Sanit & MAtitissun - PAI HIGH - Pai, Thailand 2023
It's quite interesting how I met Sanit. My friend Parker went to look for a joint before we walked back to the hostel for the night. He returned with not just a joint but also an invitation from the vendor to see his plants. Parker mentioned that the guy also sold bruschetta, which is an unusual but intriguing combination for a street food vendor in Pai.
Later that week, I went on a hunt for this man, hoping for the same invitation. Pai is a small and intimate town, the perfect hippie enclave surrounded by mountains. After dinner and drinks, I spotted his street cart and approached to purchase a joint and strike up a conversation. After our introductions, he mentioned that he grows his weed about 100 meters away and invited me to his farm the next morning at 8:30. We exchanged Facebook information, and I set off for our nightly walk back to the hostel.
Feeling optimistic, I messaged him on Facebook before going to sleep. At 2:30 AM, I received a notification from him, asking me to call him in the morning. Excited, I found it hard to fall back asleep. Morning came quickly, and despite my doubts, I called him at 8:30. He answered almost immediately, still half asleep, and we agreed on a meeting spot. Parker and I walked to the 7/11 where Sanit was waiting, lounging on the high school steps across the street.
Despite having slept only three hours, Sanit greeted us with a laugh and took us to his friend MAtitissun’s coffee and weed shop nearby. Located on the third floor with an amazing view, the shop was surrounded by weed plants. Inside, MAtitissun was delicately trimming a plant. We had coffee, smoked a Thai Stick, and talked about life in Pai and growing weed. MAtitissun showed us a bag of weed, playfully hiding his face when I pulled out my camera, and offered us Thai Stick seeds to take back to America. We declined, fearing the risk, which he understood and laughed off.
After coffee and a joint, Sanit took us to his house. We were greeted by a plethora of plants in various stages of growth right outside his front door. He proudly showed us around, answering our questions as best he could in his broken English. His mother was cooking nearby, and his father briefly stepped out to see what was happening before heading back inside. The pride in Sanit's face was evident as he showed off his plants, clearly a source of both personal and financial significance. He offered us a smell of some drying buds in his garage and laughed as he showed us his towering plants in the backyard.
This experience underscored how weed brings people together. Thank you, Sanit, for inviting us into your home, and MAtitissun for the coffee and joint. It was truly an unforgettable experience.
