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Bar sign language


John_Betong

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Hi all,

 

I just purchased a very entertaining book "Pat Pong Road UNTOLD STORY" written

by a guy who I happened to meet in his local favourite gogo bar. His name is

Adul Tinathong, Barrister-at-law, etc with a practise in Silom who must have

studied in the states because of his "English" accent.

 

I bought it from my favourite photographer who showed me his and three other

photo-graphers photos' in the book. Also a couple of other characters I

recognised, DJ's, waiters, flower sellers and the cigarette lady (who I have

heard is a man)!. The book cost 150 baht less than a bar-fine!

 

Anyway getting back to the language section, he writes that a sign language has

evolved

 

"because they have a need that is quite nearly the same as that of deaf-

mutes: the bars are filled with noise and oppressively loud music that makes it

impossible for them to hear anything...".

 

The next night in my local I was asked by a lady who I have known (and respect)

for a very long time, she asked for a drink and put her hands just below boob level,

one hand with her index finger pointing vertically and touching the palm of the other

outstretched horizontal hand. I recognised this immediately and because she had done

me a favour of introducing me to a "first-timer" I bought her and her friend the drink!

(Ironical as someone mentioned that it is the only profession where "those with

the least experience are in greaterer demand!")

 

Anyone else aware of this sign language and I wonder if it has anything to do

with the nearby deaf and dumb college off Narathiwat whose students congregate

and converse on McDonald's step every night?

 

Cheers,

 

John_Betong

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Most common for drinks.

 

Though I did some research three years ago. Most (all?) the gogos in Patpong have hand signals for drinks. You can see them being used all the time.

 

Nana and Cowboy also have hand signs for drinks, though they tend not to use them as frequently and depends on the bar.

 

Additionally the signals differ from bar to bar. In some places a thumb down is nahm soda. Thumb up is coke. If you have your hand out like a handshake but wave your fingers left to right like a fish swimming, that's JW Black Coke. If you do that with the thumb down, that JW Black Soda. yadda yadda yadda.

 

The girls have finger signals for prices and ST and LT and you can see girls signal to others on pricing they scored after they got the barfine. Though I haven't seen this in awhile, but then again, I don't spend nearly as much time in the bars as I used to. On occasion I have had girls signal to me prices but I usually ignore these as they are usually exhorbinant.

 

<<burp>>

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