4 hours ago, jimmie50 said:

That was my nightmare...I was dressed in traditional attire and we were at one of the temples. We were certainly attracting a crowd of people...two guys in traditional clothing, one being caucasian, not to mention the age difference. Talk about a public spectacle. 🫣 Naturally, the entire family was our entourage supervising the photo shoot. 🤪

you can always pick up one of more remote temples, usually empty. Phnom Bot behind Banteay Samre would be my suggestion, hardly any visitors. Only catch- it's atop of mountain so there are multiple steps to climb. From more user friendly , Ta Som is rarely crowded

If Siem Reap is now an option for where the two of you are going to live, you should consider asking the property agent to show you properties in the Slor Kram/Slorkram area. Slor Kram is very central but is also very green and much more peaceful that the Night Market area; and it has a good mix of modern apartments and older houses, as well as good dining etc.

Given your medical condition, which may require unplanned access to good medical care, and the fact that you may need to travel unexpectedly,I should think that Siem Reap would make more sense than Battambang. It would probably put a lot of pressure on Cam if you had a medical emergency and the local facilities were not what were needed. Perhaps that is a consideration for him that has been made real by your upcoming surgery.

Cam's question about what you think about Battambang may also have something to do with his sense that there isn't going to be much for the two of you to do there as a couple, or even as individuals. Enforced idleness can become a source of tension. There is also the question of where is he more likely to be able to make a success of what he wants to do? Accordingly, a more important question might be what does he think of Battambang?

Apart from all that, Siem Reap offers more of the comforts of the West; and I wouldn't underestimate the importance of being able to access our comforts when we need them - be it the variety of Western food or whatever.

Again, the two of you know best, but the fact that he even raised that questions suggests that he might be keener on Siem Reap but does not want to come across as dictating. Given that it is the lad who really needs to build a future, though, I would just ask him which one he prefers.

Curious to know if anyone is familiar with Jingo Chamisul Fresh Soju.  It is some sort of South Korean alcoholic beverage.  Not sure if Cam has had it before or what possessed him to buy it last night instead of his usual 3-4 cans of Cambodia or Hanuman beer, but we are going to have a serious conversation about never buying this particular alcohol again…at least when I am around.  I know I have talked about the alcohol consumption of his family in general.  It isn’t that I don’t like the drinking…what I don’t like is the excessive drinking when they all get together.  I don’t mind if Cam has a few beers in the evening when we are sitting around at home.  I do try to encourage him to put a limit on the number of beers.  In Bangkok, he would often drink whiskey.  That was the drink of choice by most of his friends, and when customers would purchase him a drink it was usually just a beer.  If they ever did buy him a mixed drink he would select whiskey.  So, I was very surprised when he came home from the mini-mart with three bottles of this Jingo stuff.  All I can say is it must be pretty potent alcohol…much more so than a can of beer.  Thank goodness he could not finish the third bottle, but it is the first time I have actually experienced him totally blitzed.  It is a side of him I have never seen or experienced before, nor do I wish to repeat.  I felt extremely uncomfortable…almost to the point of feeling unsafe around him.  He became more aggressive and it just felt like he was out of control.  I don’t know if he even realizes it.  He is still asleep.  At some point I plan to bring it up, but need to wait for the right moment.  He has never been this way before…regardless of how much beer or whiskey he has consumed…so I am curious if others have tried this Jingo or what your experiences have been with others who drink it.

9 hours ago, vinapu said:

specially when , like your future sister-in-law you leave thet phone somewhere without realizing it.

I do have the screen locked and facial recognition turned on, so that would provide at least some level of protection...I hope. You are so wise...I would never think about such things.

10 hours ago, macaroni21 said:

When Cam speaks of his dream of having a barber shop, does he mean a men's barber shop or a ladies' hair salon?

He has only talked about men's barber shop. He has never mentioned anything about ladies hair or referred to it as a salon.

Good luck with your quest to curb Cam's drinking.

I once visited a small village where we collected herbs and vegetables for a cooking class in return for a large sack of rice.

The village men were all sitting around drinking, even though it was before noon.

The guide said that they had nothing to do between rice planting and harvesting so they just drank all day. High alcohol consumption was a normal part of life, she said.

If Cam has been brought up in that type of environment, you might find yourself with a fight on your hands.

2 hours ago, jimmie50 said:

You are so wise...

thank you but I doubt it. It I was wise I'd hear such statements more often, not just every 5 years or so

2 hours ago, jimmie50 said:

instead of his usual 3-4 cans of Cambodia or Hanuman beer,

this I can understand as I like Hanuman a lot , specially black one

2 hours ago, jimmie50 said:

It is a side of him I have never seen or experienced before, nor do I wish to repeat.  I felt extremely uncomfortable…almost to the point of feeling unsafe around him.  He became more aggressive and it just felt like he was out of control.  I don’t know if he even realizes it.  He is still asleep.  At some point I plan to bring it up, but need to wait for the right moment. 

don't wait too long for that right moment and bring it up as soon as reasonably possible. I doubt it was brand of alcohol to blame , rather it's potency and excessive , likely too fast consumption. Very fact that he may not even realize it is main selling point to have this talk soon

5 hours ago, jimmie50 said:

if anyone is familiar with Jingo Chamisul Fresh Soju

I've had it on Virgin Voyages cruises in their Korean BBQ restaurant, they play a drinking game there with it and it's taken in shots.

I don't care for it, but here's what Google says:

To understand why he became so out of control, it helps to look at the pure volume of alcohol he consumed compared to his usual routine.

• His Usual Habit: 3 to 4 cans of standard Cambodian beer (like Cambodia or Hanuman) sit at around 5% ABV per 330ml can. That amounts to roughly 1.5 to 2 standard drinks total over an evening.

• The Soju Reality: One standard bottle of Jinro Chamisul Fresh is 360ml at 16.5% ABV.

• The Comparison: One single bottle of soju contains the alcohol equivalent of about 3.3 cans of beer.

By opening a third bottle, Cam didn’t just have a "few drinks"—he consumed the alcohol equivalent of roughly 8 to 9 cans of beer in a very short window. Because soju is clear, slightly sweet, and goes down easily like water, people often drink it far too quickly without realizing how fast their blood alcohol level is spiking. This rapid spike is exactly what triggers blackouts, volatile behavior, and unpredictable personality shifts.

2 hours ago, jimmie50 said:

Curious to know if anyone is familiar with Jingo Chamisul Fresh Soju.  It is some sort of South Korean alcoholic beverage.  Not sure if Cam has had it before or what possessed him to buy it last night instead of his usual 3-4 cani have had sojo in Japan, it is s of Cambodia or Hanuman beer, but we are going to have a serious conversation about never buying this particular alcohol again…at least when I am around.  I know I have talked about the alcohol consumption of his family in general.  It isn’t that I don’t like the drinking…what I don’t like is the excessive drinking when they all get together.  I don’t mind if Cam has a few beers in the evening when we are sitting around at home.  I do try to encourage him to put a limit on the number of beers.  In Bangkok, he would often drink whiskey.  That was the drink of choice by most of his friends, and when customers would purchase him a drink it was usually just a beer.  If they ever did buy him a mixed drink he would select whiskey.  So, I was very surprised when he came home from the mini-mart with three bottles of this Jingo stuff.  All I can say is it must be pretty potent alcohol…much more so than a can of beer.  Thank goodness he could not finish the third bottle, but it is the first time I have actually experienced him totally blitzed.  It is a side of him I have never seen or experienced before, nor do I wish to repeat.  I felt extremely uncomfortable…almost to the point of feeling unsafe around him.  He became more aggressive and it just felt like he was out of control.  I don’t know if he even realizes it.  He is still asleep.  At some point I plan to bring it up, but need to wait for the right moment.  He has never been this way before…regardless of how much beer or whiskey he has consumed…so I am curious if others have tried this Jingo or what your experiences have been with others who drink it.

1 hour ago, floridarob said:

I've had it on Virgin Voyages cruises in their Korean BBQ restaurant, they play a drinking game there with it and it's taken in shots.

I don't care for it, but here's what Google says:

To understand why he became so out of control, it helps to look at the pure volume of alcohol he consumed compared to his usual routine.

• His Usual Habit: 3 to 4 cans of standard Cambodian beer (like Cambodia or Hanuman) sit at around 5% ABV per 330ml can. That amounts to roughly 1.5 to 2 standard drinks total over an evening.

• The Soju Reality: One standard bottle of Jinro Chamisul Fresh is 360ml at 16.5% ABV.

• The Comparison: One single bottle of soju contains the alcohol equivalent of about 3.3 cans of beer.

By opening a third bottle, Cam didn’t just have a "few drinks"—he consumed the alcohol equivalent of roughly 8 to 9 cans of beer in a very short window. Because soju is clear, slightly sweet, and goes down easily like water, people often drink it far too quickly without realizing how fast their blood alcohol level is spiking. This rapid spike is exactly what triggers blackouts, volatile behavior, and unpredictable personality shifts.

I agree. I drank Shoju in Japan. Shoju is in fact normally made from rice, and is less alcoholic than whisky, but it is much easier to drink, tastes quite innocuous, and you get drunk very quickly. I think its a rather dangerous drink. I recall a colleague, in the morning, when i spoke to him, said that he didn't feel great, he could not open his eyes! Explanatio , he had too much Shoju to drink.

Dangerous stuff.

1 hour ago, Keithambrose said:

I agree. I drank Shoju in Japan.

Are you confusing Soju with shochu?

There is no drink called 'shoju' in Japan AFAIK.

Soju is often mixed with sweet fruit juice, whereas shochu is mixed with chilled water in summer and hot water in winter.

The fruit juice added to Soju disguises the taste and makes it very easy to drink. You are dead drunk before you know if.

Soju, a Korean-styled distilled spirit, manufactured by Tawandang 1999, a major distillery in Thailand. It is widely available in bars, 7-11s and supermarkets. It is traditionally distilled using Thai jasmine rice to achieve a smooth, clean finish similar to authentic Korean soju.

7 hours ago, floridarob said:

By opening a third bottle, Cam didn’t just have a "few drinks"—he consumed the alcohol equivalent of roughly 8 to 9 cans of beer in a very short window. Because soju is clear, slightly sweet, and goes down easily like water, people often drink it far too quickly without realizing how fast their blood alcohol level is spiking. This rapid spike is exactly what triggers blackouts, volatile behavior, and unpredictable personality shifts.

Thanks for that explanation. That seems to be the case. I am not sure why he decided to purchase it last night...perhaps an advertisement he saw on Facebook or TikTok. Possibly a friend he was talking to mentioned it. No clue as to why that instead of the usual cans of beer. Also, I should explain that when he isn't around family and it is just the two of us in the Airbnb, he quite often doesn't drink at all. He will just stick with bottled water. He can go several days without a single alcoholic beverage. I should also clarify that when I say he became aggressive, he was still being his playful self, but more extreme and aggressive with me...such as literally lifting me up off the floor while we are in the shower in the bathroom. Wet floors and too much weight for him to be lifting do not mix well with old age and broken bones. The problem was getting him to realize in that state of mind that he was being too rough with me. The playfulness really turned into rough housing and I felt like I was in the ring of a Kun Khmer fight. Also, something he has never done before...at least when he has been with me...is to literally pass out from the alcohol. Fortunately we were already on the bed. He was sitting up one minute and the next he was totally gone. The whole thing was just so bizarre. Much of it he doesn't even remember. He also had a bit of a hangover this morning, which he has always told me before he never gets. It took him several hours to return to some semblance of normal this morning. He was better after getting some food. We did chat about it this afternoon and there will be no more Jingo when he is with me. Cannot control what I cannot see or know about. lol.

2 hours ago, mauRICE said:

Soju, a Korean-styled distilled spirit, manufactured by Tawandang 1999, a major distillery in Thailand. It is widely available in bars, 7-11s and supermarkets. It is traditionally distilled using Thai jasmine rice to achieve a smooth, clean finish similar to authentic Korean soju.

you got me curious, new project for next trip in 2032

47 minutes ago, vinapu said:

you got me curious, new project for next trip in 2032

Thus plummets gin & tonic sales.

8 minutes ago, macaroni21 said:

Thus plummets gin & tonic sales.

tonic ?

My favorite drink is 74 % of gin and 26 % of gin

Ah! I stand corrected.

7 hours ago, jimmie50 said:

He also had a bit of a hangover this morning, which he has always told me before he never gets.

Me neither....

It's part of being young, one of the problems of May/Dec relationships.... can't expect a 20-30 yr old act like a 60-70 yr old 🤷‍♂️

Better to learn by experience, preferably someone else's..... but not always possible 😁

39 minutes ago, floridarob said:

...can't expect a 20-30 yr old act like a 60-70 yr old 🤷‍♂️

No, we can't although I've seen plenty of 70-year-olds behaving like 12-year-olds in Thailand. Oh wait a minute...maybe that was just in Sunee Plaza...👴👱‍♂️🤔

15 hours ago, a-447 said:

Are you confusing Soju with shochu?

There is no drink called 'shoju' in Japan AFAIK.

Soju is often mixed with sweet fruit juice, whereas shochu is mixed with chilled water in summer and hot water in winter.

The fruit juice added to Soju disguises the taste and makes it very easy to drink. You are dead drunk before you know if.

@a-447 is correct. I have lived in both Japan and South Korea. There is no alcohol in Japan named shoju. The Japanese distilled alcohol named shochu is often distilled from grains or sweet potatoes. Sometimes it is mixed into a popular Japanese cocktail called chuhai.

Soju is a different beast, it is a Korean liquor. Usually, Japanese shochu has a higher alcohol content than Korean soju.

I think you're reading too much significance into how the names Soju and Shochu are spelt in the English transliterations. Remember, these are Korean/Japanese words, properly written in Korean and Japanese script, not English alphabet. From the information presented by members above, it seems to me to be a group of liquors with a similar origin, but many variations. Some variations developed only in one country, other variations are common to both. As for the difference in how they are consumed or mixed, this is a cultural thing; like how @jimmie50 observed that Cam and his local friends put ice in their beer. That practice doesn't change the product, it is still beer. (I have also seen Chinese put ice in Cognac.)

The same discussion could be had, for example, about whether Scottish whisky, Tenessee whiskey (note spelling) and Japanese whisky are the same product or different products. Even if one argues that they are different products, it remains true that they have common origins.

It would seem strange to us if people debated whether ウィスキー and 위스키 are the same product simply because they are written differently.

47 minutes ago, macaroni21 said:

I think you're reading too much significance into how the names Soju and Shochu are spelt in the English transliterations. Remember, these are Korean/Japanese words, properly written in Korean and Japanese script, not English alphabet. From the information presented by members above, it seems to me to be a group of liquors with a similar origin, but many variations.

soju is written in the Chinese script as 燒酒, and the same Chinese

characters are used to write the name of a Chinese liquor called shaojiu 燒酒,

It's basically identical to the characters used to write shōchū 焼酎.

So the roots are the same.

1 hour ago, macaroni21 said:

I think you're reading too much significance into how the names Soju and Shochu are spelt in the English transliterations.

I think not:

The Math: 2.5 Bottles of Soju is a Massive Amount of Alcohol

People often view soju as a "light" drink because it is lower in alcohol than whiskey, but they forget to look at the total volume consumed.

• The Soju Intake: A standard bottle of Jinro Chamisul Fresh is 360ml at 16% ABV. Drinking 2.5 bottles means your friend consumed 900ml of liquid at 16% ABV.

• The Whiskey Equivalent: That total volume is equal to roughly 11 to 12 standard shots of 40% whiskey.

• The Cocktail Comparison: Most standard bars put 1 to 1.5 shots of whiskey in a single cocktail. Therefore, your friend drank the equivalent of 8 to 12 whiskey cocktails over the course of the night. If they don't usually drink that many cocktails in one sitting, they simply went way past their actual limit.

Asked gemini to do the math. No wonder cam passed out

Some more interesting information:

'soju is the world's best-selling and most popular spirit brand by volume, led heavily by the top brand Jinro.'

Not being much of a drinker, I had no idea it was so popular.