Keith,
you are exactly right. Mae feels the guy followed her from Western Union, en route to church.
She was not flashing the cash, but they were clearly two happy young women out shopping for food etc. struggling with a sack of rice too!
Kimmi, you are, of course, right. Trauma is the main worry and a real risk. If Mae would take alcohol I would have advised her to have a stiff drink or ten!
And Gavin, I hope you realise how lucky we are in the UK? Violent mugging is rare, and the majority are between young people late at night.
More to the point, in neighbouring Thailand this kind of attack is virtually unheard of. Sure, Thailand has its problems, but petty street crime is very very low. I feel safe everywhwere in Thailand at any time - I have walked through slums at 2 in the morning and the only things that scared me were the packs of mangey dogs!
Ian