You can buy a beer at the 711 store.

(from 11:00-14:00 and 17:00-23:59)

Thats quite right, after 15 years in Thailand I have never been into any bar without being 'swarmed by hookers'; mind you lots of them were bees with fishing hooks in their mouths.

The ignorance of the OP is almost astounding, but then again forums like this can be helpful for curing ignorance.

Anywhere you go with a population over about 10000 will have some form of prostitution at a guess. Thailand is no different. That being said I do not think I have seen a hooker in the last 3 months in Chiang Mai (I haven't been to the tourist places at all nor have I been to the Thai places that offer the same services for a more local price.)

Yes I enjoyed many "quiet drinks" while in LOS.

And it's far from true that every bar in Thailand has prostitutes. But it is certainly true that most of the bars that are popular with the average western male has prostitutes. And obviously, this is also why many, if not most, western males come to those bars and a major reason for them coming to Thailand.

I had a Taxi driver at Don Muang tell me he was hoping that I would want to go straight to Pattaya instead of somewhere in the city. He said it was something like 1 in 2 does just that. So don't tell me it's not true. And even if his numbers are off. Come on.

Go your own way a little to see the good stuff. Have fun!

Now now oldthaihand you should know never to believe what a Bangkok taxi driver says!

Hookers seem easy to avoid.... 'merkins much harder, and of course don't forget that any white tatooed male with a football shirt on is an English thug. Are you really sure that you want to get your brand spanking new passport and venture out into the world? It's dangerous out here pal. But never fear you are never too far from a McDonalds so you will be able to get some real food.