The Intimate Economies of Bangkok: Tomboys, Tycoons, and Avon Ladies in the Global City PDF
Preview The Intimate Economies of Bangkok: Tomboys, Tycoons, and Avon Ladies in the Global City
The Intimate Economies of Bangkok The Intimate Economies of Bangkok Tomboys, Tycoons, and Avon Ladies in the Global City Ara Wilson UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS Berkeley Los Angeles London Portions of chapter 5 appeared as a slightly diªerent version in “The Empire of Direct Sales and the Making of Thai Entrepreneurs.” Critique of Anthropology19(4) 1999: 401–22. University of California Press Berkeley and Los Angeles, California University of California Press, Ltd. London, England © 2004 by The Regents of the University of California Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Wilson, Ara. The intimate economies of Bangkok : tomboys, tycoons, and Avon ladies in the global city / Ara Wilson. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. isbn0–520–23783–8 (alk. paper).— isbn0–520–23968–7 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Sex role—Thailand—Bangkok 2. Capitalism— Social aspects—Thailand—Bangkok. 3. Global- ization. 4. Women—Thailand—Social conditions. 5. Women—Thailand—Economic conditions. I. Title. hq1075.5.t5 w54 2004 381'.1'09593—dc21 2003012772 Manufactured in Canada 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 The paper used in this publication is both acid-free and totally chlorine-free (TCF). It meets the minimum requirements of ansi/niso z39.48–1992 (r1997) (Permanence of Paper).8 To Gaye,Nit,and Tang and especially to Chompoo CONTENTS List of Illustrations ix Acknowledgments xi Notes on Transliteration and Dates xv Introduction: Intimate Economies 1 1. From Shophouse to Department Store 29 2. The Economies of Intimacy in the Go-Go Bar 68 3. MBK: The Retail Revolution and the Infrastructure of Romance 102 4. The Flexible Citizens of IBC Cable TV 133 5. The Avon Lady, the Amway Plan, and the Making of Thai Entrepreneurs 163 Conclusion: The Intimacy of Capitalism 189 Notes 197 Bibliography 235 Index 263 ILLUSTRATIONS FIGURES 1. Floating market VD pamphlet 3 2. Sampeng shophouse 6 3. Bangkok shophouses 36 4. Central Department Store logo 49 5. Go-go bar help wanted sign 81 6. Busts of MBK founders 106 7. Tom in the mall 118 MAPS 1. Map of Bangkok 10 2. Map of MBK area 109 ix
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