Met a strong tough and smart Thai woman today Da. Da was sitting outside a shortime bar but was not a sex worker, she was probably an owner or mamason at the bar.
Da had a simple philosophy, it basically said you should learn to love yourself first and not rely on others. She told me that many of her friends had tried to commit suicide when they had lost husbands/boyfriends. Da seemed hardened by life and very practical and outspoken, example:
"I was sitting at a bus station when a farang man sat beside me smoking a cigarette. I said to him, DO YOU KNOW ME, the man says no, WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME, WHY DO YOU SIT HERE AND GIVE ME SECOND HAND SMOKE?"