Happy Sunday, Bangkok!
This week we’ve mostly been preoccupied with the arrival of Britney, who played two shows in the city on Friday and Saturday nights.
Her look of surprise and glee when she was greeted at the airport by two kids dressed in traditional Thai clothing has inevitably already become a meme…
😂😂😂 @britneyspears in #Bangkok
(Pic cr. Diva Lyrics) pic.twitter.com/cVyJZNMODZ
— Stickboy Bangkok (@StickboyBangkok) June 22, 2017
Let’s see what else has been entertaining and enraging Bangkok this week…
News
Thai woman dates 5k men, creates course on snaring rich, white men
Doing very little to smash down those Thai girl stereotypes, this is the story of Praiya Suriya — a Thai woman selling a 14,000 baht online coaching course on how to date rich English and Arab men. Her expertise background? She’s apparently dated 5,000 rich men.
The course apparently includes how to ask men for money, negotiating vacation compensation (WTF?) and, ahem, ‘a detailed sex strategy’.
There are no words.
Irish teacher killed in Chiang Rai car accident was naked in the back of the car
Tragic news this week from up north, with the death of 39-year old John Malone, who was the victim in a car accident in Chiang Rai. Later details have emerged that Malone was found naked in the car wreck, along with a Thai woman in a similar state of undress, leading others to speculate that they may have been having sex at the time of the crash.
Bangkokians fight to save Chalerm Prakiat Park
Chalerm Prakiat Park, located along the Chao Phraya River, is under threat of demolition as the Expressway Authority — who own the land — want to use the space to build a new expressway linking Rama III to Dao Khanong in Thonburi. The local community are threatening legal action to save it, and have already staged a protest this week.
Blogs
I want to cry when I see Western couples in Bangkok
Where to start with this one…
The Global Seducer (I mean, the name alone…) blogger has published a post this week on why he feels sorry for Western couples in Bangkok. Or, more specifically, why he feels sorry for men in relationships with Western women in Bangkok. It’s because Western women are fat, depressed, desperate and career driven whereas Asian women are feminine, caring, slim and beautiful.
Duh!
A couple of insights for Global Seducer: stop putting women on a pedestal and — regardless of what race they are — start respecting them as individuals. No woman wants to be reduced to racial stereotypes.
The Iron Butt Ride: biking around 800 km in Northern Thailand
This is a super interesting blog post for anyone passionate about either motorbiking or Northern Thailand in general. Dubbed the ‘Iron Butt Ride’, we follow Moto Girl Thailand and her biking partner as a 150 km ride turns into an epic 545 km one.
Why it’s time to leave Asia
This is a post from the popular With Husband in Tow blog as they discuss their reasons for leaving Asia (specifically Bangkok and Bali) to find a new home in Girona, Spain.
Much of their reasoning will strike a chord with many Westerners over here, wondering if it’s time to leave Bangkok and head back West — including the beautiful European architecture, a pursuit of a healthier lifestyle and, most surprisingly, the not-that-much-more-expensive cost of living.
How I learned to speak Thai within a month of moving
A great field report, full of advice for people who want to learn how to speak Thai quickly. Includes app recommendations, how to best learn the Thai alphabet and — that old chestnut — watching Thai movies.
Forum Threads
I paid 800k baht to renovate my super hot girlfriend’s house, now she’s become a lesbian and won’t shag me
There’s not much to add here. Stay zen, OP.
YouTube
Am I really studying Thai for an hour a day just to understand when people ask me if I’ve eaten yet?
— Phil / Ajarn.com (@Ajarncom) June 22, 2017
This is one of the reasons #Bangkok is #1 in the world for street food. Picking seeds out of watermelon slices is great customer service. pic.twitter.com/bNYraA0Uct
— BangkokCris (@BangkokCris) June 20, 2017
Immigration office. I always find this super annoying – half of the seats blocked with “lawyer’s” papers. pic.twitter.com/wE0Ahn3Jcq
— Ivan Bogdan (@ivanbogdan) June 21, 2017
Lucky strike. Lightning bolt over Bangkok’s skyline pic.twitter.com/rFmkzViDbo
— Jerome Taylor (@JeromeTaylor) June 20, 2017
And that’s been The Week On Sukhumvit — see you next time!
Featured image is by Tetsuji Sakakibara (CC BY-SA 2.0 licence)
