Thai sex industry under fire from tourism minister, police

[louse1953]

Funny stuff. My general rule when trying to figure out what

the government is doing, is to follow the money. Looks to me

like a minor shakedown to pump up tea money. Hard to believe

the tourism minister is about to shut off a multi billion dollar

source of income for poor Isan farm girls. But I suppose

as the tourism minister, must be sort of embarrassing

to realize such a large chunk of tourism income is from

prostitution.....Or perhaps the wrong group of people is

profiting from this trade, and they need to be whacked down

a notch. Will be interesting to see how Thai men react, as

any thinking person knows 90% of the entire industry is for Thai men.

Do you actually think the govt give a rat's about poor boys and girls.It is about cleaning up the image in the tourist spots which is an eyesore.Thai men will go where they always have gone.

[GAZZPA]

i find it funny that most of the guys complaining about the sex industry are married to a thai, of course in every case she is far younger and far more attractive than they are and only married them because of her comparative poverty despite their delusions to the contrary. Yet the claim it is only the mongers who exploit poor thai women, hilarious, their wives married them for money just as hookers exchange sex for money - whats the difference? oh you put a ring on her finger

Thanks man, best post.

Fully agree.

Perhaps he should ask the married Thai women (or any women) what the difference is between them and a prostitute, that is if he really doesn't understand.

I would not want to light that touch paper though..

[happy Joe]

I can't say much about Pattaya, having never set foot in the place. I'm sure I'm just one of many deterred from visiting by its reputation as a den of sex tourism.

Perhaps if they cleaned the place up, more people would visit. It would be a good thing for the Thai tourism industry to have a pleasant, family friendly seaside resort a short drive from Bangkok.

Remember that even on this forum, some still have their vital functions in working order...

[bamukloy]

- 'good riddance, thailand should get rid of all the filthy low life sex tourists exploiting impoverished women, most decent expats like me did not come here for that degenerate behavior, they wouldnt sleep with prostitutes back home could you imagine them telling their friends back home how they purchase women, im married to a thai, speak thai, im accepted and respected by thai people'

how old are you?

- '65'

how old is your wife?

-'30'

at this point i usually just tune out, this is a fairly typical convo you have when you meet someone who considers himself a 'quality' expat when in reality he is just deluded

You mean the type that thinks they're getting jealous looks wherever they go?

the type that thinks money in exchange for sex is evil but money in exchange for marriage is acceptable

they type that claims they didnt come here for the women and doesnt acknowledge that no way in hell would they have a wife half their age back in farangland

no way in hell would Mick Jagger and Rod Stewart have all those beaut young wives if they were bricklayers either

[SoiBiker]

I can't say much about Pattaya, having never set foot in the place. I'm sure I'm just one of many deterred from visiting by its reputation as a den of sex tourism.

Perhaps if they cleaned the place up, more people would visit. It would be a good thing for the Thai tourism industry to have a pleasant, family friendly seaside resort a short drive from Bangkok.

Remember that even on this forum, some still have their vital functions in working order...

Not sure what you're getting at here.

[AdamTheFarang]

Record number of tourists, wow well done as the numbers just seem to go up and up. However after living in Phuket for many years when I arrived the bars were thriving with truly an international clientele of foreigners. Now many of the bars are closed whole street are closed and in many of the few bars there are a few depressed looking ladies staring into their phones. Agreed Phuket is not all about bars but apart from groups of loud, spitting Chinese being shuffled around in 60 seat buses pumping out acrid black smoke where have all the other tourist gone and why are Thais saying the economy is bad. Zero Baht tourists is a name often referred to about Chinese tourists, they do not venture out fro their group and every thing is pre-planned. I have left Phuket but did have a great time there but numbers do not mean everything. Thailand should be actively promoting Europeans to return but I never really see much advertising say like Indonesia does.

[twizzian]

Just like all the other crackdowns.

Yeah right!

[metisdead]

A post containing inflammatory offensive comments directed toward other members has been removed.

[louse1953]

It has all been said (and not done) before, only difference is this time its a woman doing the saying.

I wager gagging orders have already been given.

Police, prominant people, entertainment area landlords..all probably all tapping this gals hubby on the shoulders.

What is a big cash cow for some is also a welfare payment system for others..

grain of salt

Probably correct.

Outside of the lovely friendly Thai women, I personally don't think Thailand has too much to offer.

Food? ho hum. Beaches? If you want good clean beaches go to Australia, way better than Thailand. Temples? Seen one, seen enough. Cultural events? Commercialised long ago. Scenic countyside? yawn.

And if they were in fact actually embarrassed about it, then all they have to do is get the cops to close down all the visible sex outlets in all large cities, and in every small town and village there are houses where Thai men go to for sex with prostitues - close all them down as well. Then bring on a massive cultural change where men don't think the things they currently do about women and their status, and maybe they will make a dent in it.

The Thai people could do this if they wanted to. It's my guess that they don't, because they haven't shown any appetite to do it up to now.

They are a stubborn lot sometimes.Can't even force them to put their helmets on.They just refuse.

[55Jay]

- 'good riddance, thailand should get rid of all the filthy low life sex tourists exploiting impoverished women, most decent expats like me did not come here for that degenerate behavior, they wouldnt sleep with prostitutes back home could you imagine them telling their friends back home how they purchase women, im married to a thai, speak thai, im accepted and respected by thai people'

how old are you?

- '65'

how old is your wife?

-'30'

at this point i usually just tune out, this is a fairly typical convo you have when you meet someone who considers himself a 'quality' expat when in reality he is just deluded

30? That's way too old.

[slippery snake]

If a sexy young woman is happy to marry an older guy for security and a good life... and an older guy likes to have a young sexy woman on his arm, why not spend his money on what he enjoys ??? both are happy ,,, I know I like 30 to 40 year old woman, and I'm over retirement age.. what do I want with a 65 year old woman that does absolutely nothing for me ??

[candels]

I don't see how this is expected to make any real difference one way or the other? Can the experienced (actually experienced, not the armchairers) weigh in?

If they mean "foreign sex industry" that's like a few streets in Bangkok, 1 in CM and 1 little one in CM, right? I don't know CM and BKK well, but CR employs maybe 20 or 30 or so women (not girls) and I don't know if they really work that end of things much anyway. I've only been a couple of times to a couple of the bars there and all I saw them do was serve beer and play dominos by themselves. These are also the bars regular foreigners -- backpackers, etc) go for a beer, and older expats frequent to socialize.

Of course, Pattaya has a section that is mainly for that -- although isn't that just a couple of streets in size as well -- and that local area would be effected significantly.

Won't sex just go off the table in all these places, though? There'll still be girl bar staff, so the bar will be about the same.

[willfreeman]

If a sexy young woman is happy to marry an older guy for security and a good life... and an older guy likes to have a young sexy woman on his arm, why not spend his money on what he enjoys ??? both are happy ,,, I know I like 30 to 40 year old woman, and I'm over retirement age.. what do I want with a 65 year old woman that does absolutely nothing for me ??

i have no problem with it whatsoever, i just find that the guys who complain loudest about the sex trade generally moved to thailand to marry a woman far younger then they are which is made possible by the same conditions which makes the sex trade flourish here

[tifino]

If a sexy young woman is happy to marry an older guy for security and a good life... and an older guy likes to have a young sexy woman on his arm, why not spend his money on what he enjoys ??? both are happy ,,, I know I like 30 to 40 year old woman, and I'm over retirement age.. what do I want with a 65 year old woman that does absolutely nothing for me ??

... you get to hold her walking stick for her.

(otherwise she'll hit you with it)

[bazza40]

OK There goes 90 % of the western tourist, flying elsewhere..We will have mostly, the broke over stayers,retirees,Khao San road back packers,phony teachers,and Chinese tourist left.

90%

Don't be daft. Have you ever set foot outside of the bar areas? The legit tourist industry is huge compared to the sex tourist trade.

Riiight. The Japanese, Chinese, Indians and Arabs only come here for the karaoke.

[elgordo38]

This man clearly, doesn't know his job or doesn't read the incoming tourists statistics, majority of male

tourist to the kingdom has to do wit a quest for some kind of sexual gratification of some sort,

if he ever bothered to leave his ivory tower and go down and mingle with the masses, he'd soon learn

that sex tourism is a major revenues earner, and by eliminating it, he'd be putting out as many as a million

hospitality workers that otherwise will go underground and still will ply their trade,

Not the minster, nor the PM and all their army and police men can stop the sex industry from being,

legalize and control it, will be the better way to go about it.....

The minister is a woman.

I wonder if she has reached that "age" yet.

[MobileContent]

I think sooner or later it will happened that the brothels get shut down. It was on a drawing board several years ago already.

On Soi Cowboy a large numbers of visitors are expats that work in Bangkok and if Cowboy gets shut down they still will work of course in Bangkok. Nana Plaza is owned by farangs and my guess it will be the first establishment that gets shut down and maybe develop another condo or hotel. Patpong is a ripoff place and it should be shut down as it brings to much bad publicity.

Pattaya I guess is sin city and will stay for the time being as it is over developed and shutting it down will shut down the whole city.

Rachada might get shut down too as the land can be used to develop more real estate properties. When will it happen?

2-5 years from now is the general currently in power stays in power.

[Mystified]

Good luck to her, it's an industry riddled with crime, disease, drugs and despair. The country might start to be a decent place with less of it, although you cannot get rid of it completely, filth is best swept away as much as possible.

Good luck to her, it's an industry riddled with crime, disease, drugs and despair."

Nice sentiments, but do away with the "industry" and watch crime, disease, drugs and despair double. Vast numbers of people in the "industry" have made better lives, many have found life partners and some happiness. There will always be "casualties" and it is they that the government must help.

Do away with this "industry" and watch tourism numbers plummet. If Minister Kobkarn thinks all people come here for the warm and fuzzy feeling of being in Amazing Thailand with its pristine beaches, crystal clear waters, magnificent ancient temples and unique foods, she is in serious denial of reality.

Remove the "night life" from Pattaya and Bangkok and other tourist areas and watch the streets empty and the public outcry. Tens of thousands of people not actually engaged in the "industry" actually make a living selling food, souvenirs,hotel rooms and other peripheral things.

The Minister needs another look at the major ramifications of this so-called plan. I didn't even mention that three letter word.

No no no she said numbers where going up! Maybe more Chinese will come or Indians to spend 100 THB but her Cristal Ball foes not see a downside to putting a few hundred thousand people put of work. So no worries

[metisdead]

Posts containing inappropriate language have been removed:

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[bazza40]

I can't say much about Pattaya, having never set foot in the place. I'm sure I'm just one of many deterred from visiting by its reputation as a den of sex tourism.

Perhaps if they cleaned the place up, more people would visit. It would be a good thing for the Thai tourism industry to have a pleasant, family friendly seaside resort a short drive from Bangkok.

Remember that even on this forum, some still have their vital functions in working order...

Not sure what you're getting at here.

Think he's referring to vital functions as the testosterone still flows, along with urine unimpeded by prostatic enlargement. Otherwise known as taking the piss.

[AlQaholic]

Yahhh! I am only interested in Temples, that's why I am in Thailand.....

[Ricky Doofus]

LOL April Fools has come early.

Start with ALL the corruption first.

[elgordo38]

As ever, many people vastly overestimate the impact of sex tourism on the Thai economy.

As ever, the government Minister vastly underestimates the impact of sex tourism on the Thai economy.

I'm guessing she's probably a little better informed on the subject than you are.

I think I smell a little testosterone overload here lads. Sadly most of mine has vanished. Crossed something or other a duel to the meeting of minds would work. May the best P for person win.

[Ducking and]

And how long is getting rid of it going to take? Ha ha. IMHO there are far too many massage shops for them to be able to even minutely address the issue.

[elgordo38]

kobkarn.jpg

This the Minister of Sports and tourism, Kobkarn Wattanavrankul. I believe she is correctly referred to as a woman.

Could you post another couple of shots please. I want to make sure.

[Ducking and]

remotely

[elgenon]

kobkarn.jpg

This the Minister of Sports and tourism, Kobkarn Wattanavrankul. I believe she is correctly referred to as a woman.

Hot lady!!!

[Linden]

It all goes underground behind closed doors

Doubles in price and all the grannies from the bars go home

Might get better quality fresh meat.

Makes sense.No need for college girls to be shy if not on display.

Or have I kicked the arz out of the place for too long?

[212Roger]

If it wasn't for the sex industry cows would still roam in the single strip Don Muang airport. Totty brought all the business in, Thais should celebrate their status as the largest brothel in the world.

I think they do, don't they. Thai men and women, both, participate.

[SoiBiker]

If a sexy young woman is happy to marry an older guy for security and a good life... and an older guy likes to have a young sexy woman on his arm, why not spend his money on what he enjoys ??? both are happy ,,, I know I like 30 to 40 year old woman, and I'm over retirement age.. what do I want with a 65 year old woman that does absolutely nothing for me ??

i have no problem with it whatsoever, i just find that the guys who complain loudest about the sex trade generally moved to thailand to marry a woman far younger then they are which is made possible by the same conditions which makes the sex trade flourish here

You find? Or you assume?