where are all the young motor bike taxi drivers gone?

[Jellybean]

Not so long ago I took a 5 minute motorbike taxi to Suan Phlu Road in the Sathorn area of Bangkok, using a driver who was instantly forgettable. I had been planning to write a further post to add on to my Transferring stamps to new passport topic and went to Suan Phlu to take photos of the Immigration office. But I had second thoughts about posting and never did get around to adding a further report with photos to my topic.

But once I had taken the photos, I intended going directly to Silom Complex on Silom Road taking another motorbike taxi. This time however, I thought I would hold out for an attractive driver. I walked past two groups of aged and dirty looking motorcycle taxi drivers and then, unexpectedly, right before my eyes, was an absolutely stunning driver, sitting on his bike, all on his own. I kid you not; he was so attractive he could have been a model. His skin was perfect, a lovely soft olive colour and what appeared a god like body to die for. My instant thought was, he could make considerably more money using his good looks than he doubtless does driving a motorbike. Maybe he does as a sideline, regrettably, I never got to find out.

I asked if he could take me to BTS Sala Daeng (in front of Silom Complex shopping mall). He said the fare was 30 Baht. I got on the back and, I don't hold on to the waist of the drivers, so I held on to his shoulders. How do other members get away with/ justify holding the driver's waist? I really want to know, as I would love to have held on to his waist as it is clearly more intimate than holding on to a driver’s shoulders. But from my casual observation, Thai passengers don’t even touch the driver and sit without making any physical contact with the driver, so holding the driver’s waist seems quite intrusive to me.

And even if I had held his waist, it was a busy Bangkok, in mid-afternoon, so indecently touching him would have been totally out of the question. Presumably, such activity only happens after dark and in quiet areas, or only in Pattaya where anything goes? Or am I mistaken?

It was a very short journey to Silom Complex. I got off, removed the helmet and I handed him 60 Baht, double the fare. He was surprised and looked at me as if I was mad. I wanted to say something and I stood looking at him for longer than was probably acceptable. But all I ended up saying, after an unseemly interval, was a miserably lame, kòp-khun kráp (thank you). And that was that. A missed opportunity or more likely, there was no opportunity to miss.

So lonelywombat, handsome, young drivers are still around, but these days they are few and far between.