Cops Bust Walking Street Go Go For Underage Girls

[ThaidDown]

and its against the law in Thailand for someone who is under 20 to work in a bar (although they can be a customer at 18!).

No, that's the wrong way round. You can work in a bar at age 18 but cannot purchase alcohol (anywhere) until age 20.

[monty]

and its against the law in Thailand for someone who is under 20 to work in a bar (although they can be a customer at 18!).

No, that's the wrong way round. You can work in a bar at age 18 but cannot purchase alcohol (anywhere) until age 20.

Correct!

You can go and barfine a girl in one bar, but she'll not be allowed in the bar next door as a customer!

[brewsterbudgen]

Question is what will happen to the Bar Manager and why not arrest the Bar Owner? If the cops were serious they would shut the business for a month, full investigation and hit them in the pocket. I am sure the other bar girls will simply walk next door and pick up where they left off.

When Silver Star was raided last year, and a number of underage and illegally working girls (mainly Laos), the Thai manager and mamasan were arrested and charged. It's taken about a year to go through the courts, but neither has spent any time in jail (apart from immediately after the raid) and the Thai owner has paid the "fines". All the underage girls were sent "home", and were back working a few weeks later.

Prostitution is illegal isn't it? Why are they only arresting underage girls then. Why not just ask any girl for sex then just arrest her, and the manager/owner.

I'd be out of places to go drinking so please don't do it.

Sort of sheds light on the poor guy that was stung on beach road for getting an underage girl. I'm sure the girls in the gogo told the manager they were of age and provided ID, albeit fake. Same sort of thing could easily have happened to that guy on beach road. But in that case they arrested the guy and not the girl.

Go figure.

Prositution doesn't take place in gogos and paying for sex is not illegal in Thailand.

[BlackPuddingBertha]

Bucholz amazing that you are still on your Police Volunteer rants after all these years.

One thing the article said was 'undercover agent'...nothing about foreigners or police volunteers.

Secondly is that the Tourist Police volunteers have been patrolling and helping on WS for over 10 years and are known to all bars/go go's etc, so do you really think they could just walk in.

Thirdly most people know that any stings, that may use foreigners, are from immigration (ie: guys on overstays or immigration violations of some sort).

So John be productive and put your volunteer phobia to rest please.

One high profile hooker sting operation last year did indeed use a farang "operative", said to be a volunteer. Some people on here could (and did) recognise him easily but for the Thais who ended up getting arrested for having done nothing much, he was just another farang client. They do all look very similar.

Personally I think that any LEA that resorts to entrapment loses all pretence of integrity in the process, and ends up being just as bad as the people they arrest, if not worse. But then I doubt the integrity of the sort of people who would want to became foreign police volunteers anyway. A very dodgy bunch in my opinion.

[BWPattaya]

Every country has their own laws on "Underage sex", "Underage workers" etc. It's pretty much a crime in most country's for someone over 18 to have sex with someone 17 or under. 18 seems to be the magic number. ....Here in Thailand, it's agains't the law for anyone under 19 to be working in the bars. Not sure if Karoke bars are included. ...

Umm ...wrong. The age of consent in "most" countries is 15 or 16, regardless of the age of another participant, and 18 is no more unusual than 13 (12 and 21 are unusual).

The only countries which have laws on "underage workers" are Thailand and Japan, at 18.

... and its against the law in Thailand for someone who is under 20 to work in a bar (although they can be a customer at 18!).

You may be right.. I was just reading British and European laws so may have got it wrong. I stand corrected...

In Britain the legal age of consent is 16. Look up the legal age in Spain and Holland, you will be very surprised. In fact, look up the legal age of consent in Thailand.

[BWPattaya]

I think what annoys most people is the lack of consistency. Yes it is wrong for underage girls to sell sex in a bar but drive past any of these Thai bars or karaoke places and you will see them sat outside the bar on full display to the police and everybody, but who get busted? the farang owned bars.

I have owned bars here for many years and have been told many times that the young girls are kept solely for the Thais (In Thai Bars) and if Farangs try to have any young employees they will be done by the mafia - sorry I mean Police.

Chris

This event took place in Nui's Bar, that is Thai owned.

[sirchai]

Pretty strange in a country, where they sell child porn in the middle of Bangkok, while those "undercover guys" are looking for foreigners throwing a cigarette on the streets...

Edited March 17, 2013 by sirchai

[Joe Mamma]

I believe a true man, when he reaches a certain age of depth and wisdom, does not look upon underage girls as sexual objects, but as an entity of growth and our future that needs protection from exploitative people who only live for the moment and their own greed.

[brewsterbudgen]

Every country has their own laws on "Underage sex", "Underage workers" etc. It's pretty much a crime in most country's for someone over 18 to have sex with someone 17 or under. 18 seems to be the magic number. ....Here in Thailand, it's agains't the law for anyone under 19 to be working in the bars. Not sure if Karoke bars are included. ...

Umm ...wrong. The age of consent in "most" countries is 15 or 16, regardless of the age of another participant, and 18 is no more unusual than 13 (12 and 21 are unusual).

The only countries which have laws on "underage workers" are Thailand and Japan, at 18.

... and its against the law in Thailand for someone who is under 20 to work in a bar (although they can be a customer at 18!).

You may be right.. I was just reading British and European laws so may have got it wrong. I stand corrected...

In Britain the legal age of consent is 16. Look up the legal age in Spain and Holland, you will be very surprised. In fact, look up the legal age of consent in Thailand.

In Britain, as in Thailand, 18 is the minimum age for prostitution.

[BlackJack]

good grief

go to any small village in Thailand and theyre starting as young as 12

this comment is not condoning it - just stating a fact

[Beetlejuice]

This police operation does not go far enough.

A captain is always responsible for what happens on his own ship, so also arrest and charge the bar owner.

Next, close down the bar, revoke and deny anymore future licenses to the bar owners and put these people out of business.

Place a restraining order on the children, to ensure they no longer work in the illegal sex industry.

In this case nothing will change, the bar will continue to run as a front for prostitution and the kids will just continue to prostitute themselves in other establishments.

[sandhurstmolonski]

This police operation does not go far enough.

A captain is always responsible for what happens on his own ship, so also arrest and charge the bar owner.

Next, close down the bar, revoke and deny anymore future licenses to the bar owners and put these people out of business.

Place a restraining order on the children, to ensure they no longer work in the illegal sex industry.

In this case nothing will change, the bar will continue to run as a front for prostitution and the kids will just continue to prostitute themselves in other establishments.

Good Idea the Theory ....But of course is never going to happen , this is of course Just one Bar ..

More importantly lets not forget Prositution is illegal ..At ANY age .

Now you dont need to look too far ...And this is certainly Not to Condone it , Some things have made me feel quite physically ill .

However ....One Bar in Pattaya that didn't pay the " Support " fee . Out there tonight there will be many underage girls working ..

All over the place . Would need some serious commitment to even start trying to fix this .

[Tolley]

Overage bargirls seems a bigger problem in Pattaya than underage bargirls these days.

[Beetlejuice]

This police operation does not go far enough.

A captain is always responsible for what happens on his own ship, so also arrest and charge the bar owner.

Next, close down the bar, revoke and deny anymore future licenses to the bar owners and put these people out of business.

Place a restraining order on the children, to ensure they no longer work in the illegal sex industry.

In this case nothing will change, the bar will continue to run as a front for prostitution and the kids will just continue to prostitute themselves in other establishments.

Good Idea the Theory ....But of course is never going to happen , this is of course Just one Bar ..

More importantly lets not forget Prositution is illegal ..At ANY age .

Now you dont need to look too far ...And this is certainly Not to Condone it , Some things have made me feel quite physically ill .

However ....One Bar in Pattaya that didn't pay the " Support " fee . Out there tonight there will be many underage girls working ..

All over the place . Would need some serious commitment to even start trying to fix this .

100% agree.

The loophole is that the bar owners are alleging that their businesses are purely drinking establishments and what their staff do once outside the premises has nothing to do with them. The bar fine is solely for paying for the girls company and to compensate the bar owner for the absence of one of his staff members, according to the owners.

The so-call rescuing by the police of these under aged girls is only a public relations exercise, for the benefit of a appeasement to the public that they are seen to be doing something, when in fact it`s all just a load of show and BS.

The whole system is rotten to the core and one great big joke, only no one is laughing. For these reasons I never take these police actions seriously. The day that I actually see these gang owned establishments being shut down, will be the day that I will begin giving the police and the authorities of Pattaya some credibility.

Edited March 17, 2013 by Beetlejuice

[londoedan]

Overage bargirls seems a bigger problem in Pattaya than underage bargirls these days.

Exactly - lets keep things in perspective.

I'm all for the authorities enforcing the rules and coming down hard on all establishments that employ staff below the age of 18. But having spent quite a number of evenings in bars / go-go's all over town during the High season, I for one do not believe its a widespread problem (quite the opposite in fact - not there's anything wrong with a few <deleted>'s around town).

[kevvy]

Question is what will happen to the Bar Manager and why not arrest the Bar Owner? If the cops were serious they would shut the business for a month, full investigation and hit them in the pocket. I am sure the other bar girls will simply walk next door and pick up where they left off.

agree. but..... the police will not shut them as they will lose a months salary

[Buchholz]

One high profile hooker sting operation last year did indeed use a farang "operative", said to be a volunteer. Some people on here could (and did) recognise him easily but for the Thais who ended up getting arrested for having done nothing much, he was just another farang client. They do all look very similar.

Personally I think that any LEA that resorts to entrapment loses all pretence of integrity in the process, and ends up being just as bad as the people they arrest, if not worse. But then I doubt the integrity of the sort of people who would want to became foreign police volunteers anyway. A very dodgy bunch in my opinion.

.

+1

The link posted earlier was for another prostitution sting conducted by these foreign police volunteers a few years back. That case involved Uzbekistani prostitutes. So with still other cases of similar suspect behavior during prostitution sting operations as well as your more recent example, it's evident they have been involved with a variety of sting operations and its certainly not beyond the realm of possibility that these same farang-for-the-most-part cop volunteers could also connected with this OP's sting.

As you say though, in those other cases where the volunteers were completing the sexual act with prostitutes before arresting them runs contrary to any other standard police protocol anywhere AFAIK.

A dubious bunch, IMHO, also.

,

Edited March 17, 2013 by Buchholz

[Travelman868]

Every country has their own laws on "Underage sex", "Underage workers" etc. It's pretty much a crime in most country's for someone over 18 to have sex with someone 17 or under. 18 seems to be the magic number. ....Here in Thailand, it's agains't the law for anyone under 19 to be working in the bars. Not sure if Karoke bars are included. ...

Umm ...wrong. The age of consent in "most" countries is 15 or 16, regardless of the age of another participant, and 18 is no more unusual than 13 (12 and 21 are unusual).

The only countries which have laws on "underage workers" are Thailand and Japan, at 18.

... and its against the law in Thailand for someone who is under 20 to work in a bar (although they can be a customer at 18!).

I thought the rules were 18 to work in a bar BUT 20 as a customer.

The official age of consent in Thailand is 15, however if there is reward involved then the age is 18

Spain is 13 and some other EU countries have 14 or 15 age limits but very often age differences come into the

equasion. (sic)

[PoodMaiDai]

Simple. The guy didn't pay up. That's the way it always works.

Underage sex workers are everywhere in Thailand, especially in the Thai establishments catering to Thai boys (I won't call them men, because they are not, no matter the age). They start having sex here very young, it's just how it is. We can't change that, the police can't change that, and no outside NGO is going to change that. That is the society they have built for themselves. The boys rule, the women are abused, the kids are abused. Welcome to Asia.

[Beetlejuice]

Simple. The guy didn't pay up. That's the way it always works.

Underage sex workers are everywhere in Thailand, especially in the Thai establishments catering to Thai boys (I won't call them men, because they are not, no matter the age). They start having sex here very young, it's just how it is. We can't change that, the police can't change that, and no outside NGO is going to change that. That is the society they have built for themselves. The boys rule, the women are abused, the kids are abused. Welcome to Asia.

I don`t agree with that.

I have visited many bars all over Thailand during my time here and have rarely seen under aged staff, that includes massage parlours. The one time here in Chiang Mai when I did find an underage female girl offering to give me an oil massage at a parlour I protested strongly and walked out. This is the only time I have witnessed this during my over 30 years period of stay in Thailand.

I do believe that if some sick bast---s are deliberately looking for that sort of thing, it`s available, if they know where to look, but would guess this is mostly behind the scenes and not as common as some would believe. Of course this pertains anywhere in the world, if people are determined and have the money, these things will always be made available to them and nothing can stop it.

[khaowong1]

I believe a true man, when he reaches a certain age of depth and wisdom, does not look upon underage girls as sexual objects, but as an entity of growth and our future that needs protection from exploitative people who only live for the moment and their own greed.

I think I read somewhere, that Mohammeds last wife was 13 and that Jesus's mother had him when she was 16.. and most of the Kings in Britain and Europe also married very young wives, most well under 18... just saying..

[LeCharivari]

and its against the law in Thailand for someone who is under 20 to work in a bar (although they can be a customer at 18!).

No, that's the wrong way round. You can work in a bar at age 18 but cannot purchase alcohol (anywhere) until age 20.

Correct!

You can go and barfine a girl in one bar, but she'll not be allowed in the bar next door as a customer!

My mistake - I'm out of date as in 2008 the age at which you can buy alcohol in Thailand was increased from 18 to 20.

[LeCharivari]

In Britain, as in Thailand, 18 is the minimum age for prostitution.

Agreed - I'm out of date again! In the UK it used to be in line with the age of consent, but it was changed to 18 in 2009. A lot of other countries also seem to have either raised the age recently, or to be in the process of doing so. Seems odd to me that a country can consider someone old enough to choose to go to war, kill and be killed, etc, and be paid for it, but not old enough to choose to be paid for having sex. Very odd.

[easton]

"Pol. Maj. Gen. Chawalit said that the detectives will investigate and question the victims further"

Willing working in a GoGo.....................not really victims.

[BlackPuddingBertha]

I have visited many bars all over Thailand during my time here and have rarely seen under aged staff, that includes massage parlours.

You just haven't been going to the right (or maybe wrong) places. That or you travel with your eyes shut.

[TimTang]

I believe a true man, when he reaches a certain age of depth and wisdom, does not look upon underage girls as sexual objects, but as an entity of growth and our future that needs protection from exploitative people who only live for the moment and their own greed.

I think I read somewhere, that Mohammeds last wife was 13 and that Jesus's mother had him when she was 16.. and most of the Kings in Britain and Europe also married very young wives, most well under 18... just saying..

Mohammed's last wife was 6; he consummated the marriage when she was 9...just saying...

[brewsterbudgen]

Another gogo was raided on Friday night (Naughty Girls on soi Diamond). A few underage girls and illegal nationals (Laos) were found and the manager and mamasan detained. Luckily for them the Thai owner of the gogo secured their release, and it's business as usual. As with previous raids, the underage girls will be sent home - and then gradually slip back down to continue working.

[SPIKECM]

I am not condoning under age girls working these bars, but the problem is that in whole swathes of Issan and the North in particular, there's a way of life which has developed over the last 50 years (arguably much longer) where there's almost a pre ordained path in life for these girls to work in bars. The girls have a window of opportunity in life and the younger they start, the larger that window of opportunity. The demand for young good looking Thai girls is now well exceeding supply and I doubt if any of these girls in question will be dancing on stage for long spells. They'll never have seen so much cash. There's a chap I know who dresses up in a mini skirt and doesn't shave too often and he has already been to Norway and is presently holidaying in Samui. It is truly staggering the opportunities in life once any attractive girl hits the red light areas of Thailand (or even an unshaved guy in a mini skirt). It is inevitable that this will happen and as for the fate of these girls in question, all the law enforcement have done is possibly sent her home for a couple of years, but more probably just sent her to some other establishment working with Thais in the third road and probably exposed her to a higher risk of HIV. I am not condoning under age sex and I am not arguing that this should not be clamped down on. But there are unintended consequences of most actions and there is no possible way that these girls were "saved". That is my only point.

Edited March 18, 2013 by SPIKECM

[sandhurstmolonski]

I am not condoning under age girls working these bars, but the problem is that in whole swathes of Issan and the North in particular, there's a way of life which has developed over the last 50 years (arguably much longer) where there's almost a pre ordained path in life for these girls to work in bars. The girls have a window of opportunity in life and the younger they start, the larger that window of opportunity. The demand for young good looking Thai girls is now well exceeding supply and I doubt if any of these girls in question will be dancing on stage for long spells. They'll never have seen so much cash. There's a chap I know who dresses up in a mini skirt and doesn't shave too often and he has already been to Norway and is presently holidaying in Samui. It is truly staggering the opportunities in life once any attractive girl hits the red light areas of Thailand (or even an unshaved guy in a mini skirt). It is inevitable that this will happen and as for the fate of these girls in question, all the law enforcement have done is possibly sent her home for a couple of years, but more probably just sent her to some other establishment working with Thais in the third road and probably exposed her to a higher risk of HIV. I am not condoning under age sex and I am not arguing that this should not be clamped down on. But there are unintended consequences of most actions and there is no possible way that these girls were "saved". That is my only point.

Good Post ... But I dont know about Demand outstripping Supply ..

There are so so many of them .

Maybe your unshaved Dude in a Mini Skirt appeals to a Niche audience ??

[chaihot]

I believe a true man, when he reaches a certain age of depth and wisdom, does not look upon underage girls as sexual objects, but as an entity of growth and our future that needs protection from exploitative people who only live for the moment and their own greed.

Hahahaah hhahhahhhha hhahahahaah.

Whew! wow. Thanks ...

What a post!