The Clean Up

[harry2]

On my last visit to Sunee last year I noticed that the gangs of street urchins that haunted Sunee in previous years had been swept away (no bad thing as it has enhanced the reputation of Sunee somewhat). But, what did the cops do with them all? Did they slam them in the slammer or send them back to their villages? We've all heard what happens in S. American when they clean up the street kids!! When I was last in Sunee in 2007, they were a nightmare: gangs of them all over the place begging, dealing, riding fast motorbikes, fighting etc. Can we be assured that they have all gone for good?

[timmberty]

harry... in england we have just had the big horse meat scandle ..
people used to say, im so hungry i could eat a horse, when it turns out they already where, they started to moan about it !!!
getting back on track ... lets hope they never test to find out what sort of meat is being sold on the thai roadside stools ..

[Geezer]

It was reliably reported a person who was in a position to know stated the incorrigible leader of the urchin gang would never pose a problem again.

It was implied he was engaged in feeding fish.

[harry2]

Fish!

Isn't that what big Ian (RIP) at Cafe Royale used to shout very loudly whenever a woman entered the bar?

[sclivejames]

Last time I was there,2 weeks ago or so,I was imtimidated by a young Thai male, trying to grab me for money,I gave him 20 b

[Geezer]

Last time I was there,2 weeks ago or so,I was imtimidated by a young Thai male,half African type features buckled teeth trying to grab me for money,I gave him 20 baht...

I can hardly imagine that. I've been going to Sunee Plaza regularly for years and never felt uncomfortable. I can't imagine anyone less intimidating than my own wimpy self.

I am usually gone by by 11 o'clock.

[sclivejames]

Well geezer you are on wheels im told :glasses7:
I dont wish to be rude but is that the right info i got ?
i really should be a psychic

[sclivejames]

sorry geezer........you still there? :dontknow:

[Geezer]

Yes, that's me. Of course being in a wheelchair the last six months I'm not alone, but in the years prior to that I was unaccompanied, but never felt threatened.

Oh, regarding the avatar. That photo was taken years ago in Burma; I had no mobility problems then. Farangs were required to be born on a palanquin when visiting a particular wat on a mountain.

[sclivejames]

Great to hear dear.........

I must have been lucky - in 13 years I never saw any "gang of urchins" in Sunee.

[francois]

Maybe not a gang but a "pack' might be more discriptive. Yes the urchins were there but now gone for the most part.

[Geezer]

The only time I saw them to recognize them was maybe 10 years ago, when the alpha male with a club in hand and perhaps 15 years old was striding purposefully down the soi in front of Ood's bar , his minions strung out in a line behind him. Had they not been parading together I would not have recognized them for what they were.

Now that I think about it that may be a pack prior to the one that was disbanded a year or so ago.

[harry2]

Agreed. A 'pack' is a better collective noun. They could be quite intimidating. Glue was the problem before yaba; sent them all nuts!!

[timmberty]

well at least they all used to stick together .. now its all for one and one for one ..
as much as i dont want to see kids hanging around sunee or any other entertainment place .. lets not forget they are people also ... im sure given different circumstances they would all much rather be in the arms of a loving family ..
sadly the world doesnt work like that ..
far from wishing harm to come to any of these kids .. id much rather harm came to the people who abuse them ..

[newalaan2]

Can we be assured that they have all gone for good?
This being Thailand/Pattaya/sunee, I dont think anything can be assured by anyone. On my early evening strolls from Mosaik, Day/night to Colonial..soi VC? I did notice a few younger types hanging around that particular soi every night, but non-threatening, only hanging around in 3's and 4's, but definitely urchin-type early teens.

But in the streets around the sunee bars there was no sign of any hanging around or being encouraged to from what I could see over the last couple of weeks. However, in the bars there seems to be a bit of an upsurge in younger looking boys of what seems to me to be borderline legal age. I was there a few times over the last month or so, maybe more regular visitors to Sunee can confirm this or not but a couple of the beerbars with screens seem to have quite young guys working out of them, (sawatdee/Cu/opposite good boys?) also I noticed Tum Yum was open again, never a good sign and Micmy definitely had borderline legal aged boys dancing.

It's a pity these Thai-owned bars continue to employ dodgy-aged guys as Sunee was quite busy and very pleasant to visit, it's the only thing which lets it down. Some evenings it was very busy around sunee, infact on one night I think around 9th Feb there was a birthday party at AllofMe and there was a huge attendance with tables set out right across the soi to Don Plaza and the length of Allofme bar and the restaurant next door, so packed it was, motorcycles were unable to pass.....that was a plus! I will post a more detailed review/trip report on Bkk/Pattaya when time allows.

[a447]

In my many visits to Sunee over the years I can not recall ever seeing "urchins" - except in some of the bars. I have not seen any young guys hanging around but that may be because I didn't go down any back streets - I was always walking down the streets with all the bars and I don't think "urchins" would have been tolerated there. They'd be bad for business.
Also, even if they were there, they could not have gotten up to much mischief with so many people all around them.
During the day I found the place totally deserted.


Newalaan2 wrote:
It's a pity these Thai-owned bars continue to employ dodgy-aged guys

Yes, I agree. But on a recent (last October, I think) foray into Niceboys, it was obvious that there is definitely a market for these type of boys - a HUGE market judging from the number of customers.

Very sad.

[lonelywombat]

I have been contributing to the Pattaya Street Kids projects and I am aware that one of their big jobs they undertake, is with the Hauy Phong orphans and Street Kids homes

I was told this by Rotary members, who said this was a combined project by a number of local groups.

This is the report I received after Xmas

https://mail-attachment.googleuserconte ... &sads=vRuf (https://mail-attachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment/u/0/?ui=2&ik=159590ab16&view=att&th=13c8584efbe7581d&attid=0.1&disp=inline&safe=1&zw&saduie=AG9B_P8blQFvqfDuZ02Yi7Jz322p&sadet=1361705070902&sads=vRuf)

Another site for the same org.

http://pattayakids.blogspot.co.uk/

[timmberty]

ah well done wombat .. i take it i can put you down for 10,000 baht when i run the pattaya marathon in aid of the PSK next year then... good man.

[pennyboy]

Just to clarify. Tom Yum has not re-opened. A new bar Cocktail Boys has opened where Tom Yum was located.
On my visit every boy appeared to me to be well over the legal age and all of the more manly type.

[newalaan2]

In my many visits to Sunee over the years I can not recall ever seeing "urchins" - except in some of the bars. I have not seen any young guys hanging around but that may be because I didn't go down any back streets - I was always walking down the streets with all the bars and I don't think "urchins" would have been tolerated there. They'd be bad for business.Also, even if they were there, they could not have gotten up to much mischief with so many people all around them. During the day I found the place totally deserted.Newalaan2 wrote:It's a pity these Thai-owned bars continue to employ dodgy-aged guysYes, I agree. But on a recent (last October, I think) foray into Niceboys, it was obvious that there is definitely a market for these type of boys - a HUGE market judging from the number of customers.Very sad.
Well there you go a447, it just shows how everybody notices different things and how things can change quickly. My last visit was recent, over the last month, and the soi I stroll along the nights I ventured to Sunee is certainly not a 'back street' it is the main drag from day/night to sunee running parellel with soi hollywood....soi VC? which has the middle-eastern establishments and Colonial and Samorn? and a newish karaoke, and there was definitely an assortment of 'urchins' in 2's, 3's, 4's hanging around, smoking, larking around, some just 'normal' looking teens with pals, but also some more 'unkept' types. They were there every night I passed. But I certainly did not see any near the main sunee bar area, as you are correct they wont be tolerated around the bars.

Also in regard to Nice Boys, I found virtually the opposite of what you saw, I did visit once and although I agree the bar was very busy I thought all the boys to be more of the older variety certainly compared to Mymic next door, and so many man-boys in Nice Boys about 75% to 25% femme/gay types. But every visit is going to be different.


Just to clarify. Tom Yum has not re-opened. A new bar Cocktail Boys has opened where Tom Yum was located.On my visit every boy appeared to me to be well over the legal age and all of the more manly type.
Thanks for the clarification "pennyboy" because of it's previous long held 'tradition' of empolying borderline legal aged boys I never visited the place for years, but sitting for coffee, beer and a laugh at Ouds Place next door a waiter/doorman working at TumYum I have known for many years told me it had re-opened but gave no idication of any changes...so of course I assumed it was same, same.

But if the underage element had been eradicated from this bar all the better for sunee....I just wish more of the Thai-owned bars would follow.