Stickman's Website

[bangna bound]

The growing popularity of Stickman's weekly column demonstrates the need for a website on Thailand that provides level-headed and insightful commentary, mixed with reliable insider info on the bar scene, keen observations on farang life, news, and general scutllebut.

But despite his best intentions, Stick fails to deliver the goods.

The Thai-farang clash of culture scenarios he presents in his column almost always end up as a one-sided rant against Thais. He hardly ever tries to balance his commentaries by attempting to see things from a Thai viewpoint.

On the odd occassions that he does, his psychology 101 approach to the subject borders on the naive.

While he constantly reminds us (often in a irrating, holier-than-thou way) that he no longer has any interest in the girlie bar scene, and those who do will eventually be sucked into its vortex of hopelessnes and despair, he sees no conflict in reporting its nitty gritty aspects in his column.

And he constantly gets this nitty gritty wrong. He reports earth-shattering girlie bar news one week, tones down and clarifies the same story the next, and then confirms it actually isn't going to happen at all on the third week (have you been following his Soi Cowboy saga?)

Your industry contacts are feeding a pile of self-serving crap Stick, and you are gobbling it all up.

Stick to the facts Stick. And give your Mrs a bigger slice of the action in you column. She's brilliant.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

I think that he has lost the plot BB. A flame for the disaffected moths from the bar scene. " My bar girl cheated me " stuff.

[bangna bound]

Yes Dr, I agree. Some of the bitterness and venom that spits out of those "My Baby Done Me Wrong" letters Stickman runs in his column is scary.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Perhaps he and Trink have reached their 'use by ' dates

[Georgie-Porgie]

As someone who just started reading Stickman regularly a short time ago, I think that the guy is brilliant, at least from the point of view of someone in Northern Thailand who only goes to bars in Bangkok occasionally.

Yes, I agree, the holier than thou, I don't need that anymore, attitude towards prostitution is irritating, but I've been here a long time, and seen many freinds and foes go through that stage after just getting married. The good news is that they, pretty much, always get over it after a year or two of the same tired old stuff.

As far as Stickman only presenting the Farang point of view on happenings in the Kingdom, I think that that just comes with the territory. I mean how many Farangs have real insight into the Thai mindset, as opposed to those who think that they do. I know that I don't, and I don't trust the ######s who pretend to. At least Stickman is clever guy who is being as honest as he can about what he thinks, feels and sees in this exotic land.

My guess is that Dr. Patpong and company live in Bangkok, and really know the bar scene there (after all, his name is Dr. Patpong), so are more critical than a casual reader like myself, however, many of my freind are former and current (Go-Go) barflies, and they LOVE the Stickman!

[The_Moog]

You have to read between the lines.

All writers - Needham, Moore, Stickman, do that 'Thailand, land of contrasts' speech.

They're not daft though, , they know that bucolic tales of Thai rural life aren't their genre.

So look beyond the 'Amazing Thailand' stuff they say with a wry grin. They know, we all know, its an in-joke.

Moog

ps If you want rural tales, try that bookshop on #3 of Silom Complex which has some unspeakably dull stuff by Thai novelists going on about bringing in the harvests.

[the gentleman]

I wouldnt say stickman is right in all he preaches, but it is his website, with his experiences and ideas. I agree with him regarding marrying a bar girl, different soical scales etc. I wish more of my mates would marry non bar girls, so my wife has someone to talk to. There is that difference of my mates Isan wives and my southern wife - My mates wives talk about how much things are worth, gold, dick sizes and utter crude <deleted>, my wife is very boring to them as she talks about every day stuff. She certainly doesnt say bad things about them, but I can see how bored she gets sittiing there......... Why marry a bar girl?, when you met her there was a good chance an hour before she was with 2 guys hanging from the light fitting and not wearing a condom............ There are so many great girls out there with an education, spirit and longing for ONE man to spend the rest of their lives with.

I expect being flamed for what I have written, but it will only be by Farangs who married a bar girl - Am I any better, NO - I just couldnt stand making up lies regarding her for the rest of my life.......

[maerim]

May I have a word in the shell like of any man who is thinking about marrying a bar girl?

A word of advice,DON'T.

I did, absolute nightmare.

Of course mine was different,yeah right. Not only the one I got stuck with but her friends she met in the U.K. were all bargirls.

They led their husbands a dogs life,the ones who are not divorced are still doing it,

the ones who are divorced are carrying on their trade in all the big cities there.

As all immigrants they tell people how wonderful their home country is and would do anything for it.

The one thing they won't do for it is to go back there.

I don't know about cigarettes coming with a health warning I think these women should come with one.

They should also come with a wealth warning as these slags can seriously damage your wealth as well.

on a lighter note she is still in the U.K. I am here I know I came out on top.

[The_Moog]

I've never met Stickman or Mrs Stick....

...but the wives of both Moore and Needham are the most elegant intelligent women a guy could possibly aspire to meet ....(let alone a humble auteur). They're lucky fellows.

(Though quite possibly when it comes to mowing the lawn or replastering the ceiling these serene ladies are hopeless).

[Boon Mee]

As a fairly new member to this forum, I'm not acquanted with Stickman or his website. Can someone list his URL please?

The previous discussions w/regard to marrying a bargirl brought to mind Bangkok back when the Baht was devalued from 26/27 to 1 USD to 45. There were literally hoards of "regular" office-working (secretaries) gals plying the "trade" around the old Grace and Nana Hotels.

Sometimes you can't judge a book by its cover?

Thanks!

[dr_Pat_Pong]

www.stickmanbangkok.com

[markoinbangkok]

STICKMANS SITE...

I was glued to the screen reading Stickmans site before I came to Thailand. Now that I have been there, it no longer has the same fascination or relevance that it once did, but my biggest complaint about his site is this...

The resolution on my monitor is set at 800 x 600. His front page (link above!) was designed for monitors with larger screen resolutions!

For this reason alone I have swithched to THIS site which is completely brilliant!

[mrentoul]

Some of the bitterness and venom

For bitterness, try ajarn.com. Marko knows that board well, though he's funnier and sharper than most.

Last night I found a thread started by a guy who thought Thais were unreliable...missing appointments without calling, that sort of thing. From there it went on, and on, until posters were in general agreement that it was best to have nothing to do with Thais at all.

Thais just can't do anything right by these guys - probably because they don't know any.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

For this reason alone I have swithched to THIS site which is completely brilliant!

Nothin' like a spot of self promotion Marco. Someone once told me that self praise wasn't much of a recommendation.

[Guest IT Manager]

Oh I don't know...my wife says he has a cute butt. The new spectacles are great she says.

[capitalinvestment]

This bit annoyed me as it is at least wrong and at most racist. You need an attitude adjustment little man

The following was left in because thats what it was worth...almost, since there is nothing smaller in the US.

My two cents...

Edited January 2, 2004 by IT Manager

[frenchFARANGbkk]

STICKMANS SITE...

I was glued to the screen reading Stickmans site before I came to Thailand. Now that I have been there, it no longer has the same fascination or relevance that it once did, but my biggest complaint about his site is this...

The resolution on my monitor is set at 800 x 600. His front page (link above!) was designed for monitors with larger screen resolutions!

For this reason alone I have swithched to THIS site which is completely brilliant!

I was thinking nobody was using this screen resolution anymore, in 2004, when computers can do a lot better and when 1024 x 768 is the minimum acceptable.

But maybe I'm wrong!

[george]

Marko did his posting only to gain inbound links to his excellent website, and was annoyed that we don't accept url's in the signatures for that obvious reason. Hey Marko, good try!

Welcome!

[netkoala]

could be wrong but Stickman site reads like it was written by a woman.

actually one of the administrators of this site too.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

There are female admins here Koala

[dr_Pat_Pong]

From there it went on, and on, until posters were in general agreement that it was best to have nothing to do with Thais at all.

Thais just can't do anything right by these guys - probably because they don't know any.

We are in a minority Michael. The witless and vocal majority outnumbers us. Why, oh why, do they stay on here and get increasingly dissatisfied ?

[mrentoul]

Sometimes you feel helpless being in a minority, but I don't care. I think many westerners here can't be bothered making the effort. Some show barely a scintilla of interest in Thai ways.

Some people do not need to adjust to be happy in a land so alien from their own. Most, though, are not like that. And yet if they do not make the effort they feel increasingly alienated, frustrated and angry. They lash out at their hosts because they don't understand them. Yet why should Thais have to do all the running? It makes no sense to me.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

With ya all the way Mike .

[happymanme]

hi guys i will start by saying that i like sticks site,i like this site as well 2 different sites with different views cos thats the joy of the web diversity.and as a nother poster said people change so the websites change with them especially when they are viewed kinda like an extension of themselves as stickmans site is.

this site on the other hand is more of a community site a lot of people involved so having a more rounded view. different but equally as good so i think perhaps having views about other sites is good and correct but to slag off another site to be a bit strong perhaps

allan