From Bangkok To Berlin, Hard Times Hit The Sex Trade

[churchill]

In Patpong, Bangkok's most notorious red-light district, 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 bar girl. 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 travelers turn 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. "I haven't had a customer in five nights," she says, "and I'm lucky if someone buys me a drink."

(See pictures of Thailand's Pattaya resort.)

As the recession continues to bite, sex workers from Bangkok to Berlin share Goy's frustration. "People just don't spend that freely anymore," says Anke Christiansen, co-founder of Hamburg's Geizhaus ("Das Original Discount Bordell") where visitor numbers have dropped by as much as 20% since the crisis began. "Customers who used to come to us three times a week now limit themselves to once a week." That newfound restraint has already forced some brothels to shut their doors. In the Czech Republic, where 14% of men admit to having slept with a prostitute, up to half of all sex establishments outside of Prague have closed in the past year, says Hana Malinova, director of the local prostitution-outreach group Bliss Without Risk.

The world's oldest profession isn't about to take the recession lying down. Brothels and bathhouses have launched promotions — including free shuttle buses and senior-citizen discounts — in a bid to arouse interest among wary spenders. As part of a new deal at Yes Sir! in Hanover, Germany, customers pay $111 to have as much sex as they want (or can) for one hour. At Geizhaus, recent promotions allowed guests to have sex for free on Halloween and Easter if they wore a costume or brought in a decorated egg. And Berlin's Pussy Club charges guests a $98 flat rate for six hours of unlimited sex, access to a sauna and an all-you-can-eat buffet.

(See pictures of Berlin.)

In some places, the crisis has actually helped stimulate business. Ukraine's currency, the hryvnia, has lost about 35% of its value against the dollar and euro since the start of the downturn, a change that experts say is likely to boost the country's growing tourism sector and thereby the number of visitors willing to pay for a thrill. "The country is becoming a paradise for sex tourism before our eyes," says Yuri Lutsenko, Ukraine's interior minister, who worries about the trend. Police experts forecast that Ukraine's sex industry will more than double its revenues this year, generating $1.5 billion. But Anna Hutsol, head of Kiev-based women's rights group FEMEN, is worried that the prostitution boom and Ukraine's deepening unemployment will increase the exploitation of vulnerable women. "There are girls without jobs and foreigners with money who want prostitutes," she says.

In Bangkok, the concerns are more immediate. Pong, the female manager of Babylon Sauna, Bed and Breakfast, which depends on foreigners to stay afloat, frets that she may be forced to close. Babylon welcomed 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.

With reporting by Robert Horn / Bangkok; Stephanie Kirchner / Berlin; and James Marson / Kiev

Read "Vice Versa: Amsterdam Cleans Up."

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8...1901396,00.html

[wasabi]

Time to set up shop in Ukraine some of this women are stunning.

[bojo]

Sounds like Pong from babylon sauna should initiate some of the European marketing skills mentioned above to bump up her figures? Whats a girl to do!

Regards Bojo

[Mario2008]

I would like to remind everyone that discussion of prostitution is against our forum rules. So lets keep focused on the declining number of tourists and the consequences for the tourism industry in thailand.

[cdnvic]

The world's oldest profession isn't about to take the recession lying down

Yes, sounds like this is the root of the problem.

Edited July 26, 2009 by cdnvic

[zzaa09]

Time to set up shop in Ukraine some of this women are stunning.

....does this include the facial hair?

[metisdead]

I would like to remind everyone that discussion of prostitution is against our forum rules. So lets keep focused on the declining number of tourists and the consequences for the tourism industry in thailand.

Why did the OP post it then, it's an open invitation to comment on those activities,

[Ulysses G.]

Thailand seems to be the only place on the planet that is raising its prices to deal with the bad world economy!

[SMEEERE]

I would like to remind everyone that discussion of prostitution is against our forum rules. So lets keep focused on the declining number of tourists and the consequences for the tourism industry in thailand.

Why,? surely its just another economy related story,seems over policed here on tv sometimes,......

[SMEEERE]

In Patpong, Bangkok's most notorious red-light district, 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 bar girl. 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 travelers turn 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. "I haven't had a customer in five nights," she says, "and I'm lucky if someone buys me a drink."

(See pictures of Thailand's Pattaya resort.)

As the recession continues to bite, sex workers from Bangkok to Berlin share Goy's frustration. "People just don't spend that freely anymore," says Anke Christiansen, co-founder of Hamburg's Geizhaus ("Das Original Discount Bordell") where visitor numbers have dropped by as much as 20% since the crisis began. "Customers who used to come to us three times a week now limit themselves to once a week." That newfound restraint has already forced some brothels to shut their doors. In the Czech Republic, where 14% of men admit to having slept with a prostitute, up to half of all sex establishments outside of Prague have closed in the past year, says Hana Malinova, director of the local prostitution-outreach group Bliss Without Risk.

The world's oldest profession isn't about to take the recession lying down. Brothels and bathhouses have launched promotions — including free shuttle buses and senior-citizen discounts — in a bid to arouse interest among wary spenders. As part of a new deal at Yes Sir! in Hanover, Germany, customers pay $111 to have as much sex as they want (or can) for one hour. At Geizhaus, recent promotions allowed guests to have sex for free on Halloween and Easter if they wore a costume or brought in a decorated egg. And Berlin's Pussy Club charges guests a $98 flat rate for six hours of unlimited sex, access to a sauna and an all-you-can-eat buffet.

(See pictures of Berlin.)

In some places, the crisis has actually helped stimulate business. Ukraine's currency, the hryvnia, has lost about 35% of its value against the dollar and euro since the start of the downturn, a change that experts say is likely to boost the country's growing tourism sector and thereby the number of visitors willing to pay for a thrill. "The country is becoming a paradise for sex tourism before our eyes," says Yuri Lutsenko, Ukraine's interior minister, who worries about the trend. Police experts forecast that Ukraine's sex industry will more than double its revenues this year, generating $1.5 billion. But Anna Hutsol, head of Kiev-based women's rights group FEMEN, is worried that the prostitution boom and Ukraine's deepening unemployment will increase the exploitation of vulnerable women. "There are girls without jobs and foreigners with money who want prostitutes," she says.

In Bangkok, the concerns are more immediate. Pong, the female manager of Babylon Sauna, Bed and Breakfast, which depends on foreigners to stay afloat, frets that she may be forced to close. Babylon welcomed 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.

With reporting by Robert Horn / Bangkok; Stephanie Kirchner / Berlin; and James Marson / Kiev

Read "Vice Versa: Amsterdam Cleans Up."

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8...1901396,00.html

Very well written with some great inuendos ,including being written by robert horn !

[SMEEERE]

Thailand seems to be the only place on the planet that is raising its prices to deal with the bad world economy!

True, instead of having" buy one get one free", they have" buy one .for more,"..get the baht back to 75 to the gb pound ,that will help,

[djinn]

Thailand seems to be the only place on the planet that is raising its prices to deal with the bad world economy!

Not true mate;

just come back from Belgium .Restaurant and bars have less tourists so they pushed their price so high in cities center that many go bankrupt every 3 months .

For example in the center of Antwerp you find sea dishes for 20 to 25 euros.Price near the french atlantic coast in tourist cities for the same dishes: 6 to 8 euros.....

[Soutpeel]

Thailand seems to be the only place on the planet that is raising its prices to deal with the bad world economy!

Thai ecomomics 101 old chap....business reduces, so solution is to increase prices to make up for the short fall in margins, rather than try and increase volume of business,it makes perfect sense...

Dont understand why the whole world doesnt follow this business model... ..its a sure fire winner to all the worlds ecomonic woes...

[Absingjul]

This was posted before. Didn't last long...

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Time-Magazin...ex-t269179.html

[IanForbes]

Thailand seems to be the only place on the planet that is raising its prices to deal with the bad world economy!

Yup, that's the Thai way, Ulysses. If customers leave your bar because of the high prices, then their answer is to raise the prices of the drinks.

I saw it happen in Nana plaza and Soi Cowboy from 1997 until I finally stopped going there in 2003. The bars got seedier and less numerous, the girls were less attractive and the price of drinks kept going up.

[sbk]

As before, discussion of the specifics of the sex industry are not allowed on this site.

//CLOSED//