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

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, NanaSomchai said:

I don't recall ever anyone building a 7+ bedrooms mansion with a king sized swimming pool, let alone build an empire or becoming the next Elon Musk or the next Jeff Bezos, by stuffing someone else's genitals in their face/in their private intimate parts for a decade or two, ever.

Sasha Grey is worth $3 million, according to google. That's enough for a nice house.

[RocketDog]

7 hours ago, NanaSomchai said:

Pay them for sex, have a good time and move on. Most of these girls are sex addicts, alcohol addicts, have mental issues and are "damaged" beyond repair anyway.

No question that some of their customers are the same.

I've certainly met a few.

 

My mother used to say that "life has a way of grinding you down".

My edges have definitely been rounded a bit too. I like to think of it as 'polishing'. ????

[Mavideol]

13 hours ago, webfact said:

“It’s so depressing,” said Anna, who is known along the Walking Street by her moniker. 

hope you and your friends learn something from these slow times and IF and When things go back to a new normal all of you will have a better attitude, lesser scams and pay more attention to the customers instead of playing around with the last model of iphones.... hope you and your friends also learn a new word ""SAVINGS"", think about tomorrow

[itsari]

10 hours ago, Mickeymaus said:

"There is hardly any sign of life on the Walking Street. This makes me want to cry. This place used to generate income and build the future for so many people.”" 

 

This is exactly the problem. That girls like you see this as a future...

I agree , 7/11 would be a great alternative . Oh that is not easy either as many are closed  

[NanaSomchai]

10 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Sasha Grey is worth $3 million, according to google. That's enough for a nice house.

Sure enough, the next time you see Sasha Grey on the filthy side of Pattaya’s beach road haggling tourists walking by screaming “welcooooome sexy man!”, please call me.

 

Until then I’ll call your “argument” a moot point.

 

Regardless we all can conclude that Thailand is done for, the damage has ran its course, there now are far cheaper and far better destinations for those who wish to engage in pay for play activities.

 

To be clear, I don’t blame any of the men who do… I used to be one of them and that was 12 years ago…

[Zikomat]

9 hours ago, nausea said:

I guess the real tragedy for these girls is the loss of prime income generating time. No doubt others will replace them if the scene should return, and income disparity in Thailand remain such as it is, but for them personally, they're lost years. As for online stuff replacing the scene, I don't see it. The Pattaya, Sukhumvit soi 4, soi Cowboy, Bangla, etc., "Hangover" style experience, was a  package, with partying and real personal contact being an essential part, for both the customers and the girls, giving your average western bloke and Thai girl a taste of the "playboy" lifestyle, usually reserved for the very rich or beautiful.

  Let's not forget about the alcohol-related revenues not available for the hookers online. It took me some time to understand that Pattaya and Nana plaza experience is actually about an alcohol binge drinking stimulated by the presence of the half naked and sexually provocative girls. Tons of money is made by the girls just by selling dozens of 150-200 THB drinks per night. I don't have the exact numbers but my guess is that at least 70% of the revenues of Pattaya, Cowboy Nana plaza bars is generated by alcohol related sales of which working girls get a significant chunk (depending on their individual talents).

 So when some Pattaya girls says that she is missing the "times before" - most often she is actually missing those magic whiskey and beer glasses which she was able to sell in hundreds, each at a price of five big beer bottles in 7/11. And definitely not the romantic times with the exotic foreigners from all over the world, as some may mistakenly assume.

 

 

Edited August 16, 2021 by Zikomat

[NanaSomchai]

3 minutes ago, RocketDog said:

My edges have definitely been rounded a bit too. I like to think of it as 'polishing'. ????

I call it ‘massaging’, but to each their own.

[Thingamabob]

43 minutes ago, The Cipher said:

Out of curiosity did they explain why they married girls they met in that industry, or the attributes that they thought made their bargirl a good life partner?

 

Not even really judging. Just curious since the thought process is pretty hard for me to wrap my head around.

Many have made happy marriages. Your ignorance is astounding.

[Broken Record]

3 hours ago, BobinBKK said:

Can I adopt one of the girls for the time being and keep her in my condo?

ThaiVisa members would never ever do anything like that.

[NanaSomchai]

1 minute ago, Thingamabob said:

Many have made happy marriages. Your ignorance is astounding.

It would appear he asked a legitimate question.

 

So there’s really no reason to be so aggressive and so negative about it.

 

Your post/reply/answer brought nothing to the table and serves no purpose as far as I can tell.

[thaibeachlovers]

Just now, NanaSomchai said:

Regardless we all can conclude that Thailand is done for, the damage has ran its course, there now are far cheaper and far better destinations for those who wish to engage in pay for play activities.

Cheaper and far better? Why were they kept a secret from me all these years?

I was fooled into going to Sri Lanka- worst holiday of my life, bar none.

Cyprus also has a bar scene, but nowhere near as affordable as Thailand, and not nice at all.

Singapore had ( ?has ) legal brothels, but one had to be seriously desperate to use them.

London and Ireland have something going on, but nothing compared to Thailand.

NZ has legal brothels, but nothing would entice me into one

 

I'm sure there are better places, and cheaper places, but better AND cheaper?

[NanaSomchai]

1 minute ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Cheaper and far better? Why were they kept a secret from me all these years?

I was fooled into going to Sri Lanka- worst holiday of my life, bar none.

Cyprus also has a bar scene, but nowhere near as affordable as Thailand, and not nice at all.

Singapore had ( ?has ) legal brothels, but one had to be seriously desperate to use them.

London and Ireland have something going on, but nothing compared to Thailand.

NZ has legal brothels, but nothing would entice me into one

 

I'm sure there are better places, and cheaper places, but better AND cheaper?

Nicosia, CY. Limassol, CY. Marrakesh, MA. Da Nang, VN.

 

There used to be Savanakhet but the Chinese ransacked it a few years ago, effectively destroying the foreigner oriented bar scene.

[Mavideol]

52 minutes ago, The Cipher said:

Out of curiosity did they explain why they married girls they met in that industry, or the attributes that they thought made their bargirl a good life partner?

 

Not even really judging. Just curious since the thought process is pretty hard for me to wrap my head around.

did you ever heard the expression "they were thinking using the wrong head"..... it is what it is, who are we to judge ""one's cup of tea""

[Whale]

3 hours ago, chicowoodduck said:

Spare me the crying tissues....the place is dead from the next up and will NEVER EVER recover....end of story

Sadly IMHO, it will recover. There are enough sex tourists and enough Thai girls willing to enter the industry that it will surely recover as soon as travel gets easier.

 

[Airalee]

23 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I think there is something profound in that song, but blowed if I can work out what. Perhaps you can explain it for me ( ?us ).

First, I have no judgement for or against the “scene”…I’ve just come to the realization over the years that it’s not for me.  I have had many interesting conversations with bargirls in my time here and when they know you’re not a potential customer, yet don’t judge them for what they do, they tend to open up.
 

That being said, when I stand back and look at the women working, when they aren’t with a customer, they have hollow eyes.  Many want to find love and security (financial and otherwise) but the cost of doing so is more than just selling their body.  With each customer, they sell a little of their soul too.  It’s a dark life.  Many feel that it’s just the way things are….perhaps their karmic fate.  No blame, no judgement…it is what it is.

 

Will they find love?  If they do, can they truly feel it?  
 

Dream on.

[NanaSomchai]

24 minutes ago, Zikomat said:

  Let's not forget about the alcohol-related revenues not available for the hookers online. It took me some time to understand that Pattaya and Nana plaza experience is actually about an alcohol binge drinking stimulated by the presence of the half naked and sexually provocative girls. Tons of money is made by the girls just by selling dozens of 150-200 THB drinks per night. I don't have the exact numbers but my guess is that at least 70% of the revenues of Pattaya, Cowboy Nana plaza bars is generated by alcohol related sales of which working girls get a significant chunk (depending on their individual talents).

 So when some Pattaya girls says that she is missing the "times before" - most often she is actually missing those magic whiskey and beer glasses which she was able to sell in hundreds, each at a price of five big beer bottles in 7/11. And definitely not the romantic times with the exotic foreigners from all over the world, as some may mistakenly assume.

 

 

That is one of the reasons why I don’t pity them, many of these bar girls were getting drunk (for free mind you), going on an alcohol binge paid by the customers (that’s us!) on a nightly basis, doing bars snooker tournaments, even playing blindfolded darts competitions, partying like there’s no tomorrow while getting paid for it

 

And I’m not even mentioning the constant buffets parties thrown every month or so whenever it was a bar girl’s birthday party.

 

Trust me they are not to be pitied at all, they had a good time, most of the time and now they’re back to work in the rice fields or carrying rocks 8 hours a day under a boiling sun in the middle of Sakhon Nowhere.

 

THAT is precisely what they are complaining about. Nothing else.

 

There’s no more tourists to fleece, no more foreigners to take advantage of, no more sick buffaloes stories to tell.

 

They just want an easy way back to their previous antics, scamming foreigners and tourists just as they used to, it is when facing adversity that the human mind takes the path of least resistance.

 

For most of them it meant: Being active in the sex trade industry and mug tourists at the first chance they get.

 

This is Thailand.

Edited August 16, 2021 by NanaSomchai

[RocketDog]

11 minutes ago, Broken Record said:

ThaiVisa members would never ever do anything like that.

Undoubtedly true, but it would be naive to believe that all expats here are as virtuous as TVF members are.

While we are content to spend our days bloviating behind a keyboard, more corrupt expats are roaming the countryside wreaking havoc and deflowering innocent young women.

Shocking but true.

[Mike Teavee]

... Reply Deleted...

 

I'm out of this thread, tired of reading posts from people throwing stones from the comfort of their greenhouses who have no idea  just how bad things are here at the moment...

 

 

 

Edited August 16, 2021 by Mike Teavee

[A1Str8]

10 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.

Most can earn huge amounts. It just takes determination. 

 

[toston]

Just check Thaifriendly and Tinder and you will find how to survive ????

 

[Jiggo]

6 hours ago, Broken Record said:

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.

 

Got one booked for later...must remember too wash me privates lol

Edited August 16, 2021 by Jiggo

[The Cipher]

1 hour ago, Thingamabob said:

Your ignorance is astounding.

Well I did say that I'm having trouble squaring the circle of understanding. Hence the question.

 

Can't address ignorance without information gathering ????‍♂️.

[vandeventer]

15 hours ago, A1Str8 said:

I don't see the problem. Everything is moving online anyway. 

Including prostitution. Just get the clients online. More money in your pockets. Less hassle. Improved schedule. 

Webcam with the suckers overseas. Have onlyfans. If these ex bar girls have some brains soon enough they will start making so much money they will giggle at their old workplace and salary. 

If you are talking about phone sex they need to speak better English .

[Dont confuse me]

3 hours ago, brewsterbudgen said:

Aspects of prostitution are illegal in Thailand but paying for sexual services isn't.

Perhaps you can drop a line to Websters/ Oxford/ dictionaries because it appears there's some confusion in the definition! 

They appear to think that paying for serial services constitutes prostitution! 

I'm sure they will welcome your input. ????

[Mickeymaus]

3 minutes ago, Dont confuse me said:

Perhaps you can drop a line to Websters/ Oxford/ dictionaries because it appears there's some confusion in the definition! 

They appear to think that paying for serial services constitutes prostitution! 

I'm sure they will welcome your input. ????

My clear input is here. There is no prostitution. Can so many people be wrong? 

 

https://thethaiger.com/news/pattaya/phew-no-prostitutes-in-pattayas-walking-street-police

[Sparktrader]

9 hours ago, JWRC said:

There is something not "right" about this post because we have been told there is not a sex trade in Pattaya, whose telling porky's?

iIlegal

[brewsterbudgen]

5 minutes ago, Dont confuse me said:

Perhaps you can drop a line to Websters/ Oxford/ dictionaries because it appears there's some confusion in the definition! 

They appear to think that paying for serial services constitutes prostitution! 

I'm sure they will welcome your input. ????

I'm aware of the definition; I was just clarifying the legal situation regarding prostitution in Thailand.  Like in the UK, the actual act of paying someone for sexual services is not illegal in Thailand, unless the provider is underage, coerced, or it takes place in a brothel etc.  It's why the barfine system was introduced.  No money for "services" should be exchanged until the client and provider are somewhere private.  So technically prostitution is not illegal in Thailand, although many aspects surrounding it are.  Hope this helps.

[scubascuba3]

Met a girl today, lost her phone had to buy a junk second hand one because she sends all her money home for baby and family bills.

 

Another girl two days ago family business has gone bust so no job, 80 baht left and family can't support anymore, doesn't know what to do, must be millions like that

[gk10012001]

5 hours ago, WISteve said:

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.

Yes I agree.  I was kind of ozzie and Harriet.  Born in 57.  My intent was that the odds favor certain things.  If one is born into Kensington Avenue in Philadelphia, PA to a drug mom, well...  Few parents know what they are doing when they raise kids.  With luck, the parents will eat well, make the kids somewhat aware of physical fitness.  Keep books around the house to stimulate curiosity.  Maybe picture books of dinosaurs, butterflies changing from eggs, to larva to cacoons then beautiful adults, leave a big dictionary out somewhere.  I remember growing up and on days when it was raining or snowing outside I would browse the book case where my parents had some books.  A round of golf with Tommy Armour was a great read because it discussed thinking and strategy on a golf course.  To me, that was eye opening, not just because it helped a golf game, but because it even had the words strategy and the idea of how planning can increase the odds of better things happening.  Some history books, some geography or world Atlas books.  Some travel books.  Many other topics.  Anything except Smurf cartoons, mindless MTV reality shows or the Thai equivalents.  Play board games that require some thinking.  I remember playing Gin with my grandfather and he wallopped my ass as he would knock and I would have like 40 points in my hand.  I was about 12.  Sadly in Asia cards usually mean gambling but we did not gamble.  we later played cribbage in junior high and high school.  Fun game.  We just played to win.  Never gambled or even considered it.  The idea is to try an steer your kids towards something.  Make them curious.  Of course they may learn things and ideas you do not like!  They may reject Christianity and prefer a mild Buddhism.  They may decide to go vegetarian and no longer eat the meat meal you slaved to prepare.  And a myriad other things they may end up trying or doing.  Confucious saying "Do unto others as your would have them do unto you".  Try to teach fair play.  Sadly if the kid is bullied they may not turn the other cheek and instead will become bullies.  Anyway, I love Thailand.  I miss Thailand.  I have been 15 times since 2004 and I am ready and able to semi retire there as I am done working.  Just waiting a bit more to see how the country handles COVIDs and travelers

[ChipButty]

19 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Met a girl today, lost her phone had to buy a junk second hand one because she sends all her money home for baby and family bills.

 

Another girl two days ago family business has gone bust so no job, 80 baht left and family can't support anymore, doesn't know what to do, must be millions like that

One the other day on WE CHAT needed 400 baht to pay her water bill