What Has Changed

Dear Stickman, and fellow readers,

I have just returned from Bangkok after 9 years of being away from Thailand. What has changed in those 9 years?

My first visit to South-East Asia was back in 1997, stopping in the Nana Hotel in Bangkok.

I remember driving away from Don Meuang Airport seeing the huge, a bright Panasonic neon sign lighting up the night sky and have a feeling how exotic this country was…

The first leg of that vacation was on to Koh Samui in 1997 when a lot of Chaweng was being still being developed and not many places had running hot water for a shower!

There were three of us in total, all lads. We checked into our bungalow, and decided to put our heads down and get a few hours sleep… And meet up later.

It was my first trip to Thailand, the other two had visited a few times before.

Being very eager to see what was out there, I went straight out while my friends lay in bed. Girls were grabbing me everywhere I went. Within an hour I had barfined one girl, and she was in the room. That finished, I sent her on her way with her purse a little “fuller”.

Went to bed for a few hours. Got ready for the first night out. The three of us walked along the Chaweng strip. I said to my friends let’s walk on this side of the road as I was trying to avoid the girls I had barfined a few hours earlier. My friends starting giggling when they realized that I had already had one lady while they were sleeping and that I tried to hide it from them.

Had three nights in Samui taking another lady the same night from the Green Mango disco. Performing into the early hours of the morning, I was 25 years of age on my first trip.

The next leg was on to Bangkok.

Starting off in the Clinton Plaza complex, which used to have a great atmosphere, The Dollhouse, The White House and the beer bars leading in to it. Then on to Nana plaza where I took one lady every night I was there and having a few soapy massages in the daytime. These were the days, when I would on average, have been with two ladies per day.

Then on to Pattaya:

Where we would be out all day drinking in beer bars and gogo bars at night. These are the times when 500 baht was the norm for a beer bar girl for long-time… Most people in those days would take the same girl for the whole of their stay. I know I did.

What has changed? This is the way I see it:

Taking the same girl for the most part of your vacation would likely give way to some feelings being developed… Waking up with the same person next to you every morning and having sex twice a day at least, eating together etc. well, it’s bound to happen.

I remember feeling down when I was driving out of Pattaya on the way to the airport.

From 1997 I visited Thailand at least twice a year until 2005.

After 2005 I had 9 years away from South-East Asia, instead visiting Eastern Europe.

I have just got back from Bangkok, having now seen the changes in the last 9 years… Not only the country, but also the way I have changed and the way I perceive everything around me. Not to mention the prices and the girls’ attitudes in the bars!

I stayed for one month in Bangkok and barfined one lady in the whole month stay. Gone are the days when I would take minimum one lady per day.

The draw of the girls is not there for me like it used to be. Sure, there are some pretty girls around – there always is. That never changes. Even after 9 years from my last visit in Thailand, it always feels like you can carry on where you left off. The girls change, more bars open…

The old hands will say it’s not as good as it used to be. I totally agree. But still, if you want some sun, good nightlife there is still some sanuk to be had. To reflect on your life back home…

Gone are the times when I feel down about leaving Thailand and counting down the days until I can re-visit.

I will be coming back to Thailand hopefully. The reason being: I still feel at home there, more than anywhere else in the world.

My view is that people should not totally cut connection with their country of birth. Many do and come to realize that Thailand is not the heaven they dreamed of. For the average Thai, life is hardly one of luxury.

I was thinking of staying in South-East Asia for most of the year. Now, for me, 2 months at a time is more than enough.