Thai men dressing up like Mexican gangsters, it’s a thing

They look like Cholos.

But appearances are about all these young Thai men have adopted from the notoriously fierce Mexican American subculture.

Baggy khakis, check. Lots of tattoos involving vaguely Christian imagery, check. Some even have a bandana pulled halfway down over their eyes.

But that same guy with the bandana probably works from 9 to 5 as a teacher, or a government bureaucrat, or even a policeman.

It’s a bit of a double life for these “Mexican gangsters” in Thailand.

Ter D Sixty admitted to Bangkok Coconuts that he has an office job. “At night, I’m a Mexican gangster. I’m a gangster at heart.”

Yak Yai Fratez said, “During the day, I’m a policeman. At night, I’m a gangster. Fratez Thailand gangster, y’know?”

Mr. Shiro Local, of the Balcony Pain gang, also teaches oriental medicine at Rangsit University. In the video below he performs his rap called “Fuck the popo” in which he compares corrupt police officers to a parasite in his scrotum.

Many have families, and some told Bangkok Coconuts they asked their wives permission to get some of the tattoos. Machismo? Not so much.

So, why Mexican gangsters then?

“I thought it was simple and fit the weather here,” said Shiro Local.

Another gangster said the Mexican garb is “clean and easy, just a T-shirt and a pair of jeans.“

“We never do anything bad. We hang out. We get drunk. But we never cause trouble to the public. We’re just a group of people with the same interests.”