volume one
A Glimpse Behind The Smile
With World Bartender Day approaching, it’s the perfect time to shine a light on the people who keep the drinks flowing, the conversations lively, and the nightlife thriving. In my novel Behind the Smile, I explore the vibrant yet complex world of Thailand’s bar scene in Pattaya. It’s a place where reality often differs from the paradise that tourists usually imagine.
Behind the Smile follows the journey of Lek, a young Thai woman who moves from her rural village to Pattaya’s nightlife district in search of a better job. Like many who work in the hospitality industry, she must learn how to handle the the various demands of customers. She has to juggle their different cultural expectations, and her own personal aspirations. The novel delves into the unseen struggles of those who work in bars and clubs. It shows the sacrifices and resilience behind the welcoming smiles.
An Exclusive Excerpt from Daddy’s Hobby
(Behind The Smile: volume One): Lek is standing in as the bar manager…
Lek looked the party of four over; noticed their body language and weighed them up. The two young women had been seeing their boyfriends for about a week already. They had seen them every day and night, which was a very good sign. The men were staying in the Marriott and so were not short of money. They were about forty-five years of age, and so were probably not ‘butterflies’ like most younger men, and could even be divorced. Furthermore, they dressed smartly. They both came from the same town in South Wales and had flown over together. It was their first time in Thailand and they were into the third week of a four-week stay.
Textbook stuff, she thought, the girls had every chance of success – the boys were as good as married.
She flicked through the TV channels to see if she could find some football. Perhaps then they would stay a little longer – after all, all Brits liked football, didn’t they?
Two of the other girls, Porn and Or, seemed to be doing well too. They were out the back, playing pool with two nice-enough-looking Englishmen. They had a good chance. The rest of the girls were out the front, cajoling passers-by to come into the bar. Mott was attempting to pole dance. She was not very good at it, but to be fair, the pole was not long enough either. Still, she was having a go and it was funny, if not sexy.
Thai Bars
Thailand’s bars are more than just places to drink. They are social hubs where people from all walks of life cross paths. This industry is built on charm, service, and sometimes, survival. Behind the Smile lifts the curtain on this world, giving readers an authentic look at the people behind the bar.
You can read more here:
Waterstones stocks the first three novels in the series Behind The Smile
https://www.waterstones.com/book/daddys-hobby/owen-jones/9781068353833
Stay tuned, as I explore World Bartender Day in Thai bar culture and how it compares to the West!