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

[thaibeachlovers]

There is a big difference between the "normal" amount of prostitution that exists everywhere and those countries that are top sex tourism destinations like Thailand. It is ridiculously hypocritical to have the Thai tourism industry, that is 30% of the economy, making money off the backs of these girls while pretending it does not exist or is a small part of the reason many tourists come to the Kingdom. The biggest exploiters of the girls are not the Johns but the Thai leaders that do not acknowledge the girls and provide testing and other support for the sex-work

Tourism is 6 to 10% of the economy, depending on which site one reads, NOT 30%.

To claim that sex is a major part of the tourist industry would also be a fallacy, as most tourists never go near a girly bar or happy ending massage parlour, so the farang sex industry is a small % of a minor part of the Thai economy.

Also, as anyone that has actually had a takeout from a farang bar can attest, the people usually being "exploited" are the customers.

provide testing and other support for the sex-work

How can they do that when prostitution is illegal? Mechai did a pretty good job, and it would be an ignorant bar girl that didn't use a condom.

[bkkcanuck8]

There is a big difference between the "normal" amount of prostitution that exists everywhere and those countries that are top sex tourism destinations like Thailand. It is ridiculously hypocritical to have the Thai tourism industry, that is 30% of the economy, making money off the backs of these girls while pretending it does not exist or is a small part of the reason many tourists come to the Kingdom. The biggest exploiters of the girls are not the Johns but the Thai leaders that do not acknowledge the girls and provide testing and other support for the sex-work

Tourism is 6 to 10% of the economy, depending on which site one reads, NOT 30%.

To claim that sex is a major part of the tourist industry would also be a fallacy, as most tourists never go near a girly bar or happy ending massage parlour, so the farang sex industry is a small % of a minor part of the Thai economy.

Also, as anyone that has actually had a takeout from a farang bar can attest, the people usually being "exploited" are the customers.

provide testing and other support for the sex-work

How can they do that when prostitution is illegal? Mechai did a pretty good job, and it would be an ignorant bar girl that didn't use a condom.

People often get stuck in the past.... it probably did represent 30% of the economy 20 to 30 years ago.... but Thailand has developed quite a bit since those days and although there would be an impact they could probably close down Soi Cowboy/Nana and Patpong and continue to develop (with one less source of funding for corruption). They could always change the laws to ban the sale of alcohol in places bars like those that exist on Soi Cowboy (water - or dancing girls but not both ).

[brewsterbudgen]

There is a big difference between the "normal" amount of prostitution that exists everywhere and those countries that are top sex tourism destinations like Thailand. It is ridiculously hypocritical to have the Thai tourism industry, that is 30% of the economy, making money off the backs of these girls while pretending it does not exist or is a small part of the reason many tourists come to the Kingdom. The biggest exploiters of the girls are not the Johns but the Thai leaders that do not acknowledge the girls and provide testing and other support for the sex-work

Tourism is 6 to 10% of the economy, depending on which site one reads, NOT 30%.

To claim that sex is a major part of the tourist industry would also be a fallacy, as most tourists never go near a girly bar or happy ending massage parlour, so the farang sex industry is a small % of a minor part of the Thai economy.

Also, as anyone that has actually had a takeout from a farang bar can attest, the people usually being "exploited" are the customers.

provide testing and other support for the sex-work

How can they do that when prostitution is illegal? Mechai did a pretty good job, and it would be an ignorant bar girl that didn't use a condom.

It isn't illegal if carried out within the regulations.

[bkkcanuck8]

There is a big difference between the "normal" amount of prostitution that exists everywhere and those countries that are top sex tourism destinations like Thailand. It is ridiculously hypocritical to have the Thai tourism industry, that is 30% of the economy, making money off the backs of these girls while pretending it does not exist or is a small part of the reason many tourists come to the Kingdom. The biggest exploiters of the girls are not the Johns but the Thai leaders that do not acknowledge the girls and provide testing and other support for the sex-work

Tourism is 6 to 10% of the economy, depending on which site one reads, NOT 30%.

To claim that sex is a major part of the tourist industry would also be a fallacy, as most tourists never go near a girly bar or happy ending massage parlour, so the farang sex industry is a small % of a minor part of the Thai economy.

Also, as anyone that has actually had a takeout from a farang bar can attest, the people usually being "exploited" are the customers.

provide testing and other support for the sex-work

How can they do that when prostitution is illegal? Mechai did a pretty good job, and it would be an ignorant bar girl that didn't use a condom.

It isn't illegal if carried out within the regulations.

Prostitution is tolerated and partially regulated BUT it is still totally illegal in Thailand.

I asked my language teacher (5 years ago) why they did not pretend and just legalize it and she because it was a sin (i.e. it is highly unlikely to be legalized anytime soon since no-one seems to want to admit that it exists -- at least at the government level).

[brewsterbudgen]

There is a big difference between the "normal" amount of prostitution that exists everywhere and those countries that are top sex tourism destinations like Thailand. It is ridiculously hypocritical to have the Thai tourism industry, that is 30% of the economy, making money off the backs of these girls while pretending it does not exist or is a small part of the reason many tourists come to the Kingdom. The biggest exploiters of the girls are not the Johns but the Thai leaders that do not acknowledge the girls and provide testing and other support for the sex-work

Tourism is 6 to 10% of the economy, depending on which site one reads, NOT 30%.

To claim that sex is a major part of the tourist industry would also be a fallacy, as most tourists never go near a girly bar or happy ending massage parlour, so the farang sex industry is a small % of a minor part of the Thai economy.

Also, as anyone that has actually had a takeout from a farang bar can attest, the people usually being "exploited" are the customers.

provide testing and other support for the sex-work

How can they do that when prostitution is illegal? Mechai did a pretty good job, and it would be an ignorant bar girl that didn't use a condom.

It isn't illegal if carried out within the regulations.

Prostitution is tolerated and partially regulated BUT it is still totally illegal in Thailand.

I asked my language teacher (5 years ago) why they did not pretend and just legalize it and she because it was a sin (i.e. it is highly unlikely to be legalized anytime soon since no-one seems to want to admit that it exists -- at least at the government level).

Paying for sex is not illegal as long as it's not with somebody underage. Aspects of providing prostitution services are illegal, but the legislation is deliberately worded to allow it to discreetly continue.

[bkkcanuck8]

Paying for sex is not illegal as long as it's not with somebody underage. Aspects of providing prostitution services are illegal, but the legislation is deliberately worded to allow it to discreetly continue.

The ambiguous parts and vague wording is in there likely to make sure they did not make "mai noi" illegal (i.e. you can support someone - who you have a relationship with but it is not a purely "promiscuous" relationship). There is a reason why they have "bar fines" at gogo bars etc. -- it is so that you are not engaging in illegal prostitution in the bar (what you do after is not the bars concern - up to you). They have even gone so far as to apprehend people who were offering services in exchange for money on social sites like Hi5.

http://www.thailawforum.com/sex-crimes-in-thailand-part2.html

Prostitution in Thailand is clearly illegal. However, there may be some sections of Thai law that are ambiguous, making it difficult to prosecute those charged under these laws. The Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act, B.E. 2539 (1996) (the “Prostitution Law”), is the central legal framework prohibiting prostitution. The law defines prostitution as any act done to gratify the sexual desire of another in exchange for money or any other benefit, but only if it is done “in a promiscuous manner”. The Prostitution Law does not define what exactly a “promiscuous manner” constitutes. The crime of solicitation is equally ill defined. A “Jon” soliciting the services of a prostitute is liable under the Prostitution Law only if the solicitation is done “openly and shamelessly or causes a nuisance to the public”, the penalty being a fine of up to 1,000 baht.

The Prostitution Law bars one person from associating with another in a “prostitution establishment” for the purpose of prostituting themselves or another. The penalty for violating this part of the law is up to one month imprisonment, a fine of up to 1,000 baht or both. For the purposes of the Prostitution Law, a prostitution “establishment” is a place established for the purpose of prostitution, and includes a place used to solicit an act of prostitution. These provisions are based on the definition of prostitution and thus the requirement that the activity be done in the vaguely termed “promiscuous” manner.

Edited June 14, 2016 by bkkcanuck8

[dhream]

What a freak show. One soapy of all the thousands of sex related businesses has undocumented foreign and Teen girls? Puhleeez

[aaro1628]

I think the key phrase in this article is " conflicts with other leading figures".

I just wondering is the Governor going to hire all these kind of "sex" workers??