Thai sex industry under fire from tourism minister, police

[Baerboxer]

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.....

Links to all these statistics that you've been studying please.

Now whilst large numbers of single males, from quite a few different countries come, alone, along with mates, or on "boys' holidays, looking for cheap sex, booze and partying, that's hardly the be all and end all of the tourist industry.

The Tourism Minister is right that family tourists, couples or those coming for more cultural aspects probably don't want to find sex workers stuck in their face. But many like to visit Nana, Soi Cowboy, Pattaya etc out of curiosity and novelty. Those that don't know to avoid those areas, or not be surprised at what they see.

If the goal really is to transform Thailand to a high end tourist destination then there is far far more to go at than a few "colorful areas" and some spas that are really just brothels.

[dunroaming]

Time for an election and back to a corrupt and underhanded government that thrives on the seedier side of life. That is what Thailand does so well

[Wasa]

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.

What a load of rubbish! Moralistic clichés completely without basis. Crime, disease, drugs and despair exist in every society for many reasons and are not necessarily the result of an open sex scene, just look to the super religious USA as a prime example. Despair can be felt by people of all backgrounds.

As another poster said, people come to Thailand to get away from the mundane existence of their western life and sample the exotica of Thailand and it's sex industry. I have had a few western female friends over the years come to visit me in Pattaya and almost without exception one of the items on their to do list is a visit to a go-go bar.

Having lived in Pattaya for a while I have known gotten to know a few of the working girls there. For the most part they are happy with their lot and are normal people trying to get ahead in the only way they know or that their life circumstances have allowed.........they weren't born into (relatively wealthy) middle class western society as most on TV were. The most common motivation I see with them is that they are working to save towards a house back in their village for themselves, mum & dad and their kids and the sex industry provides them that opportunity. I have never really witnessed or experienced a higher than normal background level of crime, disease, drugs and despair.......in fact I am often amazed at just how non-violent it is inside the Pattaya bars and go go bars......violence is more prevalent in Australian nightclubs where you can look at someone the wrong way and get your head knocked off in a split second for no reason at all.

[PattayaBoy]

Do they really think people come here for the temples? 555

[Eli1]

The funny thing is with all you men saying the sex industry is the only thing bringing in money into the country what a load of shit.

It's about time you sleazy men ended up going home and let Thailand run Thailand.

[Nicki D]

Get rid of prostitution in Thailand and tourism industry will suffer much more than the Lady Minister estimates. Remove sex industry and watch for empty streets every night in all tourist destinations across Thailand. How often, how long and how late in the day can one continue to admire the beauty of the temples, the ruins, the palaces and the natures? Once visited, who in the right mind want to return again and for what?

[leggo]

Thailand definitely needs to clean up it's image and for the posters who claim that the male visitors make up a huge percentage of visitors have sadly got it wrong. It's that image that is putting off millions of families and normal travellers. The loss of jobs would eventually go the hotel and restaurants picking up the slack. You'll never get rid of all the brothels but that doesn't matter- outside of the main sex tourist area you can hardly tell where they are. What is important for the image is to get rid of all the hideous types who hang out in cheap sex pots like Pattaya or make it an independent country!

[FarangJon]

Thailand is getting ready for more Asian tourists (Chinese) and they bring more money (together) than those few farang.

First let's start with arresting those pesky ladyboys along beachroads at night.

And most of the Chinese money goes back home as hookers are cheaper and more discreet there. Been there, done that and most Chinese think Thailand is too expensive.

Thailand got expensive during the last ten years.

The value of money is in some neighbour countries much better.

But Thailand still didnt lose his charm.

[louse1953]

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.

If we are turning this into a poll - my vote is in favour of prettys young things continuing to service the demand for sex.

Puritanical posts like the above are as asinine as they are ignorant. Thai ladies have been servicing the sexual needs of Thai males for centuries; US servicemen simply provided a new market and that has been superseded by the multinational visitors coming to Pattaya etc.

As an old man with a fat bank account I am very happy to support the continuation of the sex-tourist industry.

I take some satisfaction in knowing that I have helped a number of girls stay out of their Isaan rubber plantations - and also helped to put food in the mouths of their bastard offspring that are being raised by Mama,

So you would be happy to see your daughter,son,wife and mother working in the exploitive sex trade.

[Wasa]

The funny thing is with all you men saying the sex industry is the only thing bringing in money into the country what a load of shit.

It's about time you sleazy men ended up going home and let Thailand run Thailand.

Spoken like a true woman, so you're here for the temples hey?

You sound like my chain smoking aussie ex......and by the way, Thailand IS running Thailand, I don't think us farangs have much say in it....

[Baerboxer]

"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.

I tend to disagree. Yes, it may be considered shameful, when talked about in the open. But, there seems to be a ridiculously permissive attitude in Issan, regarding their women working in the sex trade. The whole notion that the girls, when they grow up will be sending money back home, is so antiquated and outdated. And what do you think the parents really believe is happening, when the daughter starts sending 15,000 or 20,000 baht per month home? She found a restaurant that has really big tippers? She found the highest paying factory job in the country?

I believe they know what is going on, but turn the other way, in order to take advantage of the lifestyle. Little do they know the details of what their sweet, lovely daughter is having to do on a daily basis, to get that cash.

It's only shameful when out in the open. As long as it happens somewhere far away and no one speaks of it then people ignore it. Met 2 girls at the Land Registry Office up north few years ago. Two sisters registering some land with mummy is was "giving" it to them. They said they were going back to Pattaya later that day. One said they worked as cashier and cook in a nice restaurant bar. The other, who kept trying to persuade me to go for a beer, even though I was their with my wife and her family, said her sister was o k apart from when she took a man back to their room and made too much noise! The sister sort of blushed and changed subjects.

As in all things, some parents and relations turn a blind eye because they like the money. Other parents are stricter and would not allow it for their offspring. My wife told me that as a freshman at Uni you had to be wary of the "recruiters" for local mamesans. They would promise young new students good earnings and were servicing a market of Thai wealthy male students and local Thai businessmen. Nothing to do with farangs, tourists and weren't interested in that market. I have stayed in a hotel at a Uni campus in Bangkok and some interestingly dressed ladies were notable on their arrival and departure.

[iBike]

That article is one big oxymoron

[Rinat]

That's true Mcfish

[Rinat]

look out Cambodia... bad guys,Crime,drugs,mafia, and 1 million hookers headed your way

that is true

[Baerboxer]

Get rid of prostitution in Thailand and tourism industry will suffer much more than the Lady Minister estimates. Remove sex industry and watch for empty streets every night in all tourist destinations across Thailand. How often, how long and how late in the day can one continue to admire the beauty of the temples, the ruins, the palaces and the natures? Once visited, who in the right mind want to return again and for what?

What a sad outlook on life you must have,

A friend from the UK and his wife and two teenagers have just gone back after their holiday. They've been several time, go to different parts each time, and are already planning next years. They go other countries too but always try and have one of their hols here. They love the culture, scenery, history, people, cuisine and whilst enjoying a drink and a late club they don't patronize the sex industry.

You remind me of some Indians I know, who think every woman is up for sale in Thailand and the only question is the price negotiation. I understand their narrow minded blinkered bigotry is a product of their caste system and closed education, that is thankfully dying out. I find it harder and in someways sadder when Westerners share the same outlook.

[FarangJon]

The minister has no idea. Get rid of the seedy side of Thailand and people will go elsewhere. People on holiday are looking for a contrast from the daily normality of life.

And there is nothing normal about Thailand!

Yes, the 'seedy' people will hopefully go elsewhere. How about the Thai government moving all the seedy bar owners, their bar girls, and the LB's to one of the big islands off the coast, and not allowing them back to the mainland unless they behave themselves. Clean up the trash laying around on the streets and the human trash walking them looking for prey. Lots of families come to Thailand to relax with their children. I bet, there is more of them then the sex obsessed, and drunks.

One more moralizer who came to thailand just for the culture. That forum is full of guys like you. We all know why the most of us came here. And nowadays some of you got married with thai women, and who knows, maybe she is a bar girl, who cares, as long as both are happy. And now spending hous every day here in this forum and make bad all that guys who are coming to Thailand for the same reason as you came here for the first time.

Damn dissembler.

[LannaGuy]

Watch the GDP plunge 30-60%.

How when tourism altogether is only 10% of GDP? Sex tourism is a small minority of this, the economy can survive westerners hand outs to the whore industry. Who are the largest numbers of tourists, Chinese and western backpackers, how many of those are interested in buying sex?

because it's not counted and actually represents BILLIONS in 'hidden' income and so is not part of the GDP 10%

if it's not counted and hidden how do you know it's 'billions'? sounds like wishful thinking to make exploitation seem more acceptable, of course if it was your daughter it would be 'different' no doubt.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution_in_Thailand

Billions of $US DYOR

[natway09]

What is going to be the impact of relationship between the Generals Military Junta & the Police?

The "protection monies" paid by these fine establishments is not peanuts.

To try to quantify my earlier post, having been involved in the entertainment industry for many years (24)

& yes paid & pay considerable taxes I believe a minimum of 20,000 families are helped monthly by monies sent home

which at least enables them to eat, pay for electricity, medical bills & in a lot of cases develop their own things like water storage etc (basics we all take for granted)

In a lot of ways they are putting the cart before the horse as until the Government is prepared to offer some social security to these

families who are on the bread line & spend large amounts on education there will be more suffering. (We employ many girls who cannot read or write even) & as such unemployable in most industries

[Kiwiken]

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.

Apart from Peter Stringfellow and Paul McCartney, I can't see many 60 year old men in England being able to attract 20 year old girls. Does that make them all losers? Or does it make your statement bogus?

Not that I agree with it.

By the way, have you been to Spain or Italy recently? I'm fairly sure I saw a lot of young prostitutes with old men while I was there last year.

What was unacceptable when their economy was doing OK, seems to have become acceptable now youth unemployment is over 25%.

Or Thailand could do the unthinkable and legalise and regulate the Industry. Therefore protecting the Sex workers while reducing the seedier side of Thailand without shooting themselves in the foot.

[LannaGuy]

"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.

of course you are wrong on every point it is NOT regarded as 'shameful' but a norm here and only a few patronizing hiso's might see it as 'below' them or some priggish, pious 'dogooder' farangs.... you're not one of those are you?

[Thailand101]

Ridiculous, stupid, insane..... wake up... Most Thais are so happy and proud to have a beautiful girl so that they can PUSH her into the Thai sex trade to catch 1,2,3 or 4 comparatively rich Falangs to buy land, a house, a car, and plant the crops. That has been a staple here for decades... kill the sex industry and see what will happen...

[Khon Kaen Dave]

This minster has to win the most foolish statement award. How ridiculous is this? talk about biting the hand that feeds you.And as for Thai people being predominately Buddhist and conservative? well they are when it suits them.

[bamukloy]

"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.

I tend to disagree. Yes, it may be considered shameful, when talked about in the open. But, there seems to be a ridiculously permissive attitude in Issan, regarding their women working in the sex trade. The whole notion that the girls, when they grow up will be sending money back home, is so antiquated and outdated. And what do you think the parents really believe is happening, when the daughter starts sending 15,000 or 20,000 baht per month home? She found a restaurant that has really big tippers? She found the highest paying factory job in the country?

I believe they know what is going on, but turn the other way, in order to take advantage of the lifestyle. Little do they know the details of what their sweet, lovely daughter is having to do on a daily basis, to get that cash.

Amazing how many like you seem to assume the Isaan family dynamic is the same as westerners.

Of course they know whats going on. They brag about how much so and so got of freddy farang.

There is certainly no shame as long as the baht keeps coming in.

You go meet people in the villages, as a Thai speaking farang with Thai gf, this is all you hear all day..who got what off who.

The mothers often even ask how xxxx from xxxcx is going.

They all know the names and nationalities, even the kids.

I dont know why people keep going on with this "families dont know" <deleted>.

Surely the many farangs in the villages must know this.

I suppose you do have to be "out of the equation" so to speak to hear it from them though.

[SoiBiker]

I guess it's to be expected that the sex industry defines Thailand for some - it's clearly the only reason they came here. But they must be pretty naive and blinkered to think that it dominates the tourist industry.

[ageless1]

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.

What a load of rubbish! Moralistic clichés completely without basis. Crime, disease, drugs and despair exist in every society for many reasons and are not necessarily the result of an open sex scene, just look to the super religious USA as a prime example. Despair can be felt by people of all backgrounds.

As another poster said, people come to Thailand to get away from the mundane existence of their western life and sample the exotica of Thailand and it's sex industry. I have had a few western female friends over the years come to visit me in Pattaya and almost without exception one of the items on their to do list is a visit to a go-go bar.

Having lived in Pattaya for a while I have known gotten to know a few of the working girls there. For the most part they are happy with their lot and are normal people trying to get ahead in the only way they know or that their life circumstances have allowed.........they weren't born into (relatively wealthy) middle class western society as most on TV were. The most common motivation I see with them is that they are working to save towards a house back in their village for themselves, mum & dad and their kids and the sex industry provides them that opportunity. I have never really witnessed or experienced a higher than normal background level of crime, disease, drugs and despair.......in fact I am often amazed at just how non-violent it is inside the Pattaya bars and go go bars......violence is more prevalent in Australian nightclubs where you can look at someone the wrong way and get your head knocked off in a split second for no reason at all.

Yes crime disease and despair do exist everywhere in the world but that shouldn't be an excuse to accept it as a given or not try to improve the opportunities for those most vulnerable to its influence. I find it amusing that it is the users of the services who most strongly defend the prostitution industry in Thailand, which sadly often involves the prostitution of children and very young women. To insist the prostitutes are 'happy with their lot' I think it is more an incapacity to see beyond their own needs to consider the real needs of the person they are using

[sezze]

It is simply impossible to do , since it is part of the culture . Now they are pointing at the massage parlors like Emmanuelle etc... were the vast majority of costumers is Asian . Next will probably be gogo bars since the connection there is obvious .What is next ... bars and disco's ? You can close the 1st 2 as of massage and gogos but bars and disco's are just nightlife . All the working peolple will move there will will draw the tourists and Thais over there . It is a simple shift in places , nothing more . As long as you do have the pleople wanting to work in it , and you have people wanting to pay for it , it will never go away .

Do not overestimate the role of sex tourism also Probably in some places like Pattaya it is huge impact but in general , the impact will be a lot less . Thailand has got a lot more then only tourism

If however she shut's down the bars and disco's alltogether , the impact will be huge , Nowhere to have a beer will draw even the rich tourist with families ( where she is aiming for ) far away to any other place ( hey even the middle east is an option then .... ) .

[SoiBiker]

There are plenty of places to have a beer that don't involve the company of sex workers.

Seriously, try exploring past soi 8 sometime, guys...

[HooHaa]

The minister has no idea. Get rid of the seedy side of Thailand and people will go elsewhere. People on holiday are looking for a contrast from the daily normality of life.

And there is nothing normal about Thailand!

I can't speak of South America but in Asia there is no bigger brothel as Thailand.

So where would those sextourists go then? Probably the Thai hookers will also go there.

Thailand is like a pimple compared to china sex industry

Indeed, but we are talking about Thailand.

Personally I really don't care if you have a zit, but I do pop my own.

[juice777]

The minister has no idea. Get rid of the seedy side of Thailand and people will go elsewhere. People on holiday are looking for a contrast from the daily normality of life.

And there is nothing normal about Thailand!

I can't speak of South America but in Asia there is no bigger brothel as Thailand.

So where would those sextourists go then? Probably the Thai hookers will also go there.

..I read recently that Laos is the new hot spot....

Haha no way is loas the new hot spot

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[HooHaa]

There are plenty of places to have a beer that don't involve the company of sex workers.

Seriously, try exploring past soi 8 sometime, guys...

Agree, you have tried them all....Dee ma...

Good dog?

I see you have assimilated well.

A knack for language, innit?