SoiBiker

There's one just round the corner from Khao San Road - Phra Sumen Fort.

Every time some jaded expat comes out with the cliched, sarcastic 'right, because people come here for the temples and the culture' response, it makes me smile. You're just showing yourself up for what you really are. Because yes, people do, as well as for the scenery, the food, the people, the fun activities, and the many other things that people love this country for. The fact that you can't find anything to like about it beyond cheap sex says more about you than it does about Thailand - and the fact that you remain in a place you so disdain in order to have sex with people who only tolerate you for your money is bordering on tragic.

One marries a farmer and together they have just enough money to get by. The other goes down to Pattaya and starts selling services. She sends 5000 a month back to mom and dad who, despite the fact that she told them she was a waitress have a pretty good idea what's really going on. In Thai culture which daughter is the hero of the family and making merit the most?

My vote would go to the one who doesn't have to lie about what she's doing. That's kind of a dead giveaway.

And you'd be wrong. In Thailand money is king. Always. Always.

I dare you to come to my Asoke office and say that to our Thai women, many of whom could triple what we pay them, a block away at Soi Cowboy.

If you take me up on the dare, wear a cup. And running shoes.

for all you know that could be part timers looking for younger farangs at the nightclubs on weekends, or on internet dating sites desperately seeking a farang husband

Maybe curtailing the sex tourist industry might help dispel the idiotic notion that all Thai women are prostitutes.

And of course the way to do it, is by "CRACK DOWNS".

Lets forget simple things like poverty, poor education etc. No need to focus on the causes.

I don't think education comes within the remit of the minister for tourism.

Mongers think everyone else is one too. All women are for sale, all men pay for it, etc etc.

Interesting phenomenon. I guess for some reason they need to normalize their behaviour.

Let not forget that prostitution is not widely available here because of foreigners. Thais are using that all the time. Any Karaoke bar in most remote area of the country the Thai customer can take out the waitress or waiter. It is part of their culture. Husband play on the side is Thai typical. Foreigner using bars or prostitution services are a very small percentage compare to Thai people.

Let's not forget that we're discussing the tourist minister here, so foreigners are most likely her main concern.

I mostly agree with Jacko, it's all part of the mix - along with temples, beaches, spicy food, ladyboys, shady characters, bad English, etc.- that differentiates Thailand from other destinations, gives it a certain "frisson", if that's the right word, and draws people here. I can never understand people who come to live here, then complain because Thailand is what it is.

There are good and bad points in every country, and Thailands good points far outweigh the bad.

Imagine how great Thailand would be if most of the average Thai people had even average intelligence.

Expats like you are helping by dragging the average down a little.

Prostitution is the use of your body to get money. Does not mean sex only. Instead of using their brain like most of us do. Foreign teachers use their "white hairy skin" to get a job. Even though most of them are not academically qualify. This is a form of prostitution.

No. No it isn't.

Yes it is.

Arguing with the dictionary makes you look foolish.

Yes she is right, they come for culture. It's exciting to get in a tuk tuk or taxi request a specific destination and be taken elsewhere to spend where the driver can earn a commission under false pretext. The challenge of renting a Jet Ski with side bets on how much you will be scammed for is incomparable. Taking a lovely lady back to your hotel only to find it has three legs and you are missing valuables is yet another exciting part of the beautiful culture. All tourists marvel at the dual pricing and wonder why this is not done worldwide. Getting on any public transport such as boats, buses and vans is like an exciting game of Russian Roulette. Yes, minus the sex trade, tourists will flock here knowing the people smile only because they love our money. The draws of the beautiful Thai culture are too many to mention.

Thing is, most of that stuff only happens in the sex tourist areas. Which rather strengthens the argument for getting rid of them to improve the country's image.

Intolerant bullshit should be challenged, no matter the source.

Prostitution is the use of your body to get money. Does not mean sex only. Instead of using their brain like most of us do. Foreign teachers use their "white hairy skin" to get a job. Even though most of them are not academically qualify. This is a form of prostitution.

No. No it isn't.

Seek some help with anger management. It's not normal to be regularly losing your temper with people.

Dull people are content to spend their whole lives in one place. The inquisitive set out to experience more of the world.

Hmmmmm Pot calling the kettle black comes to mind zzzzzzzzz

Right.

Because spending every night in a repetitive quest for booze and hookers is fascinating?

You answered ur own question congratulations ...Hope for you yet in ur quest

The age old debate, always causes turbulence between the people who rent hookers and the people who married one and think they're smarter....

I'm not married to a hooker, dude.

As ever, many people vastly overestimate the impact of sex tourism on the Thai economy.

Wishful thinking on your part. The sex industry is related to the massive F&B industry - the hospitality industry - hotels - bars - restaurants - taxis - laundries - furnishing- clothing - outfitting - street vendors, whom I know you hate, souvenirs and a whole host of peripheral industries and services including construction. God Bless It. Without the girls Thailand would be a dull and wearisome place and not worth the effort.

Souvenirs?

Some sort of commemorative dildo?

Dull people are content to spend their whole lives in one place. The inquisitive set out to experience more of the world.

Hmmmmm Pot calling the kettle black comes to mind zzzzzzzzz

Right.

Because spending every night in a repetitive quest for booze and hookers is fascinating?

@SoiBiker and @Mark123456 I appreciate that we have a differing of opinion, but breast feeding in public in view of other is both disgusting and immoral. Our Church in Chiang Mai has very strong views on this, and if we saw this in public we would take great offence and if need be report to the Royal Thai Police

Your church has no business telling anyone in Thailand what to do. Stop trying to spread that poisonous, outdated, intolerant claptrap where it doesn't belong.

@SoiBiker, No of course I am not, but a feeding mother is not unlike someone who needs to urinate. A bathroom is never far away, or would you suggest someone who needs to urinate just do in public.

Would you like to eat your lunch in the toilet?

Why would you make someone feed their child in one?

We needs to agree to disagree I think. I am not after an argument here, just some Christian decency. There is absolutely nothing wrong whatsoever with breastfeeding a child in a bathroom.

There's nothing wrong with doing it in public either.

If a glimpse of an uncovered breast gives you a guilty half-boner that you're worried your imaginary sky-boss will be angry about, that's very much your problem. The rest of the world isn't going to bend to your foolishness.

@SoiBiker, No of course I am not, but a feeding mother is not unlike someone who needs to urinate. A bathroom is never far away, or would you suggest someone who needs to urinate just do in public.

Would you like to eat your lunch in the toilet?

Why would you make someone feed their child in one?

Worgeordie, I appreciate your feedback sir, but each to their own. I do find this to be highly offensive, as would all the members of our Church. I will be photo documenting it if I have the opportunity and reporting it to the Royal Thai Police.

What do your scriptures say about breastfeeding? Did Jesus or his disciples discuss it? Better still, did God Almighty himself have anything to say? Are you on a mission from God? Lots of questions, I know, but it is an importantant topic.

I am not an a mission from God at all. We believe that breast feeding is a something that should be done in private and behind closed doors. To expose a woman's bosom in public goes against our teachings and normality. This lady doing what she does in public is being disrespectful to God and the teachings of our church, and we will see that she is held accountable.

Kids don't just get hungry at convenient times.

Are you suggesting mothers should never leave the house?

May as well close the airport then.

Or put a kid's play area in each gate area for all the families that will start visiting once the sex tourists move on to greener pastures.

Edit: I have nothing against the exchange of money for sex. But I do think that it's a poor way to draw tourists, and pretty much mutually exclusive. If sex is the draw and it's in your face, the majority of potential visitors will stay away. I'd make the same contention about the free flow of booze. The type of tourist you'll draw and the atmosphere they create will repel the majority of potential tourists.

It's obvious when you look at the statistics. Take the UK as an example - most estimates are that only 10% of UK men at the most have ever paid for sex. Which means that 90% are not interested in sex tourism. Better to cater to that majority than the niche market, surely?

Wow.

Some of you guys don't like women much, do you?

I can't say much about Pattaya, having never set foot in the place. I'm sure I'm just one of many deterred from visiting by its reputation as a den of sex tourism.

Perhaps if they cleaned the place up, more people would visit. It would be a good thing for the Thai tourism industry to have a pleasant, family friendly seaside resort a short drive from Bangkok.

Remember that even on this forum, some still have their vital functions in working order...

Not sure what you're getting at here.

Think he's referring to vital functions as the testosterone still flows, along with urine unimpeded by prostatic enlargement. Otherwise known as taking the piss.

Ah. Assuming anyone that isn't interested in paying for sex is past it.

Makes a change from religious, gay, or any of the other nonsense people come out with rather than face the fact that not all men share their hobby.

If a sexy young woman is happy to marry an older guy for security and a good life... and an older guy likes to have a young sexy woman on his arm, why not spend his money on what he enjoys ??? both are happy ,,, I know I like 30 to 40 year old woman, and I'm over retirement age.. what do I want with a 65 year old woman that does absolutely nothing for me ??

i have no problem with it whatsoever, i just find that the guys who complain loudest about the sex trade generally moved to thailand to marry a woman far younger then they are which is made possible by the same conditions which makes the sex trade flourish here

You find? Or you assume?

There are a great number of expats in the country that are not here for sex for money or on the hunt for a mail order bride or someone to clean their houses and wipe their asses as they slowly die in front of their computers.

There are a great number of expats living in denial. I would actually say 99.99% of male expats I've seen in Thailand came here for exactly that.

With Naam and SoiBiker seeming to be the only male posters on this forum that seem to be approaching 'normal' relationships with women.

Pretty much all the expats I know have 'normal' relationships with their partners.

I guess the people you meet vary depending on the kind of places you hang out in.

Dull people are content to spend their whole lives in one place. The inquisitive set out to experience more of the world.

I've met plenty of dull foreigners in Thailand.

Yeah. They're usually the ones who came here out of desperation rather than curiosity.