Skin Trade

[Deadbolt]

Just finished reading a book "Travels in the Skin Trade-Tourism and the Sex Industry." It's about bg/farang relationships, but also goes more in depth into the economic and cultural side of Thailand and the Bangkok bar scene in 1996
Anybody read it?

They posed a question at the end of the book that made me wonder "hmm.. what would the boys on the forum say?"

Here goes--Would Westerners still spend a sizeable portion of their time and income to travel halfway around the world to Thailand for a holiday, if the girls in the bars were as indifferent, as educated, and as expensive as those in the West (i.e.- your home country)?

From reading bm posts in the past, you all seem like an intelligent bunch, so the answers should be interesting.

[butterflyblonde]

Yes I have the book and yes I would still go.

I enjoy the bar scene and the women but that part takes second place for me now, I go thailand for a holiday and to enjoy all the things I love about this country.

If the in thailand women were more like the western counterparts then I would have a wank instead while I'm there.

[LivinLOS]

Its a kind of loaded question..

I would still want to go to a place that was equally as 'fun' now how much of the nightlife fun is created by loose women.. Only partly is that an appeal but its also that part that in turn gets lots of fun loving lads out here and creates the 'baseline' for the vibe of the night..

So I guess what I am saying is I would go to any party place including Thailand if it didnt have the working women IF it was still alive and bouncing and a top laugh night.. If however it was dull slow dreary then no I wouldnt..

So it isnt the girls themselves but the environment created around the girls that appeals.. I dont know if you can easily have one without the other..

[marc26]

Originally Posted by LivinLOS

Its a kind of loaded question..

I would still want to go to a place that was equally as 'fun' now how much of the nightlife fun is created by loose women.. Only partly is that an appeal but its also that part that in turn gets lots of fun loving lads out here and creates the 'baseline' for the vibe of the night..

So I guess what I am saying is I would go to any party place including Thailand if it didnt have the working women IF it was still alive and bouncing and a top laugh night.. If however it was dull slow dreary then no I wouldnt..

So it isnt the girls themselves but the environment created around the girls that appeals.. I dont know if you can easily have one without the other..

which came 1st the chicken or the egg dilema

again, i think we are lyign to ourselves when we say its nto about the girls. yes, we have all met great friends, a huge help from this board, but most activities revolve around the girls. take them out of the situation and there is a big void. its plain and simple, and if you say thats not true, you are lying to yourself.

sefton, that second part wasnt directed at you, i quoted you with the chicken dilemna

[LivinLOS]

Yeah I agree with ya..

No matter how ambivalent you are to the girls the fun part of Patong is the bars and nightlife.. I dont think that kind of nightlife is possible without the girls..

So even if your not after the girls directly your enjoying the fun of the environment created by the girls.

What came first ?? The pussy or the pimp ??

[odysseus]

for me the answer is that my attitude has changed by exposure to LOS.

1st time here i simply picked Phuket more or less at random. My boss insisted i take some backed-up vacation time and on short notice i headed solo to Patong. I had no prior knowledge of Thailand (beyond general stuff) and was not especially impressed by asian women - being up to that time almost pheremonally drawn to blondes. So i can't say the gals were instrumental in my choice of destination - price and availability were far more telling.

However, i remember clearly landing at BKK and feeling with absolute certainty that i LOVED this country, hard to explain fully. Phuket confirmed all this for me, the country, people, food, relaxed atmosphere - all of it was wonderful.

It didn't take long, require a map, directions or giudance to find Bangla Rd my 1st nite. Thought i'd play it cool for a while, look around, suss things before getting involved......... nope, in short order found a beerbar i liked, few LD's bought and BF'd a friendly sort. I was hooked.

Would it be so attractive if not for the TG's?

for me, of course not. the girls are an integral part of what makes this such a perfect place, without them Phuket would still have beautiful beaches, weather etc but i think i would be looking elsewhere for my vacations.

I've visited many lovely parts of the world and would even want to return to some but honestly scenery, museums, culture, intelligent conversation etc - i can get that many places (at home too). what i can't get is the overall experience that comes from spending time in LOS

Odysseus

[ashley]

When I lived in Japan I went to Southeast Asia purely for the beautiful beaches, great nightlife, terrific food and relaxing atmosphere. It is cheap, has great weather and is so different from any other place. I don't think the women aspect drew me there at all. My first few trips were with my girlfriend so there was no P4P going on there.
I think now that I live back in Canada it is just too far to go for a holiday. There are much closer places to travel to for a week if you are looking for beautiful beaches and a relaxing atmosphere.
In all honesty I don't think the women are that big of an importance to most of the guys. Maybe I am being narrow minded, but I think a holiday is what you make of it. Wherever you may go, it is about the time you make for yourself, the people you meet and the memories you keep.
I will miss my yearly visits to LOS, just can't do those 20 hour flights!!

Enjoy LOS for everything that is has to offer!

Cheers,

Ashley

[jimholio]

I think the main thing about Thailand for us European tourists are that its very cheap to stay there. If Thailands economy would get a great boost i think they would lose alot of tourists too.

Going to Greece, Spain or wherever for 3 weeks to get some sun almost costs us as much as going to Thailand. The planeticket is cheaper but the living costs are extremely high in comparison to Thailand.

[LivinLOS]

Its been made more cheap post 97 / 98 asian currency crisis Jim.. used to be 25 baht to the USD then and land on Phuket was not being snapped up like it is now..

I would have figured that as currency halved prices would have just doubled to compensate but am told that didnt really work like that..

For me I went on a life changing trip by going to Bali.. It was my first time in the tripics despite LOTS of overland travel.. I just knew within a week I was going to live in the tropics.. SE asia bit me..

[Equanimous]

Originally Posted by Deadbolt

Just finished reading a book "Travels in the Skin Trade-Tourism and the Sex Industry." It's about bg/farang relationships, but also goes more in depth into the economic and cultural side of Thailand and the Bangkok bar scene in 1996
Anybody read it?

They posed a question at the end of the book that made me wonder "hmm.. what would the boys on the forum say?"

Here goes--Would Westerners still spend a sizeable portion of their time and income to travel halfway around the world to Thailand for a holiday, if the girls in the bars were as indifferent, as educated, and as expensive as those in the West (i.e.- your home country)?

From reading bm posts in the past, you all seem like an intelligent bunch, so the answers should be interesting.

I read the book a few years ago in Laos. 90%+ of the skin trade is made by local people, not tourists like us. That industry would not be sustainable if it was only consumate by tourism.
And these books are alway trying moralize the wrong people, the people that are really responsible will never read that type of book anyway. I'm a responsible person and I enjoyed myself greatly in Patong 2 years ago, that doesn't make me a monster or a degenerate, everything equalizes itself in the world, we need to vent out frustrations and desires one way or the other, and we do it without mistreating anyone, unlike the locals who will refuse to wear condoms or hit the girls.
CIAO