He shoots guns, grows his own food, defends the American way, owns his own small business, is a military supporter -- and he was born in Thailand.
This can only be Suphan Gingsumrong, owner of Thep Thai restaurant in south Fayetteville, Ark., and owner of a very complex, multi-faceted story where the main theme has always been survival.
Suphan (pronounced SOO-pahn) was born in the deep jungles of Thailand and had to learn to live off the land, where eating cobra and wild bamboo shoots was the norm. After joining the Thai army, he later moved to the Ozarks in 1993 with the help of American military in-laws. Having worked in a renowned chicken plant and in quality control, Suphan opened Thep Thai in 2003, thus beautifying the south Fayetteville area and enriching his own life.
Now 47, Suphan has fully experienced the rewards and challenges of both jungle and civilization. But despite all the comforts of Arkansas Ozark life, Suphan is finding out that civilization has its own sets of challenges and pressures that can be too much for one man.
So what is a Mountain Man? Merriam-Webster defines it as: an American frontiersman (as a trapper) at home in the wilderness. Suphan is at home in both wilderness and city, can trap animals and plants for survival, has broken through cultural and political frontiers, and is a proud American citizen.
With humor and optimism, Suphan shows that a he is indeed a Mountain Man who can survive through anything.
This can only be Suphan Gingsumrong, owner of Thep Thai restaurant in south Fayetteville, Ark., and owner of a very complex, multi-faceted story where the main theme has always been survival.
Suphan (pronounced SOO-pahn) was born in the deep jungles of Thailand and had to learn to live off the land, where eating cobra and wild bamboo shoots was the norm. After joining the Thai army, he later moved to the Ozarks in 1993 with the help of American military in-laws. Having worked in a renowned chicken plant and in quality control, Suphan opened Thep Thai in 2003, thus beautifying the south Fayetteville area and enriching his own life.
Now 47, Suphan has fully experienced the rewards and challenges of both jungle and civilization. But despite all the comforts of Arkansas Ozark life, Suphan is finding out that civilization has its own sets of challenges and pressures that can be too much for one man.
So what is a Mountain Man? Merriam-Webster defines it as: an American frontiersman (as a trapper) at home in the wilderness. Suphan is at home in both wilderness and city, can trap animals and plants for survival, has broken through cultural and political frontiers, and is a proud American citizen.
With humor and optimism, Suphan shows that a he is indeed a Mountain Man who can survive through anything.