Immigration police raided a men’s spa in Soi Suan Phlu

[Jasper]

15 Vietnamese, Myanmar, Lao and Cambodian men’s massage workers arrested on 26 June.

Is this Prince ?

http://news.ch3thailand.com/local/98249

[DivineMadman]

1 hour ago, Jasper said:

15 Vietnamese, Myanmar, Lao and Cambodian men’s massage workers arrested on 26 June.

Is this Prince ?

http://news.ch3thailand.com/local/98249

 

Yes.  I read that they nabbed one guy from Myanmar, two from Cambodia, eight from Vietnam, three from Laos and one stateless man.  

I believe that it's still business as usual at Prince.  A couple of guys who in the past worked at VCK appear to have moved to Prince since the raid.  

A report I read said the raid followed a tip-off.  Would love to know the back-story.  

[reader]

With less competition from the ASEAN countries, the odds are better for the locals. 

Maybe customers became exasperated with Prince’s  practice of adopting the 45-minute “hour.”

 

[anddy]

or the "tip off" was simply delayed or insufficient payment of tea money? Like the police need a "tip off" to know what's going on lol

[ggobkk]

8 hours ago, reader said:

Maybe customers became exasperated with Prince’s  practice of adopting the 45-minute “hour.”

 

Yes the police are now devoting themselves to quality control for customers...maybe we should set up a tea money support group?

[DivineMadman]

The raid was conducted by the Immigration Police, not the regular police.  You can also see Big Oud himself  in the photos of the press conference.  

You may take from that what you will.  

 

[Boy69]

From time to time the immigration police makes spectacal raids for publicity purposes to justify their existence.

[paborn]

Boy69, I'm not the expert DivineMadman is but I suspect your right. If I know there are non Thai working in virtually every establishment then surely they do. What I never get is why making sure that young sex workers ( yes, they know that too ) are all Thai is an odd priority.

[vinapu]

1 hour ago, paborn said:

What I never get is why making sure that young sex workers ( yes, they know that too ) are all Thai is an odd priority.

to keep nation's young fully employed ?

[vinapu]

13 hours ago, reader said:

Maybe customers became exasperated with Prince’s  practice of adopting the 45-minute “hour.”

 

while Prince was never my first choice / I know other's may object / I don't recall being short cut on time there, old Hero was bigger sinner in that respect. But then I have a habit of visibly checking time when we enter room so I guess guys get a message perhaps

[DivineMadman]

 

5 hours ago, paborn said:

Boy69, I'm not the expert DivineMadman is but I suspect your right. If I know there are non Thai working in virtually every establishment then surely they do. What I never get is why making sure that young sex workers ( yes, they know that too ) are all Thai is an odd priority.

I am certainly not an expert on anything to do with police or immigration raids.  We're all aware of the Immigration raids and press conferences that seem to have been a weekly (or more) phenomenon under Big Joke and now Big Oud.  I only mentioned that it was Immigration Police & press conference because the whole episode doesn't seem like the typical tea-money kerfuffle.  Also rather interesting because the rumor certainly was for years that Prince/My Hero had a high connection in the police.  Also, a bit surprising that there was no advance warning.  As we all know, the BKK go-go bars typically (but not always) get a heads up before raids.

I agree the whole thing is a bit silly.  But massage is on the list of professions reserved for Thais.  

3 hours ago, vinapu said:

while Prince was never my first choice / I know other's may object / I don't recall being short cut on time there, old Hero was bigger sinner in that respect. But then I have a habit of visibly checking time when we enter room so I guess guys get a message perhaps

Prince and VCK definitely have a well-deserved reputation for guys who try to rush the massage.  Even so, unless it's something outrageous, I encourage people not to be clock-watchers.  It's not like you're buying a dozen donuts and only got 10.  Was it a good pleasurable experience?  Then if it's 5± minutes short I usually don't mind.  I know people do care about it so I make the observation if it happens when I'm reporting on a shop, but after a half-way decent massage and rambunctious sex, who cares about the time.  (Also, to be fair, on more than one occasion things have run longer than the allotted time, and it's been my "fault.")

[paborn]

Boy69, I'm not the expert DivineMadman is but I suspect your right. If I know there are non Thai working in virtually every establishment then surely they do. What I never get is why making sure that young sex workers ( yes, they know that too ) are all Thai is an odd priority.

2 hours ago, DivineMadman said:

 

I am certainly not an expert on anything to do with police or immigration raids.  We're all aware of the Immigration raids and press conferences that seem to have been a weekly (or more) phenomenon under Big Joke and now Big Oud.  I only mentioned that it was Immigration Police & press conference because the whole episode doesn't seem like the typical tea-money kerfuffle.  Also rather interesting because the rumor certainly was for years that Prince/My Hero had a high connection in the police.  Also, a bit surprising that there was no advance warning.  As we all know, the BKK go-go bars typically (but not always) get a heads up before raids.

I agree the whole thing is a bit silly.  But massage is on the list of professions reserved for Thais.  

Prince and VCK definitely have a well-deserved reputation for guys who try to rush the massage.  Even so, unless it's something outrageous, I encourage people not to be clock-watchers.  It's not like you're buying a dozen donuts and only got 10.  Was it a good pleasurable experience?  Then if it's 5± minutes short I usually don't mind.  I know people do care about it so I make the observation if it happens when I'm reporting on a shop, but after a half-way decent massage and rambunctious sex, who cares about the time.  (Also, to be fair, on more than one occasion things have run longer than the allotted time, and it's been my "fault.")

Quite right. I meant that you are an expert on the massage shops. I trust you insights implicitly.

[reader]

It’s probably worth viewing this through a wider lens—the political one. The nation is still experiencing the upheaval of much contested elections and it will be a while before things settle. Individuals, parties and private interests are vying for power and influence. This is nothing new in the history of Thailand, whether the change in government resulted from a coup or elections.

If you go back about 16 years, under the Thaksin regime, police staged a very well publicized raid on Babylon sauna. The media was there in force and if I recall correctly the justification was that the premises didn’t have a license to operate as a hotel. But it occurred in the larger context of a “social order” campaign. It came as a surprise to many because the owner was a quite wealthy and influential individual. Popular gay venues have always been popular locations when a point is to be made because few will rise to their defense.

It’s perhaps worth noting that the raid on Prince was publicized only in the Thai media. No English language site has reported on it to the best of my knowledge.

Similar social movements emerge periodically but particularly when a regime desires to make a point that lends legitimacy to its rule. These events can be popular among certain segments of the population while alienating others. But they all have one thing in common: things tend to regress to the norm in time-honored Thai fashion. 

Thailand—like many nations—is experiencing its own surge of nationalism. And that nationalism challenges the ASEAN ties built up over time. If history is any predictor, the needle will slowly fluctuate back to the norm, driven by economic and social factors, and of course, politics of the day.

It’s probably wise not to make too much or too little of day-to-day events in trying to discern the long-term direction of a government. Successful prior governments have proven adept at maneuvering through political minefields to keep the economy on track and the masses mollified. 

Until, of course, they don’t.

 

[DivineMadman]

9 hours ago, paborn said:

 

Quite right. I meant that you are an expert on the massage shops. I trust you insights implicitly.

Hahahaha.  Was it Malcolm Gladwell or someone like that who said 10,000 hours of practice?  If so I am woefully short of the requirement to be an expert, but working on it.  

Or to the contrary, and more realistically, maybe it takes about 3 times to become an expert, so most forum members qualify.

[paborn]

Yes, Gladwell and I read his book years ago - now, thoroughly debunked in a new work "the Sports gene " by David Epstein. I think you have the massage gene! Your modesty is touching but you do keep the most authoritarian website in the field.

[DivineMadman]

38 minutes ago, paborn said:

[...] the most authoritarian website in the field.

"authoritarian"  YES.  Someone who understands.  

 

[martinsen]

My recent experience with Prince is high-price and poor service.  This was not always so but it was on my last two visits.

[DivineMadman]

I think Prince is perfectly fine for the price and level of service and facilities they offer.  It may cost more than some places, but the facilities are nicer than most (e.g., nicer than Arena).  I assume no one goes there expecting a Wat Pho-trained masseur.  Overall the guys are a certain type of good-looking guy, some are print-model gorgeous, not super-muscled (compared with Arena) and not particularly twinky.  The comparison shop is VCK or to a lesser extent Prince's sister shop My Hero.  VCK is actually more expensive and for Silom/Sathorn visitors obviously less convenient.  Same as VCK - the guys may finish the experience a tad early and if there's time left on the clock and if you care you have tell them you don't want to stop.

I wouldn't go there for a sports massage.  It's just messy-carressy oil massage with a naked young man who looks like he could be in my special magazines (hehehe), followed by sex. I think the managers there will tell you who does what and I've never had a problem there.  The stated minimum tip includes full service and I've never ever had anyone even hint at wanting more.

One obvious point that's probably worth repeating is that most of the guys there are straight-top-only.  When I go I tell the manager I want a gay bottom or gay does everything.  This immediately narrows down the selection from about 40 to 4 guys.  I've always been able to pick someone I like and the guys have all been skilled and DTF.  I cannot make any comments on the performance of the other guys.  And as has been said before, the actual sex part is intimate and personal so my experience will not be the same as anyone else.  [I have no doubt that the straight guys are fine masseurs and fun in bed, I just have a formula for success that works for me and my preferences so I usually stick with that on auto-pilot.  And I like to support the fellow gays.  Obviously the sheer numbers show that the straight-top-only guys are great for business with lots and lots and lots of happy repeat customers.]

Maybe there are some places in Brazil, I don't know, but I'm not aware of other places in the world where you can find 30-40 guys such handsome guys (60+ busy season) to have no complications foreplay (massage) and sex with, all for let's say around $US 100 (at current exchange rates). 

[ggobkk]

The Michelin of Massage...thanks DivineMadman

[martinsen]

On 7/3/2019 at 6:12 PM, DivineMadman said:

I think Prince is perfectly fine for the price and level of service and facilities they offer.

 

On 7/3/2019 at 9:53 PM, ggobkk said:

The Michelin of Massage...thanks DivineMadman

We obviously disagree but this does not make either of us authoritatively wrong.  Try it for yourself and decide.

[vinapu]

2 hours ago, martinsen said:

 

.  Try it for yourself and decide.

+1

[DivineMadman]

yes.  what I try to do is provide information, good and bad, about places to help people make informed decisions and help them manage their expectations in deciding where to go.   

[Archchan]

On 7/2/2019 at 8:16 AM, DivineMadman said:

 

I am certainly not an expert on anything to do with police or immigration raids.  We're all aware of the Immigration raids and press conferences that seem to have been a weekly (or more) phenomenon under Big Joke and now Big Oud.  I only mentioned that it was Immigration Police & press conference because the whole episode doesn't seem like the typical tea-money kerfuffle.  Also rather interesting because the rumor certainly was for years that Prince/My Hero had a high connection in the police.  Also, a bit surprising that there was no advance warning.  As we all know, the BKK go-go bars typically (but not always) get a heads up before raids.

I agree the whole thing is a bit silly.  But massage is on the list of professions reserved for Thais.  

Prince and VCK definitely have a well-deserved reputation for guys who try to rush the massage.  Even so, unless it's something outrageous, I encourage people not to be clock-watchers.  It's not like you're buying a dozen donuts and only got 10.  Was it a good pleasurable experience?  Then if it's 5± minutes short I usually don't mind.  I know people do care about it so I make the observation if it happens when I'm reporting on a shop, but after a half-way decent massage and rambunctious sex, who cares about the time.  (Also, to be fair, on more than one occasion things have run longer than the allotted time, and it's been my "fault.")

Thanks for the info. Where is VCK if I may ask ? 

[DivineMadman]

14 minutes ago, Archchan said:

Thanks for the info. Where is VCK if I may ask ? 

Ari Soi 4.  Connected with/same entrance as Chakran Sauna.

[Jasper]

VCK