Pay To Party

It’s the dawn of a New Year and a couple of Falang nak muays I know are returning to Bangkok to hang out.  This excites me – being out here alone can be isolating.  This excites me enough that I brought it up to a crew of the guys here at the gym – to dial them into the fact that certain people they know will check in for a brief visit.  One of them, with his eyes averted towards the ground, shyly asked if it was possible to go out together when they got here.  Translation, he wants to party.  He isn’t in a position to take us – the way the words were selected weren’t an offer, rather a request to be included in our plans.

This reminded me of something I suspect a number of you would benefit from knowing about regarding going out for dinner, a movie, a club, whatever falls into the category of going out for pleasure…essentially, if you ask people to go (I’ll use party as the example), be prepared to pay, for everyone.  This, from my understanding, is customary in Thai culture.  Generally, the person who asks is offering, particularly if they’re older and/or wealthier.  Most Falang are assumed to fit into the latter category, particularly within the context of a muay thai gym.  Despite what a lot of you may think, most of these guys, including champions, don’t have a lot of coin to throw around.  It’s not because they’re cheap – it’s due to a number of factors, one being their percentage of the payout isn’t as large as a number of you may suspect.

At times, others will add what they can to the bill, but it’s not implied like it is in the West.  Again, this is within the context of the gym.  I have Thai friends who are in a different socioeconomic bracket and who are more accustomed to Falang culture – they generally split the bill – sometimes everyone, sometimes those with the most money.   It’s a mix out here, but from my experience, I’ve seen it go more in the direction I’m talking about – the person who offers, foots the bill, particularly if it’s a Falang.  I’ve known Falang who thought they were being exploited because they were expected to pay the bill every time we hit the bar.  Personally, I’ve been on the receiving end enough times.  It’s not always a, let’s-see-how much-we-can-squeeze-out-of-this-Falang trip, but it can be.  Use your intuition.

I was in Ko Samui for the first time in October.  I didn’t train but the culture out there is completely different than what I’m accustomed to.  It’s a lot more Western, including the Thais that I met.  I have no clue if this applies in the South/Islands – anyone have any idea?

More about Laura

I’m a Canadian who decided to quit my job, sell most of what I own, pack a suitcase, and skip continents to pursue a martial art I’m not particularly efficient in.  A minimalist.  A modern nomad.   A kid who just likes having a good time.

My attraction to muay thai is that it’s an art with no wasted motion.  It has been the greatest vehicle for my continual education.  It’s incredibly challenging to me – both the physical and the mental game.  The latter probably more so than the former.

Currently I’m in Bangkok training muay thai fulltime.  The plan is to be here for a few years, but realistically, I have no idea where this path is leading, or what the timeline is.  I like change and pushing my comfort zone.  A lot.  Nevertheless, muay thai will be the constant among the variables.

Be prepared for updates, rambling, video content and anything I’ve learned that I think may of use to you.

This hasn’t been easy, but so far, its been a pretty sick ride.