Bar Inspections This Week

[CheGuava]

This idea that Loi Kroh Rd is a centre of underage prostitution would be laughable if it weren't such a serious issue

I don't think anyone said it's a center for under-age anything. However there are several 15-16-17 year olds around.

The absence of such girls has little to do with 'god botherers' or NGO types and much more to do with the fact that the er, shall we say, more mature ladies who work the street would soon chase them away.

Maybe the flower selling kids yes if they come inside a bar. Maybe. But definitely not if they're staff at a bar or massage shop.

Note that I'm not saying this is any kind of unacceptable outrage, just that anyone who thinks that there are no under-age girls on Loi Kroh would be wrong.

Edited March 14, 2011 by CheGuava

[justmaybe]

Sorry, all, haven't had enough coffee today...can you please clarify for me?

You are annoyed at the presence of the NGOs, because you like to spend your time with underage hookers on drugs? Is that about right?

No judgment, just looking for clarification...maybe I read the above wrong, but like I said, not enough coffee today! Kthx.

Maybe not enough coffee, but I see you've been hitting the Hater-Ade and the Troll Juice extra hard today...

-Mestizo

Give me a break. You ooze judgement. I am annoyed with NGO's because in my experience they do good until it's time to clock out, trundle back to hotels the clients they pity will never see, and depending on their backing either milk well-intended people in the home countries (my mother included) or waste somebody's tax dollars/euros so they can feel smug about saving the world. If they were only worried about "underage hookers on drugs" and were effective in it I would have no issue with them.

I had to Google Hater-Ade but I hope it gave you time to have enough coffee.

Edited March 14, 2011 by justmaybe

[millwall_fan]

Che Guevara: Note that I'm not saying this is any kind of unacceptable outrage, just that anyone who thinks that there are no under-age girls on Loi Kroh would be wrong.

Like i said, in 5 yearsof living on Loi Kroh Rd, I have never seen or heard of underage girls working here and nor has my wife who chats with our fellow bar owners regularly. If you seriously know know better and are not just giving vent to popular urban myth about Loi Kroh Rd , I would entertain the hope that you have long since reported them to the appropriate authorities.

[CheGuava]

Che Guevara: Note that I'm not saying this is any kind of unacceptable outrage, just that anyone who thinks that there are no under-age girls on Loi Kroh would be wrong.

Like i said, in 5 yearsof living on Loi Kroh Rd, I have never seen or heard of underage girls working here and nor has my wife who chats with our fellow bar owners regularly.

Stone's throw from your place!! We're not talking total children here, they look just like any other bargirl South of 22 or so years old.

I would entertain the hope that you have long since reported them to the appropriate authorities.

I didn't, in this case. For starters I don't know for a fact that they do anything other than serve drinks and play pool. Secondly I'm not al all convinced that being hauled away by Thai police is actually something they would appreciate. No wait, I'm entirely sure that it would be pretty devastating. So I take the same attitude as everywhere else at any small night-life venue: live and let live. Clearly we are not talking about young children or any kind of nasty/forced situation, then there would be clear benefit in sending in the cavalry. This place has more of an extended-family feel.

And then there's another place that had a 16 year old working there until very recently. There are a couple others who may also not quite be 18 but I never really talked with them enough to find out for sure. (I don't typically make an effort to find out, but sometimes it comes up in conversation. Or they volunteer their Chinese star sign, which of course gives the exact year away. Or I friend them on Facebook and they have their date of birth in their info.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Give me a break. You ooze judgement. I am annoyed with NGO's because in my experience they do good until it's time to clock out, trundle back to hotels the clients they pity will never see, and depending on their backing either milk well-intended people in the home countries (my mother included) or waste somebody's tax dollars/euros so they can feel smug about saving the world. If they were only worried about "underage hookers on drugs" and were effective in it I would have no issue with them.

I've met people who fit that description, but you are of course generalizing. For every one of those I have met at least one person also working for some NGO who actually knew what they were doing, respected both the girls and their customers, and even managed to make a difference here and there. Random sniping at NGO workers is just as silly as sniping against all missionaries, all backpackers, all English teachers or all retired expats.

[clinique]

Any final words on this group? Anybody get hit hard?

These scare stories surface on TV from time to time as you know Gonzo. I wonder how the OP knew they were a Bangkok Squad and not the local boys dressed up in fancy uniforms. We certainly weren't visited and nor were any of our neighbouring bar owners on Loi Kroh Rd. It sounds like maybe it was Karaoke joints that were raided.

It was not a scare story. If you bothered to read my OP you would know how i knew. If you read othe rposts you would see that they were seen around CM.

Just because you were not 'visited' this time. Doesnt mean you wont be in the future.

[millwall_fan]

Any final words on this group? Anybody get hit hard?

These scare stories surface on TV from time to time as you know Gonzo. I wonder how the OP knew they were a Bangkok Squad and not the local boys dressed up in fancy uniforms. We certainly weren't visited and nor were any of our neighbouring bar owners on Loi Kroh Rd. It sounds like maybe it was Karaoke joints that were raided.

It was not a scare story. If you bothered to read my OP you would know how i knew. If you read othe rposts you would see that they were seen around CM.

Just because you were not 'visited' this time. Doesnt mean you wont be in the future.

Of course I 'bothered to read your OP' and it says nothing about how you knew they were from Bangkok. All you say is that your friend was busted. How did he know they were from Bangkok, and weren't a local squad in fancy uniforms? It sounds like they were busting Karaoke joints that were breaking the law. The Police tend to vist places that 'break the law' How about answering Gonzo's point. Was your mates bar 'hit hard'? What was the outcome? were they taken to court ? Was a 'fine' paid? Or were the police just doing their job and checking people for ID and drug use? I'm not disputing your information, just saying you sound high on rhetoric and low on actual facts!!

[justmaybe]

Random sniping at NGO workers is just as silly as sniping against all missionaries, all backpackers, all English teachers or all retired expats.

That's a point well-taken; apologies if my sniping appeared to be random. And double apologies for leaving out missionaries, backpackers, English teachers, or retired expats. I'll get around to turning on them as soon as I finish trussing up the aubergines with condoms.

[PlanetX]

It would be interesting to compare the overall negative impact missionaries and NGOs have had on native/ local populations to see if it outweighs the positive

Edited March 16, 2011 by PlanetX

[IanForbes]

There's LOTs of under age girls in the bars of Chiang Mai. Every night I have half a dozen of them trying to sell me flowers. Too bad their mothers train them to be beggers instead of going to school the next day. They are all out well after midnight and can't help but be tired the next day.

Because they have poor salaries the police have to earn their money through bribery. It's the Thai way and taught from the top down.