'A world full of differences'

At the Sunday pool billiard tournament in Megabreak here in Pattaya, which I co-organize, usually 40 players come, sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less. Last Sunday I counted 15 different nationalities from all parts of the world.

There are of course Thais present, but most of them are foreigners, who stay in Pattaya temporarily or for a longer period of time. Of course I know the regular participants in this tournament well, I know where they come from, whether and what kind of work they do, are married or not and other details like that. So they once chose Pattaya, but why?

Nightlife and ladies

It is certain that they do not come to play pool in a beautifully equipped pool hall in the first place. That is a bonus, but the exuberant nightlife and the accompanying ladies are firmly at the top of their wish list. Well, now you can think what you want, but I find it interesting to know how and why that choice was made for Pattaya. I already said, I often know the players personally, but I never get through to the point that they tell me, other than superficially and clichéd, why they are in Pattaya. A Norwegian boy, who stutters and has no chance of finding a good partner in his country, the divorced man from England, the manufacturer of computer parts from Texas, the failed hospitality business person from the Netherlands with tax debts, the buyer of Thai goods from Australia, the a gunshot wound disabled policeman from Israel, etc., etc.

All have once chosen Pattaya and the interesting thing is how all these people from different parts of the world oppose Thailand in general and the benevolent Thai ladies in particular. They all do this differently, based on their own culture, their upbringing, their education, their traditions. Knowing more about that makes it possible to know and understand such a person better.

Walking Street

The Belgian director Samy Pavel made a feature film on this theme, called “In a small world”. He portrays four foreigners, who all come into contact with a lady of pleasure from Walking Street and shows how each of them views this phenomenon, exposes their weaknesses and how they deal with it. The "willing" lady is also followed in her struggle for existence, her daughter, her family and the way she views those paying foreigners. Again, everyone acts in their own way and from their own culture.

A Japanese journalist is sent to Pattaya by his boss (also his girlfriend's father) for a report. What he doesn't know is that the photographer who has come along has been assigned to see how faithful and honest his future son-in-law can be. An Indian newly married man, working in the computer business, becomes a travel offered to Pattaya by his boss as a reward for hard work. An Austrian house painter gives up his marriage after 30 years to start a new life in Thailand and a Belgian man also flees his country for a better future in Thailand.

Woman from Isan

The Thai lady, Jade, is a married woman from Isan, and works as a masseuse in Pattaya. In the film a nice image of her, on the one hand she wants to do her job well to please the paying foreigners and on the other hand she has to take care of her daughter and the family in the village. It is poignant to see how she is constantly in conflict with herself, doubts and wonders what is best for her.

The lead role is played by the beautiful Srisanoy Jiraporn, who is making her film debut just like all the other stars in the film. In an interview in the Bangkok Post, Samy Pavel says: “It's a movie where worlds collide, sometimes shocking and then loving. It was not about judging or condemning the lady in question or those foreigners, but more about how everyone reacts to the situation from their own background.” Srisanoy adds: “Thailand has its good and bad sides, but for good judgment one has to look at situations from different angles before judging. The film shows the realistic side, whatever people do, there is a reason for it, sometimes you have to make a choice and whether it is good or bad is not for others to judge.”

Judgment

The film therefore does not make a moral judgment about the characters, but mainly shows how and why the choices are made. Those choices make the person human and at the same time vulnerable to the consequences.

The film will be released at the Berlin Film Festival in February and hopefully soon after in the Netherlands and Thailand. Good for all Thailand connoisseurs to see that film, because - let's be honest - we foreigners are only too happy to be ready with our pedantic index finger about what is good and what is not good.