"Khrap. Sabai dee" Nawin said.
"This is Nawin Biadklang, a nice enough Thai, I suppose," said the Laotian to his sister. "Last night I gave him a beer that put him to sleep like a baby, but those ferocious socks of his roared on through the night stinking up the entire train. Still there isn't much point in detesting a man for his stink especially when I have to ride with him and he seems a good enough man even if he is Thai."
"Thank you for the meal, said the woman as she gave him the prayerful gesture of the wai."
"Mai pen rai" said Nawin with a returned gesture, a broad smile, and a few seconds of sustained eye contact.
"Don't mind my brother. He likes you or he wouldn't keep talking to you."
"I like a bit of bantering. It has made the trip less monotonous." He said this but in considering his time in the toilet it was a vast understatement.
"He tells it the way he sees it."
"Good. I like that sometimes—all the time really, as long as it is in limits—not stuck on the bad which is vicious nor on the good to obtain an advantage. Then I guess it is fine—fine for me. Did you came in at the last stop."
"Two or three back. Udom Thani. I was working in a women's garment factory there. Siam Pooying. Have you heard of it?"
"No."