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thread 1/20
Ok you asked for it.
When I was in the Navy, I went to Thailand twice. The first time to Phuket. The second time to Pattaya. Prostitution was rampant. I was simultaneously having the time of my life, while also hating my life. If you haven't served, you wouldn't understand.
Laura, The Invisible Spoutan®️ @Canyonsfan
10:32 PM - Apr 05, 2024
11:27 PM - Apr 05, 2024
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Whoa! ?
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thread 2/20
At this time, I was single, I lived on the ship. I had a new truck, but otherwise no real bills or responsibilities (off the ship). I usually had $100 per paycheck go to the ATM on the ship. Everything else went to my accounts "back home."
11:30 PM - Apr 05, 2024
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thread 3/20
I mostly stuck to that. I occasionally would draw some money from my back home account if I wanted to hit the bar more than two nights in a two week period
Or when we were on deployment, I might pull out some extra cash to have fun in port. Mostly I saved a lot of money.
11:32 PM - Apr 05, 2024
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When we in Thailand on my second deployment, my second time in the country, I really went wild. Spent about $700 in 4 days. That was a lot of money in the mid 90s in Thailand. Like the average annual salary of most people in Thailand. LOL. They must have thought I was super wealthy.
11:34 PM - Apr 05, 2024
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thread 5/20
I mostly spent my money on beer, including buying drinks for my Shipmates, hotels, a sightseeing tour or two and occasionally women.
11:35 PM - Apr 05, 2024
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Allow me to backtrack a little. On my first trip, one night a buddy of mine and I were drinking at this bar and I had already bartered to get my beer prices down to the equivalent of about 30¢ a beer.
11:37 PM - Apr 05, 2024
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thread 7/20
My friend and I were having such a great time, I asked the mama san, "how much for the whole bar for the night?" She looked at me like I was crazy and said, "the whole bar? All night? You can't afford it."
11:39 PM - Apr 05, 2024
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thread 8/20
I said, try me. She said something like 40,000 baht (don't hold me to the exact numbers, it was 30 years ago). At the time, that was something like $100 American. I pulled out a big wad of cash and slapped it down on the bar and said, "done."
11:41 PM - Apr 05, 2024
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thread 9/20
Now remember, this was only a one night deal. But she accepted. She took my money, counted it up. Took her purse, with the bar's money, and left. We had the bar for the night. When I saw other Shipmates wandering around (all the bars were these open huts), I invited them over and gave them...
11:44 PM - Apr 05, 2024
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thread 10/20
drinks on the house. We stood up on the bar and sang karaoke and just generally had a great time. We finally left the bar sometime around 4 AM and stumbled off to our hotels.
11:45 PM - Apr 05, 2024
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thread 11/20
Fast forward about a year and I'm on my 2nd deployment, back in Thailand. My previous experience in Thailand still fresh in my memory.
11:46 PM - Apr 05, 2024
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This is the part where I remind you that I also hated my life at this time. My immediate supervisor was a giant ass. Every time I made rank, so did he. So he stayed my immediate supervisor the whole time I was in.
11:47 PM - Apr 05, 2024
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thread 13/20
He and I nearly came to blows many times. So onday on my last, or maybe it was my second to last day in Thailand I was walking down this street and I walked past a building with a for sale sign in the window.
11:49 PM - Apr 05, 2024
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thread 14/20
I peeked in to a two story bar that was mostly empty. There were a couple of ladies dancing on a stage. One of two patrons sitting at a table in a dark corner. I sauntered over to the bar and inquired about the sign in the window.
11:51 PM - Apr 05, 2024
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thread 15/20
The gentleman (a man owned this bar, unusual for Thailand at the time) told me the bar was in fact for sale. I asked how much he wanted for it and we as told some outrageous number (like a million baht). But then I did the math in my head and realized it was only like $12 K American.
11:53 PM - Apr 05, 2024
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thread 16/20
I was like, "shiiiiiitt, I got more than that in my savings account right now." I started thinking about how I would run the business. I figured I would have an advantage knowing the usual clientele (sailors). I would have to go AWOL. I'd never be able to return to the states to see my family.
11:56 PM - Apr 05, 2024
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thread 17/20
Still, I thought long and hard about it. Trying to think about every aspect and anticipate any issues. I'd have to lay low for a few months until I knew my ship wasn't looking for me anymore. I'd let my hair grow out and a beard.
11:57 PM - Apr 05, 2024
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thread 18/20
In the end, I decided it wasn't worth not being able to travel back to the states to see my family. And the more I thought about it, the more obstacles I thought of. There would probably be red tape for me to buy the business as an American.
11:59 PM - Apr 05, 2024
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thread 19/20
I didn't really know anyone there that could help me navigate the red tape. I wouldn't have any income until I started making money from the business, which might take a while. Of course, I had more than I needed to buy the bar and could survive a while on my savings.
12:00 AM - Apr 06, 2024
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thread 20/20
In the end, I decided the cons outweighed the pros. I sauntered back to the ship before liberty ended. I still thought about possibly going back to Thailand after I got out. But my life took a different turn. That's how I almost bought a bar/brothel in Thailand.
12:02 AM - Apr 06, 2024
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Jacsmoore @
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In response to Whoa! ?.
Indeed! My husband had tales of Thailand from his misspent youth while serving in the Navy MCDK, Ret
03:29 PM - Apr 06, 2024
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Whoa! ?
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In response to Jacsmoore @.
Nice. I was an SH3 when I got out. Should have been an SH2, but I PNA'd (passed, not advanced) the test for 2nd class 4 times. One of the reasons I got out instead of re-upping.
03:42 PM - Apr 06, 2024
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Drea
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In response to Whoa! ?.
What a fabulous story!

*as I search commercial listings on Tenerife which is my ultimate dream.

What holds you back from trying something where you are? I saw the hint of age, but what else?
12:04 PM - Apr 06, 2024
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Whoa! ?
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In response to Drea.
I guess the right opportunity and timing. Our favorite bar ran into some trouble, but the owners divorced and the wife got the bar. It's gone downhill. That's not a dig on her. The pandemic was hard on the business and I don't think it's really recovered. The old clientele hasn't returned.
12:08 PM - Apr 06, 2024
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Carla Reid + Chilla
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In response to Whoa! ?.
A great story, thanks for sharing.
So many memories.
08:39 AM - Apr 06, 2024
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Whoa! ?
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In response to Carla Reid + Chilla.
Yeah. The old slogan was "It's not just a job, it's an adventure." I packed a lifetime of living into those 4 years.
10:51 AM - Apr 06, 2024
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Larry with an i
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In response to Whoa! ?.
You have lived.
05:14 AM - Apr 06, 2024
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Whoa! ?
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In response to Larry with an i.
I've certainly tried. When I was a teenager I watched The Doors movie with Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison. At one point he asks a crowd of people outside a show if any of them actually know they are alive. I've tried to live my life in a way that I knew I was alive.
10:42 AM - Apr 06, 2024 (Edited)
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Craig Tyler
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In response to Whoa! ?.
Thank you for this. I was in the Army and regretted I didn’t join the Navy. But you’re bringing back some very fond memories.
12:25 AM - Apr 06, 2024
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Whoa! ?
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In response to Craig Tyler.
You're welcome. I actually did a short stint (one year) in the Army National Guard - 1/160 Infantry out of San Diego after I got out of the Navy. I hated it. Such a different culture.
12:28 AM - Apr 06, 2024
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Blanche Davidian
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In response to Whoa! ?.
Got a 3 day pass to Bangkok in 70.....am sure I was an ugly American
11:49 PM - Apr 05, 2024
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