Pattaya Walking Street Go Go Bars in Midnight Raids

[sgtsabai]

The "morality" police at work. Damn, I thought I left that crap behind in the states. Let's see, this "government" doesn't like Issan, doesn't like foreigners. 1+1, does that add up to 2?

[BuaBS]

Where would you rather do a raid : where the real crime is , or gogo's , soapies , "massage" places ....

Soft targets for "hard" police & army men.

[wvavin]

What is happening? Thailand is preparing to close down all entertainment outlets? Perhaps they have another alternative income on the way.

[edhart]

These "raids" continue to be nothing more than an orchestrated joke by the "police".

What's wrong with compliance verification during regular operating hours?

All businesses have to be compliant whether in Thai or abroad.

is that Joke

[thaiman]

What is happening? Thailand is preparing to close down all entertainment outlets? Perhaps they have another alternative income on the way.

http://thediplomat.com/2016/03/thailand-must-join-tpp-junta-chief/

[NickJ]

Yeah......must be low season......

[Basil B]

I am sure they had the right permits...

[KMartinHandyman]

After close examination of the participants I noticed the clock in the photo reads 12:3?

Article says after midnight.

[brewsterbudgen]

I was down on walking street last Sunday. We stopped and had a drink at a beer bar. Across the street was the Turkish ice cream guy and beside his business where a dozen Russian gals outside a club trying to get punters to come inside. Some of the girls are dancing on little stages outside the club. Saw many police wandering by and they did not even pay attention.

The "Russian" clubs have been raided before, so presumably they now have their licences in order.

A previous story over the last day or two mentions no one caught under the age of twenty, while here is eighteen. Whar is right?

18 to dance or serve in a gogo. But 20 to drink alcohol.

[Mystified]

I was down on walking street last Sunday. We stopped and had a drink at a beer bar. Across the street was the Turkish ice cream guy and beside his business where a dozen Russian gals outside a club trying to get punters to come inside. Some of the girls are dancing on little stages outside the club. Saw many police wandering by and they did not even pay attention.

My guess it's all for show since the big Crack down in bkk. Just like the rest of this circus some photo ops and a "nothing to see here, ignore the man behind the mirror "

[craigrosier]

Guys,

This is driven by the army to put pressure on the police and ensure the divi is coming their way. Just check the uniform in the picture. Pattaya police do not wear cammo.

[shaggy851]

So there was either something wrong with the paperwork licences and permits and money was exchanged and all is well, or by chance they were behaving in a professional manner and all is well. Whatever ,next

[Acharn]

A previous story over the last day or two mentions no one caught under the age of twenty, while here is eighteen. Whar is right?

The law was passed in December 1996, so I may not be remembering it correctly, but for some reason they decided that it was OK to work in these places if you were 18, but if you wanted to be a customer you had to be 20. Never made sense to me, but that's the way the NGOs that make money off denouncing trafficking wanted it.

[sanukjim]

These "raids" continue to be nothing more than an orchestrated joke by the "police".

Remember when a few weeks ago when the military ordered the police to raid a very high income club and many violations were found? Well the bib were not the instigators of this raid as it was paying for police protection.It looks like now the bib have an insider in the military to keep them informed in advance of upcoming raids.Years ago the bars on Pat Pong had an informant in the tax office to warn us about the tax inspections and it saved us a lot of money.

[judax]

Very soon there will be more Russian girls than Thai working in Walking Street and all with work permits

[Shroud]

"that no foreigners or anybody under the age of eighteen was working at the time."

Didn't they change the working age to 20 a while back ago. Police forgot their own rules?

[Shroud]

Whatever the reason it cannot be good for tourism no one wants to come on holiday to a country with army police etc etc swarming around all the time.

True.. but let's face it. The big go-go bars are running out of customers and due to competition they need to crack down on the small ones so they can fill up their own venues. Police works for the biggish.. Cause?? Tourism is down heavily. Euro 2016 has made it even worse.

[brewsterbudgen]

"that no foreigners or anybody under the age of eighteen was working at the time."

Didn't they change the working age to 20 a while back ago. Police forgot their own rules?

No. It's always been 18.

[rjwill01]

Just let the military and police do what they are suppose to be doing. By doing these raids and finding nothing, is good for everybody. I don't care where you live, police will eventually enter a place that you frequent to check up on license and requirements of the law. This will only do Pattaya good. I like the fact that the soapy massages got raided and they only found one that was operating illegally. That is good for the others that followed the rules. I'm not saying yea nor nea about the Thai Police or Military,but it is part of their job to keep illegal business from happening.

[Jeremy50]

I'm glad to hear all ended well, with no underage girls. To allot of westerners the girls appear to look underage especially if new to Asia, But end up being in there early 20s. I do not want to be unintentionally with a underage girl from a gogo !!!

I never get why some people cannot judge a girl's age. Looking at some of the many youtube video's on Pattaya, I hardly ever spot a girl under 25, doing their thing in Walking Street or wherever. It's all a far cry from the '80's when many of the girls looked 15.................and were. The police should clear all the child beggars away from these areas and put them into care, these are the people most at risk, not the thousands of prostitutes who look to have been on the game for years and years.

[GAZZPA]

Reports had been made that the venue was operating without a license

Thai police should get some advice from the British police, they have a computer system linked to various authorities no need to present paper documents, police know if car have tax, MOT, insurance or driver no valid licence.

With such a system the police would have known before they raided the bar if it had a licence... such checks before the raid would save on these "Egg on Face" moments ...or was it an PR exercise??? "all bars have correct licence, no under age girls or foreigners working illegally" 555

Just remember to raid the right bars...

Thailand does not have anywhere near that level of technology to instantly check on places as to whether they are compliant. The few systems it does have will most certainly not be linked via a database in anyway.

In my view it was just for show, why else would it be in the press. "Police act on tip off but nothing found",,, not exactly sterling Police work.

[HerbalEd]

These "raids" continue to be nothing more than an orchestrated joke by the "police".

You assume, but don't have any way to actually confirm.

[JHolmesJr]

Apparently, the coppers were not from pattaya but from the capital on a specific mission. They can't be easily bought off.

Im glad they targeted the gogos they did….two absolutely rip off places with obscene bar fines and girls who think their **** dont stink.

I can't stand gobos but apparently Gramps A GoGo...aka 70 year old Uncle Jimmy from Jomtien….finds them divine for picking up 19 year old village girls …. and then bragging how much he paid online. LOL.

[IAMHERE]

Those ladies look right fit, good advertising I'd think. When they round up the chunky mom's is the picture I don't want to see but am okay with it happening except they got to make a living too.

[moe666]

Raids on bars and clubs is nothing new they have been doing it for years, get stuck in a club when they do a pee test on everyone farang included

[Penefattore]

I'm glad to hear all ended well, with no underage girls. To allot of westerners the girls appear to look underage especially if new to Asia, But end up being in there early 20s. I do not want to be unintentionally with a underage girl from a gogo !!!

Doesn't underage in Thailand mean under 18?

yes but to work in bar/go-go they need to be at least 20.

For 18s and 19s there's always the coconut bar

[raphoedon]

It's a dirty job but someone's Gotta Do It!

Joking aside it's still a mystery to me how all these Russian girls are allowed to work. Mai koh jai

Edited June 16, 2016 by raphoedon

[Siamwhiteelephant]

Posturing . This series of raids in a row across the country make no sense at all. Nothing “illegal” here, such as prostitution; let’s move on! Instead, do totally unexpected random spot checks on one bar at a time throughout the years. Oh, sorry. I forgot the different agenda.

[thailand49]

Reality? It is really about smoke and mirrors? Sure these inspections are necessary just because this is Thailand. They are necessary but smoking is really down on the list compare to underage girls working. Sure they can do this simple by a computer but there is nothing like old fashion inspections it lets the owner exactly who needs to make the payoff's? As for the Russian place, they were raided a few months ago, found a number of ladies without permits working after a day or so opened again. These inspection are to make let owners know who exactly is in charge and late payments will not be tolerated!

[hoffy66]

These "raids" continue to be nothing more than an orchestrated joke by the "police".

What's wrong with compliance verification during regular operating hours?

All businesses have to be compliant whether in Thai or abroad.

And when do you think NORMAL business hours are for these places????