Thai sex industry under fire from tourism minister, police

[Squeegee]

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

Don't talk so daft.

This is the unqualified, incompetent that suggested tourists must wear wristbands so they don't get lost. Gifted her position not based on either knowledge or ability but via nepotism. Next you'll be claiming Prayuth is a real prime minister.

You're right of course on both counts, but that doesn't mean that Khobkarn is wrong. She may be a muppet, she may be a minister because she is the wife of a senior police officer and for no other reason, she may look like a fool more often that she might wish, but she is not exempt from accidentally doing something which is sensible.

It's an unfamiliar feeling, to me as well, to be agreeing with something this woman says. It's feels a bit weird really.

Winnie

I don't disagree with your assessment, but SoiBiker is "guessing" she is informed, as opposed to a good idea coming out of a lucky random brainfart, or an accident, as you put it so much more politely.

[eggers]

Think it's shutting the gate after the horse has bolted!!

As other have noted, it's part of mainstay economy when you consider how many people are employed.

As usual w/ Gov'ts too little too late!

[eggers]

Think it's shutting the gate after the horse has bolted!!

As other have noted, it's part of mainstay economy when you consider how many people are employed.

As usual w/ Gov'ts too little too late!

[willfreeman]

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

[sezze]

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...

Oh sure , and where do you think all the girls move after all the massage places and gogos are gone ? Go home and work something else ? No they will visit any other place where there are potential clients .

Even if the bar doesn't pay them , they will only visit the busiest bars looking for it . If they close it is over to the next place ....

[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...

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

I've had a beer in quite a few of them, to be sure.

[mcfish]

I can live without beer bars. Who wants to have the where you from , how long you stay blah blah blah every time you hit a beer bar, makes my blood boil.

But Go Gos I would miss, there was some serious talent in Cowboy last night

[SoiBiker]

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

Nope. My wife certainly didn't marry me for my money.

[Basil B]

Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul played down the role of the sex industry in drawing visitors.

Sounds like another Boris, wonder how he will explain the sharp decline in tourists except for Eastern European Ladies and their pimps, even the Chines only come to gorp in the Naughty bars...

[FarangJon]

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.

[willfreeman]

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

Nope. My wife certainly didn't marry me for my money.

no doubt it was your good looks

[sanukjim]

Yes I am sure the girls in the bars making serious money,

will be so happy to work in a factory making 10,000 baht

a month. But I guess no more marriages to farangs ,

as I am pretty sure the factory life would make it difficult

to meet Mr. Right...

Only an idiot marries a tart from a bar, most meet on the internet these days anyway

So where did you come from Thai3 that you are so much better then the "tarts of the bars" ?

[SoiBiker]

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

Nope. My wife certainly didn't marry me for my money.

no doubt it was your good looks

Amongst other things, yes.

[slippery snake]

Great Idea, does she realize most of the girls send a lot of the money they earn, back to their families and kids in Issan for them to survive..

She will put a huge area of Thailand into more poverty than it already is....

Plus Thailand is no different than most countries in the world, they all have a sex industry, they just may not be as open as it is here...

What's that saying "Sex is the oldest profession in the world" and it is alive and well in Thailand.. good on you girls, love you all !!!

[55Jay]

Repeat after me: "I'm here for the temples and beaches."

[Winniedapu]

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

Not every case. To think so, one must have a very bleak outlook on life. I wonder what the reasons for that are/were?

Winnie

[spidermike007]

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 .... ) .

The one thing the punters can count on, is that the little man, and virtually his entire incompetent administration has very poor concentration, and almost no follow up. So, more than likely this will dissipate as with all his other plans, proposals, ideas, hair brained schemes, improvements, crackdowns, lies, promises, steps to move the country forward, and "innovations".

Edited July 17, 2016 by spidermike007

[spidermike007]

Great Idea, does she realize most of the girls send a lot of the money they earn, back to their families and kids in Issan for them to survive..

She will put a huge area of Thailand into more poverty than it already is....

Plus Thailand is no different than most countries in the world, they all have a sex industry, they just may not be as open as it is here...

What's that saying "Sex is the oldest profession in the world" and it is alive and well in Thailand.. good on you girls, love you all !!!

You are giving her way too much credit. What you are suggesting is forethought, planning, vision, and imagination. Impossible.

[slippery snake]

I wonder how does the Thai government collect the tax from what these girls make, as it is all cash transactions.. ??

some girls make thousands a night, when others may only make a thousand in a week..

I'm sure none are completely honest about what they make. Do they pay any tax at all ????

[willfreeman]

- '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

[SoiBiker]

- '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?

[lavezzi]

Backpackers will still come to khaosan and the islands for the party scene. The 'eat pray love' crowd will still come to places like Chiang Mai for the temples. Couples will still come for a relaxing beach villa stay on Samui - or even for their wedding. The Chinese will still visit in ever increasing numbers.

The bar scene is slowly dying out anyway, and anyone who thinks the tourist industry depends on it is kidding themselves. You're simple not as important to Thailand as you think you are. Time for the country to move on.

So with sex venues closed cities like pattaya will still have million of tourists for their beautifull beaches and golf tours?

As for your words I should imagine backpakers play golf.

[willfreeman]

- '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

[SoiBiker]

Backpackers will still come to khaosan and the islands for the party scene. The 'eat pray love' crowd will still come to places like Chiang Mai for the temples. Couples will still come for a relaxing beach villa stay on Samui - or even for their wedding. The Chinese will still visit in ever increasing numbers.

The bar scene is slowly dying out anyway, and anyone who thinks the tourist industry depends on it is kidding themselves. You're simple not as important to Thailand as you think you are. Time for the country to move on.

So with sex venues closed cities like pattaya will still have million of tourists for their beautifull beaches and golf tours?

As for your words I should imagine backpakers play golf.

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.

[Berty100]

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!

Let me correct you.

Shut down the sex industry and a certain category of people will go elsewhere, while again another category will increase to come to Thailand, as they now avoid it because of it's seedy reputation.

The latter category is also known to spend more per day than the former, especially at businesses that pay taxes.

Being from the tourist industry myself, I know of no one who avoids Thailand because of it's seedy reputation. On the other hand, I know for a fact that a lot of regional companies conduct incentive tours, kick off meetings etc in Bangkok and Pattaya because the target audience (dealers, agents, principals) likes and indulges in it's offerings.

I take it that you are in the tourism industry in Thailand.

Now make a wild guess why you don't know those who avoid Thailand.

[nodomino]

Probably only those not affiliated with the "right" people will need to be concerned with the crackdown (no pun intended), otherwise the crack down will be a cock up.

........I'll place my bet on the cock-up.

[CHRISTIANa9]

It seems that many foreigners on TVF really do not operate a business with large labour requirements. If they did, they would know that there is a skilled labour shortage in Thailand. It is now being felt with unskilled labour too. The population is aging and the birthrate is down. The result is that a large number of the people working in the sext rade are now foreign sourced. They come from Cambodia and Burma, and they are exploited. The attempt to deal with the sex trade is in response to heavy foreign pressure to stop the human trafficking that is pervasive in the region.

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 assure you that the minister has more than an idea. She has multiple reports. The one that foreigners should be most interested is the one that details the extent of drug resistant STIs and the increase in Hepatitis and HIV infections. The loose estimate is that more than 50% of the male prostitutes working the Paradise homosexual area of patong are HIV+. The estimate for Pattaya and Samui is not far behind. I don't have the numbers for the females, but the older they are, the more likely they are to be infected with HPV, herpes and other beasties.

so many businesses would shut it would be very bad for the economy

And the sale of yaba to schoolkids could bring in a lot of money too. Exploitation is exploitation. These businesses would be replaced by something more responsible and ethical. Y

Male or female the tourism minister is living in la-la land. Rid Thailand of the sex industry randy farangs will go elsewhere.

Also unemployment/ poverty will increase 10 fold.Also unemployment/ poverty will increase 10 fold.

Good bye and good riddance to the perverts and depraved losers. They will be replaced by people who do not exploit the poor, the mentally ill or desperate folks. How will poverty and unemployment increase when the country is unable to fill jobs? Do you not understand that a large proportion of sex trade workers are foreign sourced? They are marginalized and have no one that will help them. They can turn to no one except a few NGOs.

It's time the country was cleaned up. The police should be raiding some of the brothels and charging the customers, publishing their photos for all to see. Let the Thai husbands share with their wives who they are infecting with STIs what they have been doing. Let the foreigners home countries see who is going to Thailand for sex. Bring it on and kick some butt.

Supporters oof the sex trade are advocating the exploitation of the poor, the mentally ill, drug addicts and children. Would any of the detractors here have the balls to tell their families and co-workers that they support the sex trade? I doubt it. Why's that? Embarrassed? Ashamed?

Take a look at sammyboy forum. Plenty of thais. Upmarket?

[louse1953]

I'll believe they can get rid of the sex industry in Thailand, just as soon as I see a flock of orange pigs fly past my window.

The sex industry will never die in any country but the in your face sex for sale industry is going the way of the dodo.Technology has taken over and old business model is finished. Better for the workers as the middle man is cut out.

[noosard]

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?

The Chinese are short on woman

So would think a few come here for relief

Edited July 17, 2016 by noosard

[lavezzi]

I can live without beer bars. Who wants to have the where you from , how long you stay blah blah blah every time you hit a beer bar, makes my blood boil.

But Go Gos I would miss, there was some serious talent in Cowboy last night

I would close all a gogo immediately. If you make a list of income/expenses you will see that most of them are just money laundry.

I cant see any economical wealth increase for thai with all those crackdowns, whatever they do i dont think they will benefit any.

Untill that time sex tourists will have good time.