Thai sex workers call for billion-dollar industry to be recognised

[webfact]

Sex workers are unable to access any of the Thai government's unemployment benefits due to their work being illegal.(ABC News: Mark Dobbin)

 

By South-East Asia correspondent Mazoe Ford and Supattra Vimonsuknopparat in Pattaya, Thailand 

 

It is hard to imagine, but Pattaya's near-deserted "Walking Street" used to teem with revellers, as pulsating music filled the air and neon lights flashed until the early hours.

 

Before the pandemic, the coastal city south-east of Bangkok was a buzzing party scene, and was once described by the Lonely Planet travel guidebook as "an eye-popping sensory explosion".

 

Today, bar stools sit atop dusty tables, the odd light bulb flickers and "For Rent" signs hang on bars, nightclubs and restaurants up and down the infamous red light district.

 

Crowds of tourists from all over the world have vanished – the only people around are a few locals heading home before the COVID-19 curfew kicks in. For 42-year-old sex worker Dao, Pattaya has never looked this depressing.

 

"Pattaya was a 'never sleep city'. There used to be so many people here, there was almost no space to stand," Dao told the ABC. "Now it is so quiet, it is lonely and quiet."

 

Full story: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-12/why-thailand-s-sex-workers-want-the-industry-legalised/100556522

 

-- © Copyright ABC NEWS 2021-11-12

 

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[OneMoreFarang]

Next thing someone will suggest to make gambling, like playing cards, legal.

Can't do that! Thais are good people! They don't gamble, would never pay for sex, etc. ???? 

And someone should think about all those police officers. Imagine they had no reason to collect some extra money to look the other way... 

[ezzra]

Ahh.. Thai sex workers, a faded memories of them when the good times were abundantly a to be found everywhere and those lovelies ladies were a huge magnet to any entertainment place and a giant draw of male tourism... ( I know i was one )

[RJRS1301]

I was listening to an ABC (Australia) morning program today and there was a news item and interview about this .

 

[kevin612]

When pandemic is over, walking street will be back to Normal. Cheers.

[Willy Wombat]

Sex workers.

Thailand no hab

Khap

[BangkokReady]

27 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

For 42-year-old sex worker Dao....(no thanks...)

Yes.  Not wishing to be rude, but she appears to be not particularly attractive.  Older and quite fat.  I wonder how she competes with the twenty something slim and cute girls.  Must have very low prices.

 

Good luck to her though.

[BritManToo]

7 minutes ago, Sticky Rice Balls said:

unless they find some desperate grandpa

I wasn't all that desperate!

And am completely happy with my purchase.

I'm not sure why you would think 'stuck in that line of work forever' either.

Edited November 12, 2021 by BritManToo

[bkk6060]

I am having as much, if not more fun now online my plan is to not visit any of these male entertainment venues in the future.

[NoNameAtAll]

As if they don't get customers from Thai dating sites. I know someone who is picking up sex workers from that and in that case they can edit their photos to attract customers lol.

[mikebell]

41 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

Yes.  Not wishing to be rude, but she appears to be not particularly attractive.  Older and quite fat.  I wonder how she competes with the twenty something slim and cute girls.  Must have very low prices.

 

Good luck to her though.

With less competition around at the moment she could do better than she did pre-pandemic.

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, ezzra said:

Ahh.. Thai sex workers, a faded memories of them when the good times were abundantly a to be found everywhere and those lovelies ladies were a huge magnet to any entertainment place and a giant draw of male tourism... ( I know i was one )

Are the faded memories from years ago or yesterday? There are still lots of ladies in the streets - even if the bars are closed.

[JeffersLos]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

42-year-old sex worker... The mother-of-five

Ewwwww.

 

 

Edited November 12, 2021 by JeffersLos

[Rimmer]

Troll post removed

[asiasurfer]

Ah, finally someone gets the numbers right. Yes, of course it's a billion dollar industry by so many aspects! And the government is shooting itself in the foot by not recognizing it. In other countries, sex workers are part of the "regular population". They pay taxes and can claim benefits. Still too rare in this world. Unfortunately. 

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

Of course, upon first getting here I was thinking with the smaller head, and went after the younger, skinnier ones. Both "professionals" and regular dating. I wasted a lot of time and money, got some occasional fun in return, though it really wasn't proportional.

 

Their attitudes and maturity are atrocious. Even at 25-30 many still are essentialy children. From an early age they get used to getting more attention than others, then upon entering "the industry", having money thrown at them. This has tremendous psychological effect resulting in not wanting to do real work, nor form real relationships, nor give back real affection. Though there are those occasional, fortunate exceptions, those who've lucked out with a bar girl will tell you.

 

I noticed this following my arrival in the LOS, now again with the returned bar girls in my village. Some have made the most of the situation, helping their families, selling food in the markets, or providing online "entertainment". Yet others just can't stand the predicament they're now in, entitled princesses stripped of their rank. "Oh, where are my loyal subjects?" they wonder, as they stomp around the moo ban, growing and scowling, barkling complaints at their dear grandparents, who still dutifully hand them a few baht in change. I can't believe the effort they spend in making things so unpleasant, which could just as well do otherwise. I can see clearly now the nightmares some farangs end up with.

 

But now it's harvest time, and so they're dragged by their parents, who they had at one time disowned and thought they had burnt bridges with, out to the fields to cut rice. The look on the weary old farmer's face as she reluctantly hops into the saleng says it all, "It's this or back to Sukhumvit". Som nam na.

 

So after those first few, largely unfulfilling months of young pretties, I then broadened my horizons. I noticed those older, chunkier ones off to the sidelines, the ones who don't get as much attn. Both "industry" pros as well those in legit hospitality, restaurant and hotel staff. Much better attitudes. Much more humble. They know they need to work hard to get what they want out of life. They know they need to treat people right to get the same in return. If I had went to them from the start I would've had a much better time, much better memories, and would suggest anyone to do the same. And so it was one of those restaurant staff I took a Line ID from, not expecting much as I already had so many, who stuck by as I kept wasting time going down the wrong paths, and would eventually become my wife.

[bluebluewater]

I had no idea I was spending that kind of money . . . . .  !!

[ArcticFox]

The Thai Puritan elites will never recognize sex workers.  The government Neo-Puritans are dismantling the bar, pub, and nightlife scene with the intents of putting the entire industry out of business.  Shower massage, karaoke, and Soi Cowboy are all on the chopping block as well. The government is dead set on legislating morality, not that the people at the top are moral themselves.

[RafPinto]

2 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

Yes.  Not wishing to be rude, but she appears to be not particularly attractive.  Older and quite fat.  I wonder how she competes with the twenty something slim and cute girls.  Must have very low prices.

 

Good luck to her though.

100 Baht and a free somtum

[Chad3000]

It's on the Parliament's to-do list right after restoring democracy.

[Chad3000]

"All foreigners came here for women like me, there were no tourists who came here to see temples or just for sight-seeing," she said.

 

Well, the baht millionaires that end up in Pattaya...

 

I spent years and good money in India, Myanmar, Lao, Cambodia and Bali even Korea visiting temples and historic sites. My knowledge of Andaman islands is second to none.

[BritManToo]

41 minutes ago, CrunchWrapSupreme said:

So after those first few, largely unfulfilling months of young pretties, I then broadened my horizons. I noticed those older, chunkier ones off to the sidelines, the ones who don't get as much attn. Both "industry" pros as well those in legit hospitality, restaurant and hotel staff. Much better attitudes. Much more humble. They know they need to work hard to get what they want out of life. They know they need to treat people right to get the same in return. If I had went to them from the start I would've had a much better time, much better memories, and would suggest anyone to do the same.

I've never noticed any of that.

The pretty girls are just as nice as the plain girls.

And don't expect any more either, so I've mainly picked slim and pretty.

 

Currently on my 3rd long term pretty, although not so pretty 5 years later.

[Cabradelmar]

Every Thai citizen already has UCS for health insurance. Unemployment insurance should be included for all Thais as well. That's where these workers are being let down by the government. However, it's naive to think any group anywhere can be made whole by unemployment insurance. Crying poverty because you can't make 10,000 baht every night is not going to resonate with the average Thai in a country with a 340 baht per day minimum wage.

[RafPinto]

4 minutes ago, Cabradelmar said:

Every Thai citizen already has UCS for health insurance. Unemployment insurance should be included for all Thais as well. That's where these workers are being let down by the government. However, it's naive to think any group anywhere can be made whole by unemployment insurance. Crying poverty because you can't make 10,000 baht every night is not going to resonate with the average Thai in a country with a 340 baht per day minimum wage.

How could they pay "unemployment insurance"? 

None of those women pays 1 Baht in taxes. All straight into their pockets.

[metisdead]

A post with odd formatting has been removed. 

[dlclark97]

8 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Next thing someone will suggest to make gambling, like playing cards, legal.

Can't do that! Thais are good people! They don't gamble, would never pay for sex, etc. ???? 

And someone should think about all those police officers. Imagine they had no reason to collect some extra money to look the other way... 

Tourists will forget Thailand and head to Japan, Viet Nam and numerous other places that add excitement and pleasures to their lives.  People do not travel to distant places to see/do more than what they can do in their home areas.  They are looking for the bright lights, music and other delights not available near their homes.  They already have enough shopping malls, movie theaters and other things found in every city so why take an expensive trip and jump through the hoops now needed to come here to see more of the same.  Thailand used to provide the break, attractions, night life and more that would make people want to come here.  What's left.  Temples (after seeing about 50 or more they all look alike), glitzy high priced shopping malls and ............?   

[dlclark97]

4 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I've never noticed any of that.

The pretty girls are just as nice as the plain girls.

And don't expect any more either, so I've mainly picked slim and pretty.

 

Currently on my 3rd long term pretty, although not so pretty 5 years later.

Neither are you!

[chilli42]

Well they have my recognition …. Not that that counts for much.  These gals are one of the attractions that make living in the kingdom bearable.

[dlclark97]

7 minutes ago, dlclark97 said:

Tourists will forget Thailand and head to Japan, Viet Nam and numerous other places that add excitement and pleasures to their lives.  People do not travel to distant places to see/do more than what they can do in their home areas.  They are looking for the bright lights, music and other delights not available near their homes.  They already have enough shopping malls, movie theaters and other things found in every city so why take an expensive trip and jump through the hoops now needed to come here to see more of the same.  Thailand used to provide the break, attractions, night life and more that would make people want to come here.  What's left.  Temples (after seeing about 50 or more they all look alike), glitzy high priced shopping malls and ............?   

Gambling should never be legalized here.  Too many people here believe so much in 'luck, amulets, lucky numbers and whatever else' that they waste what little money they may have betting on their potential big winnings that never come.  No such thing as 'legal' gambling here except of course the government lottery that seems to escape the laws on gambling.  Look at the USA Power Ball and other similar lottery types.  They have had multi million and I believe now even a billion dollar winner.  Just think if instead of having a multi million winner, they could run the game so there could be multiple one million dollar winners for each game enriching the lives of so many more people.    

[hotchilli]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

For 42-year-old sex worker Dao, Pattaya has never looked this depressing.

That's depressing in itself.