What next for Bangkok's soapy massage parlours? Raid on Nataree to lead to bigger crackdown?

[sead]

The question isn't how high it goes but how high are they prepared and willing to go.

[The manic]

Curse on NGOS especially Christian ones

[The manic]

You guys seem to know an awful lot about massage parlours and girly bars I wonder how? Haha

Crass comment!

[JAG]

Guess which venue Thai's prefer and which Farang prefer.

I prefer the pool table setting, much less clinical and more romantic.

I should imagine that it is quite uncomfortable - on a pool table I mean...

[snoop1130]

Alleged record of bribes, underage sex workers uncovered at Nataree massage parlor
Coconuts Bangkok

BANGKOK -- Prostitution of underaged girls and written records that authorities suspect point to corruption were uncovered during last night's raid at Nataree, one of Bangkok's most famous massage parlors.

After receiving complaints of prostitution at the entertainment venue, authorities searched Nataree, on Ratcahda Road, last night after a three-month investigation. What they discovered inside the massage parlour were women that they believe have been trafficked. Among the hundred women detained were a dozen illegal migrant workers and three girls under the age of eighteen.

The raid was led by the Department of Provincial Administration, the Internal Security Operations Commands and police, while the complaints were filed by NVADER, an organization aimed at stopping human trafficking, Naewna reported.

Full Story: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2016/06/08/alleged-record-bribes-underage-sex-workers-uncovered-nataree-massage-parlor

-- Coconuts Bangkok 2016-06-08

[Tatertot]

so what about silom, soi nana, soi cowboy, pattaya, and others thousands place selling sex? Or are they just after Mr K.?

There are regular raids of bars and gogos in all the areas you mention. If they find foreign or underage workers fines and closure orders are issued. One gogo on the 3rd floor of Nana Plaza has been closed for months.

What is newsworthy is raiding a Thai owned soapie that while having some foreign customers, is primarily used by rich Thais.

Rich Thais? Nataree? I patronized that place. Never saw any rich guys and the girls, service, and price was definetly not "high end" A few of the ritzy ones are in the area though.

[brewsterbudgen]

so what about silom, soi nana, soi cowboy, pattaya, and others thousands place selling sex? Or are they just after Mr K.?

There are regular raids of bars and gogos in all the areas you mention. If they find foreign or underage workers fines and closure orders are issued. One gogo on the 3rd floor of Nana Plaza has been closed for months.

What is newsworthy is raiding a Thai owned soapie that while having some foreign customers, is primarily used by rich Thais.

Rich Thais? Nataree? I patronized that place. Never saw any rich guys and the girls, service, and price was definetly not "high end" A few of the ritzy ones are in the area though.

Middle-class Thais then? I guess Poseiden is safe!

[sgtsabai]

Yep, bringing "happiness to the people"...lol.

[humqdpf]

that has offices in New Zealand and SE Asia. It's stated aim is to "set people free" from sex trafficking.

Why does that not surprise me!

NZ has HUGE problems with gangs, domestic violence and a simmering racial discontent. The police have a meagre 10% clearance rate on burgularies.

Yet these people feel the need to stick their beaks into the soapy massage trade in another country instead of sorting out the problems in their own country .

I think you hit the nail on the head.

It was the same with refugees. Until the hundreds of thousands of refugees started making their way to the EU, Europeans used to point the finger at less developed countries. Imagine the clamour and repercussions if an African country a few years ago tried to block refugees from some war torn neighbour - cuts in aid at the very least etc

Now the boot is on the other foot. Extremely poor countries like Uganda host up to an estimated 650,000 refugees from various wars - they try to integrate them, provide some land for them to cultivate etc. Imagine any rich European country with the exception of Germany hosting that number of refugees.

Trafficking makes a lot of money for the traffickers but there is also a living for those who make it a "humanitarian" issue. But it is all too easy to intervene in a SE Asian country where the authorities are at least pliable and the numbers are much lower than currently in Europe. A different story in Libya! Why don't these anti-trafficking NGOs work closer to home in Europe and neighbouring countries where there are estimated large numbers of unaccompanied minors at risk. You could start in the refugee camps and criticise the European governments who create them. You could move on to the transit countries and see how to prevent the sending of peoples to there near deaths.

[Graemej100]

that has offices in New Zealand and SE Asia. It's stated aim is to "set people free" from sex trafficking.

Why does that not surprise me!

NZ has HUGE problems with gangs, domestic violence and a simmering racial discontent. The police have a meagre 10% clearance rate on burgularies.

Yet these people feel the need to stick their beaks into the soapy massage trade in another country instead of sorting out the problems in their own country .

You sound a bit titchy there. A bit of jealousy i think? We're going to become the sex policemen of the world! If it's ok for the US to be the self-appointed peace-keepers of the world (what a laugh) then it's ok for us to appoint ourselves as the sex keepers of the world. Applications to the position are not being accepted today. Too many in the queue.

Actually, the NZ 'policeman' is ex policeman.

Still, if you read it on ThaiVisa it must be right.

[hyperdimension]

Authorities should focus resources on fighting violent crime and robbery, not on restricting activities that make people happy.

[kingstonkid]

I think there may be a few issues here that have to be looked at.

1. chances are he did not pay his tea.

2. Thailand is bending over backwards to satisfy the west that it is not corrupt. Look at how many software stalls have closed.

3. The underage angle really is an issue that needs to be cracked down on.

4. undocumented foreign workers is another issue tht is big in the western world. That is why it is so hard for Thai and Philippine girls s to go to Canada a lot of them were ending up in strip clubs working slave wages and having to do extras.

[Wilsonandson]

Nvader wikipedia

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nvader

Say no more!

Case solved.

[SunsetT]

Soapy? ...........

[gemguy]

Same as always.....

They are fighting over the money.

Who pays who and how much and when.

Money will resolve the "misunderstanding"

Cheers

[Johpa]

I am dumbfounded how they REALLY did kill a GOLDEN Goose!

Not surprised that one who chokes his chicken imagines it as a golden goose.

[Thaidream]

When one gets too 'big' or think they are too important- the 'system' always steps in to make them humble. In addition, with the military in control- it is much easier to bypass the normal police and go after these places with the military and other officials. The crackdown will continue so as to appear to those outside of Thailand that there is a war on the 'sex trade'. Pattaya is in the cross hairs right now due to those who think they are above the law about to be brought to bear and get the attitude adjustment. It doesn't really matter- there is really no more fun in these places where a bunch of girls sit and look at smart phones and seem bothered to have to talk with a human being. The party was over a long time ago- those in the know head for greener pastures in Cambodia, Vietnam or the PI. What goes around comes around.

Edited June 8, 2016 by Thaidream

[Brer Fox]

The sex industry is 30% of Thailand's GDP when one takes into account tourism. This incident is just a minor re-adjustment of debts due. Storm in a teacup!

[Berty100]

so what about silom, soi nana, soi cowboy, pattaya, and others thousands place selling sex? Or are they just after Mr K.?

Pat Pong(Silom0, Nana Plaza area, Soi Cowboy and most of Pattaya are the equivalent of local market and street markets .

The Ratchadapisek soapy emporiums are much classier and far more expensive. One only has to Google Bangkok Soapy Massage to understand the difference.

They serve a purpose of keeping the wealthy Thai, other Asian and farang punters squeaky clean. Taking a bath as an English idiom has a different meaning.

Indeed, more than 20 years ago I used to know the son of the owner of one of the large parlours on Ratchadapisek, and at that time he was driving already lambo's and other exotic cars, and was accompanied by armed bodyguards when he visited Pattaya.

[fusion58]

The raid at Nataree comes after complaints from the NVADER group that has offices in New Zealand and SE Asia. It's stated aim is to "set people free" from sex trafficking. It is a charitable trust and non governmental organization with a loosely Christian base. It includes ex NZ policemen.

This part doesn't make sense.

Why would the powers that be give a tinker's <deleted> about complaints from these Bible thumpers when "farang butt out!" is the normal policy?

[HerbalEd]

There is way way too much bride money being received at the top to ever shut down the Thai sex industry, not to mention the billions paid by sex tourists & expats.

[HerbalEd]

None of these girls are trafficked. Its an urban legend. 1 out of 99 might not be there on her own will but the rest is just part of thai culture.

Ever wonder what the girls do after they finish work? They go across the street and pay some 'handsome' thai studs to screw their brains out. Rinse and repeat.

No different in so called 'gentlemen clubs' where the income is quite similar.

As if you actually know the numbers.

[mesterm]

Now you know why they all keep long hair

Edited June 8, 2016 by mesterm

[maoro2013]

First letter in the thia alphanet is in a transliterated form is gorgai.

Who wrote this cap.

[cyberfarang]

The raid at Nataree comes after complaints from the NVADER group that has offices in New Zealand and SE Asia. It's stated aim is to "set people free" from sex trafficking.

So the girls in the massage parlours and soapies are held there against their will, dragged screaming into the rooms where they are unmercifully raped by customers. Yea, right.

Edited June 8, 2016 by cyberfarang

[metisdead]

Posts containing inflammatory or offensive comments have been removed.

[gemguy]

Nvader wikipedia

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nvader

Say no more!

Case solved.

In many respects the organization is doing the right thing.

If a person is being trafficked then they need to be saved....there needs to be intervention

Meantime, let us hope the organization arrests and prosecutes the right people who actually are the ones buying and selling peoples lives and forcing people to be sex trade workers under threat of bodily harm and death sometimes if they do not cooperate.

Meantime they have a whole lot of work ahead of them as the flesh trade here in Thailand is so prolific and so common they will never be able to cover all the bases.

If this raid was organized and in part orchestrated by the Nvader group then I would say that the people involved are not doing their job correctly or they are ignorant of what really exists in this country.

The soapy massage parlors are not really brothels per say while the overwhelming majority of the women are free to come and go while some of them may have a debt attached with "someone" in some way....but not trafficked, per say, the way that is implied just because they are involved and working in a soapy massage parlor that, in effect, is a front for prostitution...but overall freelance prostitution that takes place inside and does not have to involve sex if the patron only wants a bath and soapy massage.

Possibly 10 percent of the patrons actually go there for a relaxing soapy bath and a massage and do not have sex with the women...but yes, the main purpose is to choose a women and use the room for having a great sexual experience with a free lance sex worker.

However, the numerous "Numbered Hotels", found all over Bangkok and more so in certain long established areas around Bangkok are in need of attention while Numbered Hotels is where the term Brothels is correctly applied.

The Numbered hotels are wham bam thank you Mam sex in less than 1 hour , more commonly 30 minutes and provided by young girls that are being forced to service the clients while they are not freelance rather they are held in captivity and they are not allowed to leave the premises or go any further than around the corner to eat something or buy something and straight back to the brothel ...or else.

They live in fear of their lives while some of the numbered hotels are far more harsh than others.

The girls there are trafficked and enslaved while those numbered hotels is where the Nvader group needs to focus their attentions.

I would surmise that those Numbered Hotel brothels do not have the same kind of high level police involvement or protection, so to speak, near as much as the large and Obvious, Neon Glitzed, soapy massage parlors that are frequented far more so by a much larger cliental and a wider variety of patrons ranging from the average Joe worker and all levels of business men while often enough local and regional politicians also.

Plus there are plenty of tourists who easily enough figure out exactly what goes on in a soapy massage parlor and want to experience something they well know exists in Thailand while many come to Thailand with soapy massage parlor sex on their mind as a priority on their bucket list.

The numbered hotels are commonly far from obvious and often somewhat hidden away while probably 99.9 Percent of the foreigners that come to Thailand and or the foreigners that live here would never even recognize a numbered hotel and what goes on behind closed doors....but there are plenty of them out there and those are the places that are in need of being shut down because of human trafficking and sex slavery being practiced...everyday.......and right under the noses of the local authorities and the police who profit from the numbered hotel brothels.

Cheers

Edited June 8, 2016 by gemguy

[thai3]

Have you ever been to a numbers hotel? Stayed at one for a week, and others for a few days, they are cheap and play porn no girls on offer, just cars turning with couples in, I'm sure one there against her will could have run off or sought help. If you have proof lets see it.

[tomacht8]

Nvader wikipedia

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nvader

Say no more!

Case solved.

The caricature of thai prostitution in the western media is unfortunately marked by ignorance and stereotypes.

This gooders sometimes do not even know what they cause of harm in their zeal.

And from all massage places, this place probably has the least chance of any human trafficking.

The working conditions for the girls were safe and clean. And now?

The raid does not alter the situation for the girls that they must earn money for their boozing fathers, card gambling mothers or for the family debs.

So now the girls are forced into filthy, dark street work without any safety.

[zaZa9]

This is the time that a tg is happy she didnt get that big tatoo down her arm she was thinking about ...