Because I am starting this blog in the middle of my journey, these early entries will be less about my daily experience and more of a themed entanglement of experiences, so that I can backtrack 7 days or so and catch up with dasein. This entry's theme: the twenty forth letter of the alphabet.
Soi means street. On Soi One, there is a market which is open for most of the night. At 9:00pm, it was absolutely packed - like Bumbershoot or something. People don't seem to sleep here. The merchants are set up in rows going all the way down Soi One. The street is lined by restaurants by day, but at night they put their chairs and tables away and convert into brothels.
I was walking down Soi One, minding my own business, perusing the illegal cds that are being sold for 100 Baht each ($3... I bought five and talked him down to 450). Most street vendors have a special enthusiasm or desperation about themselves, depending on how you look at it. But in this market in particular, the merchants were extremely aggresive. Generally Thais have a strong sense of personal space. They don't like to be touched. They don't want to touch you. On Soi One however, people will grab your arm and pull you towards their merchandaise. I showed only the least interest in buying a kimono, but was escorted half a block down by a woman who kept lowering her price and insisting I reconsider.
So I was minding my own business, perusing the illegal cds, at a shop that happened to be in front of the "restaurants". A man came up to me with what could only be described as a sex menu. I made it clear that I wasn't interested. "Mai El Kap" - I don't want that, politely. I bought my cds and walked down the street looking for my friend. There were more of these sex marketers, many more. A man would come push a menu in front of me. It has been my experience that if you show even the slightest interest in something for sale here, the respective merchant will immediately leap to the opportunity to sell it to you. I've learned to not point at Buddha statues or wood carvings that I happen to think are neat. It only tangles you up. They so dearly want a purchase.
Thus I've learned to avoid expressing interest in products and services on the street that I'm not planning on buying. The same goes with these brothels. I just brush the menus aside and keep on walking, with determination and purpose. Even if I don't know precisely where I'm going. It's all how you carry yourself.
The man thrusts a business card in my hand. "Super Pussy" it promises. With a grin, the man points to the card and ensures me that it's true. I said mai el kap, though I put the card in my pocket. He laughed. "My friend" they'll say, "come see our girls". They stand on corners exclaiming to the passerbyes about their services. "Great Pussy". It's quite gross.
Prostitution is illegal in Thailand - officially. But the system of corruption is so pervasive, law has little to do with reality. Clubs, brothels, restaurants, gangs, vendors. They all pay dues to the local police in a reciprocal relationship.
There is a famous brothel called "Darling" which I have only seen from outside, but plan on checking out (with a friend of course). The price starts at about 100 Baht and can go as high as 1000. Although I'm told by the International Rescue Committee that some girls cost as little as 50 Baht. You do the math.
My instructor tells me that he once entered a brothel/restaurant with a friend and asked to see their girls. Brought out before them were young girls of about 14 or 16 years old, all virgins, and all trembling.
"But why can't we wear mini skirts in Thailand? My friend went there and she said lots of girls were wearing teeshirts and short shorts," - said student.
"Those were prostitutes," - replied intstructor.
Soi Two was far more interesting. The streets in this part of Bangkok are divided into 3 parts. Soi One is heterosexual. Soi Two is homosexual. And the next street down is open only to Japanese clients. Having gotten a good idea of what Soi One had to offer, I walked down Soi Two with a similar delightful yet wary curiosity. It was totally different. There were colorful restaurants, transvestites and boys in costume everywhere. Some of the transvestites were difficult to discern, but my intuition served me well (on more than one occasion). Anyway, Soi Two looked like halloween. The boy were all dressed up like Batman and Superman and other masculine characters. It was quite a party; I was sorry I couldn't stay. I walked down on one side, reached the dead end, and promptly walked back on the other side. I had my friend securely by my side. I had my self securely within myself. And with the acquisition of an exotic cultural experience, the mission was a success.
That's about it. Thusfar anyway. I'll see if I can upload any relevant photos later. There are prostitutes standing on the side of the road everywhere at night. But I'm not so sure that they all consider themselves in the profession of prostitution, so much as desperately in need of money and willing to go to those unfathomably bleak depths. It's not their identity maybe, but simply an aspect of their lifestyle.
More on this later. Everything is connected. There are myriad ramifications.
