Police beef up operations against prostitution in entertainment venues

[brewsterbudgen]

I don't know how you can possibly say that, when you don't, and can't know the extent of what his plans are.

As I stated in pervious posts, the regulated sex industry has to and WILL face a shake up of sorts.

Neither you nor I have a crystal ball- and Im certianly willing to be proved utterly wrong - but it stands to reason that the red-light districts will undergo a shake up. Everybody knows what these places are - and by definition they are HUBS of P4P.

Indeed - if Prayut and his cronies DON'T do something, then there really is NO shakedown on prostitution.

I think Prayut has a mandate to try and change Thailand's image internationally, because he wants "quality tourists". If we obliterate ( for the sake of argument) the 3 major red light districts in BKK, and a lot of the sea front filth in Pattaya, then that would actually promote Bangkok as being a place finally worthy of "quality tourists".

Believe it or not - I met a long time Asia resident from OZ the other day, who had never heard of the dodgy massage experience in BKK - and I'm not talking about happy endings.

What IS infamous is Soi C, Nana and PP.

Lets wait and see.

I'm not foolish enough to say Im right 100% - because we don't know yet - but Im willing to bet we will see some BIG changes to these established areas.

You could be right but I doubt it. He has never intimated that he wants to crack down on prostitution. Why would he? It's endemic in Thai culture. The so-called red light areas aimed at foreigners make up a tiny proportion of the Thai tourist industry, and have little to no effect on the lives of Thai people, apart from making a living for those engaged in it. Other than in the overactive imagination of some moralists, its importance and influence are completely overstated.

Edited February 1, 2015 by brewsterbudgen

[brewsterbudgen]

Just looking at Sukhumvit in Bkk, if somebody had suggested 15 years ago there would be no more soi zero, Washington sq, Asoke corner, Sukhumvit sq and Clinton Plaza, as well as a few smaller places, all within a few hundred meters they would have been laughed at. Times change, the Bkk sex tourist era will never be the same, now it's expensive and far more of a hard nosed business. I don't know anything about Pattaya, that's for real losers IMO.

There have been rumours about Nana Plaza being sold/demolished for years! It might happen one day, but it will be entirely for economic reasons.

[Dogmatix]

Walking Street? Nana? Loi Khro? they gotta be joking right?

Don't kid yourself it could not happen, the mayor of Manila cleaned up the scene on Roxas blvd in PI in the early 90's, The people here in power now can do what they like, they are only answerable to those above them, and they are not friends of the tacky nightlife, Thai or falang.

The last military appointed government knocked what was left of Thaksin regime's social order campaign on the head and let the night life operators go back to business as usual after the initial shakedowns to show who was boss and re-establish the protection rates.

This time it could indeed be different. Nightlife for foreign tourists has never recovered from Mayor Lim's moral purge in Manila. It went over the municipal border into Quezon City but is a pale shadow of its former self. Even though they hate to admit it, Thailand is far more dependent on sex tourism than the Philippines ever was. The Phils has remittances from overseas contract workers; Thailand has tourism. Get it? It could be like Amsterdam shutting down its coffee shops and losing 30% of its tourism revenues. The difference is that the mayor of Amsterdam has done the math and has resisted the policy. The Thais will never do the math until it hits them in the face.

Human trafficking should be dealt with but that will never seriously be done because it is too profitable to let sweatshop industries rely on slave labour. Shutting down prostitution businesses that don't use trafficked, under age or slave labour will be pointless. Where there are willing buyers and willing sellers we are talking about preventing victimless crime that contributes a huge amount to the black economy which is probably the same size as the official one. These are the ones that are more likely to be targeted in a moral campaign because they are very obvious whereas the ones relying on under age slave labour can be easily hidden away in shops and apartments.

Edited February 1, 2015 by Dogmatix

[Jungle Jim]

Exploitation it is a belief is a God given right to sex tourists. Who grope at bar girls in sight of everyone. Slobber drunk all over them, treat many like animals -sex slaves and go bare back passing on diseases without a thought. Besides foreigners dressing like total slobs and treating Thais like crap i have no problem seeing every last foreign girly bar shut down. If you support the local mafia you are pro bar girl. Won,t break my heart to see have of the tourists gone. The belief that foreigners often of the lowest quality are helping support the poor farm girl is a joke. Any decent Thai family would never allow these guys to get anywhere near their daughters.

Pattaya gonna be a ghost town

Cancelling this year's trip to Thailand as of right now.

We'll see what happens when Thailand loses over half

of its tourists.

No Pattaya will not be a ghost town- can't remember the exact figure visitors number around 5 million. The % of sex tourists , especially amongst the largest group the Chinese is actually quite small.

Sorry to hear you are canceling your trip to a developing county where I presume you desired to sexually exploit some of the poorer citizens .

When did exploitation become socially acceptable?

[gyrosman]

Amdsterdam has changes the rules about tourist visiting the coffee shops (420), so is a social moral wave coming to Thailand perhaps, but being a hounddog myself understands and at the same time it's time to reduce some activites to the many young people who are thinking there is more money in that job, rather to get a descend education in the 21st century and do your best.

For decades, it starts at home and reinforced in normal society.

[BlackJack]

and first prize goes to Ratcatcher

your check is in the mail and I dont remember the second bit?

[Jeremy50]

All brothels in Udon Thani have been closed indefinitely, from a couple of days ago. That's about 20 places. I guess they mean business.

[Beetlejuice]

There are no doubts that the Thailand adult entertainments establishments have been eroded over the years. Mr Thaksin in all his glory vowed to clean up Thailand`s image as being the sex capital of the world and the powers that be have since lived up to that promise.

Thailand is no longer the adult playground of the world and for what`s left has got attitude and become expensive. I doubt that the warnings of further clamp downs on the countries sex industry is just idle threats, this time I believe them.

[EmptyHead]

This'll be good!

[Tanlic]

and a million sexpats cried out in horror..

Last night i saw what looked like a SWATteam. at NANAplaza.

Don't be daft that was a bunch of ninja tourists from Iga and Koga in Japan in full dress so their wives didn't recognise them on Youtube

[lostmebike]

It could be that vice is soon going to be monopolized nationally by someone 'connected to Chinese mafia godfathers'.

Chinese mafia?

Well you must be talking about those already running the country.

[EyesWideOpen]

This will cause a lot of hand wringing in Isan, with the new car

parked in front of the house and the car payment coupon on

the desk.....

All these shuffles generally have to do with the redistribution of

money, they never make money making enterprises go away.

Historically the police have controlled the money flow from sex

enterprises, as it was a major earner for them. So maybe

a clampdown, and then slowly a new group of people will

take over this money....

Edited February 1, 2015 by EyesWideOpen

[dunque]

Apologies if this has already been referenced

[Jeremy50]

Just looking at Sukhumvit in Bkk, if somebody had suggested 15 years ago there would be no more soi zero, Washington sq, Asoke corner, Sukhumvit sq and Clinton Plaza, as well as a few smaller places, all within a few hundred meters they would have been laughed at. Times change, the Bkk sex tourist era will never be the same, now it's expensive and far more of a hard nosed business. I don't know anything about Pattaya, that's for real losers IMO.

Yep, glad to have done my 5 years living in BK 97 to 02. And for the 15 years previous to that as a tourist.

[Tanlic]

Close them all down and drive the girls onto the street........no bar fines...that'll please most.

I can believe that the likes if Udon Thani, Sakhon Nakhon etc will close venues without hesitation

Pattaya....they'd need 5000 Bulldozers to scoop the whole lot into the sea to stop it.

In Bangkok they'll have to close every office, shopping centre, hotel, bar, restaurant etc etc......be as well asking the USA to turn Bangkok into a car park

[manarak]

You could shut down every bar and club and still not stop prostitution , If you own a bar now would be a good time to sell.

What is prostitution?

If one lady wants to spend the night with you, of course for free it is complete legal.

If you want to give her a gift it is also complete legal

If she takes sexy clothes, that isn't illegal as well.

Prostitution is legal in Thailand as long as done privately and discreetly.

But pimping, running a brothel and employing staff to sexually satisfy customers is illegal.

[eeworldwide]

There are no doubts that the Thailand adult entertainments establishments have been eroded over the years. Mr Thaksin in all his glory vowed to clean up Thailand`s image as being the sex capital of the world and the powers that be have since lived up to that promise.

Thailand is no longer the adult playground of the world and for what`s left has got attitude and become expensive. I doubt that the warnings of further clamp downs on the countries sex industry is just idle threats, this time I believe them.

Well - there you go.

Although it's gonna be a jagged pill for some to swallow, you are going to have to face up to the facts, that a long time ago Prayut stated that his mandate was to promote QUALITY TOURISTS for Thailand.

So - simple deduction skills - What would be considered an Inferior Quality Tourist?

Got it?

The rest of it - will soon be history folks.

I agree with the posts talking about victims of exploitation and the lesser of 2 evils etc, but the fact remains that unless you actually DO something drastic, prostitution will continue unabated.

Also - the fact that the sex tourism in Thailand accounts for a small percentage of actual tourism, supports the notion that it wouldn't matter if the red light districts were shut down, in terms of economic revenue.

Whist some of you may miss being able to go out and visit these places and pay for sex, you might have to wake up to the fact that earthly nirvana has it's limits and its end.

Prayut has a serious plan in mind - and its going to affect the P4P business in Thailand in a major way.

[bangon04]

And how many of all the entertainment venues in Thailand that offers play for pay are legal, 1%?

All the venues that are owned by police officers, at least.....

[micmichd]

Mr Stretch,

so you think every tourist is a sex-tourist, is that the message?

And every bar girl is a prostitute, is that what you mean?

I'm far from knowing every tourist or every bar girl or everyone working in the entertainment industry or gastronomy. The ones I do know are individuals, and they really suffer from stereotypes.

Law enforcement is surely a hard job, 'beefing up' a scene in the spotlight is surely not easy, what about some guarantee for your favourite woman (or 'lady boy')? Why not trust Thai people when you expect to be trusted?

What's wrong with Thai economy in your opinion? Is it wrong not to sacrifice virtually everything to money? To money that isn't even yous?

[brewsterbudgen]

This will cause a lot of hand wringing in Isan, with the new car

parked in front of the house and the car payment coupon on

the desk.....

All these shuffles generally have to do with the redistribution of

money, they never make money making enterprises go away.

Historically the police have controlled the money flow from sex

enterprises, as it was a major earner for them. So maybe

a clampdown, and then slowly a new group of people will

take over this money....

Most of the Issan girls are working in Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket in legal, regulated businesses, so they'll be fine and able to continue supporting their families.

[NCC1701A]

I thought it was illegal to dance naked in Thailand. Does anyone know what the law is regarding top less and naked dancing?

Perhaps a few of our more knowledgeable punters can tell us whether the naked dancers in Nana and Cowboy are performing in bars owned or controlled by important policemen. (If that is at all possible in this country?)

There is no nudity at Nana. All the girls are tastefully dressed in bikinis or coyote outfits. Certain bars on soi Cowboy are able to "get away with" a litle more, but I won't name them. Pattaya is another case altogether and has a great system of flashing warning lights when the girls need to cover up!

i m not sure if you are joking or not about Nana.

but the clubs i have accidentally wandered into in cowboy are topless to 100% naked.

and there is no way they could "cover up" because they have nothing on at all and no time to get off stage.

so i guess this answers that question.

the more naked they are the more illegal the club is.

yes?

just trying to hear from someone who knows the actual law.

[kkup]

I can report places in Isaan including Khon Kaen have been shut down completely from this.

[bangon04]

There are no doubts that the Thailand adult entertainments establishments have been eroded over the years. Mr Thaksin in all his glory vowed to clean up Thailand`s image as being the sex capital of the world and the powers that be have since lived up to that promise.

Thailand is no longer the adult playground of the world and for what`s left has got attitude and become expensive. I doubt that the warnings of further clamp downs on the countries sex industry is just idle threats, this time I believe them.

Well - there you go.

Although it's gonna be a jagged pill for some to swallow, you are going to have to face up to the facts, that a long time ago Prayut stated that his mandate was to promote QUALITY TOURISTS for Thailand.

So - simple deduction skills - What would be considered an Inferior Quality Tourist?

Got it?

The rest of it - will soon be history folks.

I agree with the posts talking about victims of exploitation and the lesser of 2 evils etc, but the fact remains that unless you actually DO something drastic, prostitution will continue unabated.

Also - the fact that the sex tourism in Thailand accounts for a small percentage of actual tourism, supports the notion that it wouldn't matter if the red light districts were shut down, in terms of economic revenue.

Whist some of you may miss being able to go out and visit these places and pay for sex, you might have to wake up to the fact that earthly nirvana has it's limits and its end.

Prayut has a serious plan in mind - and its going to affect the P4P business in Thailand in a major way.

I am sure that you realise that prostitution, under age sex trafficking is endemic to Thailand and the Thai men are the biggest customers. The tourist sex industry may be more visible to us, but it forms a very very small percentage of the whole.

So the OP announcement, as most government announcements, is probably a non starter - not a practical proposition.

The best they can do is to restrict the tourist venues as a way of saving face in the international media, to show they are "doing something" about it.

The Thai sex prostitution industry will continue as usual. You are right that they may close down some small foreigner -owned bars, but as many posters have already pointed out, the majority of the venues are owned or controlled by police or politicians or other untouchables.

Let's be realistic - the police in Sukhumvit cannot even identify much less eradicate the blatant street prostitution organised by the Nigerian "entrepreneurs". None so blind as those who choose not to see.

[brewsterbudgen]

I thought it was illegal to dance naked in Thailand. Does anyone know what the law is regarding top less and naked dancing?

Perhaps a few of our more knowledgeable punters can tell us whether the naked dancers in Nana and Cowboy are performing in bars owned or controlled by important policemen. (If that is at all possible in this country?)

There is no nudity at Nana. All the girls are tastefully dressed in bikinis or coyote outfits. Certain bars on soi Cowboy are able to "get away with" a litle more, but I won't name them. Pattaya is another case altogether and has a great system of flashing warning lights when the girls need to cover up!

i m not sure if you are joking or not about Nana.

but the clubs i have accidentally wandered into in cowboy are topless to 100% naked.

and there is no way they could "cover up" because they have nothing on at all and no time to get off stage.

so i guess this answers that question.

the more naked they are the more illegal the club is.

yes?

just trying to hear from someone who knows the actual law.

Not joking about Nana. It's been 99% covered up for months. I can think of 2 well known Cowboy bars that have a naked shift, and one is well known for its "lesbian sex shows", the rest are most certainly not naked.

If you've witnessed the "cover up" alarm, you'll know how it's done. It's necessary as nudity is not permitted.

[micmichd]

Mr Stretch,

so you think every tourist is a sex-tourist, is that the message?

And every bar girl is a prostitute, is that what you mean?

I'm far from knowing every tourist or every bar girl or everyone working in the entertainment industry or gastronomy. The ones I do know are individuals, and they really suffer from stereotypes.

[ripstanley]

The majority of prostitution in Thailand is utilised by Thai men. The tourist sexpats are a very small minority compared to the the locals. The crack down may affect the tourists but the locals will not suffer

[fitzcaraldo]

Hope they bust the Eden club on Sukhumvit soi 7/1, that really is a place that needs closing down.

for new paints and renovation ?

[green job]

and a million sexpats cried out in horror..

Naa Easy,go to Germany the sex capital of the world,and legel . Much cover on youtube

[green job]

There are no doubts that the Thailand adult entertainments establishments have been eroded over the years. Mr Thaksin in all his glory vowed to clean up Thailand`s image as being the sex capital of the world and the powers that be have since lived up to that promise.

Thailand is no longer the adult playground of the world and for what`s left has got attitude and become expensive. I doubt that the warnings of further clamp downs on the countries sex industry is just idle threats, this time I believe them.

Well - there you go.

Although it's gonna be a jagged pill for some to swallow, you are going to have to face up to the facts, that a long time ago Prayut stated that his mandate was to promote QUALITY TOURISTS for Thailand.

So - simple deduction skills - What would be considered an Inferior Quality Tourist?

Got it?

The rest of it - will soon be history folks.

I agree with the posts talking about victims of exploitation and the lesser of 2 evils etc, but the fact remains that unless you actually DO something drastic, prostitution will continue unabated.

Also - the fact that the sex tourism in Thailand accounts for a small percentage of actual tourism, supports the notion that it wouldn't matter if the red light districts were shut down, in terms of economic revenue.

Whist some of you may miss being able to go out and visit these places and pay for sex, you might have to wake up to the fact that earthly nirvana has it's limits and its end.

Prayut has a serious plan in mind - and its going to affect the P4P business in Thailand in a major way.

I am sure that you realise that prostitution, under age sex trafficking is endemic to Thailand and the Thai men are the biggest customers. The tourist sex industry may be more visible to us, but it forms a very very small percentage of the whole.

So the OP announcement, as most government announcements, is probably a non starter - not a practical proposition.

The best they can do is to restrict the tourist venues as a way of saving face in the international media, to show they are "doing something" about it.

The Thai sex prostitution industry will continue as usual. You are right that they may close down some small foreigner -owned bars, but as many posters have already pointed out, the majority of the venues are owned or controlled by police or politicians or other untouchables.

Let's be realistic - the police in Sukhumvit cannot even identify much less eradicate the blatant street prostitution organised by the Nigerian "entrepreneurs". None so blind as those who choose not to see.

Germany is far far worse look on youtube all from easten Europe and legal

[Thongkorn]

decriminalize it,legalize it,regular health checks,and if done on a voluntary base not out of poverty or forced so bee it...and hold those dam'n boys accountable for their offsprings...

How would you judge who was forced into prostitution , Is pressure from family to earn money not forced, Thai logic is that you take care of your parents,