Welcome to Sunday, Bangkok!
It’s been a wet week in the Land of Smiles, just as we ramp up full throttle to rainy season.
Enraging Bangkok this week has been the media and police treatment of the apparently ‘hot’ bargirl murder suspects, a video depicting a cat fighting a scorpion by an American vlogger, and the no-notice closure of True Fitness in Asoke.
Let’s find out what else has been on the agenda…
News
Three women confess to bar girl murder
A couple of weeks ago saw the gruesome discovery of a dismembered bar girl in Khon Kaen. After a chase through Myanmar, three female suspects in their 20s were arrested and confessed to a role in their death of 22 year old Warisara Klinjui. The women have been charged been cooperating in premeditated murder, theft and concealment of a body. Two other suspects have also been detained.
Brit arrested in Ibiza for 2014 bar girl murder
If this week’s edition doesn’t leave you thinking that bar girls get a pretty raw deal, then we’re not sure what will.
In 2014, the body of a Nana Plaza bar girl — Laxami ‘Pook’ Manochat — was found dismembered in a suitcase in the Mae Klong River in Kanchanaburi. 47-year old Brit Shane Looker was apparently the main suspect, but he disappeared and the trail went cold. Until this week, where he arrested in Ibiza and jailed pending extradition.
My Mate Nate in hot water again
The notorious, former Mormon missionary, YouTuber My Mate Nate has come under fire once again for a recent video depicting his cat wrestling with a scorpion. While Nate maintains that the scorpion was not poisonous, it is very clearly hanging off the cat’s lips by its pincers at one point. Not good.
Blogs
In defence of shopping mall English teachers
The author of the Life In A New Country blog writes a defence of teaching English at a language school in a shopping mall, after having encountered some snobbery from more traditional school teachers.
While we have no TEFL experience to draw on to make any sort of comparison, it seems like he makes some great point for an alternative to working in a traditional school. Flexible hours, acceptable pay, easy commute and a nice work environment. If you’re slaving away for 30,000 baht a month at a government school, the lure of the shopping mall is probably very tempting.
The problem with rape on Thai TV
This is an interesting feature about the prevalence of rape scenes in Thai TV programming, and what they mean for Thai women and society in general.
The author writes about the linguistics of rape: there are two terms for it in the Thai language, one denoting a criminal act and the other conflated with love and romance. They also discuss how women — at least on TV — are presented as one of two binaries: the good girl and the whore, and how this reduces female agency.
A really interesting article that deserves a wide audience and discussion.
Hooters isn’t what it used to be…
Not quite the hot button topic like the article above — a writer for Inspire argues that Hooters in Thailand isn’t as good as it is/was in the US.
We imagine that has something to do with the proliferation of similar establishments in Thailand which long ago clocked on to the winning combination of scantily clad women, junk food and sports on TV. And these similar establishments probably don’t require that their waitresses wear pantyhose. And the burgers are probably cheaper.
Forum Threads
Cool things to do in Thailand that most people don’t know about…
A great Reddit thread here on some underrated Thailand treasures to explore, enjoy and — let’s face it — probably eat at. From great restaurants and beer halls, to areas of natural beauty, water based adventures and, er, having chickens flung at you.
Sinsod and other Thai wedding traditions
Here’s a useful thread for anyone considering getting down on one knee to their Thai girlfriend — what are the traditions you’re expected to abide by as the new husband? Of course, the primary thing being considered here is ‘sinsod’, a type of reverse dowry paid by the man to the parents of his new fiancee. Redditors discuss the impact of this and how often it’s actually adhered to in practice.
YouTube
Biking with Gibbs.
This new road surface was just laid and still hot !
But #AmazingThailand, they laid it around the parked car LOL pic.twitter.com/8KxdLIulrt— GibbsMTB (@GibbsBKK) June 6, 2017
I think we should have a competition to find out which foreigner can live on the lowest amount of money in Chiang Mai.
— Phil / Ajarn.com (@Ajarncom) June 7, 2017
Colleague just told me about an old Thai tradition of stopping rain. I need to find a virgin & ask her to plant a lemon grass stalk #$#@??!
— Glenn (@_GlennCollier) June 5, 2017
Today, in Bangkok expat problems… pic.twitter.com/7VqJiJvwhv
— Ian (@iamKohChang) June 8, 2017
And that’s the Week On Sukhumvit — see you next time!
