Police rescue 31 girls in 'sting' operation

[unanimosity]

I applaud the police for rescuing these poor girls, and I hope the system will lock these evil traffickers up and throw away the key. The sun does not want to shine on these creatures ever again. This will send out a strong message to other cruel-hearted ruffians everywhere.

Aren't you being a bit presumptuous? Have you not read and heard the comments by girls who are in the world's oldest profession because they like it and do not believe they are able to earn comparable money any other way? Sure, they are not going to say that to the cops because being outed and all they want to distance themselves from the profession publicly. Clearly, trafficking exists but is not the universal MO. Does it not raise your eyebrows just a tad that 30 were from across the border while only 1 was Thai? Are you convinced that the police were rescuing working girls, or is it possible that these four pimps were crowding in on some other better-connected pimp's turf? Is it fact or fiction that law enforcement and political officials have interests in such businesses? Not saying you are wrong, but with so few facts you are being presumptuous.

[NanLaew]

Blah...blah...blah...where there are demands there will always be supplies. Not going to end in the near or distance future.

With Thai moral values decaying at the rate it is now, it will never change but can only get worse.

Look around the streets of Bangkok and I am sure you'll see schoolboys who had just entered puberty displaying affectionate feminine behaviour. Born that way? Absolutely, not! Nurtured by society and media.

Teenage girls behaving like boys and proudly showing off their girlfriends. Born that way? Again, absolutely not!

It is the product of the Thai society that condone this behaviour in the name of Tolerance and even promoted on TV.

Some will become celebrities if they are lucky. But the rest...???

So what does all these equates to?

Ummm... that you're not much into ladyboys or toms?

[TheReporter]

Every once in a while, the so called Royal Thai Police show a little bit of concern for human trafficking that directly contributes to the commercial sex trades in the country. Majority of the time; especially big and powerful human traffickers all have the Royal Thai Police in their pockets, so you will never hear anything about their illicit activities in the newspaper or anywhere else for that matter. Thailand has one of the largest commercial sex industry in the world and a major hub in SE Asia for human trafficking activities.

[MYKTHEMIN]

If every pimp, john and hooker was arrested in Thailand, there would be 25 million people in jail.

Well said, most girls here do it to provide for their families as there is no alternative job opportunity. Most have young children abandoned by a thai low life husband who has done a runner with a younger model.

Ah the well worn excuse of the client, you might just as well justify the drug trade in the same way- they need the money!. The truth is most prostitutes are just too lazy and or stupid to do anything else, but that does not make it right either. There are PLENTY of jobs to go around in Thailand, yes selling your body does earn more but girls do NOT have to do it.

If prostitutes are to be arrested then it's only fair to start arresting the customers that perpetuate this filthy trade as well.

You clearly have No idea how this country works.

[unanimosity]

surely there are good police ...

Police that never bother to give anybody a ticket regardless of how they drive, as long as they have a shirt on or are wearing a helmet, and who are always there to help out an influential puyai with a brown envelope qualify as very good in the eyes of people that consider corruption a virtue.

[techboy]

I went once to a girlie show in Chiang Mai. It wasn't x-rated, but it had tall attractive Thai women coming on to a stage in sequence, and dancing to music like trained horses. They were dressed nattily and 'danced' by standing still and lifting one leg, and then the other - nearly on beat to the (eternally crappy Thai pop) music. Both they and the audience looked bored to tears.

The message which clanged forth: There are a plethora of forces, in Thailand, which compel young women to be sexual floozies. Many elder Thai men and women make a career out of compelling Thai women to be vamps. Money is the main lure. Of course there are sex-workers in other countries, but in Thailand, it's a deep-set, embedded, wide ranging malady.

You went to a poorly done girlie show meant to get a bunch of drunken dolts to spend their money and experienced this "epiphany"? Some kind of heavy dude.

And: "Of course there are sex-workers in other countries, but in Thailand, it's a deep-set, embedded, wide ranging malady." What do you know about other countries? I imagine donkey shows are too tame to affect your critique?

[NanLaew]

If every pimp, john and hooker was arrested in Thailand, there would be 25 million people in jail.

Well said, most girls here do it to provide for their families as there is no alternative job opportunity. Most have young children abandoned by a thai low life husband who has done a runner with a younger model.

Ah the well worn excuse of the client, you might just as well justify the drug trade in the same way- they need the money!. The truth is most prostitutes are just too lazy and or stupid to do anything else, but that does not make it right either. There are PLENTY of jobs to go around in Thailand, yes selling your body does earn more but girls do NOT have to do it.

If prostitutes are to be arrested then it's only fair to start arresting the customers that perpetuate this filthy trade as well.

Filthy? I'll have you know that showering before AND after is the norm for such liaisons.

[ALFREDO]

There are 30 million human trafficking's each year in the world, that they know of, more that the population of Australia.

By the way, some part of the Australian population, had their ancestors trafficked there against their will by force!

http://www.exodus2013.co.uk/forced-migration-convicts-to-australia/

[NanLaew]

If every pimp, john and hooker was arrested in Thailand, there would be 25 million people in jail.

Well said, most girls here do it to provide for their families as there is no alternative job opportunity. Most have young children abandoned by a thai low life husband who has done a runner with a younger model.

Ah the well worn excuse of the client, you might just as well justify the drug trade in the same way- they need the money!. The truth is most prostitutes are just too lazy and or stupid to do anything else, but that does not make it right either. There are PLENTY of jobs to go around in Thailand, yes selling your body does earn more but girls do NOT have to do it.

If prostitutes are to be arrested then it's only fair to start arresting the customers that perpetuate this filthy trade as well.

You clearly have No idea how this country works.

Pot!... Kettle!

[NanLaew]

I went once to a girlie show in Chiang Mai. It wasn't x-rated, but it had tall attractive Thai women coming on to a stage in sequence, and dancing to music like trained horses. They were dressed nattily and 'danced' by standing still and lifting one leg, and then the other - nearly on beat to the (eternally crappy Thai pop) music. Both they and the audience looked bored to tears.

The message which clanged forth: There are a plethora of forces, in Thailand, which compel young women to be sexual floozies. Many elder Thai men and women make a career out of compelling Thai women to be vamps. Money is the main lure. Of course there are sex-workers in other countries, but in Thailand, it's a deep-set, embedded, wide ranging malady.

You went to a poorly done girlie show meant to get a bunch of drunken dolts to spend their money and experienced this "epiphany"? Some kind of heavy dude.

And: "Of course there are sex-workers in other countries, but in Thailand, it's a deep-set, embedded, wide ranging malady." What do you know about other countries? I imagine donkey shows are too tame to affect your critique?

Isn't Tijuana so much fun?!

[soalbundy]

Tip of the iceberg... If authorities would really want to fight against prostitution, they would start to clean all entertainment venues, starting by ALL massage parlors on Ratchada, Nana Plaza and Cowboy and so on... This Chacherngsao operation is probably the result of the owner not paying enough money to the police. CORRUPTION is the CANCER of the Thai Society. Police = Mafia. They control all and nothing will never change unless there is a deep and final cleaning of the Police, main root cause of the rapid downfall of this country which is no more State and no more Authority, other than money and corruption. This country is a total ANARCHY. I am just reminding facts that are very well known, but it reaches such an indecent level of hypocrisy that the whole country is now DOOMED.

How would they 'start to clean' Pattaya then?

Napalm comes to mind

[jackspade]

"Lured" into prostitution? So these girls don't have the option to leave if they so desire? Are they being forced to dance at gunpoint or something?

[techboy]

Tip of the iceberg... If authorities would really want to fight against prostitution, they would start to clean all entertainment venues, starting by ALL massage parlors on Ratchada, Nana Plaza and Cowboy and so on... This Chacherngsao operation is probably the result of the owner not paying enough money to the police. CORRUPTION is the CANCER of the Thai Society. Police = Mafia. They control all and nothing will never change unless there is a deep and final cleaning of the Police, main root cause of the rapid downfall of this country which is no more State and no more Authority, other than money and corruption. This country is a total ANARCHY. I am just reminding facts that are very well known, but it reaches such an indecent level of hypocrisy that the whole country is now DOOMED.

How would they 'start to clean' Pattaya then?

Strong antibiotics.

Some good healthy pragmatism that flips the bird at lots of righteous jabber (and some badly needed humor).

[jackspade]

Gentlemen, if I may offer an opinion.

Firstly I would like to know, as another commentor has already asked, what age were they.

Secondly, any man amongst us who has ever suffered from a wife can tell you everything you need to know about prostitution. (Before some of you start bleetting about how pure your wife is, let me say that there are always exceptions to any rule, but rules of thumb there are.)

In my youth I was naive enough to think that women looked upon men in the same way the we looked upon them. With chastity and honour. But I have aged since then. In their world a man's role is solely to support them and their need for shopping. Do any of you really think that these girls were dragged here at gunpoint or under the guise of getting well paid jobs. For me to think that would be to insult the genuine intelligence of the female. How many of you have heard one female say to another..." be sure to marry a rich guy". To me this is prostitution in its most basic form.

Third page and that's about the right time for the old 'all women are hookers' statement.

Thanks for your deep and considered opinion.

"...who has ever suffered from a wife..."

Not bitter are we?

He doesn't sound bitter... Merely disillusioned. And probably with good reason.

[Bangkok45]

[quote name="NanLaew" post="7597530"

Hahaha...good one NanLaew! I actually have nothing against homosexuality per se.

What I meant to say was, the tolerance of these nurtured behaviour by the Thais are just one of the contributing factor toward the sex trade. They are continuously providing the supply.

[Old Man River]

Tip of the iceberg... If authorities would really want to fight against prostitution, they would start to clean all entertainment venues, starting by ALL massage parlors on Ratchada, Nana Plaza and Cowboy and so on... This Chacherngsao operation is probably the result of the owner not paying enough money to the police. CORRUPTION is the CANCER of the Thai Society. Police = Mafia. They control all and nothing will never change unless there is a deep and final cleaning of the Police, main root cause of the rapid downfall of this country which is no more State and no more Authority, other than money and corruption. This country is a total ANARCHY. I am just reminding facts that are very well known, but it reaches such an indecent level of hypocrisy that the whole country is now DOOMED.

I could be wrong, but my understanding has been that the girls in the massage parlors you mention are there because they want to earn money and are free to leave when they want. In this article, the girls were lured there for much the same reason, but were not able to leave (their passports were taken away - human trafficking).

The 31 girls were saved, now much the wiser. The owners and cops paid off now look for 31 more girls to steal.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[empireboy]

Sometimes because we know this is only the "tip of the 'Iceberg'", we can easily lose sight of the serious relief experienced by these few girls. Even the saving of one person from this heinous situation can feel like getting your life back after feeling like there was no escape...

[Beetlejuice]

If every pimp, john and hooker was arrested in Thailand, there would be 25 million people in jail.

Most Thai men are either johns or pimps. It is almost a right of passage for young Thai men to have sex with hookers.

Brothels and massage parlors are the size of five star hotels and are on every street corner. 1/10 women who walk in the shopping malls have had sex for money at one point in their lives.

Thailand is the sex capital of the world for good reason - young, poor good looking girls and horny unethical men.

Expatriates love to criticize prostitution and lash out against young girls having sex for money - yet they are the most frequent customers at massage parlors and short time hotels.

What a bunch of BS and hypocrisy.

The BS is everything you have put in your post.

So according to you, 25 million Thai people are johns or prostitutes and most of the men are either pimps or johns. That`s approx 37% of the population.

Brothels and massage parlours the size of five star hotels on every street corner. You have obviously been living on the wrong side of town.

1/10 women who walk in the shopping malls have had sex for money at one point in their lives. 1 in 10? How can you tell? Do the tenth girls wear special badges or something?

Where did you obtain these statistics? From a man in a bar?

You are either a racist bigot who assumes that all Thais are characterised by having the same traits or you have been thrown over by a Thai woman or a loser who could not hack it Thailand and feeling bitter. Which of the 3 categories do you fall in? 1, 2 or all of them?

2

[NoshowJones]

They should perhaps start arresting the customers of prostitutes, both Thai and falang to cut down the demand. It's always the girls that get arrested never the sex tourists, adulterers and Thais. It is illegal after all.

Absolute garbage, if there was no prostitution, think of all the rapes that would happen. I have never used prostitutes, but what a person does with their own bodies is entirely their business and no one elses. Just one very important thing, no one must get hurt or forced to do anything they do not want to do.

[Ajex21]

in sukhumvit, i've had many tuk tuk drivers come up to me with a little sheet with loads of naked chick on them. the tuk tuk driver drive would say " you want you want?" i always say no because i don't trust them.

It makes me wonder. are these places a brothel? I mean, these drivers would probably take me somewhere else and rob me.

[TPI]

If every pimp, john and hooker was arrested in Thailand, there would be 25 million people in jail.

Most Thai men are either johns or pimps. It is almost a right of passage for young Thai men to have sex with hookers.

Brothels and massage parlors are the size of five star hotels and are on every street corner. 1/10 women who walk in the shopping malls have had sex for money at one point in their lives.

Thailand is the sex capital of the world for good reason - young, poor good looking girls and horny unethical men.

Expatriates love to criticize prostitution and lash out against young girls having sex for money - yet they are the most frequent customers at massage parlors and short time hotels.

What a bunch of BS and hypocrisy.

And your problem is?? One has heard that "marriage" is the usual form of prostitution, as if the man has no money...................! Ma kit mark!

[sms747]

They should perhaps start arresting the customers of prostitutes, both Thai and falang to cut down the demand. It's always the girls that get arrested never the sex tourists, adulterers and Thais. It is illegal after all.

Absolute garbage, if there was no prostitution, think of all the rapes that would happen. I have never used prostitutes, but what a person does with their own bodies is entirely their business and no one elses. Just one very important thing, no one must get hurt or forced to do anything they do not want to do.

There are plenty of rapes here and violence against women WITH all the prostitution, but you feel men cannot control themselves so prostitution is justified, even when illegal? Prostitution is not a victimless crime and people do get hurt both emotionally and physically, then there are the serious health risks. Clearly as prostitution is illegal the customers should be arrested as they are breaking the law, then they should be deported if they are foreign, just like other law breakers.

Edited March 23, 2014 by sms747

[rayw]

They should perhaps start arresting the customers of prostitutes, both Thai and falang to cut down the demand. It's always the girls that get arrested never the sex tourists, adulterers and Thais. It is illegal after all.

Come on now the majority of guys actually enjoy prostitution and the freelance girls welcome it too for the money they need and earn, and yes some of those girls when they choose and pick the right clients, can also enjoy the work too for sure. Many would not want to lose their freedom working instead for some taskmaster exploiting boss in say a factory or office or worse. I am though totally mega against human trafficking and the leeching pimps.

Prostitution should be legal for both the girls and their clients worldwide, but only where the girls are freelance and not working to fund some pondlife leeching pimp or traffickers. Many guys, and likely the majority of us on here if we are honest, enjoy good prostitution services as it gives them a much needed sex life that they would otherwise not get (and that can with some less balanced individuals sometimes lead to sex crimes and rape too !!). So tell me without prostitution ( in Thailand I prefer the term bargirls who are mainly far better at this job than western prostitutes) what would an old, overweight, ugly guy do for sex? Should we just make Viagra illegal and promote the use of Bromide and the like in our tea hmm or maybe castration is another alternative for these prohibition control freak type guys ??

Prostitution is an essential service (should be an undisputed fact that) so we should stop pretending it is not and make freelance prostitution legal and respectable for both the girls and the clients when there is no forced infringement of any human rights. The rest of the lowlife pimps and traffickers should have massive penalties imposed on them when caught as THESE are the undesirable criminals who are abusing and exploiting innocent folk, it is truly NOT the girls and their honest sexually in need clients. In a proper honest deal between a freelance bargirl and her client then nobody is forced and both parties benefit immensely and get what they want from the deal, sounds bloody sensible and fair to me.

Sure as an ugly, old, obese guy I have made many a mutually satisfactory deal with many bargirls in my time like most of us here I am sure. No regrets either as over 90% have been fantastic and highly enjoyable sessions and nothing forced on any of the lovely ladies. Ahh so that is the bad word is it? "ENJOYABLE" so lets make all enjoyment illegal for a start then hmmm Come on let's all get real and if it applies to you then stop living a pretence. Have fun as long as that does not stop others having their fun too, i.e. LIVE AND LET LIVE. So if prostitution is not for you then do not use it, simple and straightforward but PLEASE DON'T try and stop it for others that do want it openly and pimpfree.

Edited March 23, 2014 by rayw

[EnigmaBurn]

I am impressed by the largely informed comments here. Good on ya!

noitom, Yunla, toonsai, chainarong, binjalin, boomerangutang, somchaismith, et al.

I generally agree with what all of you are saying and applaud the informed discussion and comments.

As far as 'flipping' the perps in these cases it would be nice, but they don't really need to as cops already know who Mr Big is. Hell, in some cases - as toonsai notes - it IS a cop that is the local Mr Big.

And how to start to clean up Pattaya? Heh. 'Nuke it from orbit' and start over (sarcasm/joke). But it really is that bad.

[rotary]

I think we did not get the full story from all sides.

[tiffanystoyz]

Look at it this way want sex why lie better than men raping women. Just do it under control where the women who choose this line of work get checked each month. What the men pay they keep it all. If working out of a bar bar owner keeps bar fine for lady. Have a clean and safe place for then to work. After all if you think of it a wife cooks cleans takes care of kids provides sex for husband in exchange for money roof over head security.

[Trust NoOne]

As I genuinely applaud the those who have freed these enslaved women, I am still a realist. Human trafficking is one of the most depraved and inhuman acts that can be commited, yet there seems to be no way to ever put an end to it.

In all honesty, I am not against prostitution or those who indulge in the services (of course let's not delude ourselves into thinking that anyone grew up wishing that they would become a prostitute). In fact, I believe that it should be legal or at least de-criminalized across the world in hopes that it will lessen the need for "sex slaves". But until that happens (and we all know it NEVER will), enslaved women, young girls and young boys will remain a commodity in high demand.

By all means, most people would not willingly aquire the services of someone who has been kidnapped or sold into slavery. But, how does one know the difference between a woman (or man) who chose to sell themselves or someone who has been forced into it? Is it by their smile? Their story about a sick mother? Or perhaps it is just because they are working at a well known establishment that you have frequented for many years? The real answer to this question is: "You don't know" and quite frankly, most people do not want to know. This does not mean that they are bad people, it is just one of those things that is so infathomable to comprehend that the brain refuses to believe that the person sensuously rubbing up against them is not doing it for any other reason than that of "free will.

Of course, I am NOT saying that we should should ever stop trying to save these women, girls and boys, it is imparative the we persevere to retain our humanity; but the reality of it is that as long as there is a demand, it will continue on just as it has since the dawn of civilization.

* By the way, if you find yourself questioning whether or not the young girl or boy you have just met is prostituting themselves willingly; my solution is for you to take a knife, cut your carotid artery and when you bleed out, you will know the answer.

Edited March 23, 2014 by Trust NoOne

[MMarlow]

These four Thais should be flipped by the police and we should read about the Thai Mr. Bigs that were ratted out. Then we will now that the police and the newspaper are serious about this issue. For now, this bust is merely Thai window dressing. Everyone knows that Thailand doesn't improve on human trafficking until Thai Mr. Bigs are hauled off in handcuffs as well as their money laundering bankers. We never read about those Thai Mr. Big busts, and the last Thai banker reported on was Rakesh Saxena, being dragged through the Thai airport on oxygen and in a wheelchair. No follow up news on him in the Thai press.

Light years off topic but you brought it up...

"...Saxena, being dragged through the Thai airport on oxygen and in a wheelchair. No follow up news on him in the Thai press."

Apart from the reports that he got 10 years, 1m baht fine and was ordered to pay 1b baht compensation you mean?

[12DrinkMore]

Every once in a while, the so called Royal Thai Police show a little bit of concern for human trafficking that directly contributes to the commercial sex trades in the country. Majority of the time; especially big and powerful human traffickers all have the Royal Thai Police in their pockets, so you will never hear anything about their illicit activities in the newspaper or anywhere else for that matter. Thailand has one of the largest commercial sex industry in the world and a major hub in SE Asia for human trafficking activities.

The "Royal" we can reasobly drop.

The Thai name is <Thai language removed>, which translates to National Police. Not "Royal" at all.

Edited March 23, 2014 by metisdead
Thai language edited out of post. This is an English language forum, English is the only acceptable language, except in the Thai language forum where Thai language is allowed.

[MMarlow]

Tip of the iceberg... If authorities would really want to fight against prostitution, they would start to clean all entertainment venues, starting by ALL massage parlors on Ratchada, Nana Plaza and Cowboy and so on... This Chacherngsao operation is probably the result of the owner not paying enough money to the police. CORRUPTION is the CANCER of the Thai Society. Police = Mafia. They control all and nothing will never change unless there is a deep and final cleaning of the Police, main root cause of the rapid downfall of this country which is no more State and no more Authority, other than money and corruption. This country is a total ANARCHY. I am just reminding facts that are very well known, but it reaches such an indecent level of hypocrisy that the whole country is now DOOMED.

"...the whole country is now DOOMED."

Bit over-dramatic, don't you think?