Thailand, the land of smiles and golden dreams, is languishing, and Pattaya, its biggest fun city, is succumbing to a thousand ills. Pattaya Pains is about living in Pattaya over the long term. Even though the collection of essays, stories, and observations herein would relish the golden dream of painting Pattaya as a romantic hotspot where Thais and foreigners bond, it can’t do so - not only because East is East and West is West, but also because Thais just don’t see foreigners in a good light. Sure, we bring in the bucks to the Land of Smiles, but we are aliens who do not understand Thai ways, Thai culture, and Thai traditions. There is another problem, as well. Thailand is deeply conservative, and its education system is worlds apart from a Western one.

Thailand sides with uniformity of thought and behavior, going out of its way to dismiss other modes of thinking. The country has profound pockets of poverty, and despite examples of countries with social mobility, Thailand operates a tacit, accepted caste-system, reinforced by conformity, uniformity, and its undemocratic leaders who regularly threaten “outspoken” people with punishment while claiming to be lenient.

“I will hit you with this law but remember I have not hit you with that law because of my great clemency.” Your average Thai looks at foreigners with contempt and resentment, is patriotic, self-serving, irresponsible, and thoughtless.

Pattaya Pains finds these matters and many others, like the death rate on the roads, painful...to say the least. As the nameless crone at the beginning of the book cackles, “Go on, luvvie, give yourself a treat. Learn why Thailand isn’t the Land of Smiles. Learn why Pattaya is Pain City not Fun City!”