Concomitant to the meritorious work being done by international Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) in rooting out pedophilia, allegations are surfacing that innocent Western male travelers in Cambodia are being unfairly accused of having sex with minors, with uncomfortable and dangerous legal consequences. If the allegations are true, this may prove to be an elaborate extortion scheme […]
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Philippine bar economics: How much does an Angeles bar girl make?
In general Angeles girls are paid in 3 ways: salaries, barfines, and lady drinks. While each bar could be slightly different, here are some basics: Taking a lady out of the bar for companionship for 1,300-1,500 pesos (roughly $30 USD) for a short-time tour, paid directly to the club. Of this amount, approximately half goes […]
Read the rest of this entry »Chocolates and sex in Angeles City
Do sex and chocolates go together? They must, because David Bogaert has been successfully hawking his white chocolate treats in the gogo clubs of Angeles City’s Field Boulevard now for three years. Selling items not particular to the sex industry is not completely unfamiliar in Asian nightlife venues (Bangkok’s raving evangelist Brother Tony comes immediately […]
Read the rest of this entry »Budget Rent a Car hell in Manila: why is no one minding the shop?
When is a rental car not a rental car? When it doesn’t exist! I had booked a rental car from Budget Rent a Car for a car at the Manila airport at 7 pm tonight through Travelocity, with a Budget confirmation number and everything. When I arrived at 6:30, there was no one at the […]
Read the rest of this entry »Update on the UDD red shirt hospital raid: Is Thailand now ready for martial law?
With UDD redshirts commandeering military trains, setting up checkpoints on expressways, and conducting armed searches in hospitals, people are beginning to ask if a state of anarchy can be far behind? And if it is, will full martial law be the only effective way to stop it. This past week, United Front for Democracy (UDD) […]
Read the rest of this entry »Nut’s Story: How much can a Bangkok bargirl make and spend?
Nut is a hostess outside a bar on Bangkok’s Soi Cowboy, where she makes 7,000 baht (roughly $200 USD) per week. Dancers there make 10,000 baht per week. Nut left her previous club on Sukhumvit Soi 4, where she made 1,500 baht as a hostess. She’s 32 years old, and has been in the business since […]
Read the rest of this entry »Shopping for Antiquities in Phuket
Given its significant number of yearly visitors, it’s not really surprising that Thailand’s island of Phuket has a number of good stores dealing in antiquities. As is the case in the rest of Thailand, much of the best that you’ll find in these shops in Burmese in origin. With the exception of the Soul of Asia […]
Read the rest of this entry »Touring the untraveled Wat Phu Champasak in Western Laos
The temple of Wat Phu Champasak is located on an unspoiled hillside setting, and its original structures date from approximately the 7th century ACE. Arranged on three levels, Champasak’s upper-level sanctuary provides a stunning view of the countryside, including the remaining baray (pond). Wat Phu Champasak boasts wonderful lintel carvings, bas-relief apsaras (dancers), and is […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis Recommended books on Laos: The Lao Bookshelf
Laos is as under-reported in literature as it is in the Press, so there are relatively few books particular to the country, compared to those pertaining to its neighbors in Thailand and Vietnam. Here are a few that we at WoWasis recommend as worthy of your attention. Non-Fiction Kay Danes’ prose is a bit twisted […]
Read the rest of this entry »Top 5 travel sites in Laos
Tour Luang Prabang or tour Vientiane now! The ancient kingdom of Lan Xang is transforming itself into a country that has increasing amenities for the traveler, yet boasts delights that are still relatively untraveled. Although increasingly popular, the royal capital of Luang Prabang remains one of the most beautiful towns in Southeast Asia, and an […]
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