Stickman Vs. Korat

[Khun Larry]

Don't forget that there is a large-ish group of farangs in Korat for one particular reason: Muay Thai training. It is one of the better centres for learning kickboxing, and I have a couple of farang friends in Kolat doing just that. So let's o with Teachers, alcoholics and then Fighters.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A substancial intellectual center.

Possibly a mini silicon valley emerging

[aletta]

Teachers, alcoholics and then Fighters

Hmm,quite a combination.

[ProfessorFart]

Womble was quite right in his post, however by its very timbre one can guess that he was one of the last to learn the lesson he is preaching.

[chuchok]

Womble was quite right in his post, however by its very timbre one can guess that he was one of the last to learn the lesson he is preaching.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Womble is maybe correct to a small degree, but I always find that people like Stick who continually state that his wife is a "middle class Issan girl" (Whatever that is??)every time he writes seems a bit strange to me.

[ProfessorFart]

I couldn't agree more Chuchok. Same for blokes who repeatedly tell us that their girl isn't a BG.

This has raised some issues I think are worthy of addressing about expat life in general and as Stickman is one of the most visible of all expats and under discussion in this thread I will use him as an example.

I think Stickman is now at something of a crossroads and he has to decide which way he is going to go as he seems to have 2 personalites these days.

One personality is that he sees himself as a 'professional' teacher with a middle class wife. A regular pillar of Bangkok society who is about to be elected to the commitee of the British Club at any moment.

The other is the Stickman of old. The wide eyed bar rat walking the streets and enjoying the seamier side of Bangkok Nightlife and partaking with aplomb.

When he writes with his former passion about such things, we enjoy it. He is one of the lads again. When he starts banging onabout his moddle class life and how crap some English teachers are we think he's a stuck up prat.

The problem is that we can all identify with the latter Stickman but not the former and think he is selling out, yet it is only a natural progression of expat life.

It is a very common occurence which I personally have seen many times and I am sure many of you have too. The trend in expats shunning their roots is very common especially in Thailand where the expat community is very competitive in its nature for some reason.

How many times have you heard one expat calling another expat for doing something you know full well that they themselves have done in the past? Quite a few I bet.

Expat life is punctuated with a series of imagined progressions from 'newbie' through to the esteemed postion of 'old Thai hand'.

It is natural enough in the scheme of things that no one wants to be seen as a 'newbie' for too long. It is therefore also perfectly natural to assume that in order to make ourselves look more like we are approaching the desirable 'old Thai hand' stage, we shun, ridicule, criticise and distance ourselves from behavioural habits associated with the 'newbie'.

In many cases of the Thai expat these 'newbie' habits are hitting the bars and a spot of whoring. Look at the number of people who after a few years in Thailand turn on Pattaya and criticise it yet know Pattaya down to the last beer bar and you start to get a picture.

These 'newbie' habits are so repugnant to those desiring to become 'old Thai hands' because they remind us maybe of our first bumbling steps in Thailand as a tourist. They remind us of making a &lt;deleted&gt; out of ourselves over some dusky maiden who promised everything, delivered nothing, and skipped off with the loot. They remind us of the many social faux pas we made way back when....I could go on and on but you get the picture I'm sure.

At the end of the day of course, it is a nonsense to suggest that by hitting the bars and whoring one is in anyway 'less of an expat' than the next man. In competitive expat circles, to be seen as the most knowledgeable is all important to some and turning their back on what they once held sacred is their way of trying to convince themselves firstly, and then others that they have progressed to the 'old hand' stage.

Sorry to bore you. It just sort of came out! Me, I couldn't give a &lt;deleted&gt; one way or the other!

Pattaya anyone?

[udon]

Kiwis and friends

[penelope]

Stick seems to be a little jaded.Not a rosy picture he paints.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I don't normally like Stickman's articles, but I thought the one on Korat was not that far out. He obviously knows Korat and is entitled to his opinion. In this case I think that his opinion was fair. I do not agree but I see his point. The teacher alcoholic bit I'm still trying to get my head around. I'm not a teacher so I must be pissed.

I did live in BKK for only 6 months. I liked it, but only for two or three days. I like Korat, it is a large city yet it is not impersonal like Bangkok and not a tourist venue like Pattaya.

If you want to buy something you can normally find it, or you can find away round it.

I wish I had found Korat sooner.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you are an english teacher,sex tourist,30 day stamp on arrival pan continental buffolo sponsor or indluger in the lower shelf variety of commercial sex available in Bangkok, Stickman's writings are probably a pinnacle of knowledge for you.

His site is very Jerry Springerish, I can see why it sells. There is a massive amount of content relevant to wider demographic of foreigner in LOS that he never touches on, but maybe this content doesn't make for such electric writing.

I wonder if he'll ever repatriate back to NZL.Must be tough though after years in LOS on a teachers income/saving ability coupled with the stronger NZL dollar.

Edited July 22, 2005 by penelope

[aletta]

Has anyone on the forum ever met the good fellow?Be interesting to know his persona in real life.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Don't forget that there is a large-ish group of farangs in Korat for one particular reason: Muay Thai training. It is one of the better centres for learning kickboxing, and I have a couple of farang friends in Kolat doing just that. So let's o with Teachers, alcoholics and then Fighters.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A substancial intellectual center.

Possibly a mini silicon valley emerging

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[markt]

Has anyone on the forum ever met the good fellow?Be interesting to know his persona in real life.

Obviously not.

[kerryk]

Has anyone on the forum ever met the good fellow?Be interesting to know his persona in real life.

Obviously not.

I correspond Stick him from time to time and have a couple of friends who meet with him on a regular basis. Seems like a “right bloke” (if I have that expression correct, English is not my native tongue, I am an American). I have noticed recently a small change in tolerance for BG’s but that may just be the amount of negative submissions he is receiving. He rejects submissions that are too controversial and I would debate the Jerry Springer label. I think it is a notch or two below that. I do know Jerry Springer and have had many a drink with him. We used to live in the same town, hang out at the same Mexican restaurant and he is a heck of a nice guy and not at all what one would expect seeing him on TV.

[Gary A]

Long ago I had Stick's site bookmarked. Back when he was an honest whore-monger he was somewhat entertaining. Now that he is married to a "middle class" woman he has decided to become respectable and become a social climber. I view that as being a hypocrite. What was his former hobby has now become disgusting to him.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Long ago I had Stick's site bookmarked. Back when he was an honest whore-monger he was somewhat entertaining. Now that he is married to a "middle class" woman he has decided to become respectable and become a social climber. I view that as being a hypocrite. What was his former hobby has now become disgusting to him.

[stickman]

What was his former hobby has now become disgusting to him.

Disgusting?! Hmmm, I don’t think I have ever said that. I may have gone off the nightlife industry – so what?! People change.

That many people still wish to partake in it – good for them. I have absolutely no problem with that at all, in fact it is nice that people enjoy themselves.

All that has really changed is that I went off the industry, and later went on to get married. I respect my wife and have no intention of cheating on her. What other people do is their choice.

And for what its worth, there is probably more nightlife news, and more accurate nightlife news in the column now, than there was in the past.

Stick

[thaipro_pattaya]

I have realtives in Korat, a very relaxing place

[Gary A]

Well Stick, I too have changed a great deal. I went a little different way than you did. My wife doesn't own a dress or a string bikini. She is a farm class country girl and she makes no apologies for that. In fact she doesn't own any make up or even a tube of lipstick.

I still have friends who live near and hang around Washington Square. I stop in to visit with them whenever I get to Bangkok. We frequent the bars and play grab ass with the bar girls. My wife stays up country or in our hotel room while I am out carousing. I love my wife and have no desire to have sex with another woman but I still enjoy the bar scene from time to time.

I would have had no problem marrying a bar girl if I had found the right one. Some of my friends are quite happy with their ex-bar girl wives. Some of the girls are hard core and learned many bitter lessons from us farangs. I still have a lot of bar girl friends who I would trust a lot farther than most farangs I have met. Lighten up a bit and remember that you were just like the majority of us who escaped our homelands. I can't say it bothers me to be regarded as a dirty old man.

Disgusting?! Hmmm, I don’t think I have ever said that. I may have gone off the nightlife industry – so what?! People change.

That many people still wish to partake in it – good for them. I have absolutely no problem with that at all, in fact it is nice that people enjoy themselves.

All that has really changed is that I went off the industry, and later went on to get married. I respect my wife and have no intention of cheating on her. What other people do is their choice.

And for what its worth, there is probably more nightlife news, and more accurate nightlife news in the column now, than there was in the past.

Stick

[buadhai]

And for what its worth, there is probably more nightlife news, and more accurate nightlife news in the column now, than there was in the past.

Is your nightlife reporting any more accurate than your reporting on Korat?

[markt]

And for what its worth, there is probably more nightlife news, and more accurate nightlife news in the column now, than there was in the past.

Is your nightlife reporting any more accurate than your reporting on Korat?

Blimey, that was writen in July last year. Give it up, man.

http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/Weekly/weekly217.htm

[buadhai]

And for what its worth, there is probably more nightlife news, and more accurate nightlife news in the column now, than there was in the past.

Is your nightlife reporting any more accurate than your reporting on Korat?

Blimey, that was writen in July last year. Give it up, man.

http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/Weekly/weekly217.htm

And, that's exactly when I started this thread....

[Amethyst]

or maybe he is not sticky any more... the glue is worn off

[Jeff1]

Or maybe it was not him to begin with . For all we know it is/was scampy

[joklaweil]

It is very pleasant to learn from this thread that there are lots of people who defend life here.

Fully contradicting Stickman I have to say that Korat was more westernized before than it is now. All the department stores that went bankrupt (Newland, Pata, Tara, Nor'East) have tried to cater to farangs. Did we just resist the western force of business because we like it here more or were we backcountry?

The schemes of beggars and whores he mentioned might just have shown themselves to him because he did not blend in to the average farang appearrance as we all do.

I wonder at what time he perceived Korat: during Dalakan or the market before Songkran when it was flooded by country folks not used to the city?

Edited March 10, 2006 by joklaweil

[Vegemite]

Kiwis and friends

You don`t really want to take it down to this level do you???

What was his former hobby has now become disgusting to him.

Disgusting?! Hmmm, I don’t think I have ever said that. I may have gone off the nightlife industry – so what?! People change.

That many people still wish to partake in it – good for them. I have absolutely no problem with that at all, in fact it is nice that people enjoy themselves.

All that has really changed is that I went off the industry, and later went on to get married. I respect my wife and have no intention of cheating on her. What other people do is their choice.

And for what its worth, there is probably more nightlife news, and more accurate nightlife news in the column now, than there was in the past.

Stick

Proud to know that you are a Kiwi.

Many people on this site or in every day life wouldn`t have the guts to even start a website.

Good on you.

N.Z. has changed a lot and some times I think Thailand is the better bet.

All the best.

[JimsKnight]

I don't agree with a lot of what he says, but I think it's an interesting read. What I do find amusing is how some people get so wound up by what he writes.

He definatley has become a bit jaded.

But.....

Obviously some of the truths are too close to home for some to handle. Some of the stuff he says about Bar girls is spot on, and it seems that most of those who get wound up by him are those heavily involved with the bar scene or a prostitute.

Yeah stick came over and goosed whores, but like most of us he realised he was being taken for a &lt;deleted&gt;. Some of you loosers have been here twice as long as him and still havn't worked out that you shag hookers (using Johnny's) pay them and leave. Not parade around the streets as if proud of your prostitute girlfriend.

I'm gonna get abuse for this, but anyone who has a relationship with a prostitute must be eigher, A - Mad, B - Sad, C - Desperate.

It may take a year or two for some to realise this, and thats cos of the culture differences, but after a year or two anyone with a whore girlfriend is an idiot in my eyes.

Now you're talking! It amazes me still how many falang will fight over prostitutes who would dump them in a heart beat for a richer punter. Yes there are a few diamonds out there but thailands people (incl the bar whores) are one helluva lot more materialistic than 5 - 10 years ago.

[joklaweil]

I suggest Stickman to take a second trip to Korat, this time not party only, so the vision doesn't get blurred too much and he doesn't see alcoholics and teachers only . . . and then maybe write about the beauty of Korat, nobody asks him to rewoke what he might have perceived wrong. But there's a lot more . . .

[joklaweil]

No comments vecessary I guess.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I suggest Stickman to take a second trip to Korat, this time not party only, so the vision doesn't get blurred too much and he doesn't see alcoholics and teachers only . . . and then maybe write about the beauty of Korat, nobody asks him to rewoke what he might have perceived wrong. But there's a lot more . . .

Don't encourage the bugger

[Jeff1]

I suggest Stickman to take a second trip to Korat, this time not party only, so the vision doesn't get blurred too much and he doesn't see alcoholics and teachers only . . . and then maybe write about the beauty of Korat, nobody asks him to rewoke what he might have perceived wrong. But there's a lot more . . .

Don't encourage the bugger

I agree , we don't need him here ...there .

[dereklev]

I suggest Stickman to take a second trip to Korat, this time not party only, so the vision doesn't get blurred too much and he doesn't see alcoholics and teachers only . . . and then maybe write about the beauty of Korat, nobody asks him to rewoke what he might have perceived wrong. But there's a lot more . . .

Don't encourage the bugger

Indeed do not encourage the bugger! !

Does it matter what he wrote or writes in the future.

Korat is a sleepy rural town with no pretentions to greatness.

For those of us who live in Korat and its environs we should appreciate what we have! !

[udon]

No comments vecessary I guess.

Are you suggesting that Sickman is a journo?