interesting read

[..]

It was typical, tho better researched than most, but some points...

 

a) He lost credibility with the whole "hookers in Thailand were caused by the US Military" thing. I have read accounts from the log books of British East India captians stating that several of their men (and themselves) have Thai "mistresses" -- I am sure that the gals did not give them freebies back in the day either.

 

But he gained some back with the truth on NGOs.

 

c) Lost again with staying in Soi Nana with his family and complaining about the hookers. There are 100's of places to stay as cheap or cheaper than the Woraburi and equally convenient (tho' to the BTS/Underground, not to hookers). Only a true idiot would live with their family in such a neighborhood. Would you do it in farangland? Of course not!!!!!

 

d) Heck, I thought this tourist season was very light as compared to previous, not heavier as this guy indicated. Maybe he has never been here before?

 

e) WTF is this? "Thailand appears to have accepted its role as provider of sexual services to the rest of the planet." Dude, hookers are everywhere. Been to Amsterdam? Any 4-5* hotel bar in any major metropolis on the planet? A red phone box in teh UK? Any casino along the strip in Las Vegas? ever read any "alternative weekly" papers? Taken a look at "adultfriendfinder.com"? I rest my case. Bullshit that Thailand is significantly any "worse" than any other country, but especially a developing and patriarchial one. I can buy a blow job within 15 minutes of arrival in any city on the planet (OK, maybe not Vatican City). Guaranteed.

 

Then why do the unwashed masses think Thailand = sex? Articles such as this one (sex sells ya know) and the fact that Thailand is just a victim of good marketing. But they really do not offer a unique product (OK, a few unique venues, but not really). The morality police just seem to have a problem that the cost is low (but not as low as Indonesia, the PI, Brazil, etc).

 

Cheers,

SD

[..]

It was typical, tho better researched than most, but some points...

 

a) He lost credibility with the whole "hookers in Thailand were caused by the US Military" thing. I have read accounts from the log books of British East India captians stating that several of their men (and themselves) have Thai "mistresses" -- I am sure that the gals did not give them freebies back in the day either.

 

But he gained some back with the truth on NGOs.

 

c) Lost again with staying in Soi Nana with his family and complaining about the hookers. There are 100's of places to stay as cheap or cheaper than the Woraburi and equally convenient (tho' to the BTS/Underground, not to hookers). Only a true idiot would live with their family in such a neighborhood. Would you do it in farangland? Of course not!!!!!

 

d) Heck, I thought this tourist season was very light as compared to previous, not heavier as this guy indicated. Maybe he has never been here before?

 

e) WTF is this? "Thailand appears to have accepted its role as provider of sexual services to the rest of the planet." Dude, hookers are everywhere. Been to Amsterdam? Any 4-5* hotel bar in any major metropolis on the planet? A red phone box in teh UK? Any casino along the strip in Las Vegas? ever read any "alternative weekly" papers? Taken a look at "adultfriendfinder.com"? I rest my case. Bullshit that Thailand is significantly any "worse" than any other country, but especially a developing and patriarchial one. I can buy a blow job within 15 minutes of arrival in any city on the planet (OK, maybe not Vatican City). Guaranteed.

 

Then why do the unwashed masses think Thailand = sex? Articles such as this one (sex sells ya know) and the fact that Thailand is just a victim of good marketing. But they really do not offer a unique product (OK, a few unique venues, but not really), it is just better marketed and user friendly. The morality police seem to have a bigger problem that the cost is low in LoS (but not as low as Indonesia, the PI, Brazil, etc).

 

Cheers,

SD

[gummigut]

dddave said:

Has any reader of this board been solicited in Thailand for underaged prostitutes...

 

Unforunately yes

 

On the positive side it hasn't happened in some time. Over two years for me.

 

<<burp>>

[MisterBlonde]

<< was it ever really common in bangkok >>

 

It was certainly common in Pattaya back in the mid eighties....there used to be a bar amongst the beer bar boxing complex,as you head into walking st it is immediately on your right...there used to be a bar full of kiddies that was set back,well away from the other bars,maybe about 20 metres from the last beer bars there,just set apart by itself.

I was intrigued one afternoon while i was drinking beers at the front bars and decided to take a closer look at this bar,set way back in the complex....it was only as i approached,and could see the scared looks on the the kids within,that i realised what was going on....it was a open bar beer ,peddling kids aged approx 6 to 9,there was no mamasan,but a Thai guy over seeing the bar....when you approached the bar,all you could see were the tops of the kids heads.

This was my first trip to Thailand,and i swore i would never again return and be part of this...but i did...i always find it impossible to understand how hundreds of bargirls who worked in the front bars,could let this go on..

Apparantly the only reason this operation went underground was that there were too many kids turning up floating in Pattaya Bay after the perverts had finished with them.

My last holiday in Pattaya last xmas,while checking out dvd's i saw a cover for "young Indian children " with a young naked girl of about 10 gracing the cover.

When you scrape the underbelly of Thailand,an awful stench is emitted.

[Torneyboy]

dddave said:

Good article. The observation that anybody who questions the trafficking stats endlessly regurutated by money hungry NGO's is automaticaly branded a defender of child prostitution is spot on.

 

I'm curious, in my three years prowling the bars, brothels, M.P.'s and back sois' of Bangkok, Pattaya and several Issan cities, I have NEVER, once been solicited for an underage, or "little girl".

Has any reader of this board been solicited in Thailand for underaged prostitutes in the last 5 years or so?

 

Was it ever really common in Bangkok?

 

David

 

Hi

Yes..on my very first visit to Bkk..1997.

Have posted this before btw.

Sent to Thailand by Royal Orchid Holidays...20 agents.

Most stayed at the Royal Orchid Hotel (what a surprise)...

Anyway i like to walk around a city on my visits to see the *real*city.

Went for a walk while the bus to pick us up to take us to Hua Hin was on the way.

 

Walking down Silom Road i think...and a girl in a pink dress was sitting on the sidewalk drinking from a paper cup.

looked down at her and walked past.

A few steps past and an old lady walked up to me and asked if i wanted a girl?.....that girl!!!!!!

I said ..she is only ten!!!! i had no idea but that is what she looked to me at the time....i kept walking back to the hotel!!!

 

I felt sick after that incounter....

[jitagawn]

The only thing that ever worries me / makes me slightly uncomfortable are the Flower selling kids, especially in the days of Clinton, Soi 10 and Asoke Plaza, where it would only take some lazy film crew a few minutes to shoot a scene of "drunken farang and little kids", from the main road whilst doing a voice over about paedophiles - complete with footage of yours truly.

 

Unfortunately some of those children were involved in

despicable business. Sad but true-

[Guest]

Unfortunately some of those children were involved in

despicable business. Sad but true-

 

Nothing would surprise me - Although I recall one disturbing time in Asoke Plaza a few years ago when I was having a few beers mid afternoon playing Connect 4 with a BG when the flower sellers turned up.

 

For some reason (probably a bit drunk!) I somehow ended up playing a flower seller at Connect 4, with my frequent bet of "you win I buy you a drink", as I figured that how hard could it be to beat a 10 yo girl? Of course I ended up playing "Team Thai" and lost (and then rang the bell) so it seemed impolite not to include the flower seller in the drinks round with a coke (a bottle, NOT a Lady Drink!).

 

Anyway, as usual once the free drinks had arrived I was left alone for a little while, in the sole company of the Flower Seller whilst she finished her drink. She spoke a little bit of English and it seemed impolite to just ignore her so I asked some non-specific questions (Name, age etc), with the aid of some hand gestures.

 

As I was pretty sure she was not a Bangkok girl (and probably not Thai) for some reason I asked her the how long she had been in Bangkok. Unfortunately I think I phrased this in "simple" bar style English, along the lines of "You stay Bangkok Long Time or Short Time".

 

Her reply was instant - "No sex".

 

Sad that the limited English Vocab of a 10 yo girl included the words "Sex", "Long Time" and "Short Time"..................

[thai3]

 

 

Never 'little' but everyone knows there were girls around 13-15 in a go go's until the crack down, maybe still but less obvious. However, nothing like Cambo where it's much more obvious, was offered 12 year olds in K11, but found the place so unpleasant just had a drink. Cambo is the place for kids and pedos, I see none seem to post on here any longer. -peter

[Hidy Ho]

jitagawn said:

Unfortunately some of those children were involved in despicable business. Sad but true-

 

My friend was approached by one of the flower child ... a boy ::

 

And I've been to dancing venues where girls of questionable age worked.

[Zorro]

Suadam said

e) WTF is this? "Thailand appears to have accepted its role as provider of sexual services to the rest of the planet." Dude, hookers are everywhere. Been to Amsterdam? Any 4-5* hotel bar in any major metropolis on the planet? A red phone box in teh UK? Any casino along the strip in Las Vegas? ever read any "alternative weekly" papers? Taken a look at "adultfriendfinder.com"? I rest my case. Bullshit that Thailand is significantly any "worse" than any other country, but especially a developing and patriarchial one. I can buy a blow job within 15 minutes of arrival in any city on the planet (OK, maybe not Vatican City). Guaranteed.

 

I think the point being made here is that you can find Thai hookers working all over the world.

I think the writer here has a point because Thai hookers are indeed readily found in many countries around the world.

This doesn't reflect well on Thai society as a whole.

While it is true that other countries have prostitution it seems that Thailand has a much more in your face, accesible prostitution industry than most other countries. The Phillipines used to be on a par with Thailand but when many of the Manilla gogos closed down so did that in your face element of prostitution disappear. Thailand still has the very visible gogos and beer bars that help publicise the sex industry and of course the fact that probably many mainstream tourists visit Thailand and have seen for themselves what goes on also helps to keep the image alive.

Dubai and Bahrain do not spring to mind when one thinks about prostitution but believe me there is a huge scene in both these places but they are restricted to certain bars and predominantly are housed in threes star hotels so they are not quite as visible as prostitutes in Thailand.