Chuwit Demands Govt Take Action To Stamp Out Prostitution In Thailand

[Reasonableman]

Will also give back all the money he mad from prostitution back

For services rendered, our No Refunds policy applies, thank you.

[DocN]

Oh, puuuuuleaze!!

[MunterHunter]

Interesting to see the fierce resistance to the call for stamping out Prostitution in Thailand... to me this speaks volumes

[webfact]

Love Thailand Party Leader Unveils Info on Prostitution and Gambling

BANGKOK: -- The Love Thailand Party leader releases a video clip showing a new prostitution ring in large cities, which he claims is connected to influential people and politicians, as well as state officials.

This is the video clip that was shown to the media yesterday by Love Thailand Party leader Chuwit Kamolvisit. He claims that the prostitution ring is operating out of Bangkok and other large cities and is backed by influential figures including politicians and state officials.

Chuwit added that he will reveal their full names soon. The Love Thailand Party leader went on to say the reason behind his press conference was to pressure the authorities into addressing human trafficking, which is becoming more and more rampant everyday and is leading to a rise in HIV/AIDS infection.

Before joining politics, Chuwit himself owned several massage parlors, which are known fronts for prostitution. Last year, the Civil Court seized money from two of his bank accounts worth 140,000 baht and 33,446 shares in Davis Diamond, Davis Copa Cabana, Davis Gold Star, and Davis Silver Star worth over 3.3 million baht on the charge of money laundering for providing prostitution.

-- Tan Network 2012-02-13

[Reasonableman]

One must strenuously protest this vicious slur against Politicians. Surely none are involved in prostitution?! There must be some ulterior motive in saying this...

[Reasonableman]

But ya gotta admit, the business name "Ho Pacific" is sheer genius.

On March 16 last year, Bt3.3 million belonging to Chuwit was frozen following a Supreme Court order and the money was eventually confiscated by the state in relation to Chuwit's business activities with a company he owns called Ho Pacific.

Edited February 13, 2012 by Reasonableman

[nicky1982]

His talking to the US embassy about the issue is certainly not "laughable" as the embassy/ US Government is making a big push to combat human trafficking in the region and, as the article stated, that is what he intends to discuss (even providing "information" which he should be well qualified to do). It is disappointing that Chuwit catches so much flak for taking a stand against human trafficking and underage prostitution.

Sex tourist is an important component of international tourism marketing. Nuttavuthisit in 2007 argued the sex tourism was originated in the Vietnam War between 1960s and 1970s. US soldiers and American servicemen were major customers for Rest and Recreation. The involving number of prostitutes has growing rapidly from 20,000 to 400,000. Afterwards, Thailand has been associated with sexual paradise through word of mouth and media promotion... The US started this all of with the Vietnam War and haven't really listen to Thailand ever since then and if he thinks they are going to start now he has a rude awakening coming once he meet the ambassador .... I think it's best let sleeping dogs lie .. also not bashing Americans on this subject ...

[Pib]

Chuwit is kinda like Donald Trump in that he craves to be in the headlines and will do headline grabbing things to get his publicity highs. In some cases there are some positive results, but in most cases it's just attention getting for ego self satisfaction.

[chooka]

Interesting to see the fierce resistance to the call for stamping out Prostitution in Thailand... to me this speaks volumes

I am not sure if it is a resistance to stamping out prostitution. I think it is more a call to legalise it in a controlled enviroment like authorised/legal businesses. (brothels) I think everyone will agree that prostitution cannot be eliminated but it can be controlled.

[wolf5370]

This article is ridiculous. It is merely a printing of some emotional comments by a hypocritical party official without any sound "reporting" or backing up or challenging of the statements made. Notwithstanding that Thailand is recognized to be the whorehouse of the world, it would be good to see The Nation taking a stand on prostitution as well as Thai society's general denial and unwillingness to discuss its existence and pervasiveness.

The numbers relating to revenue cited in the article are questionable. Investigative sources estimate that prostitution, human trafficking, drugs, and other associated crimes are well in excess of Bt. 200 billion and are closer to 10% of Thai GDP or $30 Billion dollars. Chuwit's threat to bring the problems associated with prostitution to the attention of the US embassy are laughable. As if the embassy isn't aware of Thailand's profile. The newspaper cites Chuwit as stating that "business, commercial , and government interests" are in collusion with the "trade" by their proximity. Does The Nation intend to follow up on these claims and substantiate them with names and exposure or does it plan to ignore these claims.

I think you and many posters here are missing the point. His address was to a Thai audience not to us. Most Thais have no idea how Thailand is viewed by the west - most it seems to me think the world still sees Thailand as a paradise holiday destination. After the USA's terrosist warning was big news the last few weeks, it makes sense to ride on the back of that by mentioning the US Embassy - remembering the audience.

Prostitution will never be got rid of, for as long as there are two genders and lobido. However, he is talking mostly about overt prostituion in the streets and about underage prostitution and traffiking. All of which are lamentable and getting rid of them is laudable. The fact that the speaker was once in the trade is of little relevance unless he is STILL in the game (pun intended). Indeed, ex-addicts make the best advocates of abstention; criminals make the best CI's, etc. A person that was in the trade will know it best

It will take a lot to change it, even legalise it - when the elite and wealthy are so involved in it. Last thing they want is to pay taxes, have to foot the cost of premises and healthcare, and be officially linked with such business. There will be resistance even to that.

I hope his bravery at speaking out does not forestall his ability to do so in the future!

Edited February 13, 2012 by wolf5370

[Gone]

Ok so he is NOW taking these DVD's etc. to the US Embassy? How long has he had these/this information? He has just turned a blind eye to Human trafficking for how long and now decides he should make a stand? What a crock.

Ok so now the Government will:

Stop all drug trafficking

Stop all gambling

Stop bars from playing music again i.e The recent bar closures in Jomtien Pattaya

Stop Prostitution

Stop bars from staying open past midnight

Where do they plan on getting revenue from next?

Yes you must make changes when trying to move from "developing country" status to "second world" status but I don't think this is the way to do it.

First work on Education, corruption, safety (problems in the South etc.), tourism, Education (yeah I know), infrastructure etc. Then when you reach "second world" status you might find that a lot of the drug and prostitution related crimes have already gone down.

[Payboy]

Chuwit Demands Govt Take Action To Stamp Out Prostitution In Thailand

Anything, as long as it doesnt affect the pimps?

[Jessi]

The only reason there is Prostitution in thailand is because foreigners keep going there, No foreigners NO prostitution......Simple really.

[Scott]

I don't know how far he is going to get with taking his concerns to the US Embassy. Prostitution is an internal problem. Human trafficking is of concern to the US, but unless it is cross-border, there is little they can do about it.

The situation still requires the support and investigation of the Thai police. That is where his complaint should start.

[Payboy]

Anyone remember this?

US rejects Chuwit visa request http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2005/08/18/headlines/data/headlines_18372070.html

[wolf5370]

Ok so he is NOW taking these DVD's etc. to the US Embassy? How long has he had these/this information? He has just turned a blind eye to Human trafficking for how long and now decides he should make a stand? What a crock.

Ok so now the Government will:

Stop all drug trafficking

Stop all gambling

Stop bars from playing music again i.e The recent bar closures in Jomtien Pattaya

Stop Prostitution

Stop bars from staying open past midnight

Where do they plan on getting revenue from next?

Yes you must make changes when trying to move from "developing country" status to "second world" status but I don't think this is the way to do it.

First work on Education, corruption, safety (problems in the South etc.), tourism, Education (yeah I know), infrastructure etc. Then when you reach "second world" status you might find that a lot of the drug and prostitution related crimes have already gone down.

We have no idea how long he has had the evidence he is submitting - why do you assume he has been sitting on it? How does one make a stand without the evidense or the position in which to best take advantage of it? You think he should have just handed it in to his local polcie station?> Would that be more affective than waiting until he had a soap box to stand on first? Lawyers and law enforcers the world over, good ones at least, wait until they have enough evidence before proceeding - that is just basic common sense.

He is a politician, he is NOT the government - it is one man's cruisade at the moment - the drugs clamp down WAS a government issues statement. This is not a policy, so your list does not stand.Where do they plan on getting revenue -Mmmm lets see - trade like they do now perhaps? How much money do you think the country makes from drugs, gambling and prostitution? Do you think the people that run these activities put them down on their tax forms each year? It makes money for those wealthy elite, not for the country, so again flawed argument.

"Developing world" status and "Second World" status are different sclaes - indeed, the first, second, third world thing is something from a bygone age - :second world" incidently was used to refer to non-free but not necessarily poor countries - i.e. the old USSR. The step up from from "Developing" is "Developed" - this is basically defined by GDP (guess what, Thailand is doing better than many "Developed" countries in this regard right now!). It is also only really of statistical grouping usage - it is not defined by the UN for example.

Your list of priorities (although maybe not in the right order???) are true - but corruption is linked with all that which is listed above. Corruption is not just nepotism, it is illegal earnings often through illegal practices and guess which ones, other than backhanders, are the most profitable for those in power? To combat corruption, organised crime must be displaced from state power - otherwise none of the rest of the list can be realised. Politician and police MUST be largely corruption free for any real progress here - and the best way to do that is to embarrass them into having to dismantle as much of the foundations of their illegal pyramids of crime and corruption as possible - take away their money, take away their power.

[DocN]

The only reason there is Prostitution in thailand is because foreigners keep going there, No foreigners NO prostitution......Simple really.

You are joking, right?!

You are really BELIEVING that it is only the foreigners?

What about waking up now???

[wolf5370]

The only reason there is Prostitution in thailand is because foreigners keep going there, No foreigners NO prostitution......Simple really.

I take it that is meant sarcastically, yes? No one is so stupid to really believe that, yes?

[chinook]

Stamping it out is simply impossible, perhaps better to try to discourage under-age prostitution, and to send a stronger message to the world's pedophiles, to go elsewhere ?

That's the sort of negative attitude that we can do without. Of course it's possible to stamp it out. It will be extremely difficult, but it's possible to clean it up. We need people like Chuvit to make a stand. It takes time to get these things done, but at least he's making a start, which is more than you're doing, which is sniping from the comfort of your armchair.

.........Reality calling W11guy.....come in W11 guy, you seem to have lost contact.

[animatic]

Irony runs rampant in the streets in the Emperors new clothes!

[Reasonableman]

Chuwit is kinda like Donald Trump in that he craves to be in the headlines and will do headline grabbing things to get his publicity highs. In some cases there are some positive results, but in most cases it's just attention getting for ego self satisfaction.

Quite so. Therefore, we use our analytical and observational faculties to decide the difference, as in discerning babies from bathwater.

[Jessi]

The only reason there is Prostitution in thailand is because foreigners keep going there, No foreigners NO prostitution......Simple really.

I take it that is meant sarcastically, yes? No one is so stupid to really believe that, yes?

Yes Im being sarcastic... But everything wrong or bad in Thailand is blamed on the foreigners...........

[nicky1982]

Like always here in Thailand they only care about one thing that's money and when it's coming down to doing stuff its like tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow or next day .. Human trafficking here in Thailand on a high also not just on prostitution also labor work ..

[OzMick]

His talking to the US embassy about the issue is certainly not "laughable" as the embassy/ US Government is making a big push to combat human trafficking in the region and, as the article stated, that is what he intends to discuss (even providing "information" which he should be well qualified to do). It is disappointing that Chuwit catches so much flak for taking a stand against human trafficking and underage prostitution.

Sex tourist is an important component of international tourism marketing. Nuttavuthisit in 2007 argued the sex tourism was originated in the Vietnam War between 1960s and 1970s. US soldiers and American servicemen were major customers for Rest and Recreation. The involving number of prostitutes has growing rapidly from 20,000 to 400,000. Afterwards, Thailand has been associated with sexual paradise through word of mouth and media promotion... The US started this all of with the Vietnam War and haven't really listen to Thailand ever since then and if he thinks they are going to start now he has a rude awakening coming once he meet the ambassador .... I think it's best let sleeping dogs lie .. also not bashing Americans on this subject ...

k Nuttavuthisit is either a joker or a fool. Prostitution here predates the VN war by a few centuries at least, and probably millenia. My 80ish FiL related to me how HIS father took him to the local sing-a-song when he was around 15.

The US troops visiting here certainly attracted the sex workers to them mainly because they paid more than the locals, as did the NVA who used Nakhon Phanom as an R&R base, and they weren't here for the fried rice. Neither army caused otherwise moral young ladies to suddenly change their outlook on life.

[hyperdimension]

Maybe prostitution can be eradicated by the use of gold coins or other medium of exchange.

[JeremyBowskill]

As prostitution is against the law anyhow it would seem fairly easy to not iradicate but lessen it by simply handing out similar draconian sentences that they do for drugs and declaring a war on whoring in the same mannor, the problem would be any copper could walk down walking street in Pattaya, fire his gun into the crowd and stand more than a 90% chance of doing his job correctly.............

[nicky1982]

Look at this thing glowing red for human trafficking ..

[Reasonableman]

His talking to the US embassy about the issue is certainly not "laughable" as the embassy/ US Government is making a big push to combat human trafficking in the region and, as the article stated, that is what he intends to discuss (even providing "information" which he should be well qualified to do). It is disappointing that Chuwit catches so much flak for taking a stand against human trafficking and underage prostitution.

Sex tourist is an important component of international tourism marketing. Nuttavuthisit in 2007 argued the sex tourism was originated in the Vietnam War between 1960s and 1970s. US soldiers and American servicemen were major customers for Rest and Recreation. The involving number of prostitutes has growing rapidly from 20,000 to 400,000. Afterwards, Thailand has been associated with sexual paradise through word of mouth and media promotion... The US started this all of with the Vietnam War and haven't really listen to Thailand ever since then and if he thinks they are going to start now he has a rude awakening coming once he meet the ambassador .... I think it's best let sleeping dogs lie .. also not bashing Americans on this subject ...

k Nuttavuthisit is either a joker or a fool. Prostitution here predates the VN war by a few centuries at least, and probably millenia. My 80ish FiL related to me how HIS father took him to the local sing-a-song when he was around 15.

The US troops visiting here certainly attracted the sex workers to them mainly because they paid more than the locals, as did the NVA who used Nakhon Phanom as an R&R base, and they weren't here for the fried rice. Neither army caused otherwise moral young ladies to suddenly change their outlook on life.

I guess the law of supply and demand operates, and with increased demand came an increased supply, rather than the existing girls just working harder, longer hours to keep up with demand.

The four basic laws of supply and demand are

• If demand increases and supply remains unchanged, then it leads to higher equilibrium price and quantity.
  
• If demand decreases and supply remains unchanged, then it leads to lower equilibrium price and quantity.
  
• If supply increases and demand remains unchanged, then it leads to lower equilibrium price and higher quantity.
  
• If supply decreases and demand remains unchanged, then it leads to higher price and lower quantity.
  

[wolf5370]

His talking to the US embassy about the issue is certainly not "laughable" as the embassy/ US Government is making a big push to combat human trafficking in the region and, as the article stated, that is what he intends to discuss (even providing "information" which he should be well qualified to do). It is disappointing that Chuwit catches so much flak for taking a stand against human trafficking and underage prostitution.

Sex tourist is an important component of international tourism marketing. Nuttavuthisit in 2007 argued the sex tourism was originated in the Vietnam War between 1960s and 1970s. US soldiers and American servicemen were major customers for Rest and Recreation. The involving number of prostitutes has growing rapidly from 20,000 to 400,000. Afterwards, Thailand has been associated with sexual paradise through word of mouth and media promotion... The US started this all of with the Vietnam War and haven't really listen to Thailand ever since then and if he thinks they are going to start now he has a rude awakening coming once he meet the ambassador .... I think it's best let sleeping dogs lie .. also not bashing Americans on this subject ...

k Nuttavuthisit is either a joker or a fool. Prostitution here predates the VN war by a few centuries at least, and probably millenia. My 80ish FiL related to me how HIS father took him to the local sing-a-song when he was around 15.

The US troops visiting here certainly attracted the sex workers to them mainly because they paid more than the locals, as did the NVA who used Nakhon Phanom as an R&R base, and they weren't here for the fried rice. Neither army caused otherwise moral young ladies to suddenly change their outlook on life.

Read the quote again - he didn't say "prostitution" he said "Sex tourist" - i.e. people that come here specifically for prostitution - completely different things - and of which he is most likely correct, before the Aisa wars (Korea/Vietnam) people came for trade - after vietname, there was an open sexual revolution for foreigners and thw word was out (from the mouths of thousands of returning troops from all over the English speaking world). It then became the draw in itself - especially as at the same time the sexual revolution of the 60's and early 70's in the west was pretty much over and old, fat, ugly men could not find beautiful young bimbos at home high as kites to bonk so easily anymore. Men were returning with Vietnamese brides that were way out of their class looks-wise, porno's were in their infancy and exposed a world of sin and anything goes sex. Flights were available and no long 6 month ship journeys were necessary anymore.

[pimay11]

The only reason there is Prostitution in thailand is because foreigners keep going there, No foreigners NO prostitution......Simple really.

Laugh of the day. Thai men make up more than 80% of the clients.