Sex Workers Arrested In Chaing Mai

[george]

Sex workers arrested

CHIANG MAI: -- Chiang Mai police officers have started to round up prostitutes from the Tha Pae Gate area, who have been using the neighbourhood as a base to troll for customers, especially foreigners.

On the evening of May 19, police officers went down to Tha Pae Gate, considered by many as the city's centre, and arrested 13 people, charging them with prostitution. Police discovered that 10 of them were transvestites, while only three were women.

Loi Kroh and Kampaengdin roads are also known as places where prostitutes tout for customers. Since many guesthouses, restaurants and also the Chiang Mai Night Market are located in this area, there are usually many foreign tourists. An officer said police had received many complaints about the prostitutes at Tha Pae Gate, a cultural and tourist attraction.

He also said that if anyone has information about the area being used for the sex trade, they should inform police immediately before the area's reputation is tarnished.

--The Nation 2004-05-22

[lamphun]

The bit about informing the cops if you see any hookers at Thapae Gate is a hoot. There's a police post at the gate, it's been there for years. Hookers seem to have been there late at night for years as well. Instead of asking the public for information why not ask their own officers.

[Ajarn]

The bit about informing the cops if you see any hookers at Thapae Gate is a hoot. There's a police post at the gate, it's been there for years. Hookers seem to have been there late at night for years as well. Instead of asking the public for information why not ask their own officers.

Every night I've driven by, starting at about eleven, I always see a large contingent of cops massing for shift change(?) military style, right at the vehicle entrance to the gate promenade....All the katoey's, and whatever, are all around them, carrying on as usual. The cops are massed for quite awhile before breaking up and heading in all directions

Many of the others hanging out in the shadows are glue-sniffers and yaa baa dealers, most of whom are surely known to the cops sitting 20 meters away. Quite a few sad cases there. Never saw anyone cause any problems for others.

The katoeys are a quite a scene all around the gate area. They love to stand in the street, showing off, dreaming that passing people are viewing them as woman...Quite the cartoon character, many of them. Reminds me of the Katoey with the parasol and fancy dress (he seemed to favor yellow, as I recall) that used to wander around downtown...

[Maejo Man]

Sex workers arrested

CHIANG MAI: -- Chiang Mai police officers have started to round up prostitutes from the Tha Pae Gate area, who have been using the neighbourhood as a base to troll for customers, especially foreigners.

He also said that if anyone has information about the area being used for the sex trade, they should inform police immediately before the area's reputation is tarnished.

--The Nation 2004-05-22

What an utter hoot The joke of the whole matter is the fact that the police are seen regularly in their company, usually scabbing cigarettes off them as a way of letting them carry on their business.

The irony is, as someone pointed out, the main police box for Thapae Gate area, is only metres away from where they operate

Why don't the boys in brown find proper work to do, like catching real criminals. Like finding the pricks who burgled my house!!

[ovenman]

Must be that some contingent of poo-yai will be rolling through the Thapae Gate area late one evening in the not-too-distant future...

[Johpa]

On the evening of May 19, police officers went down to Tha Pae Gate, considered by many as the city's centre, and arrested 13 people, charging them with prostitution. Police discovered that 10 of them were transvestites, while only three were women.

I believe the person writing the news article made an error due to poor command of the English language. I believe the correct text read:

"On the evening of May 19, police officers from the police booth at Tha Pae Gate, prodded to actually perform police duties by their superiors for the first time in nearly half a century, arrested 13 people, charging them with prostitution. Police discovered to their astonishment that there were three real women in the group. Said Sgt Poontang Bulshidalotta: " I have been stationed here for over 20 years and I never once suspected there were any real women working Thapae Gate." Counseling is now being provided to some police officers who have concerns that over the past few years they may have unwittingly engaged in acts of heterosexual behavior. "

[sabaijai]

So how did the police know they were offering sex for money? They just rolled up in uniform and asked them, I suppose.

It has nothing to do with prostitution, which is no longer a prosecutable offense in Thailand (ref below), they're just trying to make CM look squeaky clean for the mobile cabinet meeting this week.

Prostitution in Thailand was effectively decriminalised by the Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act of 1996, which made it illegal to arrest sex workers. The event was widely reported by the Thai newspapers throughout Dec '96. According to a Bangkok Post investigation, no person in Thailand has been arrested for the crime of prostitution since 1992.

As Thailand's delegate to the UN's Commission on Population and Development stated in 2000:

SUWANNA WARAKAMIN (Thailand) said that while her country had routinely addressed issues of gender equality and violence against women, it had also given specific attention to women’s economic empowerment and their right to equitable access to health and education. The Thai Constitution of 1997 had clearly stipulated gender equality and within its tenets were laws that would ensure equal opportunities for women and men, as well as addressing women’s rights.

She went on to say that the laws to address prostitution and trafficking of women and children had been revised to decriminalize the victims of trafficking. Investigation procedures and techniques had also been improved to become more child- and woman-friendly. At the regional level, a memorandum of understanding between countries in the Mekong subregion marked a new chapter in cooperation by identifying policies aimed at counteracting this transboundary crime.

http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2000/200...pop762.doc.html

--

Not that any of this means a thing, as the Thai police are the law unto themselves unless someone higher up takes exception, a rare occurrence needless to say.

[sabaijai]

Should have written "According to a Bangkok Post investigation, no person in Thailand has been *arraigned* for the crime of prostitution since 1992," as it's obvious police can arrest anyone for prostitution (or any other crime they may wish to name) at any time, and for any reason.

[p1p]

Do not be fooled by these Katoeys airs and graces. They can be extremely dangerous.

Three years ago, in front of 7/11 at 6:30am I was attacked by three of them and stabbed in the leg with a hypodermic syringe. I went through over six months of fear and had to pay considerable amounts for prophylactic treatment in case of HIV. The anti-retroviral drugs also made me extremely unwell.

The attack was totally unprovoked.

On reporting the attack to the police I was bluntly told they could not accept the report because it would look bad to tourists!

Treat the katoeys with extreme caution.

[cutethaigirl]

this is just to hilarious to even dream about!

Will try not to do that. Perhaps with the wet weather coming up the Police could offer 'them' some shelter?

Unreal!

CT

[maerim]

Do not be fooled by these Katoeys airs and graces. They can be extremely dangerous.

Three years ago, in front of 7/11 at 6:30am I was attacked by three of them and stabbed in the leg with a hypodermic syringe. I went through over six months of fear and had to pay considerable amounts for prophylactic treatment in case of HIV. The anti-retroviral drugs also made me extremely unwell.

The attack was totally unprovoked.

On reporting the attack to the police I was bluntly told they could not accept the report because it would look bad to tourists!

Treat the katoeys with extreme caution.

this is just to hilarious to even dream about!

Wow and I though I had an odd sense of humour.

A word of advice,when you pull the wings and legs off flies always leave one leg on otherwise you won't know if they are dead or not.

[KevinN]

maerim;;What were you doing to piss em off so bad that they jumped you? Must have been some heavy duty dissing.

[maerim]

maerim;;What were you doing to piss em off so bad that they jumped you? Must have been some heavy duty dissing.

Not me, p1p got the treatment.

[cutethaigirl]

maerim;;What were you doing to piss em off so bad that they jumped you? Must have been some heavy duty dissing.

A willy check???

[dr_Pat_Pong]

maerim;;What were you doing to piss em off so bad that they jumped you? Must have been some heavy duty dissing.

A willy check???

He was harmlessly chanting mine is bigger than yours at the time. So they pricked him

[maerim]

CRACKDOWN ON THA PAE GATE PROSTITUTES

If the vast majority of those arrested were katoey's is the above statement a bit of a Freudian slip?

As in lady pilot who flies upside down is bound to have crack up.

[KevinN]

prostitution is prostitution,,be it man,woman or THING,still counts the same.

some guy selling to women,,some women selling to men,and then I hear about the queers being prostitutes,and have no idea what they do.

If the guys wanting to pay for women and the women wanting to pay for guys would get together then a lot of money could be saved,profit to pimps cut down and everyone would just have a ###### of a time.

maerim,,sorry about the mistake,it was p1p wanting a willy check I guess

[Khun Larry]

He also said that if anyone has information about the area being used for the sex trade, they should inform police immediately before the area's reputation is tarnished.

What reputation could this guy be talking about.

Thailand is a great place. But for reputatin, sex trade must surely be very high on any responsible list.

[chanchao]

> Many of the others hanging out in the shadows are glue-sniffers and

> yaa baa dealers, most of whom are surely known to the cops sitting

> 20 meters away. Last winter, I used to periodicaly bring cases of

> oranges and hot tea to Thapae gate because I felt sorry for them

> in the cold.

That's so heart warming to see a local foreign resident take to the plight of the boys in brown during the cold winter months!! Many people just don't know that VERY few police booths have any kind of heating!

Cheers,

Chanchao

[meadish_sweetball]

The word among the Thais is to be very careful of khatoey prostitutes. P1p's incident is not the only violent or unfortunate one I have heard about (I hope unprovoked violence is still not too common though). The undercover cops on Silom warn foreigners about them as well (different city, same problem). The classic is putting knockout powder on the nipples and rob the customer once he's groggy. It's happened a few times in CM as well.

[cutethaigirl]

Chanchao I think Ajaarn was feeding the others in the story not the guys in brown?

CT

[Ajarn]

Chanchao  I think Ajarn was feeding the others in the story not the guys in brown?

CT

Yep, I'm sure the cops can take care of themselves without any support from me

And p1p's advice is sound, I think. Many of the katoeys have other screws loose, and can be dangerous, especially in groups.

[polecat]

Well, I enjoyed the 'crackdown' pun even if no one else did.

What occurs to me is that if they really wanted to 'clean up' the area, they could do worse than starting with the two go-go bars either side of the gate. The only difference between the workers in there and around the Gte is that the Spotties and Cosies stay warm while hawking.

btw I was mugged by a katoey gang several years ago in the 'Kok. Vicious bastards. Don't mess. Repeat after me "Here's my money, you look very beautiful and feminine."

[Ajarn]

Vicious bastards. Don't mess. Repeat after me "Here's my money, you look very beautiful and feminine."

Somehow, 'Bitches' stills seems more appropriate than 'Bastards', in this case...

[cutethaigirl]

POLECAT::The only difference between the workers in there and around the Gte is that the Spotties and Cosies stay warm while hawking.

Think a rather fundamental difference is that 500 baht i believe commonly known as a 'bar fine' changes hands. I also believe that this goes to the likely foreign owner of the establishment??

May one assume that a percentage goes towards the supporting of the officials of law enforcement??

CT

[chanchao]

> Chanchao I think Ajaarn was feeding the others in the story

> not the guys in brown?

Jing rue.......? Sorry for the attempt at humour... Not the greatest joke in the world, but I thought it was pretty obvious I was joking about this... (As in: I didn't actually think Ajarn went around serving tea to needy cops because Thai police booths don't have heating... )

[polecat]

Aye, this 'bar fine' is truly a difference. Would you rather the money went to a dodgy Thai than a dodgy foreigner? Not too many of the go-gos are actually owned by foreigners - so I've heard, allegedly, er..apparently.

[maerim]

Well, I enjoyed the 'crackdown' pun even if no one else did.

The cheques in the post.

[lamphun]

Well, I enjoyed the 'crackdown' pun even if no one else did.

The cheques in the post.

Would that be the police post at Thapae Gate ?

[cutethaigirl]

could be the 'post' mortem the way this thread is going