German documentary reignites sex tourism concerns for Thailand’s Pattaya

Concerns are being raised about the potential damage to Thailand’s overall tourism market due to a documentary by German media organisation Deutsche Welle (DW), which highlights Pattaya as a sex tourism destination. This documentary is currently blocked in Thailand.

Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi, the president of the Thai Hotels Association (THA), recalls a similar report about sex tourism in Pattaya from Germany around 20 years ago. That incident significantly affected the city’s tourism industry as it resulted in a substantial drop in visitor numbers.

Marisa emphasised the need for improved law enforcement to address the issue of illegal sex workers, a problem that has plagued Pattaya and other Thai destinations for several years. She also acknowledged that despite Pattaya’s evolution into a destination offering a diverse range of tourist attractions for families and the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) segment, it remains a challenge to fully eradicate the city’s sex tourism reputation.

In addition to her role as THA president, Marisa is the owner of three hotels in Pattaya. She proposed that the local administration and private sector could mitigate the issue by consistently promoting alternative tourism products and attractions to gradually replace the city’s sex tourism, reported Bangkok Post.

“Pattaya is a melting pot that welcomes various segments, regardless of nationality. It has local communities that can regularly attract tourists, such as the Takhian Tia tourism community. The city is also one of the most successful Mice hubs, as it has convention centres, an airport, and the upcoming Eastern Economic Corridor project nearby.”

Marisa also agreed with other tourism operators in Pattaya that late opening hours until 4am should not be applied city-wide. Instead, the Pattaya Municipality should establish entertainment zones to ensure other visitors, particularly families with children, are not disturbed by noise.

She emphasised that not all visitors come to Pattaya for entertainment or sex tourism and argued that allowing all entertainment venues to operate until 4am would negatively impact the majority of the city’s inhabitants.

Marisa also expressed that Pattaya should focus on maintaining and upgrading its infrastructure quality. As Pattaya has the ability to collect taxes and utilise its budget, she recommended that the city should prioritise environmental infrastructure improvements, such as wastewater treatment systems.