Soi Twilight on a very Low Season Monday

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neddy3

Re: Soi Twilight on a very Low Season Monday

Post by neddy3 »

fountainhall wrote:I will add, however, that I was once conned. With a Thai friend I was walking across the pedestrian bridge from Central World to Gaysorn Plaza. At the Gaysorn end was a man with no arms. I put Bt. 10 in his can. As we walked down the steps, my friend asked why I had done that. I told him. “Didn’t you see that his arms were tied behind his back?” I felt foolish. I certainly had not noticed - perhaps because I had not looked closely enough. Yet for every “con” there are many dozens of people who are in genuine need – and who are unable to work to earn enough to live on.
I often wish that I understood more about the 'begging business', and who are the 'mafia' types.

In Boyztown Pattaya there are often Thai people who wander through begging. Some seem to be regulars, some seen rarely.
Almost all of them have some disability which is apparent.
I don't mind giving something to them, as I think that they are genuine. But I don't know.

On Second Road, there are always beggars, frequently mothers with very young children.
They look desperately poor.
I don't give to them, because I think that they are 'mafia dupes.'
I even have this idea that they are Cambodian imports. Where did this thought come from?
I don't even know why I think that, but have held this view for ages.

Maybe I should give to them. God knows they look as if they need it.
But I just don't like the idea of being scammed.

I have been told (I hope jokingly) that I am as tight as a fish's arsehole, but don't believe that is really me. :o
gerefan
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Re: Soi Twilight on a very Low Season Monday

Post by gerefan »

Caution the blind man holding onto the shoulders of a young boy and playing music.
I saw the "blind man" later in another soi changing the batteries on his music player.
Joachim

Re: Soi Twilight on a very Low Season Monday

Post by Joachim »

fountainhall wrote:I have absolutely no sympathy with this philosophy!
And how do you know that you have not been duped in other cases? If it makes you feel good, it is fine with me but surely you make no difference with such a donation. I would like to note a couple of things.

1. There is a law in Thailand which explicitly prohibits begging on the streets. And while I do not know whether giving a beggar can put one in the hot water couple of Russian tourists went to jail recently for feeding fish in Phuket.

2. People with disabilities in Thailand are entitled for certain form of welfare. True, the amounts they are paid is very small (but there are other privileges like free bus rides etc). However, the amount of very poor people in Thailand is staggering (and in terms of differences between poor and rich it is one of the worst places). The current government recently provided an additional hand out and newspapers published amount of people who applied. The last number I saw was around 15 million. Why a current character whom you see begging (and who is probably conning you )is entitled for hand out more than other 15 million?

3. Once I saw a Russian women near Boystown who actively tried to call attention of passerbys to a Thai women (with a baby, of course) begging on the street. My immediate reaction was who is conning whom?

4. On my way to Thailand, I stopped for a couple of days in Vancouver. It is one of the finest North American city but with a shameful amount of homeless right in down town. Should I help them too?

My point is quite simple. You are in a different country with concrete circumstances which you do not know. Just mind your business. At least, do not try to shame others who are not willing to follow your own (selfgratifying ) foolish actions
Oliver

Re: Soi Twilight on a very Low Season Monday

Post by Oliver »

I agree that we shouldn't give money to toddlers who are left outside 7/11....but I see no harm in buying them an orange juice. But guys with no legs or other deformities? and the ones whose faces are horrifically disfigured by ( I presume? fires or acid? We always see those in Chiang Mai markets. How are these people expected to survive? Then there are the children leading blind musicians (sort-of) around Boyztown....my heart bleeds for them.
firecat69

Re: Soi Twilight on a very Low Season Monday

Post by firecat69 »

Joachim wrote:If it makes you feel good, it is fine with me
Ridiculous and cold hearted arguments . If you are in Thailand and pay for sex, you are a lot better off the then the people you disdain. True it is impossible to help everyone and sometimes you may get scammed. Same possibility by a taxi driver, waiter or really anyone.

Under your argument all charities would cease to exist, since in all cases when you donate , you would be worried the money won't be used in the best way. And of course it happens. USA has a lot of faults but their generosity cannot be questioned. Name any natural disaster and the USA usually gives more then the rest of the world combined. Are those millions of people stupid???
fountainhall

Re: Soi Twilight on a very Low Season Monday

Post by fountainhall »

Joachim wrote:You are in a different country with concrete circumstances which you do not know. Just mind your business. At least, do not try to shame others who are not willing to follow your own (selfgratifying ) foolish actions
"Selfgratifying"? (sic). "Foolish"? I don't feel self gratification when I give money to a beggar. I believe it is much more worthwhile than renting a car to travel from Pattaya to Bangkok and spending Bt. 9,000 on two tickets to hear a pop singer. Yes, it's possible to waste a few baht because there are a few beggars who try to "con" the public. But far more baht are wasted in gasoline and there is much more pollution to the atmosphere when someone hires a car and then gets stuck in traffic for several hours because the traffic conditions at peak rush hour had not been checked. But that's just my preference.

As for Thailand, I wonder how long you have lived here? Not very long, I think (and apologies if I have that wrong). I have visited more than 100 times since 1979, lived here since 2001 and worked here on various business projects during much of that time. I happen to know this country quite well!
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Undaunted
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Re: Soi Twilight on a very Low Season Monday

Post by Undaunted »

PeterUK wrote:So Soi Twilight is pretty dead at the moment but only a few weeks ago there were reports here that the new Jupiter bar in Silom 4 was packing in the Asian customers. Is that still the case? If so, why is that bar bucking the trend? Is it just down to location?
The new Jupiter is little more that a gay freak show to be seen by Asian touisis.....When I visited it was full of Chinese and about 25% were woman....Yes a good business model but not really a gay venue.
"In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king"
fountainhall

Re: Soi Twilight on a very Low Season Monday

Post by fountainhall »

That business model also has first drinks at Bt. 250 and seconds at Bt. 100. I have not been but I am told the shows are largely lip-sync ladyboys with a few handsome barboys strutting around. Virtually no nudity and tamer than any of the Soi Twilight shows.
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Re: Soi Twilight on a very Low Season Monday

Post by gerefan »

bobsaigon3 wrote:Very well liked Dreamboys capitan reported that his and others' salaries were cut from 13,500 baht to 9,500 baht / month and last week he went four days without any tip income. Not surprising given the high prices for drinks and offs at Dreamboys and the encroachment of the apps.
And have drink prices been reduced too???
bobsaigon3

Re: Soi Twilight on a very Low Season Monday

Post by bobsaigon3 »

Gerefan, I do admire your sense of humor. The Dreamboys' prices for drinks and offs are still outrageous, the highest in the soi, perhaps the highest of all gay venues in Thailand.
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