Comments on: Patpong Sisters by Cleo Odzer – a review

By: Carl Jacobson

Carl Jacobson — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 10:44:52 +0000

If a may be a bore and quote myself:

“These Thai girls never cease to amaze me! Their acceptance of life – the very thing that makes them so happy and so pleasant to be with, still stuns me after 28 years! You can live with an ordinary Western girl for years without ever getting close to the core of her feelings. She’ll remain on guard, continuously lining up conditions for her affection… But here – once they have chosen you – they have no reservations; they are instantly ready to go all the way with you – meaning also to have a baby!”

To stick the mean label ‘whore’ on these girls is cruel and absolutely unjustified, and calling them ‘prostitutes’ is a gross misrepresentation of what they are! You couldn’t possibly get any further away from the Western concept of ‘prostitution’?

This was written 9 years ago, of course, and I haven’t found the slightest reason the revise my standpoint.

Cleo Oszer in unfortunately dead, another commentator pointed out to me, so speaking to her wouldn’t be possible.

By: David Clepper

David Clepper — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 03:07:11 +0000

I would love to talk to this “Cleo” I have been going to Thailand every year since 1981. And yes I am an American, and I love my country. Thailand is not America, “We” American’s have no right to push the “American way of life” on other nations. I love Thailand, and will retire there. As far as the girls sex for money is a job, a way to stay alive for her and her family. They are more real and honest than 9 of 10 American girls. Yes of course they want money to support thier families. But I have felt more safe many times in Thailand than in America. Stop and look at things a second. If a young pretty girl without a lot of education wants to live the good life she “endures” being married to a rich man with hopes of him dieing and leaving her his money. Hmmm Does that sound like sex for money? If you dont have an open mind and willing to learn another way of life STAY THE HELL OUT OF THAILAND! If you still have doubts, how come we aree rich in America by the rest of the worlds standards, Thailand people are poor by anyones standards yet we are always angry, and they are always happy… You do the math…

By: Krannie Rom

Krannie Rom — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 18:43:21 +0000

I knew Cleo Odzer. We met in 8th grade, 1963.

I love her as a person and miss her much.

Trolling through these sites has been interesting for me.

She had an unbelievably quick mind. She was always fun to hang out with.

By: rhonda d

rhonda d — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:25:35 +0000

Love or hate what Ms. Odzer studied/thought or wrote, this book gives food for important conversations we need to have in order to understand Thai culture/the sex industry/ and the third world in general. Great review.

ps Who cares how she died?

By: Carl Jacobson

Carl Jacobson — Thu, 17 May 2007 09:48:46 +0000

Well, as anyone can see, this piece was written in rage eight years ago, and when I stumbeled onto references to Odzer as some sort of scientific authority on prostitution in Thailand, I decided to post it here…
When I said Odzer is “very American” I didn’t refer to her life as a hippie, or whatever – that is private! But her ethnocentricity is too typical for “Americans” to pass unnoticed to anyone but fellow “Americans”.
The very fact that they refer to themselves as “Americans” and use the word “America” as as if it were synonymous with the United States and the other nations of the Americas insignificant, is a perfect illustration of the point I attempted to make. And in Odzer’s case, her lack of understanding of Thai culture follows…

By: John

John — Tue, 15 May 2007 17:29:28 +0000

I’ve read” Patpong Sisters” and” Goa Freaks” and from a purely voyeuristic view it was like viewing the carnage of a car wreck. I’m amazed she never did hard time like so many who smuggle drugs in Thailand or elsewhwere. She and her arrogant “hippie” friends (who were NOT just Americans) were spoiled beyond belief as they sponged off of foreign cultures less affluent than themselves. By the way I heard she OD’d in Goa but no one wants it known. At least she had the balls to lay it out for all to see. Good reading if you hang out on Kao San Road.

By: Melissa McCann

Melissa McCann — Tue, 01 May 2007 23:41:02 +0000

Cleo Odzer has also written an interesting book about her self-indulgent life in Goa, India. Yes, she’s a spoiled American, but I don’t think she ever disputes this fact.

Incidentally, she died of cancer several years ago in Goa.