Gay Boy Thailand

Two straight boys in their mid 20s came into the Internet cafe and sat down, one to my left and one to my right. They were dressed in black jeans and black t-shirts. Both had bad haircuts and tattoos on their arms. They played a multi-user game about trolls and monsters and sword fights.

The talked to each other while playing. Or should I say shouted. The conversation went over my head, or perhaps right through it.

They kept talking loudly without stop. I tried to say “ahem”, and later I rolled my eyes and said “blah blah blah!”. This had no effect on them. I wondered if I should tell them to shut up, but I didn’t think they would see the point. I can’t appeal to someone’s sense of proper behaviour if they see no wrong in what they are doing.

This brings me to what to do when two people are standing on the pavement, talking to each other and blocking the way. In a Western country I go around them. To walk between the two is considered rude. The two who in conversation are a zone that should not be violated by others.

In Thailand I ignore the two people who stand there talking. If the shortest path is right between them this is the way I will walk. In Thailand this is not considered rude. There is no protected zone around them. Or at least I don’t hope so because I do it all the time.

This lack of a personal zone must be related to why the two guys in the Internet shop talked to each other as if I was not there between them. I had no personal zone.

I gave up and moved to the Internet cafe across the soi.