Engulfed in sexual fantasyland
Jan 26, 2004
Encountering all sorts of kinky things from prostitutes, live sex shows, naked women in bathtubs, to gay orgies, Timothy Bukumunhe, reports on his trip to cover the sex industry in Bangkok, Thailand, that is notorious for lustful activities.
Encountering all sorts of kinky things from prostitutes, live sex shows, naked women in bathtubs, to gay orgies, Timothy Bukumunhe, reports on his trip to cover the sex industry in Bangkok, Thailand, that is notorious for lustful activities.
In the 80s, the British singer, Murray Head stormed the music charts with his hit single, One Night in Bangkok, that depicted the Kingdom of Thailand as the “sex capital of the world.â€
Naturally, his song did not go down well with the Thais. The single was promptly banned in Thailand, and Head was made a persona non grata in the country.
However on a recent trip to Thailand, it was plainly obvious to see where Head was coming from.
Located in the very heart of Bangkok is Patpong Road, one of the most famous red-light districts in the world.
There are so many prostitutes in Thailand, that the authorities admit to having at least 300,000 working prostitutes in Bangkok. That number gives you some idea of the scale of the sex industry in Thailand.
Patpong also reeks of corruption. The established businesses in Patpong pay “tea money†to the various authorities for both their legitimate and illegitimate activities, as do the street vendors.
Down the dark alleys lurk touts with laminated cards who try to lure you into the bars. The cards are suggestive enough with pictures of naked women in bathtubs, live sex shows and gay orgies.
They are so determined to sell them that they literally follow you down the mazes to make sure you buy whatever they are pedalling.
And there is also another product that attracts many men to Patpong –– a chance to engage in paedophilia.
Underage sex with young boys, and little girls just entering puberty is unfortunately what a number of perverted old men from Europe are looking for.
The paedophiles sit at a bar often rubbing their greasy palms over the bare chests of the young girls and putting their hands up their short skirts while kneading the crotches of the boys in a quest to satisfy their sexual thirst. Joining the paedophiles are the lady boys or katoeys in Thai. Some of these katoeys have been surgically fixed, and can pass for women, (so it would behove you to check for an Adams apple, their hands and their voice.)
And they too have a market. They flaunt themselves outside the bars often licking lollypops in a suggestive style, attempting to lure their prey.
What happens in Patpong is a far cry from the seedy happenings in Wandegeya, Ntinda, Kansanga and Kabalagala in Uganda. Amanda’s Angels and the other ekimansulo shows that we have been making noise about, are far too sedate and clean for the Thais.
In Patpong, our grubby guide, whom we met at the entrance to one of the sex bars, told us that everything goes.
“You want to have sex with a grandmother? I can arrange it. Gay orgies with Vietnamese who are just off the boat, I can bring for you. I can also get you young 14 and 11 year old boys and girls, if that is what you want,†he said.
To get an idea of what he was talking about, Albert Ayiga, the photographer and I set out to put him to his word.
As we walked down the dark streets, turning corners here and there and plunging deeper into the seedier parts of Patpong, our self-imposed guide took us to a brothel.
“Here you go, do boom, boom. Girl nice, nice. You be happy,†he told us in broken English as he drew on his cigarette, that was down to the butt. In a rich, air-conditioned setting with soft music and a pleasant lady behind the bar, this was one of the more down market brothels.
In one corner of the room, clad in white, silky, and skimpy outfits, sat the girls for sale. Each one wore a tag with a number, and bore similarities to the ones the Germans forced the Jews to wear during World War II.
“3,000 bhat ($50) if you want to have sex with them for half an hour,†said the bar lady, who looked like a madame.â€
The price aside, there was much more to the selection process than meets the eye. Punters are not allowed to touch the girls as they try to make their selection, but if they pay $3 as a “sample fee,†it allows them to touch their thighs and legs, as well as squeezing their tiny breasts to make sure they conform to their sexual needs.
Further down the street from the brothel is a pub that specialises in live sex shows.
We did not have the $20 entry fee to get in, so we missed it. So, the guide took us to other pubs. And what went on behind the doors at the show, quite frankly, even I who is a hardened, can say they were too much for me. But, I stuck it out!
However, back in the pub where Capital FMs Alex Ndawula, KLM’s Uganda Manager, Stella Otteskov, and others were perched, the strip show was getting under way.
You really need a hard stomach to sit through the show. They dipped their fingers in the most private part of their bodies, then later licked them. Need I deprave anymore?
The journalists flew to Bangkok courtesy of Kenya Airways, which flies there three times a week.
In the 80s, the British singer, Murray Head stormed the music charts with his hit single, One Night in Bangkok, that depicted the Kingdom of Thailand as the “sex capital of the world.â€
Naturally, his song did not go down well with the Thais. The single was promptly banned in Thailand, and Head was made a persona non grata in the country.
However on a recent trip to Thailand, it was plainly obvious to see where Head was coming from.
Located in the very heart of Bangkok is Patpong Road, one of the most famous red-light districts in the world.
There are so many prostitutes in Thailand, that the authorities admit to having at least 300,000 working prostitutes in Bangkok. That number gives you some idea of the scale of the sex industry in Thailand.
Patpong also reeks of corruption. The established businesses in Patpong pay “tea money†to the various authorities for both their legitimate and illegitimate activities, as do the street vendors.
Down the dark alleys lurk touts with laminated cards who try to lure you into the bars. The cards are suggestive enough with pictures of naked women in bathtubs, live sex shows and gay orgies.
They are so determined to sell them that they literally follow you down the mazes to make sure you buy whatever they are pedalling.
And there is also another product that attracts many men to Patpong –– a chance to engage in paedophilia.
Underage sex with young boys, and little girls just entering puberty is unfortunately what a number of perverted old men from Europe are looking for.
The paedophiles sit at a bar often rubbing their greasy palms over the bare chests of the young girls and putting their hands up their short skirts while kneading the crotches of the boys in a quest to satisfy their sexual thirst. Joining the paedophiles are the lady boys or katoeys in Thai. Some of these katoeys have been surgically fixed, and can pass for women, (so it would behove you to check for an Adams apple, their hands and their voice.)
And they too have a market. They flaunt themselves outside the bars often licking lollypops in a suggestive style, attempting to lure their prey.
What happens in Patpong is a far cry from the seedy happenings in Wandegeya, Ntinda, Kansanga and Kabalagala in Uganda. Amanda’s Angels and the other ekimansulo shows that we have been making noise about, are far too sedate and clean for the Thais.
In Patpong, our grubby guide, whom we met at the entrance to one of the sex bars, told us that everything goes.
“You want to have sex with a grandmother? I can arrange it. Gay orgies with Vietnamese who are just off the boat, I can bring for you. I can also get you young 14 and 11 year old boys and girls, if that is what you want,†he said.
To get an idea of what he was talking about, Albert Ayiga, the photographer and I set out to put him to his word.
As we walked down the dark streets, turning corners here and there and plunging deeper into the seedier parts of Patpong, our self-imposed guide took us to a brothel.
“Here you go, do boom, boom. Girl nice, nice. You be happy,†he told us in broken English as he drew on his cigarette, that was down to the butt. In a rich, air-conditioned setting with soft music and a pleasant lady behind the bar, this was one of the more down market brothels.
In one corner of the room, clad in white, silky, and skimpy outfits, sat the girls for sale. Each one wore a tag with a number, and bore similarities to the ones the Germans forced the Jews to wear during World War II.
“3,000 bhat ($50) if you want to have sex with them for half an hour,†said the bar lady, who looked like a madame.â€
The price aside, there was much more to the selection process than meets the eye. Punters are not allowed to touch the girls as they try to make their selection, but if they pay $3 as a “sample fee,†it allows them to touch their thighs and legs, as well as squeezing their tiny breasts to make sure they conform to their sexual needs.
Further down the street from the brothel is a pub that specialises in live sex shows.
We did not have the $20 entry fee to get in, so we missed it. So, the guide took us to other pubs. And what went on behind the doors at the show, quite frankly, even I who is a hardened, can say they were too much for me. But, I stuck it out!
However, back in the pub where Capital FMs Alex Ndawula, KLM’s Uganda Manager, Stella Otteskov, and others were perched, the strip show was getting under way.
You really need a hard stomach to sit through the show. They dipped their fingers in the most private part of their bodies, then later licked them. Need I deprave anymore?
The journalists flew to Bangkok courtesy of Kenya Airways, which flies there three times a week.