That Damn Old Bangkok Cliché

Why is it that Bangkok still has that reputation of being a paradise for abusers and a city of whores where nobody has to work hard to make a living.

With that Canadian Interpol ped caught in Thailand the world again pointed the fingers against Thailand, implicitly calling the Kingdom all sorts of bad names.

Like: See, it’s in Thailand it happened again! – where most expats are mostly high or hung over.

We all know Thailand has some issues with crooks and hoodlums imported from abroad and with certain harlotry.

We all know that the abuse of minors, even the sex trade, are “illegal” in Thailand, which is hardly a synonym for “non-existent” over here.

But then again: Bangkok doesn’t seem to have that criminality problem with something that is epidemically available all over Europe – if you know what I mean: Such as Eastern Europe’s influence over Western Europe.

And when the Thai police caught that Canadian ped, who basically doesn’t deny being a ped, but asks the world to get him out of that Thai jail; when that Canadian was caught, the whole world knowingly nodded: It could only have happened in Thailand.

Gosh. We’re all perverts here. We’re doing it all for lust with money.

Well, we have a rather large “shadow society” here.

A friend though once said those wise words: „If you’re new to Bangkok and not hanging out at Soi Nana, you got a problem. If you’re for a long time in Bangkok and still hanging out at Soi Nana, you got a problem.“

Sadly Thailand – to the outside world – is still regarded as that old, outlived cliché. Such as: We’re all living in a huge cathouse and nobody has to lead a responsible life with paying taxes and horrendous school fees for the kids, cared for by hard working, reliable Western daddies loving their dedicated, truthful Thai women.

The West though still considers Thailand a degenerated society.

In foreign news reports about that Canadian they weren’t even asking: „What was he doing in Thailand?“ Questions were more like: „Why don’t Thai people do anything against such breeds?“ Quietly implying a lousy state of moral affairs in the Kingdom.

Ignoring how quickly and efficiently Thai police caught the guy.

Talking about advancements of society: There are – some – parts in Bangkok more sophisticated than Manhattan. Bangkok downtown areas look swankier than hyper-expensive Moscow, more modern than cockered up Paris.

But the West still loves to sensationalize Bangkok.

It’s mainly, oh yes, an expression of jealousy.

As jealousy is the fear of the comparison.

Bangkok has that je ne sais quoi the West is eagerly longing for. Which is a reason why they’re traveling over here in masses.

Not a month passes that Bangkok is named again a world’s best tourism destination by some leading travel magazine.

Bangkok is hot. The West knows that. Green with envy. Trying to be something it can never be.

Thailand fights many other struggles right now. The war against those old stereotypes has been won long time ago.

The mighty, hypochondriac West just didn’t catch up yet with our present day here.




Sphere: Related Content

Related posts on absolutelyBangkok.com:

  1. Sorta Henry Miller? Lawrence Osborne’s Vulgar-Prose “Bangkok Days”
  2. Chris Coles’ Bangkok Vanilla Sky
  3. Harem Culture & Colonialism’s Dirty Little Secrets

October 22, 2007 | Filed Under Being Farang, Travel & Tourism 

Comments

3 Responses to “That Damn Old Bangkok Cliché”

  1. Brat on October 22nd, 2007 11.11 pm

    Sounds like Thailand is some neo-colonial power of the future?

    Unfortunately Thais ARE an abusing society.

  2. robuzo on February 18th, 2009 3.50 pm

    Yes, I live in one of those swanky areas of BKK, the swanky Thonglor. A neighborhood must be swanky if the NYT refers to it as the “Beverly Hills of Bangkok,” dontcha know. You know how you can tell Thonglor is an upscale neighborhood? The motorbikes stay off of the sidewalk here. Otherwise, traffic is practically a free-for-all, the air is awful, and dogshit litters the sidewalks (I know, just like Paris). But the people living in the falling down shacks on the fetid klong just behind the expensive condos are unfailingly polite, which almost makes up for the appalling manners of the veal-complexioned high-so crowd.

  3. number&number on February 18th, 2009 5.27 pm

    I was lucky to escape daily brushings with veal complexioned hi-so’s and save my lungs from the never ending condo-struction dust of Thong-Lor (handsome gold) after living there for many pre-overinflation years. I live in Ratanakosin and don’t miss that snob-manor for a second, actually I dread having to go to that part of town; it’s like partaking in a bad soap opera.

Leave a Reply