Saturday, December 3, 2005
Buying sleaze
So of course I was a bit startled to discover Penthouse next to FHM at a store today, a store where school kids milled around carrying ice cream and buying stationery. Those who have seen an issue will know Penthouse hardly classifies as soft. And yet, there it was, on open display, accessible to anyone who wanted it.
Now I had to look between the covers… and came away disappointed. If you can get off on Cosmopolitan, the Thai Penthouse will appeal to you. Those needing a stronger dose will have to look elsewhere. Bangkok’s real sleaze must sell in better demarcated locations.
Today’s Bangkok Post newspaper has an interesting report from Singapore:
You gotta love a people so shaken up about their self-image.Topless dance act not ‘sleazy Patpong show’
The Singapore Crazy Horse, which will bring the famous French topless dance act to the city-state, is not just another nude show, but a classy act, its owner said.
Cinema and property group Eng Wah said the show could not be compared to sleazy sex shows in other Asian cities.
“It’s not one of those Patpong shows with ping pong balls popping out from all over the place,” Eng Wah’s chief executive Goh Min Yen said in an interview, possibly referring to the sex shows Bangkok’s entertainment strip used to be known for. [Notice use of past tense here -Jace]
“Crazy Horse is a world-class brand from Paris and we’re bringing the exact replica to Singapore,“ said the 45-year-old mother of three, who has a business degree from a US university.
Ms Goh said she was inspired to bring Crazy Horse home after seeing it in Paris.
Singapore has been trying to spice up its prudish image to woo tourists and approved casino gambling earlier this year. But it still bans Playboy magazine and censors racy scenes from movies.
Officials from various government ministries and agencies watched the show on Thursday night “to better understand” the cabaret, Ms Goh said.
Anonymous — Dec 4, 2005 6:51:00 AM — # ↩
You say Thailand is sexually permissive - where do you get your info? From the inside of a bar? What goes on behind closed doors is not meddled with most of the time by the Thai authorities. But they object to what happens in public. So sexy magazine covers, without nudity, is about as racy as it gets.
Thailand is sexually quite conservative. Bar flies and sex tourists draw the opposite conclusion.
hserus — Dec 4, 2005 7:40:38 AM — # ↩
That rep still persists, kind of .. I was attending a small conference in Bangkok some months back, and as I and my friend were leaving our hotel for the conference building, we decided to try a Tuktuk ride.
The tuktuk driver immediately offered to sell us some pot.
"No thanks"
"Oh right, fine. So I'll take you to this bar where you can meet really sexy ladies ..."
"No thanks, all we want to do is to go to the UN building. Really"
"UN? That's a damned bore. I know what. You dont want ladies, I'll take you to a GAY bar".
"Hey, no!! I dont want a gay bar either"
[knowing leer + snigger]
"Aaaaah. So that's it, eh? Now I know this little place, very secret, where they have ladyboys and really really young girls ..."
That was when we hurriedly paid the guy's fare and got the hell out of there.
erhgyx — Dec 5, 2005 10:56:59 AM — # ↩
Daam Straat - Amsterdams major street houses the sex museum - and kids are allowed in for free, adults at 2 euros.
So the kids there might not be too impresionable... or their society doesnt mind?