PattayaMale Posted January 22, 2010 Posted January 22, 2010 Police Crackdown On Foreign Operated Sex Bars PATTAYA: -- Informed sources from several police divisions have told the Pattaya Times that a very serious crackdown will begin next month to catch foreign business people who are financial backers of gay bars, beer bars and a go-gos where there is sex for sale in Pattaya. These bars charge a "bar fine" to the customer and let the employee leave for the night or a "short time" usually about two to three hours. It is suspected that many of these rendezvous are sexually related, police said. Police investigations will determine who pays the bills and gets the profits. If the person is a foreigner then their visa will be revoked and they will be expelled from the Kingdom. If it is a Thai they will be arrested if sex is for sale. There is much concern about organized crime in the nightlife venues, said one official. "Where did the money come from? Who is behind it? Where does the money go?" asked one policechief rhetorically. In a related matter, there will be an Interpol office opening in Pattaya to help catch more than 2,000 foreigners wanted in Thailand on various charges. "Keep in mind, Thais are pretty easy to find compared to foreigners, Thais have a mandatory National ID Card and associated number with a microchip of their history on the card. They must be registered in a House Book so that at all times there is someone who can say where the person is living if the police want to talk with them. This crackdown on foreigners built up to this point because it is relatively easy for us to disappear in the villages and big cities. Or to simply leave the country," said Drew Noyes of PAPPA Legal Services in Pattaya. "I advise anyone who has invested in a bar that might be suspected of illegal acts to clear up the problem and make sure they are not associated with any business that is engaged in illegal activities. The Thai police are taking this very seriously. Sure, in the past we have heard rumors of crackdowns, but I don't think we have ever seen a crackdown like the one that is about to happen," said Drew Noyes, former three-term Expat Club leader and 13 year resident. "There are many bars that we foreigners like to go to relax and part of the attraction of Pattaya is this nightlife. If everyone will make sure that nothing offensive to Thai culture occurs inside these places and no foreigner is associated managerially or financially by a paper trail with these clubs then this crackdown may not cause many people problems. It is great to see the police crackdown on underage sex, drugs and many of the associate problems that come with the bar business, but it is important that foreigners know the law and make sure bars they are invested in are not under scrutiny by the police for prostitution. There are ways to protect yourself now," Managing Director of the Pattaya Times Drew Noyes added. -- Pattaya Times 2010-01-22 Quote
Guest HeyGay Posted January 22, 2010 Posted January 22, 2010 Yes I hear interpol are asking the Thai police and immigration to stop people in the street, to see their Pass port for overstays, but up until now, its all hear say we will see. Quote
Gaybutton Posted January 22, 2010 Posted January 22, 2010 Whenever I see articles like this, the first word that comes to mind is "bullshit." In various forms, we've heard it all before . . . many, many times. If a crackdown occurs at all, does anyone truly believe it will last any longer than any others ever did? The article specifies gay bars. I suppose none of the girlie bars sell sex or have offs. In other words, if you lend any real credence to this, I have a bridge in Brooklyn for sale. It ain't gonna happen, folks. Don't cancel your flight reservations. Quote
Guest shebavon Posted January 22, 2010 Posted January 22, 2010 Of course GB, there are no foreign owned girlie/tittie bars where they would ever think of having off fines. No mafia in those bars. Quote
Guest tdperhs Posted January 22, 2010 Posted January 22, 2010 In other words, if you lend any real credence to this, I have a bridge in Brooklyn for sale. Brooklyn, you say? Is it in good shape, like rhomboid or cone? Always wanted to own a cone shaped bridge. Quote
Guest Posted January 22, 2010 Posted January 22, 2010 So Thai operated bars will be allowed to continue? If the problem is only one of being foreign, that should discourage foreign investors from putting money into any form of Thai business. Not a good way to run an economy. Quote
Guest HeyGay Posted January 23, 2010 Posted January 23, 2010 So Thai operated bars will be allowed to continue? If the problem is only one of being foreign, that should discourage foreign investors from putting money into any form of Thai business. Not a good way to run an economy. Some of you guys are naive, do you think every one who invests in Thailand have Black money from a Bank Robbery or something, to invest, see the Russians about where that money comes from. The days of making a fortune from Go Go Bars has long gone, I use to live in a villa complex called AA Villas it was a wonderful traquil place on the beach in Naklua, next door these two young guys owned a Go Go Girly bar and use to drive fast cars, they told me they made a fortune from the Bar, now I saw then a few months ago, they said business was very bad, not like the old days. they cant aford to live at AA Villa now. poor things. So who wants the agro of opening a sex bar now days, those days have long gone and you will see over the next 5 years Big Changes as Pattaya shapes up to a Holiday City the City father always dreamed of. Sleaze minimized. families slow to come here starting to arrive as Pattaya has a theam park built here which is all they need to attract them now. Big Hotels and apartment Blocks are not investing billions in Pattaya for fun they are looking at the ten year plan of a Miami with Sky Scrapers all along Jomtiem beach, I think they will have to get the sea water Pristine first. Quote
Gaybutton Posted January 23, 2010 Posted January 23, 2010 Maybe I'm missing something, but if some schmuck trying to make a name for himself is really serious about wanting to close all the bars, gay or straight, that have 'off,' then do you realize they would have to shut down virtually every single bar and karaoke in the entire city? Just about all of them. It would destroy the entire economy and tourist industry in Pattaya. Like I said, "bullshit!" They're going to arrest all the owners of bars at which sex is for sale? If that's going to be the case, then they're going to need to build a whole new wing at the Bangkok Hilton. With the amount of money involved and the number of businesses dependent on tourists who come to Pattaya for precisely the kind of frivolity they're talking about shutting down, do you really think they're going to let that happen? BULLSHIT! Quote
Guest HeyGay Posted January 23, 2010 Posted January 23, 2010 If they did anything it would be grab a few farangs who dont pay much, fine them or throw them out, then they can say they have been doing all they can to please the out side world, white wash as usual. The govenment always says they dont make Tax from prostitution, but they do when the money is spent from their tricks, in the local village and all the shops in Thailand. Quote
PattayaMale Posted January 23, 2010 Author Posted January 23, 2010 I too was amazed when I saw this posted on Thaivisa. The poster however was a past president and founder of Pattaya Expat Club, and an owner of Spice magazine, also a respected businessman who has lived in Thailand longer than many have been visiting. So considering this, what would be the reason he would post this if so "ridiculous"? Quote
Gaybutton Posted January 23, 2010 Posted January 23, 2010 So considering this, what would be the reason he would post this if so "ridiculous"? Nobody can answer that. Obviously he believes it. Just as obviously I do not believe it. I don't know where his information came from. I don't know who the "informed sources" are. I have "informed sources" too and none of them have heard anything at all about this. I have to wonder why he heard about this, but nobody else did. I have to wonder why this is published in his newspaper, but nothing appears in any other English language publication. I believe there may be some sort of crackdown. Crackdowns are not unusual around here. Then, after a week or so the crackdowns always fizzle out. For me the bullshit part is not the fact of the story. I don't believe he just made it up. I believe he really did hear this from someone he sincerely considers credible. I believe the bullshit part is that anything significant will really happen. If these investigators are going to start closing down bars that have 'off,' then how hard would it be for the bars to cancel offs for a while until the crackdown blows over? If they do that, now they're not selling sex. If the authorities seriously want to catch bar owners breaking the law, why would they let anyone, especially a newsman, know in advance? None of this makes any sense to me. I've mentioned this before and I think it's appropriate to mention it again now. Some of the best advice I ever received came from a friend of mine back in Florida, a well known attorney. He said it very simply. "Don't worry until you have something to worry about." So far, one article by one person is not something to worry about. How many dozens of times have you seen the local gay community go into a panic because of news items, but then nothing significant ever actually happened? I've lost count. This latest one is something I'll believe if and when it happens. I don't think it ever will. I think the worst we'll see, if even that much, might be some headlines about two or three bars in Pattaya being forcibly closed. Then, as usual, whoever is seeking the publicity will have it and the problem will fade away . . . and that's if the problem ever actually arises in the first place. Quote
Guest RichLB Posted January 23, 2010 Posted January 23, 2010 I, too, am skeptical of this rumored "crackdown". Firstly, it is difficult to understand what legally constitutes a business offering prostitution. If a bar allows their dancers to be taken off premises and charges customers for the loss of the employee services, this can not be construed as prostitution - no matter what the employee and customer arrange to do once he is out of the bar. If prostitution is involved, that is the fault of the employee - not the bar. Secondly, what level of investment is considered a business interest - 100%, 50% or 1%. Are the supposed penalties to be prorated depending on level of investment and if the other owners are Thai are they to be permitted to operate even though there is deemed to be something illegal going on? I think not. And finally, if this is true, why single out only bars. Why not karaokes, hotels with bellhops, restaurants with agreeable waiters, motorcycle taxi drivers, or even the police themselves? Offers of intimate encounters take place there, too. Previously, a poster asked why would anyone spread this rumor if not true. I might point out that Mr. Noyes suggested in his final sentence that there was a way for bar owners to protect themselves, but he failed to say what that might be. I wonder if it would be necessary to hire him to get this information. I suspect raising the fear level could generate a great deal of business. Quote
Guest HeyGay Posted January 23, 2010 Posted January 23, 2010 Well here it is so lets see what happens:- http://pattaya-times.com/ then in nth next breath they say World's oldest profession should be legal: Thai official A new proposal that could add billions of baht to the coffers and improve the overall Thai economy by taxing a viable industry could also bolster Pattaya tourism while at the same time undo all the public relations which has reborn Pattaya as a family destination instead of just a place for single men. http://pattaya-times...l-thai-official Quote
Guest RichLB Posted January 23, 2010 Posted January 23, 2010 Well here it is so lets see what happens:- http://pattaya-times.com/ I had to laugh at that link. On the same page as the supposed crackdown is reported is another article stating that a "Thai Official" is proposing legalization of prostitution. Hmm, prohibition or promotion - that is the question. Quote
Guest jtrack33 Posted January 23, 2010 Posted January 23, 2010 "....said Drew Noyes of PAPPA Legal Services in Pattaya".... Hire PAPPA and they'll put you on the right track! "....Managing Director of the Pattaya Times Drew Noyes".... be startled by their news and buy more papers! Quote
Guest Soi10Tom Posted January 23, 2010 Posted January 23, 2010 I'm with GB. Bullshit!!!! Prostitution is the engine that runs this city, without it the city dies a quick and painful death. Take one look at Pattaya beach. It is a 20ft wide sand strip with water that is by the nature of the tidal action unclear and sand filled even with all of the polution and crap out of the bay. As a beach resort Pattaya is about number 2,000 on the list of desirable places to vacation, and Jomtien is only slightly above Pattaya. Does anyone seriously think that the investors that built Central, the other malls, the hotels, guest houses and bars are going to let this happen. I don't think so. And how would all of those poor under paid police officers make a middle class wage if they no longer had sex tourist to shake down?? Quote
Guest Posted January 23, 2010 Posted January 23, 2010 Wouldn't the whole idea of arresting foreign owners be to induce them to sell out at a cut price ? Guess who would be the beneficiary of that? Quote
Gaybutton Posted January 23, 2010 Posted January 23, 2010 I might point out that Mr. Noyes suggested in his final sentence that there was a way for bar owners to protect themselves, but he failed to say what that might be. I wonder if it would be necessary to hire him to get this information. I suspect raising the fear level could generate a great deal of business. I didn't catch the significance of that until your post. Yes, that is definitely interesting and I too have to wonder why after all the details in the post, that particular part was vague. Quote
