Perversion of paradise: British men fuel Thai sex trade

[buksida]

Perversion of paradise: Thousands of British men fuel a vile sex trade in Thailand - but who's really exploiting who?

Early afternoon and a middle-aged, balding British tourist is striding purposefully down Beach Road, Pattaya's main street, with a Thai girl slung over his shoulder.

He's obviously in a hurry, preferring to walk between the traffic rather than along the crowded pavement.

The girl's long, dark hair swishes round his back. Suddenly, she pops up her head, grins and then flops back, making no attempt to free herself. She seems little more than a teenager.

'It's OK, she's fine,' says the man, without slowing down. 'Another 200 yards and that's my hotel.' Hardly anyone one bothers to look - not much in Pattaya merits a second glance. This is the resort, a two-hour drive from Bangkok, where another middle-aged Brit loved to spend his holidays - Derrick Bird, the Cumbria killer.

Full Salacious Article: Daily Mail

[Spitfire]

Yeah, those vile Brits eh, don't mention Ivan or the rest of the Euro dudes that probably have gimp suits and white socks to be worn with flip-flops in their travel kits.

Don't see the girls complaining either, both seem to profit from the arrangement.

The 'Daily Fascist' would never be able to understand Asian culture anyhow. However, the guy in the report and many that come here to be in Pattaya are complete tossers, don't think it's any more complicated than that, just that they can release said tosser from within more easily here.

[sandman67]

The article in a way personifies the hypocritical holier than thou victorian attitude of the UK general public towards prostitution - an attitude that every night sees 16 year old girls from Lands End to John O Groats walking dark grimy streets selling sex in the most unsafe manner possible rather than see 18 and overs working in the protected environment of a state licensed and monitored brothel premises.

Dont forget this paper is also read by men who during the day wear tweedy jackets and at night wear gimp suits whilst Madam Spank tans their naughty backsides.

I have a wonderfully hypocritical mate back in the UK that insists that, unlike the low life dregs like me, he has never paid for sex. I just laugh and look at the diamond engagement ring he bought his missus.

[Spitfire]

It's a really naive article though really, 'Perversion of Paradise' . So what kind of paradise was it before it's present configuration? A fishing village that was dirt poor. Certainly not for those that lived there at that time. There was absolutely nothing then, and I mean nothing, I've talked to some guys that lived here then and girlfriends would want them to bring back soap from the base for them and the family.

It's been like this since the Vietnam war and it was the American soldiers that set it on it's path to make it like it is now. The Chinese started the 'soapy' massage palaces, that's Chinese culture, not Thia, just that the Thais adopted it. The bar scene as is known today was made obvious by the US soldiers and really took off with the arrival of mass tourism.

It's a industry that is around because of the demand but the PC/La La lot in the UK should ask why there is a demand for it in the first place. These girls earn more freaking money than I do, 10-20 times what an average office girl makes, they are willing participants that don't have the same hang-ups about sex that the west has. They take care of their whole families plus sending siblings to universty etc.

Also worth mentioning that the Thai males rampantly use prostitutes too, everyday, a rub and scub before going to dinner with the wife and kids. It's just more low profile than the tourist related scene.

As always with articles like these, they are written by someone who has never even been to Asia and is probably sat behind his desk in the Hampsteads.

[Jim]

This is a Daily Mail article. It is the way that newspaper works. It is not representative of how Thailand is seen. The article is pitched at its readership and is designed to give a spin on the shootings that no other paper had. Its implication is that anyone who goes to Thailand on holiday is a potential mass murderer; it just happened to Thailand, it could have been anywhere that the guy used to go. This is a British, Daily Mail story, not a Thai one.

[John HH]

This is a Daily Mail article. It is the way that newspaper works. It is not representative of how Thailand is seen.

Unfortunately Jim I would have to disagree with you on this point. In my personal experience rightly or wrongly Thailand IS viewed in this way. Both myself and my wife (who is Thai) have unfortunately experienced peoples prejudicial views and attitudes which are obviously gross stereotypes but one's that are perpetuated by ignorant articles from right wing rags such as the Daily Mail, The Express etc. My guess would be that they're running out of Princess Diana half-articles to write about or those "bloody illeagal immigrants/single mothers" rants... sorry... I meant articles aren't cutting it with the readership these days.

Just my tuppence worth.



John hh

[HuntingTigers]

...It's a industry that is around because of the demand but the PC/La La lot in the UK should ask why there is a demand for it in the first place. These girls earn more freaking money than I do, 10-20 times what an average office girl makes, they are willing participants that don't have the same hang-ups about sex that the west has. They take care of their whole families plus sending siblings to universty etc.

Also worth mentioning that the Thai males rampantly use prostitutes too, everyday, a rub and scub before going to dinner with the wife and kids. It's just more low profile than the tourist related scene.

As always with articles like these, they are written by someone who has never even been to Asia and is probably sat behind his desk in the Hampsteads.

I agree with you 100% Spitfire.
HT

[richard]

When my daughters first came to Thailand they were appalled by the number of bar girls renting their body's out

After I explained that these poor lasses had a choice. Rice and sugar cane labour for 150Bht a day and a bowl of noodles vs better accommodation, 3 meals a day and a bonus if they met a farang, they started to think.

I then tried breaking down their western thinking. I told them there are few pimps, most of the girls do not take hard drugs, the family at home need the money, your body is superfluous, it's your heart that counts and finally, many girls do not like doing what they are asked and many refuse.

I then gave them a tour of the bars and of course they got chatting and eventually made a few friends and even exchanged email addresses (maybe to keep track of me!!)

After that we chatted and I explained that most of the girls had zilch of an education. So no chance of a job. Their parents, when old had no benefits or pension and the trade they plied was a means to an end.

Indeed, many girls I have met are at university and this is income to support their education. A means to an end.

As many of you know I spend a lot of time in my village in Isaan and I can see the lure of going out and earning big money for the family.

It's changed my attitude. I go out now and chat to a girl and after a bit of lustful thinking my conscience gets to me. I think of the girls I've had on my knee in the village. Laughing and giggling and now I'm lusting over a girl who could have been sat on my knee as a family or village child.

Furthermore, when they know I live in a village in Isaan a barrier comes down. They know I know where they are coming from

Scuse me. Need to get my hankie out. Stupid sentimental old sod that I'm becoming

[hhfarang]

Nice post Richard, one of your better one's imo, and right on the money with a lot of the girls in the trade as a "A means to an end" rather than because it's their life choice.

[mabubba]

Excellent post Richard. The Thai sex trade is freer in many ways than the human trafficking variety I've been reading about in the US lately.

[johnnyk]

90% of the sex trade in Thailand is Thai+Thai.
Lazy journos would never look into that. Much easier to take a few snaps in Nana Plaza or Walking Street and regurgitate the old cliches before getting down to the serious business of getting shitefaced on the expense account.

[charlesh]

I was told that many of the more well known establishments in Soi Cowboy/Nana/Patpong were run by Thai - Chinese and yes you will find (I have been told) establishments in any town which are ostensibly 100% Thai owned and customed.

These poorly researched and sensationalized articles can do all farangs considerable image/perception damage and severe embarrassment to legal Thai wives both here and back in the west.

Strange given that charged murderers/criminals in the west have pixallated faces on TV as do their court artist representations and in some cases names suppressed. So much for the presumption of innocence ha, ha.