Australia's Channel Seven investigates the sex industry in Thailand

[Nomyai]

Ive posted it be4 girls have to be indoctrinated early into thinking sex with strange men is good. How else can you explain that they are so sweet and men fly miles(1000) to be with them.

They must have secret rituals in the village. That even the clueless farang who live there dont know about.

[prakhonchai nick]

A large number of lasses from 13 up are regularly having sex in their villages with the local boys. Its the culture and way of life. When they put their thinking caps on (not very many of these in Thailand), they realise they can get paid for the sex they give freely to the village boys!

[Jackie66]

You can believe there are no underage girls working in these "farang" bars but that doesn't make it true.

Some of you who visit Soi4 might have noticed the most popular bar in Nana being closed for a few weeks now.

Probably not this man involved but there was an undercover foreigner involved.

[Linky]

Another self appointed Western hero. Just what Thailand needs. Where is Immigration when they are needed. Australia, Europe and North America have as many if not more problems in this regard. Gangs kidnapping girls of all ages and races and forcing them into prostitution with violence and drugs. Why could not he start there? Well, because it is DANGEROUS for him personally there and he won't look like such a noble hero saving the poor little brown people from the evil white men. Chr#st, these morons crusader types have rolled through here for decades and they eventually just slink away when the media fanfare is gone and the Thai authorities grow tired of the notoriety they cause.

Interesting to note you dont think anything should be done about underage prostitution in Thailand.

[masuk]

I understand that many underage girls are involved in prostitution in Thailand but very few foreign men are actually involved with child prostitution here. Ninety-nine percent of it is completely within the Thai culture in the villages. It seems Australian journos like to pull this sensationalist story out every couple of years, brush it off, and present it again. This time may be more legitimate as they're focusing on a crusading family, and I admire these people for taking up a worthy cause, but they're not going to put any dent at all in the real problem as they won't be able to get to the real source of it in those thousands of villages foreigners will never get to. It's only the Thais themselves that can do anything about it if they want to.

I watched this program last night, shown over Australian TV. Many of the girls were sent by their village parents to raise money for the family, and the parents know their daughters are under-age.

It seems the Thai Police were part of the team catching the mama sans running these places, so good for them!

Charges are B1000 per bar fine, and B2000 for an hour or so. I'm sure the commentator said "up to six times per night" !

Sensational or not, it's a fact, and it's up to the Thais to try and stop it.

Aussies caught with under-age girls end up in jail in Australia.

[Nomyai]

I would like to see a Thai channel doing investigation of exploitation of young girls by Thai families: selling girls into prostitution and the sexual abuse by uncles, relatives and family friends. I'm not holding my breath on that happening.

I think many rural thais consider this type of activity as TRAINING. Its all the young girls know-its the darn village.

[ggt]

What you are attempting to do would be admirable in your own country...however...even though it is against Thai law for underage women to be employed in the sex industry...it is not uncommon for a young teen to volunteer...with the blessings of her parents...to join the industry for the job opportunities and better income...to help in supporting her family and siblings...

It is disturbing...for sure...makes most people from the west cringe when they see an obvious underage woman with a client...but ultimately it is not our call...not your country...not your problem...

Do not be surprised if you receive some serious push back from Thais who benefit from this form of business...

For their own protection...you should shield the identities of your wife and children from all people involved in these investigations and operations to "save" the teens...

Good Luck...you will surely need the blessings of local heads of the community...(hopefully they will not be receiving income from the sex trade)

Watch you six!

[wow64]

Maybe I misunderstood the story..On holiday in Thailand Tony/Batman was offered sex, he quite his job so he could bring his family here.. A) Either this is the story he sold his wife.. Or he thought his wife could make more money then him.

[Shawn0001]

Many Thai ladies believe that peddling their bodies anywhere they can beats the hell out of being abused by Thai men in the villages and working the rice fields. Who are we trying to save them from?

You really see a 13 year old as a "lady"?

[virtualtraveller]

I met a bunch of people working for this charity recently while trekking in Chiang Mai area, it's good that people are doing this, they put a lot of effort into rehabilitating these girls and even 'pay them a salary' as I understand it, so they can send money home while studying instead of working in the bar. They employ men to pretend to be punters in order to identify underage girls, often the mamasan has been lax in checking ID and pays off the police. So it's a law enforcement problem.

Thing they overlook is, most are from hill-tribes where they become sexually active as young as 15, and soon marry and that is culturally normal, so why not use your body and earn good money when you're 17 instead of waiting until you're 18. As always it's an economic choice, certainly I would prefer being a prostitute at 17 than being married with baby and a poor house-wife.

[NickJ]

90% of the sex trade here is Thai only.There are still quite a few places that have underage Lao, Cambodian and Burmese girls working in them and a westerner would almost never even know about them.

However, I even know of a western bar owner smack dab in the middle of a farang area who supplies underage girls to his bar cusromers and has been doing it for years.

[jacky54]

Why was it not a Thai TV station (instead of a foreign one)?

Because the story is mostly BS and underage girls are very rare among the 'farang bars' in tourist areas. This is sensationalism with little basis in reality from an NGO looking to increase their funding and a news channel looking for a salicious story.

Rainbow 4 NEP is still closed after a raid for underage girls, anyone who thinks it's not common in 'falang' bars is either ignorant of the facts or in denial.

[Shawn0001]

I would like to see a Thai channel doing investigation of exploitation of young girls by Thai families: selling girls into prostitution and the sexual abuse by uncles, relatives and family friends. I'm not holding my breath on that happening.

A documentary on that theme would actually be more about the lying gangsters who come to the villages offering housekeeping work to their daughters, only to enslave them in the sex industry. Some of these girls are knowingly sold into prostitution, but so many more are tricked.

[Shawn0001]

90% of the sex trade here is Thai only.There are still quite a few places that have underage Lao, Cambodian and Burmese girls working in them and a westerner would almost never even know about them.

However, I even know of a western bar owner smack dab in the middle of a farang area who supplies underage girls to his bar cusromers and has been doing it for years.

And your failure to do something about the crime you are aware of makes you complicit in pedophilia prostitution, call the police.

[Orac]

What you are attempting to do would be admirable in your own country...however...even though it is against Thai law for underage women to be employed in the sex industry...it is not uncommon for a young teen to volunteer...with the blessings of her parents...to join the industry for the job opportunities and better income...to help in supporting her family and siblings...

It is disturbing...for sure...makes most people from the west cringe when they see an obvious underage woman with a client...but ultimately it is not our call...not your country...not your problem...

Do not be surprised if you receive some serious push back from Thais who benefit from this form of business...

For their own protection...you should shield the identities of your wife and children from all people involved in these investigations and operations to "save" the teens...

Good Luck...you will surely need the blessings of local heads of the community...(hopefully they will not be receiving income from the sex trade)

Watch you six!

Agreed. Though his intentions may be noble, to move his kids and wife here while he is carrying out this moral campaign against what is in many cases an entrenched mafia with uniforms is pure stupidity and shows his ignorance of what he is dealing with - you take care of your family first before going glory hunting.

[jalansanitwong]

Why was it not a Thai TV station (instead of a foreign one)?

Good point. In Thailand prostitution is illegal so Thais deny there is any problem. Pattaya probably has the highest concentration per sqm of prostituttes in Asia but Thais will say its a' tourist town' or even laughably a beach resort.

Its commendable what the aussie and other farangs do here with children but its not going to change anything until the government erradicates poverty. (never)

Channel 7 or 9 in Australia will run a go-go bar story about Thailand every 12 months or so. theyve been doing it since the 1970's. ........poor farm girls forced to work as hookers for the pleasure of drunk middleaged western men blah blah blah. Its all true but its really about man bashing. Ive never seen a story on TV about ugly fat western women paying for sex and buying teen husbands in Kenya.

[English 1]

I understand that many underage girls are involved in prostitution in Thailand but very few foreign men are actually involved with child prostitution here. Ninety-nine percent of it is completely within the Thai culture in the villages. It seems Australian journos like to pull this sensationalist story out every couple of years, brush it off, and present it again. This time may be more legitimate as they're focusing on a crusading family, and I admire these people for taking up a worthy cause, but they're not going to put any dent at all in the real problem as they won't be able to get to the real source of it in those thousands of villages foreigners will never get to. It's only the Thais themselves that can do anything about it if they want to.

Quite true I lived in Issan for 5 years and often got offered very young for sex.

Not my scene and as you said it's Thai who are the customers.

I knew a lady Thai teacher very well and she had to expel 3 girls whose parents where using them to service men in the village for…..

200 Baht a time!

I was offered it in a small shop near Chaiyaphum where I went to buy water but was offered the owners daughter who was sitting doing her homework.

Many other times too.

Frankly this guy is wasting his time and his life doing what he is.

Thai in general are well aware of it and accept it.

[DP25]

Rainbow 4 NEP is still closed after a raid for underage girls, anyone who thinks it's not common in 'falang' bars is either ignorant of the facts or in denial.

A couple girls caught with a fake ID in Rainbow out of the thousands of prostitutes in Suhkumvit is not 'common'. The overwhleming majority are not anywhere near underage.

[anto]

How do you bang a cow? I have cows and if you walk anywhere near them they run away. Maybe they're afraid I might want to bang them!

Saw a documentary where young guys get their first sexual experience from banging Donkeys .Some keep at it into adulthood .Somewhere in South America i think ?More relevant to this Rainbow 4 Go Go in Nana was raided last week where one under age girl was found .We are talking 16 or 17 though not as young as 13 years that i heard is quite common in Thai only Brothels .

Edited November 16, 2015 by anto

[ElBudhita]

Oh no!

Another horror story about sex in Thailand!!!

Aussies and brits seems to be very sensible about those issues.

Should they look in their past? Obviously!!!

TV is TV... Aways for a good story to tell, even if it's half truth. Nobody will know. They'll never here.

[Stradavarius37]

Wow, what a white-knight hero.

Why do I foresee him getting back on a plane in 5 years time,, penniless and destitute.

Because you have a depressing, glass is half-empty worldview, brought about by poor life choices?

[wow64]

Why was it not a Thai TV station (instead of a foreign one)?

Good point. In Thailand prostitution is illegal so Thais deny there is any problem. Pattaya probably has the highest concentration per sqm of prostituttes in Asia but Thais will say its a' tourist town' or even laughably a beach resort.

Its commendable what the aussie and other farangs do here with children but its not going to change anything until the government erradicates poverty. (never)

Channel 7 or 9 in Australia will run a go-go bar story about Thailand every 12 months or so. theyve been doing it since the 1970's. ........poor farm girls forced to work as hookers for the pleasure of drunk middleaged western men blah blah blah. Its all true but its really about man bashing. Ive never seen a story on TV about ugly fat western women paying for sex and buying teen husbands in Kenya.

I just returned from the Caribbean for work and what I saw was disturbing fat white middle aged women taking advantage of very young poor black boys and exactly the same as the story reported here.. But I guess that doesn't make a nice story back in oz/us/uk. Edited November 16, 2015 by wow64

[cgphuket]

I thought this organization was exposed last year as a money making scam. Is this a new version or is Australia not aware of what was exposed?

[gandalf12]

If he digs too deep he may get his own piece of land and be a prmanent resident

[kinmaew]

Very sad, but more importantly what exactly are Thais doing about their own problem? Nothing, no one cares? What do the elite do about his? Sorry need to get on my private jet to Europe to purchase another Masserati with money stolen from the poor.

[NoBrainer]

It often turns out that these type of people are the worst offenders, and they just use their crusade to get them closer to vulnerable young people, and their self appointed position gives them a self perceived feeling of power to manipulate their victims.

[Nomyai]

You can believe there are no underage girls working in these "farang" bars but that doesn't make it true.

Some of you who visit Soi4 might have noticed the most popular bar in Nana being closed for a few weeks now.

Probably not this man involved but there was an undercover foreigner involved.

My gut tell me theres more to it than just a few 17 year olds on duty.

[SupermarineS6B]

Reminds me of the last Australian who didn't know his bum from his elbow, the one that came to do an audit on a sugar mill in Nakhon nowhere...... I believe he didn't even reach the hotel before he was drilled......... All very well and good, with good intentions........ But hey boys, take some advice, "East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet"..... Fiver he's back on a plane home in three years with an Isaan bunny ............

[remorhaz]

It is the mothers of these girls that bring them to the brothels. They use their children to get money for themselves. I'm sure this "special" will make it look like a bunch of dirty old very WHITE men are kidnapping girls from their villages aka the movie Roots and just like the movie Roots its hogwash. The young girls are mostly used by Thai men and when the girls get a little older they're told to go milk the white buffalos in Pattaya and other other places. Rescue them? They'll be back in the bars in 15 minutes. They can't make 100,000 a month in the typing pool and its all about the money going back to the moobahn.

[simple1]

Why was it not a Thai TV station (instead of a foreign one)?

Good point. In Thailand prostitution is illegal so Thais deny there is any problem. Pattaya probably has the highest concentration per sqm of prostituttes in Asia but Thais will say its a' tourist town' or even laughably a beach resort.

Its commendable what the aussie and other farangs do here with children but its not going to change anything until the government erradicates poverty. (never)

Channel 7 or 9 in Australia will run a go-go bar story about Thailand every 12 months or so. theyve been doing it since the 1970's. ........poor farm girls forced to work as hookers for the pleasure of drunk middleaged western men blah blah blah. Its all true but its really about man bashing. Ive never seen a story on TV about ugly fat western women paying for sex and buying teen husbands in Kenya.

What's with the misogyny?

In Oz there have been a few programs covering Western women seeking 'romance' with younger men in Africa, including some from Oz. A number were also conned for money via dating sites linking to African men. One Oz woman who went to Africa for a relationship via a dating site was murdered.