Girlfriend For Sale

Not much to add. This is a YouTube upload of “Girlfriend for Sale” filmed for Britain’s Channel 4. It’s been a while since it was on air in December 2007. But hell, while some get wiser and learn, some don’t – and are not less happy.

It’s the same old story over and over again. Film crews followed two girls, Fon, a bar worker, and Yek, a karaoke singer. All they want is to find a foreign man to whisk them away from a life of poverty and provide for the children.

For foreign men searching for petite Thai wives the red light districts of Bangkok and tourist resorts are full of Eastern promise. But for the women who work there life couldn’t be less glamorous. I know, nothing new, but still:

21-year-old Fon who sells her body to tourists hands her wages over to a woman, one of the only in the area with a computer and good grasp of English. She charges the girls to send and reply to emails from potential providers.

Yek, 32, has two young children. But posting photographs of herself on the internet in the hope of finding a foreign love but is having little success.

Neither Fon nor Yek will tell you something you didn’t know yet. But a fate with a face makes us voyeurs feel at least slightly less comfortable. But then again, it seems all so natural, why bother to question one’s own comfort zone.







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September 21, 2009 | Filed Under Books & Movies, Nightlife & Entertainment, Society, The Thai Mind 

Comments

10 Responses to “Girlfriend For Sale”

  1. Patrick on September 22nd, 2009 2.12 am

    Thanks for posting this, Dan.

    I actually find this rather sensitive and genuine. And without a whiff of judgment. Good piece of journalism.

    P.S. Guess if I’m ever truly destitute, I can make a living writing emails for bar girls.

  2. Chris on September 22nd, 2009 3.11 am

    Thanks for posting this. I find it to be a surprisingly sensitive look into the area of Issan village girls and their desire to find a way forward in modern Thailand …

  3. chdarat on September 23rd, 2009 2.29 pm

    Yes, I agree with both Chris and Patrick.

    At first I thought the village Ajarn was writing the email for free for altruistic reasons (if you can call it that!) but when I heard that she makes a living from it, umm not sure how to feel. She’s right on saying that what other possibilities is there for this type of girls!

    One point to note though, these girls chose to live the lifestyles they have. Once you’ve chosen the life of a bar girl then it’s pretty hard to get out of! Only the very lucky few can move on without blemish in Thai society and for the others then the other option is to marry farangs.

    I have seen much worse poverty stricken conditions and the women I saw strived to make an honest living and can earn at most 50 dollars a month!

    No judgment here but just want to point out that the paths these girls took are much easier than other options available.

    Yes, it will be almost impossible to escape the poverty trap without farangs in shining amour coming to the rescue.

  4. BangkokDan on September 23rd, 2009 3.39 pm

    So you mean marrying a farang is not the worst of things after all chdarat?

    BangkokDan

  5. chdarat on September 24th, 2009 5.41 pm

    touché

    (BD: no worries chdarat, we’re of the same mind)

  6. AjahnBill on September 24th, 2009 6.02 pm

    I have lived in Thailand for 3 1/2 years now, been coming here off and on for over 25 years … I see these girls daily … It’s the problem of two parties … government and education… neither which seems to give a damn for the Thai people. The government is afraid of losing its so called “Thainess” and makes it very hard for foreign businesses to open shops and factories in Thailand, therefore opening factories and helping its population find meaningful employment. And the education system is so out of touch with the times, it’s turning out farmers and bar girls … I am not going to blame farangs for taking advantage of these girls … If the government would give them another option, most of them wouldn’t be where they are … and I am not going to get started talking about these girls families … no, I’m not … everyone in the whole world is going to have to pay the piper for their actions … everyone … your not going to get out of this life for free … Like both Jesus and Buddha say “What you sow, so shall you reap.”

  7. toby on September 25th, 2009 6.24 am

    The matchmaker in Thailand typically will charge 100 baht per hour to help Thai lady who cannot speak English meet Farang. Problem is that she already knows that unless the Thai girl can speak English the poor girl does not have much of a chance. Oh it can happen but is much more rare. Thai girl already knows this but the matchmaker will prey on her hopes. If the Thai girl were really serious she would study English which you can do many places in Thailand now.

  8. AjahnBill on September 25th, 2009 8.53 am

    Hey Toby … I’ve noticed after living here for some time that Thais will always take the easy way out … Especially Thai bar girls …

  9. chdarat on September 25th, 2009 10.26 am

    Spot on AjahnBill!

    As much as I can empathize with their plights and situations, something is dreadfully wrong when all that can be instilled in these girls’ heads are materials getaways! Education is the key answer but that isn’t going to happen soon! With lack of good education, most of these girls learn from Thai TV and we all know about Thai TV! No wonder they take an easy way out!

    I think the media in Thailand has a responsibility (and the world media on the whole) to really question what values they instil in the next generation, too late for the present!

    Before being accused of theorizing, let me tell you that I’ve seen what the other side of the rainbow has in store for them! I lived most of my life in the U.K. and helped council many of these Cinderella bar girls who married for better living.

    Here is what I see as the recurring pattern.

    Many do end up happily ever after with their princes but these are the ones that are willing to adapt into their new culture. Some have real difficulties fitting in and end up leaving their prince charmings.

    Many resorts to prostitution again as most are gamblers or hard core drinkers and need money to feed their habits.

    A minority but even as minority, we cannot ignore, get into abusive relationships.

    The saddest part of all is the children. Most of the adopted children who went abroad, suffered from identity crisis and some have to be admitted into hospital due to severe depression, many tried to alleviate their suffering by suicide. Some were sexually abused by their new fathers. Some become house slaves to their new family, being treated as inferior to their new half brothers and sisters!

    OK some actually manage to become parents to famous Thai media stars and thus reinforce the whole cycle of these dreams getaway all over again!

  10. DAVID HIGGS on September 28th, 2009 10.27 pm

    This is not really related to the topic, but please give it some space. It’s important. There is not too much good news these days in Thailand.

    I was there with the wife. Great fight. It reminded me of everything that is good about Thailand. How humble he was in victory. Hundreds of Thais at the fight. Something good for Thailand.

    Poonsawat Kratingdaenggym of Thailand has stopped Bernard Dunne of Ireland in the third round to win the WBA Super Bantamweight title.

    The Thai landed a trio of powerful left hooks in the third round on Saturday in Dublin, each time sending Dunne to the mat. The referee stopped the fight after the third knockdown as blood flowed from the Dubliner’s nose and left ear.The 28-year-old Poonsawat (39-1) had waited 18 months for his shot at the title. It was his first professional victory outside Thailand. Before the fight he predicted he would knock out the hometown favorite within seven rounds.The 29-year-old Dunne (28-2) captured the WBA title on March 21st with an 11th-round knockout of Panama’s Ricardo Cordoba, also at the O2 Arena in Dublin’s Docklands.

    All the best from Ireland. Have a Singha for me!!

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