'We don't know if we'll survive': Thailand sex workers left struggling as COVID-19 lockdown drags on

[Broken Record]

56 minutes ago, NanaSomchai said:

Complete rubbish, what you're referring to was true twenty years ago but it is no longer current.

 

It all comes down to education.

 

In my wife's village there are two houses from the same family right next to each other.

 

In one family the parents have bought all of their three kids some cheap Android smartphones, installed a WiFi router and let their kids staring at their smartphones nearly 24/7 so they don't have to teach them anything or take care of their kids; let alone educate them or teach them the basics manners on how to behave in society.

 

As a result; the kids grades are bad, their attitude are terrible, they consider their smartphones to be their best friends, they never leave the house anymore (plugged to the mains and in range of the WiFi router) they barely socialize with anyone anymore in the village.

 

Then in contrast; the other side of the family in the next house with 3 kids as well has in-house rules of "1 hour of smartphone per day and educational content only", these kids are going places; they spend a lot of time reading books both online and actual books, the old paper fashioned way; they have improved their school grades and now are a year in advance and about to skip a class.

 

Basically what I'm trying to say here is that it ALL comes down to education.

 

I have personally seen and met impoverished Thai families with both parents Father and Mother being quite happy sending their daughters to work in the adult industry in Bangkok or wherever knowing full well what it entailed and what their activities would be.

 

Once you have lived there for years and after having seen, heard and witnessed so much, you lose any pity for most of these families; they know exactly what they're doing, how they're doing it and why they are doing it the way they are.

 

I don't feel sorry for them anymore; ultimately YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW.

 

We are in the 2020's, the sex industry from places like Pattaya, Phuket, Patong, etc have been booming since the mid 80's, they all had 40 years to improve, change, evolve, grow out of the sex trade industry, reinvent themselves and so forth; what have they been doing since? Absolutely NOTHING.

 

Nothing will ever change in Thailand due to greed+lazyness+Buddhist mentality and should any change occur, it will take another 50 years for it to happen, neither you or I will be here to see any of the presumable changes.

 

As long as Fathers up in Issan will keep putting credits/loans/mortgages on the very little they have (usually land) so they can buy on credit/finance that new flashy Toyota Hilux 4x4 sub-SUV to brag/boast around in the village blasting lame folklore Thai music all day around instead of spending that money towards educating their kids sending them to a proper school in the nearest medium sized town then sending their kids to University; NOTHING WILL EVER CHANGE.

 

I'm done with being sorry for these Thai families, I'm done with being sorry for these Thai bar girls who have DELIBERATELY CHOSEN this career path instead of putting just a little effort in improving their lives.

Have you even been to Thailand ?

 

[shackleton]

Like quite a few Thai people they only  think about today and spend like no tomorrow

Same those in the Tourist industry ripping off people ie the Ski  boat scams ect 

Maybe in the coming years  they will think more wisely about their futures

And save for that rainy day????

[MrJ2U]

3 minutes ago, brianthainess said:

I've known a few in the past getting money from sponsors every month, but they preferred to stay in the bar partying with their friends every night and new customers, rather than go home to Mum and take care of their own kids.

They send most of that money home so the kids and parents can survive.

 

Many save enough over the years to build a descent house and may start a small business as they get older and less desirable.

 

Thats the way it works.

 

[Nanaplaza666]

2 hours ago, sezze said:

Most Thais only think today , and if they studied a littlebit maybe tomorrow also , but never 5 or 10y infront.

Not only Thais think like that but most of the worlds population , ok Thais maybe today and tomorrow and for most of the worlds population it's next week or the next two weeks .

[Nanaplaza666]

And this sex industry will only get bigger with more girls that will return to the areas when things will get back to normal , because they all will need to pay of their parrents' debts that have been made during this pandemic and there will be more families in debt then there have ever been  . There will be a lot more girls going into this business then ever before when tourists start to return . 

[Nicholas Paul KNIGHT]

In my youth I was jokingly told , Women if they so wish sit all day on a Gold Mine, but as there is Zero Prostitution IN THAILAND and it is illegal to operate a Bar which offers sex, then there is NO Problem. 

 

The only real sufferers are the RTP whose income has dropped dramatically. And the Brown envelope manufacturers, less requirement for their wares. 

Edited August 16, 2021 by Nicholas Paul KNIGHT
additiional input

[Walker88]

It's not so simple.

 

First, despite all the comments over the years that 'jobs are plentiful in booming Thailand', that is not reality. Hundreds of thousands of people could never get 'normal jobs', as virtually everything was saturated. (Go into a Tesco or Big C and see dozens of superfluous workers sitting in the aisles, chatting up their mates, occasionally re-stocking a shelf.) The bar/agogo industry was then there to absorb the excess....bargirls, wait staff, security, bartenders, etc.

 

Second, the consequences for one's behavior are in no way equal between the genders. One spontaneous romp in the hay between teenagers changes one life irrevocably but is less than a mosquito bite for the other. Only one gender gets pregnant.

 

A boy can father a child and never miss a day of school. If he's not a slacker, he can complete his education. A pregnant girl is often forced---by schools or her own/her family's 'face'---to drop out. Rarely do these females go back to school after the child is born (abortion is pretty rare in the provinces). There's also a new mouth to feed. These females are the prime candidates to head to Bangkok or Pattaya to do the few things their limited educations allows.

 

Some might find factory work, make 9000-12000 baht a month, but that may not be enough both to live and remit funds back to Isaan to care for the baby. Others get enticed by rumors of big money available working the agogos. It's not easy to understand for those of us never faced with such choices, but getting dressed up and made up, having disposable income, being able to go party with friends, and being told incessantly one is 'beautiful' seems glamorous to a female raised in the back of beyond in Isaan.

 

Yes, I'm sure that if that was my Birth Lottery Runner-up Prize, I would behave quite differently and make sure I completed my education, worked my tail off, and overcome the consequences of my spontaneous teenage behavior, then would have gone on to live a productive and noble life that did not put me in a position to let others ravage my body so that I could take care of my kid. /sarc

 

Actually, I wasn't born female to uneducated parents in rural Isaan, so I was way ahead of the game at birth, through no fault or effort of my own.

 

Where and how one materializes on Earth is random chance. On a spectrum of lucky to unlucky, it probably goes 'white male born in the West between 1950 and 1990' to 'female born in Afghanistan in the old or new Taliban Era'. If one were to place 'female born to uneducated parents in Isaan' on that spectrum, it would be a heck of a lot closer to the Afghan girl than the white Western male.

 

Yes, everyone plays the cards he or she is dealt, but it's a heck of a lot easier if one's hand isn't 7-high in various suits. It would take rare skill and drive to win the pot with that hand.

 

 

Edited August 16, 2021 by Walker88

[andersonat]

From Wikipedia:-

 

"The largest prostitution sector in Thailand is that which caters exclusively to Thai clients. It is many times larger than the sector accessible to Western tourists and it remains almost entirely hidden from view for the casual foreign visitor."

[Jiggo]

The Bar Girl scene died years ago, mainly freelancers in the clubs and online short times now, not the long term GFE bar fines anymore,  for a happy holiday just quickly time and look for the next John.  

[ChipButty]

9 minutes ago, andersonat said:

From Wikipedia:-

 

"The largest prostitution sector in Thailand is that which caters exclusively to Thai clients. It is many times larger than the sector accessible to Western tourists and it remains almost entirely hidden from view for the casual foreign visitor."

I would agree with that, over the years I've done a lot of driving around Thailand from the north to the south it's always more noticeable when driving at night when you can see the fairy lights in the jungle,

One area where many farang have driven through doing a visa run during the day is Sadao on the Malaysian boarder go back there at night the whole town is on the game, when it gets to 8 pm someone flips a switch and the whole town comes alight, ask any farang and they dont know.

I met some people who owned one of the biggest bars down there and they told me go and pay a visit I think I was the only farang in town that night, as we know it's Malaysia's back yard.

Hat Yai is as bad there is some massive night clubs hardly any farangs around,

[Bangkok Barry]

4 hours ago, hellohello123 said:

I didn't realise walking street was the only area on earth that had tourist numbers slashed due to the pandemic.....

 

 

Who wrote that? Who has even suggested that? The article certainly didn't say it, nor anyone in the comments above yours. It's from a publication about Asia, reporting on the situation in an Asian country. What else do you expect from it? For them to write about the situation in Brazil?

[The Cipher]

3 hours ago, sezze said:

Most Thais only think today , and if they studied a littlebit maybe tomorrow also , but never 5 or 10y infront.

I mean, you are right. But the irony of posting this message on this particular forum is not lost on me.

[fulhamster]

4 hours ago, wasabi said:

Sure wish I was there to help them one and all but the lax vax situation makes the go-gos a no go.

They're all shut

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

This makes me want to cry. This place used to generate income and build the future for so many people.”

All it did was keep people in the sex trade.. it did not build any future for anyone.

A real government with knowledgeable politicians create real work/job opportunities for their population.

All this did was keep certain people wealthy while the rest sold themselves on the streets.

 

 

[Pattaya Spotter]

Life's tough...they might have to get a job standing up.

[NanaSomchai]

12 minutes ago, hotchilli said:

All it did was keep people in the sex trade.. it did not build any future for anyone.

A real government with knowledgeable politicians create real work/job opportunities for their population.

All this did was keep certain people wealthy while the rest sold themselves on the streets.

 

 

This. 1000%.

[Kerryd]

As some have mentioned, few Thais put money away in the bank (for a rainy) day. 
When a new girl gets a job in a bar, the first paycheque often goes to her "sister" that got her the job, her share of the rent on the room she shares with 3-4 other girls and then on the "tramp stamp" tattoo.

Eventually she'll get her own place, a few more tattoos and send some money home to the parents (who are probably looking after her kids). After that she'll most likely spend, spend, spend and then hope that one of her friends has bought some food she can share.
Some of the smarter ones will work on building their own home but most will blow through their money as fast as they make it.

One girl I know is now feeding chickens at a poultry farm. When the bars shut she had her own place. Then she had to move in with a friend as she couldn't afford the rent. Then she couldn't afford to give her friend any money so she went back to her home village.
From Baccara gogo girl to Isaan chicken feeder in 1 short year.

Another friend is working in Germany. She saw an ad for a (used) Mercedes. She wanted to buy it and park it at my place. I told her to be smart and keep her money in the bank because she won't be back here (for good) for maybe 3-5 years (or more). What's the point of buying the car and having it just sit somewhere for years and years (as I certainly wasn't going to drive it). 
I told her to save her money so that when she does move back to Thailand she could buy a newer car probably for the same money (or less) and still have money in the bank.
Which she would need to start up a business and keep it running until it is able to start turning a regular profit.

She's learning, especially when covid shut down the place she was working and she had to live on her savings for a few months. She's also learned to say no to her Thai friends who keep hitting her up for money. (I love rubbing it in when I remind her that she used to do the same thing to me. Now it annoys her when her "friends" keep asking for more and more money - like she was some kind of ATM or something. It's hilarious when the sandal is on the other foot.)

Of course, a lot of them put their faith in fortune tellers and the lottery, so why save money when you know for a fact that "good fortune" is coming real soon now !
 

[sniggie]

2 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Just in case someone asks you: Drinking and getting drunk is part of that job, and lots of girls like it. In some bars they serve(d) tequila shots for free for the girls at the beginning of the night to bring them into the right mood. And its seems the girls loved it.

And, as it happened. I loved the ambiance of Gogo bars. Always happy to shell out for a few drinks even if I was not interested in any extras. I miss it too.  

[flyfrog]

Reading all these comments here looks they're all alter boys, never been in a go go or bar, never had sex with a bar girl, and its the girls fault they have no money to feed their families. Common guys stop playing the innocent????

[BobinBKK]

3 hours ago, BestB said:

Rentals 30%~50% cheaper, discounts on many services. Hookers double their prices and crying they do not have money ?

 

here is a thought charge half pre Covid prices and then you do not have to cry 

Yeah I'm not going to pay more just because their hungry and don't have any customers 555

[Broken Record]

1 hour ago, Jiggo said:

The Bar Girl scene died years ago, mainly freelancers in the clubs and online short times now, not the long term GFE bar fines anymore,  for a happy holiday just quickly time and look for the next John.  

Depends who you are, how old you are and your attitude and personal hygiene, I've seen the state of some of these old farts that go on Thaifriendly, say they are 45 and they were 30 years ago, many of the girls deserve a medal going with some of the cretins on TF, no wonder they want to get out as soon as possible, there's a reason for that.

 

Edited August 16, 2021 by Broken Record

[wprime]

1 hour ago, Nanaplaza666 said:

And this sex industry will only get bigger with more girls that will return to the areas when things will get back to normal , because they all will need to pay of their parrents' debts that have been made during this pandemic and there will be more families in debt then there have ever been  . There will be a lot more girls going into this business then ever before when tourists start to return . 

Yep, hard times bring on hard times.

[Broken Record]

10 minutes ago, flyfrog said:

Reading all these comments here looks they're all alter boys, never been in a go go or bar, never had sex with a bar girl, and its the girls fault they have no money to feed their families. Common guys stop playing the innocent????

ThaiVisa members generally never used bars and met their girlfriends or wives at the International Space Station (ISS) not the old ISS bar in Soi 6. ????

Of course most of it is a load of <deleted>, I used to manage a couple of Bars, Soi Yamoto and Soi 6, many of the Soi 6 girls met their future husbands there, as did Yamoto girls, and good luck to them. many Farangs live in denial and are ashamed of where they met, don't know why, it's life, and things happen.

I met my Missus at a Brain surgeons convention, just saying.

 

 

Edited August 16, 2021 by Broken Record

[rumak]

3 hours ago, kevin612 said:

12 years, she is too old now. She should have enough money by now.

If not,  maybe try advertising :   "Buy  one..... get one free "

[sammieuk1]

From what I have seen in Patong there are only the worn out left in business ???? 

[toofarnorth]

3 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Im sure lots of these bar girls would do well in 7/11 given their language skills and powers of negotiations but the requirements from 7/11  for a shop assistant is set to high for a bar girl, most of them

Now here's a thought . These out of work gals should club together and make an 8/11 .  All share the rent of a shop house , locals could shop there and make arrangements for after 11.

Raining here all day , all night and the town is under water , the OP pic looks like a good place to put ones face on such a foul day !

[xylophone]

13 minutes ago, sammieuk1 said:

From what I have seen in Patong there are only the worn out left in business ???? 

Far fewer "working girls" around at the moment BUT have seen some absolute stunners accompanying farangs around Patong. Maybe girls from "online" and Bkk who have managed to sneak in??

[Paul Kernell]

5 hours ago, sezze said:

Sure there are online spots , and some will earn good cash , but most will not . And online isn't at all the same like real , if you think so , there was no reason at all for them to exist last 20 years , plenty of free porn on the internet . "But i pay for internet porn " , ok good for you , paying content imho only matters if you have the option to meet the girl , but who am i to judge , let the public decide . They won't get any money from me , and i think that goes for the most of the people.

Correct. At many Pattaya venues the bar girls have been more interested in their phones than customers over the past 5 years. Many just say "buy me a drink" with a face like thunder, the answer is " no, speak first like hello sexy man" they just go and play on their phones, " yes" and they sit by you with a face like thunder and play on their phones! They wonder where all the customers have gone and the low income.

With the exchange rate so low post Brexit and the Covids the past 18 months, I doubt it will survive. The experienced ones with sponsors will survive until they get found out, the rest will have to work for a living.

[WISteve]

1 hour ago, gk10012001 said:

I would add not just the genetic lottery, but a decent environment.  Maybe a stable home, good educational neighborhood and opportunity, some good friends or associates around, etc.

That sounds pretty Ozzie & Harriet to me, hahaha.

    Some of us grew-up poor white trash in rural America with a single parent who was more interested in where the next bottle was coming from than the education of the seven kids. Didn't stop most of us with five of us getting college degrees working part time during the school year/full time in the summer while attending a state university.

 

   I have nothing but respect for the ladies who work a few weeks in the bar between terms or take a semester off to finance their education.  But twelve years in the bar is just a poor career choice; a life full of addictions with no light at the end of the tunnel.  The young pretties can always find someone who will finance them but the smart ones don't hang around very long.  The ladies who stay too long will eventually go back home too but with a closet full of old clothes and a heart full of broken promises.  Some will view this drastic downturn as an opportunity to learn other skills that will support them in their later years.  The writer of the original article didn't bother to follow others who make the choice to get out of the trade and do something positive with their lives.

[BritManToo]

Just now, Paul Kernell said:

At many Pattaya venues the bar girls have been more interested in their phones than customers over the past 5 years. Many just say "buy me a drink" with a face like thunder, the answer is " no, speak first like hello sexy man" they just go and play on their phones, " yes" and they sit by you with a face like thunder and play on their phones!

I've never experienced that ........ maybe it's you?