NEWS: Bangkok's red light district suffers from political chaos
 

Bangkok's red light district suffers from political chaos

Dec 6, 2008

BANGKOK (AFP) ? The go-go bars are empty and sex is on sale at half price as Bangkok's infamous red light districts suffer from a blockade of the capital's airports.

"It's high season, but now it's like low season," said Nan, a scantily-clad hostess at one deserted nightspot in the Thai capital's notorious Patpong area.

An old man played guitar and sang along to a karaoke machine inside. Outside, beneath the pink neon, about 10 women in almost identical low-cut dresses tried to drum up trade.

Although anti-government protesters have ended an eight-day siege of Bangkok's airports, the effect of Thailand's ongoing political chaos on the tourism industry is devastating.

Sex tourism is no exception. Patpong depends on foreigners to keep afloat, but as the 350,000 air travellers stranded by the airport closures rush to leave Thailand, replacements are not coming in.

"Now Thailand has a problem -- no customers," said Lam, a man who works for Nan's bar, luring tourists in off the streets by posing as a friendly Thai offering unsolicited advice on good places to go.

Lam is hopeful the trade will return to Patpong, a lurid strip of live shows and sleazy nightlife.

"It is because of the airport, but now the airport is all clear," he said.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand is not so optimistic.

The group expects incoming travellers in 2009 to be half the 14.8 million the kingdom saw last year, with word of the protests causing tourists considering a trip to Thailand to book elsewhere.

At the normally standing-room-only "ping-pong" shows, five or six women swarm each new arrival. Some are following the example of Thailand's resorts and luxury hotels by offering discounted rates.

Prostitutes offer two hours of sexual services for 800 baht (about 22 dollars) instead of the normal 1,500 to 2,000 baht that would cost.

The airport closures also hurt Bangkok's other entertainment options, such as the famous "ladyboy" cabaret shows.

"The shutdown of the airports seriously affected our business," said Nipon Boonmasuwaran, sales and marketing manager of the Calypso show in Bangkok, where flamboyantly-dressed transvestites lip-sync and dance to famous tunes.

"Our guests have dropped 90 percent -- we have less than 50 guests in our 350-seat theatre," Nipon said.

The Calypso also cancelled its second daily showing during the November 25-December 3 chaos, when images of frustrated tourists trying to flee Thailand from a military airbase beamed around the world.

"We handed out thousands of free tickets for the stranded hotel guests in order to entertain them and hope that they would buy drinks -- otherwise we will have no business," he said.

"Since re-opening of the airports business is trickling in but very slow," adding that guests normally came from Europe -- especially the Netherlands and Belgium -- and Asian countries such as South Korea, Japan and Singapore.

The blockade may have brought in some extra trade.

American tourists Lisa Richardson, 30, and Michael Latham, 29, said they would never have come to Patpong had they not been stranded in Bangkok.

"Being stuck for an extra week convinced us to spend time and money on things we wouldn't have normally -- ping-pong shows for example," said Latham.

But he said that he felt for Thais whose livelihood was being hit, adding: "they're hurt so much worse than we are and it just hurts to see," Latham said.

Thailand was until 2005 the world's leading destination for sex tourists, when its crown was taken by Brazil, according to Interpol.

Although prostitution is officially illegal in Thailand, estimates for the number of sex workers range from 80 000 to two million women and men.

At her Patpong bar, Nan says she hopes the tourists return soon, as she sends the money she earns back to her family near the Cambodian border.

"Maybe in 15 days, a month it comes back," she said.



:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh :thumbsup

Starve bitches, starve. They have been fucking over the foreigners for ages, now they get to eat what they have been dishing out. These monkeys never thought about what would happen if the tourists don't come.

Are those rates accurate? I have a friend who goes to Thailand on a regular basis (I'm not sure if it's Bangkok, though) and he claims he spends less than that for a whole night...

brazil eh... I lub me some latinas...

Time to book a trip to Thailand

lol monkeys :)

Only thing to say about all that is "Sum num na" :)

half price i figure you are having a party lol

I wish I was there.

I'd single-handed try to bring them out of their slowdown.......

I'd start in Changmai and end in Phuket...

I'd pack rubbers, band aids and lot's of penicllin tablets....

Do they still sell Valium over the counter as a "sleep aid"?

Sweet Dreams.......

time to book my flight to Rio :)

Depends on the city, but for an ALL night girl that you would actually want to fuck, "long time" can cost 1000b - 2000b in Bangkok and 1000b in Pattaya or Phuket. More if they know you're a noob. Some girls want that much just for short-time while some girls want much more. It all depends on where you are looking and who you are.

If he lives there, can speak a little Thai, is good looking and has some charm, he can get it less in some cases.

time to get a check up for all of them LOL - recover for a while after hhahahaha

Also, people tend to exaggerate when they talk about the price they pay for sex

My heart aches for the Isaan skanks of Nana and Patpong.

uh oh, k-man and liondollars doing it up 2night.. havent been 'out' in ages and wasnt aware of the 50% price cut.. u prolly just saved me some cash ;)

About time, the girls attitudes was getting out of control, they've had to good for to long, now my phone rings of the hook they expect I’ll still pay them the same price, fat chance now I can get two for the price of one. Book your flight toward the end of the month boys that's when they have to pay rent.

Brazil is the salvation on this hour... hahaha

Can you confirm the price cuts?

Damn, wish I was there right now.

Well thats not good news

Fantastic news.... especially since I am heading there this friday :)

brazil is the #1 sex tourist destination
?