The sharper edge to traveling in Asia

WoWasis visits Bangkok’s Calypso Cabaret ladyboy show

Bangkok’s famous Calypso Cabaret has just passed its 25th anniversary, and is now located at the Asiatique complex on the Chao Phraya river, having moved from its longtime theatre located in the Asia Hotel at BTS Ratchatewi. The new neighborhood is decidedly more commercial, as is the show, which is suited for all ages. There […]

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WoWasis Book review: ‘38 Million Dollar Smile’ / ‘Bangkok Free Fall’ by Richard Stevenson

Richard Stevenson is the nom de plume of Richard Lipez, an American author best known for his series of novels involving the world of private eye Don Strachey. Here at WoWasis, we’re always looking at new twists on the Bangkok Fiction genre. The ‘bar girl meets western man’ theme has been covered in dozens of […]

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WoWasis book review: James Eckardt’s ‘Singapore Girl’ and ladyboys

“One thing for sure. I never want to be an old ladyboy.” -a WoWasis transgender friend (2002) Veteran Asia writer James Eckardt has written a number of fascinating books on the Southeast Asian scene, and he’s a good writer, having worked for the Bangkok Post, The Nation, and the Phnom Penh Post. His working creds […]

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PC Air’s ladyboy flight attendants now flying in Thailand

As WoWasis reported earlier this year, Bangkok’s PC Air began to interview ladyboys as flight attendants. Now, they’re flying! This month, as reported by MailOnline, PC Air President Peter Chan has hired four ladyboys as flight attendants, Chayathisa Nakmai, Dissanai Chitpraphachin, Nathatai Sukkaset and Phuntakarn Sringern, after receiving more than 100 applications. The airline noted […]

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WoWasis book review: ‘Red-Light Nights, Bangkok Daze’ by William Sparrow

When we here at WoWasis first saw William Sparrow’s Red-Light Nights, Bangkok Days: Chronicles of Sexuality Across Asia (ISBN 2008, ISBN 978-981-08-1076-4) at our nearby bookstore, our first thought was “sheesh, who needs another book about sex in Asia?” Fiction and non-fiction books on sexual themes involving Southeast Asia no doubt number in the thousands.  […]

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How can I tell ladyboys from ladies?

The Good Manner: Advice on Thailand from WoWasis’ Pa Farang This week’s dilemma: How can I tell ladyboys from ladies? Dear Pa Farang, I do not remember where it is, but I seem to remember that somewhere in your blog is a story of a gentleman who discovered his Thai girlfriend (who he was living […]

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WoWasis nightlife review: Ladyboy bars in Bangkok’s Nana Entertainment Plaza

Updated January, 2016 Ladyboy entertainment establishments are all over Bangkok. At Bangkok’s massive three-story Nana Entertainment Plaza on Sukhumvit Soi 4 (BTS Skytrain Nana station), there are a large number of adult-oriented gogo bars and beer bars, each catering to its own distinctive clientele. Seven of these are ladyboy bars. WoWasis readers have been asking […]

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PC Air’s ladyboys to be Thailand’s queens of the skies

Freshly-minted Thai regional airline PCAir won’t make its first flight for several months yet, but here at WoWasis, we applaud them for staffing up with ladyboys in its effort to have a diversified work crew. Perhaps the highest profile ladyboy hired so far is Miss Tiffany Universe 2007 winner Thanyarat Jirapatpakorn. The Bangkok Post notes that […]

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The Good Manner: When the lady is a ladyboy

The Good Manner: Love & Relationship Advice from WoWasis’ Pa Farang This week’s dilemma: my grifriend is a ladyboy Dear Pa Farang,  As a twenty-year military man now stationed in Thailand, I’m faced with something I never encountered at home.  I’m writing to you, because I can’t discuss this with anyone at the base.  I […]

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