This Thai Post piece says the number of bars offering sex services is falling, as Thai gays become more open, and 'mainstream' outlets spring up to cater to the pink dollar.
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As gays become more mainstream, the number of bars where men can buy gay sex is falling, according to a Thai newspaper.
Thai Post says that as the number of gays increases, so to does the number of mainstream services catering to their needs - from gay pubs to discos, to webboards on the internet. At the same time, the number of seedy 'gay bars' is falling (think a-go-go bars in Silom). Gays just don't need them any more.
The only people still buying gay sex from such places, it says, are no-hopers, or those who have to protect their name...because there are so many more legitimate ways to meet gays these days.
According to one industry insider, most people who buy gay sex are high-so types or famous people, senior government servants, politicians and entertainers. Some might go for higher-end services that can guarantee their anonymity.
'The new generation of gays don't use sex services, because there are many more places around these days for people to meet.'
In the entertainment district it is still common to see young women offering to sell themselves to men, but it is less common to see young men selling themselves.
As gays take on a bigger role in society, and more people come out, some might think that the number of sex services would increase too. In fact, the opposite is happening, the report says.
'Of course we still have the off-bars, where boys clad in their underwear perform dance shows, or gay bars...but if you were to ask about the business of selling or buying sex, it' s dropped off markedly,' said the source, a gay man who has worked in the industry for more than 10 years.
'These days, gays are coming out in increasing number. Young gays are coming together as boyfriends. They don't need such services.'
Gay activist Nati Teerarojanapong reckons the number of traditional outlets selling sex has dropped 10%, as young gays now have more places to meet.
'Those places are getting quieter, and eventually will die out. These days gays who go out to buy sex are the no-hopers. No one is interested any more. Why let someone trick you out of your money?
'Gays who still buy sex services are just the famous types, company hotshots, senior government servants, politicians...people who have a name in society. Importantly, they also include actors, singers, and others in entertainment circles.
'These groups still use prostitutes, because they can't be up front. They do what they have always done: they call one of these places and ask them to send a boy over to see them.'
The newspaper spoke to a former prostitute, Tor, a former a-go-go dancer in Silom who also let customers take him home.
'The gays who used to visit bars like my one no longer come. They are more likely to go to pubs now. Many gay pubs have sprung up. They meet each other there, and find boyfriends.
'Gays meet each other more easily than do men and women, and can come out to each other at work. They no longer need to place where they can release and let go, like they did when they were still in the closet.
'When gays are no longer coming to gay bars, prostitutes have to find new work, although they can still take on odd jobs. The result is that the number of gay male prostitutes has fallen, which has improved the image of the gay community.'
Gay bars down 10%, gay hustling on the Internet up 50%?
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame the newspaper did not look at the growth of people peddling sex on the internet.
ReplyDeleteWebsites where people can post pics and leave their phone number accomplish much the same thing, only they are making contact via the internet rather than in a bar.
As for gay gymns and saunas - when did they suddenly become sex-free? The story also failed to define exactly what it meant by a traditional gay bar, the type it said were under threat.
It may simply be that people have more choice these days about where to - ahem - 'meet' people.