Standard swim gear for women out here in Buriram isn't on par with the West, nor with the tourist areas of Thailand. Country chicks tend to wear a t-shirt and shorts. The community pool in the city has a regulation against this, so most girls wear full piece swimsuits. Full piece swimsuits I couldn't imagine wearing when I'm sixty. Full piece swimsuits I couldn't imagine wearing if I was sixty in 1960. Bikinis seem to be out unless you're a hooker with the Farang-of-the-week-you-picked-up-in-Pattaya-and-brought-back-to-meet-your-family-to-prove-you-really-do-love-him. And even that's rare. They usually cover up too. So, I've taken to wearing a mock … [Read more...]
A Portrait of Yai in Lamplaimat, Thailand
Yai is the grandmother of one of my muay thai trainers and friends in the city of Buriram, Thailand. I had two trainers named Gai (Chicken), both working with me at the long defunct Tor Ratonakiat Gym. I was training at Tor Ratonakiat Gym as a lone nak muay (boxer) for approximately one year. (Please note, this post has been updated, meaning what you're currently reading is written retrospectively in 2014). Tor Ratonakiat Gym was, at one time, the home of Sam-A Kaiyanghadao. Here's more on Tor Ratonakiat Gym in Buriram. Essentially, when my main trainer Gai was unable to teach me, his friend Gai would come and fill his spot. What usually kept my main trainer Gai … [Read more...]
Tales Of The Zombie Hooker
Determining what I was going to discuss on MBSB has proven to be more of a challenge than expected. I'm hit with a lot of interesting moments, but what do I write about? What is too much? The protocol is to relay my truth, to not dance around things while maintaining an atmosphere of respect. At the very least, as much respect as I believe the situation allows while maintaining my truth. Sensationalism is empty and weak. An attempt to elicit attention, reaction in its most base form. It lacks soul. I want the reader to understand the context of the content on MBSB via my experiences, hence the personal nature of this site. … [Read more...]
Wat Phanan Choeng, Ayutthaya, Thailand
Wat Phanan Choeng is a Buddhist temple in the city of Ayutthaya, Thailand. The city of Ayutthaya was the capital of the Siamese kingdom of Ayutthaya that existed from 1351 to 1767. Wat Phanan Choeng was built in 1324, approximately 26 years before the city of Ayutthaya was officially founded. The temple is located at the junction of the Chao Phraya and the Pa Sak Rivers. The golden Buddha, which for many, is the main draw to the temple, is made of brick, mortar and stucco. It measures 14.25 meters (46.75 feet) from knee to knee and 19 meters (62.34 feet) in height. It has undergone reconstruction a number of times, I believe the most recent being in … [Read more...]
Muay Thai Training In Limbo
When I first started training with Gai a year ago, I called up one of my friends and shouted, 'He treats me like a chicken!'. This translates as - I was being taken care of. Chicken fights can be big business out here and I've seen men treat their fowl with more respect and care than I've seen nak muays receive at a gym. Nothing like looking at a bird and thinking, "Wow, one day I want what you've got" (minus having a feather shoved up my rectum then down my throat to make weight). That being said, Thailand is a random place where the majority of the population lives in the present. Great while vacationing, a bit to get used to when you're … [Read more...]