Christ, these Bangkok models – they're a different breed entirely. This one, Rose, moves through photoshoots like a seasoned mercenary through war zones, except her ammunition is pouts and poses that would make a Victoria's Secret angel look like an amateur.

This is the real Bangkok, breathing and alive, existing in sublime defiance of the commercial chaos that surrounds it. I realize I've just witnessed something increasingly rare in our world: authenticity in its natural habitat. These people keep their doors open  because they've got – a shared commitment to preserving their slice of sanity in a city gone mad with tourism.