Issan

[gunslinger]

I'm walking down a dirt track in total darkness in the middle of nowhere with 3 ladyboys who are holding up their long dresses from the dust, the road is lined with motorcycles on both sides. As we get nearer to the field, there are groups of young guys calling out to the ladyboys, it's like they are getting the red carpet reception, it's a pretty strange experience, a few years ago I never would have guessed I would have a night out like this,
                                 The place is really starting to fill up, I go and grab a  cheapoLeo beer and they all go off to join the others, again I am the only farang, which does get me a bit too much unwanted attention, a few guys come up to me again hassling me for drink, luckily a couple of the ladyboy guardian angels come back and the they all walk off, one guy stays and continues to ramble on about Leo beer, one of the ladyboys grabs my beer (which is nearly empty) and throws it at him.
                                   With an unceremonious "clunk" it hits him straight between the eyes and he just stands there in shock, lucky for him I didnt get a bottle.
                                     I go and sit with some of the family where I wont get any more hassle and employ a couple of "runners" to go and get more beer or food when required, as long as get some for them. then everyone  is happy.
                             Apologies for the quality of the pics I left the charger for my camera in Bangkok so I had to buy a couple of those diposable ones.

[gunslinger]

put your mark here..

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[gunslinger]

As much I am fascinated by these young ladyboy contestants, i find I am even more fascinated by the sultry looking femboys/ladyboys in the audience, of which there were well over 100. They all seemed to be in groups between 5 and 10 down either side.
One group in particular, where the Tee Tee look-alike and main instigator from the MV rumble stood..
Trying to keep an eye on the show which is now in full swing..

[gunslinger]

I go for a piss and consider taking some pics of these ladyboys but dont really know if its such a good idea I get smlies off some but dead eye stares of others,anyway back to the show....
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top 5...
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[katoeylover]

The most inspirational and best thread on the forum... please keep it coming. and Thanks.

[rxpharm]

Gunslinger you really have done an fantastic job describing what things are like in Isaan! The contest looks like it was quite the event and sure a big contrast to something like the Miss Tiffany contest.

Looking forward to hearing more of your adventures, and it sounds like you enjoy your time there as well.

Keep it up!

[divertwo]

.....be great to some how establish a calendar of all the various contests/pageants around the country so when we are visiting we could take side trips from the major LB cities in order to get a real view of LB life in the far away provinces.....

[Guest]

Great stuff, I witnessed many of the same things in the Prakarn Chai, Buriram, Surin area. Those local festivals, beauty contests are not isolated events but so common and delightful. Ladyboys certainly occupy the lands of Issarn.

[donnnnnny]

How did i miss this great thread?? excellent stuff mr slinger excellent. brings back memories of a 1987 trip to isasan ina beet up old toyota corolla, korat sirin ubon and udon, fun friendly and in those days girls girls girls. my hat is of to you
donnnnnny

[thaibound]

thanks for the bump , i missed it too!
excellent work gunslinger.
a side of the LOS i had missed altogether.

[Monkey]

is that Michael Jackson in the background?

wondered what he was up to these days

[kahuna]

I just spent about 2 weeks with a girl in Yasothon...Isaan is a different world and I really enjoyed
my time there...and I am certain I will visit again...

There are many ladyboys...from young to older...The small city, like other Isaan villages,  is very
clean and very inexpensive...the locals are very poor and very friendly...

Keep your report coming gunslinger...makes me want to hurry back to Isaanville...

[rxpharm]

(Monkey @ Nov. 21 2007,22:46) is that Michael Jackson in the background?

wondered what he was up to these days

Now Monkey, you are being mean to those lbs in Issan! Everyone knows Michael Jackson's preferred abode is now Bahrain!

MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) - Pop star Michael Jackson took a shopping trip to a Bahrain mall Wednesday, covering himself in a black abaya robe traditionally worn by Bahraini women and a veil hiding his face, along with three children€”apparently his€”with their faces covered with dark scarves.
Jackson, who seems to be settling in the Persian Gulf, was seen leaving Marina Mall in the Bahrain capital, holding a child by the hand. On the way out through a back door, he shook hands with security guards.

He was wearing an abaya, a robe with long sleeves, under which his pants, white shirt and men's shoes could be seen, and his head and face were wrapped in a black veil. He had black gloves on his hands.

The veil, abaya and gloves were of a style typically worn by conservative Bahraini women, though Jackson appeared to be wearing them to hide his identity.

With him was woman€”also in an abaya and jeans and a scarf over her head that partially covered her face€”who had the two other children. All three children's faces were wrapped in black scarves, and they wore yellow shirts and sweatpants or khakis without robes. The woman's identity was not known.

The woman asked photographers to respect their privacy saying they are scaring the children, as the five left in a White Lexus Infinity with darkened glass.

Since his June acquittal on child molestation charges, Jackson has made several trips to Bahrain as a guest of Sheik Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the son of Bahrain's king. It has been reported that he was negotiating a position as a consultant with a Bahrain-based company that plans to set up theme parks and music academies in the Middle East, according to a press release, earlier this month.

AAJ Holdings Ltd., owned by Ahmed Abu Bakr Janahi, said it wants to hire 47-year-old Jackson to give advice on setting up entertainment businesses.He is reportedly building a home in Bahrain, an island nation in the Persian Gulf linked to Saudi Arabia by a bridge.

In November, Jackson stirred a small controversy in the United Arab Emirates by entering the ladies room in a shopping mall. His publicist said Jackson, who arrived in Dubai as the guest of a champion rally driver, did not understand the Arabic sign on the door and left the bathroom as soon as he realized his mistake.

But local newspapers reported that the 47-year-old performer was spotted applying make-up in the woman's toilets in a Dubai mall. Jackson's host, Mohammed bin Sulayem, dismissed the story as rumor.

And here is a photo of Michael doing his walkabout in a Bahrain mall.

[divertwo]

Great tips on this area. I'd like to travel up thru this area(Issan) as well as up thru Sukhothai/Uttaradit during my next Thailand trip. How do you guys make these trips.....car, bus, train, plane? Fly into a local airport then rent a car or motorbike using a town as a base then making day trips to the country side? Thanks for some recommendations.

[rxpharm]

divertwo, if you do not know Thai you must have a local guide with you. English speakers are not very common in Issan. There is an extensive bus service to Issan, as well as rail. Thai airways flies to a few of the bigger cities, and some of the smaller carriers like PB Air, and Air Asia as well.