Phil Laak's Thai Past Resurfacing?

Sometimes poker stories get downright weird. One that's bubbled to the surface in recent days concerns Phil Laak, the erstwhile "Unabomber" and significant other of actress Jennifer Tilly. Laak's been the occasional subject irregular stories concerning his days in Thailand several years back, and whatever weird skeletons might be lurking received a rattle or two in a post on 2+2 a couple of days back.

Included in that post was a link to a Thai site that takes Laak to task for various bad behaviors from years past, though the story as presented has holes big enough to drive a truck through. It includes a traffic accident and a payoff, religious artifacts, possible drug smuggling, and even contracts --- in the Mafia sense --- left unfulfilled. It's a good story over which to enjoy several beers.

Wicked Chops couldn't resist it, nor could Bill Rini, nor could we. But what's interesting in the followups posted by WCP and (especially) Rini, is that a lot of the secondary events have nuggets of truth embedded. The episode at the WSOP has been verified by several third parties, and while the whole "religious artifacts" thing is laughable, Rini posits a not-impossible alternative. (To which we add, in the thin chance that there is something of substance to the whole wacky tale, that no one currently living in Thailand would admit that the money involved was part of a drug deal gone bad.)

In an event, it's a tale best taking with several grains of salt, even if it does make for entertaining reading.