Back only 23 or so years ago, it was common to go into the Bangkok Bank, no queue machine thus it was aholes and elbows to obtain service. As it was in the earliest days of ATMs, the village elders would cart a younger member of the family to withdraw a few hundred baht from Yai's account, while Yai sat on the floor of the bank lobby, chewing away at a wad of tobacco and betel nut, spitcan on her side. A mere 23 years ago! And most any market had a multitude of tables that sold all the ingredients for a good chew. Betel nut, leaves, lime, tobacco along with the instruments for pounding a wad together.
I've followed the demise of these vendors in the Nongwahsaw market over the years. Last year, a single vendor, an elderly lady, had a table. Yesterday, there was this fraction of a table remaining. Even the lady was gone, the sales, if any, now handled by a friend of the lady who sells other products nearby.
Chew
Re: Chew
Yes, I've noticed in the village that is just the old ladies who still chew the betel nut wad. Over the years there are less and less of them. The younger generation have other options it seems.
หมาก (maak) = betel nut chew
หมากฝรั่ง (maak farang) = chewing gum
หมาก (maak) = betel nut chew
หมากฝรั่ง (maak farang) = chewing gum