Friend-for-hire services gain traction in Thailand
Friend-for-hire services are becoming more popular in Thailand. In these services, people pay someone to spend time with them and do activities together. For example, a companion may travel with a customer, take photos, go shopping, exercise, or visit a cafe. The service is growing as more people live alone and lifestyles change. Social media has also helped make these services more popular.
For many customers, the service is not mainly about being lonely. They simply want someone to accompany them when their friends are busy. A university student named Ainthuon Rattanawaraporn tried the service because she wanted to travel but was not comfortable traveling alone. She also wanted someone to take many photos of her. She said it was easier to ask a paid companion for specific photos because she did not want to bother her friends.
The growing business has also created new job opportunities for young people. Thanaporn Charoenchuea, a 20-year-old university student, started a service called “Snap Like a Bestie.” She served more than 50 customers in about two months. She said customers wanted more than just photos. They also wanted someone who could make them feel comfortable, especially when they were shy. Thanaporn talks with her customers and helps them relax before taking pictures. For safety, she meets customers only in public places and checks their social media accounts first.
Another companion, Penkawin “Ice” Wangniwetkul, offers many different activities. Customers can hire her to go running, exercise at the gym, shop, visit a spa, drink coffee, or go indoor rock climbing. She charges about 1,000 baht per hour. However, Ice carefully chooses her customers and refuses jobs that could be dangerous or uncomfortable. She also checks customers before accepting a booking. She believes that personal safety should always be important when meeting strangers.
Experts say friend-for-hire services may help people who sometimes want company or have difficulty making friends. However, this type of relationship is different from normal friendship because customers pay for the service and can choose their companions. There are also possible problems, such as harassment or violence. Because of this, experts believe that companies and companions should have clear rules and boundaries. As the service continues to grow, safety will remain an important concern for both customers and companions.
Edited using generative AI tools.
Source:https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260903/p2g/00m/0in/012000c |
