13 Girls Rescued From Prostitution After Raid On Karaoke Bar In Chiang Mai's Muang District

[bitterbatter]

I have been in many karaoke bars in that area, even sometimes with a police friend. He assured me that they were all 18 and older.

[happysanook]

It was mentioned in the other thread that foreigners are not exposed to this type of lifestyle.

Have you ever been to Vegas, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Frankfurt's Redlight district, or The Wall in Nuremberg? I'm sure there are a lot more.

I doubt Thailand invented this industry.

I was told that it got big with Vietnam war and the US GIs.

Don't know if it is true or just another "the farangs brought all the ugly things".

Thailand had it long before people from the West ever came here. Just look at how common it is to have a mia noi or gik. Its always nice to deny the bad parts of your own history and blame foreigners. Most clients of prostitutes are Thai males not foreigners.

Especially in Karaokes... They are almost exclusively frequented by Asian clientele.

I say if they're of age leave 'em alone. It's not your business or anyone else's if they choose to sell it or if someone chooses to buy it. If underage, of course measures need to be taken.

[LivinLOS]

It was mentioned in the other thread that foreigners are not exposed to this type of lifestyle.

Have you ever been to Vegas, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Frankfurt's Redlight district, or The Wall in Nuremberg? I'm sure there are a lot more.

I doubt Thailand invented this industry.

I lived in Holland for years.. And been to all of the above.. And no you wont go finding 13 year old girls visibly working there, I am sure they exist but would be incredibly hard to find. Theres also all manner of social services available to women working in the industry.

[pacovl46]

Reminder to myself: Avoid German familynames while running a brothel in Thailand.

what's that supposed to mean?

[caf]

Have you ever been to Vegas, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Frankfurt's Redlight district, or The Wall in Nuremberg? I'm sure there are a lot more.

I doubt Thailand invented this industry.

True. Thailand neither invented prostitution, nor karaoke bars. Then again, I doubt that you'll find 13-year old prostitutes (this fact perhaps even being known by some government officials) in Amsterdam, Frankfurt or the US. Nor will parents in those places sell their teenage daughters to brothels.

Good point 007. I wonder what motivates these Thai apologists sometimes. They only ever see the Thai perspective and spin it for all its worth. When they debate their logic is baffling and never well thought out. Good example above where the 5 places that are mentioned have very different situations than Thailand.

Edited February 17, 2011 by caf

[philhal2]

How is this even news worthy? I was just on Koh Samui for a month. My classmates and I went out on different occasions to Lamai and Chawang for drinks. In Lamai there is a central square of bars around a Thai boxing ring. On any given night there are perhaps 100 girls (and ladyboys), give or take, working at these bars. All of them dressed like hookers and dancing on the poles installed in each tiny open air establishment. Many were open and fairly brazen about what they were there for. I decided to do my own research and bought a drink for the 20ish looking waitress who had been serving us a drinks and said I wanted her to join me for a while. She spoke fairly good English. She went into sales mode instantly but I calmed her anticipated action and said I want to talk for a while first. She was actually 30 and has a 12 year old son and 8 year old daughter back home in Isaan. She had been on Samui for 6 months already and claimed she was saving to go home. (Grain of salt taken) I asked how much to spend the night with her. 300 baht to the bar and 1000 baht to her. I asked how many other girls do I have to choose from. "Any one you see" was the answer. I asked how many were local girls. "Not many" was the answer. I estimate, from what I saw, that besides these 100 or so in this square, there were maybe another 200 in Lamai and the club scene in Chawang having at least that many as well. Point being, how is a bust on one tiny club involving a whopping 13 girls even worth talking about? And as we all know, this does not even represent a real bust. Perhaps the proprietors missed a payment to the local cops or to the local mafia. At any rate, there are thousands of girls across Thailand selling their wares on a daily basis without even feigning discretion due to fear of being caught let alone needing to be "freed" from their "captors". Although many girls would prefer not to be doing this kind of "work", they are certainly not being forced into it. It is relatively easy money and easy to get into. Sympathy? Sympathetic about the whole situation, but these girls are making their own choices.

Have to agree on many points here and having had this same discussion with The girls who are friends of family members , they often ask me why I think they are doing something bad . When I try to explain why , they ask me if I think it is better for them to work for very little money in the fields , factories or some other European funded sweat shop . To be beaten by Thai boyfriends and husbands who drink what little money the girls earn and these same men have no interest in working or supporting their children . They explain to me that doing the bar work gives them good pay , good food and they dont work to hard . Sure there are some who dont work in good bars or have been sold by someone else to pay debts or get money , but I am now beginning to see what they mean when they say they " No have Choice " . Which one of us would bust our ass in a rice field or a sweatshop for less than 1/10th of the pay , versus doing something we not only like but are getting paid well for as well as the food , the drinks , the nice hotels , the clothes and all the other gifts . I no longer judge or hold the high moral ground and would only seriously get angry if the girls are underage or are being forced into doing it against their will .

They will tell many people many stories and freely admit that it helps them to gain sympathy which in turn earns them more money . Few of them would do anything else as they like what they do far better than the alternatives in a poor country . Perhaps if the got the free handouts the same as in Australia ie the ( Dole , Pensions Etc ) they wouldnt need to charge money for sex , but they would still have many partners just the same as in all the European countries that have been mentioned in this forum . Whether you are paid or not it is still morally the same if your a whore doing it for free or making a living . Up to them , if they are old enough and aware of what they do .

[anterian]

From a combination of modern diet, processed food, chemical additives and environmental pollution, girls are maturing faster and earlier, many have breasts at 11 or 12 years of age. Boys conversely are bwecoming more feminised.

A long time ago when I was a junior physics teacher I was co-opted by the PE department to run the girls swimming lessons, none of the PE teachers had life saving certificates, and I did. Incidentally the boys played football.

As this lesson was immediately after lunch and many pupils went home for lunch, the arrangement was that I met them at the baths and took the class register at the poolside.

So the first time I arrived and looked for my class, I knew them well as I had taught them physics for the last two years. I could not see them, until eventually i realised that all these shapely young women swimming around were my 14 year old pupils,

perhaps a female teacher might not have been deceived, but I most certainly was.

[jbalis]

let me get this right cause you are able to find a 13 year old prositute in the United States then it is ok that it is happening in Thailand? Cause there is human trafficking going on in other places it is ok that it happens here? What the hell is wrong with you people? 13 year old girls that were sold to a brothel!! did you read this? it is not people working on there own free will in NANA.........do you have a daugher? a niece? a sister? how would you feel if she was being pimped out at 13 would you be ok with that? would you sell her to me? I do not care what the police motivation is for busting the bar, it is a good thing that it was done, the people that ran it should be punished, the people who sold there family should be punished and the people who knowingly asked to sleep with a child should be punished. Anyone here that chooses to defend these people or there clients are exactly why when you mention Thailand people think of the sex trade. If you are 18 years old and want to sell your body, so be it, far from me to judge, but 13 years old is a child, we need to protect them, educate them not exploite them and defend those guilty of this.

[jimbeam1]

How is this even news worthy? I was just on Koh Samui for a month. My classmates and I went out on different occasions to Lamai and Chawang for drinks. In Lamai there is a central square of bars around a Thai boxing ring. On any given night there are perhaps 100 girls (and ladyboys), give or take, working at these bars. All of them dressed like hookers and dancing on the poles installed in each tiny open air establishment. Many were open and fairly brazen about what they were there for. I decided to do my own research and bought a drink for the 20ish looking waitress who had been serving us a drinks and said I wanted her to join me for a while. She spoke fairly good English. She went into sales mode instantly but I calmed her anticipated action and said I want to talk for a while first. She was actually 30 and has a 12 year old son and 8 year old daughter back home in Isaan. She had been on Samui for 6 months already and claimed she was saving to go home. (Grain of salt taken) I asked how much to spend the night with her. 300 baht to the bar and 1000 baht to her. I asked how many other girls do I have to choose from. "Any one you see" was the answer. I asked how many were local girls. "Not many" was the answer. I estimate, from what I saw, that besides these 100 or so in this square, there were maybe another 200 in Lamai and the club scene in Chawang having at least that many as well. Point being, how is a bust on one tiny club involving a whopping 13 girls even worth talking about? And as we all know, this does not even represent a real bust. Perhaps the proprietors missed a payment to the local cops or to the local mafia. At any rate, there are thousands of girls across Thailand selling their wares on a daily basis without even feigning discretion due to fear of being caught let alone needing to be "freed" from their "captors". Although many girls would prefer not to be doing this kind of "work", they are certainly not being forced into it. It is relatively easy money and easy to get into. Sympathy? Sympathetic about the whole situation, but these girls are making their own choices.

Class Mates??

jb1

[happysanook]

From a combination of modern diet, processed food, chemical additives and environmental pollution, girls are maturing faster and earlier, many have breasts at 11 or 12 years of age. Boys conversely are bwecoming more feminised.

A long time ago when I was a junior physics teacher I was co-opted by the PE department to run the girls swimming lessons, none of the PE teachers had life saving certificates, and I did. Incidentally the boys played football.

As this lesson was immediately after lunch and many pupils went home for lunch, the arrangement was that I met them at the baths and took the class register at the poolside.

So the first time I arrived and looked for my class, I knew them well as I had taught them physics for the last two years. I could not see them, until eventually i realised that all these shapely young women swimming around were my 14 year old pupils,

perhaps a female teacher might not have been deceived, but I most certainly was.

Was at a friend's hair shop the other day and she was helping a girl with her homework. Could of sworn the girl was at least 13. When she said she was 11, I was shocked. And these are supposed to be little THAI girls. Let alone the young girls in the Western world.

[atyclb]

Senore Berlusconi is perhaps in tears for having missed this opportunity prior to closure.

How is this even news worthy? I was just on Koh Samui for a month. My classmates and I went out on different occasions to Lamai and Chawang for drinks. In Lamai there is a central square of bars around a Thai boxing ring. On any given night there are perhaps 100 girls (and ladyboys), give or take, working at these bars. All of them dressed like hookers and dancing on the poles installed in each tiny open air establishment. Many were open and fairly brazen about what they were there for. I decided to do my own research and bought a drink for the 20ish looking waitress who had been serving us a drinks and said I wanted her to join me for a while. She spoke fairly good English. She went into sales mode instantly but I calmed her anticipated action and said I want to talk for a while first. She was actually 30 and has a 12 year old son and 8 year old daughter back home in Isaan. She had been on Samui for 6 months already and claimed she was saving to go home. (Grain of salt taken) I asked how much to spend the night with her. 300 baht to the bar and 1000 baht to her. I asked how many other girls do I have to choose from. "Any one you see" was the answer. I asked how many were local girls. "Not many" was the answer. I estimate, from what I saw, that besides these 100 or so in this square, there were maybe another 200 in Lamai and the club scene in Chawang having at least that many as well. Point being, how is a bust on one tiny club involving a whopping 13 girls even worth talking about? And as we all know, this does not even represent a real bust. Perhaps the proprietors missed a payment to the local cops or to the local mafia. At any rate, there are thousands of girls across Thailand selling their wares on a daily basis without even feigning discretion due to fear of being caught let alone needing to be "freed" from their "captors". Although many girls would prefer not to be doing this kind of "work", they are certainly not being forced into it. It is relatively easy money and easy to get into. Sympathy? Sympathetic about the whole situation, but these girls are making their own choices.

You seem to have completely missed the point of the story. This bar was not raided because they were provided sexual services, but because they were provided sexual services with underage girls. Buying sex with a thirteen year old who have been sold to the bar by her relatives is hardly the same as paying a thirty year old who is doing it voluntarily (as in your own example).

I have no problem with saex for sale between consenting adults, but I cannot see how anyone can think that coming down on human trafficing and bars/brothels with underage girls is not a god thing. Sure, the police may have alteria motives for selecting this particular bar, but whatever the reason it is still a good thing when something is done.

Sophon

[bristolgeoff]

i.am in chiang mai and there are so many bars with ladies at the moment.one closed or some caught out.also many on the street.13 helped is a drop in the ocean round here

[jimbeam1]

Girls Rescued? Did they want to be rescued.

They didn't look very happy in the photo.

jb1

[happysanook]

Girls Rescued? Did they want to be rescued.

They didn't look very happy in the photo.

jb1

Probably because they were being taken into custody and just lost their livelihood.

[flemmie]

let me get this right cause you are able to find a 13 year old prositute in the United States then it is ok that it is happening in Thailand? Cause there is human trafficking going on in other places it is ok that it happens here? What the hell is wrong with you people? 13 year old girls that were sold to a brothel!! did you read this? it is not people working on there own free will in NANA.........do you have a daugher? a niece? a sister? how would you feel if she was being pimped out at 13 would you be ok with that? would you sell her to me? I do not care what the police motivation is for busting the bar, it is a good thing that it was done, the people that ran it should be punished, the people who sold there family should be punished and the people who knowingly asked to sleep with a child should be punished. Anyone here that chooses to defend these people or there clients are exactly why when you mention Thailand people think of the sex trade. If you are 18 years old and want to sell your body, so be it, far from me to judge, but 13 years old is a child, we need to protect them, educate them not exploite them and defend those guilty of this.

Fully agreed! There is a lot of talking going on, but in the end the point is about the girls being forced to do it. I also agree that living off this as a brothel holder is deplorable.

[happysanook]

i.am in chiang mai and there are so many bars with ladies at the moment.one closed or some caught out.also many on the street.13 helped is a drop in the ocean round here

I think the whole point here is that three of the girls were UNDERAGE. That this operation was shut down was a good thing.

No one's under the impression that they're trying to shut down prostitution in Thailand.

[Berkshire]

A friend of mine who runs an HIV foundation in Bangkok, says she has proof that the number of women per capita involved in the sex industry is significantly higher in the US, than in Thailand. The only difference being that it is far more honest, and open here in thailand, and it is nearly entirely underground (with the exception of strip bars, and the porn industry) in the US. People have no idea how many millions of women are involved in the US, as the massage business, the escort business, the chiropractic office brothels, etc, etc, are all done in secret.

That's interesting. I knew this sort of thing was going on under our collective noses in America, but I had no idea to what extent.

[Basil B]

let me get this right cause you are able to find a 13 year old prositute in the United States then it is ok that it is happening in Thailand? Cause there is human trafficking going on in other places it is ok that it happens here? What the hell is wrong with you people? 13 year old girls that were sold to a brothel!! did you read this? it is not people working on there own free will in NANA.........do you have a daugher? a niece? a sister? how would you feel if she was being pimped out at 13 would you be ok with that? would you sell her to me? I do not care what the police motivation is for busting the bar, it is a good thing that it was done, the people that ran it should be punished, the people who sold there family should be punished and the people who knowingly asked to sleep with a child should be punished. Anyone here that chooses to defend these people or there clients are exactly why when you mention Thailand people think of the sex trade. If you are 18 years old and want to sell your body, so be it, far from me to judge, but 13 years old is a child, we need to protect them, educate them not exploite them and defend those guilty of this.

Fully agreed! There is a lot of talking going on, but in the end the point is about the girls being forced to do it. I also agree that living off this as a brothel holder is deplorable.

+1

I think the point here is the girls have been sold by their families into prostitution, this is deplorable.

As for prostitution, it happens to a degree everywhere, if they found humans on another planet I bet they would find some form of payment for sex.

[hardy1943]

How is this even news worthy? I was just on Koh Samui for a month. My classmates and I went out on different occasions to Lamai and Chawang for drinks. In Lamai there is a central square of bars around a Thai boxing ring. On any given night there are perhaps 100 girls (and ladyboys), give or take, working at these bars. All of them dressed like hookers and dancing on the poles installed in each tiny open air establishment. Many were open and fairly brazen about what they were there for. I decided to do my own research and bought a drink for the 20ish looking waitress who had been serving us a drinks and said I wanted her to join me for a while. She spoke fairly good English. She went into sales mode instantly but I calmed her anticipated action and said I want to talk for a while first. She was actually 30 and has a 12 year old son and 8 year old daughter back home in Isaan. She had been on Samui for 6 months already and claimed she was saving to go home. (Grain of salt taken) I asked how much to spend the night with her. 300 baht to the bar and 1000 baht to her. I asked how many other girls do I have to choose from. "Any one you see" was the answer. I asked how many were local girls. "Not many" was the answer. I estimate, from what I saw, that besides these 100 or so in this square, there were maybe another 200 in Lamai and the club scene in Chawang having at least that many as well. Point being, how is a bust on one tiny club involving a whopping 13 girls even worth talking about? And as we all know, this does not even represent a real bust. Perhaps the proprietors missed a payment to the local cops or to the local mafia. At any rate, there are thousands of girls across Thailand selling their wares on a daily basis without even feigning discretion due to fear of being caught let alone needing to be "freed" from their "captors". Although many girls would prefer not to be doing this kind of "work", they are certainly not being forced into it. It is relatively easy money and easy to get into. Sympathy? Sympathetic about the whole situation, but these girls are making their own choices.

Go to Nana plaza that is also known as the largest outside whore house in the world a few hundred gals is nothing but most of the gals do it for economic reason. They need to make a living some how.

[robertson468]

How is this even news worthy? I was just on Koh Samui for a month. My classmates and I went out on different occasions to Lamai and Chawang for drinks. In Lamai there is a central square of bars around a Thai boxing ring. On any given night there are perhaps 100 girls (and ladyboys), give or take, working at these bars. All of them dressed like hookers and dancing on the poles installed in each tiny open air establishment. Many were open and fairly brazen about what they were there for. I decided to do my own research and bought a drink for the 20ish looking waitress who had been serving us a drinks and said I wanted her to join me for a while. She spoke fairly good English. She went into sales mode instantly but I calmed her anticipated action and said I want to talk for a while first. She was actually 30 and has a 12 year old son and 8 year old daughter back home in Isaan. She had been on Samui for 6 months already and claimed she was saving to go home. (Grain of salt taken) I asked how much to spend the night with her. 300 baht to the bar and 1000 baht to her. I asked how many other girls do I have to choose from. "Any one you see" was the answer. I asked how many were local girls. "Not many" was the answer. I estimate, from what I saw, that besides these 100 or so in this square, there were maybe another 200 in Lamai and the club scene in Chawang having at least that many as well. Point being, how is a bust on one tiny club involving a whopping 13 girls even worth talking about? And as we all know, this does not even represent a real bust. Perhaps the proprietors missed a payment to the local cops or to the local mafia. At any rate, there are thousands of girls across Thailand selling their wares on a daily basis without even feigning discretion due to fear of being caught let alone needing to be "freed" from their "captors". Although many girls would prefer not to be doing this kind of "work", they are certainly not being forced into it. It is relatively easy money and easy to get into. Sympathy? Sympathetic about the whole situation, but these girls are making their own choices.

You might want to do a little bit more research regarding how the Girls would like to be employed. My Wife runs a small business and we needed a couple of helpers and having a Thai Wife, thought it would keep life simple if we had a couple of Thai Girls. Try as we may to find a couple to employ them, we had no luck, so I "volunteered" (I know, no sacrifice is to great for my Lovely Wife), to cruise around the Girlie Bars because I was led to believe there are quite a few Isaan Girls working there. Now, you can't just go barging in there and say "anyone want a job?" That's a bit rude, so I hung around and played a couple of games of pool and bought a couple of drinks and then when I was feeling quite relaxed, asked if any of them fancied a job. Basically they are Housekeeping appointments and we were prepared to pay 5,500 as a staring salary, progressing each three months to 7,500 baht. No one was interested. It transpires that most of them would prefer to stay working in the bars because every night is a party night and they also hope to meet a future foreign husband who will then give them a comfortable life.

I agree whole heartedly that employing 13 year olds as prostitutes is absolutely deplorable.

Edited February 17, 2011 by robertson468

[61guitarman61]

How is this even news worthy? I was just on Koh Samui for a month. My classmates and I went out on different occasions to Lamai and Chawang for drinks. In Lamai there is a central square of bars around a Thai boxing ring. On any given night there are perhaps 100 girls (and ladyboys), give or take, working at these bars. All of them dressed like hookers and dancing on the poles installed in each tiny open air establishment. Many were open and fairly brazen about what they were there for. I decided to do my own research and bought a drink for the 20ish looking waitress who had been serving us a drinks and said I wanted her to join me for a while. She spoke fairly good English. She went into sales mode instantly but I calmed her anticipated action and said I want to talk for a while first. She was actually 30 and has a 12 year old son and 8 year old daughter back home in Isaan. She had been on Samui for 6 months already and claimed she was saving to go home. (Grain of salt taken) I asked how much to spend the night with her. 300 baht to the bar and 1000 baht to her. I asked how many other girls do I have to choose from. "Any one you see" was the answer. I asked how many were local girls. "Not many" was the answer. I estimate, from what I saw, that besides these 100 or so in this square, there were maybe another 200 in Lamai and the club scene in Chawang having at least that many as well. Point being, how is a bust on one tiny club involving a whopping 13 girls even worth talking about? And as we all know, this does not even represent a real bust. Perhaps the proprietors missed a payment to the local cops or to the local mafia. At any rate, there are thousands of girls across Thailand selling their wares on a daily basis without even feigning discretion due to fear of being caught let alone needing to be "freed" from their "captors". Although many girls would prefer not to be doing this kind of "work", they are certainly not being forced into it. It is relatively easy money and easy to get into. Sympathy? Sympathetic about the whole situation, but these girls are making their own choices.

What on earth are you talking about, anyway? Are you saying you have exposed the prostitution industry in Thailand? Did you just get off the boat? Are you telling us anything the world does not already know? Are you saying you were unaware of the sex industry in thailand, and you are shocked out how open it is? A friend of mine who runs an HIV foundation in Bangkok, says she has proof that the number of women per capita involved in the sex industry is significantly higher in the US, than in Thailand. The only difference being that it is far more honest, and open here in thailand, and it is nearly entirely underground (with the exception of strip bars, and the porn industry) in the US. People have no idea how many millions of women are involved in the US, as the massage business, the escort business, the chiropractic office brothels, etc, etc, are all done in secret. You are telling us nothing. You are revealing absolutely nothing to the world. Maintain your naivety in secret, please.

Sorry there big Mike....... did I step on your local drug of choice or what? A little valium might help......... if you read more of my posts I included the US as dirty handed as well...... the whole point of my comment was that this is a non-event. One bust for show or retaliation that is just about as inconsequential as the price of walrus blubber at the north pole. So chill out...... the sex trade is just fine and your brothel frequenting can go on as usual. Jeez.... get your panties all in a twist............. By the way - it's "naivete`".

Edited February 17, 2011 by 61guitarman61

[hardy1943]

Have you ever been to Vegas, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Frankfurt's Redlight district, or The Wall in Nuremberg? I'm sure there are a lot more.

I doubt Thailand invented this industry.

True. Thailand neither invented prostitution, nor karaoke bars. Then again, I doubt that you'll find 13-year old prostitutes (this fact perhaps even being known by some government officials) in Amsterdam, Frankfurt or the US. Nor will parents in those places sell their teenage daughters to brothels.

They said they are from Mae Sai. Then are most likely from Burma or from the mountain tribe and forced into it. It would be most interesting to me who forced them? I do not think it is the parents.

Edited February 17, 2011 by hardy1943

[MUYTHAI]

How is this even news worthy? I was just on Koh Samui for a month. My classmates and I went out on different occasions to Lamai and Chawang for drinks. In Lamai there is a central square of bars around a Thai boxing ring. On any given night there are perhaps 100 girls (and ladyboys), give or take, working at these bars. All of them dressed like hookers and dancing on the poles installed in each tiny open air establishment. Many were open and fairly brazen about what they were there for. I decided to do my own research and bought a drink for the 20ish looking waitress who had been serving us a drinks and said I wanted her to join me for a while. She spoke fairly good English. She went into sales mode instantly but I calmed her anticipated action and said I want to talk for a while first. She was actually 30 and has a 12 year old son and 8 year old daughter back home in Isaan. She had been on Samui for 6 months already and claimed she was saving to go home. (Grain of salt taken) I asked how much to spend the night with her. 300 baht to the bar and 1000 baht to her. I asked how many other girls do I have to choose from. "Any one you see" was the answer. I asked how many were local girls. "Not many" was the answer. I estimate, from what I saw, that besides these 100 or so in this square, there were maybe another 200 in Lamai and the club scene in Chawang having at least that many as well. Point being, how is a bust on one tiny club involving a whopping 13 girls even worth talking about? And as we all know, this does not even represent a real bust. Perhaps the proprietors missed a payment to the local cops or to the local mafia. At any rate, there are thousands of girls across Thailand selling their wares on a daily basis without even feigning discretion due to fear of being caught let alone needing to be "freed" from their "captors". Although many girls would prefer not to be doing this kind of "work", they are certainly not being forced into it. It is relatively easy money and easy to get into. Sympathy? Sympathetic about the whole situation, but these girls are making their own choices.

The difference is that the bust in question included under-aged women and the article states some were sold into the business. I applaud every case where a bust is made in which a prostitute is being made to be a prostitute against her/his wishes and/or people in their early teens are prostituting. I hope you do also. As for people in their late teens and older who are prostitutes due to their own decision...they should be free to do what they want with their body. This case is another example of why prostitution should be made legal in LOS and regulated like in Costa Rica, Germany, UK, Netherlands, Philippines, parts of OZ, etc.. Legalization and regulation reduces the mistreatment of the workers (they can go to law enforcement authorities for help without the fear of being arrested), reduces 'sex slaves', and is also good for the clients (regular STD tests, etc.). Legalization of prostitution in LOS would not be perfect but would help a lot.

:jap:

Edited February 17, 2011 by MUYTHAI

[mstribling]

let me get this right cause you are able to find a 13 year old prositute in the United States then it is ok that it is happening in Thailand? Cause there is human trafficking going on in other places it is ok that it happens here? What the hell is wrong with you people? 13 year old girls that were sold to a brothel!! did you read this? it is not people working on there own free will in NANA.........do you have a daugher? a niece? a sister? how would you feel if she was being pimped out at 13 would you be ok with that? would you sell her to me? I do not care what the police motivation is for busting the bar, it is a good thing that it was done, the people that ran it should be punished, the people who sold there family should be punished and the people who knowingly asked to sleep with a child should be punished. Anyone here that chooses to defend these people or there clients are exactly why when you mention Thailand people think of the sex trade. If you are 18 years old and want to sell your body, so be it, far from me to judge, but 13 years old is a child, we need to protect them, educate them not exploite them and defend those guilty of this.

Dude, your trippin'.

Nobody suggested that it was ok for a 13yr old.

Dont act like a b_itch.

[Nisa]

How is this even news worthy? I was just on Koh Samui for a month. My classmates and I went out on different occasions to Lamai and Chawang for drinks. In Lamai there is a central square of bars around a Thai boxing ring. On any given night there are perhaps 100 girls (and ladyboys), give or take, working at these bars. All of them dressed like hookers and dancing on the poles installed in each tiny open air establishment. Many were open and fairly brazen about what they were there for. I decided to do my own research and bought a drink for the 20ish looking waitress who had been serving us a drinks and said I wanted her to join me for a while. She spoke fairly good English. She went into sales mode instantly but I calmed her anticipated action and said I want to talk for a while first. She was actually 30 and has a 12 year old son and 8 year old daughter back home in Isaan. She had been on Samui for 6 months already and claimed she was saving to go home. (Grain of salt taken) I asked how much to spend the night with her. 300 baht to the bar and 1000 baht to her. I asked how many other girls do I have to choose from. "Any one you see" was the answer. I asked how many were local girls. "Not many" was the answer. I estimate, from what I saw, that besides these 100 or so in this square, there were maybe another 200 in Lamai and the club scene in Chawang having at least that many as well. Point being, how is a bust on one tiny club involving a whopping 13 girls even worth talking about? And as we all know, this does not even represent a real bust. Perhaps the proprietors missed a payment to the local cops or to the local mafia. At any rate, there are thousands of girls across Thailand selling their wares on a daily basis without even feigning discretion due to fear of being caught let alone needing to be "freed" from their "captors". Although many girls would prefer not to be doing this kind of "work", they are certainly not being forced into it. It is relatively easy money and easy to get into. Sympathy? Sympathetic about the whole situation, but these girls are making their own choices.

You might want to do a little bit more research regarding how the Girls would like to be employed. My Wife runs a small business and we needed a couple of helpers and having a Thai Wife, thought it would keep life simple if we had a couple of Thai Girls. Try as we may to find a couple to employ them, we had no luck, so I "volunteered" (I know, no sacrifice is to great for my Lovely Wife), to cruise around the Girlie Bars because I was led to believe there are quite a few Isaan Girls working there. Now, you can't just go barging in there and say "anyone want a job?" That's a bit rude, so I hung around and played a couple of games of pool and bought a couple of drinks and then when I was feeling quite relaxed, asked if any of them fancied a job. Basically they are Housekeeping appointments and we were prepared to pay 5,500 as a staring salary, progressing each three months to 7,500 baht. No one was interested. It transpires that most of them would prefer to stay working in the bars because every night is a party night and they also hope to meet a future foreign husband who will then give them a comfortable life.

Just because somebody doesn't want to work at a non-secure job with you & your wife and leave a back breaking job where they make 5 times more is no indication that they like their current job. It is more likely they depend on the money that job brings.

These girls also need to think about their future. They mostly have no real education and when older can only expect to receive the government 500 baht a month social security which most don't even know exists since you need to make at least 20,000 baht a month to even pay taxes here.

Does working as a prostitute and having sex with smelly fat old farangs have an effect on young girl's mind and self-esteem ... certainly it does but you are sadly mistaken if you think that the girls or women get into prostitution do it because they think it is fun because this is simply not the case for the vast majority of them.

[61guitarman61]

How is this even news worthy? I was just on Koh Samui for a month. My classmates and I went out on different occasions to Lamai and Chawang for drinks. In Lamai there is a central square of bars around a Thai boxing ring. On any given night there are perhaps 100 girls (and ladyboys), give or take, working at these bars. All of them dressed like hookers and dancing on the poles installed in each tiny open air establishment. Many were open and fairly brazen about what they were there for. I decided to do my own research and bought a drink for the 20ish looking waitress who had been serving us a drinks and said I wanted her to join me for a while. She spoke fairly good English. She went into sales mode instantly but I calmed her anticipated action and said I want to talk for a while first. She was actually 30 and has a 12 year old son and 8 year old daughter back home in Isaan. She had been on Samui for 6 months already and claimed she was saving to go home. (Grain of salt taken) I asked how much to spend the night with her. 300 baht to the bar and 1000 baht to her. I asked how many other girls do I have to choose from. "Any one you see" was the answer. I asked how many were local girls. "Not many" was the answer. I estimate, from what I saw, that besides these 100 or so in this square, there were maybe another 200 in Lamai and the club scene in Chawang having at least that many as well. Point being, how is a bust on one tiny club involving a whopping 13 girls even worth talking about? And as we all know, this does not even represent a real bust. Perhaps the proprietors missed a payment to the local cops or to the local mafia. At any rate, there are thousands of girls across Thailand selling their wares on a daily basis without even feigning discretion due to fear of being caught let alone needing to be "freed" from their "captors". Although many girls would prefer not to be doing this kind of "work", they are certainly not being forced into it. It is relatively easy money and easy to get into. Sympathy? Sympathetic about the whole situation, but these girls are making their own choices.

The difference is that the bust in question included under-aged women and the article states some were sold into the business. I applaud every case where a bust is made in which a prostitute is being made to be a prostitute against her/his wishes and/or people in their early teens are prostituting. I hope you do also. As for people in their late teens and older who are prostitutes due to their own decision...they should be free to do what they want with their body. This case is another example of why prostitution should be made legal in LOS and regulated like in Costa Rica, Germany, UK, Netherlands, Philippines, parts of OZ, etc.. Legalization and regulation reduces the mistreatment of the workers (they can go to law enforcement authorities for help without the fear of being arrested), reduces 'sex slaves', and is also good for the clients (regular STD tests, etc.). Legalization of prostitution in LOS would not be perfect but would help a lot.

:jap:

Quite true. There would be a REDUCTION in some of the negative aspects of the sex trade. I am not on a stump here nor on some ivory pedestal but wouldn't the perfect solution be to achieve a higher moral standard or at least strive for it. There is always talk of how we can get rid of the stink of the garbage but still keep the garbage. Not possible. The very nature of a morally lacking profession like prostitution is that the lowest common denominator is how it is operated. The lowest pond scum deviant is the problem of course but when you supply a system that feeds that depravity, how can you then cry foul when there is a further moral depravity like pedophilia or sodomy of young boys? Possible to eradicate? Nope. I am a realist but we can at least try. Also, in a system as corrupt as this one is, why would anything really get better? Government and the related officials and the mafia would be the only beneficiaries.

Edited February 17, 2011 by 61guitarman61

[newermonkey]

Rescued? perhaps they dint want to be "rescued" and their only form of income stopped!

[pogal]

The point is that a payment was missed. That doesn't happen all the time.

I would agree 98% but actually there are groups of social workers "trying" to help out and stop this kind of thing. And there are "some" police who "may" follow up a complaint or advice from these social workers. My sister is a Social worker in Rayong and this kind of thing is her job but she tells me she is not only fighting the Bar owners but the police too. She is powerless to make any significant changes.

The amount of bars that do this in Thailand would be astronomically high. I would say in the tens of thousands. Therefore this 1 arrest is a far far cry from what "should" be happening in Thailand.

One more point: I know its hard to believe but girls are still sold into slavery in Thailand. Not slavery like in the movies but severe pressure and loyalty to parents. The same parents who actually sell their daughters to these bars. Anyone that's been here long enough will know this to be true. TIT. The good, the bad and the unbelievable.

[MUYTHAI]

A friend of mine who runs an HIV foundation in Bangkok, says she has proof that the number of women per capita involved in the sex industry is significantly higher in the US, than in Thailand. The only difference being that it is far more honest, and open here in thailand, and it is nearly entirely underground (with the exception of strip bars, and the porn industry) in the US. People have no idea how many millions of women are involved in the US, as the massage business, the escort business, the chiropractic office brothels, etc, etc, are all done in secret.

That's interesting. I knew this sort of thing was going on under our collective noses in America, but I had no idea to what extent.

Really? LOL. Prostitution in the USA is HUGE. It is just 'under the table' and 'out of sight'...unlike Thailand, where it is obviously in the open and 'in one's face'. Most women 'escorts' in the US earn huge amounts of money. A few years ago a friend of mine was trying to find a girlfriend by answering adds online in the 'regular' 'women looking for men' section on Craigslist in northern California. Every single woman, except for one, turned out to be a prostitute. He contacted many women over a lengthy period. He eventually met one woman, an East Indian woman, who was actually seeking a date. Prostitution is HUGE in the US and it is ironic and hypocritical that so many people in the US point fingers at places like Thailand. When they point one finger at LOS, they have three fingers pointing back at them (the US).

:jap:

[DieFuchsin]

Can I say inconsistent law enforcement?

By the nature of how alot of people earn their living in Thailand, were these girls rescued or denied the ability to earn a living?

I do understand what you mean - my feelings as a farang are telling me one thing but my intelligence can see the problem from more than one angle....