March 23 2007
Don't call me Papa: Thailand's losers in love

Dropping your false teeth onto the pool table is an unorthodox seduction technique but I recently saw it used by an elderly gentleman in a Soi 4 beer bar. Predictably, it misfired almost as badly as the girl's next shot.
As for bad chat-up lines, my personal favourite is "don't be scared girlie girl." These five little words are sure to make her blood run cold. Eliciting a "fight or flight" response from the object of your affection always gets you noticed and Keith "I am not a paedophile" Summers probably uses it all the time.
Lake Palmer is, of course, the undisputed king of the first-date Kamikazes. Here, he spectacularly fails to keep the conversation light:
I've been married twice, right, broken heart. Ladies go off with other men. When the cat's away, the mice will play. I don't want it to happen again ... I feel like a flower without any water. It withers and dies. I don't want to die without love, you know? ... I don't think we have any problems than can't be solved. We work together. We solve all problems, yeah?
In fairness, Lake Palmer is far from unique. It's amazing how often you overhear similar one-sided conversations in the bars and restaurants of Sukhumvit Road. You have to question the judgement of those men who can't think of anything better to do with a sexy Thai prostitute.
And then there's the cringe-making cry-baby thing.
We all know that, if you've got nothing to say, then it's best to say nothing at all but some guys can't help themselves - particularly when there's a conversational vacuum to fill.
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.
Like most farangs, I'm dreading the day when the bargirls start calling me "Papa."
"Papa" is ostensibly a term of endearment for a nice fatherly old man but, in this context, what it really means is "Keep your hands to yourself you lecherous old coffin-dodger. Tonight, you sleep alone."
Last time I was in the Bamboo Bar, the arrival of an unremarkable middle-aged man was greeted with great excitement by the bargirls.
"Papa, Papa!" they all cried.
A dozen girls took drinks from "Papa" and they sat in a line down the bar - all with their backs to him. An outlay of 1,500 baht had bought the poor sod just thirty seconds of attention and he now looked like the loneliest man in the world.

It's often said that Thai girls are motivated purely by money but, clearly, there's more to it than that. Even amongst well-heeled farangs, "Can't Get Laid in Bangkok Syndrome" is remarkably common.
In Thailand, being too old, too small or too ugly doesn't prevent a regular guy from winning over the girl of his dreams but, even here, all bets are off if you're an incorrigible twat.
(Top image submitted by Common Sense)
[Posted to Relationships by David]
*** THE COMMENT FORUM IS NOW CLOSED ***
Relationships
Don't call me Papa: Thailand's losers in love
Louis Theroux and the Thai introduction agencies
Phuket waitress cuckolds farang sugar daddy
No to foreign brides: Feminism meets fascism
Ning from Nong Khai wins divorce lottery
Pills that drive Thai women crazy
If she's a looker they'll brand her a hooker
Thai women seek foreign husbands
Unmasking a Thai Internet con-girl
Thai mail-order bride fuels mid-life crisis #2
Thai mail-order bride fuels mid-life crisis #1
Nana Plaza girl dupes love-sick farang
BusterB loves women but hates feminists
Finding love at the World Trade Centre
My never-ending rants about farang women
Is his Thai internet bride a con-girl? #4
"Boo who?" says farang cry-baby
Confessions of a Thai driving instructor #2
Confessions of a Thai driving instructor #1
Why do rich Thai girls act like hookers?
Farang boyfriend steals victory in extra-time
Was my Thai dream date a con-girl?
10 tips for rekindling Thai hooker love
Private eye exposes my Thai girlfriend's lies
Hutch Thailand unveils doomsday weapon
Thai mail order brides exposed
Is his Thai internet bride a con-girl? #3
Is his Thai internet bride a con-girl? #2
Is his Thai internet bride a con-girl? #1
Bar girl in suburbia #2: Back to prostitution
How to deal with sticky Thai girls
10 ways to keep Thai bar girls happy
Bar girl in suburbia #1: Thai mail order bride
Cheating Thai wife throws baby in garbage
What she says and what she means #2
Turning a Thai hooker into a lady
Is your Thai sweetheart really a conwoman?
Please don't call me at work darling
Previously
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
December 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
April 2004
March 2004
February 2004
January 2004
December 2003
November 2003
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August 2003







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