About Thailand's poverty and prostitution

Ive been to Bangkok for several times in the past, aside from my 2-year residency in the Buddhist country but I did not really bother to buy a book authored by a Thai writer or about Thailand! But during my recent visit to Bangkok, I definitely bought 3 books available in Asia Books.

These books include: Bangkok Tattoo (John Burdett), Phra Farang (Phra Peter Pannapadipo) and Bangkok Boy (Chai Pinit). I just finished reading Bangkok Boy and it is about the male prostitution in the country and how the author survived on this flesh slavery!


Unfortunately, I disagree with the statement of the author printed at back cover of the book...

"Bangkok Boy is a heart-rending account of a childhood lost to sexual abuse... Chai was a normal boy until he was molested by a school teacher...."

... this book is not about sexual abuse! It deals with male prostitution and Chai is not molested by his school teacher...he volunteered by "curiousity" to have sex with the man trying to find out what his friends doing to earn extra money to fund their vices (drinking and smoking)!

The story confirmed what Ive seen (for the first time) in the red district called: Patphong 18 years ago... Too long ago but the place is still the same - where you could find bars for sex lives shows/entertainment, including a night market for cheap branded products.

Parents tend to invest the bulk of their hopes and dreams in their firstborn son to help him achieve success... Outperforming's one's parents was considered a great accomplishments...