Happy Sunday, Bangkok!
Another busy and rainy week in the Land of Smiles, what with the much-hyped tax raise today on alcohol and tobacco, the revelation that Bruno Mars is coming back to perform in Bangkok next year, and an Interpol red notice finally issued for Thailand’s most contentious fugitive, Red Bull heir Boss.
But that’s not all that’s been entertaining and enraging Bangkok this week…
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News
Nude German arrested for masturbating on a unicycle in Pattaya
Never has a headline quite so wonderfully encapsulated the enigmatic beauty of Pattaya: “Naked German Jacking Off On A Unicycle Arrested In Pattaya.” Ah, yes.
The 56-year old was apparently arrested on Pratamnak Hill at around 10.30pm on his electric unicycle. Police were alerted thanks to a tip-off from a nearby condo security guard. His identity remains a mystery.
Big-legged beggar denied entry into Thailand, decides to find women in Seoul instead
At this point, we’re probably all aware of Benjamin Holst, aka Lars Von Thunderfoot, the German tourist caught begging in Bangkok a year or so ago with a bloated leg, claiming he was unable to return home to Europe. After being given access to a 50,000 THB hardship fund to help him get home, he was rumbled after spending the money partying in Pattaya.
Since blacklisted from Thailand, he was recently refused boarding on a flight from Europe to Laos, which had a BKK layover. He has since diverted his trip, ending up in Seoul instead, and is very open about getting up to his usual tricks in the South Korean capital. The ‘usual tricks’ appear to include prostitutes and strip clubs.
Bangkok to build SEA’s largest observation tower on Chao Phraya river
This is the news that Bangkok has announced plans to build a 459-metre high, candle-shaped observation tower along the Chao Phraya river.
The skyscraper will be the largest observation tower in Southeast Asia upon its completion, which is scheduled for some time in 2019. The unusual shape is said to symbolise “lighting up the country with prosperity,” and is hope to be a huge tourist draw.
There will be no commercial space available in the tower; instead visitors can expect an educational experience on Thai history and culture.
Blogs
A one-way ticket to Thailand…
What starts off as your typical digital nomad origin story quickly spirals into a rant against Western women: “American women are usually either fat entitled princesses or physically attractive whores who casually have sex with many men.” It’s truly hard to believe that this great guy had difficulty dating in the US.
Of course, it doesn’t stop there. The author relays, “the common fact is all women are crazy” and denounces the fact that men are required to pay child support when couples with kids divorce in the US. He also takes aim at false rape accusations, claiming that this doesn’t happen in Thailand because Thai women find rape shameful (newsflash: many Western women do too) and that over here, police take DNA evidence into account when prosecuting a case (another newsflash: this also happens in the West).
Anyway, can’t wait to hear how this guy settles into Thailand. We’re on the edge of our seats.
Falling in love with Bangkok
A better-than-your-average Bangkok blog post here, that goes much further than the usual, ‘OMG street food! Temples! Khao San Road!’ bollocks we read most weeks. The author is stranded in Thailand for a couple of weeks and explains, just by wandering the city and discovering its different neighbourhoods, was he able to find some comfort in the chaos.
Many expats and locals will be able to find common ground with the liberation of being somewhere where “No one had to know who I was, and truthfully, no one cared or even pretended to care.” Bangkok is a fantastic and sometimes unfathomable place, and backpackers and wannabe vagabonds do themselves a disservice by rushing through it.
How rice became the centre of Thai culture
A really interesting piece here on the cultural origins of rice in Thailand — so ingrained is it into Thai culture that is apparently predates Buddhism. Anyone with a fondness for food history is likely to enjoy this read, as the author delves into the legend of Mae Posop, the Rice Goddess and the huge number of rice varietals here.
Forum Threads
What do Thai women really think?
Up for discussion on Thaivisa this week is a blogpost in Inspire by a Thai lady living in Pattaya. She offers her thoughts on why Western men pick up bar girls rather than office workers, what Thai girls are looking for in a relationship and her views on foreign women.
It’s a well written and informative piece but, unfortunately, the louts on Thaivisa refuse to believe it could have been penned by a Thai women — they think it’s the handiwork of a white man, no less. Women can’t write properly, you know!
And so, of course, they take the piece to task for everything that doesn’t agree with their world view — although it is interesting how many say that they find it impossible to even approach women who aren’t bar girls.
YouTube
Smell of booze off my taxi driver is amazing but I’m not worried because thanks to Bangkok rush hour traffic we won’t hit more than 20kmh.
— Derek Hopper (@derekmhopper) September 11, 2017
1/3 of my time at Siam Discovery is spent being annoyed AF because the escalators don’t make any fucking sense pic.twitter.com/of9HbXWQYQ
— Chris Schalkx (@CHRSSCHLKX) September 14, 2017
#Bangkok #weather report in one picture: pic.twitter.com/2Foj5ScDbc
— Sawatdee Network (@SawatdeeNetwork) September 10, 2017
MRT at 4:28 vs 4:32. It’s the same every day. Surprised more people haven’t caught on #Bangkok #publictransport pic.twitter.com/QisLFXS5R5
— Emma In Bangkok (@EmmaInBangkok) September 14, 2017
Just went to an ATM in Thong Lo that seems to think I’m on Soi Cowboy.
Withdrew 2000 baht… Got 20 x 100 baht notes.#Bangkok
— Signore Sammy (@signoresammybkk) September 13, 2017
Bangkok Hotel Guest Form Of The Day
(Pic cr.Pera Kasayapanandt) pic.twitter.com/2bPwHvQlq2
— Stickboy Bangkok (@StickboyBangkok) September 12, 2017
And that’s been The Week On Sukhumvit — see you next time!
