Gay Boy Thailand

I went for a walk in Sandakan city as the sun set. I took pictures by the harbour and said hello to people.

I bought a water bottle and sat down to rest and drink. Families were nearby, some selling food, some selling smuggled cigarettes. The young ones came to me and practiced their simple English on me. It was usually only “What is your name?” and “Where are you from?

A teenage girl insisted I should take her picture. I refused. She kept insisting and stood in front of me with defiant body language.

“Polis” said someone when a motorbike with two men stopped behind me. The girl who wanted her picture taken ran away but the others remained.

The two Malay men in plain clothes came over to me and said they were tourist police. One of them flashed an ID card which told me nothing. Both shook my hand and introduced themselves by first name.

For a moment I wondered if this was the fake police scam I had heard of. But that was in the Philippines, not in Malaysia.
- Are you ok sir? asked the man.
- I am fine thank you, I said.
- You have no problem?
- No problem.
- You are fine?
- Yes, I am fine.
- We were on our way home from work when we saw you. We thought we would check, said the policemen.
Then they asked my name and where I stayed.
- Ah, hotel X, they said as if this explained everything. Hotel X was just around the corner. This had to be why I was in this un-touristy street.
- Please be careful, said the policemen.
- Is it dangerous here? I asked.
- Not dangerous, said the policemen.

What was this about? I think I understood what he said between the lines. I was in the company of bad friends. The cops knew these cigarette sellers and their history. They wanted to warn me from getting involved with them.

I knew that already. It was in the air. I would not trust them, and in particular not that girl. I was sure she and some of the others were capable of stealing, lying and cheating if they got the chance. Besides, I knew their kind from earlier. They are in every city in Malaysia.

But some banter with them on the street didn’t hurt anyone. Safety is a question of time and place. If it is light and many people are around it is safe. If it is dark and you are alone it is not so safe. I am not going into any dark side street with anyone.