I had a clueless friend who once sat down at one of these tables. He was tired of walking, and needed a chair. Well, some girl sitting at the same table started chatting with him. He said they had a very good fun conversation and he even bought a beer from her. He described it as \u2018a nice friendly enjoyable chat.\u2019 But after a half-hour he decided to go home and got up to go. So the girl said, \u2018you aren\u2019t going to take me home with you?\u2019 My friend was confused . . . \u2018huh?\u2019 He walked away in awkwardness. A year later he still hadn\u2019t quite figured out what happened at that table until I explained \u2018the system\u2019 to him.<\/p>\n
On rare occasion I pass by those tables at night, and sometimes they try to chat with me. They really are a friendly funny group of people. I remember one conversation went something like:<\/p>\n
\u0e44\u0e1b\u0e44\u0e2b\u0e19\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 bpai1 nai5\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhere are you going?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u0e01\u0e25\u0e31\u0e1a\u0e1a\u0e49\u0e32\u0e19\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 glab2 baan3\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cGoing home.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u0e44\u0e1b\u0e14\u0e49\u0e27\u0e22\u0e01\u0e31\u0e19\u0e21\u0e31\u0e49\u0e22?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Bpai1 duay3 gan1 mai4\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cCan I come with you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u0e44\u0e21\u0e48\u0e44\u0e14\u0e49\u0e04\u0e31\u0e1a \u0e08\u0e30\u0e42\u0e14\u0e19\u0e41\u0e1f\u0e19\u0e15\u0e35\u00a0 mai3 dai3 krap4 ja1 don1 faen1 dtee1 \u201cI can\u2019t. My girlfriend will beat me up.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u0e44\u0e21\u0e48\u0e40\u0e1b\u0e47\u0e19\u0e44\u0e23 \u0e07\u0e31\u0e49\u0e19\u0e09\u0e31\u0e19\u0e08\u0e30\u0e15\u0e35\u0e41\u0e1f\u0e19\u0e04\u0e38\u0e13\u0e01\u0e48\u0e2d\u0e19\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 mai3 bpen1 rai1 ngan4 chan3 ja1 dtee1 faen1 kun1 gawn2\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s ok. I\u2019ll beat her up first.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
They always have something clever to say . . .<\/p>\n
Note: in more recent years there have been mobile bar stands that pop up there at night, some run by mama-sans. The girls there are also becoming more like the stereotype, so it\u2019s probably not a good example any more. The word \u2018mama-san\u2019, which has Japanese origin, is the same in Thai, \u0e21\u0e32\u0e21<\/strong>\u0e48<\/strong>\u0e32\u0e0b\u0e31\u0e07 <\/strong>maa1maa3sang1.<\/p>\n But don\u2019t get me wrong, you don\u2019t have to go near shady areas to find this stuff. I once met one, who looked and dressed absolutely normal, approach me around 1pm at the high-class mall Siam Paragon. Serious. It started off with her being friendly, then asking me to buy her food and such . . . but I kept saying \u2018no\u2019 and she got more persistent. I admit I was clueless until she asked to go home with me . . .<\/p>\n language note: A polite word for a girl who sells \u2018services\u2019 is called saow5 kaai5 bo1ri4gaan1 \u0e2a\u0e32\u0e27\u0e02\u0e32\u0e22\u0e1a\u0e23\u0e34\u0e01\u0e32\u0e23.<\/strong> Do not confuse this with a girl who sells insurance and investment policies, saow5 kaai5 bpra2gan1 \u0e2a\u0e32\u0e27\u0e02\u0e32\u0e22\u0e1b\u0e23\u0e30\u0e01\u0e31\u0e19<\/strong>. I once made that mistake . . . man, was she mad at me . . .<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The following views and descriptions should not be conferred as the views held by Transparant Thai, and in no such manner is this article meant to demean women or Thailand. The following article is presented as a means to convey the darker side of Thailand, an opportunity to learn vocabulary that wouldn\u2019t be taught in…<\/p>\n