Of Amoral Thai Coeds & Campus Bunnies
It’s back-to-school time again and you must wonder how any work gets done in Thai colleges in view of all those distractions. Recently we heard about that professor who was more interested in a female student’s special service than intellect.
I’m talking about the Chula and other campus bunnies. Who wear those most boring white school blouses extra-too-small and the most boring black skirts extra-too-short. The result: All the attention is happily and bashfully focused on trying to keep covered.
A zero sum game though, as the very essence of wearing a black skirt and white blouse two sizes too small and stuffing a little tight Thai girl into it is to transform that plain uniform into a distraction. Some lithe and lissom Thai college girls seem to have no other worries than to draw the attention. They may avert their eyes, but how they love it. There are even magazines celebrating the art of transforming yourself by means of an uniform into a starlet on campus.
Sphere: Related ContentSome Thais Shed No Tears For Burma
Couldn’t resist to publish this one. Makes some rough reading, this lesson in history. But doesn’t come as a surprise. As a farang you often wondered about Thailand’s and Asia’s shameless racism and stereotyping towards people of other race and darker skin, with less money and no elaborate jobs. Explains why China, Japan and the Koreas are still bound by hate. Compare this with Germany and France, who painfully came to terms with the past and today are brothers of blood.
In the West you’d be called the dirtiest of names for Asia’s indoctrinated, patronizing attitude towards the poor and neglected. Here it’s good form to arrogantly place yourself above peasants and migrants, fisherman and laborers, even though them being the backbone of society.
Virtues such as mercy and compassion are easily translated, tough though to be followed. Respect for Thailand’s leadership, they quickly helped Burma. The Thai masses though, that’s another chapter. Makes my blood boil to be reminded on such not even hidden, but openly displayed arrogance. Don’t worry, my wife always says. Not your problem. There will be payback day.
Sphere: Related ContentMastering The Thai Stock Market
Ever wanted to become rich quickly? Well, we’re not suggesting that we know how to do that. But we know how to quickly lose money. By playing the Thai stock market. Not an easy playing field. But then again, there are stocks and stocks. If you are bored with having your money in a low-interest Thai bank and would appreciate a promising local investment with a twist, why not having a look at Thai small cap stocks.
Exactly. Not the big cap stocks everybody is buying. But the little undervalued treasures. And we’re not suggesting speculative short-term trading, but laid-back long-term investing for high cash dividends and growth in earnings that can pay off handsomely.
The guru of rational long-term investing in Thai stocks is Swiss-French Paul A. Renaud, a Phuket resident who’s doing nothing else for the past 19 years than analyzing the Thai stock market. Renaud’s the connaisseur of undervalued and yet fast growing smaller capitalized Thai companies. And he’s about the only analyst who covers them. And Renaud assures us: “Longer term investors who own a broadly diversified portfolio of such Thai value-shares have done very well.”
Sphere: Related ContentBangkok, Capital Of Noise
People talking all the time when they shouldn’t, cranked up loudspeakers splitting your brain and blaring ads even in the Skytrain - Bangkok is not a quiet place. But does it rank among the noisiest cities of the world?
‘‘Bangkok to be fashion center of world.” Next week the headline will read: ”Bangkok to be travel centre of the world” - or :”Car parts manufacturing center of the world.”
Checking a website which lists the achievements of the world’s cities, I found that Bangkok is, indeed, listed. Apart from other activities best not spoken of, Bangkok is famed as the city having the friendliest stray dogs.
Sphere: Related ContentThe Vongthip Letter May 08
It’s time again for some stimuli of those brain cells.
Here’s Khun Vongthip Chumpani of Bangkok Bank with her monthly mandatory doses of Thai insights.
Read about “saint” Thaksin, the rice crisis and understand Thailand’s current behind-the-scenes.
Sphere: Related ContentFrom Father To Sons - But Where Is Kamnan Poh?
Recently, Itthipol Khunpluem, son of illustrious Somchai Khunpluem aka Kamnan Poh, won the mayoral election in beautiful Pattaya. Khun Itthipol, youngest brother of veteran politician Sonthaya, former tourism and sports minister, won by thousands of votes. Thousands of votes? What’s again the population of Pattaya?
Kamnan Poh was an influential figure in, or better: the godfather of Chon Buri. Was, because nobody knows his whereabouts since he went underground after being found guilty of hiring hit men to murder his business rival and local administrator Prayoon Sitthichote. Prayoon was gunned down at a wedding reception in full glamor in March 2003.
In 2006 a nationwide hunt was launched to capture Kamnan Poh, who knew a trick or two to enjoy growing influence. Today though nobody knows where he is. Or so they say. But that’s not the story of this topic. The story is his son Itthipol’s clear election win. By thousands of votes. Of a total of 31,672 votes. That’s right. Because only 64,735 voters were registered and not even half went voting. In a Pattaya that according to conservative estimates hosts a population of 500,000 people.
Sphere: Related ContentBangkok, World’s Most Tiresome Immigration
Did quite some friend-dropping and picking up of buddies these days at Suvarnabhumi airport. And am wondering each time why Thailand is calling itself a tourist’s haven. Because holidays start and end with those longish waits at immigration.
The other day my dad waited 70 (!) minutes to enter the country and days later 55 minutes to exit. It goes without saying that about a third of the immigration counters were closed. Because it makes sense in these difficult economic times to save on those highly paid immigration officers …
I’ve waited in old Sowjet and medieval African immigration queues - nothing comes close to the Thai experience. Ok, when you live here for some time you may have residency papers or travel with your Thai family and can enjoy the privilege of the mostly shorter queues for Thais. But as an alien - as they call foreigners here - better be prepared for a long wait arriving in and departing from Thailand.
Sphere: Related ContentTIT = Thailand In Turmoil
To the outside world Thailand looks as peaceful as ever. Life in these times of inflation has become slightly more quiet. But the beaches remain pristine, the food spectacular and the people friendly and kind.
Deep down though Thailand is torn by never seen conflicts and struggles that threaten to tear society apart. The old elite fights a newer elite, old blood-given hierarchies oppose a rising meritocracy, society faces the politization of the monarchy, even never before muttered discussions about lèse majesté are heard.
In the media public name-and-shame campaigns against prominent figures have become all-too-common and old power brokers such as Chalerm Yoobamrung white wash the past. The military, since the coup, is struggling to regain credibility and the political leaders, lacking charisma and clear sight, even widen the gap between the haves and have-not.
Sphere: Related ContentModern Feminism: Grrrl Power Asia, Hear It Growl
We, as a rule, don’t do copycatting. But this trip into the mysteries of the Asian female psyche is another priceless piece of William Sparrow, editor in chief of the Asian Sex Gazette. Sparrow has been an occasional contributor to Asia Times Online.
And Sparrow, it seems, has been promoted. Sparrow “now joins Asia Times Online with a weekly column,” writes the Asia Times. To be published by the Asia Times is proof already of carefully reflected high quality content. Now take the subject of sex and high quality content. That’s where Sparrow comes in.
His latest piece of relevance for the Thai audience you’ll find attached right here. Sparrow is talking feminism and emancipation. Whereas me thinks it’s about time for men to emancipate themselves. Men die younger, men have to go to wars, settle most bills and even men have their kind of time in a month. And not that I envy Sparrow’s field of research, but I remain amazed how many quality stories he’s able to produce on the subject.
Sphere: Related ContentThais, Masters Of The Art Of Improvisation
Ever wondered that - not only politically - nothing’s impossible over here in the Land of the Free? The art of improvisation is a bewildering skill of the gifted people of Thailand. Something brakes down, something needs a fix - in the twinkling of an eye you can use that broken chair again and that plate can serve for another twenty years.
An improvised world may not look perfect. Much in Thailand may be run down. But does it need to be repaired - or even replaced? If it ain’t broken, don’t even fix it. If it is broken, improvise. You as as an aesthetician may suffer a stroke in this country, but as a pragmatist you’ll discover many valuable inspirations.
The Thai art of improvisation demonstrates the Thais’ great level of tolerance, stoicism and, yes, importance of freedom, rising above the dogmatic and narrow-minded bureaucracies in the West. When arriving in Thailand you may have called those compromises in aesthetics, but not functionality a botch job. Not after living here for some time. You’ll convert to the Thais’ knack for making the unworkable just work again. Not to mention political improvisation.
Sphere: Related ContentMartial Arts Flick “Som Tam”: A Good Laugh @ Farangs
I’ve never ever in my life went to see a kung fu movie or any other flick with brawls and fights. This new charming Thai kickin’n'beatin’ movie “Som Tam” though has me oddly attracted. And I keep wondering why.
The trailer made me laugh - especially those whining dogs. And don’t you love the scene with the monk? And how that feverishly pounded som tam drives that farang invincible …
It’s a martial arts comedy in which Aussie wrestler Nathan Jones stars as a homeless and very timid foreigner living on the streets of Bangkok. He’s taken in by two young girls. He’s quiet and peaceful until he eats a bowl of very spicy som tam.
Sphere: Related ContentAustrian Incest Father Was In Bad Bad Thailand
The foreign media miss no chance to appreciatively accuse Thailand of the old lewd vices. Buy and sell anything in the exotic kingdom, satisfy your wildest dreams. This time foreign media report with that “Thailand again!”-angle that Austrian incest father and family abuser Josef Fritzl (aren’t there any better words for his crimes?) twice holidayed in Thailand.
A video, unearthed by Germany’s tabloid Bild, shows Fritzl, now 73, enjoying himself at a Thai beach. While his daughter and three kids remained captured in the cellar dungeon in sleepy Amstetten, Austria. See the video of the “Incest Monster of Almstetten” below, in German - recognize that beach?
Bad bad Thailand. How could you have allowed that pervert entering the country … Or so the foreign headlines seem to say. Not explicitly. But everybody gets the point. And aren’t we getting tired of that old finger pointing. Don’t even blame the wife of Fritzl for not having a clue for 24 years. Allegedly.
Sphere: Related Content“Power-Crazy Thaksin” - Man City, Didn’t We Tell You So?
As if we wouldn’t know it: Money makes the world go round. Or so thought the great puppet master Thaksin Shinawatra, owner of honorable Manchester City Football Club. After having behaved like the owner of the Kingdom of Thailand but being kicked out, he at least could afford to be the owner of a faraway football club.
But how quickly sweet can turn sour and dreams crash down. There’s all poison between Thaksin and his star coach Sven-Göran Eriksson. The quiet Swede, known for his tranquility, even had a bust-up with Thaksin.
No surprise for us in Thailand. If Thaksin could drive us here crazy, he can easily drive Eriksson up the pole. But even more worrisome: “Shinawatra has become power-crazy at City,” wrote The Sun.
Sphere: Related ContentT.B.G.I. - Thai Bar Girl Investigations
Admit it. Some people can’t even trust their own shadow. How you want to trust a beautiful slender girl you met in a Bangkok bar who is promising you eternal faithfulness and love. Maybe there’s a catch.
In Thailand, country of deep distrusts, there’s an own industry of people making a living from untrustworthy people. Take T.B.G.I. - Thailand Bar Girl Investigations. Detectives wo catch cheating Thai bar girls and save you money.
T.B.G.I.’s intro reads like this: So you met an amazing, sweet Thai girl … Nice. She worked in a go-go bar, beer bar, or massage parlor … Hmmm? And she promised to stop working and love only you while you are back home if you will just help her with a little money each month? Stop right there!!!
Sphere: Related ContentVote Now! Thailand’s Top 100 Blogs
The basic commandment of a blogger is: Thou shall be happy when you’ve even got one single reader. Well, absolutely went to quite some readership since its birth in September ‘07. But thanks to fellow blogger Matt over at The Lost Boy the time for self-delusion is definitively over. Matt created the Top 100 Thailand Blogs. Quite a crowd-puller, chapeau Matt!
As we’re probably the youngest blog in this list, we’re not too unhappy with the ranking. Ranking systems anyway are a dealing with the devil. Look at the current Alexa controversies. But Matt seems to have put quite some thought into the system based on Google’s Page Rank and Technorati Rank. Alexa shall be incorporated later on.
Top 100 Thailand Blogs offers you a wide array of known and lesser known authors, analysts, researchers, musers and lovers of and on Thailand. You’ll discover stuff you’ve never dreamed of. But this is where you’re coming in. Because me wonders why blogs with an Alexa ranking of over ten million and a dozen hits a day are ranked alongside absolutely … Yes yes, truer rankings may show over time. Fact is: Not a long time after launch we can boast several hundred readers a day.
Sphere: Related ContentRecent Comments
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- Of Amoral Thai Coeds & Campus Bunnies
- Some Thais Shed No Tears For Burma
- Mastering The Thai Stock Market
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- The Vongthip Letter May 08
- From Father To Sons - But Where Is Kamnan Poh?
- Bangkok, World’s Most Tiresome Immigration
- TIT = Thailand In Turmoil
- Modern Feminism: Grrrl Power Asia, Hear It Growl
- Thais, Masters Of The Art Of Improvisation
- Martial Arts Flick “Som Tam”: A Good Laugh @ Farangs
- Austrian Incest Father Was In Bad Bad Thailand
- “Power-Crazy Thaksin” - Man City, Didn’t We Tell You So?
- T.B.G.I. - Thai Bar Girl Investigations
- Vote Now! Thailand’s Top 100 Blogs
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absolutelyBangkok.com is an other, more subtle, no copycat take on lifestyle, politics, travel, food & events in Bangkok. An insider's take on this wildly exotic city, which deep in its heart remains a wildly charming village.
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More than the Obvious
absolutelyBangkok.com offers hardly any girlie talk. There's a myriad of concerned girlie-analysts out there already. We feel there is slightly more to Bangkok than the obvious and often-enough-said-and-tried-it-all. We got our own takes on how the "poor Thai women from the countryside with a modest education can make well-educated, worldly Western men do really crazy things," as an old Bangkok hand once said.
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