Three Places/Three Spaces

(If this appears to be submitted by Patty, forgive the technological madness. This comes from Greg, though the techno demons initially chose not to allow him to lay claim to the work.)

The research for this blog was shamefully easy. It consisted primarily of nursing a beer and watching people go by. Three different places, and three different spaces. Rough job, eh?

Scene One: My first venue is Pa-in, the town closest to where I work. It’s a 4-minute ride via motorcycle taxi, and getting there is easy.

As a side note, getting back is more noteworthy. The road to Pa-in is a major highway, complete with a concrete barrier separating the flow of traffic. For the ride back, the motorcycle taxis drive AGAINST traffic, hugging the curb. Providentially, I am sometimes lulled into a sense of immortality by the alcohol consumed in Pa-in. Stone-cold sober, it’s a daunting ride.

I get off the cycle, maneuver through a large collection of market stalls, and emerge at a restaurant located on a busy side street. Another English teacher is already here, which is no big surprise. He typically spends a few hours here every day.

I join him at his regular table, which is situated almost on the street itself. The restaurant is three-walled, so the effect is a third-world sidewalk café.

This is an ideal place to people-watch, and the flow of passing humanity is constant.

While it’s true that I see all ages and types, it’s most often the women that catch my eye. Guess I’m just hardwired that way. And in this country the women are not mere eye candy. They’re eye sustenance. More like a visual five course meal.

But I find delight in the rest of the scene, as well. Factory workers, heading to or from their 12-hour shifts. School children. Families. Street dogs. The occasional truck making its way down the street, almost touching buildings on both sides….

A whole lot of smiles, and a birds eye view of a bustling Thai town.

Scene Two: Khao San Road is the Thai Mecca for backpackers and budget travelers. It is a very long block, filled with budget hotels, bars, restaurants, stalls and shops. Small alleyways branch off like arteries, and lead to more of the same.

Khao San is also filled with a mix of people from across the globe, and it’s an excellent milieu for observation.

Tourists with backpacks are commonplace. The ones one their way out move more purposefully; places to go and schedules to meet. The new arrivals meander more slowly, taking in the atmosphere and keeping their eyes peeled for inexpensive lodging. Other tourists, already checked into some $3.00 room, are shopping, eating, drinking and checking out the scene.

As in most foreign melting pots, English is the lingua franca. Indians, Europeans, Japanese (and the Thais interacting with them) communicate with varying degrees of success.

There are regular vendors who troll these international waters. Food sellers, naturally; a plate of pad thai goes for about 60 cents, and a large egg roll for about a quarter. Pushcarts filled with roasted insects offer culinary adventures for the bold. Knock-off zippo lighter salesmen walk the street, flashing a foot-long demonstration model to advertise their wares. Young kids are peddling flowers. Women from northern hill tribes, wearing colorful and intricate dress, are selling jewelry. Men from India, allude to their own enlightenment, and, for a suitable monetary donation, will explain your life’s karmic purpose.

The shops themselves? Pirated CDs and DVDs sell for three dollars, including the movies just released in the theatres. Fake Gucci handbags and imitation Rolex watches are plentiful. Fake I.D, from university diplomas to press cards, range from the ridiculous to the well-crafted. Used books. Silks. Buddha images. Garment shops, offering custom-made suits at amazingly inexpensive prices.

I end my evening on the second floor of a Burger King; watching life unfold below, but insulated by air conditioning and Western marketing formulas.

Scene Three: Bangkok has a not undeserved reputation for its red light districts. These days, Patpong is probably the most well-known, and also boasts a sizable night market set up on the street. For some, the retail bargains are the extent of their nocturnal journey. For others, touts beckon from the doorways of the establishments lining the street. Some display place cards, describing the acts that take place inside, and leaving little to the imagination.

Soi Cowboy is another popular destination for sex tourists. It’s similar to Patpong, but on a smaller scale and without the market.

Tonight I head to Nana Plaza, where all things sexual are available, but it’s also possible to simply have a beer and a burger.

The majority of ‘working women’ in Bangkok come from Issan, a large region in the Northeast. It is a poor area, and many of the women here are supporting parents and families back home.

My perch overlooks a small Buddhist shrine, and the women coming to work routinely stop and seek the Buddha’s blessing.

The bars at Nana are relatively low-key. Women are available in all of them, but if you are only seeking food and drink, they’ll respect that. The go-go bars however, are a harder sell. Dancers and performer wear numbers, making it easier for a customer to request them specifically. And here the voyeur is not left to himself. A succession of women will offer their services, and their sales techniques range from the subtle to the blatant. Eventually the customer will capitulate or move on.

It’s an interesting paradox that, despite its international reputation for sex tourism, Thailand is a relatively conservative country. While Patpong exists in all its glory, there are also women being chaperoned by friends and family as they venture out on dates. Two parallel worlds, existing side by side, and the denizens of each inhabit separate realities.

Three places; three spaces. And many, many more….