Thai are usually polite and kind, and I try to be so also. But not always.

Today as I climbed, tired and in pain, into a crowded public transport pickup truck at the hospital to return home after a long day, some lady sitting at the end of the only bench with a space left kept blabbing with her friend and made no move to scoot over.

The only other seat was the crowded middle bench which would involve me contorting into a ball which I couldn't do.

I waited a few seconds then bellowed, in French, "Advance!" Startled, she moved down, but she could see from the look on my face that my patience was gone.

Last week I did a similar thing at the Tesco-Lotus mall. I'd been waiting in line for a while, and the middle school boy in front of me, wearing a team soccer team jersey actually called his teammates over to cut line.

I made an angry sound and took a step toward the advancing boys threateningly, and they hastily backed down. Eventually, they all decided to leave, including the boy in front of me.

No telling what some irritable 65-year-old foreign lady would do to them.