A Thai Girls Night Out in the Karaoke Booth - Photos !

Just thought I would get used to the Google Photo album and put up some photos  in the beautifulthailand99 album and see how they integrate into Blogger. These are some photos taken by my wife at the recent Thai karaoke session mentioned in my previous blog entry. Her and a number of her friend's were celebrating a pre (gay) wedding party by going for the traditional karaoke session to which I made my excuses.

Whilst writing this I thought I would have a quick look at the Wikipedia Karaoke entry to see what is the history behind this ahem wonderful 'art form'. It would seem rather like Kamikaze bombers and hara kiri we have the Japanese and their fetish  for technology for thank for this as it started back in the 1960's 

You will find various accounts about who first invented the title 'karaoke'. One of the most predominant claims would be that the karaoke styled machine was introduced by Japanese music performer Daisuke Inoue in Kobe, Japan, way back in 1971.

After becoming more popular in Japan, the karaoke craze spread to all parts of  East and Southeast Asia throughout the eighties and subsequently to other parts around the globe. Even though the audio company Clarion is deemed to be the very first commercial producer of the infernal machine and they invented the device, there's no information about them on any of the patents.

It should be noted finally that in face saving Asia 'Karaoke' has a slightly more risqué reputation and one can see so called karaoke bars in the red light districts of many Asian cities often with seductively clad attractive young ladies sitting outside to lure what are most often Asian punters to share a booth and a lady for a few hours. and often at enormous expense. It is not that these ladies are prostitutes per se but in some cases rather like the bar beers in Thailand if they like the customer then they may arrange some after hours liaison.

Also some of the videos (they were often originally VCDs which was video version of the CD featured scantily clad young ladies often in naturally beautiful locations. Here is a good example of the genre !

The Ultimate HORROR that is Thai Karaoke - NOT FOR THE SQUEAMISH !

What is the worst thing about Thailand, is it the constant 'saving face' lies that occur , the frequent scams on the naive or unwary newcomers , the insane traffic in Bangkok or the near and often suicidal driving by just about everyone on  the world's 2nd most dangerous roads ?

Maybe but I thinks one things just about pips all of these to the winning post - all of these are obviously bad and compelling reasons to get annoyed but there is one thing that I feel trumps all of these by a long way - and that is the Thai people's obsession - and we are probably 30 years into the craze that is 'Karaoke' or คาราโอเกะ in Thai.

So bad has this phenomenon become in Asia it has even led to the so called My Way killings where violent disputes broke out over renditions of Frank Sinatra' classic My Way that reportedly led to at least 6 deaths in the Phiilipines. 

And we are not talking about the euphemistic  'karaoke' here where Asian businessmen or others sit in some padded booth and pay way over the odds to sing songs with some young Thai bimbette with snacks and drinks with the intention of maybe going somewhere else after - we are talking the group karaoke sessions that seem to be an essential part of many young and not so young Thais idea of a good night out

The one where they collectively hire some dining soundproofed booth (thank god for the neighbours) - and order plate after plate of Thai food and snacks  (often not the tastiest grub in town because after all it as karaoke place) and wash it all down with beer, whiskey soda or some other relatively inexpensive Thai alcoholic drink (SPY anyone or the equally grim Thai wine coolers ) which ensures as the night goes on the singing gets ever louder and more raucous but overall totally tuneless and painful.

Suffice to say 99% of all Thais CANNOT SING - it needs to be said CANNOT SING AT ALL - but that doesn't stop them as they caterwaul-er into the mike and chalk this up to a GOOD NIGHT OUT.

The following videos come with a health warning - that cannot be watched or listened to by anybody with any sensibilities of any kind without severe ear ache and mental anguish and were thankfully taken by my wife who remained sober and fulfilled her social duty to go with her friends to a pre-wedding party in @Siam in Frith Street , Soho , London.

If you could bear to watch them all I've created a playlist over at beautifulthailand99. 

 

Be warned they are not for the squeamish or faint hearted and good luck .

 NOT SO AMAZING THAILAND - I'm afraid ... 

 P.S. My wife persuaded me to finesse and upload the photos for the night - is there no end to my pain !