Stickman Readers' Submissions February 3rd, 2014

About Thailand, Philippines and Frank


Every now and then, submissions touch on comparisons between Thailand and the Philippines, or specifically between BKK-Pattaya and Manila-Angeles-Subic. Points of view are strongly defended, and it all heats up a bit before Stick reminds
us that the site is about Thailand.

I must say that debate is for me one of the most enjoyable on this site. As a player who travels to such places, there is little on this site I enjoy more than reading about the different points of view and also the different ways that
such places operate. Be it in Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam or Cambodia, it just amazes me how history and social habits developed a sex industry that essentially delivers the same product but operate in very different ways in each of those
places. Sure there is a sex industry in every country, but Thailand and the Philippines are quite singular and increasingly some punters are also visiting Cambodia and Vietnam.

He Clinic Bangkok

I wish that Stick had been to Angeles City, even so that I suspect he would not like the place. But I would just love to read his opinion about it, just as I have so much enjoyed reading his trip reports on
Cambodia and
Vietnam. Thankfully Stick goes well beyond a sex industry report and gives us an insight into the mindset
and the way the place operates in relation to Thailand. It truly is great reading especially for someone like me who is on my way to Vietnam and Cambodia for the first time.

I have been to Thailand a dozen times and half that to the Philippines. Every country is different but when it comes to Pattaya and Angeles it is difficult not to compare. And I absolutely love to get a pick on the opinion and mindset
of the various people that publish on this site and tell it how it is based on their own experience. So by all means, let the players compare our different playgrounds, for our own benefit and for the good of anthropology.

I read Korski’s “Frank and Annabelle” and loved it. Just so true, it rings bells everywhere. It was
Korski at his best, when he writes simple and easy to read. He truly puts you in Frank’s shoes. And he was spot on in describing a situation so common to the punters.

CBD bangkok

Next came Starky’s reply. Bloody Oath! Starky you did push it a little too far in some points and your Australian irony would be lost on some, but I certainly agree with some points you make.

If I don’t agree with someone else’s opinion does it mean (to me) that they are wrong? Not necessarily. Truth has many faces and it is certainly not black and white. Things can be interpreted from different angles and tastes.

Let’s take Frank as an example. At the point in which “the penny drops” he realizes that his generosity is being abused. He has got 3 options: stay the course, try to re-educate “Annabelle”, or just
run away. Starky says he has got no sympathy because it is Frank who has let it go too far. That he should have stopped Annabelle’s demands way earlier. I can’t argue with that. But now Annabelle has hardened Frank and the next
time around he will be more cynical and defensive just as Starky wishes he was in the first place.

But spare a though for the Frank that Korski describes. Have you been in his shoes at some point in your life? Letting things run a little and just watching where it all goes without rushing into judgement. Going with the flow and giving
people a chance to redeem themselves until the picture is very clear, so there won’t be a “what if”…. For Frank the deciding moment was when Annabelle considered going with another. Had she stayed loyal to him, no matter
what, could he have made her a better person? Has it been done? I would think so! Was Frank taken for a ride? Yes he was. Is Frank naive? I don’t think so. He gave it a go but kept assessing the situation. He was trustworthy and yet
he was assertive enough to get out of there. Even so that things did not work out he gave it a go and hopefully he will not become too cynical.

wonderland clinic

Finally a point about Pattaya vs. Angeles:

Gogo bars: I will quote Starky here: “looking at the sad faces on the stages in gogos (in Angeles) can be fairly depressing“. In my experience I find that
to be quite true. There are sometimes exceptions, a couple of the big name places and one or two smaller places, but generally I agree about the sad faces on stage. The main problem as I see it is numbers. They put far too many girls on stage.
They just move in a two-step dance as they are rubbing each other due to the lack of space. Don’t they look bored to death! I used to count the number of girls on stage and it was just nuts. In the same space where in Pattaya you would
have 10 girls, in Angeles you would have 40+ girls on stage. The Thai girls would be doing very sexy moves on / off poles and taking turns on stage positions and also swapping with girls on the floor. As Stick mentioned once, there is a whole
lot of preparation, mamasans making sure girls have their sexy dance routines. I am not saying that the Angeles gogo girls are a sad bunch. Once you start talking to them they are quite nice and some are lovely. But we are talking about the
mood of the gogo bars. There is just so much more happening on stage in Pattaya.

Things to do in Angeles during the day: Stay at the hotel swimming pool, go back to a bar or go to SM Shopping Mall. So let's discard shopping or the pool because I don’t need to be in Angeles to do that. So I am left with
going back to the bar. Considering that I have just spent the night at the bar, it gets a bit boring, which is never the case in Pattaya. I never get bored in Pattaya during the day and that is keeping away from the bars. Ok, I have occasionally
visited a gogo bar in the afternoon for a quick soft drink on even short-time fun, but I make sure my day is filled with activities that are different to night time adventures.

I like other parts of the Philippines much more than Angeles. I really like the women in the Philippines. Apart from being able to communicate in English, they are friendly, fun, nice people and some are very sexy.

The women in Pattaya are also nice, fun and sexy, but there are a few spoons of cement in the mix as they are hardened and much more businesslike.

And so the punters must keep moving…


nana plaza