Tactics, Performativity and Gay Identities in Streets, Go-Go Bars and Magazines in Contemporary Bangkok, Thailand
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Spaces of Male Prostitution: Tactics, Performativity and Gay Identities in Streets, Go-Go Bars and Magazines in Contemporary Bangkok, Thailand This thesis is submitted to the University of London in partial fulfillment for the degree of PhD in Architecture By Sant Suwatcharapinun The Bartlett School of Architecture University College London University of London © 2005 Sant Suwatcharapinun All Rights Reserved Spaces of Male Prostitution Abstract This research explores the spatial practices of male prostitutes meeting gay male clients in various urban environments in Bangkok, Thailand. The research focuses on the male prostitutes’ spatial practices in three meeting places: the streets around Saranrom park, the gay go-go bars in Surawong’s Boys’ Town, and the representations of space in local gay newsletters. Examining the male prostitutes’ spatial practices through ‘tactics’, this research suggests that male prostitutes use the meeting places differently as ways of responding to the ‘strategies’ of gay male clients. This research also suggests that the tactics of male prostitutes can be examined by exploring the relationship between spatial practices and subjectivities. By exploring how specific performative acts constitute male prostitutes’ subjectivities, this research suggests that male prostitutes ‘perform’ homosexuality. This thesis draws upon Judith Butler’s performativity theory as a discursive mode of constituting subjects and Michel de Certeau’s theoretical discussion, specifically spatial practices of ‘strategies’ and ‘tactics’, as a means of differentiating between ‘place’ and ‘space’. Methodologically, this research works in two directions: the first explores how the spatial practices of male prostitution produce ‘gay’ subjectivities in the moment of sexual encounter – arguing that male prostitutes actively reposition themselves as ‘subjects’ rather than ‘objects’ through spatial and sexual practices; and the second examines the social and sexual constitution of space – arguing that ‘places’ are produced as ‘spaces’ through the practices and tactics of male prostitutes. ii Spaces of Male Prostitution This research aims to make an original contribution to knowledge in four main ways. The first is an exploration of the relationship between de Certeau’s spatial theory of ‘tactics’ and Butler’s concept of ‘performativity’ as a constitution of subjectivity. The second is the use of de Certeau and Butler’s theories to explore three spaces of male prostitution in contemporary Bangkok, Thailand, through observations drawn from interviews, accounts of spatial experience, and discussions of various representations of space. The third is a reconsideration of these theories of performativity and spatial practices in the light of the specific conditions of the case studies in Bangkok. The fourth is the production of new forms of cross-disciplinary knowledge to bring this discussion of tactics, performativity and gay subjectivities in streets, go-go bars and magazines into architectural history and theory, thereby producing new ways of understanding how spaces are produced through encounters and looks. iii Spaces of Male Prostitution Table of Contents Abstract ii List of Figures v Acknowledgements x Introduction 1 Chapter 1 Male Prostitution: Subjectivities, Sexualities and Spaces 35 Chapter 2 Male Homosexuality in Thailand: Phet, Kathoey and Gayness 99 Chapter 3 Places and Spaces in Streets: Strategies of Drivers and Tactics of Male Streetwalkers 165 Chapter 4 Places and Spaces in Gay Go-Go Bars: Strategies of Bar Owners and Tactics of Male Sex Workers 226 Chapter 5 Representations of Space and Representational Spaces in Gay Newsletters: Strategies of Editors and Tactics of Models 287 Conclusion 342 Bibliography 357 iv Spaces of Male Prostitution List of Figures Chapter 1 Male Prostitution Fig. 1.1 No figure in chapter one. Chapter 2 Male Homosexuality in Thailand Fig. 2.1 Images of kathoeys depicted by the Thai film, Phae Sud Thaii (‘The Last Song’), performed by Thai movie stars Somying Daorai and Chalit Fiuangarom, 1985. 142 Chapter 3 Places and Spaces in Streets Fig. 3.1 Male streetwalkers around Saranrom park, filmed by Butrat Butprom in the documentary, Phu-Chai-Pai-Leung, 2001, used with permission. 166 Fig. 3.2 Map of Sanam Luang and Saranrom park. Drawn by The Royal Survey Department, Bangkok, Thailand, 1988 175 Fig. 3.3 Sanam Luang, view from the centre of the park. Image from author’s own archive, taken in September 2002. 185 Fig. 3.4 Sanam Luang, view from the south at the edge of the park looking towards the centre. Image from author’s own archive, taken in September 2002. 185 Fig. 3.5 Sanam Luang, view from the southern end of the park looking towards the street. Image from author’s own archive, taken in September 2002. 185 Fig. 3.6 Map of Old Town Bangkok, showing selected routes taken by interviewees, a group of gay men who regularly go to Saranrom for driving-as-cruising. Drawn by The Royal Survey Department, Bangkok, Thailand, 1988. 195 Fig. 3.7 Thanon Sanam Chai. Image from author’s own archive, taken in September 2002. 196 Fig. 3.8 At the corner between Thanon Sanam Chai and Thanon Charoenkrung. Image from author’s own archive, September 2002. 196 Fig. 3.9 Thanon Charoenkrung. Image from author’s own archive, taken in September 2002. 196 v Spaces of Male Prostitution Fig. 3.10 Bus stop in front of Saranrom park, Thanon Charoenkrung. Image from author’s own archive, taken in September 2002. 196 Fig. 3.11 Thanon Rachini and Khlong Lod. Image from author’s own archive, taken in September 2002. 196 Fig. 3.12 Thanon Kalayana Maitri. Image from author’s own archive, taken in September 2002. 196 Fig. 3.13 Bus terminus in Thanon Rachini. Image from author’s own archive, taken in September 2002. 218 Fig. 3.14 Thanon Rachini and Khlong Lod. Image from author’s own archive, taken in September 2002. 218 Fig. 3.15 Photograph of a male streetwalker at the street corner between Thanon Charoenkrung and Thanon Rachini. Photographed by Supachai Katekarungkun, Open Books, 2002, used with permission. 218 Fig. 3.16 Photograph of male streetwalkers in Thanon Charoenkrung, filmed by Butrat Butprom in the documentary, Phu-Chai-Pai-Leung, 2001, used with permission. 220 Fig. 3.17 Photograph of male streetwalkers in Thanon Rachini. Photographed by Supachai Katekarungkun, Open Books, 2002, used with permission. 220 Fig. 3.18 Bus-stop in front of Saranrom park. Image from author’s own archive, taken in September 2002. 220 Fig. 3.19 Bus stop in front of Saranrom park. Image from author’s own archive, taken in September 2002. 220 Fig. 3.20 Photograph of male streetwalkers in Thanon Kalayana Maitri, filmed by Butrat Butprom in the documentary, Phu-Chai-Pai-Leung, 2001, used with permission. 224 Fig. 3.21 Photograph of male streetwalkers in Thanon Kalayana Maitri, filmed by Butrat Butprom in the documentary, Phu-Chai-Pai-Leung, 2001, used with permission. 224 Fig. 3.22 The space beneath the trees in Thanon Kalayana Maitri. Image from author’s own archive, taken in September 2002. 224 Fig. 3.23 Thanon Kalayana Maitri. Image from author’s own archive, taken in September 2002. 224 vi Spaces of Male Prostitution Chapter 4 Places and Spaces in Gay Go-Go Bars Fig. 4.1 Map of the central business district of Bangkok depicting the location of Thanon Patpong, Thanon Silom and Thanon Surawong (n.d.). 235 Fig. 4.2 Photographs of street scenes taken from the two lanes and side alleys of Patpong. Images from author’s own archive, taken in March 2004. 241 Fig. 4.3 Map depicting the boundary between gay lifestyle-oriented businesses in Silom (blue) and gay sex-oriented businesses in Surawong (red) (n.d.). 242 Fig. 4.4 Photograph of the interior decoration of the Tulip Bar, 1969 (source unknown). 246 Fig. 4.5 Photographs showing the street and activities in the night market in Thanon Silom. Counterfeit brands of well-known merchandise such as clothes, shoes, jeans and watches, including pirated music and movies can be found here every night after 10:00 p.m. At particular spots along the street there are also hill-tribe people, some genuine, some not, selling their exotic merchandise to foreigners. Images from author’s own archive, taken in 2002 and 2004. 251 Fig. 4.6 Photographs showing the street scenes in Silom soi 2 and 4, where major gay lifestyle-oriented businesses, such as gay-friendly pubs, bars, clubs, restaurants, cafés and clothing shops are situated. Images from author’s own archive, taken in 2002 and 2004. 256 Fig. 4.7 Photographs showing the difference between day and night on the street in soi Phatuchai, known as Surawong’s Boys’ Town. Images from author’s own archive, taken in December 2002 and March 2004. 260 Fig. 4.8 Locations of five selected gay go-go bars in Surawong’s Boys’ Town, observed in November 2002 and March 2004. Map drawn by The Royal Survey Department, Bangkok, Thailand (1988) 263 Fig. 4.9 Signs and symbols publicly advertised the heterosexual go-go bars in the Patpong area. Images from author’s own archive, taken in November 2002 and March 2004. 266 Fig. 4.10 Signs and symbols publicly advertised the gay go-go bars in Surawong’s Boys’ Town. Images from author’s own archive, taken in November 2002 and March 2004. 266 vii Spaces of Male Prostitution Fig. 4.11 Three diagrams showing how the stage in gay go-go bars is organised in relation to the customers’ seating area: a – single free-floating floor (found in New Twilight Bar), b – double free-floating floor (found in Dream Boy) and c – an attached floor (found in Jupiter2002, Classic2nd Boys Club and New Tawan Bar). 270 Fig. 4.12 Diagram depicting the spatial arrangements between the customer area (in blue) and the male sex workers area (in brown), and illustrating the relationship between the customers’ seating area and the dance stage in Jupiter2002, observed on March 2004.