"Soi of Sex" life revealed: Why arresting Thai sex workers is not the answer

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"Soi of Sex" life revealed: Why arresting Thai sex workers is not the answer

 

Picture: Thai Rath

 

Thai media has reported on the perennial issue of Thai women offering sex for money in Thailand.

 

And an exasperated official in one town has said the problem just won't go away.

 

Unless the women can find other jobs and get a realistic income doing something else they will continue to sell their bodies.

 

Without a viable alternative for the women the sex industry will just continue unabated no matter how many crackdowns or arrests there are.

 

High profile figures like tourism minister Kobkarn Wattanavarangul called last year for an end to the sex trade.

 

But the business continues regardless of her comments with women seeing it as an easy way to make money when there are no other better alternatives.

 

Thai Rath reported on the issue under their "Soi of Sex Life Revealed" feature. This has been a long running feature centered around the activities of a group of prostitutes based in a soi in Muang district of Rayong.

 

The place has been raided many times but the women just keep coming back. There are complaints that the women openly sell sex in the street.

 

In many parts of Thailand this kind of activity has been on the wane in recent years. But it still exists and laws are in place to counteract it.

 

The laws have wording regarding soliciting for sex that is "too open", notes Thaivisa. Such laws were promulgated in 1996.

 

While much prostitution is tolerated in a more private setting when it is too overt the authorities are more obliged to act.

 

This is the case in the street in downtown Rayong where on October 4th yet another raid took place and 13 women were arrested.

 

In a fourth report in the long running feature Thai Rath caught up with district chief Insri Kertmanee who led the latest raid of local officials and police.

 

He was asked:

 

Why are the women standing in the street offering sex totally unafraid of arrest? Even when the authorities come to this area often?

 

He replied: "It's a tough question to answer. You see, it's their livelihood. But it is our job to keep checking up on the situation. So we keep coming.

 

"We try to stop it but frankly there is often a lack of hard evidence to prosecute".

 

Thai Rath asked what was a (permanent) solution then?

 

"We are constantly in talks with various human rights and protection agencies. They tell us that if we make arrests the women will simply go back to selling themselves just as before.

 

"They tell us that to really help these women they need alternative work. They need a better job to do. But that job has to give them a realistic income.

 

"If that is not the case they will just gravitate back into selling sex".

 

Source: Thai Rath

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2017-10-09

[starky]

Uhm let's see, why are they not afraid of arrest? Maybe because hardly anyone does get arrested and those that do spend all of about 20 minutes in the cop shop pay their 50 baht and go straight back to cracking it again.

[oxo1947]

I was having a causal relationship with a working Rayon Girl back in the  early 90s……she came home after one nights work  with 3,200 baht…  I asked her who gave the 200 Baht-- They all did she said.

--

Seriously though—try to keep away from Rayon girls…. The word --Map-Ta-Put -- would send shivers down anyone’s spine who knows that area.......

[darksidedog]

Prostitution is the oldest profession out there, so you are not going to make it go away. All the time a normal job nets 9,000 a month on minimum wage, girls who can earn way more than that selling themselves are obviously going to do so and it is naive to expect anything else.

[chrisinth]

24 minutes ago, oxo1947 said:

I was having a causal relationship with a working Rayon Girl back in the  early 90s……she came home after one nights work  with 3,200 baht…  I asked her who gave the 200 Baht-- They all did she said.

 

 

--

Seriously though—try to keep away from Rayon girls…. The word --Map-Ta-Put -- would send shivers down anyone’s spine who knows that area.......

 

 

And if spine needs more tingling, go down the road a bit further to Ban Chang for a quiet afternoon beer..................

[connda]

Yeah, arresting sex workers, arresting people who use drug, especially the likes of marijuana and kratom, arresting people for playing poker or betting (or play contract bridge) - As Einstein said, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."  So the War on Drugs, and Gambling, and P4P will go on until such time as a more enlighten state takes the steps to decriminalize it.

 

Until then, they'll just keep filling the jails with people who otherwise are normal and should never have to deal with the judicial system, because that's just what the State does:  It imposes assinine restrictions on otherwise average, law abiding citizens and makes them criminals.  And here in the LOS, they do so while turning a blind eye to the real criminality, such as the abject carnage that occurs on their roads due to highly aggressive and negligent driving, or just the day to day corruption underpinning virtually every institution in this country. 

Edited October 9, 2017 by connda

[Kerryd]

18 minutes ago, chrisinth said:

And if spine needs more tingling, go down the road a bit further to Ban Chang for a quiet afternoon beer..................

 

Ban Chang ? The "Secret Sex Town" just south of Pattaya (according to the advert at the bottom of this page) !  

It hasn't been a secret for many, many years. Ban Chang is pretty relaxed. Used to be an almost weekly thing for a bunch of us to meet up on the weekend and ride over there, have a bite to eat and ride back a couple hours later.

There are other places (like a certain soi in North Pattaya) that are not so well known and (usually) cater to the "local" crowd (as opposed to the "tourist" crowd). Buddy told me that most of those girls were Uni or "office" girls from Bangkok, down for the weekend to try and make some extra cash.

[car720]

Prostitution has many forms.

Think on this one.  I cannot remember one mother anywhere in the world, that I have met, that has not at one time said to her daughter,  " be sure to marry a rich man".

[oxo1947]

30 minutes ago, chrisinth said:

And if spine needs more tingling, go down the road a bit further to Ban Chang for a quiet afternoon beer..................

I lived (owned) there  (in Ban Chang) ..at this point in time it is probably the best place you could buy a property in Thailand.."By None" it now rates higher than London --BKK etc...in fact the last report it is 7th in the world for the best place to buy , if you are thinking of buying in Pattaya --then your blind.......

.

Map-Ta-Put --its the clientel  direct from those exotic places like--Iraq..Saudi..Oman that would have you worried about the Rayong girls.   

[Emster23]

Until Thailand provides some quality education that equips graduates with skills that are wanted (in the commercial world anyway) the girls will take whatever opportunity they can to provide for themselves and often their families

[ThaiWai]

Making prostitution for consenting adults illegal is nonsense and oppressive to women primarily. Keep your holy books out of their beavers. 

Edited October 9, 2017 by ThaiWai

[malibukid]

it's called sin tax, the cops get paid hardly nothing.  this how they make up for their meager income.  

Edited October 9, 2017 by malibukid

[ThaiWai]

51 minutes ago, oxo1947 said:

I lived (owned) there  (in Ban Chang) ..at this point in time it is probably the best place you could buy a property in Thailand.."By None" it now rates higher than London --BKK etc...in fact the last report it is 7th in the world for the best place to buy , if you are thinking of buying in Pattaya --then your blind.......

.

Map-Ta-Put --its the clientel  direct from those exotic places like--Iraq..Saudi..Oman that would have you worried about the Rayong girls.   

That's "bar none" and "you're blind". These few edits would lend your statement more credibility. 

[Coconut007]

Quote

Unless the women can find other jobs and get a realistic income doing something else they will continue to sell their bodies.

They would change job if the new one offer some basic benefits

 

- can sleep until 2pm

- not think about anything more difficult than what is the next meal

- play with phone most of the time

- get drunk for free and dance whenever they want

- rack up 30,000 - 100,000 a month doing that

Edited October 9, 2017 by Coconut007

[oxo1947]

2 minutes ago, ThaiWai said:

That's "bar none" and "you're blind". These few edits would lend your statement more credibility.

Then my Grammar after a few red wines is lacking ThaiWai.... but no I am not blind about Ban Chang unless the world property market magazine which all investors read is blind... There latest Headline this month is

 

The Thai city of tomorrow isn't Bangkok

 

Now where do you think they are talking about---they have just discovered what you apparently can not see.....they rate the best property buys all around the world.....not just Thailand...as I said what little town comes number 7 in the world for the best place to buy...but then again...I'm blind

[ThaiWai]

1 minute ago, oxo1947 said:

Then my Grammar after a few red wines is lacking ThaiWai.... but no I am not blind about Ban Chang unless the world property market magazine which all investors read is blind... There latest Headline this month is

 

The Thai city of tomorrow isn't Bangkok

 

Now where do you think they are talking about---they have just discovered what you apparently can not see.....they rate the best property buys all around the world.....not just Thailand...as I said what little town comes number 7 in the world for the best place to buy...but then again...I'm blind

Seems like your reading comprehension is on par with your grammar. I have made no assessment of your vision and made no claim to have any knowledge of the region you speak of. 

[oxo1947]

Just now, ThaiWai said:

Seems like your reading comprehension is on par with your grammar. I have made no assessment of your vision and made no claim to have any knowledge of the region you speak of. 

Yes your right ThaiWai...they all go down the drain after one of those liquid lunches....lots of grovelling and apologies.....

[cyberfarang]

Prostitution has been around probably since the stone age and will continue well into the far future.

 

The solution; if you can`t beat it than join it, meaning legalise prostitution. In each major city allocate certain areas as red light districts, which has happened in many parts of central Europe.

[Inepto Cracy]

In a fourth report in the long running feature Thai Rath caught up with district chief Insri Kertmanee who led the latest raid of local officials and police.

He was asked:

Why are the women standing in the street offering sex totally unafraid of arrest? Even when the authorities come to this area often?

 

He replied: "It's a tough question to answer. You see, it's their livelihood. But it is our job to keep checking up on the situation. So we keep coming. ( cumming.)

"We try to stop it but frankly there is often a lack of hard evidence to prosecute". (Evidence normally goes soft soon after the alleged act.)

555 my corrections to the answers in brackets...

[oxo1947]

1 minute ago, cyberfarang said:

The solution; if you can`t beat it than join it

Honestly Cyber...at 70...I just cant see I would get much trade........

[Chiang Mai Bill]

• Most Thais are lazy and would rather sell themselves than work.
• Thai women have a low sense of morality and think nothing of selling themselves.
• Thailand's education system is poor and do not provide young people with Life's requirements.
• Thailand offers no social 'assistance'.
• Too many people make money from the sex industry in Thailand.

 

Prostitution is the world's oldest profession -- and it will continue to thrive in Thailand for generations to come!

 

 

[realenglish1]

Back in the day and I mean way back in the day about 2 million years ago they used to do it for Bananas It is the worlds oldest profession

[SpeakeasyThai]

11 minutes ago, Chiang Mai Bill said:

• Most Thais are lazy and would rather sell themselves than work.
• Thai women have a low sense of morality and think nothing of selling themselves.
• Thailand's education system is poor and do not provide young people with Life's requirements.
• Thailand offers no social 'assistance'.
• Too many people make money from the sex industry in Thailand.

 

Prostitution is the world's oldest profession -- and it will continue to thrive in Thailand for generations to come!

 

 

I think farming possibly would be oldest profession in the world actually. People need to eat.

 

Your view prostitution is the oldest profession in the world, is that an excuse that justifies yourself to pay money to an unfortunate female to feed your craving for sex ?

 

[impulse]

Why arresting Thai sex workers is not the answer

 

Because the customers have more money for fines, and more to lose by making it to the pointy photo on the front page...

 

[joecoolfrog]

24 minutes ago, Chiang Mai Bill said:

• Most Thais are lazy and would rather sell themselves than work.
• Thai women have a low sense of morality and think nothing of selling themselves.
• Thailand's education system is poor and do not provide young people with Life's requirements.
• Thailand offers no social 'assistance'.
• Too many people make money from the sex industry in Thailand.

 

Prostitution is the world's oldest profession -- and it will continue to thrive in Thailand for generations to come!

 

 

Not arguing with most of your points but the second one is at best highly speculative and at worst downright insulting to the large majority of Thai women.

Even if your statements were true , and that is highly debateable , who are you to judge what is morally right or wrong in respect of sex.

[eeworldwide]

"But it is our job to keep checking up on the situation. So we keep coming."

 

I see what you did there - nice!!!!

[Thaidream]

Thai girls are not lazy by nature but  if you are not educated then expect minimum wage. Try living on 9,000 Baht per month- and see how far you get. The sex industry is an outlet for the poor and uneducated.  University graduates do not normally go into the sex trade as they can find a job for around 20,000 Baht per month or they go into Government service where the benefits make up for a lower wage.

 

There are hardly any Thai women that enjoy the sex trade- most are sullen; become addicted to alcohol or drugs and generally despise their customers. However, they are very clever and hide their emotions and feelings.

 

Nothing will ever change until  there is a universal Government program that completely reforms the education system; provides job training; and gives some hope to the people.

 

 

[cyberfarang]

57 minutes ago, oxo1947 said:

Honestly Cyber...at 70...I just cant see I would get much trade........

After 6 glasses of Leo beer and a bottle of cheap gut rot Thai whiskey, and if you wear your blond wig and high heels, I might fancy you.

[shanesox]

Thailand bureaucrats and government nobodies trying to end “the oldest profession ever”


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Jimbo53]

2 hours ago, chrisinth said:

And if spine needs more tingling, go down the road a bit further to Ban Chang for a quiet afternoon beer..................

Ban Chang is before Maptaphut if your heading from Pattaya to Rayong!!