Thai sex industry under fire from tourism minister, police

[mesterm]

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.

Yeah they visit the temples before hitting the bars at night.

[Gecko123]

If Thailand shut down its sex industry, it's true that there would probably be fewer tourists, at least-short term. But the quality of tourist would also greatly improve and in turn receive a warmer welcome from Thais. It would also lift the stigma that all farang men-Thai women relationships have their genesis in a beer bar. These are good things for those who choose to live here, and who love and respect Thailand.

With all due respect to those who argue that Thailand's sex industry actually contributes to Thailand's economic development, in truth, it does enormous damage to Thailand's social fabric. If the current government succeeds in shutting down Thailand's sex industry, they will have a greater legacy than most past governments.

Edited July 17, 2016 by Gecko123

[Enzian]

Once I stopped taking a different girl from soi Cowboy every night and got into a pretty steady relationship with one (39 year younger) Thai woman, I looked around and said, "Hey, I never noticed but Sukhumvit is dirty, rat-infested, with homicidal drivers, and the whole country is unbearably hot with a tropical climate that is out to kill me." Now I just want to leave and take the lady to a better clime, without giving her the farm. And she's all for it, the climate is killing her too.

So what I'm saying is, without the sex industry, half the guys coming here would wake up and stay away.

[sezze]

If Thailand shut down its sex industry, it's true that there would probably be fewer tourists, at least-short term. But the quality of tourist would also greatly improve and in turn receive a warmer welcome from Thais. It would also lift the stigma that all farang men-Thai women relationships have their genesis in a beer bar. These are good things for those who choose to live here, and who love and respect Thailand.

With all due respect to those who argue that Thailand's sex industry actually contributes to Thailand's economic development, in truth, it does enormous damage to Thailand's social fabric. If the current government succeeds in shutting down Thailand's sex industry, they will have a greater legacy than most past governments.

Told before allready many times . The majority of sex industry is Thai-Thai based . After that , Thai-Asian and after that Thai-Farang It is everywhere in Thailand , every city has karaokes and small hotels where if you ask can have a companion for the night ( this is not advertised , and the rooms are cheap inside rural Thailand ) How you act is how Thais see you in Thailand , even if you visit girls ( or boys ) Thais like it calm and "underground' , not like the people you see in the typical nightspots of farangs being drunk loud and shouting bad words

Sex industry goes from the hotels and karaokes everywhere in Thailand to massage houses in the bigger cities to the gogo's/bars which are typical for foreign based services Like i stated before , you can shut down the massage houses but even this will not happen since massage is typical for Thailand , so there will be seedy ones ( but the soapies are a different thing ) Also what can disappear is gogo's but that is also unlikely since it is much smaller and very area based All the rest will stay where it is , which is bars , karaokes , disco's , street , internet ( huge rising ) , and small hotels inside Thailand

[Kiwiken]

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?

If it is forced underground you get more on the streets, More Criminal involvement and Human Trafficking will be worse. In the opposite direction they Could legalise Prostitution. Create Red light Districts which are regulated and controlled. Introduce Health Books for the Sex Workers. I believe Thailand could do it right. My Country NZ legalised it a few years ago to protect the Sex Workers. But every City and Suburb says not in My Town and the Holier than thou have pushed the Girls back onto the streets. Push it underground and you make it less safe for both Workers and Clients. Nothing stops it. You can crack down all you will have is more criminals and a worse name

[jacko45k]

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.....

You specified 'male tourists' but I feel that is not the majority these days. If you look at arrivals at the to Bangkok airports the majority of them are Chinese family groups and I believe the male component of these are not 'sex-tourists'

A percentage of other males arriving may well be like myself, retired here, with a Thai wife.

Sure there is a component, but I feel the percentage is overestimated and tales of doom and gloom if it was eliminated are exaggerated.

A disproportionate view is seen by those holidaying in Pattaya or wandering Sukhumvit in Bangkok.

Outside tourist centres the local male population is catered to. But that does not relate to the tourism minister.

It is a pity really, Thailand seems to have achieved a liberal approach to this side of reality. The industry does minimal harm and to eliminate it would indeed put many in a position of actually considering having to work for a living. I don't see Walking St drawing all those Chinese tourists without the bright lights sex has created.

[Kru Baa]

Thailand must get these out of touch old geezers out of office.

[kiwikeith]

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 Chappaya in BK, there are a few around the country, is frequented by high flying members of the police ,army and govt, not to mention the other private interests.

This has been the norm for many moons, to think that things would change is just dribble.

Civil war would erupt between a few factions if this happened andsales of bullet proof vests would increase.

Not going to happen.

[pepi2005]

I've never been a big fan of the industrialization of Thailand's sex industry.

If it has to go underground because it's turned illegal in many parts, this will lower the prices and also make the scene more interesting again. I'm fine with it.

[webfact]

'Thailand is closed to sex trade' says country’s first female tourism minister
By Andrew Marszal

LONDON: -- Thailand has promised to eradicate its notorious sex tourism industry as it attempts to reinvent itself as a female-friendly travel destination.

Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, the country’s first female tourism minister, made the pledge following a series of police raids on Thai brothels last month, amid concerns over human trafficking and underage sex workers.

“We want Thailand to be about quality tourism. We want the sex industry gone,” Ms Kobkarn told Reuters.

“Tourists don’t come to Thailand for such a thing. They come here for our beautiful culture.”

Prostitution has been illegal in the south-east Asian country since 1960, but the industry employs more than 120,000 sex workers, with authorities frequently accused of turning a blind eye.

Full story: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/17/thailand-is-closed-to-sex-tourism-says-countrys-first-female-tou/

-- The Telegraph 2016-07-18

[nausea]

I mostly agree with Jacko, it's all part of the mix - along with temples, beaches, spicy food, ladyboys, shady characters, bad English, etc.- that differentiates Thailand from other destinations, gives it a certain "frisson", if that's the right word, and draws people here. I can never understand people who come to live here, then complain because Thailand is what it is.

[Buzzz]

kobkarn.jpg

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

Not bad looking. I wouldn't want her all night but a short time sounds good. How much?

[SunLover2]

IMO in the mid-term (5 years or so) the following is likely to happen:

The garish in your face establishments are in the crosshairs. The shops closed last week on Soi 7/1 are an example of that.

The suspected underage and trafficking shops are in the crosshairs. AS THEY SHOULD BE. The recent Rachada Road raids are an example of that.

The screws will be tightened on the silver pole and floorshow venues. Slowly so everyone will have time to adjust to the new economic normal. Farang owned and operated businesses will be top of the list of course.

Neon will be out of fashion. Marketing will be curtailed. Websites will be plain vanilla. What some call underground will still really be quite visible to those who are looking for it.

The organized nightlife clusters will be tamped down on to the point of financial extinction. The property will be put to a higher commercial use. The reborn will be smaller and scattered.

Opportunities for horizontal mingling will still exist. Ladies will still be about on the streets. Bars and disco's will still attract the usual following. Discrete massage shops will still offer all manor of happy happy. The internet will become more important as a primary point of introduction.

More like the pay-for-play scene around the planet really.

SL

[kotsak]

LONDON: -- Thailand has promised to eradicate its notorious sex tourism industry as it attempts to reinvent itself as a female-friendly travel destination.

[dcnx]

Anything that is banned goes underground, which creates demand, which empowers the local mafia / criminal element, which ups the risk of violence and crime, which makes it worse for everyone.

Common sense.

[drakoanders]

Who do you think runs the aex industry in Thailand? Who is behind the scenes raking in the money?

[impulse]

Fascinating the difference in respect for the laws on different subjects here on TVF:

On overstay? Deport them and blacklist them if they can't follow the rules.

Blowing weed in Thailand? Lock the idiots up- they knew the rules.

Working without a WP? Lock them up then send them home if they can't abide by the rules.

Drinking on Buddhist holidays? Don't you dare get between me and a tourist's God given right to get drunk on holiday.

Frequenting hookers? The Thai economy will collapse if I can't get cheap sex. Collapse, I tell you!

Edited July 17, 2016 by impulse

[Buzzz]

Anything that is banned goes underground, which creates demand, which empowers the local mafia / criminal element, which ups the risk of violence and crime, which makes it worse for everyone.

Common sense.

Cyberspace is the new underground.

I've been warning my favorite massage place the Army is coming and they soon better get their business online/room service.

[rodney earl]

Thats it. Bury your head in the sand that will solve everything. The main reason that this country is in a better financial

situation that some of the other south east asian countries is because of the millions of us dollars that was poured into

this country during the vietnam war, and why did they come here. Da. For the beer and the sex industry.

[impulse]

Thats it. Bury your head in the sand that will solve everything. The main reason that this country is in a better financial

situation that some of the other south east asian countries is because of the millions of us dollars that was poured into

this country during the vietnam war, and why did they come here. Da. For the beer and the sex industry.

Or, it could have been the closest place they could build runways and hangars to bomb the crap out of the commies and everyone within 100 meters of the commies. I'm pretty sure they didn't select it on the basis of the women.

The women didn't attract the GI's money. It was the other way around.

[MadDog2020]

Catering for dirty old men isn't really applicable in the 21st century. I must admit picturing a young pretty Thai lady barely 20 years old, with a drooling fart, old enough to be her grandfather is quite repulsive. In EU this would be considered unacceptable. Regretfully, Thailand does seemingly attract the dregs of society .. the sex tourists, perverts, and criminals. Most come after failing to attract a woman in their home country, (which is not surprising). So they come to LOS, as looks/age don't matter, so long as you have a fat bank account. I have witnessed 60 year-old men acting like a 21 year-old, which just looks ridiculous. Would be nice if Thailand cleaned-up it's act. The bars, and whore-houses were catering for the US service men at the time of the Vietnam war, well those days are gone. Time to clean-up the image of the country that is for sure.

Wow......at least we know how you feel.

[arrowsdawdle]

'Thailand is closed to sex trade' says country’s first female tourism minister

By Andrew Marszal

LONDON: -- Thailand has promised to eradicate its notorious sex tourism industry as it attempts to reinvent itself as a female-friendly travel destination.

Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, the country’s first female tourism minister, made the pledge following a series of police raids on Thai brothels last month, amid concerns over human trafficking and underage sex workers.

“We want Thailand to be about quality tourism. We want the sex industry gone,” Ms Kobkarn told Reuters.

“Tourists don’t come to Thailand for such a thing. They come here for our beautiful culture.”

Prostitution has been illegal in the south-east Asian country since 1960, but the industry employs more than 120,000 sex workers, with authorities frequently accused of turning a blind eye.

Full story: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/07/17/thailand-is-closed-to-sex-tourism-says-countrys-first-female-tou/

-- The Telegraph 2016-07-18

Based on the other tourism lady's film festival racket, this lady no doubt has set up sex clubs and brothels just over the border in Laos and Cambodia. Outlaw it in LOS and feed border enterprises.

[WaffleIron]

After working in the hospitality industry here in Thailand for years, it seems to me that many people in this forum are sadly mistaken about the state of the tourism industry over here.

In all of the hotels I've worked at (4-5 stars), 90% of the clientele are couples and families. Only 10% are single male travelers. Those 90% also tend to spend a lot more on average than the other 10%, at least within the confines of the hotel (spa, food and beverage, excursions, etc...).

The same is true on the other end of the spectrum, in very cheap guesthouses. Those tend to cater mostly to groups of young people or young singles who typically can find sex without having to pay for it and mostly tend to hookup with other foreign travelers anyway.

That leaves the 2-3stars hotels, which are where most single males stay. In such hotels located in tourist destinations, it's about a 50%/50% ratio, with 50% groups and families and 50% single 30y+ men. I sincerely doubt, however, that travelers who can't spend more than 1,500 to 2,000 baht/night for accommodation spend a considerable amount of money while they are outside their hotel.

Edit: Those ratios apply to places where I actually have hands-on experience (BKK, Phuket and Samui). Pattaya, on the other hand, probably has a much higher single men ratio, but that's only one town out of about ten major tourist hotspots in Thailand.

Edited July 18, 2016 by WaffleIron

[chrisrazz]

Thailand's sex industry (whether you deem it a problem or not), like most problems in the country are a by product of the biggest issue Thailand faces - corruption! Prostitution is illegal, it only proliferates where corruption allows.

[majhiggins]

"Sprawling" as if implying this is a recent and rapidly spreading outbreak? It is an aspect of Thai culture as ingrained and totally normal and accepted as tuk-tuks, temples and rice farms. It's not viewed as sinful or shameful or degrading to women. In fact, a large part of Issan's economy relies on working girls sending big money back to mom and dad on the farm. While it exists here to some small extent, Thai prostitution seldom involves enslavement, human trafficing or forced drug dependence. I't also is, for better or worse one of the key attractions of Thailand for eestern tourists.

Wrong on every point, it is regarded as shameful, it' s the money that's not, and it is not a mainstay of Issan economy however much the users of prostitutes like to fantasize that it is, thus justifying their paying for sex.

Where did I ever say mainstay of the Issan economy? I've luved here for 11 years so don't talk down to me like I'm a repeat tourist in Pattaya. As far as saying "it is regarded as shameful" consider the farmer in Roi Et with 2 grown daughters. One marries a farmer and together they have just enough money to get by. The other goes down to Pattaya and starts selling services. She sends 5000 a month back to mom and dad who, despite the fact that she told them she was a waitress have a pretty good idea what's really going on. In Thai culture which daughter is the hero of the family and making merir the most?

[impulse]

One marries a farmer and together they have just enough money to get by. The other goes down to Pattaya and starts selling services. She sends 5000 a month back to mom and dad who, despite the fact that she told them she was a waitress have a pretty good idea what's really going on. In Thai culture which daughter is the hero of the family and making merit the most?

My vote would go to the one who doesn't have to lie about what she's doing. That's kind of a dead giveaway.

[dontoearth]

I don't see females coming to Thailand. The various youtube videos of the crime would scare most off right away. I do think that is the big major problem with the ever declining Western tourism numbers. Almost everyone told me to watch out for the crime before I took off. No one told me to enjoy the culture and temples! Along with strange and silly ideas like closing the beach on Wed. Closing sidewalk hawking on Monday. Basically the emails and facebook post of tourist sort of describe a dirty wacky land that they don't think is worth visiting anymore. Of course lately if the thai authorities search youtube or facebook they feel the best path is to find the unhappy poster and make him/her 'understand thainess by public smiling and saying so sorry to tell you anything you don't like. I doubt seriously that anyone in power understands any of this at all. The big problem now is that Thailand is really identified with crime and very uneven and unusual 'anti-tourist' policies like asking people to carry their passports in a country that has purse snatchers on the news everyday. Just thoughtless stuff is causing the tourist problem. The solution! Attract several million more low paying chinese tourist! That will make up the gap.

[LannaGuy]

when this closes down I'll believe it

[dontoearth]

After working in the hospitality industry here in Thailand for years, it seems to me that many people in this forum are sadly mistaken about the state of the tourism industry over here.

In all of the hotels I've worked at (4-5 stars), 90% of the clientele are couples and families. Only 10% are single male travelers. Those 90% also tend to spend a lot more on average than the other 10%, at least within the confines of the hotel (spa, food and beverage, excursions, etc...).

The same is true on the other end of the spectrum, in very cheap guesthouses. Those tend to cater mostly to groups of young people or young singles who typically can find sex without having to pay for it and mostly tend to hookup with other foreign travelers anyway.

That leaves the 2-3stars hotels, which are where most single males stay. In such hotels located in tourist destinations, it's about a 50%/50% ratio, with 50% groups and families and 50% single 30y+ men. I sincerely doubt, however, that travelers who can't spend more than 1,500 to 2,000 baht/night for accommodation spend a considerable amount of money while they are outside their hotel.

Edit: Those ratios apply to places where I actually have hands-on experience (BKK, Phuket and Samui). Pattaya, on the other hand, probably has a much higher single men ratio, but that's only one town out of about ten major tourist hotspots in Thailand.

Your analysis is good but it needs some numbers. I assume 4-5 star hotel tourist amount for a tiny fraction of the total. Maybe 2% or 5% or 6%. Where is the rest of the tourist dollar supposed to come from?

[cplgil]

She also said this in an interview :

Question: The tourist flow from Russia to Thailand in the first half of 2015 shrank by half due to the depreciation of the Russian ruble. How do you assess the situation on the market before the beginning of the new season, what prospects do you see?

Answer: We are concerned about the Russian tourism market in Thailand and hope that in the coming season we will witness an increase in the number of Russian tourists arriving to spend a vacation in our country. It is always on my mind now since the Russian market is very important for us. This week I will be participating in the Russian tourism fair “Leisure-2015”. By the way, the Thai delegations have been attending this fair in Moscow for 20 years; we are strongly committed to participating in it. There we will talk both with tour operators and with travel media.

Of course, we have our own interesting ideas about travel and tourism programs, but first we are going to listen to the wishes and proposals of Russian tour operators and then suggest our own ideas to them. All this will be done to improve the tourist product, to join efforts to make it more attractive.

We believe Russians are “high-quality” tourists. Our travel business likes Russian clients. Therefore, we are searching new modalities of work, conducive to changing the situation with Russian tourists in Thailand for the better.