Comment: Pattaya branded 'sleazy den of sin' in wake of orgy scandal - give Pattaya and the rest of us a break!

[snoop1130]

Comment: Pattaya branded 'sleazy den of sin' in wake of orgy scandal - give Pattaya and the rest of us a break!

 

 

Western media on both sides of the English speaking world had a field day laying into Pattaya following the "startling revelations" of the bust at the "sex orgy" in the resort at the weekend.

 

But most of the reports were the usual predictable hyperbolic nonsense when it comes to those trying to sell sensation to the lovers of luridness. 

 

Those who enjoy having a go at Thailand when they should be looking at what happens in their own back yard.

 

Australia led the way with rehashed stories about sex and sleaze full of patent errors and generalizations that would make most residents of Thailand - and especially those in Pattaya - ask: This is news?! and why not at least try to get your facts straight?

 

News.com.au said that Pattaya is a "sun-soaked slice of paradise by day" and a "sleazy den" at night that Thai government crackdowns can't seem to stop.

 

Yeh, guys, like they actually want to. We think you might have been listening to a few too many pronouncements from retired tourism ministers who suggested such nonsense to try and justify their jobs.

 

As if on cue that particular media then quoted the aforementioned Kobkarn Wattanavarankul - ex minister of tourism and sports - as saying that Thailand was going to end the sex industry.

 

Those quotes were copied from Thaivisa;  this reporter should know as I was the one who translated them from Thai in July 2016. The Aussies just printed them verbatim as if they had done their own research!

 

Try and get some new quotes next time - the tourism minister now is called Weerasak Kowsurat. He speaks English; I am sure he'd help if you are interested in getting some further information. You can catch him on Messenger.

 

You could also try actually coming here to see for yourself. Planes leave Sydney and Melbourne every day bound for Bangkok - you'll find it on a map to the top left of Darwin. Pattaya is a couple of inches to the right.

 

The Daily Mail of Australia then piped up trying to outdo The Daily Mail of the United Kingdom (who it is rumored printed a fact in 1983).

 

The Aussie version of "fake news" told us gleefully that Brits were among those arrested at the Tulip Hotel. Not quite true according to all the reports in Thailand - there were none from the old country on this occasion.

 

But we know how much you like to get your leg over the Brits especially after your cricket captain was caught cheating then snivelling on TV. 

 

Admittedly, the Brits have been responsible for some mischief in Thailand but this "orgy in the darkness" was, in language you might understand

 

"Not the Last Night of the Poms". 

 

On a more minor point Thailand does not have "District Sheriffs" and you might like to check the spelling of the surname of Naris, the district chief. Those of us who report and actually go to Pattaya try to get this stuff right.

 

Both of the Aussie media sources came up with the startling news that "police connivance" allows Pattaya to operate. 

 

Gosh! You nearly lost me there....I was dropping off losing the will to live with all the excitement of your fresh revelations. 

 

Meanwhile The Sun in England at least saw there was absolutely no news value in the orgy story. Perhaps they understood like most sensible people that the party was merely a bit of swinging among consenting adults. Virtually everyone was released because they had committed no crime.

 

OK, one guy was doing tested positive for drugs and another was on overstay - but as anyone knows in Thailand that was all incidental to the real story behind the bust. 

 

That it was an illegal hotel without a license - with the Chinese owner who had undoubtedly upset some less than upstanding officials with a delayed payment or two.

 

So well done on The Sun to spot that there was nothing newsworthy there.

 

However, they used the opportunity to print a largely unsubstantiated story about "fresh out of school virgins and lady boys" on tap for middle aged Brits in Pattaya.

 

Putting aside the feeling that the "up to date" snaps of Pattaya looked like file photos from the Edwardian era, it also appears that those fresh out of school virgins must have continued their education to the age of about 40 and got some great tattoos in art lessons.

 

We were also told that sex holiday firms in the UK were charging 1000 quid for seven days of a "girlfriend experience". I hope that included flights, because you didn't say.

 

Look Western media. We know you need the clicks. We know Thailand makes good reading. And we know that Pattaya could hardly be described as squeaky clean. 

 

But can't you come up with something original. Something that bears a passing resemblance to truth rather than banging on with the same old tired stereo-types.

 

You might just do your readers - and certainly us in Thailand - a favor. 

 

Rooster

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2018-4-24

[Justfine]

Stereo types exist for a reason. It's the sex capital of Asia.

[darksidedog]

Well done Rooster. I appreciate your efforts to stand up for Pattaya. Those of us who live here, know the reality and 95% or more of that printed in tabloids is garbage, miles from the mark.
However, on this occasion, you have to say that the cops really screwed up. As you say, this was just a bunch of swingers having an erotic night out with other like minded and consensual people. It is the cops who blew it out of proportion and the cops who released disgraceful video, showing the faces of naked people who were not subsequently charged with any crime. If Thailand wants to keep Pattaya out of the International news media for the wrong reasons, perhaps the cops and reporters might want to show a little more common sense and restraint, before releasing such sensational stories. Especially when they are essentially rubbish.

[RichardColeman]

34 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

We were also told that sex holiday firms in the UK were charging 1000 quid for seven days of a "girlfriend experience". I hope that included flights, because you didn't say.

Think I'd be dead if spent 1000 quid in a week on sex ! .................maybe, have to give it a try ...if the wife agrees of course

[champers]

34 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Well done Rooster. I appreciate your efforts to stand up for Pattaya. Those of us who live here, know the reality and 95% or more of that printed in tabloids is garbage, miles from the mark.
However, on this occasion, you have to sat that the cops really screwed up. As you say, this was just a bunch of swingers having an erotic night out with other like minded and consensual people. It is the cops who blew it out of proportion and the cops who released disgraceful video, showing the faces of people who were not subsequently charged with any crime. If Thailand wants to keep Pattaya out of the International news media for the wrong reasons, perhaps the cops and reporters might want to show a little more common sense before releasing such sensational stories. Especially when they are essentially bullshit.

Spot on. Without the police's self serving publicity there would be no stories printed anywhere. Someone higher up the food chain might be having a quiet word. A new job in Nakhon Nowhere beckons for someone.

[sfokevin]

My bet is this Sex Orgy Hotel thing was nothing more that a Thai Tourism Authorty marketing ploy... Trying to regain Pattaya’s image after all the bad press of the place being overrun by hordes of middle aged Chinese ladies in search of a good Katoey show... 

[poanoi]

you got my respect rooster

[lovelomsak]

Busting a swinger party give me a break. 

  You can find swinger clubs in any major city in the world. Google swinger clubs for any city and they will be there. Canada the country of the pure has them in Montreal Calgary,Vancouver you name it.

  I think in the perverse Thai mentality they thought a swinger bust would  make Thailand's sex image be one of just like minded people having sex rather than  hookers on the beach image. An attempt to minimalize the sex industry here.

[cyberfarang]

Last year I visited friends and families in England. One of my oldest friends, known him from school, told me that in Thailand, one is never more than 200 yards away from the nearest brothel, and he was describing the whole of Thailand, not just Pattaya, although he`s never visited Thailand.

 

But this is a general western perspective of the country, including that it`s dangerous, HIV and aids is rampant, disease ridden, and extremely backward, mainly contributed by exaggerated media reports and how Thailand has been portrayed in films and on the social media. Australia is the worse for spreading denigrate publicity about Thailand. 

 

This is a bad reputation that refuses to budge and doubt it will ever change in my lifetime.

[ThreeEyedRaven]

12 minutes ago, lovelomsak said:

  I think in the perverse Thai mentality they thought a swinger bust would  make Thailand's sex image be one of just like minded people having sex rather than  hookers on the beach image. An attempt to minimalize the sex industry here.

If you are correct in your assertion, You would have to chalk up this debacle as an epic fail then I guess? 

Edited April 24, 2018 by ThreeEyedRaven

[chippendale]

Awful place.

[Cadbury]

Settled down snoop1130.

No one would ever have known about this swingers party had not the police been tipped off about it and raided it and filmed every precious moment of it, naked bodies and all. And then released the videos and the own bragging version of the news of their great raid to the local media and international media.

Nothing more than the usual show of bravado and photo shots by an insecure mob of Pattaya cops who feel the need to occasionally impress their bosses. Nothing to do with Australia or Great Britain or even Pattaya. It was just a swingers party brought to the media's attention by the cops.

Pattaya is what it is; you know it and everybody else knows it. I suggest you take the blue pill and have a good lie down. 

[Justfine]

14 minutes ago, cyberfarang said:

Last year I visited friends and families in England. One of my oldest friends, known him from school, told me that in Thailand, one is never more than 200 yards away from the nearest brothel, and he was describing the whole of Thailand, not just Pattaya, although he`s never visited Thailand.

 

But this is a general western perspective of the country, including that it`s dangerous, HIV and aids is rampant, disease ridden, and extremely backward, mainly contributed by exaggerated media reports and how Thailand has been portrayed in films and on the social media. Australia is the worse for spreading denigrate publicity about Thailand. 

 

This is a bad reputation that refuses to budge and doubt it will ever change in my lifetime.

Rubbish. Millions of western families visit Thailand many times and know what it's like.

 

Only a small minority think like your friend. Strange person to talk about a country he's never been to. Ironically there would be hookers or ex hookers living in his suburb.

 

 

[nausea]

Many Thais come to Pattaya for a weekend break. It's just basically what Brighton is to London. It might be a little naughty, but so what.

[gk10002000]

Yeah.  People are idiots, and usually the ones that never traveled make up the worse stuff.  The nutty miserable old neighbor next to my Mom's place here in the USA when he heard I had come back from Thailand, all that came out of his mouth was questions about kiddie sex.  Just amazing what people will latch on to.

[poanoi]

23 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

Yeah.  People are idiots, and usually the ones that never traveled make up the worse stuff.  The nutty miserable old neighbor next to my Mom's place here in the USA when he heard I had come back from Thailand, all that came out of his mouth was questions about kiddie sex.  Just amazing what people will latch on to.

i would tell him oral sex is legal in thailand,

and in all likelihood so is sex with a trout if one is so inclined

[gk10002000]

2 minutes ago, poanoi said:

i would tell him oral sex is legal in thailand,

and in all likelihood so is sex with a trout if one is so inclined

ha.  Its OK.  He has since passed.  He never got to experience a week or two of  relaxing and just hanging around Pattaya, walking here, walking there, stopping in for those foot massages,  sleeping in late, lounging in the hotel pool, eating just about anything from various restaurants, Thai food, Thai barbecue with that sauce in the place in Big C by the old dolphin round about, some pretty decent German food,  won't even mention a soapie massage,  strolling around Nong Nooch just admiring the peace and quiet and beauty.  Then enjoy a little night life, see some cuties gyrate at a go go, while having some drinks.  Picking up some mango with sticky rice on the walk home.  Enjoying the cool mornings maybe having the breakfast buffet at Lek or other semi outdoor places.  The guy supposedly had money but just stayed in his little townhouse and grumped.

[poanoi]

2 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

ha.  Its OK.  He has since passed.  He never got to experience a week or two of  relaxing and just hanging around Pattaya, walking here, walking there, stopping in for those foot massages,  sleeping in late, lounging in the hotel pool, eating just about anything from various restaurants, Thai food, Thai barbecue with that sauce in the place in Big C by the old dolphin round about, some pretty decent German food,  won't even mention a soapie massage,  strolling around Nong Nooch just admiring the peace and quiet and beauty.  Then enjoy a little night life, see some cuties gyrate at a go go, while having some drinks.  Picking up some mango with sticky rice on the walk home.  Enjoying the cool mornings maybe having the breakfast buffet at Lek or other semi outdoor places.  The guy supposedly had money but just stayed in his little townhouse and grumped.

i think the sauce was the isaan 'nam tchim tchaew' that has red onions

and some small green leaves innit, in addition to the usual suspects

like chili, fish sauce and whatever else it might contain

[tropo]

Swinging (sex) parties are common in all major cities around Australia. You could probably find a party every night of the week.

[Techno Viking]

Luckily they were not playing bridge or throwing a few darts around.

[Odysseus123]

A curious response from Rooster.

 

So the Aussie media beat it up?

 

Why not as the Thai police themselves went for the full publicity Monty.

[Get Real]

8 hours ago, darksidedog said:

Well done Rooster. I appreciate your efforts to stand up for Pattaya. Those of us who live here, know the reality and 95% or more of that printed in tabloids is garbage, miles from the mark.
However, on this occasion, you have to say that the cops really screwed up. As you say, this was just a bunch of swingers having an erotic night out with other like minded and consensual people. It is the cops who blew it out of proportion and the cops who released disgraceful video, showing the faces of naked people who were not subsequently charged with any crime. If Thailand wants to keep Pattaya out of the International news media for the wrong reasons, perhaps the cops and reporters might want to show a little more common sense and restraint, before releasing such sensational stories. Especially when they are essentially rubbish.

Sorry? 95%? You must be joking.

[Justfine]

4 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

Yeah.  People are idiots, and usually the ones that never traveled make up the worse stuff.  The nutty miserable old neighbor next to my Mom's place here in the USA when he heard I had come back from Thailand, all that came out of his mouth was questions about kiddie sex.  Just amazing what people will latch on to.

People talk about things that interest them. That neighbour should be a suspect.

[Thechook]

Yes it was in the Australian media but it was more laughing at the Thai authorities and the raid of the party.  It was more of a dig at Thailand on a whole where it is classed as the sex and slease capital of the world.  Sex being sold by thais on every corner and yet the raid tourists who were privately having sex amongst themselves.  It was the hypocrisy of thai authorities targeting foreigners for having sex whilst they allow thais to openly partake not a direct attack on Pattaya.

[Odysseus123]

1 hour ago, Thechook said:

Yes it was in the Australian media but it was more laughing at the Thai authorities and the raid of the party.  It was more of a dig at Thailand on a whole where it is classed as the sex and slease capital of the world.  Sex being sold by thais on every corner and yet the raid tourists who were privately having sex amongst themselves.  It was the hypocrisy of thai authorities targeting foreigners for having sex whilst they allow thais to openly partake not a direct attack on Pattaya.

That is how I read it.

 

I would also imagine that there will be even greater hypocrisy in the future and somebody has to have a good laugh at it.

 

It is Anzac day today so I am off to the march.

[Samui Bodoh]

What's the big deal? A stupid news story?

 

I'd be proud to live in a proclaimed "Sleazy den of sin".

 

Get some t-shirts printed up and adopt it as the city's newest slogan. Make a hat or two.

 

This is marketing gold!

 

Edited April 24, 2018 by Samui Bodoh

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

10 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Pattaya branded 'sleazy den of sin' in wake of orgy scandal - give Pattaya and the rest of us a break!

So would you take a stroll with you parents down Soi 6 in the evening? 

[Boon Mee]

What is the surprise ? 

Pattaya has basically gone that direction ever since it was an R&R center for the GI's. 

[Cats4ever]

Unfortunately News Corp (owned by Humble Rupert) and the OZ version of Daily Mail (online only) are scurrilous rags and feed sensationalism to their barely literate readers. We all know the problems the better press is having with falling advertising and readership due to online migration of many people. I agree that they will feed on this stuff and of course they won't check it out. Avoid them. I was in Pattaya a year ago, after an absence of 30 years or so, and noticed it is a lot bigger but still much as I expected it to be. You just have to choose what you want to do and risk assess it.

[champers]

11 minutes ago, Cats4ever said:

Unfortunately News Corp (owned by Humble Rupert) and the OZ version of Daily Mail (online only) are scurrilous rags and feed sensationalism to their barely literate readers. We all know the problems the better press is having with falling advertising and readership due to online migration of many people. I agree that they will feed on this stuff and of course they won't check it out. Avoid them. I was in Pattaya a year ago, after an absence of 30 years or so, and noticed it is a lot bigger but still much as I expected it to be. You just have to choose what you want to do and risk assess it.

News Corp now own The Nation group who have a stake in this forum.