Soi Twilight Police Visit

[steveboy]

So yet another case of the police just going through the motions. And probably picking up a bit of tea money along the way.

 

What a fucking waste of time.

 

Yet... it might be better that the police makes some tea money by looking the other way

than churches making donation money by demonizing sex.

[paulsf]

And we had another visit by the police tonight. Only Thais allowed to work. All others sent home. Last week non Thais could work but in street clothes. Soi Twilight was pretty quiet tonight. Was told they would all be back tomorrow. We will see.

[anddy]

I heard G.O.D. was closed, apparently by the military. Seems it started with them having to close early (samebb said that in a recent post, too), but now completely closed for having no license (or something like that). I have no first-hand information, only relay what I heard, but it fits the strange police behavior in Soi Twilight, so I figured I post it here

[Guest samebb]

I heard G.O.D. was closed, apparently by the military. Seems it started with them having to close early (samebb said that in a recent post, too), but now completely closed for having no license (or something like that). I have no first-hand information, only relay what I heard, but it fits the strange police behavior in Soi Twilight, so I figured I post it here

 

Yup. Last Friday night entry fee to G.O.D was only 150baht. 1 drink ticket. Closed at 2am. 

[paulsf]

Police returned tonight and looks like they are going to screw things up for a bit. Nobody seems to know what's going on.

We were at Fresh Boys tonight. They were allowed to have 5 Vietnamese working. Cambodians were back. But they say tomorrow may be different. Massage shops were short boys. I know a Myanmar boy at Hot Male was told he can't work.

There doesn't seem to be any consistency to what is going on. We will have to see what tomorrow brings.

[Guest whall]

So strange! Thx for keeping everyone informed.

[stijntje]

Again. That doesn't look good at all. 

[Alexx]

I don't find it that strange, to be honest. The police have been known to spring into action before major holidays since forever. Their focus tends to shift from one crackdown to the next, maybe it's just Soi Twilight's turn?

[Londoner]

But who's calling the shots? police or junta?

[Guest abang1961]

My question is

"Is the staff of the police department expecting a BIGGER tea money just before the Songkran Festival?"

 

It is an unwritten rule in Malaysia that during the Ramadan month (the fasting month before Hari Raya Puasa) that law enforcement officers go all the way to have thorough inspections of any and every establishments.  Personally I had paid RM20 bribe for the taxi driver for allowing me to alight illegally at a traffic junction.  It was simply my fault and to alleviate the problem, I simply placed a RM20 note and gave the traffic policeman a BIG handshake. 

 

So this massive Soi Twilight operation could be timely for more collection?

[Alexx]

But who's calling the shots? police or junta?

Call me a cynic, I'd say we have two competing criminal organizations and sometimes we get to see a glimpse of their turf wars. Their relative standings seem well established, but you cannot help but notice the occasional friction.

[Guest ryanasia]

Well yeah and there is also the mob. Both of of the others have contacts in. The mob is the glue that holds it together.

[paulsf]

The police presents is still having a little affect. Appears the Vietnamese boys are felling the brunt. Only one or two allowed on stage. Wait staffs in street clothes. Many massage boys have been sitting out front at Bonny and Bangkok massage in street clothes.

 

One instance I will never figure out. Friday night at aFresh Boys. 6 Vietnam waiters. They are allowed to wear their black shirt and pants, but not their tie. I'm sure some officer had a perfectly good reason they couldn't put that tie on. They couldn't wear their number either. You could point to boy, call him over, talk to him...but police say no number, how do you seal the deal.

Most of these boys got offed, so you smart customers got around these police rules.

Every night seems different . Let's see how tonight goes.

[vinapu]

The police presents is still having a little affect. Appears the Vietnamese boys are felling the brunt. Only one or two allowed on stage. Wait staffs in street clothes. Many massage boys have been sitting out front at Bonny and Bangkok massage in street clothes.

 

it looks like they are trying to strangle soi bit by bit and we can only hope they won't succeed.

[firecat69]

They are not trying to strangle them. They are trying to up their payments. If they wanted to actually strangle them they would just walk in and close them down. They can do that at anytime and find more then enough reasons to shut them down.

[paulsf]

This crackdown is clearly aimed at the Vietnamese boys. They seem to be the only ones in street clothes and have quotas as to how many can work at each bar. Tonight the quota was raised by a couple of boys.

[zoomy02]

I think those of us who have had a good time with the Vietnamese men can spread a bit of money around to help out when we are there. I will be there next week. They are having a grim time at the moment. 

[paulsf]

Appears the police sit down and strategize how they can mess with Soi Twilight each night.

 

Tonight. No Vietnamese boys allowed on stage, but they can work as waiters. Thai boys on stage had their normal speedos on.

All other non Thais had to wear street clothes. Last night they were told they could have 5 Vietnamese on stage.

At the two massage palors, at least half the boys were in street clothes.

Tomorrow's rules will be posted after 8pm tomorrow

 

Soi started out very quiet tonight, but around 10pm a couple of very large Chinese tour groups showed up and headed for DreamBoys. Difference with these groups was that there were many young (20's & 30's) guys. Was told many Chinese tour groups arriving for Songren. But the Soi was quite busy for early in the week.

 

There was also a police presence hassling the taxis. Both at Soi Twilight and Thaniya, they were trying to keep taxis moving and checking for a seat belt or two. They didn't seem to care meters not turned on.

[Jasper]

With alcohol tax increasing considerably in 6 months be prepared for a drink price hike of some gogo bars. Dreamboy drink price to 550B?

 

Also massage parlour service tax increases 1,000B per session.

 

http://www.thairesidents.com/local/cigarette-alcohol-massage-parlor-tax-rise-6-months/

[Jasper]

Soi started out very quiet tonight, but around 10pm a couple of very large Chinese tour groups showed up and headed for DreamBoys. Difference with these groups was that there were many young (20's & 30's) guys.

Thanks paulsf. You are our own Soi Twilight correspondent! Or mamasan according to some forum members.

[reader]

With alcohol tax increasing considerably in 6 months be prepared for a drink price hike of some gogo bars. Dreamboy drink price to 550B?

 

Also massage parlour service tax increases 1,000B per session.

 

http://www.thairesidents.com/local/cigarette-alcohol-massage-parlor-tax-rise-6-months/

 

A poster on Thai Visa claims that the excise tax increases are the maximum that can be charged over the next 20 years. Let's hope he right!

 

From Thai Visa site

 

New excise tax ceiling rates have been passed into law after they were published in the Royal Gazette on Monday.

The rates set tax levels for the next 20 years and are enforceable in the next 180 days, however, the head of the Excise Department said on Tuesday some 80 other laws would have to be enacted in order for the new amendments to be used to set % increases.

Several examples of the new ceiling excise tax rates include:

A single cigarette – 5 baht

A litre of beer – 3,000 baht

A litre of carbonated soft drinks – 20 baht

A litre of diesel – 20 baht

A single service at a massage parlour – 1,000 baht

A square metre of space in a nightclub – 1,000 baht

As I mentioned the other day, no need to panic about sharp increases as those outlined above are the maximum increases over the next two decades.

5 baht for a single cigarette would see 100 baht added to a pack of 20 – that isn’t happening in one go, nor is the 1,000 baht for a massage or any of the others in the new bill.

When will we see an actual tax increases? Likely by the end of the year but not at those rates above, that’s for sure.

[ChristianPFC]

 

A litre of beer – 3,000 baht

Not beer, pure alcohol.

 

I didn't know there is a tax on massage parlors. The wording is not clear: "and massage parlor 1,000 baht a service", something is lost in translation.

[anddy]

Not beer, pure alcohol.

 

I didn't know there is a tax on massage parlors. The wording is not clear: "and massage parlor 1,000 baht a service", something is lost in translation.

 

if I understand the taxation rule stipulated in the pdf linked by reader correctly, the tax base for massage is in "units" with one "unit" comprising 30 service courses (" 30 รอบ"). So the tax would be 1000 Baht for every 30 massages provided, or 33.33 Baht per single massage. Can't vouch for the correctness of this interpretation, of course!

[PeterRS]

I think those of us who have had a good time with the Vietnamese men can spread a bit of money around to help out when we are there. I will be there next week. They are having a grim time at the moment. 

 

There seem to be quite a few more Vietnamese boys on the apps than before. Most will start a chat and then lead into an offer of massage.

 

Anyone know why just the Vietnamese are targeted rand not the Cambodians and Lao boys?

[paulsf]

Most of the Vietnamese are now back at work. Some went home after police so a few less than a month ago.

 

The Vietnamese are considered second class citizens in Thailand. The working boys on Twilight get along ok, but Thais notice that the Vietnamese get offed at a high rate.