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Published on November 16, 2007

He loves Thai food and even tries to speak Thai, though he could be more fluent given his seven-year stay here.

And now, he is passing on the enthusiasm to his beloved dad, who is long past retirement age.

Before June, Brekke's father had never been to Thailand despite his son's invitations each of the past six years. Brekke recalled his father saying that if he could endure the flight from Norway to Thailand, it would be his one and only trip to this country.

Whatever, his dad arrived here in June. Staying for two weeks, he enjoyed the country very much. One day, he drove himself to Ayutthaya, where he fell in love with the lost capital of the ancient Kingdom.

Then, a few months after that trip, Brekke got a big surprise. His father said he wanted to revisit Thailand later this year and this time he planned a months-long visit. He also instructed his son to arrange accommodation in Ayutthaya for a long-term stay.

During his last trip, aside from Ayutthaya, the old man developed another passion: The Nation. Brekke later arranged a newspaper subscription for home delivery in Norway.

For the new visit, Brekke has a special plan for his father. He plans to take him to the North for a meditation course and is confident that his father, who recently started lessons in Buddhism, will enjoy this new experience, too.

Brekke is not sure whether his father will come to Thailand again after this trip. But we're sure that once he's here, he'll continue to enjoy reading The Nation.

achara_d@nationgroup.com

The Nation