GOD closed, Sex industry squeezed?

[Mancs]

Another forum is saying the military has closed GOD club and there are repeat visits by the police to Soi Twilight to discourage foreign workers there. There are also reports of government/local government efforts in Pattaya to crack down on the sex industry. What are members who are in Thailand seeing on the ground?

[fountainhall]

This is also mentioned on a website titled FOURSQUARE (about which I know nothing - just googled G.O.D.) -

G.O.D. Bangkok
(Now Closed)

Elsewhere on the page it states Permanently closed

Nothing yet on sites like travelgayasia - but then that is often slow to update its information. The other forum suggests something about not having a proper licence. No doubt we will learn more in the coming days.

It also appears true that there have been two police visits to Soi Twilight go-go bars over the last few days. The targets were the Vietnamese, Cambodian and Lao boys working there without proper visas (i.e. most of them). These guys disappeared fast. Those presumably with some kind of visa were permitted to continue to work, but only in street clothes. That makes three police visits in 6 weeks - more than I can recall over such a short period of time since the first of Thaksin's Social Order campaigns back in 2001. At that time most bars were closed for a while and then subject to restrictions. After some weeks, they were back more or less to normal although shows were toned down. Since then raids have been far less common. Is this part of a new crackdown? Really hard to say. It will take a few more weeks before we find out.

Anyone know if the cluster of bars including Tawan, Super A, Golden Cock and Nature Boys had similar raids?

[Marsilius]

A "raid" on Nature Boys would be a bit of a misnomer, methinks. At most, the maximum police deployment would be just two officers - about all that could fit in the place.

[justaguy]

I have been to GOD (or Freeman as it was previously called) a few times. Would not associate the place with the sex for hire scene. I guess their closing times and licensing might have something to do with the closure.

[latintopxxx]

...never mind...grindr will come to the rescue...or at least will do until these idiots realise that their tea money has dried up...

[Nirish guy]

Well as I was always told it's (the) police who own it anyway I'm sure it'll be open again soon enough once enough (more) money has been paid over (again) .......and or they get their new supply in to distribute from the staff to the customers.......

[fountainhall]

Don't the BIB also own Classic Boys?

[arsenal]

So are the military putting the squeeze on the police for their cut. Oh the irony.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[fountainhall]

Little wonder that drinks prices are now so high! :D

[Mancs]

My source says the police came again tonight to soi twilight.

[arsenal]

There is a long standing rivalry between the police and the military. Thaksin was an ex policeman and look what happened to him.

[BonTong]

Don't the BIB also own Classic Boys?
5555 Definitely a long story we don't want to get into..........

[Mancs]

This has happened before. The police stopped foreign men working in Soi Twilight last June for some weeks.

[fountainhall]

My source says the police came again tonight to soi twilight.
This has been confirmed by a poster over on gaythailand who was in the bars last night.

[Oliver]

It was always on the cards that a right-wing military junta would , at some stage, turn its attention to the gay scene. The only protection that gay businesses have is their money....and I suspect that this could be running out in some cases.

[FarangRuMak]

Double Shot (Sunnee) Cambodians were taken away a few nights ago I hear. A clamp down on foreign workers seems to be the common theme in these raids rather than anything else.
What happened to the free movement of labour plan between the SE Asian nations?

[bkkguy]

What happened to the free movement of labour plan between the SE Asian nations?

its implementation is progressing according to plan, but I don't understand why you consider it relevant to this discussion

while I am sure many of us here would consider some of these guys "highly skilled" in the world's "oldest profession" I am not sure any ASEAN officials would consider them "skilled" in the eight "professions" currently included under the ASIAN Economic Community (AEC) rules and regulations - engineering, nursing, architecture, medicine, dentistry, tourism, surveying and accounting - and they would all fail to meet the requirements for years of training and experience, visa and work permits, and employer commitment to transfer of skills and knowledge to local employees and the eventual replacement of foreign employees with locals - all essential elements in the AEC commitment to "enhanced free movement of skilled labor"

http://www.aseanbriefing.com/news/2016/05/13/asean-labor-mobility.html

(http://www.aseanbriefing.com/news/2016/05/13/asean-labor-mobility.html)indeed the rules and regulations where put in place to prevent exactly what is happening in the sex trade - foreign workers flooding in and stealing dicks from the orifices of locals!


bkkguy

[fountainhall]

Given the age of some of those hitting the bars, maybe nursing and medicine might be more than appropriate LOL

[scottish-guy]

Surely these boys are skilled in a form of taxidermy?

[arsenal]

I've just enjoyed offs with Thais, Cambodians and Vietnamese so I love ASEAN.

[BOY69]

Because of the huge improvement in the Thai economy since the military junta took over cause that less thai are willing to work as go go boys ,this force the bars to employ non thai boys.

[frequent]

Because of the huge improvement in the Thai economy since the military junta took over

I do love a poster with a sense of humour - we have too few of them. fountainhall is more like the Rowan Atkinson character in Four Weddings & a Funeral, making a complete clusterfuck of conducting his first wedding. Earnest, but ...

[fountainhall]

Nice to see your character frequent, the very jovial Gareth, making a cameo appearance! Have you actually seen any other movies?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vBadGJp1hQ

[fedssocr]

Hasn't the scene been dying anyway?

I spent a bit of time on Soi Twilight last Sunday. Very quiet. Had dinner at Maxxis - lots of boys going into Xboys looked more Vietnamese to me.

Sat at Dick's for a drink. Several people ascended the stairs at Boys Bangkok only to come right back down a minute later. Presumably when they were asked to pay the high entry fee.

Overall not much traffic. But I guess it is low season, right?

At least the massage places will be in business for a while.

[fountainhall]

There are a lot of posts here and the other boards about how the scene is indeed slowly dying for a variety of reasons.

Anyone know if it is true G.O.D. is permanently closed?

I'm never quite sure when the high and low seasons start. Years ago December was the start. Then it moved to November, Then hotels got together and decided high season pricing would start in October, usually a very rainy month. With Songkran and Easter falling in April this year, I'd have thought at least part of the month should be high season. A few years ago when Easter was early April I took a holiday in Khao Lak the the following week and the hotel was absolutely packed with European families.

[scottish-guy]

Apart from maybe 3 weeks over Xmas/New Year "high season" now is about the equivalent of low season 15 years ago

[latintopxxx]

....and scotty on what basis do u say this?? Numbers in bars?? Foot traffic in boyztown?

[fedssocr]

as for high/low season - if the number of people at the airport is anything to go by, things seemed fairly low there. When I arrived (late Thurs evening, shortly after 11) lines at immigration were very short. On departure Friday morning things also seemed to be not so full. Although my Korean flight to Seoul was quite full.

General number of people around town seemed pretty good though. I presume many were tourists and not expats. It's crazy how full the BTS is all day long now. This was my first visit this time of year. The heat was unbearable for the most part. Things here is Seoul are so much cooler now...makes walking around all day more palatable.

[fountainhall]

It's crazy how full the BTS is all day long now.
The problem is that both lines have been extended by 5 or 6 stations but the BTS authorities keep refusing to add more carriages on the Sukhumvit line. This has 23 stations whereas the Silom line has just 13. Yet the Silom line trains mostly have 5 carriages and the Sukhumvit line just 4. It makes no sense! Crowding at Siam during the late afternoon rush hour is really bad and it's not uncommon to have to wait for at least 3 trains before you can get on!

[justaguy]

The problem is that both lines have been extended by 5 or 6 stations but the BTS authorities keep refusing to add more carriages on the Sukhumvit line. This has 23 stations whereas the Silom line has just 13. Yet the Silom line trains mostly have 5 carriages and the Sukhumvit line just 4. It makes no sense! Crowding at Siam during the late afternoon rush hour is really bad and it's not uncommon to have to wait for at least 3 trains before you can get on!

Actually they did add a carriage, (about 1.5 years ago), it used to be much much worse before that time. I stopped using it around that time, now I am back using the BTS, because in general it is pretty ok.

I don't think it makes any sense to add stuff to the silom line, in any case they still have the Saphan Thaksin bottleneck to worry about. Talk was they would demolish the station and add a walkway between the station and Surasak. To date nothing has been done to that effect.

[FarangRuMak]

ASEAN sure is more restrictive than the EU in terms of entry.
Looks like the oldest profession won't be allowed in any time soon even if applicants have all the skills.
The EU is as porous as a sieve; "children" with full beards were allowed into England from Calais last year.

[GWMinUS]

Another thread hijacked...

[Nirish guy]

But I like the way you put it right back on track there though yourself GWM........good work,

[newalaan2]

Another thread hijacked...
Anther thread hijacked by the 'announcement of thread hijacked' mob.

The GOD and DJ Station closing hours and closing permanently issue has been going on for months now. Back in October/nov when I visited DJ, it closed early without notice and GOD closed with no explanation, even after the go ahead to have bars open after the Kings death. Last visit Feb/March it was the same, DJ Station closed 2am suddenly on one of the Saturdays of my trip, I was with a friend who had never been at GOD and so the whole DJ crowd descended on an already full GOD, we didn't realise until we got in just how crowded it was, my friend was actually frightened at first with all the pushing and being carried along with the crowd when heading to upper levels, after a couple drinks he settled down especially after the realisation that 75% of the crowd where shirtless,and he had no option but to have to crowd next to skin and muscle that is always on show in GOD.

But we didn't stay long, as even getting served at the bars was a challenge. After a couple drinks and a look round the upper floors from where I could really see just how dangerous the situation might become on the lower floor even without a fire or some emergency requiring a speedy exit, it was more crush than crowd, we left.

On previous trips I always have at least 2 contacts in Soi 4 who would always know what the situation with DJ and GOD was going to be over the next few days, even they tell me there is just no reliable info now and things seem to change on a whim.

[Mancs]

I think those of us who have had a good time with the Vietnamese men or other guys from nearby countries can spread a bit of money around to help out when we are there. They are having a grim time at the moment. I will be there next week and will do that. I have said the same on the Gay Thailand forum.

[Brad the Impala]

The EU is as porous as a sieve; "children" with full beards were allowed into England from Calais last year.

Been reading the Daily Mail?

[Nirish guy]

Been reading the Daily Mail?

Or speak to my loving 80 something homophobic, bigoted, racist mother perhaps ( who is lovely of course EXCEPT for all those 80 something traits) as she was telling me just yesterday how it was "terrible" about "ALL" those bloody Muslims and what they're getting up to and how Donald Trump is a great man for trying to stop them - the I asked what she meant I was then told how how they were ALL flooding over the border and working illegally and hijacking planes and cutting the throats of innocent women and children and beheading "us" christian people every other day for absolutely nothing, but hey I wasn't to worry as it would be OK as Mr Trump was going to build a big wall to stop the, buggers and that "he'd sort them out" and it's a man like him that THIS Country needs - a man who even though he was a millionaire had given up all that and put his own money up "for the people" to make sure the Country is run right at last"

As this is about the 200th time we've now had "that" conversation I went through the usual NO, you've got it all all wrong you're sounding like a crazy person speech I may of course have been talking to the wall. When I asked why she thought all of this I was of course told that " Ohhhh I've seen it all on TV and read it in the news so you can't tell ME it's not happening !"

I should add that aside from being boody stupid in this regard my mother still has all her faculties about her so it's not a case of she's starting to loose the plot ( well apart from in a very obvious sense !) but she IS generally a "nice" person who is god fearing, goes to her church on a sunday type person- don't even start me on me being gay and having a Flipino BF who's half my age lol - THAT one I only roll out on special occassion's when I really want a laugh when we're down having tea perhaps and she starts perhaps talking about "those bloody immigrants" coming here - but quickly explains that "oh but that's not HIM of course as he's ok as he's a different sort of immigrant" - oh yes, afternoon tea can be SUCH a fun experience for us both when we go down - a real laugh a minute :-) Mothers eh, ya gotta love em - no, really you DO :-(

[FarangRuMak]

Been reading the Daily Mail?
I made a comparative mention of the EU being, as it is, open to mass migration and ASEAN which is as tight as a duck's arse when it comes even between fellow member states but others ran with it and tried to hijack the topic.
No, I don't read the Daily Mail but I saw the bearded "children" coming off the Calais ferry on live television and on recorded tv news broadcasts over a number of days after the incident.

[AsDaRa]

Or speak to my loving 80 something homophobic, bigoted, racist mother perhaps ( who is lovely of course EXCEPT for all those 80 something traits) as she was telling me just yesterday how it was "terrible" about "ALL" those bloody Muslims and what they're getting up to and how Donald Trump is a great man for trying to stop them - the I asked what she meant I was then told how how they were ALL flooding over the border and working illegally and hijacking planes and cutting the throats of innocent women and children and beheading "us" christian people every other day for absolutely nothing, but hey I wasn't to worry as it would be OK as Mr Trump was going to build a big wall to stop the, buggers and that "he'd sort them out" and it's a man like him that THIS Country needs - a man who even though he was a millionaire had given up all that and put his own money up "for the people" to make sure the Country is run right at last"

As this is about the 200th time we've now had "that" conversation I went through the usual NO, you've got it all all wrong you're sounding like a crazy person speech I may of course have been talking to the wall. When I asked why she thought all of this I was of course told that " Ohhhh I've seen it all on TV and read it in the news so you can't tell ME it's not happening !"

I should add that aside from being boody stupid in this regard my mother still has all her faculties about her so it's not a case of she's starting to loose the plot ( well apart from in a very obvious sense !) but she IS generally a "nice" person who is god fearing, goes to her church on a sunday type person- don't even start me on me being gay and having a Flipino BF who's half my age lol - THAT one I only roll out on special occassion's when I really want a laugh when we're down having tea perhaps and she starts perhaps talking about "those bloody immigrants" coming here - but quickly explains that "oh but that's not HIM of course as he's ok as he's a different sort of immigrant" - oh yes, afternoon tea can be SUCH a fun experience for us both when we go down - a real laugh a minute :-) Mothers eh, ya gotta love em - no, really you DO :-(

Smart mother. I would have formulated it differently (without the trust in Trump, who is obviously a fraud), but her instincts are right.

[scottish-guy]

Really?

For the Irish (or Scots) to stigmatise immigrants is quite something!

A little known fact: At the point of the Act of Union between Scotland and England in 1707, the Scots were 25% of the population. Now we are 8% and not all is explained by population growth in England.

[GWMinUS]

Tell us more Scotty.
It seems that Scotland did not have a Direct Boat to Calais back then.
Or maybe the Scots were all immigrating to the USA, our Proud New Country!!
I think that is how my ancestors got here...
;-)

[fountainhall]

maybe the Scots were all immigrating to the USA, our Proud New Country!!
I think that is how my ancestors got here...
;-)
Scottish emigration started in a big way with the Highland Clearances by the English landlords.

[scottish-guy]

In response to GWMinUS's request for more info - Fountainhall is basically right, save to say that some of the worst clearances were orded by Scottish landlords such as the Duke of Sutherland. The same traitors basically who sold Scotland into the hands of the English in 1707 for personal gain.

Understand that this was not a matter of "moving house" - these familes faced eviction from their crofts, lock, stock and barrel into the open (until they had built shelter for themselves) and into the most inhospitable areas of Scotland where it was well night impossible to exist. The choice was often as stark as emigrate or die. This was so that farm-able land could be turned over to sheep which were more profitable to the landlords than crofters.

As for the effect - yes much of the forced emigration was to the Americas:

"The Canadian Boat-Song expresses the desolation felt by those exiled from poor, but tight-knit communities with a longstanding, distinctive, and rich culture: "Yet still the blood is strong, the heart is Highland, And we in dreams behold the Hebrides."

The diaspora was worldwide, but emigrants settled in close communities in Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia (Antigonish and Pictou counties and later Cape Breton), the Glengarry and Kingston areas of Ontario and the Carolinas of the American colonies. Canadian Gaelic was widely spoken for some two centuries. One estimate for Cape Breton, Nova Scotia has 25,000 Gaelic-speaking Scots arriving as immigrants between 1775 and 1850. At the beginning of the 20th century, there were an estimated 100,000 Gaelic speakers in Cape Breton, but because of economic migration to English-speaking areas and the lack of Gaelic education in the Nova Scotian school system, the numbers of Gaelic speakers fell dramatically. By the beginning of the 21st century, the number of native Gaelic speakers had fallen to well below 1,000,[38] though Highland surnames (and Roman Catholic confession) are still common in areas of Nova Scotia, such as in the town of Antigonish and the island of Cape Breton.

Highland surnames are also widespread in Canada, the USA, Australia, and New Zealand.

The clearances were an influential theme in Scots literature, with notable examples such as Consider the Lilies, a novel by Iain Crichton Smith" WikiPedia

The emptying of Scotland continued during the Potato Famine in the 19th Century and even right up to the 1950s and 60's boatloads were leaving for the USA/Canada/Australia/New Zealand.

It is only comparitively recently (my guess is in the last 20yrs) that the population of Scotland has started to recover as a result of fewer people leaving and more people immigrating, mainly from the EU states

It is difficult to put a figure on the size of the Scottish diaspora because the census procedures for many (or most?) countries do not include an option to identify oneself as "Scottish", merely "British" - but it has been widely estimated at up to 100 million

Interestingly GWM mentioned a boat to Calais (with I think your tongue firmly in you cheek) - but the French and the Scots have always been great friends and allies, usually against the English :lol:

I was talking to a late 20's French guy in Vietnam just last week and even he was aware of the Auld Alliance which still exists.

However he was perplexed when I mentioned that we had shared a Queen in the 16th century and that had she died without issue then her husband would have inherited her claim to the throne of England. A claim which was ultimately successful when her son became James VI of Scotland and James I of England.

No doubt the OFF TOPIC crew will be screaming by now but I stress I am only answering GWMinUs's query

[fountainhall]

the French and the Scots have always been great friends and allies, usually against the English :lol:
I can still remember my Scottish grandmother talking about ashets (large dishes) and "dinna fash yoursel" (don't bother about it) - ashet and fash coming from the French language, I believe

And was it not "Queen" James VI and I as he had a considerable number of male lovers and favourites starting around 14 years old or thereabouts? :eek:

As for GOD's closing, I wonder if anyone has been on Silom late evening to update the situation.

[Nirish guy]

As for GOD's closing, I wonder if anyone has been on Silom late evening to update the situation.

My friend is there as I type and confirms that yes GOD is closed - well was closed last night certainly as he went and looked and as he's sitting in Balcony bar just now and being told same by the waiters re tonight / the near future sees no reason to disbelieve them - however TIT so as before it could open again anytime once enough shekels have crossed the right persons hands I'm sure.

[latintopxxx]

funny how its always the fault of the English....their own leaders eviicted them...but NOOOOO its the fault of the evil English

[scottish-guy]

You read without comprehension

[Nirish guy]

You read without comprehension

Lol - well done - you only half bit Sg :-) And LT - just in case you missed it.....

[QUOTE=scottish-guy - "]save to say that some of the worst clearances were orded by Scottish landlords .........The same traitors basically who sold Scotland into the hands of the English" :-)

Ha, so as much as I'm sure he'd love to I don't think even SG is trying to blame the English on this one ( although give him a minute and I'm sure he'll come up with several reasons why it MIGHT have been there fault ! But, for now, he certainly hasn't done so in the above post - but good try eh :-)

[arsenal]

An interesting piece by Scottish but let's not give him too many Brownie points for reasonableness in the face of undeniable historical facts. Few invaders throughout history have been successful without the assistance or almost immediate acquiescence of at least some of the existing population. Especially if self interest is involved. When it gets intellectual Latin you should probably keep quiet and stick to your preferred nonsense. .

As I always say to anyone who complains about the way the English/British behaved in the previous 4 centuries. What did you expect, we were building an empire and you can't do that with please and thank you..

[fountainhall]

As I always say to anyone who complains about the way the English/British behaved in the previous 4 centuries. What did you expect, we were building an empire and you can't do that with please and thank you..
Did any country build an empire for anything other than access to trade, access to raw materials, huge amounts of gold and silver and other loot, new markets for the goods made with many of those same raw materials and generally increasing national wealth through exploitation?

[latintopxxx]

Post WW2 the germans seem to be doing a damn fine job. No soldiers just aid which inevitably morphs into excellent business contacts. meanwhile the US (supported by its English speaking lap dogs) handles all the nastly stuff to do with killing/wars.

[latintopxxx]

yes irish...but his whole rant was how it was basically the fault of the English...lets just get to the point...
and arseboy...intellectually I'd run circles around u....easily...at least judging by your inane posts

[arsenal]

Fountainhall. No.
Sexual Deviant. No. You wouldn't.

[fountainhall]

Fountainhall. No.
Referring to which in particular?

[arsenal]

Your last post which was a single question minus the ?.

[fountainhall]

Aha! Now I understand the point of the 'No'. But what do you mean about "minus the ?"? This is what I wrote -


Did any country build an empire for anything other than . . . increasing national wealth through exploitation? Did I miss something - or did you?

[arsenal]

It was me.
🤓

[scottish-guy]

yes irish...but his whole rant was how it was basically the fault of the English...

I said exactly the opposite - maybe the syphillis has finally reached your brain

[arsenal]

Still fancy your chances Sexual Deviant. Haha. You can't read or write English properly so how are you going to debate with me. What subject is your degree in? Haha. Sexual Deviant Latin, full member of the intelligentsia. Yea right.
ROFL.

[latintopxxx]

im bored. clearly my ability to detect alternative facts is working.

[frequent]

and arseboy...intellectually I'd run circles around u....easily...at least judging by your inane posts

Of course you would - he lives in Pattaya for god's sake

[scottish-guy]

I can't recall LatintopXXX ever posting anything remotely intellectual - can anyone else?

I can only conclude that either he must be hiding his light under an enormous bushel, or just deluding himself as to his cognitive abilities

:aggressive:

[arsenal]

Sexual Deviant is to reasoned, informed debate what Japanese whalers are to Greenpeace.

[Patanawet]

Is GOD closed or not?

[Nirish guy]

It's already been confirmed at least 3 times within this thread that yes GOD is closed. I'm assuming you didn't read it just before posting.

[Patanawet]

It's already been confirmed at least 3 times within this thread that yes GOD is closed. I'm assuming you didn't read it just before posting.
Sorry that I didn't make my question clear for you ---- let me rephrase it in a way that you might understand ---- has GOD closed permanently or simply on the nights that other posters visited?

[frequent]

Is GOD closed or not?

Here (http://archives.relevantmagazine.com/god/god-closing-doors-actually-good-thing)'s your answer, especially relevant at this time which celebrates one of the earliest recorded Fake News stories

[scottish-guy]

Trust fucking queens to bring religion into Easter

[Nirish guy]

Sorry that I didn't make my question clear for you ---- let me rephrase it in a way that you might understand ---- has GOD closed permanently or simply on the nights that other posters visited?

Let me re phrase my answer in a way you might understand - it's THAILAND - WHO KNOWS ! It's currently "closed" - the doors are not open, you can't go in. But the building is still there and they haven't knocked it down or anything. It's been closed for months at a time in the past and then reopened again, this time it is closed again, as to whether or not it will re open again who knows. The reasons for these closures have already been discussed at length in this thread. There, I hope that answer is clear enough for you to understand.

[fountainhall]

Here (http://archives.relevantmagazine.com/god/god-closing-doors-actually-good-thing)'s your answer, especially relevant at this time which celebrates one of the earliest recorded Fake News stories
Once again another wholly irrelevant and utterly pathetic response that has absolutely nothing to do with the question. But then, what did we expect from a poster with such a child's mentality? He actually thought he was being funny! Desperate!:D

[gregvc]

I know that it is closed but what under what reasons?

[latintopxxx]

This is Thailand. No reason needed.

[Nirish guy]

And any reason offered here by any farang you can bet will NOT be the ACTUAL reason ( if there even is one) anyway so not really worth even trying to find out, lets just hope it opens again shortly.

[Mancs]

GOD still closed when I left Bangkok on Tuesday. Police often on Soi Twilight so foreign workers keeping their heads down. A recent report on Thai Visa of bars on Khao San being forced to close early. Reports of 'clean up' of Pattaya but it will take more than warm words and an official stroll round to do that.

[BOY69]

The Thai junta government strike again...