Stickman Readers' Submissions March 10th, 2009

Noi the Massage Girl



It was my third trip to Bangkok, and as much as I love the people, the scenery, the food, etc., my main reason for going was to hook up with as many beautiful girls (prostitutes) as I could in a 20 day period. And, I preceded to do that. The total count at the trip's end was 17. It would've been 20 (one a day) but with 3 days left I clicked with this one so well, that I did 3 days of repeats with her (she was great!).

Anyway, during the days I walked across from my hotel, and would get a foot and ankle massage from this cute girl named Noi. She was nice and we would make small talk, but nothing serious. Then, about the last day of my trip, I went to the massage place and requested Noi. She came out, but instead of that big smile, she looked like a close friend had just died. I asked her what was wrong, and she said, oh nothing, I don't want to talk about it. She was holding back the tears. It really bugged me, so finally after persisting, she told me that she had her cell phone plugged in in the back hallway, and someone came in the back opened door and took it. She said it had taken her many months to get it and it was her only way to reach her mother. Everything was in there. Her pictures, and phone numbers including her mother's number up country. I felt so bad for her. From talking to her, she had told me she made very little each day. I thought, It'll take her 3 months to get a phone again. I offered to give her 1000 baht to put towards a new one, but she shook her head no. Then after a few moments of thinking about it, I said, "Hey, I want to buy you a new phone. I'm from America and well off, and it's no big deal for me, and it's something I want to do." She said no, but after I insisted, she finally decided to let me buy her one. She and I went up the street to MBK mall and found the exact phone like hers. It came to 3000 baht, which was way more than I thought it would be, but I kept my word and bought it. We sat there for an hour and had it programmed for her. We walked back to my hotel and her massage place. I had someone on the street take our picture together, and I told her good luck with things, maybe I'll see you next time I'm in Thailand. The next day, I flew back home.

He Clinic Bangkok


Then, about 3 months later, my phone beeps with a message. It's got all these long distance numbers on it. It was Noi. She said thank you for the phone, I'm so grateful. You really made a difference in my life by doing that. I was so shocked. I didn't realize you could just text someone on the other side of the world! I never thought I'd see that girl again. We then started texting for about year, just saying things like have a nice day etc.. She would say, I'm on bed, ready to go to sleep. Then one day, I thought, I wonder what her room looks like? I asked her, do you have a window? a computer? a stereo? a TV? Her reply was, no Steve. I have none of those. Just an iron and a fan. I thought Oh my God! Here I am sitting in my new million dollar home and I'm texting this poor girl that has nothing! That was a shock. I sent her $100, then another $200 telling her to buy something for herself. I told her I'd buy her a birthday dinner when I came, and could she show me her room she had told me about?


So, I finally arrived back there. I took her on a night time river dinner cruise that was fantastic. She took me to her room and I met her two roommates. They were cute little things. I stood up in the room, and with outstretched hands, I could touch both walls. I took her to lunch at the Oriental Hotel on the river. I thought, wow, here's someone that makes so very little that I can help out and be kind to and keep it just friends, and just do things out if kindness. I asked her to come to my hotel to check out the disco. She said she wasn't allowed by her massage place to ever go in there. She also told me that she had a boyfriend 3 years ago, but that was it. It didn't matter to me. I wasn't interested in anything but a good friendship. I told her I was going to Phuket for 10 days and would be back and buy her dinner again.

After two days in Phuket and not liking the filthy bar scene, the ugly bargirls and the bothersome street vendors, I flew back to Bangkok. I called Noi. She acted surprised and said she had plans that day with her girlfriends. I said, well maybe dinner some other time. Then, that night, I go downstairs in my disco to watch the band. Then, of all people, here sits Noi with some guy with her arms around him being super friendly and kissing. I was in shock. It didn't matter that she was with a guy, or in the hotel, but that she, who I thought was a good friend, would lie to me and so be dishonest. I walked up to her table and stood there. She finally saw me and whispered something to the guy. They both left and she went into the lobby bathroom. She came out and saw me and looked away. As she walked up the stairs, I said, hey Noi! She turned around and I waved and mouthed the word "goodbye". I was really depressed about the whole thing. I took pictures that I had taken of the both of us on the dinner cruise. I walked across the street and handed them to her boss at the massage place and walked away. I thought, I can't believe that this sweet girl I had been texting for a year and sending money to would lie to me. If it was bargirl, I would totally expect it. I thought wow. So many women in Thailand are liars. I thought, maybe it should be called "Lieland" instead of Thailand! Then, I thought, hey! Who am I to judge her? Here I am, a rich farang, over there nailing all these women I never told her about. At the end of the day, I go back to my 5 star hotel and America and my million dollar home, and she's still there sitting outside the massage parlour and living in a cubicle with two others girls. Wouldn't I lie to get out of that living situation? This, like a lot of other experiences in Thailand, good or bad, teaches us something more about ourselves and life.

CBD bangkok

Stickman's thoughts:

It's sad that many (not all – but many) of the women working in massage shops that cater predominantly to Western customers do seem to have a foot in the naughty industry. It can start with "hand relief" in the massage shop, progress to outcalls in hotel rooms and before they know it there is much more money to be made outside of the massage shop…

It's sad that she did this. Having met you and knowing how kind and generous you are, I know the ending to this story would have been a major disappointment.

nana plaza