Exercises

Breezy barber

Photo courtesy of Bangkok Post

This week�s story from the Bangkok Post introduces a barber who has set up shop in an unusual location. Read the story to find out more about this enterprising individual.

After more than 20 years in the profession, barber Suchart Pupuangchan can prove he has offered an excellent service to his clients.

Once he served them from a normal barbershop. Now he cuts their hair in a modified pick-up truck � but customers still keep coming. Old customers have stuck with him, too.

OUT IN THE OPEN AIR

His mobile salon is in the area of Wat Phrao temple in Tak�s Muang district. His salon is called lomchoy, or Breezy Barber, as the wind can pass through the vehicle from all sides.

The 63-year-old used to have a salon of his own in a rented shophouse.

However, the landlord refused to extend the rental contract when it expired late last year, so he came up with the idea of opening a mobile salon instead.

The new location is not far from his old salon and attracts many of his old customers, he said.

�I didn�t want to lose loyal customers while searching for a new place. Lomchoy is the name given by the customers,� Suchart said while snipping away at one customer�s hair.

The barber modified the pick-up truck, fitting it with a reclining chair and hair-cutting tools. It also boasts a television set and an electric fan.

Newspapers are on hand for waiting customers.

The barber charges adults 20 baht and children 10 baht for a haircut.

CAN�T BEAT THE PRICE

Not surprisingly, the friendly rates pull big queues of customers. Some even phone to make an appointment.

Customers say Suchart�s service is perfect, thanks to his long experience and careful attention to hygiene.

�The rate here is cheaper than other salons, which now charge about 50 to 80 baht,� one customer said.

The breezy barber is also a favourite with students. When serving young clients, Suchart switches the television to cartoon programmes.

Exercises

Read the story. Then find the correct word from the story to match the following definitions.

1. The practice of keeping yourself and your living and working areas clean in order to prevent illness and disease

2. Remaining faithful to somebody or something and supporting them or it

3. A shop or store that gives customers hair or beauty treatment or that sells expensive clothes

4. To cut something with scissors using short, quick strokes

	location (n): a place where something happens or exists; the position of something enterprising (adj): having or showing the ability to think of new projects or new ways of doing things and make them successful modify (v): to change something slightly, especially in order to make it more suitable for a particular purpose extend (v): to make something last longer boast (v): to have something that is impressive and that you can be proud of queue (n): a line of people, cars, etc. waiting for something or to do something