Nathan, a 50-year-old New Zealander, coordinates Thai fruit exports to China along the Mekong from the port of Chiang Saen, in the Golden Triangle. Orn, who's managed the port logistics for fifteen years, becomes something more than a work colleague.
Alex, a 45-year-old British illustrator, visits Chiang Rai's White Temple on holiday. Bua, a guide and assistant at the associated gallery, notices his sketches. Five years later, Alex exhibits his own work in the city.
Sam, a 39-year-old Canadian coffee buyer, travels to Chiang Rai to negotiate with a cooperative in the Doi Chang mountains. Kaew, the quality-control manager, corrects him on a lot he thought was good. Eight years later they're still cupping coffee together, now as a married couple.
Liam, a 29-year-old Irish backpacker with no fixed plan, gets stranded outside Korat when his motorbike breaks down next to a noodle stall. Nan, the 24-year-old owner, feeds him without asking. Ten years later they're still together, running the same stall.
Frank, a 58-year-old American veteran, works as a civilian contractor coordinating joint military exercises in Korat, home to one of the Thai army's largest bases. Gift, the base's liaison official, becomes far more than an administrative contact.
Erik, a 44-year-old Dutch civil engineer, arrives in Nakhon Ratchasima for an eighteen-month contract on the high-speed rail project. He meets Mint, the project's liaison engineer and translator, and eighteen months turns into six years.
Daniel, a 35-year-old British teacher, moves from Bangkok to a bilingual school in Udon Thani. He ends up sharing a staffroom desk with Waan, a social studies teacher, by pure furniture chance. Two years later, he turns down a promotion in Bangkok for her.
Peter, a 62-year-old Australian, travels to Udon Thani to have hip surgery at a private hospital, avoiding the long public waiting list back home. Ploy, the head nurse on his ward, becomes far more than his carer during recovery.
Robert, a 58-year-old American, travels to Udon Thani after his father's death, an air force mechanic once stationed at the old Udorn base during the Vietnam War, looking for traces of a life his father never talked about. Nid, a local researcher, helps him trace temple records, and something more grows along the way.
Tom, a 34-year-old Welshman, takes three months' unpaid leave to climb at Railay, in Krabi. He falls for Fon, the Thai instructor running the climbing school, and five years later he's still there, making a living from climbing instead of accounting.
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