Most of the guys working in the various bars in Chiang Mai are Shan working illegally. There are also many Shan working in restaurants and in the various markets. They are badly exploited by the Thais because of their lack of papers. Out of a population of 25000 in one Shan town, 12000 are believed to have fled to Thailand because of the activities of the Burmese Tatmadaw.
Before Adam's Apple closed (opening again in Feb, I hear) there was only a single Thai amongst the gogo boys.
My Shan bf is the source of this info, and we (=he) regularly chat, in Shan, with the guys. They get quite a fright when a farang addresses them in Shan. BF has a wicked sense of humour.
Mai soong ka
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