Stickman comments....

In some bar areas, particularly Nana Plaza, the bars are much tamer than they were 5 years ago. Back then there were dance contests, really raunchy dance contests and bars would do record trade those nights. The legendary Nanapong dance contests of 2000 and 2001 packed out the largest venues and guys around the world were known to plan their whole holiday around the date of such contests....



The girls these days are businesswomen. Don't misunderstand that. Just because they are young, and pretty and don't speak good English doesn't mean that they're not shrewd operators...
Stickman


(photo from Pattaya Addicts)

Dave's Birthday Party on April 30th

Dave The Rave will be having his 44th Birthday Party on Monday, April 30th, at Angelwitch in Nana Plaza. Everyone should stop by and buy him a drink. Tell him Nana Journals sent you.

Exodus to Cambodia and Chasing Ladyboys by Stickman

The new visa restrictions have caused a major exodus of foreigners out of Thailand and this is almost certainly the major contributing factor to the swelling of the expat population in Phnom Penh. Reports suggest that the number of Westerners in the Cambodian capital has soared over the last year, particularly the last 6 months - exactly the period since the new visa restrictions appeared. The numbers are upsetting some who have complained that men now outnumber women at weekends in some of the city's popular nightlife venues. These new arrivals are exactly the type that the Thai authorities were hoping to get rid of, and would appear to have succeeded in doing so. It is no coincidence that the attitude of Khmers towards foreigners has started hardening.....

I have to be careful what I say because not a small number of you are fans of cocks in frocks, but for those of you who are not, you'll be pleased to know that there was something of a foot race in the Soi 4 area on Wednesday night involving the boys in brown and the you know whats in frocks. Creeping out of the shadows in the Nana Hotel car park, two boys in brown crept up on a bunch of trans-sexuals who bolted across the road into the plaza where they sought refuge. Unconfirmed rumours have it that Dave The Rave took the tall beauties in.....
Stickman

Songkran Photos

Mango Sauce
Does anyone have any good photos of the water fights of this past Songkran celebration? Email them to:
arttvhawaii@hotmail.com
for us to possibility use them here.

Hog's Breath Goes Fishing & Golfing

And so can you. Just sign up with Michael for the May 18th Fishing Derby where you can catch some 60 pound catfish (I've been there, and the fish are really big), and on the following day (May 19th) join in for the Annual Spring Golf Tournament at the Bangkok Golf Club. A fun time is had for everyone.
See Hog's Breath members to sign up.

Hog's Breath didn't die, they just went fishing.
Join them for a day of fun.
(As they always said: We're here to work on our alcoholism, sex addiction, and our game of golf.) And so can you.
Hogs Breath Saloon

Another Sign The Japanese Are Taking Over?

Many of the women plying their trade these days at Thermae are employees of Japanese-oriented establishments, venturing to the Thermae Coffee House for a bit of extra cash when the establishment they usually work out of has closed for the evening. And if you're not Japanese, there is every chance that they aren't interested in you at any price! Approaching one girl who I was trying to set up with a friend, she told me in reasonable English that, "I no speak English, only Thai and Japanese."
There was a look of horror on her face when I responded in Thai that Thai would not be a problem and that I really would appreciate finding someone to keep my friend company for the evening, and she was out of there in a flash!
The rule of fours must rule in Thermae, and not available to Westerners!
Stickman

(I thought the girls considered the rules of three applied to the Japanese: a three inch unit which lasts for three minutes for three thousand baht. - No offense, it's what some Thai girl told me.)
I remember being in a club once when a group of Japanese guys sat right next to the stage, and the more excited they got by the go-go girls on stage, the faster they puffed on their cigarettes. When they were asked to spread the lotion on the girl's leg while she was lying on stage, the entire room filled with smoke.
ArtTv

Dave The Rave Has New Photos

Lots of new photos from Dave The Rave. He even has some
of those cute little modified-traditional-costumed Thai dancers
with the finger-extensions from Angelwitch. Check it out.

Angelwitch at Nana Plaza

Found this on Bangkok Bad Boy's site. Added some music to make the viewing more enjoyable. (This may not stay up for a longtime, so enjoy video for short-time.)

Pattaya, Thailand, Songkran, #1

Its that time of the year again, with temperatures approaching 100 degrees, its time to celebrate the Thai new year and to get wet.

Stickman Is Back from Udon

I got back to Miss Udon's house and was sitting outside when another bunch of kids came along to see the farang. I got chatting with them and after a while one of the kid's mothers comes along. She introduced herself and sat down to chat. I can only assume that she was a lonely housewife for she had the eye of a woman who had not had a bit in a while, a real shame because she was pretty. We got chatting and she mentioned that she would like to find a farang guy. No kidding honey, it's obvious to all.

Miss Udon, who had been inside attending to the evening meal, came outside and they chatted away for a while. The pretty one asked me about what farang guys look for in a woman and I told her that in serious relationships, Western guys held honesty and integrity very highly indeed. I told her that Western men generally found Thai women attractive so finding a pretty woman was not difficult. What Western men looked for was an honest woman who they could form a bond with, and that was not so easy to find. She explained that she was up in the village for a few days only and that she actually lived and worked in Bangkok herself. She said that she was honest and that she really wanted to find a farang guy. Seeing how she looked and listening to what she said, I mentioned that I know a few guys who may be interested. She passed on her phone number to Miss Udon.

The pretty one had a daughter, one of the kids who I had been chatting with before she had come along. The daughter had been sitting close by, minding her own business, sipping away on a cup of Coke that had had a bunch of sweets thrown into it, some sort of local Isaan treat I guess. But at that point she decided it was her cue to say something and she piped up. "But Mummy, mummy, what about the guy you told me about who you have been seeing in Bangkok, the one you said you might marry!" The look on mummy's face was priceless as she realised that everything she had just said about being honest had now been shown to be a lie. She scurried off very quickly.....
Stickman

Dean's Dreaming Again

One of the things I love about Thai women is their incredible acting ability. Beautiful women like the one in this picture have the ability to pretend they don't even know I exist all the while down deep they are crazy about me.
Ah, dream on, khun Dean, dream on.
(More on this, check out Dean Barrett's site.)

"The big difference between sex for money and sex for free is that sex for money usually costs less." - Brendan Francis.
(Quote from Dave The Rave's website.)

Discussing Ketchup in Foodland?

In Foodland one morning, I ate breakfast beside a dismal old git who had pulled an absolute stunner. She was probably a Nana Plaza showgirl. A chum describes these mismatched couples as "pro-celebrity golf" - and it's not too difficult to work out which one is the pro. She'd probably quoted him three times the going rate but some masochists won't be deterred.

In response to her unsmiling wall of silent contempt, he started clutching at conversational straws.

To indicate his fondness for tomato ketchup, he picked up the bottle, licked his lips and patted his belly. "Mmmmmm," he enthused. Next, he pointed at the Tabasco Sauce and started panting like a dog and fanning his mouth with his hand.

I've never been a great fan of condiment-related mime and there were more than a dozen sauce bottles standing on the counter so I decided to skip the rest of his performance by asking for the bill.
(More on this, check out Dave at Mango Sauce.)
Photo supplied by Common Sense.

Lisa Rende Taylor Tells It Right

The interview between Lisa Rende Taylor of the UN Inter-agency Project on Human Trafficking and Anderson Cooper which aired on March 23 on CNN was interesting, with Cooper insisting that it was all child sex slavery, and Lisa pointing out that many of the girls are intelligent, maybe bored in the village, and they want to try the more exciting life in the cities and to help out their families by working in the sex industry on their own free will. (This is two different stories, and Cooper could only see his side.) Lisa Rende Taylor should be proud of sticking up to the big media CNN who parachuted in for a quick one-sided affair.
Reach your own conclusion here on YouTube.

Short Time

I sat next to a sullen looking pole performer in one of Nana Plaza’s top pleasure palaces. I got chatting as you do and asked her why she looked quiet and sultry. Miss Nok explained that her “sponsor” had ended the relationship. And so, I asked Nok, “Do you have a broken heart?” Nok replied, “No, I have broken bank.”
Dave The Rave

Trouble in Paradise?

The Pattaya Addicts gang has sent out a heads-up in regards to a meeting they attended which mentions new rules will go into effect; such as close-circuit tv having to be installed inside and outside of bars and gogo clubs, random drug testing for both employees and customers, employees must be 20 years old and the businesses must keep registration forms with photos on file of all of its workers. Sign up and read more. "The crackdown has begun."

"The Katoeys of Nana Plaza" stills in video

Excerpts from the 120 page 8x10" book of color photographs, portraits of "The Katoeys of Nana Entertainment Plaza" in Bangkok, Thailand taken by Randy Magnus. A beautiful hardbound book where the ladyboys are prettier than the ladys. Check it out.

Nana Coming to Life

The Bangkok Nana Plaza go-go dancers arrive in their street clothes and street makeup, walk by, eyeing the potential customers (and being eyed by them) and heading for their respective bars. Many stopped to wai the Buddhist and Brahman shrines, some lit incense or bought garlands or fruit from nearby vendors to place on the shrines. Others stood about deeply engrossed in cellphone conversations, no doubt assuring men overseas that, no, they definitely were not working in the bars anymore so please keep those checks and wire transfers coming.
Dean Barrett

Bangkok Girlfriend

Her name is Lon.
This blog is not all about her.
But there’s no telling her that.
As we all know, Thai women are angelic creatures who enjoy nothing more than to shower their farang mates with docile caresses. They are far less self-involved than farang women, rarely if ever hot headed, and require little maintenance. In fact, they don’t really even want our money. We just enjoy giving it to them.
Strangely, my darling Lon deviates from the norm we ascribe to Thai females, but only inasmuch as she is an unbelievable pain in the ass who is driving me nuts.

Check out more on this new site at:
Bangkok Girlfriend

Following the Dragon at Chinese New Year

Last year me and my assistant, a girl I bar-fined from G-Spot, were fortunate enough to stumble upon some dragon dancers who walked right in front of us in Chinatown.
The first day they led us to a small Buddhist temple in an alley where they performed just for us and the resident monks. They would bow to the Buddha statues in each of the four walls.

The next morning another (and more skilled) dragon dancing troupe passed right in front of our taxi and led us to the central stage for the national media and government big shots. The cultural commissioner's wife was happy to see the Hawaiian media present (although I had no media passes, only my Art TV Hawaii business card) and told us about visiting Hawaii for a formal tea ceremony earlier in the year.

All the media would run up upon the stage to shoot the commentary by the bigshots and retreat for the dancing. I could see what was happening and was able to place myself in ideal spots to shoot the entertainment, all the time thinking the network TV crew was going to bump me from my vantage spots.
It opened with some beautiful Thai dancers, whom I was able to get backstage before their performances and shot portraits of them putting their makeup on. Then the dragon dancers would jump rope with the dragon body, roll on the stage with the dragon body above them, and even get on each others' shoulders for a rotating spiral effect with the head held up high in the center. And the lion dancers then danced and pranced on top of poles above the audience.

After the formal presentation was over, we followed the dragon across the street where they performed for the masses of spectators of common people. My assistant was very impressed with how I was able to get in among all the big-time media and government officials inside the ropes, right to where the action was. And the cultural commissioner's wife invited us back the following evening to see the queen who was suppose to attend, but I had enough of the crowds, all wearing red shirts for the occasion, and just wanted to get laid by my assistant.

So the motto of the story is to "Follow the Dragon," it'll take you to where the action is.
Art TV
(bottom photo by Dean Barrett at this year's event.)

Watching Soi Cowboy Wake Up

Watching the soi wake up is an enlightening experience. Many of the girls live above the bars in which they work - so we see them emerging, sober and docile, into the soi to buy lunch from one of the countless food carts. Office workers pop into the soi to buy food, looking warily at the girls and hastily beating a retreat once they’re loaded up with som tam.

Later in the afternoon, some of the girls who’ve managed to acquire their own apartments (or spent the night in someone else’s) begin to arrive - some by foot, some in taxis or on mopeds or motorbikes. Some even arrive on the back of their Thai boyfriends’ motorbikes (which the girls probably paid for).
Bangkok Bad Boy

Dean Barrett Walking Down Soi Cowboy

This YouTube link features Dean Barrett walking down Soi Cowboy, talking about the nightlife. It's great.

Dave The Rave Has A New Look

Dave The Rave has updated his website,
complete with some new photos. Some exciting stuff.

Dave writes about Valentine's Day:
Valentine’s Day is a lovely time in Thailand, when the girls and guys can have some fun and offer hearts in the form of gifts and stickers. It is also visually appealing to see the pole performers in the go-go bars all wearing seductive red outfits. Valentine’s Day is a time when the world can celebrate love and romance, but in the nightlife areas in Thailand it is a time for fun and frolics. Being the man with the reflective dome, my head ended up being completely covered with love heart stickers. This is another good reason why I still enjoy my time here, because the Thais will spontaneously party and have fun. The world can be such a serious place, so it is always enjoyable to be able to escape that.

Have a look.
Dave The Rave
Dave also has a new video out. Take a look at Youtube.

"The Katoeys of Nana" Book Available

Now available, a 120 page 8x10 inch book of color portraits of the Katoeys of Nana Entertainment Plaza, by Randy Magnus.
It can be ordered at:
The Katoeys of Nana Entertainment Plaza.




Photographs by Randy Magnus


Katoeys:
This is a land where the boys are often prettier than the girls.
Someone told me that if it looks too good to be real, its a Katoey (Ladyboy.)
These girls are from Nana Plaza clubs Temptation, Cascade, Obsession, and Casanova.

New Year's Eve at Soi Cowboy

However, without question, the winner of the most-fun-bar on New Year's Eve is Dollhouse also on Soi Cowboy. In his wisdom, Darryl every year brings in an enormous amount of tiny Styrofoam balls so that one must wade and swim across the floor, one hand on a glass and one hand on a lovely, skimpily clad lady.

Dean Barrett

Hog's Breath Is Sold - Changes to Come

Sources tell me that The Hog's Breath Saloon at Nana Plaza was sold on January 10th, 2007.

This will be a great blow to all of the ex-pats and regular patrons who relied on this establishment as a meeting place to discuss their sex addiction, alcoholism, and their game of golf with a few beers.

Maybe Bob and his wife are dancing with relief.
(See what Dave The Rave has to say.)

photographs by Randy Magnus

Here is an update from Dean Barrett on Hog's Breath:
It was sad to see Bob and his friends carrying out the interior items from the Hog's Breath in Nana Plaza - deer antlers, boar's head, boxes, etc. Bob had the bar for God knows how many years and finally under financial pressure from a bank had to sell. Rumor-Control Headquarters has it that the wall between the Boar's Head and Spanky's will be torn down thereby creating a bar in which at least two customers and two dancers can cram inside at the same time. Apparently, Bob still will carry on his free Sunday chili as well as golf tournaments, etc., but based in the tiny Tavern Pub just down the street on soi 4 which also according to Rumor-Control Headquarters might knock out a wall to take over the hair dresser's thereby creating a pub in which at least two or three customers can sit down at once. Perhaps if this trend continues someday one entire floor of Nana Plaza will be one big bar. A friend of mine went by the old Hog's Breath the next night and a girl outside said, yes, it is open, and sure enough inside were three customers drinking despite no dancers and no decor. I guess go go bars never die; they just get carried away.
Dean Barrett

Nana Panorama

Here is a panoramic view of Nana Plaza taken during the early evening. I found it on NanaPlaza.com. Check it out by clicking here.

Bombs Cancel Bangkok's New Years Celebration

Bombs went off shortly after 6 pm in Bangkok on New Year's Eve. This caused the New Year's celebrations to be canceled. But the gogo clubs could stay open all night until 6 am. More bombs went off after midnight.
So the best place to be at would be cuddled up with your teelak (girlfriend) in some bar, enjoying the show, and staying off the streets.
More on this from Bangkok Post, or Bangkok Bad Boy.

Christmas in Bangkok

Christmas at Soi Cowboy
I found this image in Dean Barrett's archives from last year. Hopefully, there will be some photos from this year's holiday season.
Happy Holidays to everyone.

Christmas at Nana Disco

This shot is from a couple years ago, showing the dance girls at the Angels Disco (or Nana Disco), dressed for the holidays. (Its the dance club that's found inside the Nana Hotel.)

Maintaining Face

It takes a lot of courage for a Thai female to decide to enter this type of work. The one difference that sets Thailand apart from other countries is the Thai culture. It usually falls to the females to take care of the parents. The money that they make goes to support their parents and they live on the minimum amount that will sustain them. Often they live in small rooms without air conditioning and many live with another person to even further lower their costs.
The face being gained here is they are not pocketing the money for themselves but supporting their families who probably live upcountry. So if you decide to spend some time with a Thai lady who you met at a nightlife venue, keep in mind that you are making a donation to her family and not to her. By doing this she gains face with her family. Her family more than likely turns a blind eye as to how she makes her money. This is the case in the vast majority of cases.
(To read more about this, click on Dave's name.)
Dave the Rave

Songkran Festival Celebration in Pattaya

Photo from celebration in Phuket

Here is a link to Jim Suay's video on celebrating the new year in Pattaya. This takes place in April.
Check it out.

Hog's Breath - A Neighborhood Bar

Hog’s Breath is a little different than the other go-go bars in Nana Entertainment Plaza.

It’s a meeting place and hangout for old ex-pats, who often organize fishing trips and golf tournaments for its patrons. I saw the guys catch some 60 pound catfish on one of their sponsored excursions. The men gather about 5 or 6pm to drink beer and talk story, until the music starts at 8pm and then they are driven outside.

The girls spend more time mothering you, greeting the regulars with a cool damp washcloth, a smile, and your usual drink. On Sundays the manager even cooks up a pot of Texas chili for its patrons. One evening at the outside counter some of the girls showed me how to eat roasted crickets and bugs. The girls at Hogs Breath often shared their food with me, allowing me to try many exotic Thai dishes.
Later in the evening the djay plays old Thai pop and traditional songs from Thailand, and the girls will show you some of the old Thai dances. Some of the workers from other bars join in the celebration just before closing.
Its a safe haven for the ex-pats to tell stories, to relax, and to watch the tourists and katoeys walk by.

Its an old neighborhood bar in the middle of all of the excitement.

Randy Magnus

Fon

Dean Barrett Talks About His Thanksgiving

I decided I was spending waaay too much time in Bangkok's go go bars, so I decided to give myself a test, to make sure I wasn't addicted, I mean. And so I decided to go to Burriram for at least 2 1/2 days! To see if I could handle cold turkey, appropriately enough, as I was there over thanksgiving. Burriram, as you know, is where many of the most beautiful women in Bangkok come from. My Canadian friend, Dave, former master scuba diver, invited me up to his farm to relax and to take some photographs of the scenery. Somehow, when I got back to Bangkok, inserted the pictures into the computer, and looked through the shots in the computer, most of the shots turned out to be of his lovely wife, Fon, whom Dave was smart enough never to leave alone with me even when checking on the water buffalo in the barn.

Dave is so much in love with Fon that he has come up with a remarkable idea. When he dies he will be cremated and his ashes placed in a small stupa in the boundaries of the small local temple. But to ensure that Fon visits him all the time, he is going to build an ATM machine into the stupa, and if Fon wants money from his pension every month she has to type in something like "I miss you too much, Dave!". Now I ask you, is that not brilliant?
Dean Barrett