Women are paraded on stage to win the attention - and tips - from club customers. (Illustration: Kenneth Choy)

The Thai women working illegally to power the seedy belly of Singapore’s nightlife.

By Jack Board
and
Aqil Haziq Mahmud
27 Jul 2019

"But unlike beauty queens, these women are expressionless. They even seem bored.The sashes are not so much a celebration of their beauty or personality. These pink and blue bands determine how much money they could earn this evening."

"Then come the laser pointers. Narrow beams of green light pierce through the smoky bowels of the disco. The lasers land squarely on the girls, on their tight dresses that end above the knee. This is when the women show some emotion. A reluctant smile. A hesitant nod.Behind the laser beams and holding on to the pointers are the "mamasans", and for the girls on stage, the mamasans are their key to an even larger taking for the evening."

"As a timer on stage ticks down, the emcee warns customers the girls are stepping off soon. The countdown stops. Those with sashes, capes and tiaras search for their endorsers. Their time and attention have been bought for the night."

"This intimate company does not come cheap. The cheapest option on the menu is S$278 for three towers of beer. It goes all the way up to S$4,888 for 12 bottles of Cordon Bleu. Money talks here."

"Ah has blue jeans on, with a sleeveless top. She is shy, and speaks haltingly in English. She tells us she will return to her insurance job in Bangkok after her time in Singapore is up, hopefully with with an envelope full of cash from her gig in Singapore."

"Over the next decade, Bow entered Singapore to work nine times. She never got a visa for her trips, simply entering as a tourist and taking advantage of the 30 days of visa-free entry that Thai nationals are entitled to. With each trip came work and work and cash.

"“You have to be aware (at the airport). Your senses will tell you what to say. For me, I was escorted into the immigration office every time but I could get through because I planned my travel along with my work. They asked about my travel plan but I had everything booked. For the first three nights, I usually stayed in a hotel and paid with my own money,” she said."

"Bow says she was once able to make at least THB100,000 (S$4,400) in two to three weeks of work, while other girls were pulling in double that. But in recent years, competition has grown, making it tougher for the women to guarantee their earnings. "

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