Thai Girl

[jayenram]

The author of the new novel "Thai Girl" was in the bar the other day. Has anyone on here read the book? It appears from the on-line synopsis to be very similar to other books written about farangs and Thai girls:

http://www.thaigirl2004.com/Story%20Synopsis.html

[mbkudu]

The author of the new novel "Thai Girl" was in the bar the other day. Has anyone on here read the book? It appears from the on-line synopsis to be very similar to other books written about farangs and Thai girls:

http://www.thaigirl2004.com/Story%20Synopsis.html

shouldn't this be moved to the 'Dross' thread? Just a thought.

[lampard10]

The author of the new novel "Thai Girl" was in the bar the other day. Has anyone on here read the book? It appears from the on-line synopsis to be very similar to other books written about farangs and Thai girls:

http://www.thaigirl2004.com/Story%20Synopsis.html

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just a thought.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thinking obviously isn't your best subject

Edited February 14, 2005 by lampard10

[mbkudu]

The author of the new novel "Thai Girl" was in the bar the other day. Has anyone on here read the book? It appears from the on-line synopsis to be very similar to other books written about farangs and Thai girls:

http://www.thaigirl2004.com/Story%20Synopsis.html

Just a thought.

Thinking obviously isn't your best subject

Don't tell me. You're really the author.

[lampard10]

The author of the new novel "Thai Girl" was in the bar the other day. Has anyone on here read the book? It appears from the on-line synopsis to be very similar to other books written about farangs and Thai girls:

http://www.thaigirl2004.com/Story%20Synopsis.html

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Just a thought.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thinking obviously isn't your best subject

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't tell me. You're really the author.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No,but I did meet the guy and discuss the merits of the book during an interview for the website

[mbkudu]

The author of the new novel "Thai Girl" was in the bar the other day. Has anyone on here read the book? It appears from the on-line synopsis to be very similar to other books written about farangs and Thai girls:

http://www.thaigirl2004.com/Story%20Synopsis.html

Just a thought.

Thinking obviously isn't your best subject

Don't tell me. You're really the author.

No,but I did meet the guy and discuss the merits of the book during an interview for the website

Well jolly good for you then.

[Pudgimelon]

Oh for crying out loud........

I looked at that link and read the synopsis and I just about gagged. According to the author, he wrote the book in response to seeing trashy books like 'The Beach' making heaps of money and getting movie deals. So in his words, he didn't want another cliched, generic book about Thailand about a bunch of old greaseball farang who fall for bar girls. So what does he do? He writes a cliched, generic book about a BACKPACKER who falls for a bar girl. Ooooooooooooooooooooo, that's soooooooo original!! What a literary Nobel Laurete this guy must be, .

That tears it. I'm going to start writing a book right now. But it's going to be about a guy who comes to Thailand to work, doesn't meet ANY girls, and goes home. Or maybe he meets a girl, but she's his boss at the company he works for and she introduces him to her love of classical Thai music. Or whatever, I don't care, I'm just SICK of the so-called "travel books" written by John Grisham-wannabes who think a couple of drunken benders in Bangkok entitles them to be "knowledgeable" about Thailand.

Ever time I go into a book store, I have to hold my nose as I pass through the "About Thailand" fiction section. Because it's invariably filled with an assorted collection of "Bar-Girls + Drugs + Gangstas + Bar-Girls + Innocent-Farang-Getting-B-F'cked-By-Evil-Con-Men/Women" stories. UGH!

There's nearly 70 million people in this country, SOME of them actually work outside the sex industry. ( *shocking! but true!! * )

I mean, come on.... did you read the except from this book? Supposedly, this backpacker boy gets of the plane and goes DIRECTLY to a go-go bar with his girlfriend. On what planet is that EVER going to happen?? It's pretty obvious that the author of the book didn't spend a whole lot of time personally in any other setting, so he rushed his characters there as quickly as possible so he wouldn't have to worry about having to make s--t up about a Thailand he never experienced (the Thailand that exists outside the bar scene).

Next, the backpacker boy falls for a beach masseuse who's a "poor rice farming girl from the NorthEast." Puh-leeeezzzz.....! And the author is trying to make the claim that his characters don't fit the "typical stereotypes"?? Why because the backpacker is young and handsome, not some old, fat slob? So the author keeps every other stinking stereotype about Thailand and Thai women, but because he supposedly "breaks" the farang stereotype (actually he doesn't, but he thinks he does), he suddenly thinks he's the next Dan Brown??

Someone mail this guy a frigg'n clue.

[cdnvic]

Ok, enough beating around the bush Pudgimelon..... what did you really think of it?

cv

[The_Moog]

When you're in Bookazine, pick up some of these bargirl genre novels or the 'Pattaya Guides', flick through them, look at the publication details.

They are often self-published - witers paying printers to knock out editions, which are then sold on consignment (sale or return I suppose), by the bookshops.

When this happens it means is that there is no process of qualitative selection by publishers. No 'advances' paid.

In summary:

1) This is why they often are so lousy

2) You can get your scribblings published with no more difficulty.

Hope this explains it !

[lampard10]

Oh for crying out loud........

I looked at that link and read the synopsis and I just about gagged.  According to the author, he wrote the book in response to seeing trashy books like 'The Beach' making heaps of money and getting movie deals.  So in his words, he didn't want another cliched, generic book about Thailand about a bunch of old greaseball farang who fall for bar girls.  So what does he do?  He writes a cliched, generic book about a BACKPACKER who falls for a bar girl.  Ooooooooooooooooooooo, that's soooooooo original!!  What a literary Nobel Laurete this guy must be,  .

That tears it.  I'm going to start writing a book right now.  But it's going to be about a guy who comes to Thailand to work, doesn't meet ANY girls, and goes home.  Or maybe he meets a girl, but she's his boss at the company he works for and she introduces him to her love of classical Thai music.  Or whatever, I don't care, I'm just SICK of the so-called "travel books" written by John Grisham-wannabes who think a couple of drunken benders in Bangkok entitles them to be "knowledgeable" about Thailand.

Ever time I go into a book store, I have to hold my nose as I pass through the "About Thailand" fiction section.  Because it's invariably filled with an assorted collection of "Bar-Girls + Drugs + Gangstas + Bar-Girls + Innocent-Farang-Getting-B-F'cked-By-Evil-Con-Men/Women" stories.  UGH! 

There's nearly 70 million people in this country, SOME of them actually work outside the sex industry.  ( *shocking! but true!! * )

I mean, come on.... did you read the except from this book?  Supposedly, this backpacker boy gets of the plane and goes DIRECTLY to a go-go bar with his girlfriend.  On what planet is that EVER going to happen??  It's pretty obvious that the author of the book didn't spend a whole lot of time personally in any other setting, so he rushed his characters there as quickly as possible so he wouldn't have to worry about having to make s--t up about a Thailand he never experienced (the Thailand that exists outside the bar scene).

Next, the backpacker boy falls for a beach masseuse who's a "poor rice farming girl from the NorthEast."  Puh-leeeezzzz.....!  And the author is trying to make the claim that his characters don't fit the "typical stereotypes"??  Why because the backpacker is young and handsome, not some old, fat slob?  So the author keeps every other stinking stereotype about Thailand and Thai women, but because he supposedly "breaks" the farang stereotype (actually he doesn't, but he thinks he does), he suddenly thinks he's the next Dan Brown??

Someone mail this guy a frigg'n clue.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually the guy lives in Surin province and has done for some time. He is also a friend of Stephen Leather

[Pudgimelon]

Ok, enough beating around the bush Pudgimelon..... what did you really think of it? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Heheh, sorry, but having just married a lovely Thai woman, I get a bit defensive when someone besmirches the honor of Thai women with trite stereotypes.

My wife is a hard-working, Type-A, in-charge, educated, sophisticated and morally-centered business woman with a solid family background and plenty of money in the bank.

Some people are going to say, "Hey, good for you, but that's not the typical Thai girl we know."

To which I would respond, "Well, she's just as 'typical to find' as any rice-farming bar girl". In fact, I'd wager that there are LOTS more women like my wife than there are like the character in this story. There are millions of university-educated women in this country who hold down good jobs, live good lives, and raise good families.

Which is why books like this one really set my blood to boiling. These condescending works of self-congratulatory fiction merely seek to profit from the same industry (by selling a 'titilating' peek at the 'underbelly of the Bangkok bar scene', or whatever they say to market their books), they proport to condemn.

The author of this book actually makes a claim on his website that he wants to "show Thai women in a good light" and not as a stereotype, and yet his lead Thai female is the most stereotypical image of a Thai female around: the rice-farming bargirl. Argh!!!

What does this guy think? That since he didn't write his female lead saying things like, "No money, no honey" or "Hey handsome man, I luv you long time!", that somehow he's "fighting stereotypes?" Phhfffffttttt..........

[OxfordWill]

I for one hope the poor author doesnt stumble on this thread..

You might be right 'pudg-wotsit', but you should probably read the book first, lest you be seen as a little silly?

I agree, too many books follow the sex industry theme but then, so too do many book buying westerners.

[The_Eye_Of_Sauron]

I agree with Pudgi's points. Nevertheless....

My wife is a hard-working, Type-A, in-charge, educated, sophisticated and morally-centered business woman with a solid family background and plenty of money in the bank.

Who'd want to read a book about a smart, driven woman like this? They probably have some domineering, efficient menopausal shinkicker who is their Boss back in their dreary workadaddy lives back home. *

They want to read about big knockers and dirty 3-holer sluts with a heart of gold, -in a stationary starfish position as some washed-up divorcee loser finds love against all the odds.

* btw: i'm not saying your wife is a domineering, efficient menopausal shinkicker.

[srisatch]

The author of the new novel "Thai Girl" was in the bar the other day. Has anyone on here read the book? It appears from the on-line synopsis to be very similar to other books written about farangs and Thai girls:

http://www.thaigirl2004.com/Story%20Synopsis.html

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

shouldn't this be moved to the 'Dross' thread? Just a thought.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have read it

It is more dross.. as with Pole Dancer...etc. etc..

No-one is saying it is his life/wife

Move it to Dross....please!!!?

[bkkmadness]

My god, even the synopsis is terrible. I for once fully agree with Pudg on this one, utter dross.

[Sir_Sanuk]

The synopsis sounds very similar to the film 'The Butterfly Man' which was also pretty crap. Still let's not forget why most people will buy and read these books - they miss Thailand and want to read something that reminds them of the time they spent there. Often the narrative limitations and poor writing is of no concern as long as this is achieved.

I'm currently writing and self-publishing a book about a backpacker who finds a map which leads him to a katoey go-go bar where he falls in love with a balding German sex tourist who ties him up and force feeds him banana pancakes. My publisher thinks it's a guaranteed best-seller.

:-)

[lampard10]

The synopsis sounds very similar to the film 'The Butterfly Man' which was also pretty crap. Still let's not forget why most people will buy and read these books - they miss Thailand and want to read something that reminds them of the time they spent there. Often the narrative limitations and poor writing is of no concern as long as this is achieved.

I'm currently writing and self-publishing a book about a backpacker who finds a map which leads him to a katoey go-go bar where he falls in love with a balding German sex tourist who ties him up and force feeds him banana pancakes. My publisher thinks it's a guaranteed best-seller.

:-)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I fully agree with you. Any reminder about Thailand used to get me heading for the travel agent.As a matter of fact some of Butterfly Man was actually filmed around Surin., and the Director of the film in an infamous (with our customers anyway) after drinkies conversation,stated,

'If I ever need any odd balls for extra's in any of my films,I'll know where to come'

The director of 'Suriathai', another film shot around Surin, actually used about 20 of our customers in that film.

If they ever film 'Thai Girl' all you budding de Caprio's and Stallones ( and Sharon Stones I suppose) can all flock here for a part.

Don't think much on your book theme though. It's too much about what the others are whinging about. Now mine.

Chapter One

A typical Farang man,John and his Thai wife, Poo get up one morning and he goes to work. She does the washing,goes to the supermarket,spends ฿200 on household items,then spends the rest of the day gardening. He comes home at six oclock,has a small bottle of beer,then they both watch TV for an hour then go to bed.

Chapter Two

John & Poo get up in ................................................................................

..

Needless to say I'm sure people would rather read what does'nt happen than what does......it's called FICTION folks

[The_Moog]

Director of the film in an infamous (with our customers anyway) after drinkies conversation,stated,

'If I ever need any odd balls for extra's in any of my films,I'll know where to come'

Kaprice's new movie 'Buffalo Girls' is about Isaan - perhaps stardom beckons for some of your oddballs !

Lampard - why don't you audition for the part intended for Ray Winstone - presently, they can't afford him.

[lampard10]

Director of the film in an infamous (with our customers anyway) after drinkies conversation,stated,

'If I ever need any odd balls for extra's in any of my films,I'll know where to come'

Kaprice's new movie 'Buffalo Girls' is about Isaan - perhaps stardom beckons for some of your oddballs !

Lampard - why don't you audition for the part intended for Ray Winstone - presently, they can't afford him.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If they can't afford him,they've got no chance with me

[chaladmak]

....his lead Thai female is the most stereotypical image of a Thai female around: the rice-farming bargirl.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

oops - again BG ! all the thread about them are re-directed, haven't you heard yet?