More massage parlours raided in Bangkok as crackdown continues

[rooster59]

More massage parlours raided in Bangkok as crackdown continues


Image: Daily News

BANGKOK:-- Bangkok police have raided two more massage parlours in the Rachadapisek and Bangkapi areas as a crackdown continues following the closure of the Nataree earlier in the week.

Four top Huay Kwang policemen were transferred after the Nataree raid uncovered underage girls and a handwritten alleged tea money list.

In the latest developments Copa Cabana in Rachada Soi 17 and La De'Fense in Bangkapi were raided Friday. However, no illegal activities were found to be taking place and no arrests were made, reported Daily News.

Suthisan police and soldiers under the leadership of station chief Termpao Siriphuban undertook the Copa Cabana raid. Some 22 massage girls working there were all Thai and all over 20 years old. Four girls known as "cheer" girls and 20 serving staff were all working legally. Thirteen people were tested for drugs but all tests came back negative. The use of rooms and the manager's credentials all checked out.

The story was similar at La De'Fense soapy massage where Wang Thong Lang police checking for underage girls and foreign workers lured into the sex trade found nothing illegal going on. This establishment is in Huay Kwang district.

Chief Termpao said that following the raid on Nataree earlier in the week similar establishments can expect inspections on an ongoing basis. He said that meetings are scheduled to discuss the best way to carry out the raids.

Source: http://www.dailynews.co.th/regional/501831


-- 2016-06-11

[brewsterbudgen]

Good to know it was all legal.

[KMartinHandyman]

None of the women look or dress like this where my wife takes me for massages. I think I'm being sheltered.

[sjjmmi]

All tested ok after paying off the police and army

[bobbymack]

What is the point of all this? This junta is running around like a headless chicken without any plan or purpose. As usual with Thais, there is no thought to the consequences of their actions. Cracking down on businesses is only going to hurt the economy and tourism.

Of course I am in favour of cracking down on the use of underage girls in these premises.

Edited June 11, 2016 by bobbymack

[Artisi]

So it would seem that prostitution is now legal in Thailand, a recent change of law that was passed unbeknown to many?

Don't get me wrong, it should be legal within controlled guidelines.

[colinneil]

After the Nataree raid of course all the underage girls etc have been told stay home.

When it dies down it will all be back to normal.

[brewsterbudgen]

What is the point of all this? This junta is running around like a headless chicken without any plan or purpose. As usual with Thais, there is no thought to the consequences of their actions. Cracking down on businesses is only going to hurt the economy and tourism.

If they discover underage girls, most people would think the raid has served a purpose.

[brewsterbudgen]

So it would seem that prostitution is now legal in Thailand, a recent change of law that was passed unbeknown to many?

Don't get me wrong, it should be legal within controlled guidelines.

Prostitution has never been "illegal" in Thailand. It's regulated under various pieces of legislation.

[Somtamnication]

Is this country turning Catholic or what?

[NCC1701A]

Lets hope they say off of Soi 33 where the girls cater to the Japanese.

The Japanese guys have it dialed in.

[sapson]

Strange that in a country where defamation laws are so stringent on line that even telling the truth can get you in hot water.......... yet news teams can film at will and photographs appear without any recourse?

If you are accused of a crime your mug shot can be all over the media regardless of innocent or guilty, if you are a bloody mess in the road following an accident you can be all over the evening news bulletin.

Defamation laws abound but in contrast, scant regard for peoples dignity or privacy seems to be totally acceptable.

[uptheos]

Good arrest, I feel much safer now that the BIB are protecting me from these nasty ladies.

[Scouse Twoccer]

So it would seem that prostitution is now legal in Thailand, a recent change of law that was passed unbeknown to many?

Don't get me wrong, it should be legal within controlled guidelines.

Why do you say that? Registered and licenced massage parlours are perfectly legal here. Obviously no other, illegal, activity was happening at the time of the raid.

Amazing the number of posters who think that massage/entertainment places are illegal.

[Scouse Twoccer]

Good arrest, I feel much safer now that the BIB are protecting me from these nasty ladies.

Try reading it again, there weren't any arrests, because no offences were being committed.

[uptheos]

Good arrest, I feel much safer now that the BIB are protecting me from these nasty ladies.

Try reading it again, there weren't any arrests, because no offences were being committed.

Well, nice to know they are using their resources to target dangerous criminals.

[mesterm]

None of the women look or dress like this where my wife takes me for massages. I think I'm being sheltered.

She takes you to the ones where they are all middle aged women wearing matching purple and orange polo-tees right?

[Bender]

Certainly, the owner got a phone an anonymous phone call ... from the BIB about an imminent raid.

[topt]

Can someone enlighten me as to what a "cheer girl" is/does?

Four girls known as "cheer" girls

[brewsterbudgen]

Can someone enlighten me as to what a "cheer girl" is/does?

Four girls known as "cheer" girls

Is it similar to a "fluffer"?

[Tatsujin]

Can someone enlighten me as to what a "cheer girl" is/does?

Four girls known as "cheer" girls

I think it's the same thing as a fluffer ...

[Tatsujin]

Can someone enlighten me as to what a "cheer girl" is/does?

Four girls known as "cheer" girls

Is it similar to a "fluffer"?

snap

[boike]

Hmmm

Edited June 11, 2016 by boike

[Brer Fox]

Certainly, the owner got a phone an anonymous phone call ... from the BIB about an imminent raid.

I suspect you are correct. In the case of the raid on the Nataree earlier in the week it seems the BIB boss didn't protect the interests of those on the tea money list and failed to call ahead to the Nataree to warn them of the raid by the Interior Ministry. For that he was punished by being transferred to dead end job. The man obviously can't be trusted to do his job properly.

[Maestro]

Removed a troll post and an off-topic post.

[wombat]

a make work excersise.

[shawn000]

So it would seem that prostitution is now legal in Thailand, a recent change of law that was passed unbeknown to many?

Don't get me wrong, it should be legal within controlled guidelines.

Prostitution has never been "illegal" in Thailand. It's regulated under various pieces of legislation.

Yes it has and actually it still is!

In 1960 The Prostitution Suppression Act made prostitution illegal but not for the customer.

This was replaced by the Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act of 1996:

“Any person, being over sixteen years of age, subsists on the earning of a prostitute, even if it is some part of her incomes, shall be punished with imprisonment of seven to twenty years and fined of fourteen thousand to forty thousand Baht, or imprisonment for life.”

This act also criminilaized public solicitation:

"Any person who, for the purpose of prostitution, solicits, induces, introduces herself or himself to, follows or importunes a person in a street, public place or any other place, which is committed openly and shamelessly or causes nuisance to the public, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding one thousand Baht."

And soliciting within a brothel:

"Any person who associates with another person in a prostitution establishment for the purpose of prostitution of oneself or another person shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month or to a fine not exceeding one thousand Baht or to both"

And running a brothel:

"Any person who advertises or agrees to advertise, induces or introduces by means of documents or printed matters, or by any means makes known to the public in a manner apparently indicative of importunity or solicitation for the prostitution of oneself or another person shall be liable to imprisonment for a term of six months to two years or to a fine of ten thousand to forty thousand Baht or to both."

This is the law, however there is also The Entertainment Places Act of 1966, which exempts bars, gogo's and massage places from the definition of "prostitution establishment", so these remained legal after the 1996 Act and to this day, however picking up a girl in the street, or outside of an entertainment zone is technically illegal, however not inforced.

[JAG]

What is the point of all this? This junta is running around like a headless chicken without any plan or purpose. As usual with Thais, there is no thought to the consequences of their actions. Cracking down on businesses is only going to hurt the economy and tourism.

Of course I am in favour of cracking down on the use of underage girls in these premises.

What is the point of all this?

Money.

The new kids on the block, wearing brown and green shirts, are doing the rounds emphasising that they are the people who are running things now, and that they are the ones that the knocking shop owners need to deal with...

[brewsterbudgen]

So it would seem that prostitution is now legal in Thailand, a recent change of law that was passed unbeknown to many?

Don't get me wrong, it should be legal within controlled guidelines.

Prostitution has never been "illegal" in Thailand. It's regulated under various pieces of legislation.

Yes it has and actually it still is!

In 1960 The Prostitution Suppression Act made prostitution illegal but not for the customer.

This was replaced by the Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act of 1996:

“Any person, being over sixteen years of age, subsists on the earning of a prostitute, even if it is some part of her incomes, shall be punished with imprisonment of seven to twenty years and fined of fourteen thousand to forty thousand Baht, or imprisonment for life.”

This act also criminilaized public solicitation:

"Any person who, for the purpose of prostitution, solicits, induces, introduces herself or himself to, follows or importunes a person in a street, public place or any other place, which is committed openly and shamelessly or causes nuisance to the public, shall be liable to a fine not exceeding one thousand Baht."

And soliciting within a brothel:

"Any person who associates with another person in a prostitution establishment for the purpose of prostitution of oneself or another person shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month or to a fine not exceeding one thousand Baht or to both"

And running a brothel:

"Any person who advertises or agrees to advertise, induces or introduces by means of documents or printed matters, or by any means makes known to the public in a manner apparently indicative of importunity or solicitation for the prostitution of oneself or another person shall be liable to imprisonment for a term of six months to two years or to a fine of ten thousand to forty thousand Baht or to both."

This is the law, however there is also The Entertainment Places Act of 1966, which exempts bars, gogo's and massage places from the definition of "prostitution establishment", so these remained legal after the 1996 Act and to this day, however picking up a girl in the street, or outside of an entertainment zone is technically illegal, however not inforced.

Correct. Prostitution is regulated, but the act of paying money for sex is not illegal as long as it is not done so "promiscuously" and as long as it doesn't involve coercion or underage.

[Artisi]

So it would seem that prostitution is now legal in Thailand, a recent change of law that was passed unbeknown to many?

Don't get me wrong, it should be legal within controlled guidelines.

Why do you say that? Registered and licenced massage parlours are perfectly legal here. Obviously no other, illegal, activity was happening at the time of the raid.

Amazing the number of posters who think that massage/entertainment places are illegal.

It was a rhetorical question not needing a smart-arse response, especially when you clearly understood the question.