The Weekend

It is Friday in Bangkok? As a friend is want to say, "What To Do?". My favorite activity these days is people watching. It is interesting to watch the locals watch the tourists, who watch the locals. There are many stereotypes of both locals (police, motorcycle taxi drivers, bar girls, hookers, hi-so, lo-so, beggars, shop owners and operators, waiters and waitresses), all walks of life.

Then there are the tourists. Husband and wives, young backpackers, Japanese middle age men, Indians, Arabs, young guys in groups, and typical late middle age farongs looking for something exciting that they are missing in their lives.

One of my favorite spots is in Soi Cowboy, an infamous 300 meter strip in Bangkok. There are many places you can sit outside and watch the steady stream of people walk by. Some are just coming by to gawk and some are looking for something. After 9 pm, it is very much a carnival atmosphere. A great spot to sit is Country Road which features a live band and lots of seating. It does not have the usual stage with a hundred naked ladies parading across which is a good thing and no one will bother you as long as you top up your beer every so often. If you want some company, you can always make eye contact with someone and smile, and then you can have someone to talk to for as long as you want. You just have to top up her beer every so often. That is how she gets paid. She gets a percentage of the price of your drink. It is a great way to learn about Thai life in Bangkok.

Many of these young ladies have the same story. They were married, are now single, and are trying to support their 2 children. Dad usually departed when they were pregnant with the second child. They often live with their Mother, who looks after their children at night, while they work, and then they trade places during the day, when the mother heads off for work and the young Thai lady looks after her children. The usual work day or night is 12 hours. This stereotype is usually in her mid twenties to early thirties.

The girls inside on the stage are usually much younger. They are eighteen to late twenties and are there for two reasons, the easy money (however the word easy is misleading) and the chance of hitting the jackpot, a well to do farong with money to support them in a lifestyle they could normally not obtain in Thailand. I know of many Thai girls who won the lotto and now are married to farongs and have a great family life with 2 or 3 children. They can be very happy families. However, if you don't win the lotto, this is a very short career and you are left with no future except to return to your village, move back with mom and dad and look after them in their old age. That works out okay for some, as long as they too, have children that can complete the cycle for them.

That is a very simplistic narrative of a very extensive social ecosystem that I observe daily. Many, many variations to this theme exist.

Age is not a barrier to participating in this ecosystem as many Thai girls prefer an older gentleman because they are less demanding and often more trustful. The most important thing is that he has a "kind heart" and not be a "butterfly". A butterfly is a farong who is simply collecting notches on his belt. All things being equal, Thai girls are no different than western girls and would prefer a handsome young man who can be trusted and who has lots of money. They exist, but are usually on vacation and never seen again.

Then again, there are the lifers, and I could fill a book about them.  Maybe later.

TTYL,

Jim