Around The Traps in South-East Asia Part 3: Bangkok / Angeles / Vung Tau
Bangkok, Oriental City (now becoming a seriously expensive oriental city)
With the downturn in the world’s oil industry offering little prospects of employment, I’d been off work for a lot longer than I normally would be. As the clock ticked over into my third month of unemployment I realised that hanging around Bangkok for long periods of time can be an expensive exercise. Something else which one picks up on, when you become a long term resident of this place, is the mindless and repetitively annoying traits of some of the local inhabitants. There’s a strip of massage shops just down the road from my apartment building. I walk past every day and even though the teams of girls employed there know I rarely stop by, they never fail to let rip with the standard “massage” “massage” “massage.” Like a row of parakeets squawking from a fence line, ever hopeful that I’ll throw them a tit-bit. Unrelenting in their dedication to the cause. A few metres on the squawking stops and they all return to stuffing their faces with som-tam and sticky rice. A couple of hundred meters further along there’s a spot where a gaggle of motorbike taxi guy’s hang out. It’s a narrow stretch of sidewalk with some old growth trees providing shade during the hottest part of the day. They’ve set up a couple of makeshift wooden benches along the edges of the cement flower boxes and with the phone booths, which sit smack bang in the middle of the footpath, it’s a total clusterfuck to negotiate during the six PM peak hour as they sit about knocking back bottles of Chang. I’ve got a distinct wariness about motorbike taxi guys as they seem generally to be a bunch that’d have no hesitations resorting to mob violence, at the smallest of provocations. A good mate of mine has a theory about motorbike taxi guys which, given the strategic locations they seem to occupy around the city, seems entirely plausible. According to my mate, a seasoned Bangkok expat, these surly groups of motorbike taxi guys are actually the frontline foot soldiers of the red shirt movement; just biding their time until the next uprising. My mate’s theory may seem a bit far-fetched but given his past history of violent interaction with a mob of them down on Soi Eleven, I can understand his reasoning.
The dawdling mobile phone zombies are as bad as ever these days in Bangkok and from my recent sojourns around the region I’d say the Thai female seems be leading the way in this completely selfish, ignorant behaviour. The ladies in the Philippines and Vietnam seem less addicted to their mobile phones than their Thai counterparts and if they are, then they reserve it for the times when they are off the streets and sitting down somewhere. I’ve certainly encountered much less of the dawdling, mobile phone gawker on the streets of Angeles and Saigon than I have in Bangkok. Thai women are addicted to their phones (or is it because they live such dull, unrewarding lives?) and have their faces glued to the screens without let up. Stepping out of the sky train, they don’t miss a beat as the phone goes immediately to their faces and they assume dawdle mode, creating a log jam of people behind them who’ve actually got a life beyond a mobile phone and need to get on with things. Speaking of the BTS; although being a convenient mode of transportation around the city the Asoke terminal is a place to be avoided between the hours of six and eight PM if you want to retain a modicum of sanity. The overcrowding at that time of day is a nightmare and I’m seriously at a loss how some of those local office workers put up with it day in, day out. Perhaps it’s one of the reasons many Thai ladies decide to try their hands a bit of freelance work down on Soi Eleven in the evenings instead?
On a positive note, the longer time duration I’ve had in the Big Mango has enabled me to catch up with couple of buddies that have been out of town for a while. 006 is someone I’ve mentioned on here before and he’s always good for a laugh and a yarn about his latest adventures of trying to turn a Bangkok freelance hooker into a girlfriend. The nightmare one particular lass put him through in recent months should be salient lesson in why it’s never a good idea to have one move in with you, unless she’s got impeccable credentials and you’ve known her for at least two years. According to 006 he made the mistake of allowing the said demimondaine to continue staying at his condo while he went on an extended overseas assignment in the Middle East. There was a time period, of three months, after which she was supposed to pack up and leave. When the leave by date came and went, and she was still ensconced in his apartment, 006 had to ask his dear old mum to travel up from Pattaya to give the little scheming squatter her marching orders. He arrived back in Bangkok on a short break to find his apartment trashed and the stove, lighting and a/c units left on. Obviously the power bill was horrendous and when he first confided in me what had occurred, and whether he’d been too hard on her, I gave him a reality slap by letting him know it had been done on purpose; because the nasty little strumpet had lost face. Revenge, as many an old Thailand hand will tell you, is a big part of life’s equation for some of the scumbag elements of this country.
Another negative aspect about this country which 006’s tale reinforced is the way in which other Thais, who should know better, will believe the lies of some scheming bitch over your more plausible explanation of events. After thinking he’d sorted everything out 006 returned to the Middle East to continue his employment assignment, only for the said little schemer to return to the condo building and tell the reception staff “everything okay now, we had argument but he say I okay to come back.” This is another reason why if you’ve had a break up with one of those criminally minded psychotic types, you need to change the locks on your doors. She had a swipe card and key to the condo door and was able to let herself back into 006’s apartment with full blessing from the reception staff. Just when you think things couldn’t get any worse, they did. 006 eventually found out she’d moved back in and gave the staff at the condo building a rocket for being so unprofessional. He was also in contact with the little schemer and told her in no uncertain terms he wanted her out of his apartment before he returned to Bangkok. She finally got the message and left but not before raiding his mail box and helping herself to his replacement ATM card from Lloyd’s Bank. As a parting gesture to her the ever helpful reception staff handed over a DHL package containing the PIN for the ATM card whereby she promptly booked herself into the Davis, on Soi 24, for two weeks. The final bill for the two weeks at the Davis, plus numerous shopping trips to the Emporium, was around 7500 USD. Lloyd’s eventually refunded the money to 006 and sent him a replacement ATM card. Compounding this total clusterfuck to his life was the fact the strumpet also stole the Chanote for his apartment. He is presently working with a lawyer and making an official complaint to the Thai police regarding the stolen Chanote. In the end what he thought might have been a cheap, live in sex partner turned out to be an absolute nightmare of epic proportions, months after the fact. Oh, and as a final kick in the guts, as he was cleaning up his apartment he found a piece of paper with some Arabic writing on it stuffed behind the head of the mattress which only reinforced what I’d told him some eighteen months previously when he floated the idea of letting her stay on after he flew out. I said that “as soon as he’d gone she’d have customers back to his apartment and be doing the business in his bed.”
The lesson in all of this is that worthless Thai whores with nothing to lose will always worthless Thai whores. The thing 006 failed to initially understand regarding the actions of his little schemer was her criminal intent. What she’d done amounted to nothing more than theft and fraud and in any country with a legitimate, objective legal system she’d be behind bars. But this is Thailand and the law is subjective here and as a foreigner you are up against it every step of the way. And those scheming little whores know it, that’s why they always try it on. They also know they’ve got very little to lose even if they do get arrested and charged. If a worthless whore’s got barely two sheckles to rub together do you think they’re going to be overly concerned about doing a bit of time? They’re already on the bottom rung of the ladder in Thai society so they don’t have very far to fall from there. As we sat there having a couple of quiet beers at the entrance to Nana Plaza I told 006 “the next time he’s considering moving in a cheap sex doll, which he’s only known for a couple of months, have a good long think about it first.”
006 likes a drink and so do I, occasionally. Going against a previously made resolution to stay away from go-go bars, 006 convinced me a couple of hours spent at Nana Plaza wasn’t such a bad thing. I hadn’t been down there for a while and had to admit I was interested in checking out the changes that had taken place. The first bar we had a look at was Bangkok Bunnies and to be honest I liked the layout there. Unlike other go-go’s the place is quite spacious and doesn’t have the feeling of rows of bench seats overlooking a cattle market. The girls in Bangkok Bunnies seem friendly enough but it has to be said they’re probably not the best selection at the Plaza.006 reliably informed me the management there will take any girls who are rejected by the other bars. Having said that though, there were a couple of lookers in amongst the munters. The new Rainbow 4 is the bog standard bleachers overlooking a raised dance platform whilst checking out the cattle. It still seems to be the most popular place for the Japanese boys and considering the array of talent on display there, it’s not hard to understand why. There are some genuinely attractive ladies strutting their stuff at the new R 4. Prices though, as you’d expect for this place, are seriously over the top. The fact is a short time now, with a couple of drinks thrown in, will set you back 5000 THB and as Stick mentioned quite some time ago, “it’s just not worth it these days.” Some might question if 5000 for a short time at the new R 4 is an accurate estimation or not? Here’s the breakdown: The bar fine is 700 THB. The short time price for a girl in the new R 4 is now 3000 THB. A short time room upstairs is 300 THB. Two rounds of drinks will set you back approximately 800 – 1000 THB. All added up near enough to 5000 THB for a short time and that, when you consider what you’re actually getting, just aint worth it. Obviously for the Japanese boys, it still is. That’s why they continue to pack the place out.
The Angeles Excursion
Although having resided in South East Asia for the better part of twenty years, and visited most countries in the region, the Philippines was a place I’d always sidestepped. My reasons for avoiding the place were a combination of always having something else on my plate and hesitation due to the stories of crime, corruption and violence one often reads about. Whether there’s an element of truth in such stories, and how it may impact foreigners, is certainly open to conjecture. I have work colleagues who’ve lived there for years and they’ve always assured me the crime, corruption and violence is probably no worse than what is experienced in Thailand. Most agreed the standard of living in Thailand was probably higher and general poverty is more widespread in the peens. Those who lived in Manilla also made it abundantly clear the traffic jams in the Nation’s capital were horrendous. If I was planning on going to Angeles I’d be better off flying direct and avoiding Manilla completely. With plenty of free time available I decided to finally bite the bullet and do a trip to the peens to get a realistic picture of the place and hopefully garner enough on the ground info to make an unbiased, unemotional trip report.
At the time of writing this submission, there are no direct flights from Bangkok to Angeles. Cebu Pacific Air runs direct flights to Angeles but only from Singapore or Hong Kong. Most that fly from Bangkok go via Singapore. Travel time from Bangkok, including a two hour layover at Changi, is approximately seven hours. The flight from Singapore arrives in Angeles at about 8 PM. August in the peens is the monsoon season. My flight touched down at Clark in the middle of a tropical downpour, not to dissimilar to what one might experience in Phuket at the same time of year. If you are planning a trip to Angeles between the months of June and October, take a decent umbrella as the ones they sell on the street for 200 pesos are total junk and won’t see the night out. I know because I bought one along perimeter road, on my first night in town, and by the time I’d reached Fields Avenue the thing had fallen apart in my hands.
For those who haven’t been there Angeles encompasses the Filipino side of the city and Clark, the American side. They are joined by a connecting artery called perimeter road and the difference in the two zones is quite stark. Where the Angeles area is congested, crowded and chaotic, Clark has wide, tree lined boulevards, spacious green belts and quarter acre properties. For all intents and purposes, it’s a suburb from somewhere in the Midwest, supplanted in the tropics. The Americans had a long history in the peens, going back to the late nineteenth century, and peaking through the Vietnam War years when the air base was the busiest in the region. Whatever ones feelings might be regarding colonialism, the American legacy at Clark is a positive one. With old growth trees along shaded streets and a large park used regularly by the local population for sporting activities, it was a nice reminder of a lasting contribution after they left.
According to most expats residing in the peens the one really big positive, as compared to living in Thailand, is the fact the locals speak English. All other things aside, I think they’ve got a point. If you can communicate with the local population at a deeper, more effective level then interacting with them becomes more significant. There is going to be a more genuine level of understanding there and the fact is any potential issues between yourself and a local will be easier to resolve, simply because they can understand what you’re telling them. I think that’s one of the major reasons why many foreigners eventually give up on living in Thailand. As a friend of mine, who put in ten years in the LOS before moving to Angeles told me, “eventually you get so fed up with that annoying, geese honking Thai language that you just gotta go.” I don’t profess to be any kind of expert in language but what I’ve picked up on through the years of residing in the LOS is that Thai, just like any other language, can be spoken well or poorly by native speakers. At the top of the language ability chain are the news presenters on Thai TV. At the bottom are the lowly educated and the shit kickers and that, whether you agree with it or not, includes bar girls. A lot of Thais speak their own language with a horrible, nasally twang which sounds like someone is constantly whinging. It’s not just the fact I can’t understand them, it’s the way in which they speak which becomes so irritating.
There are no such language issues in the peens, as all school kids learn the importance of English during their formative years. It’s more of an outward, progressive way of looking at the world and it’s quite refreshing to be able to communicate well with the ladies in the go-go bars. Within a short period of time of being in Angeles you’ll probably find yourself on Fields Avenue; go-go bar central. There is the distinct feel of a wider, longer Pattaya Soi 6 about Fields Avenue with both sides of the walking thoroughfare lined with go-go bars, restaurants, and hotels. In an effort to promote the venue the locals have renamed it walking street, hoping to cash in on similarities with the original in Pattaya.
Any similarities it may have are in name only as the place has a more ramshackle feel to it, less tense, more laid back, less hustle, and a throwback to a time in Thailand when the development bug hadn’t kicked in. The foreigner crowd cruising the bars and clubs along the strip is mainly composed of two distinct groups; westerners from the US and Australia and the Korean mob. The westerners tend to gravitate to the go-go bars along Perimeter Road where venues such as the Candy Bar, Angel Witch, A touch of Class, and Emotions provide a rough and ready atmosphere for afternoon imbibing and short times. Fields Avenue tends to be a bit more upmarket and some of the larger bars such as Club Atlantis, The Doll House and The Crystal palace have a more spacious/lounge feel about them. The set up in these places tends very much towards the Asian style of go-go bar with comfortable sofas surrounding a large, raised dance platform. The feel of these places is quite different to a Thai go-go bar and caught me by surprise due to the fact there is only one chrome pole on the dance platform. Unlike your average go-go on Soi Cowboy the dynamic seems a bit different where only a select group – perhaps show girls – take turns at dancing individually while the others watch. Once the showgirls have done their thing all the girls then crowd up onto the dance platform to shuffle about and wait to be picked. My overall impression is there’s much more of an entertainment /cabaret style about these places where the girls place an emphasis on having fun and working together. The girls themselves seem friendlier, more fun-loving and less bitchy than Thai bar girls with customer service being foremost. I was told reliably that most go-go bars along Fields Ave enforce a no phone gawking policy while the girls are inside the bars. I would say that was a major noticeable difference to the ladies in Thai go-go bars.
As mentioned I found it rather refreshing to be able to engage a bargirl in a decent conversation which went beyond the standard “where you come from, how long you stay here, you buy me drink” nonsense that is the standard fare in Thailand. One lass in particular impressed me with her critical thinking ability. In an offhanded remark I asked her “if she was expecting Manny Pacquiao to be the future president of the Philippines?” Her reply “no, his education level isn’t good enough” surprised me and got me thinking that the ability to speak English well is possibly not just about competence in communication but also about applying a certain degree of logic in a conversation. No doubt if I had of asked a Thai bar girl the same type of question I would’ve got an inane answer along the lines of “he very good man, him very rich, hehehe” or a similar nonsensical diatribe.
Appearance wise the girls in the Angeles go-go bars look to have a softer edge than Thai bar girls. Yes they are still doing it for money and in that regard hookers are still hookers but my general observations were:
- Filipinas have less ink than their Thai counterparts (perhaps they’ve got more respect for their bodies and think of a life beyond the bar?) A close inspection of the following pics will back up this observation
- There is less silicone enhancement on the girls in Angeles
- Most of the girls (90%) are slightly plump which is indication they’ve had children and also that methamphetamine (yaba) abuse is less of an issue (this is the primary reason why so many Thai go-go dancers look skinny, yaba is an appetite suppressant)
Pay for play prices in Angeles are generally lower than in the LOS and the payment system is quite different where the full price for the girl is paid up front to the bar before she steps out. In other words, the bar fine also includes the girls fee for the duration you want her for. Standard rates along Fields avenue are 2500 – 3000 Pesos which is 1800 – 2300 THB. The only extra you will be asked for is the 100 Peso trike fee for the girl to get home when she leaves. Now for the big question that I’m sure many reading this are wanting answered; do Filipinas provide a better service than Thais? Not wanting to delve into generalisations I would say, yes they do. I went with three girls (1 twice) and compared to the average service provided by a Thai bar girl these days, they were excellent. They have a far less developed sense of entitlement and are still eager to please and provide an enjoyable experience. The poverty probably has a lot to do with it of course but there is definitely more gratitude there than the expectant, bitchy attitudes often encountered in the bars in Bangkok. What I’m going to say next may upset some readers but I make no apologies; it’s my observation now that Thai women and their golden pussies are seriously fxxking overrated. And 5000 THB for a short time is an absolute insult once you know there are much better options available out there.
Poverty, as we so often see in Thailand, is the major determinant for the girls to seek out work in the go-go bars of Angeles with most coming from the poorest area of the country; the island of Samar. Money of course is the primary reason for prostituting themselves but most I talked with didn’t see bar work as a long-term career move, just a means to an end with the end hopefully being marriage to a foreigner to solve their and their family’s financial problems. In this regard they are really no different to a Thai bar girl but, having said that, I see a situation in Thailand now where many girls look at bar work as a viable career to enrich themselves by having multiples of sponsors.
In closing I would say that Angeles is definitely a great alternative for some pay for play action if you’re getting tired of the crap service and expense of Thailand. Do I see Angeles as a viable alternative to living in Thailand? Possibly but I’d like to go there during the dry season as I’m not really the type of person who can just spend endless days hanging out in bars and paying for sex with hookers. The outdoor adventure activities, such as visiting some of the beautiful outer islands, offer great possibilities at the right time of year. Oh, and one last thing, for all those people who say the food is crap in the peens; yes you are right, the local food is crappy but the western food which the Filipinos cook is absolutely excellent and far better than any western meal cooked by a Thai. The PUZZLES RESTAURANT in Angeles has excellent western food at great prices; try their seafood omelette for breakfast.
Back to Vung Tau
With its relaxed beachside atmosphere and jungle clad peaks, Vung Tau is a place which keeps drawing me back. The clean air, tree lined boulevards, brilliant local coffee, and sedate pace of life seem a world away from the crowded chaos and pollution of Bangkok. So much so that every time I drop back into that overheated, hellish environment I can’t help but wonder “why the fxxk am I still living there?” It’s certainly got little to do with the bar scene and Thai pussy because the novelty of that wore off quite some time ago. Bangkok, as a number of friends who spent considerable time there will testify, is like a glamorous harlot; there’s the outer illusion of something exciting but scratch below the surface and it soon reveals itself as an overhyped and increasingly more expensive black hole which just sucks the life out of you. According to a close friend, living in Bangkok is like the “slow spiral of doom” which takes its toll on one’s physical and mental well-being. I think he’s got a point, most who live there know the air quality is crap and if you’re not a drinker, or a party animal, then there doesn’t seem to be much which could be listed on the positive side of the ledger to keep you there. My take on the reason why so many expats spend years there is because they’re basically stuck there through marriage to a local and are existing on low paying jobs. Okay, the hard core whoremongers may still try to make a case for the variety of the bar scene but seriously, there’s a cheaper bar scene, with younger pussy, 130 clicks down the road in Pattaya. I guess there might be some out there who just like living in a large, crowded city but if that’s the case then why not just live in first world country where pollution, noise and traffic jams are less of an issue?
An example of how ridiculous prices have become in Bangkok is a new condo development over in Silom; the Mahanakhon. The developers are offering thirty square meter studios for one million USD. Seriously, one million USD dollars for something the size of a hotel room? Its first world prices in a third world environment. Even if what’s being offered is the height of luxury, as soon as you step out of the building you’ll be confronted by broken footpaths, walkways crowded with stinking food carts and ramshackle hawkers stalls, and a spaghettied entanglement of power lines draping into public thoroughfares. But for the hiso’s and super stars wanting to be seen in the wine bars, the al-fresco restaurants and latest trendy clubs of Silom, it’s probably a deal not to be missed. My point is that Bangkok is rapidly becoming a playground for the rich five percent with the other ninety five percent struggling to make ends meet. Talk to any taxi driver and you’ll soon get an idea how lousy the economy is in Bangkok. The local economy is in a slump, the Thais have the highest levels of personal debt in the region and the ruling junta keeps making decisions which are anti-foreigner in sentiment. My take on things is the golden age of tourism for Thailand is over with the majority of independent travellers quickly being replaced by Chinese group tours. The more discerning type of independent travellers are now turning their attention to up and coming places such as Vietnam. For the naughty boys of the world Vietnam may seem a tad lame compared with the glitz of Bangkok but there’s a different dynamic at play over there. Take Saigon as an example; there are no go-go bars there but if you want some short time action with a white skinned, twenty year old Viet beauty then it’s simply a matter of getting on the We-Chat App and arranging an hour’s liaison. A short time price, arranged via We-chat, in Saigon is currently USD 50. Yes, that’s right it’s about one third of the price of Bangkok and the best part is you don’t have to jump through hoops to make it happen. Just give the girl the name of your hotel and room number, and she’ll be knocking on your door within thirty minutes. Say good bye to scheming mamasans and alcohol stinking, yaba-addled, ink covered skanks for good. Nothing could be simpler. It’s just a matter of having the motivation to leave behind a scene which you think is as good as it gets, getting off your Bangkok bar stool and having a look at somewhere else in the world.
Once you’ve had three days of enjoying the pleasures on offer in Saigon, you can hop on the Hydrofoil for the ninety minute run down the Saigon River to Vung Tau. For a more in-depth report on Vung Tau and its local attractions please follow this link to my travel blog: http://www.megaworldasia.comvietnam/vung-tau-and-beyond/
As far as hotels go there is plenty available to select from on either front beach or back beach. If you want to be near the bars, restaurants and busier centre of town then front beach is the better option. A good choice of accommodation on front beach is www.lucyssportsbar.com with a nice room overlooking the ocean going for USD 40 per night. An added bonus, if you’re keen on a bit of exercise in the late afternoon, is the fact the back entrance to the hotel exits onto the road which goes up the hill to the lighthouse. If you want to sweat off those beers from the night before, put your trainers on, grab a bottle of water and simply follow the road to the lookout at the top of the hill. The sealed road is a medium gradient and is completely enshrouded by jungle. The round trip should take about 75 minutes after which you can make your way to the outdoor restaurant area at Lucy’s – overlooking front beach – and chill out on a pint of cold San Miguel Draught (yes they’ve actually got it there on tap) and order a serving of Lucy’s excellent fish and chips.
Vung Tau is a place to relax, enjoy a quiet beer while overlooking the ocean and get your fill of the excellent seafood which is in abundance at many of the local restaurants. It is not a place to head to if you are a hard-core sex tourist as you’ll be disappointed if trying to make comparisons with what’s on offer in Thailand.
There is a bar scene in Vung Tau but it’s nothing like Pattaya or Phuket, with a comparatively small conglomeration of bars on front beach at the junction of Truong Cong Dinh and Hoang Hoa Tham Roads. The pick of the bars is probably the Red Parrot Bar and MK Bar which have stylishly set interiors and look nothing like the rough and ready standard so often prevalent in Thailand. The girls themselves are friendly, demure and service oriented. Yes they are still essentially hookers and they are in the bars to make money, and for that reason they’ll want you to buy them a drink, but the nasty attitudes one so often sees in Thailand are non-existent amongst these girls. If you don’t want to buy them a drink, simply say no and they’ll leave you alone. I would say the girls in the bars here are definitely not what you’d term as a whore, per se. They will go with customers for money – current price is approx. USD 100 for the night – but their primary purpose for being in the bars is to find a foreign husband. Unlike many Thai bar girls, these girls don’t see bar work as a viable long-term money-making career and there is a noticeable lack of the harder characteristics which are par for the course in Thailand i.e; tramp stamps (tattoos), hard-core drinking, and methamphetamine use. In comparison I would say Viet ladies generally are not as physically attractive as Thai ladies but they make up for it in other ways such as in being polite, being more service oriented and being more attentive to your needs. The most refreshing thing for me is the difference in attitude compared with Thailand; there is much less of the level of entitlement one so often encounters around the bars in Bangkok these days. And that’s the thing which I can’t put up with anymore; that arrogance you’re shown if you decide you don’t want to buy a skanky, Isarn whore a drink. In doing so you’re immediately labelled a keeneow and treated as a pariah. In fact it’s not just declining to buy a drink for some arrogant strumpet that will cop you attitude now. I had some stretch marked cow, in Bangkok Bunnies, calling me out from the dance platform because I said I was “just looking.”
When you add that type of attitude to the aggressive drinks hustle, lousy service and ridiculous prices the girls are now asking for a short time (5000 THB) it’s little wonder the bar industry in Thailand is in decline. To be honest I could never understand the arrogant attitude of some of these Isarn girls (or is it defiance). I mean seriously, they are on the bottom rung of Thai society and yet they all seem to think that foreigners are just lining up to be with them. It’s a ludicrous notion that is completely Thai in origin and stems from that idiotic, social oxymoron of maintaining one’s face regardless of the evidence to the contrary. And that is the stupidity of the Thai whoring scene; that the girls refuse to accept they’re actually prostitutes, even though they might be doing two to three short times a night, and their thinking that you as the customer are actually fortunate to be spending some time with them. It’s an utter nonsense based on that idiotic idea, once again, of maintaining ones face at all costs. The truth is the girls working in the go-go bars of Thailand (particularly in Bangkok) are some of the skankiest, hard-core prostitutes one will ever encounter anywhere in Asia. I once read an amusing submission, on another Bangkok, farang based website, called “The Peculiar Insanity of the Thailand Whore Scene and its Uselessness to Many.” The general point the writer was making was that Thailand seems to be the only place in the world where hookers have an attitude and there is this weird fantasy world where they’ll only go with you if you are lucky enough to be in their presence for a while. It’s an idiotic, pseudo “I could be your girlfriend” scene which lacks the directness of what one encounters in other parts of the world if you’re paying for a bit of slap and tickle. I recently had one of those idiot whores, at a venue down on Soi Eleven, tell me she “went with me because she liked me.” To which I replied “no, you went with me for the five thousand Baht and by the way for a hooker, your service is lousy.” It’s something which I’ve yet to encounter with Vietnamese ladies. There’s a directness there which is in complete contrast with that which one so often sees in Thailand. In Vietnam you are the customer, you have the money and they are providing a service.
Safe Travels,
Mega
The author of this submission can be contacted at : megaworldasia360@gmail.com