Pattaya Beach Road Subject to Prostitution Purge by Police

**dirtydog** · 12-10-2010, 11:24 AM

Pattaya Beach Road Subject to Prostitution Purge by Police

Local police on Monday night moved to purge Pattaya’s notorious Beach Road area of problematic ‘freelance’ prostitutes and lady-boys, according to an official release.

Pattaya, the 11th of October 2010 [PDN]: At approximately midnight on Monday, Colonel Nunthawut Suwanla-ong (Pattaya Police Superintendent) along with a team of officers conducted an inspection of the Pattaya Beach Road promenade.

The inspection was undertaken after numerous reports and complaints were received by local authorities regarding the prevalence of ‘freelance’ prostitutes and lady-boys in the area.

Many of these complaints pertained to tourists and locals being bothered, hassled and even robbed by the aforementioned groups, while walking the promenade during the evening.

In the inspection of the area, officers were able to detain and arrest some 50 offenders, both female prostitutes and lady-boys, who had gathered between North and South Pattaya.

Reports indicate that many more of the loitering prostitutes managed to flee the scene upon being informed of the arrests.

Background, drug and criminal checks will now be performed on all of the 50 arrested offenders in an attempt to apprehend those who may be involved in further criminal acts.

Pattaya Daily News Editor’s note: This is not the first time Pattaya police have attempted a purge on the Beach Road ‘freelancers’, it seems to be at least a biannual inspection. Most offenders end up being released with a Bt500 fine without so much as a mark against their names.

Unfortunately, the nature of the ‘game’ means that by taking Bt500 of these relatively desperate working women/lady-boys they inherently return to the very same act as before, in an even more desperate state.

However, the local authorities achieve quantifiable results in performing such inspections, with Bt25,000+ into the proceeds of crime ‘column’ to impress their superiors.

If authorities are determined to purge ‘freelance’ prostitution from public areas such as Beach Road, thereby confining the already illegal business to the local bars and/or Walking Street, simply arresting all the offenders is not an appropriate course of action.

Even prison sentences will not help the matter, largely for the desperation reasons already established, but also the Thai prison system is already notoriously overcrowded and not sufficient to house hundreds more relatively minor offenders.

Targeting the customers that use these women/lady-boys however would achieve marked results in a relatively short period. Eventually customers, foreign or otherwise, will not take the risk of interacting with the ‘freelancers,’ providing the fine/punishment is significant; therefore, the business is stifled in the public arenas and confined largely to the local bars and clubs.

Pattaya Daily News

**The Master Cool** · 12-10-2010, 12:12 PM

Pattaya Daily News Editor’s note: I'm looking for a masked man to threaten me and my family with a gun.

Good on the editor. Anything that publicly highlights the truths of the Thai police gives me a little smile.

crocodilexp · 12-10-2010, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by dirtydog

Targeting the customers that use these women/lady-boys however would achieve marked results in a relatively short period. Eventually customers, foreign or otherwise, will not take the risk of interacting with the ‘freelancers,’ providing the fine/punishment is significant; therefore, the business is stifled in the public arenas and confined largely to the local bars and clubs.

Targeting customers would be very quick and effective in killing tourism in Pattaya. Some vested interests may dream that business just would migrate elsewhere (to more expensive venues), but overall numbers would go down for all. Not to mention that there is no law on the books against being a customer... not that this usually deters Thai authorities.

There is a woman's rights / freedom angle here as well -- advocating banning freelancers in order to move business under the control of pimps (that's what bar-owners are).

**harrybarracuda** · 12-10-2010, 12:40 PM

Targeting the lowlives and cheap charlies that go looking on the beach for sex, gay or otherwise, would not "kill" Pattaya tourism.

It would also do them a favour, as it would possibly reduce the instances of people getting mickey finned.

crocodilexp · 12-10-2010, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Targeting the lowlives and cheap charlies that go looking on the beach for sex, gay or otherwise, would not "kill" Pattaya tourism.

It's interesting how lowlifes have a need to put down what they perceive as an even lower subgroup to feel better. A whoremonger is a whoremonger, be it Eliot Spitzer or Somchai the tuk tuk driver. There is nothing wrong with paying for sex with a consenting partner, no matter how little or how much one pays... but hypocrisy is truly odious.

The possibility of getting arrested for soliciting sex would indeed turn many people off Pattaya. They'd of course start from "low lives" and go up from there -- knowing Thai police, they'd soon be going after the more profitable targets, the generous discerning gentlemen who can be shaken down for higher amounts.

Fighting crime is done by targeting criminals, not poor girls at the bottom of the food chain putting an honest hour's work to make 500 baht.

**dirtydog** · 12-10-2010, 01:43 PM

^It would certainly help in the Thai police wealth distribution efforts

**Happyman** · 12-10-2010, 02:39 PM

If the BIB are looking to catch the 'freelance prostitutes' are we meant to assume that the other ladies in the oldest profession ( disregarding the laughable concept and law that tells us that it does not happen in Thailand) are safe because they contribute a percentage of their earnings to their BIB 'minders ' ???

**Humbert** · 12-10-2010, 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by crocodilexp

It's interesting how lowlifes have a need to put down what they perceive as an even lower subgroup to feel better. A whoremonger is a whoremonger, be it Eliot Spitzer or Somchai the tuk tuk driver. There is nothing wrong with paying for sex with a consenting partner, no matter how little or how much one pays... but hypocrisy is truly odious.

I don't think its a matter of who or how much but rather where. The beach public walkways should be free of solicitation. Keep it in the sois where it is a destination that you can either choose or avoid.

crocodilexp · 12-10-2010, 07:44 PM

Originally Posted by Humbert

I don't think its a matter of who or how much but rather where. The beach public walkways should be free of solicitation. Keep it in the sois where it is a destination that you can either choose or avoid.

In general, I'd agree with you. However, in this case, it's one beach in one town which is world-famous for prostitution. It's almost as advocating keeping the gambling venues off Las Vegas main strip because for many people it's hard to avoid the that street in your commute. Besides, the beach in Pattaya is so crappy that I don't see why anyone would willingly go there for beach activities -- it is the place for retirees on a budget to sit, chat and look for female company. It would be inhumane to push them off to some hidden alley.

There is a place for everything, and Pattaya is a seaside party town for naughty entertainment. The public who does not approve can hang out in Jomtien, around Sukhumwit or in numerous other places. Nobody needs to use the beach road to reach their workplace (unless it's tourism-related).

Nostradamus · 12-10-2010, 08:00 PM

Originally Posted by dirtydog

Targeting the customers that use these women/lady-boys however would achieve marked results in a relatively short period. Eventually customers, foreign or otherwise, will not take the risk of interacting with the ‘freelancers,’ providing the fine/punishment is significant; therefore, the business is stifled in the public arenas and confined largely to the local bars and clubs.

What an idiotic idea that would only drive tourists away. The freelancers still would need money and wouldn't go anywhere thus not solving the problem at all.

**Chairman Mao** · 12-10-2010, 08:05 PM

It seems the police in Lumphini park station must always be out solving crimes as there's about 100 prostitutes directly opposite it everynight.

**Lorenzo** · 12-10-2010, 09:23 PM

Originally Posted by dirtydog

Many of these complaints pertained to tourists and locals being bothered, hassled and even robbed by the aforementioned groups, while walking the promenade during the evening.

I am sure there are many complaints from tourists and locals being bothered but doubt this is what gets these coppers into action. The working girls are competing with the cop bar owners.

TIT

**Lantern** · 13-10-2010, 06:55 AM

The working girls are competing with the cop bar owners.

^^Ring of truth there i'm sure.

Thaiguy · 13-10-2010, 07:03 AM

Originally Posted by dirtydog

^It would certainly help in the Thai police wealth distribution efforts

Sounds to me like the bar owners guild of Pattaya are suffering a downturn in punters and have reached an agreement with the authorities to limit the amount of alternative venues?

Thaiguy · 13-10-2010, 07:07 AM

Originally Posted by Humbert

Originally Posted by crocodilexp

It's interesting how lowlifes have a need to put down what they perceive as an even lower subgroup to feel better. A whoremonger is a whoremonger, be it Eliot Spitzer or Somchai the tuk tuk driver. There is nothing wrong with paying for sex with a consenting partner, no matter how little or how much one pays... but hypocrisy is truly odious.

I don't think its a matter of who or how much but rather where. The beach public walkways should be free of solicitation. Keep it in the sois where it is a destination that you can either choose or avoid.

Have you no soul or romance within - what could be better than true love under the stars ,the rustle of the baht with a warm tropical breeze and the lulling whisper of the surf in the background?
Send to the Soi ? shame on you , you souless person you!

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