Silom girls and a nation of hypocrites
An article by Tulsathit Taptim – The Nation (April 20, 2011).
I would like to thank the girls who caused outrage at the Songkran Festival by imitating what Patpong showgirls are paid to do.
The first time I heard about it I thought “Wow, what a naughty ladies”. When the social upheaval started I came back to that somewhat. “Well, maybe it was wrong after all,” the good guy in me whispered, though not with conviction.
The video footage was telling. But if you close busy main streets across the country to host a Songkran party late into the night, you can expect something like this. It seemed for a while that the Full Moon Party was being nationalized. I'm not against that because that would be nice.
Now I especially question the choice to hold these brave or foolish girls (take your pick) responsible for all this fuss.
Back to thanking the girls. Everyone knows we are a nation of hypocrites. Thanks to these girls, that is emphasized even more. The uproar has surprised many of my foreign acquaintances. Everyone knows what is going on in Patpong, Pattaya, Hat Yai and a few other places. A lively discussion arose on Twitter about the events surrounding the Silom teenagers. Because what message do the Thai into the world? That we invite foreign tourists to visit our country and that they should especially take a look (for a fee, of course) in the vibrant nightlife. But then we now shout in unison that it is not good for Thai teenagers to do that for free in front of cheering Thai spectators.
However, the outcry is easier to understand than the proliferation of photos and video clips of the “showgirls” on websites and social media sites. Because is it so special what we see in the images? Have those people forgotten that numerous Thai women pole dance daily to make a living? And why does everyone want to take a look at the “obscene” photos or video images? I mean, if it's really all that bad, you shouldn't show those images.
Blurring the photos or video clips doesn't help, of course. You can't prevent everyone from seeing this "obscenity", whether the images are censored or not.
I've seen the images too. But with a good excuse, the clips have been sent to me. What I thought of it? Well, everything. But it doesn't keep me awake at night because our good name or culture is suddenly in great danger. People sometimes let themselves go and that certainly applies to young people, whether we like it or not.
I am not defending the behavior of the Silom girls. Defending the behavior of a younger generation is like defending the specs of the first iPhone version. And who am I to determine what is ethically responsible when it comes to a bare upper body? There were times when bare breasts were part of our Thai culture, as some people have rightly pointed out.
No, I don't have a daughter myself. But, if I did have a daughter who did such a thing, I would certainly have become very angry. It would have earned her a hefty punishment. I would secretly hope that she wouldn't ask me if I've ever visited a go-go bar. I'd say it's another thing to monetize it, just in front of a small audience. As a right-minded father, I would try to defend myself, weak as this excuse may be.
As I write this, the Silom girls are reportedly planning to turn themselves in. That could turn the tide. After all, they didn't kill anyone, didn't steal, didn't evade taxes, didn't embezzle anything. The police, the media and all cultural watchdogs can be proud of their stand against this “social degradation”. But, again, all I can say to the girls is, "Good for you turning yourself in and I hope the authorities won't make things too difficult for you."
That's all I'm asking for, a little clemency on our part. Because what are we talking about in the end? We put naked bodies on a photograph or painting and we call it art. The same bare breasts of women on stage with the right lighting, sound and choreography? Then we call it top entertainment and drink a good glass of wine.
I too am surprised by the performance and the fuss about the Silom girls. But they did what they had to do: apologize and say you're sorry. That's all they can do.
The last word now belongs to the judge.
Freely translated by Gringo
About this blogger
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Bert Gringhuis (1945), born and raised in Almelo in the beautiful Twente. Later lived for many years in Amsterdam and Alkmaar, working in export for various companies. I first came to Thailand in 1980 and immediately fell in love with the country. Been back many times since then and moved to Thailand after my (early) retirement as a widower. I have been living there for 22 years now with my somewhat younger Thai lady Poopae.
My first experiences in Thailand as a kind of newsletter sent to family, friends and acquaintances, which later appeared under the name Gringo on Thailandblog. Many, many articles followed those first stories and that has grown into an almost daily hobby.
In the Netherlands still an avid footballer and football referee, but the years are starting to tell and in Thailand still avid, but the pool billiards is really of inferior quality, ha ha!
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It's always interesting when a Thai gives his own opinion on something like this. The hypocrite he mentions, of course, fits within the cultures of shame that you see more often in Asia.
Yet he ignores the fact that the ladies were very young, namely 13, 15 and 16 years old! Would the same fuss have arisen if the girls had been 18 years old? We won't know.
Everyone knows that a Thai has two faces: indoors and outdoors. Outside in company you have to behave yourself and show no emotions. It doesn't matter behind the front door and you see a completely different Thai. I had to get used to that. You can call that hypocrisy, but I disagree. Thai have different norms and values than Farang on a number of points. Sometimes that's fun and sometimes disturbing. But it is not for us to judge that.
Indeed the height of hypocrisy, drinking, killing each other, stabbing each other with knives during the Songkran this is possible, but three girls, who feel good about themselves and enjoy the party, oh, oh, oh, what a fuss.
Many families nu un thailand mourn the road victims and seriously injured, but no, this does not make news.
Three beautiful bare-chested girls this is worth more news than 300 deaths, unbelievable, really this is unbelievable.
While maybe 500.000 or more (I don't know) earn their bowl of rice every day by offering body (so this is allowed)
1.hypocrisy in the Thai sense always means they now show for free what everyone always pays for. So'; Bread robbery!
2. those girls appear to be from western BKk, where the narcotics police have just raided a nightclub, which was still open at 3.30 am, where there was also a bit of pole dancing, gambling and about half of the 100 visitors under 18. the pub owner said that he paid 20/25 policemen 500 Bt every day to supervise - so words (what hypocrisy?) - again he could not be blamed. The girls had told them that they got free drinks there if they did the same as in Silom. (thaivisa news fr 21/4)
Hypocrisy is a kind of inner contradiction. So severely condemn lying of others, but lying freely yourself.
Likewise with this. Judging the behavior of the girls, while you can regularly be found in gogo bars yourself, or that your daughter does this work without judging it.
And in this sense hypocritical behavior can very often be observed in Thai. This is kind of baked into their culture, especially watching and pointing at others, and definitely not being self-critical.
where can i find this video??
@ The censored version or the original? 😉
Doesn't matter, I already have the seat belts on, Ha Ha !
I'd like to see what all the fuss is about.
In the Netherlands you haven't seen any tits on TV for 20 years, because that would be 'unfriendly to women'. Even in the country of Berlisconi, people now want to put an end to it.
All achievements from the sixties have been forfeited.
The Dutch have also become very prudish.
Here is the edited version: https://www.thailandblog.nl/nieuws/songkran-2011-minder-verkeersdoden-en-blote-borsten/
I think you'll have to google for the unexpurgated version.
That fuss is really about nothing, certainly not if you compare it with Woodstock 99, for example, but also a number of American parties, such as Mardi Grass and Springbreak.
On TV we only get to see some cleaned images, with at most some topless women, in documentaries you can see much more.