You see them every day. Those people lounging around cafés at two in the afternoon on a Wednesday, sipping a grande non-fat latte, while reading BK and chatting with their privileged friends who don’t seem to have a job either. What’s their story? Don’t they have anything better to do? BK investigates.

NAAM, 31, STARBUCKS, 3:45PM

I don’t do anything really. I have my own business. I’m a travel consultant for Europeans coming to Thailand or Asia. It’s day by day. If a group comes in, I work. But if a group doesn’t come, I’m free.

SHINHO LEE, 30, STARBUCKS, 2:45PM

I’m a screenwriter–I mostly do Korean films, but right now I’m working on both Japanese and Thai films. Iwork at night, and when I’m really writing, I usually end up working until 5 or 6am. So I work nine-tofive,but the opposite nine-to-five that most people work.

PORNPAIRIN CHAIWIWAT, 22, AND WEN-CHI HUANG, 25, KINOKUNIYA CAFÉ, 3:14PM

We are business owners. We started a sticker business about eight months ago in Siam Square. Usuallywe work from about 10am to 8pm, but we have two employees now so we can finally get a break. We’re just having a leisurely business meeting and relaxing a bit before heading back to work.

MUI JUTAMATTAYANG, SHISEIDO SALON AND SPA, 3:02PM

I have my own trading company. Usually I work 8:30am to 5:30pm Monday through Friday, but today I took the afternoon off to bring my niece to the salon.

AKIFUMI KASAHARA, 38, KINOKUNIYA BOOKSTORE, 3:25PM

I’m a freelance graphic designer, so my schedule depends on the projects. Now I’m free, so I’m justchecking out some different design books for inspiration.

AUA, 22, EGV PARAGON CINEPLEX, 3:40PM

I work at night, in a pub near Asok. My days are free, so I like to shop and hang out with friends during the day. I usually don’t go to the movies.

BURA SINDHUPAKORN, 32, TRUE COFFEE, 10:55AM

I live in Nakhon Ratchasima where I’m a doctor. I’m just visiting Bangkok for a few days to sell my condominium here. Other than business, I’m also here to visit my parents; they live in Bangkok. I grew up here in Bangkok, too. Normally I work from 8am until 8pm, very long days–so it’s nice to relax in a café and catch up on some emails.

TERESA WETWIJITTRAKAN, 53, AND TANAWAN, OBOUNJID, 57, KINNA PASTRY HOUSE, 3:02PM

Teresa: I’m an accountant, and usually only work four days a week, so I can choose my day off. Usually, I go grocery shopping and lunch with friends.

Tanawan: I own a business, and I’m a freelance fortune teller. I work out of my home, by appointment, so my hours are very flexible—allowing me to spend time with my friends during the day.

TOMOKO, 34, STARBUCKS, 3:25PM

I’m a housewife. During the day I go shopping, have coffee, or eat lunch with friends. People think I just sit at home all day, but really, I manage to fill my schedule!

MICHI BABA, 40-ISH, FOLIES BANGKOK, 3:15PM

I do have a job. I own O2 Facial Salon. My spa is open from 9am to 7pm, and my staff pretty much takes care of all the customers and things. Of course, I’m there as well, but when I have to leave to take my son to school… This is Thailand, you know, and hours are flexible. I can’t always leave in the middle of the day–some customers aren’t really flexible with time, so I have to leave my son with my driver.

ANGELA, PLAYGROUND!, 3:40PM

I’m visiting from Taiwan, where I run a beauty salon. I’m here in Bangkok on holiday, just visiting spas, shopping, eating. I had a facial and massage earlier today, and now I’m just shopping before going tothe Seafood Market for dinner.

UTT AND JIBBY, 23, VANILLA, 4PM

Utt: We’re both in the entertainment industry, not the standard nine-to-five. For me, I’m always working, so it’s rare that I get a break and hang out with friends. I’m an actor, host, model—I do everything. I strip,too—just kidding. I’m based in Singapore, and work for MTV, I’m one of their VJs down there.

Jibby: Yeah, he just finished work and I just got in from Japan last night so we’re just winding down, taking it easy today.

SONGCHAI VIRAPART, 40, AU BON PAIN, 4:20PM

I’m an airline steward. I fly four times a month, so I have a lot of free time. When I’m not working, I spend my days at the gym, shopping, hanging out with friends.

TAWATCHAI HLEKHUNG NERN, 40, AU BON PAIN, 4:20PMI’m a hair designer—I work at a salon four days a week, just six hours a day. I’m actually working today, just taking a coffee break.

SUKUNYA SAETING, 23, TCDC, 2:33PM

I own a clothing shop and design my own clothes. Sometimes I have employees working at the shop, but I have lots of regular customers so I have to be there, too. It’s a street shop, so my workday starts after 4pm. I’m thinking about expanding, but the economy isn’t so good right now. My boyfriend was afraid I was going to get bored so he gave me money to do something. I like trading and being in the market. When I’m free, during the day, I’m usually at home, but right now I’m taking a course on IT, printing andpublishing.

BOONSONG TRIPAKONG, 33, AND NIKKY TRIPAKONG, 32, TRUE COFFEE, 3:20PM

Boonsong: I’m a trader in the Chinese market, but I’m on vacation.

Nikky: I don’t have a job, but I study Chinese. When I’m not working, I go to the gym, go shopping, watch DVD or play on my Wii.

TAWUNRAT TECHARATLANAPRASART, 30, THE EMPORIUM COSMETICS DEPARTMENT, 2:55PM

I’ve owned my own nail salon for six months. I got started with a Master’s degree at Assumption University. Right now, I have employees there working, and today I’m going out to negotiate with a supplier and have lunch. I work at the salon almost every day, and I’m trying to open a second location.

NUTCHALADDA SARASIRI, 21, AU BON PAIN, 3:34PM

I’m studying in my fourth year at Assumption University. I normally have classes from 9am till 3pm. I’mmajoring in hospitality. Hopefully I’ll work in the food and beverage department of a hotel so I won’t have a nine to five job. On my days off I just hang out with my friends.

ANUJIT JITSAMPHANPHONG, 26, CD WAREHOUSE, 4:09PM

I work as assistant sales for Versace. Right now, I’m on my break, and I have another 20 minutes. If there are no customers I just stand around in the shop. Clients can be hard to deal with —they’re demanding, and some of them are freaks. You have to control your temper when dealing with them. I just started nine months ago, and I’ll probably work here for at least two more years. I work six days a week, from 9:30am to 8pm.

KRISDA RAMNARONG, 30, AU BON PAIN, 10:30AM

I work at HP, and I have a mobile office so I can work anywhere. I’ve only worked for HP for seven months, but I’ve been working in this industry for eight or nine years. When there is no rush, I can come here. It’s a change of pace. I could never imagine working at a job where I would have to stay at my desk all day. I can take breaks anytime, whenever I want.

SUCHADA ANGKUNWATTANA, 29, TRUE COFFEE, 10:45AM

I have an Internet café, a coffee booth and I’m also studying for my MBA at the moment. Today I’m here to see and check up on my coffee booth, and my thesis is due tomorrow; that’s why I’m here working.I make my own schedule, so I might work here every day or alternative days. I have management and employees running the stores when I’m not there.

MARJOLAINE GALLET, 26, TCDC, 2:40PM

I work for a non-profit organization. I’m working right now actually; I can work anywhere. The organizationis based in Southeast Asia and finances young people to get their businesses off the ground. My co-workers and I meet up in different cafés around the city to discuss what we’re working on.

ITTIPOL CHUSATAPORNKUL, 25, CD WAREHOUSE, 4:14PM

I just graduated and I’m looking for a job right now. I want a position in marketing, since that was my major. I spend about three or four hours a day looking for jobs on the Internet. I’m trying to find a job in Bangkok. During the rest of the day I play on the Internet, and sometimes I watch TV and things like that, hang out at the mall. I go out and party with my friends, too, since I don’t have to wake up early!

WARAPRON MANGKALA, 30, STARBUCKS, 10:20AM

I work as a merchant. I buy accessories, like earrings and necklaces from Sampaeng, and sell them to other vendors. I’m the middleman. My hours depend on when the orders come in, so it’s not a fixed schedule everyday. Usually I’ll shop for four or five hours in a week. It’s very tiring though, Sampheng is a very hot, crowded place. When I’m not working, I go work out. I used to be an office worker, but I couldnever go back to working in an office again!

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Say What?

Actual excuses people have used to play hooky from work

“One of my employees was ill, and instead of calling in herself, her father called in for her. She’s an adult—and this isn’t preschool. So I laughed at her behind her back.”—Tan, factory manager

“I manage around 50 people of various levels, so I’ve had my fair share of audacious excuses. My favorite was when I received a call from an employee who claimed he had been arrested for beating his wife and had to spend the night in jail. So he’s truly a wife beater, or had a horrendous hangover—either way, he had a lot of nerve.”—Mary, brokerage firm

"One of my employees called in after she was already an hour and a half late. Apparently, on her way to work, she somehow managed to fall in a klong, and decided to return home to shower off. Our office already smells bad enough, the last thing we need is the secretary smelling like swamp.”—Tong, bank employee

“I had an employee’s wife call in to report that her husband would be absent due to a drug overdose. She could have just said he was sick!”—Nop, media executive

One of my co-workers took the day off after showing up to work with a huge boil on his cheek. Nothing worse than a short and overweight man with a red and yellow pus boil on the verge of eruption.”—Nikky, call center employee

"I’m a teacher, and when other teachers call in sick at the last minute, we’re all forced to scramble in order to accommodate the missing teacher’s classes. This joke of a 20-year old English teacher was out due to a sunburn he got while on his beach holiday. Um, you’re white, this is Thailand, use your brain.”—Amy, English teacher

"This obnoxious guy at my old job was always blabbing about his sick dog, always leaving early for dog emergencies. Meanwhile his wife was at home without a job. What a joke!”—Troy, retail executive

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Afternoons Off

A few unorthodox activities for your non-working weekday

 

Reptile Farms—Just 30km from town, exists a land crawling with 30,000 crocodiles, Crocodile Farm (Open daily 7am-6pm,B300) offers croc shows nearly every hour. Closer to home and equally creepy is the Pasteur Institut Snake Farm (corner of Henri Dunant Rd. and Rama 4 Rd., west of Chulalongkorn Hospital. Open Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm, 02-520-1614), which is run by the Red Cross. Venom extraction demonstrations for the public are held daily at 10:30am and 2pm, admission is B70.

 

Aquarium—Lose track of time and submerge yourself in the underwater world at Siam Ocean World (B1/F-B2/F, Siam Paragon, 991 Rama 1 Rd., 02-687-2000, www.siamoceanworld.com. Open daily 9am-10pm) Shark and penguin feedings held twice daily, adult admission B450. If your day of leisure leads you to Pattaya, the Underwater World (22/22 Moo 1, Sukhumvit Rd., South Pattaya, 03-875-6979, www.underwaterworldpattaya.com. Open daily9am-6pm) showcases more than 2,500 animals from 200 species, B200/Thai and B400/farang.

 

Golf Course—Practice your game, then force your visiting foreign business partners to play badminton instead. Perfect your swing at Windsor Park & Golf Club (46 Moo 8 Suwintawong Rd., 02-989-4200/18). Too bad that other golf course next to BTS Rachadamri is for members only.

 

Hotel Day—Binge and purge the hiso way, with a hotel brunch followed by a cellulite-eliminating treatment at Bangkok’s pride and joy, The Oriental Bangkok (48 Oriental Ave., Soi Burapa, New Rd., 02-236-0400). Start your luxury bender with the B1,177 lunch buffet at Sala Rim Naam (Mon-Sat noon-2pm, 02-659-9000), before erasing the evidence of your dietary indiscretions with a Zesty Renewal body treatment (US$180/B5,371, 120 minutes) which targets butt, thigh and belly cellulite, promising visible results.

 

Mountain Biking—Complaining about your sore ass will be more socially acceptable after your guided 25km ride with Spice Roads (14/1-B Soi Promsi 2, Sukhumvit 39 www.spiceroads.com, 02-712-5305). Starting on Sukhumvit, cruise through the city and across the river until you get to Bang Kra Jao, for a peaceful ride through lush jungle and small villages. Rates range from B1,000-B1,650, depending on your pickup point.

 

Race Car Driving—Improve your ability to maneuver Bangkok’s traffic at the Taki Racing School (266/11 Moo 9 Dr., 038-428-392) in Pattaya. Yes, it’s a two-hour drive to Pattaya, but after the two hour Special Experience Driving course, you can make the return

trip in half the time. Rings in at a whopping B8,000, but you get to wear a racing suit, which makes for priceless photos.

 

Water Parks—When is the last time you had a bona fide waterslide wedgie? Since school is in session, lines are short and the only one peeing in the pool will be you at Siam Water Park (99 Serithai Rd., Amphur Meenburi, 02-919-7200, open Mon-Fri10am-6pm, Sat-Sun 9am-7pm, bus #26 and 27 from Victory Monument, B200).

 

Zoo—Beat your chest without public scrutiny at the Dusit Zoo (71 Rama 5 Rd., 02-281-0000, open daily 8am-6pm, B50). “Ooh” + “aah” at the primates, penguins and “red pandas” (who actually might be raccoons, but this is Bangkok, we embrace fakes!)