Category Archives: farangs

In Honor of Lassitude

Written Sept. 1, 2013 Back in 2008 the BBC broadcast a story about a Bogota Museum honoring laziness with a week-long exhibition dedicated to a deeper understanding of lethargy. At last lassitude has achieved respect by intellectuals who too often have downplayed its importance to human existence. Throughout the 80s and 90s my Sundays were […]

Dr. Quack’s At Your Service

While living in Pattaya during the 00s, I ate a few farang restaurants; Scoby’s Pizza on Sai 3, Cap Breton on Soi Concrete, Toscana on Beach Road, and my favorite Big Al?s Taco Stand. I’ve been partial to South of the Border cooking ever since discovering its culinary values at the El Phoenix Lounge on […]

Mad Dogs And Farangs

Several hot seasons ago I met Jamie Parker at a bar on Soi Concrete. I wasn’t going to my old local. The owner had stiffed Nick Von Reiter for $5000. I had fought him on Soi 6, actually the brawl was two punches with the keys in my fist. At my age there is no […]

Like Father Like Son 2008

Fenway took a fall in the bathroom. Lots of blood. 8 stitches. No longer perfect. Everyone says his mother beat him. Mam would never touch him. Me maybe, but like father like son. My black eye is from a street fight in Pattaya. “It was a good fight, ma, but I lost.” In fact I […]

TO LIVE AND DIE IN PATTAYA by Peter Nolan Smith

Pattaya isn’t what it used to be in the 90s or 80s. The coconut plantations have been replaced by luxury villas. Interpol and the Thai Police hunt down fugitives and the Russians have taken over the hills, so three summers ago I moved north to Sri Racha with my son Fenway and his mom. The […]