'Happy Zones' set for Pattaya, elsewhere

[reader]

From Pattaya One

 

A Crisis meeting was held by Pattaya police recently addressing the growing concern over tourist safety in and around the area. The solution to the problem, Happy Zones.

 

The “Happy Zone” idea come from the national police HQ, and will slowly be introduced into tourist cities across Thailand in the near future. Pattaya will be the first to take a shot at the new concept, which police hope will be a success.

 

Yesterday operators on Walking Street were invited to Pattaya town hall to meet with regional chiefs, local cops, district officials and immigration forces to hear the plans.

 

With tourist revenue being a key factor for the Thai economy, tourist safety is becoming a big issue, especially with the recent problems involving foreigners, said Somprasong Yenthuam, a Chonburi police spokesman.

 

He said he had been ordered by the national police HQ to stop crime against tourists.

Crime figures in Pattaya are said to be the highest in the country, and recent press releases in International newspapers do nothing to enhance the image either.

 

“So we have decided to set up ‘Happy Zones'”, said Somprasong. “These will be in tourist towns throughout the country but the project will start in Pattaya first”.

 

http://pattayaone.news/en/happy-zone-introduced-pattaya/

[reader]

deleted by poster

[reader]

"Happy Zone" article began popping up in international media after officials unveiled plans to open them nation-wide in tourist areas to make the visitor experience safer and more pleasant. More pronouncements quickly followed that these zones would usher in the metamorphosis of Sin City into a family resort destination.  Not many believed it for a moment. In Thailand, ideas like this pop up from time to time, photo ops abound, soon followed by the reality that TIT.

 

Fast forward seven weeks and here's news today out of one of Pattaya's happy zones:

 

From Pattaya One

 

 

Where are the Police? Injured tourists complain

 

With police supposed to be stepping up their duties during the busy Songkran period, we were amazed to find some injured tourists complaining that they were struggling to find any.

 

Earlier on, a top ranking policeman had been visiting Pattaya, assuring tourists of their support and protection during the festive period. As soon as he left, however, many of the police posts which were being manned during his visit were left deserted.

 

Trouble broke out in South Pattaya on Sunday night, with a handful of tourists being attacked by a gang of Thai youths who were said to be highly intoxicated. Several injuries were suffered including some to the head. Paramedics arrived onto the scene to treat the victims for their injuries, but amazingly, the police were no where to be seen.

 

It was earlier on in the afternoon that day that Region 2 commander Sarawut Tansakun had made his way into Pattaya to inspect the performance of his men in the area, with the focus supposedly being on helping any foreigners in trouble.

 

As you can imagine, all were present during the commander’s, but unfortunately, it was a very different scenario from what we expected later on in the day. Thousands of both Thai and foreigners were celebrating in the specifically designed area’s, but inevitably when alcohol is involved, scenes turned ugly.

 

http://pattayaone.news/en/pattaya-police-injured-tourists/

[steveboy]

From Pattaya One

 

A Crisis meeting was held by Pattaya police recently addressing the growing concern over tourist safety in and around the area. The solution to the problem, Happy Zones.

 

The “Happy Zone” idea come from the national police HQ, and will slowly be introduced into tourist cities across Thailand in the near future. Pattaya will be the first to take a shot at the new concept, which police hope will be a success.

 

----

 

HAPPY ZONES !!!  Isn't this a great example of giving something a perfect name?

 

The concept should be distributed worldwide to all religious conservative groups and churches to make emphasis on the REALITY of human life and try to rescue them from the sanctimonious fantasies of puritan doctrines that corrupt society! 

[Guest whall]

I don't understand what exactly Happy Zones are supposed to be? What's the difference between that and what it is like now?

[reader]

I don't understand what exactly Happy Zones are supposed to be? What's the difference between that and what it is like now?

In effect, there is no difference.  It was a slight-of-hand concept of the type officialdom uses to give the appearance of addressing an issue that may reflect poorly on then in the media. It's over with almost before it starts. Although not specifically mentioned in the article, the gay venues are typically required to tone down their shows and dress up their boys until the thing blows over. Sometimes non-Thai guys are required to make themselves scarce for a while. The French news agency AFP visited Pattaya after the Happy Zones were implemented and distributed the following account that was picked up by The Nation.

 

By Agence France-Presse

PATTAYA, Thailand

 

In a daring nautical themed outfit, sex worker May confidently predicts the survival of Thai sleaze town Pattaya despite a junta attempt to tame the kingdom's "Sin City".

 

She is bullish because she, like tens of thousands of others in the industry, have no plans to give up their jobs. And there are no signs the hordes of foreign sex tourists are abating.

 

Two hours east of Bangkok, Pattaya's bawdy reputation hails from the Vietnam War era when American GIs partied in their downtime.

 

Today it spins money off its no-holds-barred reputation and its most successful sex workers earn anywhere between 70-150,000 baht ($2-4,400) a month, as much as ten times the national average wage.

 

"I make good money here, for me and my family," May told AFP as she touted for clients near 'Walking Street' -- a mile-long drag festooned with bars and clubs pouring out ear-crushing EDM music.

 

But concerns about the impact on Thailand's reputation have spurred authorities to act, while frequent reports of underage sex workers, drug abuse and mafia operations further muddy Pattaya's name.

 

May, who is transgender, said the strip has felt more subdued in recent weeks as police and soldiers conduct frequent patrols as part of a clean-up ordered by the censorious ruling junta.

 

Police Lieutenant Colonel Sulasak Kalokwilas is one of those tasked with what many might deem the ultimate Sisyphean task: weaning Pattaya off sex.

 

"We are suppressing obscene and dirty shows. We're trying to make those bars disappear," he explained.

 

As he spoke, lines of women stood behind him in revealing outfits enticing punters into bars with names like Taboo and G-Spot as well as Fahrenheit -- a nightspot boasting "The Hottest Girls in Pattaya".

 

"The lady boys and women working there, they are not involved in the sex trade," said Pattaya's police chief Colonel Apichai Kroppeth, echoing the kind of Thai police rhetoric commonly divorced from reality.

 

For many residents of the city the latest moral outrage fits a familiar pattern: negative overseas headlines prompt authorities to launch high-visibility -- yet limited -- crackdowns on an industry that pays the bills for everyone.

 

"You're expecting the poachers to be the gamekeepers?" said one westerner who has made Pattaya his home, when asked if the latest clean-up will work.

 

The sex trade is a cash cow for the bar owners, girls, massage parlours, hotels, taxis, mafia and, many have long alleged, the cops charged with policing.

 

A small "bar fine", usually around 500 baht ($14), secures private "short time" away from the bar where any deal struck for sex is purely between the punter and prostitute.

 

While authorities have vowed to shutter the trade, there is little discussion on what happens to the sex workers -- who often support large families with their earnings.

 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30312573

[steveboy]

While prostitution is legal in many civilized progressive countries, it is ILLEGAL in Thailand.

Yet sex trade and tourism add many billions to its economy.

While doing nothing to reduce sex trade, the illegality creates a heaven for CORRUPTION.

What a dilemma for the public officials who want to protect their corruption!

 

Those bitter sanctimonious moralists should realize that by demonizing sex trade

they promote hypocrisy and corruption by public employees.

Instead of creating HAPPY ZONES,  HAPPINESS should be a worldwide privilege.

 

Sex made more safe by regulations may be less harmful than Coca Cola, which is free of restrictions.

[vinapu]

as far as I can see Happy Zone is a concept implemented in Pattaya long ago , it goes by more colloquial name of Boyztown 

[ChristianPFC]

I don't understand what exactly Happy Zones are supposed to be?

 

A happy zone is an area where it is forbidden by law to overcharge, scam, rob or pickpocket tourists.

[Guest ryanasia]

I don't understand what exactly Happy Zones are supposed to be? What's the difference between that and what it is like now?

 

Somebody in the government read an introductory book about zoning and planning and has figured it all out now. He is no Le Cobusier but is doing his best.