Chalerm came home around 8pm on the evening I was leaving for Farangland. He didn’t say hello and he went right to bed.
I was at the computer. I didn’t try to follow him or engange him in conversation. When I looked 20 minutes later he was asleep.
I woke Chalerm at 10pm saying it was time to go. Did he want to go to the airport or not? No clear answer. I asked him how much money he needed while I was away. No clear answer to that either. I said I had to know. Chalerm took a piece of paper and began calculating.
Two minutes later the paper was on the table in the living room. It said 3,000 baht for his family (monthly support), 2,000 x 2 for Chalerm (weekly allowance), 1,000 for books, 1,700 for the dentist (incl transport), 2,000 for new school uniform and shoes. Total 11,700 baht.
As we walked down the soi I said I didn’t have enough cash as I had withdrawn only 10,000 from the ATM. Either we had to get more at the 7-Eleven or (if he came with me) at the airport. A taxi came by before we reached the 7-Eleven and Chalerm hailed it.
The mood in the back of the taxi was sullen. Chalerm sat with his arms crossed and didn’t say anything unless I asked him something first. Yes, school would start again.
- Why did you say you had no more classes for months?
- Have classes now.
- Have you worked while I was in Malaysia?
- Not work.
- Did the office pay you while I was away?
- Pay 7,000 baht.
- What did you do with the money?
- Pay laptop computer.
- You paid off everything, no more loan?
- Yes.
- Do you have exam results from the university?
- Have.
- I want to see them when I come back, please.
- Can.
Then we sat in silence for a while, till I said:
- You talk too much.
Chalerm gave me a strange look and I said:
- Kidding!
He didn’t like that.
At the airport Chalerm got looks from the Thais and I got looks from the farangs. I got the money and gave it to Chalerm. He said “khap khun khaa” and smiled.
We sat in silence for a while. Then I kissed him on the cheek (causing more looks from strangers) and said goodbye. We waved a couple of times and then I entered the Immigration zone.
Tags: gay Thailand, Thai boy
June 7th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Hi SF! I’m a frequent visitor to your blog and I like the posts about you and chelerm. I’m just wondering if chalerm is always acting cold towards you. Does he still show any affection for you? From your posts it seems to me like he’s not showing any love. Is there any romance left between the two of you? Just curious. Cheers!
June 7th, 2008 at 11:26 am
Sorry to have to have to say this, but it’s over.
June 7th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Aww! Cute!
June 7th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
What a sad situation,especially when you are leaving for farangland, that he should act this way. Money seems to be a very important factor. I wouldn’t accept being treated this way, especially when there are many that would appreciate you much more than him.
June 7th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
I have been reading about your life and relationship in Thailand for a long time. I’m in a relationship with a younger thai boy too, and I understand exactly what is going on with you and Chalerm.
Money is a part of this relationship, that’s what we can’t deny. But that’s pretty understandable, as we “farangs” got some money, our thai boyfriends normally don’t have anything.
As long as you can also feel some love from your boyfriend, it’s acceptable. If not, it’s probably time to think everything over.
I’m also kind of a father figure for my boyfriend Chanon, but he shows me every day that he loves me.
I hope, you will get back that feeling too. All the best for you and Chalerm.
June 8th, 2008 at 12:39 am
He just in one of those Thai moods…I have to shake it out my BF, then he is back to loving again. Usually by tickling him and making fun.
June 8th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Oh get rid of him, save your money Bangkok is an ocean filled with minnows - there’s plenty more fish in this sea.
I hope everything is OK when you return to this city of angels with black wings.
June 9th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
I share the majority of opinions on ambigues type of your relationship. Is it still about love or just only about money….
I’m Polish and my partner is Polish too. We travel a lot, sometimes apart but during that 6 years our affections is growing on but airport farewell is very very emotive.
I couldn’t stand such relationship as you still do.
June 10th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
“Sorry to have to have to say this, but it’s over.”
“Oh get rid of him”
I have been telling Silom this for some time now, he does not listen. I tell my BF the Chalerm stories and after he gradually realizes that I am not talking about him in an indirect way, he agrees times up for this relationship.
June 11th, 2008 at 12:53 am
Mmm… everyone else seems to have had their say here’s MY two-peneth. (Late as usual)
I think it’s probably right that the romance is over.
However, as a warm human being Silom feels a duty to continue to try and support Chalerm at least until his studies are finished, or until they both actually SAY it’s all over and they jointly agree to part. Then Silom will feel his ‘fatherly’ duty is done and he is free to move on.
Chalerm of course needs Silom. He needs a home and the support with his studies and other things material.
I suspect Chalerm is probably also jealous of this blog and the neverending search for photos of cuties that Silom has to find to satisfy our feeding frenzy. That probably doesn’t help.
So there ya go… yet another opinion from a distance - and reading between the lines as always.
Jeez I hope we’re all wrong and they sort it out!
June 15th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
I had to laugh when I was reading about your conversation in the taxi
I know these situations very good, I also have a younger thai boyfriend.
But my experience says, that it is really a special “thai mood”. Some hours later everything is ok again.
And what belongs to the money thing: It is often a part of a relationship between thais and farangs. And it is ok as long as there is love also. Thais sometimes feel more practical than farangs