We live in a world in which so much is hidden in plain sight both
good and the bad. Traveling the world has shown me that so much is hidden in
the open mostly because people refuse to see it. When you arrive at downtown
Patong during the day you see a nice resort area. There is a massive American
like mall full of shops KFC 3 McDonald’s and over 5 Starbucks you walk towards
the beach you see colorful bars some clubs that look more adult oriented plenty
of tourist trap stores with overpriced souvenirs, the street is littered with
families, couples, 20something groups of guys and girls all meandering through
the street. With the set up you would think it was something like downtown
Disney or even universals city walk. Just walking through the mall to pray you
can begin to forget why you are there or even that you’re in a 3rd
world nation. At night its is slightly different yet still not that odd bars
full of people of all ages loud music some with live bands. You see similar
crowds families with children, young adults, couples, plus more solitary and
groups of older middle aged men. Yet now the bars are open with some there are
Thai women dancing on the bars, some vary scantily clad women in the streets
dancing or putting on a show, others trying to call you into a bar for a drink.
Many initially walk and stop to take it in oblivious to what is going.
Oblivious to the fact that some of the women in the street being provocative
are not women but are ladyboys desperately seeking someone to pay attention to
them and show them love, Oblivious to the fact that the girls on the poles are
miserable, lonely, and just putting on a mask to make it through one more night
of work. Oblivious to the fact that in some of the more closed door clubs extreme
and illicit activities occur. Oblivious to the fact that there is a certain
amount of risk out there for the girls that I cannot go into detail about for
safety of our group and more importantly our contact. Yet all this is hidden in
plain sight behind mickey mouse like tourism malls, McThai burgers and people
not wiling to see the world around them.
good and the bad. Traveling the world has shown me that so much is hidden in
the open mostly because people refuse to see it. When you arrive at downtown
Patong during the day you see a nice resort area. There is a massive American
like mall full of shops KFC 3 McDonald’s and over 5 Starbucks you walk towards
the beach you see colorful bars some clubs that look more adult oriented plenty
of tourist trap stores with overpriced souvenirs, the street is littered with
families, couples, 20something groups of guys and girls all meandering through
the street. With the set up you would think it was something like downtown
Disney or even universals city walk. Just walking through the mall to pray you
can begin to forget why you are there or even that you’re in a 3rd
world nation. At night its is slightly different yet still not that odd bars
full of people of all ages loud music some with live bands. You see similar
crowds families with children, young adults, couples, plus more solitary and
groups of older middle aged men. Yet now the bars are open with some there are
Thai women dancing on the bars, some vary scantily clad women in the streets
dancing or putting on a show, others trying to call you into a bar for a drink.
Many initially walk and stop to take it in oblivious to what is going.
Oblivious to the fact that some of the women in the street being provocative
are not women but are ladyboys desperately seeking someone to pay attention to
them and show them love, Oblivious to the fact that the girls on the poles are
miserable, lonely, and just putting on a mask to make it through one more night
of work. Oblivious to the fact that in some of the more closed door clubs extreme
and illicit activities occur. Oblivious to the fact that there is a certain
amount of risk out there for the girls that I cannot go into detail about for
safety of our group and more importantly our contact. Yet all this is hidden in
plain sight behind mickey mouse like tourism malls, McThai burgers and people
not wiling to see the world around them.
