Buddha Visits Koh Samui in Year 2555....

Buddha Visits Koh Samui in Year 2555 - Chris Coles

Spiritually exhausted from his discouraging visits to the Bangkok Night, Pattaya Walking Street and Hat Yai, the reincarnated Buddha retreats to Thailand's island paradise, Koh Samui where he hopes to bring his teachings to the island's tens of thousands of youthful visitors from Europe, Israel, Australia, Iran and North America.

But after 24 hours on the island, he's in shock, speechless and feeling lost in the face of the ongoing spectacle of extreme drunkenness, debauchery, gluttony, sexual abandonment, sensual indulgence and rampant use of drugs and stimulants.

The entire island archipelago appears to have been transformed into an offshore platform whose sole purpose is to generate enormous amounts of cash for its Thai owners by providing an international zone of hedonism where the cravings of an infinite river of young farang, both male and female, can be played out without restraint.

What happened to good intention, mindfulness, compassion, the Middle Way, the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, the Three Marks of Existence.....the ideals of virtuous behaviour, ethical existence, morality, the relationship between desire and suffering? And why does no one seem to care.........

Guy from Iran in the Bangkok Night

Guy from Iran in the Bangkok Night - Chris Coles

The young guy from Iran is wandering around the Bangkok Night for the very first time, looking to do all the things he can't do back in Iran......Silom, Surawong, Boys Town....hundreds of gay bars, rent boys, men from all over the world.....

Cambodia Girl in the Bangkok Night

Cambodia Girl in the Bangkok Night - Chris Coles

From a hut on stilts in the backwoods of northeast Cambodia where her family's cash income is less than 500 dollars a year, she's somehow managed to get to Bangkok where she can make 100 dollars in less than 8 hours, 500 plus a week, more than 20,000 a year.......

American Paedophile in the Bangkok Night

American Paedophile in the Bangkok Night - Chris Coles

Bangkok's just a stopover on his way to Cambodia, but what the hell, why not take a look, maybe hook up with a cute little Thai boy and, as his wife back in the States would say, do some horsing around..........

Glenn Beck in the Bangkok Night

Glenn Beck in the Bangkok Night - Chris Coles

Glenn Beck's a moronic goofball tv/radio guy from America with an annual income of over ten million dollars a year and a history of addictive behavior.  Let loose in the Bangkok Night, where at his disposable income level, everything is basically "free", he's all lit up and ready to go.....endless access to ATM machines....no limit, no end point......a mashed potato kind of a guy immersed in svelte and silk.......

Thailand Influential Person Number Three

Thailand Influential Person #3 - Chris Coles

He's very quiet, moving like a snake without a sound, slithering through the tall grass and thickets of Thailand's rich and powerful as they endlessly maneuver and devour, waiting for his chance to strike.

Thailand Lady

Thailand Lady - Chris Coles

Nothing is ever simple or easy for a female in Thailand, a thin line separates success from failure, for herself and for her family. Her intelligence, judgement, intention, hardwork, skills and focus are essential to not only her own but, more importantly, her family's position in the endlessly complex, darwinistic and often noirish Thailand universe. Thai females are the absolute core of most Thai families and they will do whatever it takes, whatever is required and necessary to ensure their family's well-being and survival.

Russian Adonis at Pattaya Beach

Russian Adonis at Pattaya Beach - Chris Coles

In the year 2012, close to one million Russians are expected to visit Thailand. Mostly during the six month Russian winter, desperate to escape the darkness, cold and endless grey. Not only from the now glittering Moscow and St. Petersburg but also Vladivostok, Volgograd, Novosibersk, Irkutsk, Murmansk and even the Siberian capital, Magadan. Hundreds of direct flights, mostly charter and straight into the U-Tapao Airport adjacent to Thailand's sprawling seaside metropolis of sin and debauchery called Pattaya, each flight disgorging hundreds of Russians, ready for their month in the sun......

Gay Hi-So Guy in Bangkok Night

Gay Hi-So Guy in Bangkok Night - Chris Coles

In Bangkok, there are really no barriers for people who are gay, both men and women. There are gay business tycoons, government officials, military generals and even higher. Gay entertainers, factory workers, bank clerks, whatever. While in some places, to be gay is to be at the forefront of movements for equality and civil rights, in Thailand, a gay person might be rich, powerful and rightwing, care nothing about his "fellow man", and possess an overwhelming feeling of impunity.......

Bangkok Noir Tuk Tuk....

Bangkok Noir Tuk Tuk

What a shock yesterday afternoon to see a Bangkok Tuk Tuk displaying one of my Bangkok Noir paintings, "Crazy English Guy Screaming in the Bangkok Night".....

It's interesting that the random color scheme of the Tuk Tuk and immediate surroundings are so similar to the color palette I often use to convey the Bangkok Night...........especially the neon pink around the chrome letters and on the Climax Club bumper sticker, the lime green, yellow, the pink taxi, the brown, green and black of the girl in the bg....the grey of the pavement would be transformed into black or reflecting neon and lights once the daylight is replaced by darkness......

Bangkok Noir Author Christopher G. Moore....

Bangkok Noir Author Christopher G. Moore - Chris Coles

The Bangkok Noir author trudges tirelessly through the Bangkok Night, searching and hoping to find a few nuggets amongst the sludge...........on a mission.......focused.....relentless.....creating a spark of light in an otherwise dark and lonely universe...........

Thailand "Big Boss"......

Thailand "Big Boss"

He's a Thailand "Big Boss", at the top of his game, everyone bowing and "showing respect" wherever he goes.....but even with such a high position, he has to constantly worry about his Major Wife knowing "too much", his Minor Wife always wanting more, his grown-up children constantly feeling "entitled" and pushing the limits of "impunity".......not to speak of the endless wrangling and jockeying for position and power amongst his subordinates......some days, being a "Big Boss" just wears you down, even in Thailand.........

Lithuania Guy in the Bangkok Night.....

Lithuania Guy in the Bangkok Night

His 1st night in Bangkok, senses overloaded, brain in a state of chaos, the young Lithuania guy is spinning out of control, a galaxy away from the order and quiet customs of Northern Europe.......

Australian Accountant in Bangkok Night

Australian Accountant in Bangkok Night

Back in Australia, he's a big time accountant, signs off on corporate books, maintains a stellar reputation, is a decent family man, a man of integrity, married to the same lady for over 30 years....but in the Bangkok Night things are not so clear........

Thailand "Influential Person" Number Two

"Influential Person" Number Two

In Thailand, there are many "Influential Persons", some very influential others less so.......sometimes and in some situations and in some territories, their influence goes up and down, depending on what other persons might be interested or involved or necessary to whatever is taking place.....while technically not "aristocrats", they do have "fiefdoms", much like the Dukes and Lords of other places and other times.........

Old Farang in the Bangkok Night

Old Farang in the Bangkok Night

Pumped up on a pocket full of non-prescription Viagra and unlimited access to the 100's of ATM's conveniently placed throughout Bangkok's nightlife districts, the Old Farang wanders about pretending to still be a Player.......going to Buddha might be a better choice for someone in their mid-80's.....but each of us is destined to die no matter what.........however well-intentioned, thoughtful, intelligent or stupid and blind we might be........

Retired Influential Person

Retired Influential Person

In Thailand a Retired Influential Person is not really retired......more in the background, half-hidden by shadows....having quiet conversations full of whispers and things not spoken.....known by no one and deferred to by everyone.....

Noir NGO Guy in the Bangkok Night....

Noir NGO Guy in the Bangkok Night

He was sent to Bangkok by one of the world's most famous NGO's....to help people.....to do good.......end of story......

International Noir Writer/Journalist in Bangkok Night

International Noir Writer/Journalist in Bangkok Night

He barges in on world leaders in Asia, SE Asia and South Asia...dumps his stuff on their desk...asks them rude questions......follows up until he gets an answer......writes about the world as he sees it, raw, rough, darwinistic, crude.....giving little heed to what is "politically correct"....

Girl from the Bangkok Night...

Girl from the Bangkok Night

Western guys with six figure USD incomes chase her back and forth across the Bangkok Night.....guys working for major entities......guys with MBA's, pedigrees....in good shape physically, well-dressed, mentally alert.....and yet she somehow manages to not only hold her own in this intense hi-stakes male-female game, but to end up on the receiving end of an endless stream of monthly "sponsor" income and to be the person "in charge".............