Pattaya's sex city image frustrates govt

[webfact]

Sex in Thai city frustrates junta

By Matthew Tostevin

 

Women sits outside a go-go dance bar in Pattaya, ThailandMarch 25, 2017. Picture taken March 25, 2017. REUTERS/Jorge Silva

 

PATTAYA, Thailand (Reuters) - With mascots dressed as smiling fish and a police rock band, Thai authorities launched a "Happy Zone" at the weekend to improve the image of a city notorious for sex tourism.

 

Stung by foreign headlines portraying the seaside resort of Pattaya as "Sin City" and "The World's Sex Capital", Thailand's junta has begun a new effort to re-brand it.

 

But the contradictions in Pattaya highlight Thailand's challenge in tackling a side of its tourist industry that remains economically vital while being officially excoriated.

 

"I want people to see that we are not like what they say. We are not allowing prostitution in these entertainment places," provincial governor Pakkaratorn Teianchai told reporters on the infamous Walking Street in Pattaya, southeast of Bangkok.

 

Less than 10 metres (yards) away, women accosted foreign men to offer sex for 2,000 baht ($60). Others lined up with numbers so customers could take their pick. Masseuses in miniskirts offered "happy ending" massages whose euphemistic title has nothing to do with the Happy Zone of the authorities.

 

"Everyone is here to make a living," said one 35-year-old woman who came originally from a village in central Thailand. Tagged with the number "136", she declined to give her name.

 

"I would rather be a waitress, but then I couldn't send my children to school and I want them to have a better future than this," she said.

 

In fact, sex tourism is not growing as fast as other aspects of Thailand's tourist industry - the only bright spot for an economy whose expansion has been by far the slowest among major Southeast Asian economies since the 2014 coup.

 

No official figures show its scale.

 

But there is an indication in the balance of male to female visitors. In 2012, there were nearly 6 men for every 4 women. In 2015, the numbers were pretty much even, according to figures provided to Reuters by the tourism ministry.

 

Sex tourism began in Pattaya when it became an R&R spot for U.S. soldiers during the Vietnam War, though prostitution is just as evident in parts of Bangkok and other resorts.

 

The number of female sex workers in Thailand was put at over 120,000 in a 2014 UNAIDS report. Some estimates run to double that and not all the women who get paid for sex are full-time prostitutes.

 

Given a 305 baht ($8.80) a day minimum wage, the chance of earning several times more is an obvious lure, particularly in poorer rural regions.

 

CRACKDOWN

 

The latest of many crackdowns in Pattaya happened after foreign newspaper reports last month, which drew an angry response from junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha, for whom bringing order is a mantra.

 

A handful of bars were raided. Bar owners and working women were fined. Scared to venture out, tourists looking for sex stayed in hotels. Street vendors and shops saw sales tumble. The money which flows to all levels in the city - including law enforcement agencies - fell off.

 

The Happy Zone approach is a softer way to try to show that something is being done. If it works on Walking Street, the idea will be spread to the less sanitised side streets - the sois.

 

Businesses in the Happy Zone are asked to make the area feel safer, there are increased security patrols, police launched a mobile phone app for visitors to summon them in emergency.

 

"This is a pioneer project to organise a tourist destination and elevate it to promote Thailand's quality tourism," Apichai Krobpetch, chief of Pattaya city police, told Reuters. "We will also stamp out prostitution in the area."

 

There was no sign of that at the weekend.

 

In fact, Pattaya's sex industry has become an attraction in its own right for the millions of Chinese who make up about one in three visitors to Thailand.

 

Led by guides with pennants, the Chinese tour groups thread quickly along Walking Street, past the go-go bars and the beer bars where young Thai women sit down with foreign men.

 

They only pause to take pictures.

 

"We just came here to see. That's all," laughed twentysomething saleswoman Linda Sieng in a group of 11 tourists from Guaghzhou in southern China.

 

(Additional reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat in Bangkok and Jutarat Skulpichetrat in Pattaya; Editing by Robert Birsel)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-03-27

[z42]

Idiots. Leave it as it is. The fact remains that it's only real draw is its sex scene.

It would be an economic disaster if Pattaya went under, especially after the junta has already squandered large chunks of thecountry's foreign reserves.

It is so stupid that they don't legalize vice, but we know that's a non starter as high ranking cops, army and crooked ministers would likely lose billions in dirty money as a result.

 

[ezzra]

 

It's all for a show, that the government is " frustrated " at the sexy image

of Pattaya, secretly they wish they a dozen more cities like Pattaya,

do the math please, how many tourists Pattaya pulls a year and how

say, a city like Cha Am that also has beaches and sea pulls in...

[colinneil]

The government have surely lost it on this 1.

Always spouting off about tourist numbers increasing.

Well clean up Pattayas image, and see the tourist numbers fall drastically.

Nobody can deny that many thousands of tourists come here only for the seedy side of things that Pattaya offers.

[bartender100]

If they were serious they would have shut down soi6 sex trade years ago, but to much money being made by Thai's and one or two Farangs

[tracker1]

Funny the Airlines have direct flight to sin city Tour agents in ones own country recommend sin city so if the junta is frustrated maybe they should visit and releave their frustrations instead of killing tourism and creating more unemployment as with street stall sellers 

 

[samsensam]

 

the 'i say it so it must be true' philosophy may work domestically unfortunately when applied to an international audience the government just ends up looking stupid.

[yellowboat]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

"Everyone is here to make a living," said one 35-year-old woman who came originally from a village in central Thailand. Tagged with the number "136", she declined to give her name.

The wisdom of 136 says it all.  What choices do these women have and are they not allowed to make choices?   Government should just say nothing. 

[AhFarangJa]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

"I want people to see that we are not like what they say. We are not allowing prostitution in these entertainment places," provincial governor Pakkaratorn Teianchai told reporters on the infamous Walking Street in Pattaya, southeast of Bangkok.

 

You just cannot make this up !!!!

[darksidedog]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

"I want people to see that we are not like what they say.

Well that isn't going to happen is it? It is what it is, and people will see the reality, that no amount of lies and denials will make go away.

Pattaya is struggling for tourists already. Trying to drive away the one thing that keep people coming is plain stupid.

[clockman]

Hypocritical Thainess. Lots of city around the world are known for sex. And controlled and safe. But because of corruption throughout society Thailand will always be like this.

[IamNoone88]

More delusional sound bites. The System chugs along, entrenched in the past with few answers to a rapidly and progressively changing external world. The gap continues to widen.

[thenoilif]

Most of you are seemingly blind to the fact that beach destinations are generally cash cows or buffalos. 

Sex or no sex, Pattaya will bring in tourist dollars especially if they shift the draw from mostly sex to a more mainstream vibe with beachside shopping complexes, tropical style resorts, and maybe even a casino. The sex will remain but it will be more discreet. Think of it as a slightly more vibrant Hua Hin. 

 

[Toshiba66]

I was working with an old guy a couple of years ago from one of the Scandinavian countries that came to Pattaya often in the 1950's when he was in the Navy. He was telling me how they anchored in Pattaya Bay and the girls would all come from the villages to meet them and offer services. When I asked him the cost in those days his reply was "a cake of soap". That was the going rate then. 

 

The cost of doing business sure has changed but the business itself hasn't and never will. Leave the playground alone I say.

 

Bangkok is no different. Same stuff but no beach.

[hottrader77]

2 hours ago, z42 said:

Idiots. Leave it as it is. The fact remains that it's only real draw is its sex scene.

It would be an economic disaster if Pattaya went under, especially after the junta has already squandered large chunks of thecountry's foreign reserves.

It is so stupid that they don't legalize vice, but we know that's a non starter as high ranking cops, army and crooked ministers would likely lose billions in dirty money as a result.

 

probably the police commissioner is not getting enough sex so wants revenge 

[Toshiba66]

1 minute ago, thenoilif said:

Most of you are seemingly blind to the fact that beach destinations are generally cash cows or buffalos. 

Sex or no sex, Pattaya will bring in tourist dollars especially if they shift the draw from mostly sex to a more mainstream vibe with beachside shopping complexes, tropical style resorts, and maybe even a casino. The sex will remain but it will be more discreet. Think of it as a slightly more vibrant Hua Hin. 

 

There are shopping centres.

There are tropical resorts.

There is a filthy disgusting beach that I wouldn't swim in if you threw in free girls for the night.

A Casino in Thailand would do more harm to the locals than doubling the number of bar girl in town.

 

[dinsdale]

Next to rice this is the biggest export for Issan and prob. everywhere else. Lot of money flows back. Prostitution is everywhere in Thailand and the fact is that only about 20% of it, if that, caters to foreigners. It's just more regressive, conservative crap from a military junta.

[KIWIBATCH]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Given a 305 baht ($8.80) a day minimum wage, the chance of earning several times more is an obvious lure, particularly in poorer rural regions.

Perhaps if the Government increased the daily wage rate 4 fold  for normal everyday jobs they might have a chance of decreasing the number of sex workers/avenues...but that is never going to happen

[KIWIBATCH]

The biggest users in Thailand of prostitutes are Thai men.....not tourists

[Toshiba66]

2 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Next to rice this is the biggest export for Issan and prob. everywhere else. Lot of money flows back. Prostitution is everywhere in Thailand and the fact is that only about 20% of it, if that, caters to foreigners. It's just more regressive, conservative crap from a military junta.

I have been told just 6%. Not 20%. I lived in Isaan for a while and the Thais use girls up there in hundreds of those little motel/ cabin style places like we use knives and forks. Nothing will change.

[hottrader77]

9 minutes ago, Toshiba66 said:

There are shopping centres.

There are tropical resorts.

There is a filthy disgusting beach that I wouldn't swim in if you threw in free girls for the night.

A Casino in Thailand would do more harm to the locals than doubling the number of bar girl in town.

 

they have already made a mess of beach road taking all those concrete seats away now they dont want sex ? i for one wont be coming as a single guy if there is no sex the more the better thats what i say , in fact if there are any single girls reading this lets meet up for an orgy send me a message ha ha 

[Sphere]

 

2 hours ago, webfact said:

They only pause to take pictures.

 

A tax on selfies coming soon. 

[hottrader77]

7 minutes ago, KIWIBATCH said:

Perhaps if the Government increased the daily wage rate 4 fold  for normal everyday jobs they might have a chance of decreasing the number of sex workers/avenues...but that is never going to happen

good i hope it does:not  I WANT SEX AND MORE OF IT THE BETTER !

[whoareyou]

Most of you are seemingly blind to the fact that beach destinations are generally cash cows or buffalos. 
Sex or no sex, Pattaya will bring in tourist dollars especially if they shift the draw from mostly sex to a more mainstream vibe with beachside shopping complexes, tropical style resorts, and maybe even a casino. The sex will remain but it will be more discreet. Think of it as a slightly more vibrant Hua Hin. 
 

Pattaya isn't a beach destination. Nobody will come to swim in a sewer.
The tourists would relocate to HH or phuket, Krabi
Russians that go to jomtien all pile into baht buses by the thousands and head to walking St.
Walking St is the glue that bonds everything in Pattaya.

[steven100]

Pattaya is bom bom city.  The farang go there and get a 23yr old girl. The farang are fat from russia and many countries and want to just bom all night. Pattaya is the place.

[hawker9000]

22 minutes ago, thenoilif said:

Most of you are seemingly blind to the fact that beach destinations are generally cash cows or buffalos. 

Sex or no sex, Pattaya will bring in tourist dollars especially if they shift the draw from mostly sex to a more mainstream vibe with beachside shopping complexes, tropical style resorts, and maybe even a casino. The sex will remain but it will be more discreet. Think of it as a slightly more vibrant Hua Hin. 

 

One of the most ridiculous, unrealistic, pie-in-the-sky, out-of-touch posts I've ever seen on TV.  'Typical do-gooder rationalization.  Learn to think things through.

[Borzandy]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

I want people to see that we are not like what they say

Ghosts????

[cheechee]

Pattaya could use better looking massage therapists.   Youd see a Boom like youve never seen be4.

[LannaGuy]

"image frustrates govt"

 

shouldn't it be  "frustrates govt image"?

 

hypocrites

 

 

[Jeremy50]

What's wrong with these people? Pattaya IS the biggest sex resort in the world, if you count 15 minutes of 'jep!' 'jep!', 'you put on condom now!', 'you finish now!', 'you pay now!', as sex.  Personally I don't.

 

Pattaya is never ever going to be St Tropez, or Porto fino, or even anything remotely close. It has not a trace of cultural value, class, taste, or beauty.