On a recent visit to Tawan in Bangkok, I was struck by the longevity of the katoey "entertainer" who usually (always?) kicks off the shows.

The performance appears to be totally incongruous with both the pace and the content of the rest of Tawan's entertainment package - and it is hard to believe that a canny entrepreneur like Tawan's owner must be can consider that it contributes to drawing in an audience (apart, possibly, out of sympathy).

So I wondered whether there is a story here. Is the lugubrious katoey the owner himself? One of his relatives? His partner? One of his ex-boyfriends from years ago who has since fallen on hard times and has been given the job for old time's sake?

Or maybe she's not a katoey at all, but the owner's mother???!!!