The Twilight Soi

The Twilight Soi dwells on the dangers of one of the world&#39;s most beautiful and intoxicating cities, Bangkok. It is named after one of Bangkok&#39;s more infamous small streets, or sois as they are known. <br><br>Soi Twilight runs off the main thoroughfare of Surawong in the centre of Bangkok&#39;s oldest entertainment district Patpong and is known to travelers around the world. It is here where touts from go-go boy bars such as Ocean boys, Bangkok Boys and Classic Boys hustle for the attention of local and international tourists.<br><br>The Twilight Soi began in an angry place – over theft and deception. But applying Western, or in the author&#39;s case Australian, notions of loyalty, honesty, fairness, decency and an abhorrence of deceit do not apply in a country as profoundly different as Thailand. For historical reasons Australians intensely dislike personal treachery or the betrayal of friendship. Standing on these principles in a city like Bangkok marks you as a fool. Ultimately being angry both at your own foolhardiness and the actions of others embitters and harms yourself, no one else. This book ends with more understanding than it began. <br><br>Many of the problems experienced by foreigners in Thailand come from the extreme cultural differences with the West. In Australia a man&#39;s word is his honor. A liar is the lowest form of life. In Thailand only a foreigner would be so rude as to point out that the story told in the morning bears little or no resemblance to the story told in the afternoon.