When pretty girls turn ugly

And that’s what Thailand’s unofficial morality cop Rabiabrat Pongpanich has gone and done. The former senator basically suggested this week that the satiny salesgirls are all boobs and no brains. 

Not true at all, say several professionally pretty women, whipping masters’ degrees out of their incredibly short skirts. A lot of them are university honour grads, they’re telling the press. Veteran Nattaha “Stop” sirirampaiwong has a master’s in communication arts. Angsuman “Prae” Tanprasert is a general’s daughter and pursuing a master’s in psychology. 

“This is honest work in the communications field!” says Stop, pointing out that they’re often emcees too, so they have to talk wittily. suggesting there’s something “dirty” about their work implies that they’re prostitutes, says Stop, so stop it. 

“Perhaps she doesn’t know how hard it is to get this job,” adds Prae. “We have to be very knowledgeable. I think Auntie is unfair to make blanket accusations.” 

Amara “Mar” Ham, another college graduate, warns phuyai (big shots) to be careful that what they say doesn’t amount to defamation. “Why is it celebrities can wear so little when they work,” Mar asks, “but then you bombard us?” 

Another good reason for flashing leg on the job: Even at minor promotional events, pretties earn at least Bt1,000 a day for being pretty and Bt1,500 if they can also talk. Having a second language can boost their income to Bt4,000. 

Of course, the higher the hemline, the higher the pay, too. But that, say the pretties, is all about customer demand, so Rabiabrat needs to be barking up a different tree. 

 

Salary dispute

That rumour about Araya “Chompoo” A Hargate earning Bt300,000 for every performance of Mango TV’s “Reya: The Musical” is patently false, says the show’s director, Kriangsak Silakong. 

“It’s a lot less,” he insists, pointing to the state of the economy. Besides, the Nation Group owns Mango TV. Nuff said.