Pedophile busted in Switzerland with strong links to Pattaya.

[Dodger]

I'm sure many did contact the authorities when they witnessed these types of activities, but as said before, the whole scene was corrupt.

I know some visitors who get appalled just at that mere fact that so many young people (boys & girls) are involved in prostitution. Prostitution is viewed by a very large portion of western society as a moral taboo with people who engage with prostitutes as being on low moral footing. I also know that one of the precepts of Buddhism regards prostitution as a source of negative karma which should be avoided, thus the reason that prostitution is illegal in Thailand (at any age). At the same time you will see Love Shacks operating in and around every town of any size to service the needs of married men who want sex with someone other than their wives. Their wives, friends, family members, neighbors and even the water buffalo's turn a blind eye to this cultural practice the same way they turn a blind eye when their children head to places like PTY and BKK to sell their wares. In this real-life scenario, both parties fully consent, nobody hears the tree falling in the forest, so the tree didn't fall. This is the way Thais think.

If you ever have the chance to visit the REAL Thailand, outside of Bangkok and Pattaya, you'll be surprised at how many houses and farm lands are scattered across Isaan because of farang sponsorship. There are also many children who went on the get college level educations with the money their working brothers and sisters send home from their earnings on the stage. This is just a reality. Hopefully, for them, the economy will continue to grow and the level of education will be raised to the point that prostitution will be a thing of the past...similar to the Roman Empire.

[Gaybutton]

there has been a significant decline in the number of underaged workers on the scene

Very significant. There are none at all and there hasn't been any for years now.

I'd like to make that clear to everyone reading this topic - there are NO under-age sex workers in any of Pattaya's gay bars or even plying the streets anymore. None. Zero. Nada. They're gone and have been gone for years. That has all been cleaned up. That applies to both go-go bars and beer bars and applies to Boystown, Pattayaland, Sunee Plaza, and Jomtien Complex.

However, there still are places you have to watch out for. You know where? The gay hookup sites. Be careful when using sites such as Planet Romeo, Grindr, Hornet, etc. Those sites won't let boys register if they list their age as under 18, so sometimes you'll find boys who say they are 18+, but are not. These sites have no way to verify the actual age of anyone who registers. If you find yourself interested in a boy on one of these sites whose age seems questionable, I advise avoiding him or insisting that he bring his ID card with him so you can check his age. And make damned sure the ID card is actually his - not one he borrowed from a friend or relative.

[firecat69]

I guess it depends on your definition of years now? How long is that? As I get older and older I find it hard to remember but my definition of years ago , it does not seem so long since that upstairs GoGo Bar in Sunee ( name escapes me) was trafficking in underage boys . Also I know it was not that long ago (maybe 18 months) that I walked by a Massage Parlor near TukCom where I'd be willing to bet some ( if not most ) of the boys out front were for sure of questionable age.
Certainly not that long ago that Beer had boys of questionable age fully dressed sitting on stage in Nice Boys.

Is it much better now then it was . Of course it is and probably getting better every year. But for sure the stink remains which is at least one of the reasons Sunee has gone downhill.

Yes most of it has been eradicated but certainly not all. And thailand is certainly not the only country in the world with the problem of underage sex. It happens everywhere in the world since there are pedophiles everywhere.

[Gaybutton]

it does not seem so long since that upstairs GoGo Bar in Sunee ( name escapes me) was trafficking in underage boys . Also I know it was not that long ago (maybe 18 months) that I walked by a Massage Parlor near TukCom where I'd be willing to bet some ( if not most ) of the boys out front were for sure of questionable age.

I don't know about the massage parlors. I never go. But when I pass by them it is obvious that at least none of the boys sitting outside are under age. I have no idea abut the boys inside. Most of the time the boys outside are sitting there staring into their mobile phones, but they look old enough to me.

That upstairs bar (If I recall correctly it was called Tom Yum Bar) has been closed at least 3 years by now. It was that mama-san there who was responsible for the under-age boys. He was arrested at least twice for procuring under age boys for farang "clients." Both times he quickly got out of it somehow. He disappeared from the scene about 2 years ago. The story I heard was he was arrested yet again and this time ended up with a prison sentence, but I have not been able to verify that. In any case, he's gone.

Yes most of it has been eradicated but certainly not all.

In all probability that is true, but at least it's gone from the gay bars.

My guess is most of whatever still takes place is underground. To find places like that you probably have to know somebody or pay the right people.

[thaifarang]

In my short sex tourism life (first Thailand trip in 2014) I have indeed not witnessed anything suspicious in the gay venues. Of course sometimes you see a boy in a bar who can pass for 17, but I always ask ID and it always turned up fine. Besides there is a double check: hotels also ask for it.

I have seen however things - not in the gay venues - which sometimes made me wonder. For example I saw once in one of the shopping malls two Farang men with a Thai boy who looked like 10-12. The boy clearly belonged with them. My first thought was: "Are this two gay pedos with their boy prostitute?". But then I thought: "Isn't that unlikely, would they walk with a boy so publicly in a mall if it is true what I am thinking, would they risk that?". Then my second thought was: "It can of course be the son of one of them, maybe one of them married a Thai girl and the other man is his brother or so". But the boy didn't look mixed race to me. I found it a bit suspicious. I didn't call police because I just wasn't sure.

So I have seen events like this. But the gay venues seem clean to me also.

If you ever have the chance to visit the REAL Thailand, outside of Bangkok and Pattaya, you'll be surprised at how many houses and farm lands are scattered across Isaan because of farang sponsorship.

I have been to Buriram once. But I can not see when looking at a house or farm land that it is Farang sponsored. So I am sure you only know this because you talk with the people there and they tell you about that Farang are sponsoring the village?

The real Thailand used to be the country side indeed, because that is were most Thais used to live. Now however majority lives in cities ( http://www.tradingeconomics.com/thailan ... -data.html ). The real Thailand becomes more and more the city dwellers.

[Gaybutton]

I didn't call police because I just wasn't sure.

You know who would have been in trouble if you had? YOU. Nobody, including the police, takes kindly to someone making accusations that have absolutely no basis, against people who are perfectly innocent and have done nothing wrong. I don't know anywhere in the world where simply walking with a child is a crime or is any reason to arouse suspicion.

Of course you weren't sure. You couldn't possibly have any idea why they were with a boy so young. Among the possibilities that apparently you didn't consider is the boy could easily have been the brother or son of one of those men's boyfriend. There are many reasons why they might have been with that child, none of which are any of your concern.

When you're in Thailand, you're here as a tourist. You're not here to act as an agent for the police. If you witness a farang having sex with a young boy in a toilet or something, that's when to call the police. If wherever you are has a security guard, alert him instead.

Other than that, you had better mind your own business.

[Dodger]

GB...Very well stated.

Back in 2007 or 2008 (can't remember) my partner Thep and I hosted a visit from his family which was a 4 day event.

One afternoon I took one of Theps nephews named Pan for a trip to Big C to buy him some clothes in preparation for him going back to school in a few weeks. Pan was 12 or 13 at the time. Honestly I felt a bit uneasy about this especially considering the fact that Pan always held my hand when we went places which he started do at about age 7 when I first united with Thep's family up in Si Saket. No one said anything but we did receive some stares along the way. I couldn't help what people were thinking - and frankly didn't care. I was (and still am) considered to be a member of Thep's family with Pan and 3 other kids in the family looking up to me as they would their fathers.

[Gaybutton]

As to the bars, I will relate my experience

How long ago were these experiences?

Also, I don't know what happened, but a 5th page of the posts on this topic is missing. I did not delete them. My guess is this might be a result of the database problems Moses told me about (see: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=8380 )

Thaifarang submitted a post that caused him to be banned. That post was on the now missing page.

[Oliver]

That is true. And beware of falsifed or borrowed ID cards . I've twice sent away guys on Planet Romeo from my hotel because I believed neither what was on the site nor the veacity of their cards. The hotel had passed them. I discussed this with the recptionist (very experienced in the ways of Boyztown) and was told that all that the hotel can do is to verify the age on the card. Obviously a forensic examination would be impossible. And judging ages is always difficult.
I notice that one of these young men is still active on Romeo and I calculate that, in fact, he must have been at least twenty when I sent him away. I don't regret my action however....and I did pay him.