The end of sanuk?

[Guest]

I was talking to a BG today who told me that recently the police are really cracking down on the whole sanuk scene "they are trying to stop Thai lady going with farang men. Sukhumvit is full of police. The orders come from Thaksin".

I tend to treat anything which BGs tell me with a pinch of salt but am wondering if this could be true...it seems to confirm other rumours we have been hearing recently.

Thailand tolerated and unofficially supported the drug trade for many years but now regularly executes drug dealers. Could the same be happening with the flesh trade?

[Guest]

Miss LongLegs tells me the SC lasses are pissed off at TNT (Thaksin's New Thailand).

Even Soi 33 is not exempt.

[spirit_of_town_hall]

If they are, the change will be gradual, I don't believe they could do it be forece, merely that the average sanuker will get priced out. We are seeing this to a certain extent in Phucket and Samui, big international chains costing $160 per night. Family resorts in effect.

Even in Pattaya I am seeing more and more farang couples and families.

However I don't think sanuk will be over in my life time thank god

[shygye]

Are not the police also closing Thai places like RCA and Siam Hotel at 2AM?

[Guest]

Originally posted by shygye:

Are not the police also closing Thai places like RCA and Siam Hotel at 2AM?"

The coffee shop of Siam Hotel is open 24 hours. RCA closes at 2 a.m.

[pattaya127]

think about it this way: as long as Mr T. does not eradicate womanhood, it's ok. we will just have to get used to girls having gone to school instead of bars, speaking passable english and not asking for money. Why worry?

[Guest]

I can't predict anything with certainty, (who can?) but if you follow things from an economic perspective, it won't be eradicated any time soon because too much of Thailand's economic health (relatively speaking) is tied up with it. Thaksin will be either tossed out or assasinated before it can be fully implemented. Think of - the local investments, the number of families living on its back, the hotel chains, street vendors, prostitutes, their children, families upcountry, cell phones, etc. etc. I don't get the impression that Thaksin is a moral crusader and the ripple effect he could cause will be more than their economy can handle, at least if its done too quickly. Where do all of these people go? What industries do they turn to? What happens to the tourist trade then? Will any increase in family travel offset the loss of sex tourism? I don't see how.

TOTALLY a guess, but I think it is more an issue of control. Much like the Cosa Nostra would come in and take control of an area, intimidating everyone, I think that is what either Thaksin or the police are doing. If they can make bar owners and their employees afraid, they can make them pay tribute, etc. and keep control of what happens. Should be interesting to watch. Good luck to you guys living there who think you have it made forever!!!

Cheers. Chicago Dave

[pattaya127]

Well seen, Dave. I doubt Taksin will be murdered though. It would be a first for a prime miniter in LOS. Not every country attempts to kill its leader repetitively like our good old Us of A.Ok, India too!

ther is certainly pressure from many sides, internationaly, for Thailand to clean up its record on tourist prostitution, and i think politicians there make sometimes attempts only directed towards the media, and some other times more sincere attempts. They indeed have to deal with a way of things that has been going on for ages, aa well as special interests they might be tied with too (but not all), and most likely are aware that there would be an economic loss in the clean-up. My guess is that as Thailand wants to distunguish itself more and more from its poorest neighbours as well as deserving a good image abroad, we should expect more crackdowns, controls, whatever you name it, though it will be a slow process, no doubt. They are also dealing with what the west started dealing with 30 years ago, a pervasive drug culture, which explains why they are more serious about closing times, and controlling areas of entertainment. I remember what a thai cop told me once:"in the west,you are rich,you can afford having millions of drug addicts, we can't...". I can see that point of view, and despite the corruption we all know of, i think some officials are making a sincere attempt at finding solutions and proper regulations. IMO

[Guest]

Dear Pattaya127 - You're probably right. It probably is more about drugs which can be a net drain on the economy rather than prostitution, which is more of a net gain. In any case, Thailand is still the place to go for someone looking for sanuk. Does it really matter to me if they close Thermae at 2 or at 6. Not at all. By that time, I'm about crashed anyway (me being old and all). . We haven't mentioned it, but Cambodia and Vietnam are becoming what Bangkok was some years ago, but somewhat darker in the form of prostitution. Thailand won't walk away from the sex trade, if only because they won't want competitors like Cambodia or Nam to get "their" tourist dollars. Take care...Chicago Dave

[Steve]

There has also been a pick up in drug running. The last couple times I've been through LAX (Los Angeles Airport) I got detained by customs and they said that Thailand is a source country and they have been finding a lot more smuggling into the US lately (after they apologized for stopping me).

Maybe they're putting pressure on the Thai government to stop illicit trading and ending the sanuk trade is a byproduct. Along with the present PM's view on what Thailand should be like.