News Forum - Recent crimes in Phuket are damaging its reputation

[Soidog]

17 minutes ago, LoongFred said:

The moral is to learn Thai first. Second is to stay away from tourist dives. Third, make some real Thai friends

Thank you for your unnecessary advice. I speak, read and can write some Thai. I don’t go to tourist dives as you refer to them and I have many Thai friends including a number of ex-colleagues who have been friends for many many years. What’s you point and how is it relaxant to the topic of crimes in Phuket and it’s reputation? 

Edited February 15, 2022 by KaptainRob
Quote edited

[oldschooler]

4 minutes ago, Soidog said:

Well that’s the case in western cultures too. People don’t talk about going to lap bars and prostitution anymore than Thais do. I’m not sure the point you are making? Prostitution is illegal in the UK and yet it’s there but hidden. Prostitution is illegal in Thailand and yet there are streets where it’s openly on display. Not just in Pattaya and Patong or Bangkok, but in most major towns

I Know all that . My point made clear. What is yours ?  Is is perhaps Prostitution is Everywhere & Oldest Profession. Yeah …. we all know that .Actually in UK it is “ soliciting” that’s illegal not the sex act of prostitution Done Here.

[LoongFred]

1 minute ago, Soidog said:

Well that’s the case in western cultures too. People don’t talk about going to lap bars and prostitution anymore than Thais do. I’m not sure the point you are making? Prostitution is illegal in the UK and yet it’s there but hidden. Prostitution is illegal in Thailand and yet there are streets where it’s openly on display. Not just in Pattaya and Patong or Bangkok, but in most major towns

Not true. It's here but not in the open. I travel throughout Northern and North Central Thailand a lot. I really like historical sites. I rarely see overt prostitution. If you want these services usually the bell boy can help, but usually you need to ask. Nothing like the Phuket/Pattaya scene. 

I you get out of the sexpat areas you'll see the real Thailand. 

[oldschooler]

3 minutes ago, Soidog said:

Thank you for your unnecessary advice. I speak, read and can write some Thai. I don’t go to tourist dives as you refer to them and I have many Thai friends including a number of ex-colleagues who have been friends for many many years. What’s you point and how is it relaxant to the topic of crimes in Phuket and it’s reputation? 

Exactly. I don’t follow any of those “ morals” nobody’s business but mine

[Soidog]

2 minutes ago, oldschooler said:

I Know all that . My point made clear. What is yours ?  Is is perhaps Prostitution is Everywhere & Oldest Profession. Yeah …. we all know that .Actually in UK it is “ soliciting” that’s illegal not the sex act of prostitution Done Here.

My point is that your assertion that somehow Thais are more conservative and don’t advertise prostitution is nonsense. The Thais are no different to elsewhere in the world. That’s my point and I’ve made it several times now. 

[dj230]

1 hour ago, Tim_Melb said:

Nobody said it was the only place but saying that the whole country is a sex tourism Mecca is complete BS. Sure in most tourist areas or major cities it's there but you can say the same for you every country in the world. The fact is outside of the large tourist areas and red light districts you very rarely see it. 
 

There hasn’t been a shortage of it anywhere in Thailand from what I’ve seen

[oldschooler]

Just now, Soidog said:

My point is that your assertion that somehow Thais are more conservative and don’t advertise prostitution is nonsense. The Thais are no different to elsewhere in the world. That’s my point and I’ve made it several times now. 

Haven’t asserted anything you say. Your points lack subtlety so are plain wrong. We are not synchronized here at all. Finished. 

[LoongFred]

4 minutes ago, Soidog said:

Thank you for your unnecessary advice. I speak, read and can write some Thai. I don’t go to tourist dives as you refer to them and I have many Thai friends including a number of ex-colleagues who have been friends for many many years. What’s you point and how is it relaxant to the topic of crimes in Phuket and it’s reputation? 

Your experience is very different than mine. If these Thai friends are business associates, what kind of business, do they do. 

I to read, write and speak Central and Northern Thai.  I correct that because I can't read and write Northern Thai. My friend at his coffee shop is trying to teach me though. 

[Soidog]

4 minutes ago, LoongFred said:

Not true. It's here but not in the open. I travel throughout Northern and North Central Thailand a lot. I really like historical sites. I rarely see overt prostitution. If you want these services usually the bell boy can help, but usually you need to ask. Nothing like the Phuket/Pattaya scene. 

I you get out of the sexpat areas you'll see the real Thailand. 

I’m not sure what your post has to do with the Topic Fred?  Can you please follow forum guidelines and remain on topic. There’s a good chap. 
 

[Soidog]

3 minutes ago, oldschooler said:

Haven’t asserted anything you say. Your points lack subtlety so are plain wrong. We are not synchronized here at all. Finished. 

Thank god 

 

[Guest1]

1 hour ago, Tim_Melb said:

The fact is outside of the large tourist areas and red light districts you very rarely see it. 

That is because you just don't know, where to look.

As mentioned before, Prostitution is a local thing for ages. You find it in every area of the country, mostly dark and quiet houses with red numbers are pointing it out. Aside the motels with the parking space curtains. But there you have to bring your entertainment. Mostly. There even some real life couples going, sometimes, for rollplay in the theme rooms. The tousist part of this is , in numbers of service personal, the smaller part of the business. With an higher moneyflow for the people, but still, the local part is much bigger

The US did not invent it, during Vietnam. They just used the already established structures for their Gi's, to relax.

And, btw., have centralized it a bit more in the Pattaya area.

This service orientated boys and girls go, where they can make more money. And twice or three times is more money.

Oh, and the US Army has also pointed it out to the world, the "sextourism" got started around in the 70s. Just not on the level like from  the 90 to now, with charter and scheduled flights cheaper and more affordable for the mass.

The western sex tourism, because the Malay and Singapore sextourism was there long time before that.

Oh, and even Phuket has the "local" part of that business, with local prices, cheaper than a thai massage (for tourists) on the west coast beaches.  And you most likely dont wanna try that local business part at all!

[Soidog]

4 minutes ago, LoongFred said:

Your experience is very different than mine

Clearly! 

[Guest1]

29 minutes ago, Lowseasonlover said:

Have you ever been to Sadao?

He will, rightly, claim, that Sadao is a Malay,-Tourist area. The girls (boys?) there are not really there for western tourists. As they are not in Hat Yai or other parts of the deep south.

[Tim_Melb]

47 minutes ago, Lowseasonlover said:

Have you ever been to Sadao?

No but I have heard that it's not exactly a normal situation with a steady stream of Malaysians crossing the border to get up to no good and then going back home to their families. 

[Tim_Melb]

26 minutes ago, Guest1 said:

That is because you just don't know, where to look.

As mentioned before, Prostitution is a local thing for ages. You find it in every area of the country, mostly dark and quiet houses with red numbers are pointing it out. Aside the motels with the parking space curtains. But there you have to bring your entertainment. Mostly. There even some real life couples going, sometimes, for rollplay in the theme rooms. The tousist part of this is , in numbers of service personal, the smaller part of the business. With an higher moneyflow for the people, but still, the local part is much bigger

The US did not invent it, during Vietnam. They just used the already established structures for their Gi's, to relax.

And, btw., have centralized it a bit more in the Pattaya area.

This service orientated boys and girls go, where they can make more money. And twice or three times is more money.

Oh, and the US Army has also pointed it out to the world, the "sextourism" got started around in the 70s. Just not on the level like from  the 90 to now, with charter and scheduled flights cheaper and more affordable for the mass.

The western sex tourism, because the Malay and Singapore sextourism was there long time before that.

Oh, and even Phuket has the "local" part of that business, with local prices, cheaper than a thai massage (for tourists) on the west coast beaches.  And you most likely dont wanna try that local business part at all!

And how is what you are describing in non tourist areas any different to any other country in the world? 

[Guest1]

28 minutes ago, Tim_Melb said:

And how is what you are describing in non tourist areas any different to any other country in the world? 

Unless perhaps in some east european countries, and there mostly only close to the land borders (like here to the southern border, or in Myanmar close to the Thai border), I can't really see, that any other Country is having so many "excitement places", in almost every village. Since we all know, that the reported official numbers are way to low (in 2019, Thailand should have had LESS than 50.000 sex workers!  Phuket,  Pattaya and Bangkok alone "offer" a lot more, in numbers. In 2019 at least!) , some NGO's calculating more between 1.5 to 2 Million are the one or the other way working in the business. Some only part time, sometimes, some only in happy ending massages, but still, getting paid for sex = sex worker!

But they may just name the part for the tourist business? Even that would seem a lot to low!

Or do you think, anyone would have worried about only 50.000 sex workers, during Covid? Or would think about legalizing it RIGHT NOW for this little part of the economy/population?

For the US it is 1 Million sex workers (of 330 million population) expected, China 5 Million (1.4 billion), India about 3 Million (1.4 billion), Thailand has about 70 million people, only! Calculate it yourself, mate!

[JamesR]

18 hours ago, Soidog said:

One way of looking at life. I can afford to pay more than someone else and so I will. Seems fair and equitable.  Perhaps we should start charging people for taxis based on wealth?  Show us you bank balance and then we will set the meter accordingly. You are missing the point entirely  

A very strange comment not at linked to what I said.

My point is Phuket is not a rip off.

[JamesR]

48 minutes ago, Tim_Melb said:

And how is what you are describing in non tourist areas any different to any other country in the world? 

You beat me to it, I was about to say the same thing.

[JamesR]

1 hour ago, LoongFred said:

There is also Pattaya if it survives. Both very sleazy and rip off haven for tourists.

It must be decades since you have been to Phuket is all I can say.

[Bangkok]

What's really damaging to Phuket is the lowlife sexpats, beach mafia, taxi mafia and corrupt police as well as the useless government. Most of the Thai men and sexpats are losers.

[Marc26]

15 hours ago, Lowseasonlover said:

When we go out for an evening we dont go local we always go to Phuket town some great pubs and restaurants from Thai to Farang food, I like the Pint Factory for a couple of beers ok it's expensive but Im not going every night.

Sometimes we book a hotel and stay for a couple of nights, makes a nice change 

Lots of farangs I know who live around Rawai have never been to Phuket town  

And I think that is where Thailand becomes extremely attractive to live

Hotels are very affordable so you can do a lot of trips if you want

 

If we go away for a weekend in Canada, the hotels add up

[Marc26]

3 hours ago, Soidog said:

Yes I fully understand that there are different classes of transportation. However, those classes and the prices paid are not based on nationality or race. A Thai in NYC will pay the same as you whatever form of transport they take. That isn’t always the same when you travel in Thailand. 

If my lands at any airport in Thailand, she is paying the same price as me........

 

[JamesR]

3 hours ago, Soidog said:

My point is that your assertion that somehow Thais are more conservative and don’t advertise prostitution is nonsense. The Thais are no different to elsewhere in the world. That’s my point and I’ve made it several times now. 

True, the singing clubs where women with a number pinned to their dress sing on stage and then can be paid to sit with the client for a drink in a dark part of the club or can become a "takeaway."

In Bangkok for instance there are many short term hotels used mostly by Thai guys where the entrance is at the back of the hotel, they are discreet and a curtain covers your car in the car port to make it less likely you are spotted. 

The attitude of prostitution to many Thai men is similar to that of many German guys ( I worked in Germany for some years) and it is just entertainment to them.

 

[JamesR]

3 hours ago, LoongFred said:

The moral is to learn Thai first. Second is to stay away from tourist dives. Third, make some real Thai friends

So you are still at stage2 then? 

Don't we have to go to tourist dives first before we can stay away from them as most people have never been to one?

[JamesR]

21 hours ago, Soidog said:

Nope. It works in a meter. It’s calibrated and sealed. The miles or kilometres you ride are the same for everyone. It’s not based on what the driver thinks or assumes you can afford. 
 

Come on Marc. Stop trying to defend unequal pricing and being ripped off just because you are use to paying £5 per mile. That’s not the point at all. Charge the going rate. If it’s more than you are use to, pay it. If it’s less then enjoy it. 

I have never seen unequal hidden rip off pricing in Phuket, the prices are on display.

That goes for restaurants or anything else.

It is slightly annoying that I have to pay fifty pence more than a local to go to the aquarium for example but even that is displayed in the open so you can decide to go in or not.