US musician in Thailand says ladyboy is threatening him and extorting money

[AlexRich]

Here is a guy who knows his way around Thailand yet he gets a bad beating and black mailed. Let it be a warning to casual tourists who have no idea what they are getiing into when this visit the land of smiles.

Sorry, but that is totally incorrect.

Bruce after 40 years of living here simply is as clueless as the day he arrived, he is a fool!

I'd love to see one single casual tourist hand over 10K to a Ladyboy they met once in a bar, or one casual tourist that would even bother replying to the said ladyboy.

Sorry but Bruce is - "Stupid is as stupid does"

The question in my mind is whether Bruce is a little bit more acquainted with the mysterious ladyboy than he is letting on? If it really was 10 years ago he could easily have denied it. I don't think we were as 'selfie obsessed" 10 years ago so I'm guessing he left no evidence trail?

[arrowsdawdle]

Nice guy but should not have given in to blackmail it only leads to more harassment, LB will no doubt have the sob story ready

The last thing to do when you want a stray to go away is feed it.

[arrowsdawdle]

A famous American musician

Yea...I never-ever heard of him. I must have missed his hit records.

...maybe got a hole-in-one somewhere along the line...seems to be par for the course with these psychotic types!

Gimme putts or gimme baht...golf giveth and golf taketh away.

[HerbalEd]

Just gave him 10K for the asking...never had any involvement...haha what a fool

This story gives a few snippets of what is obviously a much longer and involved story, and yet you think you know so much about it as to call the guy a fool. Takes one ...

Edited May 2, 2016 by HerbalEd

[hgma]

Foreigner...low key attitude.

Thai.....on top.

Police can't do a thing when people send money for no reason unless provable to be blackmail

E-mail won't stand in a Thai court, anyone could use his /her /it's computer or smartphone.

next.

[Thechook]

Famous?..... what, in his own lunchbox? Never heard of him.

[halloween]

I was worried there as I thought I must have been in a coma all this time and missed a musician that I should have known

Bruce Gaston is a household name in Thailand, he is 'Master of The Kings Music' and one of the highest decorated farangs in the country.

You should all get out more

Frequency of getting out has nothing to do with it, some people choose not to imbibe in certain types of venues. I, for one, rule out any bar named 'The Blue Oyster' or 'The Golden Cock' or 'Mandate' or similar.

[tonray]

Just gave him 10K for the asking...never had any involvement...haha what a fool

This story gives a few snippets of what is obviously a much longer and involved story, and yet you think you know so much about it as to call the guy a fool. Takes one ...

Anyone who has sex with a ladyboy and then has to pay him off years later to keep his sordid secrets is indeed a fool by definition.

DEFINITION:

fool¹

fo͞ol/

noun

1. 1.

   a person who acts unwisely or imprudently; a silly person.

   "what a fool I was to do this"

[NCFC]

Didn"t he lose his wife and kid in an horrific fire at his studio a few years back?

He is certainly talented if you've ever seen his shows at Tawandaeng. He is a favourite musician of a very senior Thai family.

[Bluespunk]

A famous American musician

I dont know bout you but I have never heard of him and I have been in Thailand for over 30 years

Me either after 20+ years.....and I don't think we're alone.....

I was worried there as I thought I must have been in a coma all this time and missed a musician that I should have known

Bruce Gaston is a household name in Thailand, he is 'Master of The Kings Music' and one of the highest decorated farangs in the country.

You should all get out more

All things considered, he should get out less.

[Bluespunk]

Always the wrong description !Ladyboys are not "ladies" . Seriously screwed up in the head males!

They want to be called ladies, so what?

Call them ladies.

[manarak]

I don't know, some strange story

half truths

met 10 years ago , not seen ,but rings up asking for 10k

i give the 10k now wants 15 k , now wants 30 k

old golf has a compromising position photo or what?

all of which is irrelevant and Mr. Gaston should be protected from blackmail as well as his image from damage by a criminal, regardless of any legal activities he may pursue or not in his private life, for which he has every right to keep it a secret.

Edited May 3, 2016 by manarak

[Merylhighground]

I don't know, some strange story

half truths

met 10 years ago , not seen ,but rings up asking for 10k

i give the 10k now wants 15 k , now wants 30 k

old golf has a compromising position photo or what?

all of which is irrelevant and Mr. Gaston should be protected from blackmail as well as his image from damage by a criminal, regardless of any legal activities he may pursue or not in his private life, for which he has every right to keep it a secret.

Quite, I couldn't agree more, though may one enquire as to how you have such an insight into the gentleman's 'private' life that you can state so assuredly that all activities therein are entirely 'legal' as you so confidently state?

(I refer you to my previous post :- reply #60) where I wrote:

Well that case from Chiang Mai last year springs to mind. Some 'pillar of the community type' getting busted for being a sex offender.

He had carefully built up a 'respectable' persona, apparently highly knowledgeable about Theravada Buddhism, could speak the lingo well, of good appearance, a common attendee of those faux 'Rotarian/expat' meetings.

You can never tell just from appearances nor 'honourifics' bestowed unto folks from others, not that I would like to cast aspersions on this gent who seems quite happy creating his own negative publicity and getting into silly situations.

Now, in the thread which ran regarding that case, you should have seen the amount of people 'defending' that particular person, then the amount of frantic back-peddling by many posters who had been singing his praises, one moment, then retracting them, the next when the nature of this man's crimes were made clear.....Be cautious in making sweeping blind 'defences' of people unless you really do know the facts.

Edited May 3, 2016 by Merylhighground

[brianj1964]

I have read this story twice and still dont understand it, he meets the ladyboy 10 years ago, and has had no contact since, yet the LB knows his name now but did not before, knows his telephone number after 10 years and threatens his daughter? i think the musician is only telling half a story.

[kingalfred]

Always the wrong description !Ladyboys are not "ladies" . Seriously screwed up in the head males!

They want to be called ladies, so what?

Call them ladies.

ah fall into line.I think we can safely say the term "lady" in Thailand can have its own definition different from the rest of the world.

[freedom4life]

I am sorry but I don't believe Mr.Gaston is wholly innocent and without mixing about in questionable activities..

[HaleySabai]

A famous American musician

I dont know bout you but I have never heard of him and I have been in Thailand for over 30 years

Me either after 20+ years.....and I don't think we're alone.....

I was worried there as I thought I must have been in a coma all this time and missed a musician that I should have known

Bruce Gaston is a household name in Thailand, he is 'Master of The Kings Music' and one of the highest decorated farangs in the country.

You should all get out more

He is a very serious musician.Founder of Fong Naam, a Thai Pi-Pha ensemble started in the early 90's.Thai classical is the music of the Traditional Royal Court (King's Music) extremely complex,refined and (for most Westerns) a demanding listening experience. It is unlikely 'Bruce Gaston' would ring bells with Thai-people other than those interested in the courtly classics or privy to the elite or aristocratic levels of Thai society. I discovered Fong Naam while studying Ethnomusicology in Uni about 20yrs ago and was impressed with this American dude leading the charge.Fascinating how he was able to wrap his head/ears around this form of music - very impressive actually. The groups recordings are on the Nimbus and Celestial Harmonies labels.

For those running a trivial-pursuit pass your wives - try "Jonas" for 'a house hold name'.

[jayboy]

I'm sure he is more than famous.....a legend in his own mind no doubt....give me a break....[emoji33][emoji107]

No, as any long term expatriate (late 1960s onwards) - with some knowledge of classical/Thai music will tell you,Bruce is a very distinguished musician.

[Bluespunk]

Always the wrong description !Ladyboys are not "ladies" . Seriously screwed up in the head males!

They want to be called ladies, so what?

Call them ladies.

ah fall into line.I think we can safely say the term "lady" in Thailand can have its own definition different from the rest of the world.

Why is there a problem addressing them as such?

Seriously, who gives a <deleted>?

Does it really matter?

[Bluespunk]

I am sorry but I don't believe Mr.Gaston is wholly innocent and without mixing about in questionable activities..

What he does is in private is his own business and he shouldn't have to give in to extortion because of it.

[Merylhighground]

I'm sure he is more than famous.....a legend in his own mind no doubt....give me a break....[emoji33][emoji107]

No, as any long term expatriate (late 1960s onwards) - with some knowledge of classical/Thai music will tell you,Bruce is a very distinguished musician.

I was an expatriate from 1990 - 2016 (and shall be again later this year) yet had never heard of him until this thread, so I'll question your rather bold statement, as I'm sure would the many others on this thread who have never heard of him either.

But then not all of us spent our free time sitting at the Siam Society in top hat and tails listening to bilge every night hoping to create some illusion that we are more 'in the know' than others....some of us were allowed to have fun.....

Edited May 3, 2016 by Merylhighground

[Dagnabbit]

A famous American musician

I dont know bout you but I have never heard of him and I have been in Thailand for over 30 years

I have - and I know plenty of Thai people that know about him too.

He's more of a local celeb, than one that expats would gravitate too.

[musiclover]

A famous American musician

I dont know bout you but I have never heard of him and I have been in Thailand for over 30 years

Me either after 20+ years.....and I don't think we're alone.....

I was worried there as I thought I must have been in a coma all this time and missed a musician that I should have known

Im amazed !!!!

All you guys who have supposedly lived here more than 20 years have not heard of him ???? You must have been living in a Faranfg cocoon.......he was well known in Thailand as a very talented musician who was deeply involved in Thai music and culture..

[mgjackson69]

Blackmail only works because the victim believes they can keep things under wraps, and perhaps do a one-time payoff and be done with it.

Of course, the blackmailer is going to take another run at it, if they got paid the first time.

Mr Gaston should have never paid the first time. If anything came out, the he could have just owned up to it and been done.

Now it will all come out anyway.

[baboon]

A famous American musician

I dont know bout you but I have never heard of him and I have been in Thailand for over 30 years

Me either after 20+ years.....and I don't think we're alone.....

I was worried there as I thought I must have been in a coma all this time and missed a musician that I should have known

Bruce Gaston is a household name in Thailand, he is 'Master of The Kings Music' and one of the highest decorated farangs in the country.

You should all get out more

That being the case, why weren't his difficulties quietly taken care of behind the scenes? Don't you find that a trifle odd?

[jayboy]

I'm sure he is more than famous.....a legend in his own mind no doubt....give me a break....[emoji33][emoji107]

No, as any long term expatriate (late 1960s onwards) - with some knowledge of classical/Thai music will tell you,Bruce is a very distinguished musician.

I was an expatriate from 1990 - 2016 (and shall be again later this year) yet had never heard of him until this thread, so I'll question your rather bold statement, as I'm sure would the many others on this thread who have never heard of him either.

But then not all of us spent our free time sitting at the Siam Society in top hat and tails listening to bilge every night hoping to create some illusion that we are more 'in the know' than others....some of us were allowed to have fun.....

Bruce Gaston's career goes back to the late 1960's while you metaphorically have only just got off the boat.There is no crime in being uninterested in high culture (and it doesn't preclude having fun) but most people probably wouldn't boast about it.

Your remarks about the Siam Society are ludicrous and revealing in a way you probably don't understand.