Pre-Show Free Show

If it's fair to say that there's a "seedy" side to Bangkok's night life (and that's being generously fair, trust me) it's certainly true for the beach side resort town of Pattaya. We're not going to enter into a debate about it at this point, but while on walks into the evening and night hours - when the temperature is most pleasant - I've taken a number of photos and had many interesting visits with the club workers themselves. A few of those stories have already appeared here (Where The Wild Boys Live, First Go-Go Interview: Na and Noi's story).

A reader asked if I'd do a post of activity in the night club area with some photos of the guys, and I ran across a few yesterday I'd taken in Pattaya in mid-December 2008 (note the Christmas decorations and potted poinsettias) while walking back to my hotel from a late dinner. I'd heard music coming from around the corner while on Second Road and looking around the corner saw a group of dancers from a club out in front, doing routines to draw customers inside for the show that would begin in about a half hour.

I stood and watched while taking a few shots of the dancers, and after they finished and were milling about before going back into the club I asked if they'd gather for a posed group shot. They seemed happy to oblige.

Those of you who read a forum I've posted to may well recognize the second (Dancing) shot as being one of a dozen or so I'd cropped down and loaned to an online forum. You'll see full versions of the others eventually, too. Leave a comment if there was one in particular you'd like to see here.

The last item today is one of three clips I took with the snapshot camera, which obviously doesn't do well in low-light situations. You'll see several cars and song taews passing between me on my side of the street and the dancers on theirs, but that's just part and parcel of the experience.

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