PART TWELVE: A Beautiful Tale About Amido, The Pizza Man

In my two weeks’ backpacking trip, I’ve befriended Amido, one of the most interesting person I’ve ever met in my life.

He worked as a spy for the Algerian Army. He was the boxing king in Europe for three consecutive years, in 1976 and was a renowned chef. He owned his own restaurant, his hotel and was much sought-after for his culinary skills.He had a beautiful wife and lived in a big house.He owned posh cars, such as Lamborghini, Porsches. He had loads of money.

But he didn't spare time to enjoy them. He worked non-stop for 35 years in the kitchen, everyday, round the clock. His luxurious cars were a mere mode of transport, bringing him just 6 kilometres to and fro from his home daily. He decided to call it quits, sold all his properties back home and came to Southeast Asia for his first time seven years ago. He brought 18,000 million bahts to Thailand, and lost most of it in less than 4 months.

The Thai Conman and Conwoman

He befriended two Thai lawyers and they encourged him to invest in land in Bangkok. Thinking that it was a worthwhile investion, he forked out a large amount of his month after they showed him beautiful images of the land that he would soon be the owner of.

He signed the documents (in Thai) and weeks later, went to his new "home".

When he was walking towards his "new" house, he saw a police car and two army trucks parked just outside. As he neared the gate, a short, moustached General approached him and asked what he was doing there. He told the General that he had bought the land.

The General sneered and laughed. "I have the documents," Amido said,as he dugged into his briefcase for the documents.

"Ok, you show me," said the General. When Amdo finally showed him the documents, he laughed.

The contract that Amido had signed actually stated that he is entitled to 2 weeks' motorcycle rental in Phuket. Amido tried to seek for assistance. "You wait, I call my lawyer friends", he said, pulling out his handphone.

"You no need to call," said the General. There is no lawyers." He pointed at the police car and said, that is my daughter and that is my son. Amido's supposedly lawyer partners are in cahoots with the General.

Amido had no choice, but to leave the house, carrying nothing but his briefcase, and a heavy heart."I didn't have a choice, and I didn't want to go to jail," he recalled.

He called some of his friends back home for help, and some flew to Bangkok to help him tide over the difficult period. He then went to Pai and established the Amido Pizza Garden, doing what he's best at.

Settling Down in Pai

He is happy now, in Pai, with his little Amido Pizza Garden. Lonely Planet rated his pizzas as the best in Thailand." Thailand, I'm not sure, but in Pai, oh yeah, I'm sure."

His wife died 15 years ago but he chose not to remarry. Many Thai people in Pai questioned why, they asked him, “Are you gay?” Do you like boys?“

Amido said, "No, I’m not gay. I’m perfectly straight”, and his Thai friends argued that,“It’s not normal”. :What is normal?", he asked with a cool expression. "So long as you feel happy, it is alright. She has died, 15 years ago, but I cannot get her off my mind, he shared, pointing his finger to his mind."You can put the most beautiful Thai woman in front of me. I would say yes, she is very beautiful, but I can’t do nothing with her.”

Many friends tried to persuade him to go back to Europe but he declined.He sells a good 33-cm inch pizza for about 150 bahts to 200 bahts, made using the best imported ingredients he can find. He only earns about 40 bahts per pizza, but he is happy. "I don't care, if I want to make money, I would not be in Thailand, I would be in Europe."

Spying during his Teenage Years

Born in Algeria to a father who worked as a colonel in the army, Amido was selected to be in the special squad to work as a spy during his teenage years for the Algerian army. He witnessed death, and killed people, all not within his choice. He witnessed deaths, war atrocities and experienced war two times in his life. The special squad moved around in groups of five. Each leader was appointed, depending on the specialization of the leader and the task assigned.

Recalling the past, Amido, said, “ When the chief says, "Clean the village"- it literally means to wipe out everyone and killed everyone. Amido is a great man with a big heart. Despite all the ups and downs in his life, he strongly believe that life is beautiful. At times when he had no choice, he had to follow the leader. “When he had the choice, he secretly let the innocent women, old folks and young children off. He recalled once when he was tasked to clean this village, when he reached the village, all the men were out working. The only people left in the house were the helpless women and old folks and innocent children.

“Nobody in this village dies, we let them off, if you go back to camp and tell this, I will kill you myself.”,he threatened. Amido saved hundred of innocent lives, putting his own life at risk. He could have been killed if he was discovered.

Despite all the ups and downs that he has faced, he said to me, "Life is beautiful. It is sometimes the stupidity of people that makes it otherwise."