In Bangkok, a corpulent European man and a young, pregnant Thai woman live together in near silence. His large body stands in contrast to her tiny frame. He gives her presents - she has a growing collection of stuffed animals - and takes Viagra pills. She is looking for security, and he is the best way for her to stay out of Soi Cowboy, the red-light district where they met. She likes him, but sleeping with him is a duty. Meanwhile, in the countryside, a teenage mafia enforcer is employed to deliver his older brother's head...

In Soi Cowboy, young British director Thomas Clay's avowed intention is to explore the relative nature of sexual morality and the impact of global capitalism, represented in the unequal, if mutually beneficial, relationship between Tobias and Koi, and the violent story of Koi's brother Cha. The film combines inventive cinematography and shifting directorial styles to enter its characters' lives with both haunting intimacy and documentary-like clarity.