Sukhumvit, one big nightlife and prostitution area?

Sukhumvit has long been housing Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy and Thermae about right in the middle between the other two main entertainment areas. Beerbars at Nana Plaza in front of the ground floor a-go-go bars are the rule, and Soi Zero under the highway has been around also for quite a few years now(though never very successful)
About two years ago Clinton Plaza, close to Thermae, became a major attempt at creating another a-go-go entertainment place, located just 50 meters from Sukhumvit road, in a prime location. However, due to 'legal' problems and a tendency by bar managers to charge high prices, it never really took off, and remains a secondary venue.
The last couple of years also saw the development of a beerbar area close to Soi Cowboy on the corner between Asoke road and Sukhumvit road. Various sections of the rather large area are known as Asoke Plaza, and Asoke corner. An (in) famous bar called Lolita, apparently specializes in 'deep throat' like activities.
Just recently on the opposite side of the road from Thermae, at so called Sukhumvit square a new assortment of beer bars are developing. Sukhumvit square started of as an agglomerate of shops selling various Thai art and handicrafts. Probably the shops did not make enough money to pay the rent, and developing a new area for the girls to ply their trade, seemed to be a solution for that problem. Quite a few larger sized bars there, mostly in open air, with some attractive girls.
This proliferation of beerbars and also of 'traditional Thai massage' places, certainly has something to do with the economic crisis that developed in the years following 1997. On the other hand, more and more tourists are coming to Thailand, creating a enlarging market for prostitution in various forms.

What is certainly new the last few years is active freelancer activity throughout central Sukhumvit. Girls are 'available' in front of Robinson department store, close to Ambassador hotel, and on the other side of the road, in front of Pacific place (close to Landmark hotel). Furthermore, quit a few girls take up position in the evening and night, between soi 3 and soi 5 (soi Foodland). When walking at night in between Soi Cowboy and Nana Plaza, it is quite impossible for male wanderers, not to get various propositions. Katoeys are around close to Nana intersection and in front of Ambassador (there is a narrow passage in between Ambassador entrance and a tourist information kiosk, where a lot of them are located). At night some of them seem to prefer the pedestrian bridge crossings. Watch out for your wallet!

The Foodland area at night has become a place where quite few unsavory characters hang out, including prostitutes, pimps, mobile telephone 'operators' etc.

All in all, central Sukhumvit road, in between Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy, a stretch of road about 1.5 km long, has become one large entertainment area with lots of beerbars and freelance prostitutes. It is quite puzzling why the development of a freelance market is being tolerated by the authorities, especially in view of the crackdown on other parts of the entertainment scene (go-go bars at Nana Plaza in particular). For sure Sukhumvit is becoming an area of low grade criminality. Hopefully this development does not go much further. Unfortunately, police in Bangkok have a habit of either driving around on motorcycles or directing traffic (or sitting in the traffic control boxes). Not much walking around, checking out the area. Just a few policemen walking down the sidewalk of Sukhumvit, would do wonders in controlling the illegal activities going on there.
Besides the description above it has to be noted that pornographic material is widely displayed and available on the sidewalk. While certainly illegal, there seems to be no enforcement fo the law.

More Articles :

• Which bars to go to in 2008?
• The Rise of Soi Cowboy
• Thugs and the Entrance to the Bars
• What about the Show Girls at Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy
• Where to see the Shows?
• A review of the competition : Other Websites covering the Nightlife in Bangkok
• Common Rip Offs and Minor Dangers
• Happy Hours at Soi Cowboy
• About Lady Boys (Katoeys)
• More : The Return of the Lady Boys (Katoeys)
• Sukhumvit : Museum of Horrors
• Sukhumvit : Street Prostitution
• Cost of living in Thailand
• Is there a need for Nudity (and where can you see the girls?)
• Expensive Drinks at Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy
• About getting some Water, and about the Noise Levels in the Bars
• The Invasion of the Arabs and Indians along Sukhumvit Road
• Our preferred Bars at Nana Plaza and Soi Cowboy
• The Japanese and the Bars
• Rapid and slow Turnover Bars - What is that?
• Stephen Leather : The Private Dancer, the ultimate Novel about the Bar Scene
• Escort Services in Bangkok and Thailand
• List of Escort Services (websites)

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