title: From Bangkok to Berlin, Hard Times Hit the Sex Trade

By William Lee Adams Thursday, May. 28, 2009

(first paragraph) In Patpong, one of Bangkok's most notorious red-light districts, go-go girls count their livelihood by the number of sex tourists they entertain. "Three inches, three minutes, 3,000 baht ($87)," laughs Goy, a 25-year-old bargirl. Last summer, she and her fellow pole dancers at the Camelot Castle entertained scores of men every night — first in the bar, where they earn a monthly salary, then at the customer's hotel, where they negotiate their own rates. But as cash-strapped tourists have turned their backs on Thailand — tourism officials say revenues will plunge 35% this year — the ranks of men cruising Patpong have thinned dramatically. On a recent Wednesday evening, just three tourists watched a visibly disgruntled Goy wiggle around her pole. "My base salary was 8,000 baht ($232) a month, but now they are giving me 6,000 baht ($174)," she says. "I haven't had a customer in five nights, and I'm lucky if someone buys me a drink."

full article

oops, just noticed the article starts by focusing on Bkk, not Pattaya. My oversight, sorry.

"oops, just noticed the article starts by focusing on Bkk, not Pattaya. My oversight, sorry."

Well as the entire article doesn't mention Pattaya once I would say it was more misrepresentation than a mistake. Hopefully the mods will change the title and move it to a relevant forum.

I know Pattaya bashing is the sport of choice for some on this site, but you really are going to have to do better than that.

Described as "the most stylish and lavish sauna ever seen" by online gay guide Pink Banana World, Babylon welcomed an average of 800 visitors per day before the recession hit. That number now hovers around 500. "The entrance fee is already low, so dropping it won't make a difference," Pong says. So what's a sauna manager to do? "Pray for us," is all she can say.

Typical silly Thai business philosophy. Saunas in the west pack them in with special promotions, buddy night 2 for 1, cheap locker night, weeknight deep discounts, bears night, you name it. I would pray that this dense stick in the mud manager gets a CLUE. If they fail, its THEIR fault.

hahaha, "pray for us". what am i praying for again? that she gets more dudes to bang? i'm confused...

Specifics of the sex industry are not for Thai Visa. There are many other sites for that type of discussion.

Closed.