Meet Win

WIN-

Win says that the Thai speak with a melody, but he takes it to a whole new level. The tone and cadence of his English borders on campy or gay, but somehow he manages to remain entirely masculine while doing it, and it makes the girls go crazy for him. The rhythm and tone spike and fall dramatically even within a single word. "I luuuuv you. You are my number ooune" If he were not Asian, he could never get away with it, but he pulls it off nice.

Win In Thailand, the ideal person looks East Asian, (Korean, Japanese, or Chinese). Light skin and East Asian features. Tall, with a 6 pack and anime hair. Win is 20, and he fits the profile perfectly. So much so, that Thai people don't think he is Thai, and regularly talk about him, assuming he cannot understand. As we walk through the mall, people comment, "What is that Japanese doing with Farong (white foreigners)? Do you think he is gay? Look, he is Japanese. usually shakes it off, but occasionally embarrasses them by speaking in perfect northern Thai.

Win takes me to his gym to work out. He knows everyone there and it is obviously as much a social event as a workout. He does not even bother to change his clothes, opting to stay in his fashionable skinny jeans and puma high tops. The gym assigned me a personal trainer and I was working on my back as instructed. Win came up and said, "If I were you, I would not work on your back, girls cannot see your back, work on your arms, they can see that more" Win readily admits he is materialistic, and looking good is a high priority. He also has no qualms telling people where they might fall short. "Kyla, you are very beautiful and you have a good shape, but I can see your rolls and you could lose some weight" He actually asked the waiter at our restaurant to turn down the lights because the girls look better in the dark. "You both look so beautiful, in the dark." "Kyla, if the new girl is jorgeous (I am still working on the hard G sound with him), then you will be my number 2, but for now you are my number one" When a girl asked him how old he thought she was, he checked her out thoroughly and concluded that with the wrinkles, she must be 29. She was 23 and quite offended. Win could not understand why she might be mad. He likes older girls. His last girlfriend was 29.

Win has essentially raised himself since age 10 when his mother died. His father is a military supplier and spends most of his time away entertaining clients. He woos them with an unrivaled hospitality. "My father taught me that you cannot win someone's heart with money, you have to use your mind and your sense of hospitality. He takes care of his clients and makes sure they have the best time and that every need is taken care of." The message has resonated with Win and he shows me the same kind of hospitality. Every meal is an experience. We go to only the best restaurants, followed by only the best deserts. We ride around in his BMW M5 or his Nissan Maxima tasting the best of Chiang Mai and practicing English.

2 years ago Win entered a Thailand-wide talent search contest to form a new boy-band. He won the whole contest, but his father would not let him be in the band. Win had to stay in college and he had to study law. The boy band dream will stay a dream. Still, Win shows no remorse for not being able to claim his fame and prize.

Other than not being in boy-bands, Win's father only has 3 rules that Win cannot break.

1) Never ride a scooter or motorcycle

2) Never become, date, or have anything to do with the lady-boys (Thailand's famous transgender people)

3) Always stay on top of your studies.

He broke the first rule when he was unfit to drive home, so I scooted him across town

He broke the second rule when he and I had to edit a manual educating Transgender people about their legal rights and how they can access health care.

I am trying to make sure he does not break the 3rd rule, but I think he might be just by hanging out so much.