Soi Cowboy

Bangkok has an underside. In most cases you have to look for it. But in some situations it looks for you and hits you in the face. For example, Pantip - the computer store I mentioned earlier can be disturbing what with people halking Adult DVDs openly, pushing it in your face as you walk down the hallways. Then there is Soi Cowboy. a small Soi (side street) famous for its cater to tourist. It is only a few blocks from our office. I had never been there before today. Nor do I want to go there at night. Today was a nice day and on a Saturday morning I figured it would be quiet. And it was. It is called Soi Cowboy because of the one attraction that has the biggest sign. Closer towards my apartment is a Soi called Soi Yippun (Japan) because of all the Japanese resturants and grocery store.

It seems on Saturday mornings, Soi Cowboy is like any other Bangkok Soi - street vendors selling food - nothing more.

And of course the mothers with babies on the street. This is perhaps one of the most disturbing experiences of Bangkok. Usually the children are asleep, laying like rag dolls in their mother's arms. I believe they are given medication to put them out and make them look even more "starving". I've been told the children are shared by women. You find this situation close to where there are tourists. So I was not surprized to see this on Soi Cowboy.