Better times
I have seen homeless people of all ages in Thailand, male and female. But I had not seen any homeless ladyboys - until today.
A homeless person sat on a bench on Sathorn road this afternoon. He/she was ragged and dirty, with dark and wrinkled skin from spending time outdoors. He was no youth but a middle aged person maybe fourty of fifty years old. He had plastic bags with his clothes and belongings. I did not see any shoes but he had long socks on.
So far everything was normal. There are thousands of these homeless guys around Thailand. What I had not seen before was the behaviour. This homeless person was vain and used a small mirror to apply make up. He also had bleached his hair. But it had to be a while since he had been to the hairdresser. His hairstyle had fallen apart and was messy.
The ladyboy did not beg or play instruments or sing or any of the other activities common for homeless guys. He just sat there quietly grooming himself, more concerned with his appearance than with people who passed by. The ladyboy appeared to be in his own world, smiling to his own reflection in the mirror.
Tags: ladyboy, Thailand
xxx
February 2nd, 2007 at 1:49 pm
How sad.
Are there any ‘homeless shelters’ in BKK?
February 2nd, 2007 at 3:08 pm
There are temples and charities… The government offer tends to be more like boot camps to reform them. (Not very effective).
February 2nd, 2007 at 6:32 pm
“The ladyboy appeared to be in his own world, smiling to his own reflection in the mirror.”
I like your words…reflection of sadness. 8^(
February 3rd, 2007 at 3:10 am
I ran across an elderly “lady boy” singing w/ a karoake machine in the Silom/Surawong area. A few block down from Patpong. “She” seemed to be enjoying herself, and making money w/tips from passersby. I assumed that she was a “fixture” at that location. I assume “she” was singing well
know Thai pop songs. Perhaps some of you have seen “her”. I wouldn’t call her a homeless person, but just a street entertainer.
Atleast “she” was not begging. I applaud
the ingenuity of these poor people to make a living without resorting to vice and crime. Plus she
no doubt was making people “happy” in some
way.