Beautiful Boxer. A Thai film about a champion male kick boxer who becomes a woman (a true story!)

butterfly. Someone who is promiscuous or a flirt (they fly from flower to flower)

Big C. A chain of large discount stores in Thailand

Chatuchak. Bangkok's famed "Weekend Market"

dee. A feminine lesbian

faad Siam. Siamese twins

farang. A caucasian foreigner

gay. the submissive participant in male same-sex intimacy ("bottom")

helicopter. A gigantic butterfly (see above)

khun. A title that shows respect.

klong. Canal

MBK. A shopping mall in Bangkok that is popular with people under thirty

make merit. To feel OK about all the terrible things you did last week by giving a monk an orange plastic bucket, a can of tuna and some soap

man. the dominant participant in male same-sex intimacy ("top")

mobile. cellular telephone

pa. auntie

Sanook. Fun or to have fun.

smoke. (v.) to perform an oral-genital service

soi. side street

Songkran. a long holiday period in Thailand when it is not safe to go outdoors unless you put your mobile inside a condom

study English. use the money you send me every month so I can afford to hang around bars every night to find gentlemen who pay better than you do

super. supermarket

take you off. rent you for the evening

Thai Rath. a tabloid newspaper published in Bangkok that often publishes bloody murder scenes on its front page

tom. a masculine lesbian

upcountry. practically anywhere rural, regardless of what direction it is in