13°45′N, 100°29′E

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Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok Part 2

Day 1 –

Met Will & Helen on Khao San Road- a road full of backpackers bars, cheap food carts and tourist tat.
Trawled through the endless stalls in the MBK Centre selling more of the same tourist tat.

Pat Pong!
We attempted to go to a Ping Pong show after dinner, but picked the wrong one. After agreeing a 50 Baht per person entrance fee including free drink with a tout, we were led through the main market, and up a skanky looking stairwell. Inside, there were no other tourists. We were ushered in, and given our ‘free’ drinks. The ‘show’ started- a large-ish woman skillfully opened a soda waterbottle without the aid of a bottle opener, and after a loud pop, the gaseous liquid fizzed out. With ‘Act 1’ barely over, we were immediately hounded for tips, and the alarm bells which had been ringing for quite a while, could no longer be ignored!

We stood up, asked to pay for our entrance fee as agreed, and attempted to leave. This resulted in a very hostile and aggressive response. We were shown our bar tab- now incredibly 6000 Baht! When we refused, we were surronded by a club full of women and women-men, demanding we pay for our entrance, free drink and show, and forbidden from leaving. In the face of much intimidation, and failing to convince the ‘Manager’ that it was immoral to renege on a deal made by their representative on the street, we were allowed to leave if we paid 100 Baht per person. We agreed to forsake our principles for our health, and after somehow paying only the 200 Baht initially agreed without the crazy women noticing, the 4 of us were allowed to exit. Untouched, wallets in tact, but slightly shaken, and without the ‘show’ we had paid for, but an experience nonetheless.

Ended the night, and said farewell to Will & Helen over a couple of drinks back at Nana Plaza

Day 2 –

R&R by the rooftop pool.
Temple of the Golden Buddha
Chinatown

Day 3 –

Writing this before night flight home

Bangkok, Thailand