A


Surviving basic training for anyone is a triumphant experience. Surviving basic training with a camera crew covering you as a strange national event is even more of a triumphant experience when the image in everyone's mind about you concerns a tiara and a sweet smile; endurance and strength is the last thing they expect to see.
I don't blame them. I am skin and bone. The HK rifle I was carrying everyday was larger and heavier than my arm. I WAS whiter than I am now, but I don't mind looking like a farmer's daughter. I actually like having a tan.

"If you can't do it, you just say so and you can wait at the camp," I was repeatedly told daily by my commanding officer. I understood his dilemma. If I was to get injured or lost, not only was that going to be national news, his head would roll from his superior. But if I received any kind of special treatment out of the ordinary, his head would also rolled but from his inferior (luk nong). He and everyone watched from the corner of their eyes how I was doing. I now know how a fragile egg is treated.

"Su Tai!" Fight until death, I said with a smile with my fingers held in the Victory position when ever anyone voiced their concern. Later I changed the famous words to, "Su Mai Yorm Tai!" Fight but never die, so that those around me would also smile.

The treat Pop like a fragile egg syndrome must of been contagious because later my comrades also started to ask me everyday too, "Wai mai?" (Can you make it?) when on the second day five friends fainted from heat stroke, one male-friend became sick and started throwing up and an ambulance was called to take them back to base camp.

My friends and senior officer's concern for my welfare really did touched me. I was determined more than ever never to quit. Never to let them down. I became an unofficial mascot to my troop and to the Thai Army from all the publicity and eyes that were watching me ever so carefully.

Coming This Summer: G.I. Pop, the movie.

Once while walking many kilos with the 43 C degree sun over our heads, our arms weak from the weight of the rifle, our legs and feet feeling like jello and our spirit pressured with worry that we couldn't find our four destination points with only a compass leading the way, someone in my troop blurted out, " Hey let's go sell Pop to the Burmese, we can become rich and become the biggest national news in the history of the Thai Army!" A roar of laughter followed. I added, "You wouldn't get your asking price for me, with my dark skin now the Burmese will think I'm lost Cambodian, not a former Miss Thailand."

The long walk felt much shorter as we all started to poke fun of me and our whole situation.

"Do you think the Commander in Chief of the Army or the Prime Minister would come in a helicopter and find us if we really did get lost?" one of my friend asked.
"If You were Lost?...Definitely No; Pop Yes," someone answered. Another roar of laughter followed.
"What if Pop was to enter Miss Thailand now?"
"I wouldn't even make it into the first round," I answered.
"What's the difference between the Army and the pageant, Pop?"
"The difference between high heels and combat boots," I said.
"What's the similarity then?"
"Both gives you soar feet."

When we found our way back to base camp looking like refugees but laughing like we just came from a comedy cafe, the rest of our troops and commanding leader looked at us in confusion.

"Pen arai gun?" ( He was asking what was wrong with us but translated literally it could also mean "what are you,")

"Nakrean Ny Tahan," (Army Students) I said in jest. The entire troop roared in laughter.

Someone from another troop asked someone in my troop what kind of drug we were taking.

"Poppy..."
"You mean opium?"

We were now all literally laughing in tears.















The treat Pop like a fragile egg syndrome must of been contagious because later my comrades also started to ask me everyday too, "Wai mai?"







" Hey let's go sell Pop to the Burmese, we can become rich and become the biggest national news in the history of the Thai Army!"

"The Boot Camp"

"The Uniform"

"Marching"

"Fragile Egg"

Written by: Areeya Chumsai
Design: PuTT

Bandwidth sponsored by Internet Thailand
Copyright SiamWEB Cyber Culture


YOUR COMMENT

Hi!Big sis
You know you are wonderful in every way! I do love you!

Your new pocketbook " Thinking out loud " is also the great one!

Your little sister from 202.183.212.37 on Saturday, February 12, 2000 at 01:05:34

hello p pop....how ya doing?? long time no see ya!

remember we used to learn thai together at wat Budhanusorn, fremont california??????

it's ok if you don;t remember!!!!!

anyway, hope to hear from you soon ...buh bye

wat fremont, california <june2522@aol.com> from 98cc1e00.ipt.aol.com on Wednesday, February 02, 2000 at 10:16:03

Are you o.k. now?

adion <pety92@doramail.com> from alpha4.egat.or.th on Tuesday, January 25, 2000 at 05:36:51

hello! POP . HAPPY NEW YEAR
I study in poland ,i am from laos , i met your interesting in internet ,i am glad to see that ,so i can say that you are the best role model or metor for young thai woman and for the country

tipasorn <khamyoy@poczta.wp.pl> from 153.19.25.94 on Saturday, January 01, 2000 at 08:56:06

Muad POP,
I'm so sorry and sad about the news comming up today mentioing your ponography on the net. I've not seen and on interested in it, because you're not a kind of that person. You're deserved to be a strong, lovely, pretty genuine woman. So don't worry.

Love,
Prin

Prin <printhon@hotmail.com> from dhcp-244.bangkok.oilfield.slb.com on Wednesday, September 22, 1999 at 08:59:39

Hey, u know what? u should play soccer for the thai women team. i think it's cool..........

kham phanthavong <kham28@hotmail.com> from s20-stmlk.pionet.net on Monday, July 19, 1999 at 11:23:10

Great woman!

from proxy.ku.ac.th on Monday, April 05, 1999 at 13:53:48

I know the new about you but I think it's not true new.I don't belive that. Really? POP.My sister.

ANNY from tu-2.cs.tu.ac.th on Friday, January 29, 1999 at 11:26:41

You're very great woman!

I just read your military life story from website. I think you have the best chance in your life. If other women want to be like you, what should they do? And how about the military qualification?

You are the best strong woman.....

I'll waiting for your reply e-mail.

With Love,

AEY <samket10@hotmail.com> from proxy4.ksc.net.th on Saturday, January 23, 1999 at 19:40:43

You're very great woman!

I just read your military life story from website. I think you have the best chance in your life. If other women want to be like you, what should they do? And how about the military qualification?

You are the best strong woman.....

I'll waiting for your reply e-mail.


AEY <samket10@hotmail.com> from proxy4.ksc.net.th on Saturday, January 23, 1999 at 19:39:30

I enjoy reading your book very mach. Keep up that great work. THAI PRIDE

Thuy from spider-tr081.proxy.aol.com on Saturday, December 12, 1998 at 14:49:02

I enjoy reading your book very mach. Keep up that great work. THAI PRIDE

Thuy from spider-tr081.proxy.aol.com on Saturday, December 12, 1998 at 14:49:02

I enjoy reading your book very mach. Keep up that great work. THAI PRIDE

Thuy from spider-tr081.proxy.aol.com on Saturday, December 12, 1998 at 14:49:02

I enjoy reading your book very mach. Keep up that great work. THAI PRIDE

Thuy from spider-tr081.proxy.aol.com on Saturday, December 12, 1998 at 14:49:01

I enjoy reading your book very mach. Keep up that great work. THAI PRIDE

Thuy from spider-tr081.proxy.aol.com on Saturday, December 12, 1998 at 14:49:01

Pop,

Hi! It's nice to see you on the net! Good web page! Great articles too!
Hope to hear from you soon!

Enteng <tca78384@ait.ac.th> from proxy.ait.ac.th on Tuesday, November 03, 1998 at 21:39:34

P' POP

All I can say is you are GREAT!! and the BEST
role model or mentor for young thai woman and for the country.

THAILAND ---never!!! give up

p POP you are the support of the THAI people :)

sandy <srisiam@hotmail.com> from pool001-max4.covina-ca-us.dialup.earthlink.net on Saturday, August 08, 1998 at 05:31:56

cool.

price <price@mmchr.com> from pool042-max13.ds19-ca-us.dialup.earthlink.net on Tuesday, August 04, 1998 at 01:48:02

WAY TO GO ARMY! HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE NEXT

COBRA GOLD JR. OFFICERS B-BQ , JUST LOOK

FOR THE FRIENDLY UNITED STATES FLAG !

IT IS GOOD TO KNOW OUR ALLIES ARE

RECRUITING SUCH HIGH CALIBRE SOLDIERS...




1LT ADA U.S. ARMY <CHEP6@WEBTV.NET> from proxy-162.iap.bryant.webtv.net on Monday, August 03, 1998 at 17:44:33

P'Pop, really long time no hear :) But I figure you must be really busy. I enjoyed your book a lot and your articles about military life are really impressive (as usual :). Keep up the great work!

Wadee <wd_999@yahoo.com> from 208.147.3.144 on Thursday, July 09, 1998 at 17:26:46

WOW! P'Pop, I am sooooo impressed!!! It's not that I don't already know you are a good writer and a tough girl,
but I have to say you are absolutly adorable on this one.
How long have you been trained as a soldier? How many wo/men in the troop? Where were you trained?
Tell me more if you could please? I really admire you, P'Pop.
Besides, you look much better than Demi Moore ;)

Bim (again) <diplomat@thaimail.com> from compworkroom-230.fandm.edu on Wednesday, July 01, 1998 at 03:20:32

You're great... Maam.

First, I just tought that the army take you in as a teacher, not a soldier.
But Now I really really respect you more than ever....

How many , so called, Sil-la-pin in Thailand dare to do something like what you did....

Again, I really respect you...

Anupong <anupong_t@hotmail.com> from cache1.uwn.unsw.edu.au on Friday, June 26, 1998 at 05:20:00

Miss Chumsai (Sirisopha?),

Interesting perpectives, it is nice to see someone with enough courage to try something different from the norm. The way things are currently, it is up to public figures such as yourself to help others see beyond their own little world and try to understand and open their minds to new ways of doing things. Sometimes, the "road less traveled" makes for a more intersting journey. Keep up the good work and I am glad to see that you are finding a way to update your site a little more often.

<>

Valent D. Soisuvarn <valent@thai.com> from proxy2.samart.co.th on Wednesday, June 24, 1998 at 23:50:42

I love POP

twocity <twocity@hotmail.com> from proxy.dpu.ac.th on Monday, June 22, 1998 at 14:49:46

Name: E-mail:

Your Message:

*