dave32 Posted May 28, 2010 Report Share Posted May 28, 2010 Hmmmm. Well, why not? Link ------- Thai soapy massages meet politics Can Bangkok’s former “Brothel King" bring political tension to a happy ending? By Patrick Winn - GlobalPost Published: May 26, 2010 13:03 ET BANGKOK, Thailand  There’s still a dash of kingpin swagger to Chuvit Kamolvisit’s deluxe penthouse: the waxed marble staircase, the slick designer-decorated sitting room, the perfumed secretary wearing a slinky black dress and dental braces. But for a man once cast in headlines as the “King of Commercial Sex,†the brash businessman-turned-political crusader has been uncharacteristically quiet of late. Sinking into a love seat, Chuvit explains his absence. “Everyone wants to know where I’ve been,†Chuvit said. “While these politicians have been talking, I’ve been listening. Pretty soon, I’ll be back.†Raised in Thailand, college-educated in the U.S., Chuvit made his fortune in Bangkok running lucrative “soapiesâ€Â: luxury massage parlors where women treat patrons to erotic baths. Playing godfather to a brothel empire may seem an odd springboard to becoming an anti-corruption crusader. But any Thai living in Bangkok can recount Chuvit’s path to fame, chronicled in soap opera detail by the Thai press. In the early 2000s, Chuvit began publicly accusing senior police officers of milking him for an alleged $350,000-plus in monthly bribes. It was protection money, Chuvit claimed. [brothel bosses can escape prostitution laws through a flimsy legal sleight-of-hand: They rent out masseurs but claim ignorance of in-room activities.] As Chuvit began to expose the details of corruption  cash-stuffed trash bags, complimentary Rolexes  his public profile grew. He named big names, ranted with American-style bluntness and vowed to stand up for anyone who’d ever been screwed over by sticky-fingered big-shots. Since 2003, Chuvit parlayed this infamy into several bids for Bangkok governor  all of which failed despite impressive showings  and a brief stint as parliamentarian with an opposition party. The Thai public last glimpsed Chuvit in October 2008. Though polling strong, his bid for Bangkok governor had failed after he assaulted a TV anchorman who called him “unmanly†following an interview. But amid the recent political chaos of Thailand, Chuvit is preparing another bid for parliament. Here, he discusses his reputation’s downside, his new political endeavors and how America taught him to disregard Asian groupthink. People still think of you as the “Brothel King.†But in 2005 you smashed a jacuzzi bathtub in front of parliament to show you’re out of that business. Are you still connected in any way to the massage trade? -------- (Remainder of article at link) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted May 29, 2010 Report Share Posted May 29, 2010 ... it takes a soapie to clean Thai officials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekong Posted May 29, 2010 Report Share Posted May 29, 2010 ------- Thai soapy massages meet politics Can Bangkok’s former “Brothel King" bring political tension to a happy ending?[/b] Classic headline Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted May 29, 2010 Report Share Posted May 29, 2010 He went to Thammasat for 4 years in Thailand - Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy. He then got his MA in the States. Is that US educated? The story is he married a polar bear in the States. When the big white cow finally dumped him, he came home and started his massage parlours. Never forget that this is the guy who ordered the midnight raid on the bars, shops, laundromat etc at what is now "Chuwit Park". Mr Nice Guy he ain't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rchapstick Posted May 29, 2010 Report Share Posted May 29, 2010 I seem to recall he got an MBA from Wharton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acockasian Posted May 29, 2010 Report Share Posted May 29, 2010 It was either University of California or California State University but San Diego for sure. The Embassy won't let him visit the US any more, as the legal working age in certain Thai establishments differs from the US standard. I personally quite like him and think he would bring a breath of fresh air to Thai politics. Bet he is going to have a long future in Thai politics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted May 29, 2010 Report Share Posted May 29, 2010 << Chuwit is the son of a Hong Kong-born Chinese father and a Thai mother. He has sometimes used the pseudonym Davis Kamol. He graduated from the Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy at Thammasat University, and then earned a Master of Business Administration degree in San Diego, California. >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuwit_Kamolvisit No question he is intelligent ... just arrogant. (He says he is proud he is a Christian, which means turning the other cheek ... then says he is glad he beat up a TV news presenter!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acockasian Posted May 29, 2010 Report Share Posted May 29, 2010 He has a better track record putting money into the hands of the rural poor than Thaksin did and I think is far less corrupt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pom Michael Posted May 29, 2010 Report Share Posted May 29, 2010 Well, if you consider the person giving the money to be as corrupt as the person receiving the money - it goes both ways, right? He owns the Davis Hotel too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted May 29, 2010 Report Share Posted May 29, 2010 I won't argue with that. He's an interesting man, sort of the Larry Flynt of Thailand! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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