of the feelings and frustrations, and joy, and disappointments inherent "in the life" in the back alleys, snooker hall, gogo bars, and Umbrella Days of gay Thailand.
(And . . . regret that folks on these Boards don't post personal experiences and stories much any more.)

Here's a scan of the books front cover you would be looking for if you want to purchase the book. I hope Peter will read this and post a reply to this thread about the exact locations it is available. My copy (kindly sent to me here in Canada by the author) has a price of 395 baht clearly stamped on the back cover.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v18/sawatdeephotos/book1.jpg


Cheers ...

[Brad the Impala]

The author sent you a copy indeed! All he sent me was, what I thought at the time was, a generous offer to give me a copy if I bumped into him in Thailand! Now that offer seems less generous, if they are being sent all over the world gratis! Seriously i look forward to purchasing and enjoying Peter's prose, so do tell us again where and how, and preferably not second hand!

Have to agree with Smiles about the now past pleasures of poster's own experiences, told with humour and insight. Perhaps the days of such posts will come again. In the meantime this book will hopefully fill that void, although Dodger's posts are still enjoyable. We live in hope.

For anyone interested the ex monk and I are still together. He puts me in my place better bthan anyone has ever done in my life. it's a tough job, but somebody has to do it. I have just posted our experience on the Budapest Gay Parade in the elephant's graveyard forum aka "Any Other Country".

[Brad the Impala]

It may be the vodkas, but........................there's been a lot of slime smeared over Smiles, in the last year or two, but some of his self mocking and sincere posts about his relationship with Pot have touched me greatly, not that I would ever tell him that. They have had great resonance with my own experiences in a relationship with a Thai guy. I particularly remember Smiles' story of getting stressed in a taxi journey with Pot to catch a train from Hua Lampong, and how Pot mocked the stress, by pointing out that they might be there in time and they might not be, it depended on "which way the ball bounces".

I have just returned from a long weekend with my bf in Lake Balaton, Hungary, for which, contrary to every instinct in my body, I was persuaded that it wasn't necessary to decide on and book a hotel in advance, but agreed just to turn up and drive round to find somewhere we liked. After visiting five Hotels that were fully booked, my lips started to purse, and he could tell that big blame was coming. But then we found a hotel that was perfect, and had a vacancy, and I would never have chosen it if booking in advance! And the lips smiled at his prescience. Hotel Park in Sofiak if interested.

[Smiles]

" ... They have had great resonance with my own experiences in a relationship with a Thai guy. I particularly remember Smiles' story of getting stressed in a taxi journey with Pot to catch a train from Hua Lampong, and how Pot mocked the stress, by pointing out that they might be there in time and they might not be, it depended on "which way the ball bounces ... "
I remember that, but you leave out the most important part (and it was Ban Sue Station, not Hualampong) . . . that is to say, we ended up missing that train to Chiang Mai, and it was all his fault!. We missed it because he insisted on sitting, waiting for the train on the wrong side of the station.

The train was late (because we missed it!) and I ended asking him rather quietly whether it's possible we were sitting on the wrong side of the station (I was a Thailand newbie at the time, and knew nothing). He poo-pooed that knowingly and we sat waiting ... and waiting ... and waiting.
Finally I got sick of it and asked him to go and check. Of course he came back all sheepish, head hanging low. He looked at me with those big sexy brown eyes and said " ... train missed us ... " Missed US??!!
That's about the time my mind boggled. :cherry:

Going back to the hotel (there's only one daily train to Chiang Mai) I was very silent and pissed off and he looked over at me and said " ... you know Dawit, we cannot do anything, cannot run after train ... ". (Translation: suck it up Bud!!! We'll catch it tomorrow! Let's go have some fun . . . and we did).

Cheers ...

[Wesley]

there is nothing quite like either of you two. Both you and Dodger have brought many~ Smiles~ to my face. thank you for sharing a part of your liffe with others. stores like on PG and Sawatadee were what first brought me to Thailand; thanks again Guys for sharing your life experiences ... mine has been the better for them.

Wesley

.... He looked at me with those big sexy brown eyes and said " ... train missed us ... " Missed US??!!
That's about the time my mind boggled. :cherry:

Going back to the hotel (there's only one daily train to Chiang Mai) I was very silent and pissed off and he looked over at me and said " ... you know Dawit, we cannot do anything, cannot run after train ... ".....

:laughing3: I LOVE it! If that doesn't tell you worlds about Thai attitudes and customs I don't know what would.

How can you stay mad at them?

I've gotten into a few tiffs with BF and in the end he always makes me feel foolish for getting all worked up.

[Smiles]

" ... I LOVE it! If that doesn't tell you worlds about Thai attitudes and customs I don't know what would.
How can you stay mad at them? ... "
Indeed. Over the years I've got a million of 'em: the "Waiting-between-train-car" story; the "Why-not-2nd-floor?" story; the "Where-Golden-Buddha?" story; the "I'm-sick-of-you-staying-cool-in-this-heat" story; the "Maybe-I-not-love-you-anymore" story; the "Take-your-head-outta-that-crocodile's-mouth" story; the "Please-ask-her-not-to-dry-the-shirts-on-hot" (she did anyway!!) story and on and on and on.
And not a Sick Buffalo, Sick Mama, Gold Chain, Need Motorcy tale (etc etc etc) among them.

The trials of a farang/Thai guy love affair keeps on keeping on. Enough to fill a book by now . . . but looks like Khun Peter beat me to it. As well, he's much better writer.

Cheers ...

... it would not be better titled "An inconvenient truth Thai-style"?

[piston10]

I loved "train missed us", and it stayed in my mind for some time. But I'm a boring old fart and have to go and spoil everything. It seems to me an example of what Thais often do when they know most of the words for what they want to say but are not fully sure of what the right order should be. They throw them all in and leave you to do the sorting out. This relates to the fact that Thai word order can be very different from English word order, which creates as much of a problem for them as it does for us. All the important facts are there - miss-train-us - and notice that if Suphot had happened to use that order you'd have taken it as a simple and ordinary statement. Also, he may have thought that "miss" could mean "go without" - which, in a sense it does! I have the feeling that some of the things we take as the oddities and quaintness of Thai responses should be put down to language problems. But, happily, not all! That would take too much interest out of life!

However, "Cannot run after train", as an attitude to having missed it, is the real thing!

[PeterUK]

Thanks for the very kind comments, Smiles. I'm glad you enjoyed the book - well, most of it anyway (please don't lose any more sleep over that harmless little word 'compact'; think of it as meaning 'neatly put together' in this context!) Your 'background' comments remind me that, for better or worse, my book of stories would probably never have appeared but for the advent of internet message boards. They awakened in me a long-dormant interest in creative writing. Encouragement from other posters, yourself included, helped a lot.

Are there fewer personal reminiscences on the gay boards these days? Maybe, but I certainly don't look back to some 'golden age' when literary gems abounded. For me the boards have ALWAYS been about hacking through the bitchery and dross to get to the good stuff. In view of the nature of the internet, I doubt whether that situation will change much.

Regarding availability of my book, it's easily obtained within Thailand. All the English-language bookshop chains stock it, as well as a few independent shops like the Suriwong Book Centre in Chiang Mai. For those in Pattaya reluctant to tear themselves away from the cafe society of Sunee Plaza, Mim of NS Travel (opposite Jimmy bar) always has a few copies. Anyone living outside Thailand can mail-order a copy from the Spice magazine website (www.spicemag.net (http://www.spicemag.net)).

[Brad the Impala]

Thanks Wesley for your comments. It is good to think that by telling stories of our human experiences, rather than purely sexual ones, it encouraged someone else to reach out beyond the bodily functions. I think that used to be my point, to balance the "we are just ATMs/fuck 'em and forget 'em" point of view, when that view swamps a forum, with the reality of my own experience, and I've covered the waterfront in my time too, and still do, only now we do it together.

[Brad the Impala]

I loved "train missed us", and it stayed in my mind for some time. But I'm a boring old fart and have to go and spoil everything. It seems to me an example of what Thais often do when they know most of the words for what they want to say but are not fully sure of what the right order should be. They throw them all in and leave you to do the sorting out. This relates to the fact that Thai word order can be very different from English word order, which creates as much of a problem for them as it does for us. All the important facts are there - miss-train-us - and notice that if Suphot had happened to use that order you'd have taken it as a simple and ordinary statement. Also, he may have thought that "miss" could mean "go without" - which, in a sense it does! I have the feeling that some of the things we take as the oddities and quaintness of Thai responses should be put down to language problems. But, happily, not all! That would take too much interest out of life!

However, "Cannot run after train", as an attitude to having missed it, is the real thing!

You may be right Piston. However I prefer to think that by having the "train missed us", it places the responsibility on the inanimate train, rather than on "us", the humans, and therefore the "us" should not blame ourselves and get stressed in so doing, because the train left without us!

[piston10]

Equally, you may be right! Your explanation is much more interesting, I have to admit - a nice little analysis! We shall never know, of course. Just have to keep our ears open for a few more examples. (Sorry, PeterUK, for diverting the thread from your marvellous stories!)

[Smiles]

" ... by having the "train missed us", it places the responsibility on the inanimate train, rather than on "us", the humans ... "
Those were essentially my thoughts as well. The blame placed on the "inanimate object" saves face for all concerned ... but mostly his own! :blackeye: (Just a question whether this ploy will work for the farang. Thais aleady know it will be accepted by other Thais). Subsequently, I lost face by getting angry in the taxi, instead of also putting blame the train!! Will I never learn? :cyclops:
Love it!

And Piston, you're right . . . Peter's book has been somewhat lost down here at the bottom. Always the way on Sawatdee's threads.

Cheers ...

" ... by having the "train missed us", it places the responsibility on the inanimate train, rather than on "us", the humans ... "
Those were essentially my thoughts as well. The blame placed on the "inanimate object" saves face for all concerned ... but mostly his own! :blackeye: (Just a question whether this ploy will work for the farang. Thais aleady know it will be accepted by other Thais). Love it!

And Piston, you're right . . . Peter's book has been somewhat lost down here at the bottom. Always the way on Sawatdee's threads.

Cheers ...

Smiles,

How about, "I think I've broke a finger on my foot" and "he broke his arm, but not at the ankle" Farang /Thai speakers will understand these two!

[piston10]

Now don't go acting all innocent! YOU started the slide downhill. I would NEVER have dreamed of posting off topic if I hadn't been tempted and seduced by you a little higher up. (Sorry, that needs rethinking, but time is pressing.)

[PeterUK]

As, by common consent, the poor, suffering victim of all this off-topic tomfoolery, let me just say that... I don't mind at all since a) I have often been guilty of the same heinous crime myself and b) I have now been given an excuse to bump this thread back to the top of the board.

As, by common consent, the poor, suffering victim of all this off-topic tomfoolery, let me just say that... I don't mind at all since a) I have often been guilty of the same heinous crime myself and b) I have now been given an excuse to bump this thread back to the top of the board.

I'll bump it up PeterUK,

As wowpow refers to me as Topic twister Quill. Why change my habits!

[x in pattaya]

The other thread about this book has now slipped into a slanging match (gee, how unusual) between others and the original poster who was ~ as he said himself ~ flogging it, not necessarily recommending it.




Want to impress the na├пve? No matter how silly, trite, puerile the drivel youтАЩve written, you can get it тАЬpublished.тАЭ

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Vanity and vanity publishing



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Vanity publishers stay in business because vain people are willing to spend money to flatter themselves. A vanity publisher depends on the vanity of writers who strive to become тАЬpublished authors.тАЭ They make most of their money from writers, not readers. If you work with a vanity publisher, you pay all of the expenses of publishing, and have all of the risks and all of the loss.

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If youтАЩve got the ego, then get on down to Craftsman Press!

If truth be told : and other twaddle of Thailand / Peter Murrell
by Murrell, Peter
Published Bangkok : Craftsman Press, 2007


Craftsman Press487/42 Soi Wattanasilp Rajprarop Road Makkasan, 10400 Rajthevee, Bangkok


Our Products & Service Areas
Printers & Printing Services - Printers' Equipment - Printers' Services - Printers' Supplies - Printing Service

[Bob]

Resurrecting a 9-month old posting just to tweak one of your latest favorite targets. For somebody who asserts he's so experienced and sophisticated, you behave like a child.

One of the real pleasures of reading this board over the years has been contributorтАЩs stories. Some extremely well written but almost all, for me at least, have been interesting, enlightening and enjoyable reading.

But my favourite story teller has been PeterUK. I look forward very much to reading your book.

PublisherтАЩs requirements these days are very demanding. Usually the criteria boils down to a cold hard commercial decision. Travelogues and the like, no matter how interesting, are no longer in vogue despite what readers may think or want.

Over the years I have been intrigued by the literary talents of posters on this board. I have been fascinated and often moved by the stories. I feel there is a good chance a publisher would seriously consider a book compiled from the stories that have been posted on this forum. With the approval of the contributors of items selected I believe a publisher, like Maverick House, would seriously consider a compilation of items that would not only appeal to a gay market but a much wider sphere.

I know there are contributors who have time on their hands and certainly have the ability to work together to make this a reality, with profits donated to HIV research or other worthy charities.

Just a thought!

[Smiles]

This thread was resurrected from quite a long time ago . . . mostly out of ~ it seems ~ a kernel of mean-spiritedness deep within Mr X's persona.

However, any advertising is good advertising as they say, and I'm kind of glad it has been brought forward again, if only to bring attention to Peter's book ... which is certainly good enough and interesting enough to deserve a read by anyone who regularly prowls these gay Thailand message boards.
Peter was kind enough to give me a copy a few years ago, and at the time told me the story of his experiences and his troubles with getting the thing published in the first place. Far from vanity being the driver, it was more akin to pure persistence against the tide.

[krobbie]

And I'll bump it also as now I am going to have to do a search to see where I can buy said book.

Nothing I like more than a good read.

Cheers
krobbie

[bao-bao]

Phil at Spice magazine sold me a copy a year or so ago and mailed it here to me stateside. I would suppose if you emailed him you could still do the same - perhaps Peter could shed more light on this. The Spice site is: http://spicemag.net/ - check the contact page.

It's an entertaining read that I also recommend, for what it's worth! :cheers:

Hope you sell a few more now, Peter. Good to see the thread revived as a reminder.