Bangkok attracts people from all walks of life, including those with unusual pasts. Today, I\u2019m sitting with Jake, a self-proclaimed world traveler and former cocaine dealer who\u2019s swapped his past life for adventures across the globe. Now living in Bangkok, Jake shares his candid, often hilarious, and sometimes shocking anecdotes about cocaine, its use, and the wildly different ways it\u2019s viewed around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Q: Jake, you\u2019ve had quite a life. Let\u2019s start with the obvious\u2014how did you get into dealing?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jake:<\/strong> Q: You\u2019ve been around the world. How does cocaine culture differ across countries?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jake:<\/strong> Bangkok is one of the most visited cities in the world\u201440 million tourists hit Thailand annually, and a huge chunk of that ends up in Bangkok. But with all these tourists partying here, most don\u2019t care to check what they\u2019re actually taking. It\u2019s shocking, given how cut the drugs are. I\u2019ve seen stuff here laced with crushed caffeine pills, chalk dust, baking soda, Vitamin C\u2014and God knows what else. Dealers don\u2019t care because tourists are not long-term, recurrent customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: Any funny or wild stories from your time traveling?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jake:<\/strong> Q: How about Bangkok? Any stories from here?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jake:<\/strong> Q: Have you ever seen cocaine used in a way that just left you speechless?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jake:<\/strong> Q: Speaking of testing, what do you think about harm reduction?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jake:<\/strong> In Bangkok especially, with all the tourism, people are clueless about how adulterated things can get. Testing should be the first thing anyone does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Q: If you had to summarize cocaine culture in Bangkok in one sentence?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jake:<\/strong> Q: Any parting advice for curious partygoers?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jake:<\/strong> From Bangkok to Bogot\u00e1, Jake\u2019s stories highlight how cocaine is more than a drug\u2014it\u2019s a cultural phenomenon. But whether you\u2019re partying in Bangkok or Berlin, the risks are real. Testing your substances isn\u2019t just smart\u2014it\u2019s essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It wasn\u2019t glamorous, I\u2019ll tell you that. I was 19, broke, and living in Bogot\u00e1. I thought, “Why not make rent with a little side hustle?” Turns out, it wasn\u2019t so little. Within a year, I went from delivering dime bags to running “white glove” services for expats who thought it was classy to snort in rooftop bars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oh, it\u2019s night and day. In Bogot\u00e1, it\u2019s just another thing\u2014like ordering a coffee. People barely flinch. But in New York, it\u2019s almost a personality trait. Folks there do it as if they\u2019re networking with their noses. Then there\u2019s Bangkok, where it\u2019s this funny “open secret.” Everyone knows it\u2019s around. You\u2019ll see whispers in the club bathrooms or hear quiet deals at afterparties. But the wild part? Almost no one\u2019s testing their stuff!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oh, this one still cracks me up. I was in Medell\u00edn at a small house party, and a guy pulls out this gold-plated snuff box. Everyone\u2019s impressed, thinking it\u2019s this luxury accessory for his coke. But when he opens it, there\u2019s just baby powder inside. Turns out he\u2019d forgotten to refill it, but he was so committed to the image he pretended it was some “next-level stuff.” Half the room bought into it and even sniffed the baby powder. No one wanted to admit they couldn\u2019t feel anything. Classic!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bangkok\u2019s a whole different vibe. Once, I was at an afterparty in Thonglor, and this guy offers me a line. I politely decline and watch as he realizes mid-snort that it wasn\u2019t cocaine\u2014it was ketamine. The look on his face was priceless, but also a reminder: Never assume. Always test your stuff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yeah, in Berlin. A guy at Berghain was using it as cologne. No joke\u2014he rubbed it on his wrists and neck. He swore it gave him “good energy.” It was the most pretentious thing I\u2019ve ever seen, and I used to deal to CEOs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s the only way forward. Back in the day, I didn\u2019t care about what I sold\u2014stupid, I know. But now? Testing kits like those from Happy Test Shop are lifesavers for most, seriously. Cocaine purity varies wildly, even in the same city. Additives like levamisole, used as a cutting agent, can mess you up worse than the coke itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“High stakes, high risks, high places.” The rooftop scene here is full of people whispering about their connections. Everyone acts innocent, but trust me\u2014it\u2019s happening every night, everywhere. After the legalization of weed, cocaine consumption has exploded. This place is a white party day in and day out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yeah. First, don\u2019t glamorize it\u2014it\u2019s not what the movies show you. Second, if you\u2019re going to do it, test it. Fentanyl is creeping into cocaine supplies even in Asia, and you don\u2019t want to be the guy who finds out the hard way. Lastly, don\u2019t be that person who pulls out a rolled-up bill. Hygienically, it\u2019s disgusting. Use a proper tool, for crying out loud.<\/p>\n\n\n\nJake\u2019s Takeaways<\/h2>\n\n\n\n