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| Subject | Date page reviewed | Date page updated |
| Slaves in chains? | 31-08-2008 | 3 |
We are often told by the media and do-gooders how the girls are working against their will and cannot get away. Sadly, up-county this may happen, but in the tourist areas, nothing is farther from the truth. The girls come and go at a rapid rate, move between bars, change jobs to unrelated work. I once met one girl who left Mike's Department Store selling cosmetics because she was unhappy painting other women's faces from 11.00am to 11.00pm, and now worked in a bar because she enjoyed the fun and meeting people. Another who sells DIY products in the day and dances at night.
Why do they work in Gogo and Beer Bars? There are many and varied reasons. Some like the sex, but many don't. For the majority, while they could earn money back on the farm, in an office or shop job, most do it to escape. But from what? On the farm, they get up at dawn and go to bed in the late evening. Their backs ache. The sun burns them. There is no night life. Even so, there are MILLIONS of Thais who do work on the farm and live a happy life as they know no better. Many do not have a good education so cannot progress into hi-tech industries where the money is.
Therefore, many dream of marrying a Farang, who will take them away to their home country and she can live like a queen. Most say they prefer the English, as the English have a reputation of treating women with respect. Also they can usually speak English. Then there is a pecking order of other nationalities. Sadly, they find the younger generation does not live up to their good reputation. They are often "In yer face" and cussing and swearing all the time. That is why girls often prefer an older man, who treat then better and is also easier to please than the "Young Stud" who give them a hard time, in both senses of the word.
They says "You can take the girl out the bar, but you cannot take the bar out of the girl." Once they go home, they miss the night life, the music, the discos, the movies and other things we take for granted. That is why they are always coming back to visit their friends. They like the excitement.
Remember that most of these girls do not enjoy doing what they do, but it is a financial escape from back breaking work on the farm. Their ideal is to find a farang who looks after them and send them some money, so they can live at home, or better still, take them to his home to live the lifestyle they see on TV. Living that life style is also the dream of many Western women too.
In the West, we are told in the media by "People who want to rescue the poor girls" that the girls are taken advantage of by the western man, whereas in reality, it is us that get taken for a ride by the girls. I have never heard of a girl sending a Farang money when he goes home. How many houses have been built up country by hopeful suitors and gullible farangs. Check out the girls on new motorbikes or with their own car. 2,000 Baht a month wages on the farm does not buy a million Baht Toyota 4WD Pick-up!
Thai girls that go out with married men realise that they can never emigrate to that his country, so they hold on to what they have, enjoy it while it lasts, but realise it could end anytime. They have all heard the promises of "I'll leave my wife for you" before, as have the girls at home. Girls realise they are competing with his wife for his money. They also know that whatever he says, he will not leave a Farang wife for a Thai, for the same reason that Thais have Thai boyfriends - see below. Sometimes the girls make more effort to keep it going and sometimes they just give up.
Most Thai girls say they do not like Thai men, but in reality will have a secret Thai boyfriend. True, they do not like the way Thai guys treat their girls, but they do need them. Thais need to talk, and as most farang cannot speak good Thai, so at least they can understand their Thai man. He may even womanise, drink, gamble, hit her, take her money and send her out to tak-tak Farangs for money. But she will still go back to him, for whatever reason.
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