Man of the household (3, final)

More than 30 homes in the Thai community where they live were razed to the ground. Fire trucks were slow in arriving because streets leading to the community were too narrow to give them access.

In the end, they sprayed water at the houses from an expressway above the community.

Muay told me that they managed to get out only in the clothes they were wearing.

"We shall just have to start again," she said bravely.

At my workplace, senior staff started a charity appeal to help the family. Muay's husband and his younger brother are on the full-time staff there, as am I.

When they are not doing their main job there, they help at the shop, which is about 30m away.

"At the moment we are renting a place behind our old home. They are about to level the ground and start building again. We own the place, so we want to get back there as soon as possible," said Chuay.

Walking past their shop today, you would not know that they lost everything in a fire. Nothing appears to have changed. No one walks around moping; they just carry on.

At the moment, we do not have much time to talk. I am usually going somewhere, and they are busy working.

"I will try to drink more often - maybe on Fridays, after work," I told Chuay.

Often I spot him at a motorcycle repair shop down the street, talking to male friends from the neighbourhood. He always wais, or gives me a wave.

"Any time you want to come back, we are waiting," he said.

Before I left, I asked their names. To my shame, I had forgotten them all, as I drink there so rarely. However, after all these years, they still know mine.

Chuay is now a young adult, making his way in the world, and eager to assume greater responsibility in the family.

He is tall and well-built for his age. I noticed he still has the same broken teeth formation that I remember seeing when I talked to him as a teen.

I doubt he's ever begrudged his parents the lack of money to fix his teeth; he just gets on with life.

I don't know where Thais learn to be so kind towards others, especially when they have nothing themselves. They make strangers feel as warm as family, even when they are not.