Some Thai friends had been in contact with me on Facebook and they invited me to a get together in Nang Rong. I'm sure they're nice people.  The guy I already knew was the defacto translator but it later turned out he had ulterior motives, and his information was not forthcoming.

I got talking to another older guy Tommy about the ins and outs of Thai visa runs, he is that quintessential older farang who teaches English in the rural Isaan regions with a Thai wife. He was probably in his mid to late 70s I would guess. Anyways he was super entertaining to say the least. Also found out his wife doesn't speak English and he doesn't speak Thai.  In his words, "When she's mad at me I don't know what she's saying."  If only we were all so lucky.

Well later it turns out that everyone wanted me to put on a show.  Why else would they have summoned this white guy farang over to some town in the middle of nowhere.   That show consisted of me belting out tunes on the mic, drumming, dancing, and general entertainment. But after about the 6th rendition of Guns and Roses "Sweet child of mine" I was about ready to shoot somebody. I found a creative way to exit the stage and sat back for a water break. Oh it wasn't over yet. The lead translator guy said let's go for dinner, and he discussed the idea of tomorrow we'll go to see the Phanom Rung Historical Park as well as show me some land for sale. It sounded alright and despite how I was getting tired on my rest day (despite no actual cycling), I figured will give it a go.

But then he dropped a bomb. Out of the blue he wanted me to give him some money.  This was starting to sound eerily familiar, like the guys I met last year at the Toyota shop near Udon Thani and the boss said that his workers were poor simpletons who needed money.  It was rather insulting as they're just treating me as an entertainment show and a walking ATM.  Why weren't they paying me for the show?  I found a chance to tell him in no uncertain terms that I was insulted by him asking me for money, and then he tried to walk it back with "No, that's not what I mean" he said, "I mean, can you pay for our dinner?"

Like Trump trying to walk back his 'would' with a 'wouldn't', I wasn't convinced. Out of politeness I said I'd pay for dinner, I even told him "Yes of course, I was going to do that all along." Then later he managed to walk it back again and said "If you feel like donating here is a bank account number you can do a transfer."  He wouldn't stop badgering me on facebook messenger to meet up tomorrow and now I have no choice but to make another pre-dawn early escape first thing in the morning.