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After being invited to a bar crawl on Khaosan Road, Zara gets under the skin of Bangkok’s notorious red light district, Soi Cowboy - but filming is swiftly shut down by local bar owners and the police. When Zara meets Mike Yu, a young British expat living a life of luxury in the Thai capital, she realises there is more to the city than meets the eye. Meanwhile, a visit to the Bangkok Immigration Detention Centre exposes how easy it is to get caught on the wrong side of the law in Thailand.
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00:00Evening to Thailand
00:02Everyone is coming to Thailand now
00:06With flawless beaches
00:08This is my paradise.
00:10Busting cities
00:12And hedonistic parties
00:14Dad, Aunt!
00:16More of us are embracing this rite of passage than ever before
00:20Like Banadolman Steroids
00:22Cheap, boss, full of women
00:24So I'm traveling from the capital Bangkok
00:28To exotic islands
00:30to understand why we are here
00:33And what does that mean?
00:35She means that it is
00:36and what are we looking for?
00:38A lifestyle where you're not just meant to be a man, you're meant to be courageous.
00:42to do this
00:43I never went to go to go to go
00:45So I'm going to give myself everything on offer.
00:48Fior, the connection with your body, with your body.
00:50And I know those who are making a new new thing here.
00:54I decided to just sell everything and buy a ticket.
00:56Just eat here and try to do that.
00:58...to find out if it lives up to the hype.
01:01I've been in Thailand for less than 24 hours and I've nearly got arrested.
01:06And if there's another side to this paradise.
01:09He smashed a bottle and then stabbed me in the neck.
01:13My brother was murdered. It wasn't an accident.
01:21Like most Brits, I'm starting my Thai adventure in the capital, Bangkok.
01:28Most travelers stop here for at least a few days to soak up the mix of ancient temples.
01:36Vibrant street markets.
01:39And of course, the city's infamous nightlife.
01:43The sex industry is something that I'm particularly interested in looking into.
01:48Because it's something that comes hand in hand with Bangkok.
01:51People will talk about the women and the shows.
01:54And it seems people come here to have these experiences.
01:59And I think it would be interesting to find out how much of that is true.
02:04But first, I'm heading to one of the most famous streets in Asia.
02:10Where travelers come to party 24-7.
02:14Backpacker hotspot, Khao San Road.
02:16I want to have the authentic backpacker's experience.
02:22You know, I went straight into work when I was 18.
02:24I never took a year out.
02:26I have never stayed in a hostel.
02:27So it's going to be a new experience for me.
02:34Also, one of the reasons why I wanted to come here now is because I have no responsibilities.
02:40Sorry.
02:40I'm a free bird, a free woman.
02:44Hello.
02:46Revolution is a party hostel attracting travelers from around the world.
02:51Hi.
02:52Welcome to Revolution.
02:53Thank you.
02:54Do you have a reservation?
02:55Yes, I do.
02:57Amazing.
02:57There you are.
02:58Now you'd just like to follow me to your room.
03:0121-year-old Chloe is one of the British reps who look after guests in exchange for free accommodation.
03:06OK, so here we have the eight-bed dorms.
03:10These are £14 per night.
03:13£14 a night?
03:14Well, that's cheap.
03:15When it's low season, the prices maybe come down to about £8 a night.
03:19OK, wow.
03:20I've decided to splash out an extra £22 for one of the hostel's 18 en-suite rooms.
03:27Of course, you have just the bathroom there and the towel's just there.
03:30It may be quite loud here because it is on Khao San Road, which is the loudest road in Bangkok.
03:35And people are partying until super, super early in the morning, I should say.
03:39Hopefully I'll be OK.
03:40Wingers crossed.
03:41See you.
03:42Bye.
03:42See you later.
03:44This is not even £40 a night.
03:46I mean, that is so cheap.
03:48And you get an en-suite because I think that's probably one of the things I would struggle with.
03:52Imagine you had a dorm of loads of dudes.
03:57Smelly dudes.
03:58The hostel has its own bar and restaurant, and it hosts nightly events from karaoke to tipsy bingo.
04:11Hi.
04:13How are you doing?
04:14Hi.
04:14Hello.
04:14It's up to the reps to show the guests a good time.
04:20This is Finn's fourth stint in Thailand.
04:24You're in Bangkok right now.
04:25Do you know what the ritual is for evolution?
04:27It's a shot.
04:28You've got to take a shot.
04:29Come on.
04:29Oh, I'll have a taste of it.
04:31But it's a free shot.
04:32That's what matters most.
04:33Tonight, Finn's offered to take me on a pub crawl.
04:38Let's get the shot.
04:38Free shot.
04:39Let's go.
04:39Let's get the shot.
04:40Zara, Zara, you're here.
04:47You're in Thailand.
04:48Fine.
04:49This is South Dakota, baby.
04:50Let's go.
04:50Three, two.
04:54Woo.
04:56Welcome to Thailand.
04:57Thank you so much.
04:58That was delightful.
04:59Spicy on my lungs, man.
05:00Isn't it?
05:00Oh, you're wimps.
05:01That was fine.
05:06Right, so are you keen for Khao San or what?
05:07I'm very keen.
05:10Just around the corner, the Khao San road is packed with bars, clubs, and massage parlors.
05:17Oh my God.
05:17It's loud.
05:18It is really loud.
05:19It's a hedonistic paradise for Brits abroad.
05:26Are these legit massage shots?
05:29Uh, yes and no.
05:31What do you mean by that?
05:32Like, happy ending could be prominent there.
05:34Could be.
05:35Is it?
05:35We're on Khao San, so happy ending could happen if they asked to politely.
05:40What is a happy ending?
05:41Oh, come on.
05:42With a hand job.
05:44Ah, these are spiders.
05:45Okay.
05:46Okay.
05:46I'm going to eat one.
05:47I'm going to eat one.
05:48Here we go.
05:48What?
05:51Ah, he's going to eat one.
05:54Ah.
05:54What?
05:55I've never seen anything like it in my life.
06:05I can't even explain this place.
06:19It's, like, so humid, but humid with all the people.
06:22It's pretty wild.
06:24There's lots of cannabis stalls and shops around, which I wasn't expecting.
06:29You can literally smell weed the moment you get onto Khao San Road.
06:34Like, it's everywhere.
06:35And you can see why loads of young people want to come over here.
06:38In summer 2025, Thailand announced plans to make cannabis illegal.
06:43But at the beginning of the year when I'm filming, it's decriminalized and a large part of the
06:48country's appeal for many travelers.
06:50So, tell me what you're all here for.
06:54Escape from home life.
06:56The cost of living is very expensive, and you get so much more of your money out here.
07:01And a lot of people I know are still living at home with their parents and, like, trying
07:06to save to move out.
07:07So, this is a nice, just, like, break from that.
07:09Even just the accessibility of weed and similar things.
07:15People call it, like, the Amsterdam of Asia.
07:17Really?
07:18Okay.
07:19Are the drugs really accessible here?
07:20I've heard so, yeah.
07:22Even a lot of the bars here, they all have signs.
07:25There's laughing gas, eggs, man, a bat.
07:26That's all illegal.
07:28And there's police up and down that street.
07:30There's, like, two languages of Thailand.
07:31Thai and money.
07:33So, as long as you've got enough money, you get away with anything here.
07:36Interesting.
07:36And what do you mean by that?
07:38Do you mean you could pay someone off?
07:40Could you pay the police off?
07:41Yeah.
07:42It is really bad.
07:43Is there anything I need to be cautious of?
07:45Any, like, scams that have happened to them?
07:48So, I have one that didn't happen to me personally, but it did happen to one of my friends.
07:54He went for a massage.
07:56He got offered a happy ending.
07:57He did accept it.
07:59The lady left the room.
08:02He was blindfolded.
08:03A child came in and, like, performed a sexual act on him.
08:07The masseuse recorded it.
08:09Used it to blackmail for money.
08:11And he gave the money, obviously, because of the horrible situation he was put in.
08:16But if he hadn't, they were going to go to the police with the video footage.
08:19I guess there's always things that go on behind closed doors, right, that you just don't know about.
08:23So, you've always just got to be, like, super careful and mindful.
08:28It sounds like you could easily get caught out here in Bangkok.
08:31But for some, the spectacle of the sex industry is one of the highlights of their trip.
08:39I've bumped into Jack and Luxie, who've been here traveling for the last three weeks.
08:44How are you enjoying Thailand?
08:46Tell me about it.
08:47It's amazing.
08:47It's like Benidorm on steroids.
08:49And what does that mean?
08:50Cheap, cheerful, full of women.
08:52If you're a single lad, get yourself down to where you're made.
08:55Okay.
08:56So, where have you guys just been?
08:58Soy.
08:59I'm a cowboy.
09:00It's basically just a strip.
09:02Go-go bar, go-go bar, go-go bar.
09:04Hundreds of women.
09:05All naked, dancing.
09:07If you really want to, you're at a CD.
09:08You're going to have to pay your money and take them back.
09:10I'm not into that, mate.
09:12It's like 10 pounds.
09:14The tenner for what?
09:15It's like tenner for the full night, basically.
09:17For a full night?
09:17Yeah.
09:18Ten quid?
09:18Depending on the girl.
09:20It's part of the culture, isn't it?
09:21I'm going to follow Jack and Luxie's recommendation and head to Soy Cowboy, one of the most famous
09:29red-light districts in the city.
09:35The crowds of tourists here might not realize that prostitution is actually illegal in Thailand.
09:43And filming anything on these streets is strictly prohibited.
09:46But after months of negotiation, we've been allowed in to film.
10:09Wow.
10:10This is so intense.
10:13Wow.
10:13This is so intense.
10:16Stunning, girl.
10:27I genuinely have never seen anything like this in my life.
10:30And I'm seeing a lot of women on the street trying to pull guys in, touching guys, trying
10:36to get them in.
10:36It's quite a lot.
10:38And it's very different from the Coast Sand Road because Coast Sand Road is lively,
10:42lots of people partying, whereas this feels, the music's playing, but the energy is lower
10:47and it feels like people are here for a purpose a bit more, which is a bit seedy, if I'm honest.
10:54There's a few police officers around here as well.
10:57So, behind every single front of the bar, there's a curtain or a door.
11:05There's obviously a lot that goes on behind this curtain and you have to pay entry to get in.
11:12Some people here are actively looking for a sexual encounter, but others come to watch
11:17a sex show or just check out the infamous area.
11:20I've found a Brit tourist, Josh.
11:25What are you here for?
11:26A stag do.
11:27A stag do, okay.
11:29So, it's like the first of our boys just getting married, so we just went a bit mad.
11:33Okay.
11:34It's just so not, like, you don't see this at home.
11:36I know.
11:37You don't see this on a normal Spain holiday or Magaluf or whatever.
11:40It's an experience, like, you have to see it, I guess, but you wouldn't want to get too drunk
11:43and lose yourself.
11:45Yeah.
11:46But he went to Rome.
11:48How far would you go?
11:50I mean, I don't want anything.
11:51I mean, I've got a girlfriend anyway, but regardless, I wouldn't do it.
11:55Maybe that's...
11:55I mean, everyone's got that bit of interest that, like...
11:57It's the intrigue, I think, that drags a lot of people.
12:00There's a curtain, like, there's a curtain on what the hell's happening behind that curtain.
12:02There's some level of intrigue, like, they've got to be intrigued to go in there.
12:07Wow.
12:09We've got the police, like, stalking us right now.
12:12Yeah, no worries.
12:13Sorry, we'll let you get back to your friends.
12:14No, no worries.
12:16I'm getting the feeling that our presence is not welcome here.
12:19But what I really want to do is try and talk to one of the sex workers
12:23to understand what life is like for the women who work here.
12:29I don't even know which girls are sex workers.
12:33And the bar owners are not making it easy for me to find out.
12:37I wonder why we can't go any further.
12:38Can we not go any further?
12:39Yeah, I'm sorry.
12:41Hey, you can move there.
12:43Why?
12:43You can move there.
12:45I don't know if this guy owns this club here, but he's told us to move away and not film
12:52in a public area.
12:54Oh, my goodness me.
12:57Okay, we're going.
13:00Okay.
13:01Oh my God.
13:05So, one of our crews just had an ashtray thrown at their head, so it's an incredibly hostile environment.
13:24It feels like our agreement with the bar owners has changed.
13:31We're told to stop filming now.
13:33One...
13:34Police have detained part of our crew and demand to see what we filmed.
13:38They insist our footage must be deleted, but we refuse.
13:51Our security team decides we must leave the area immediately.
13:54We have to get out of here as soon as possible because they wanted to see all of our footage and we don't want to lose what we've captured for tonight, so we've got to get out of here quite quickly.
14:09But the police follow us to our van.
14:15But the police follow us to our van.
14:18It's really incisely because the police have threatened to actually arrest a few of our crew members for filming, even though we have a permit to film.
14:27We've paid for the permit, so we should technically be allowed to film here.
14:31It's only him.
14:32Yeah.
14:33At the police station, just you and me, just show him and then all the shots that he wants us to release.
14:41We can do that tomorrow.
14:43We can come.
14:44We can bring the tape in.
14:45It's really odd that the police aren't unbiased in this situation, you know, they are very much on the sides of the people who are doing the illegal activities.
14:56Like, they're on the sides of these illegal bars.
14:59We have to get up tomorrow.
15:00You give this and then I will bring it to him.
15:04Understood.
15:04The police have finally agreed to let us leave, as long as we bring the footage to the police station tomorrow.
15:12Now, keep going.
15:15That whole order was pretty terrifying.
15:20I've been in Thailand for less than 24 hours and I've nearly got arrested.
15:27So, what's happening?
15:29I feel absolutely shattered.
15:42Last night was just really overwhelming in a lot of different ways.
15:49Seeing the police standing outside the bars, you know, being threatened to be arrested. I mean, that is, like, so scary.
16:05I can really see now how easy it is for travelers to find themselves in trouble here.
16:11But, actually, it's made me more intrigued about the sex industry here.
16:20I do want to go back. I want to speak to a sex worker, actually, and find out what are the realities of working on that strip.
16:29And because there's so much kind of red tape around it, it's almost hidden in plain sight and they want you to know about it but they don't want you to know about it and it feels like the authorities acknowledge it.
16:42I'm starting to learn that Bangkok is a city full of contradictions.
16:57I've also heard that loads of Brits are heading here to pursue the dream of a luxury lifestyle.
17:04And I'm keen to meet people choosing to settle here in Bangkok for good.
17:09So I found this guy called Mike.
17:11He has over 400,000 followers on TikTok.
17:15And he's kind of centering his content around his life here in Thailand, what it's like to live over here in Bangkok.
17:23And he seems to be the king of the condo tours.
17:27How much do you pay for rent in Bangkok?
17:2820,000 baht per month.
17:30Is there any chance I could get like a house tour?
17:32Wait.
17:33Oh my, oh my gosh, dude.
17:35This is incredible.
17:37I really want to meet him and chat to him about what it's like being a Brit living over here in Thailand and see what the draw of Bangkok is.
17:4928-year-old content creator Mike grew up in Kent.
17:53Hi, Mike.
17:53Hey.
17:54Hi, lovely to meet you.
17:55And lived in London before moving to Bangkok.
17:59Do you like the view?
18:00Yeah, it's insane.
18:01I didn't know places like this existed in Bangkok.
18:04He's offered to show me around Park Origin Tong Law, one of the most luxurious complexes in the city.
18:11It looks absolutely incredible.
18:13And they actually have three paws and this is the smallest one.
18:16What?
18:17This is the smallest one.
18:18What brought you to Bangkok and Thailand?
18:23I actually came here on a layover.
18:24On a layover?
18:25Yeah, so I was planning to go to Melilla in the Philippines and I booked, because it was cheaper to come to Bangkok first, so I saw a flight for like £300.
18:34I was like, why not spend three days here, have some nice pad Thai massage.
18:38And I did like a TikTok video flying from like London to Bangkok just for fun.
18:43And it got 200,000 views.
18:45Wow.
18:46Like in the first day and I've never had that much attention in my life.
18:49I was like, I need to carry on.
18:50Yeah.
18:51And it got to day three when I was about to take my flight and I was like, I should extend one more week.
18:56And that three days lasted, well, it's been two years now.
19:00Oh my God, that's amazing.
19:01Yeah.
19:02And now I do content full time.
19:07Off the viral success of his video, Mike has been able to set up a whole new career in Bangkok, showcasing an aspirational luxury lifestyle.
19:17Oh, wow, that's a stunning gym.
19:19One of the gyms.
19:21So there's actually a golf simulator.
19:23A golf simulator, what?
19:26Thank you so much, right?
19:27Apparently you just got a straight arm.
19:29I believe in you.
19:30Thank you.
19:31Oh.
19:34Okay, I've got to get this.
19:36Oh, that wasn't bad.
19:38That was, I'm just going to say it, I'm a golfer now.
19:43I've never seen anything like this before.
19:45There are so many things you don't need.
19:47This is extra.
19:48I would argue you need this though.
19:50Okay.
19:52This luxury lifestyle is something I can definitely get on board with.
19:57And what's most appealing is that it also appears affordable.
20:02Pool area.
20:03A one-bedroom apartment starts at just £600 a month.
20:09How is your lifestyle different here to what it's like in the UK?
20:14I'm more carefree and I don't really have to think about money as much.
20:19Before I was an influencer here, I was an editor in the UK and I was making like £300 a week just editing like 9 hours, 10 hour days and I had to spend on rent, on food and, you know, going out and stuff in the UK.
20:35That money would go very quickly.
20:36Yeah.
20:37Yeah.
20:37And if you don't mind asking me, how much do you make from your content?
20:41It's always over £10,000 a month now.
20:43Wow.
20:44Yeah.
20:44Yeah, I don't really have financial burden anymore.
20:47Whereas in the UK, I really did.
20:49I've always wanted to live a life like this and it was so hard to kind of achieve this lifestyle in England.
20:57So coming here, just, it makes complete sense for me.
21:00Yeah.
21:02This place is, it's like I'm living a dream here.
21:05It's incredible.
21:06Yeah.
21:09Being free from money worries feels totally out of reach for a lot of us in the UK right now.
21:14Maybe Bangkok is a place where you can do or be anything you want.
21:23Emma.
21:24Hi.
21:24Hi.
21:25Hi.
21:25Good to see you.
21:26Hi.
21:26How are you?
21:27Good.
21:27Hello.
21:28But for those just starting out here with limited income, the dream does come with compromises.
21:36So, this is a flat.
21:38I mean, this is a lot smaller than I was expecting.
21:42Yeah.
21:42Emma from Yorkshire and Terry from Essex moved here three months ago.
21:47They rent a 35 square meter apartment on Park Origin's 20th floor.
21:53That's a toss up.
21:53You go for a smaller living space, nicer amenities, or you go further out, slightly older building,
22:00bigger living space, but not the same amenities.
22:03So, yeah, we went with the first and yeah, this is our home.
22:07Do you enjoy it?
22:07Do you enjoy living here?
22:08Yeah.
22:09Yeah.
22:09We've met loads of people and I think that's the main thing.
22:12And it's a really good location.
22:14Yeah.
22:14I've only literally been here like a couple of days now and I feel like I've seen the
22:19Koh Sam Road.
22:20Yeah.
22:21Yeah.
22:21It was, it was quite fun to be honest.
22:23I had a really good night.
22:24Oh, that's good.
22:24So, do you know anything else about the night scene in Bangkok?
22:28Not at all.
22:29Not at all.
22:29Have you not been to any rooftop bars?
22:31Node.
22:31Node.
22:32Okay.
22:32Shall we, we'll take, we'll take it to a rooftop bar.
22:34Okay.
22:34It's really good.
22:35Amazing.
22:36Yeah.
22:36More and more of us are being drawn to Bangkok for the bougie VIP lifestyle it offers.
22:51Emma and Terry met when traveling and are both now working out here to found their new life.
23:00How does your life compare here to what it was like back in the UK?
23:07I'm hot every day.
23:10I love it.
23:11So, yeah.
23:12Much better here.
23:13Yeah.
23:14Much better.
23:15I think just the cost of living out here.
23:16I mean, our apartment is like.
23:17We pay £3.50 each in installments.
23:19Yeah.
23:20£3.50 each.
23:21Yeah.
23:22I mean, it's difficult to experience, like living in Bangkok and traveling and being
23:25able to go to an island on a weekend.
23:27Like that's absolutely insane, isn't it?
23:30Mm.
23:31And I wouldn't stop it for the world.
23:32How easy is it for young Brits to come over here to Thailand and to get a job?
23:37Really hard.
23:38If you're wanting to work in Thailand for a Thai company, it is near on impossible unless
23:43You're a teacher.
23:44So how do you fund your life over here?
23:47So I am self-employed.
23:49So I've got my digital nomad visa.
23:51So with that, I do UGC, content creation.
23:55Yeah.
23:56And I'm trying to build up my Instagram as well.
23:58Mm-hmm.
23:59When we first came out, I had £15,000.
24:01And at the moment, just over £28,000.
24:05So it's almost doubled.
24:07And in terms of my income, probably around like £2k to £4k a month, maybe a little bit
24:14less.
24:15It's quite like an up and down industry, isn't it?
24:17Does that feel like a risk?
24:18Yes and no.
24:20I used to work in finance before, like a few years ago.
24:22You used to work in a bank.
24:23Oh, really?
24:24Yeah.
24:25So I don't think it would be unemployable because we've taken this route and say it
24:29It hasn't worked out.
24:30It's a risk, but it's a risk that we're both willing to take.
24:33Yeah.
24:34And you know, if we had to go home, I wouldn't want to, but fine, we'd go home.
24:38If we had to go home, you'd just save up and run away again.
24:40Yeah, definitely.
24:41There is something quite intoxicating about this city.
24:50And I'm starting to believe that you really can reinvent yourself here.
24:55I've decided to head back to the Khao San road.
25:03After my experience with the police, I'm really confused about how the law works here, and
25:08how Brits are meant to navigate it.
25:14So, I'm spending the night with the Thai police force, who are planning a drug raid.
25:21Tonight's raid is a huge operation involving more than 50 officers from multiple agencies.
25:49Oh my goodness.
25:52Let's go.
25:53Great.
25:54I wouldn't say this is the most subtle undercover operation I've ever seen in my life.
26:08I wonder where we're going.
26:13I have no idea.
26:15Oh my God, they're flashing the lights.
26:16They're flashing their lights for people.
26:18Okay, this is the first place.
26:19Yeah.
26:20I'm going to go close to that.
26:21I don't know what's in the corner because they are such a strange location.
26:23I don't know.
26:24I don't care.
26:26Yeah.
26:27I'm not even sure what's in the corner.
26:28Okay, let's go.
26:29Okay, let's go.
26:30Okay, let's go.
26:31Okay.
26:32That's on the back.
26:33Okay, let's go.
26:35So, let's go.
26:36Okay, let's go.
26:37Let's go.
26:38Okay, let's go.
26:40Go.
26:41Oh my God, I won't make any a rule.
26:42Okay, now, let's go.
26:43Okay, now, let's go.
26:44In Thailand, the police can force you to take a urine test
26:54Without any evidence you've taken drugs
26:56If anyone is positive for drugs
27:04They could be arrested and face time in rehab or prison
27:14OK, they're doing the first year in Sampho
27:23They look like little COVID tests actually, but they are drug tests
27:29What kind of drugs here are illegal?
27:33All the drugs that are illegal in another country
27:37is illegal, the same in Thailand, except the cannabis, okay
27:41Ice, cocaine, methamphetamine, everything is totally illegal
27:53OK, here's another sample coming out
27:56Imagine if you had done drugs
27:58Are you feeling OK about the test?
28:00Yeah, I don't take this drug
28:01You haven't taken any drugs?
28:02I smoke in Australia, but not the wrong drug
28:07OK
28:11So, no positives so far
28:14You're already part of the test
28:15It means you're good, you're fine
28:18Have a good night
28:19Bye
28:20Bye
28:21Bye
28:22Bye
28:23Bye
28:24Everyone's been negative so far
28:26We move to the second location
28:28OK, second location, let's go
28:31So far, the police haven't tested any Brits
28:44How are you feeling about the police coming in here and doing the drugs testing?
28:48I feel like that's OK, I understand with it
28:53But I would not also have been in this country the whole time
28:57Right, OK
28:58Oh, so you're worried that something could show up from another country?
29:01Yes
29:02That's right
29:03Right, I understand, I understand
29:06Are you worried about what could happen then, if they find anything?
29:08Well, I guess that's what happened then
29:11So, come on
29:13Oh yeah, I can talk
29:15How long have you been in Thailand?
29:23I've been here three days
29:25I was here before a couple of weeks ago
29:28But I went to Cambodia and then I came back
29:31And now I'm in Thailand
29:33Thailand, a beautiful country
29:36Beautiful
29:39Welcome to Thailand
29:40Thank you
29:42Lovely to meet you
29:46There were no arrests tonight
29:48But some close calls
29:51Maybe these raids are more about keeping tourists on their toes
29:56A lot of tourists, they get the message that you could have fun
29:59But just taking the alcohol only, but not drunk
30:02Yeah
30:04I'm pretty shocked that the police can force you to take a urine test
30:08And I don't reckon many know that
30:11This country seems to offer freedoms that you would never find back home
30:16But one wrong move could put you in real trouble, real fast
30:26So I'm heading over to the British Embassy now because
30:47Obviously when Brits get in trouble
30:48The first place they're going to go to is the Embassy
30:51And I'm keen to find out what the UK officials in Thailand can do to help
31:01Real British
31:03Big Ben
31:05I've been given special permission by the Ambassador
31:08To meet the Embassy's consular team
31:10Nice to meet you, how are you?
31:12Right, come on guys, here we go
31:15They're the busiest in the world
31:17Helping over 2,000 Brits a year
31:21Is there an element of maybe people coming over here
31:24And not fully understanding the law and what they can and can't do?
31:29So we have seen a significant increase in our cases since
31:33Cannabis has been legalized here
31:37That is mainly people exporting it
31:40So they will attempt to take a couple of cases back to the UK
31:44And if they then get stopped at the airport
31:47Obviously then they are arrested
31:49They're not arrested for the cannabis
31:51They're arrested for not having an export license
31:54Okay
31:55But the worst misconception is that we can get people out of prison
31:58I mean that is the one where you know people will say
32:01But I'm British, you're the British Embassy
32:04You know, you get me out of prison
32:06And it's definitely a no
32:08So I read in the paper about a young British national who's involved with
32:12Both exporting cannabis and then deciding to start importing
32:16Class A drugs
32:17Do you know about that case?
32:18Yep, we actually just attended his first court appointment last Friday
32:23And we are quite concerned regarding outcome of the case
32:27Really? What do you mean by concerned?
32:29With drug smuggling cases in Thailand
32:32The sentence could be death penalty
32:36Wow
32:36So the threshold for death penalty is quite low in Thailand
32:3910 to 15 kilos of class one
32:42Which I think in this case was above that, yeah
32:45Wow, okay, that's a worry then
32:47Yeah
32:51I think I was a bit naive and I had the assumption that
32:54If I got into any trouble I could run to the embassy
32:57Speak to some British people and they could keep me safe
32:59But actually there's no magic wand that they can wave
33:02I'm definitely going to stay on the side of the law here
33:05I'm even going to make sure my seatbelt's buckled up in the car
33:12This afternoon I've been invited to shadow Sam from the consular team
33:18He's been called to the immigration detention center
33:21To help British nationals who've been locked up for overstaying their visas
33:28We're seeing two people today
33:30And the staff sent me a message this morning to just say
33:33A new arrival, can you come down and see them?
33:35Going into these not pleasant places to see people in distress
33:39So it can be quite difficult
33:43Recently, someone apparently smuggled the camera
33:46Inside a detention center and police station
33:49Revealing horrendous conditions and overcrowding
33:53What states do you find people in when they're in the detention center?
33:57It varies really, we could have people who have maybe overstayed their visa for a day, two days
34:02They'll have money, they were maybe just stopped at a checkpoint like oh you've overstayed now you need to come here
34:07Those people can tend to get themselves out of trouble quite quickly
34:10However, the majority are in there because they had no money
34:13Or else they could have just paid the fine and left
34:16They really have nothing
34:17I think the earliest one we've had was two minutes, two minutes overstayed
34:21Two minutes overstayed and they were?
34:23And they had no cash left
34:25Oh my god
34:26And they ended up being detained there for two weeks before being deported
34:29Wow
34:29Yeah
34:30And going to places like the detention center
34:33Possibly the worst place a British national could be in Thailand
34:36So really?
34:37You know, you could be in there with anyone to be honest
34:39Just to give an example
34:41A murderer when their sentence is finished and it's time to be deported
34:44They'll go to the detention center
34:46So they'll all be kept in the same room
34:48So if you supervise your visa for one day
34:50You could be in with someone who's just served 10 years for murder
34:53Wow
34:54So we try and offer as much support as we can
34:57We're just arriving now, Zora.
34:59OK
35:00So as you'll see behind
35:01We're just going to go through that little gate there
35:03And that's where the detention center is
35:11The detention center has refused me entry with a camera
35:15But I've seen an opportunity
35:19While I've been waiting here
35:21A whole van of people has basically just turned up
35:23It's a bit like a cage actually on the back of a vehicle
35:26And it looks like they're waiting to go into the detention center
35:31I might try and talk to some of them and see if anyone speaks English
35:34Hi
35:43Does anyone speak English?
35:45A little bit
35:46Do you speak English?
35:47What are you here for?
35:48One, expired visa
35:51Visa expired, okay.
35:53But stay in hospital and that's why I forget to extend visa
35:57Oh wow
35:58So what?
36:02Just after surgery, that's why.
36:04Oh, so you had surgery
36:06Yeah, last month 10 of January I stayed in Bangkok hospital
36:10But you've got to stay a night here minimum
36:13Yeah
36:14Have you heard about what it's like?
36:16Node
36:17I don't know
36:17Node
36:18Well, hopefully you'll be out soon
36:21Hmm?
36:22Hopefully you'll be out soon
36:23I don't know
36:25You don't know
36:27I think it's mostly, um
36:30No filming, okay
36:31Oh, you're saying no
36:32You're saying no, no, no
36:33It feels like Thailand is full of double standards
36:45Some police seem to turn a blind eye to the illegal sex industry
36:51But if you overstay your visa even for two minutes and can't pay the fine then you're put in jail
36:59Maybe here money really does talk
37:03Oh, you can do that
37:08Since I got here I've been trying to talk to a sex worker to understand what their life is like
37:15I've decided to return to the red light district as I've finally managed to gain access inside a bar
37:23Do you know what? There is a little bit of like adrenaline that started to pump
37:26Because the last time we were there myself and all the crew nearly got arrested
37:32Bangkok's world famous ping pong shows attract a big tourist crowd
37:40Who comes to see various objects propelled from vaginas with dazzling accuracy
37:46I'm feeling a bit conflicted about going
37:49But I want to really get an understanding of what this industry is and what it feels like from the inside
37:54Is it all right to sit here? Is that ok?
38:11Yes
38:11Amazing, thank you!
38:13Can you sit down, girls?
38:14Fellow audience members Robin, Finley and Rosie join for a debrief
38:18I think like going in we were like is it okay?
38:23Do you know what I mean?
38:24Yeah, I felt the same, honestly.
38:25Like do they want to be there?
38:27They're sitting there we can't watch them and don't clap
38:30That's not what I mean
38:31Yeah when the ping pongs are coming out with the vagina you want to go woo
38:34What did you guys want to come to the show in the first place?
38:38Well me and my friend came last year and we told our friend about it and she's not me
38:44I think people talk about it a lot
38:46There's a lot of like controversy about it
38:48So I guess see it for yourself
38:50Did you see them checking their watches?
38:52Node
38:52They were like dancing and the straight face
38:54But then they were like checking their watches
38:56It's quite sad
38:57How many times a night do you do this?
39:01I will be honest I went to the bathroom and I was washing my hands
39:04And she was washing her ping pong balls at the same time as I was washing my hands
39:08And it was quite the experience I was like this is brilliant
39:10Oh my god
39:11Would it be rude to go up to them and just be like
39:14Oh, are you happy?
39:16I know I'm hoping to speak to someone actually
39:19Like I really want to find someone who works along this strip
39:22So I can get a better understanding of like what their lives are actually like
39:26And whether they enjoy this work or they don't
39:32The girls who work here seem very reluctant to speak on camera
39:38It's weird when you come to Thailand you realize nothing really makes sense
39:43Everything you see is a walking contradiction
39:46The sex shows are illegal yet there's police monitoring the perimeters outside the sex shows
39:51Chatting to the owners of the bars that are doing the shows
39:56Like it doesn't make any sense
39:59There must be something in it for both of them
40:04I've finally found a sex worker willing to talk to me
40:09I'm meeting her in a hotel near the strip
40:12To protect her from the authorities we've concealed her identity
40:18Thank you so much for agreeing to meet me
40:20Yeah
40:20I really really appreciate your time
40:22Yeah
40:22Um, can you tell me a bit about the work that you do?
40:26Yes
40:27Yes
40:28I work in a club
40:29I'll be a dancer
40:31Are you a dancer?
40:32Yes
40:33And are you involved in the sex work as well in the sex industry?
40:37Yes
40:38So how does it work practically then?
40:40So would you meet a customer at the bar?
40:43And then would you come back to a hotel like this?
40:47Yes
41:07I see, so the sex comes later on in the evening
41:11Who decides on the price?
41:12Can you say no to a customer?
41:25Do you have a lot of British customers?
41:38So lots of teenagers, British teenagers
41:40Yes
41:52So you've had parents where they want their sons to learn about sex?
41:57Yes
41:58What did you want to choose to do sex work?
42:10It's slightly jarring to hear about the young Brits
42:38And their dads are paying the sex worker to kind of teach their sons the ropes
42:44It's a bit weird
42:47But you've got to have so much respect for these women and the risks they take
42:51night on night to earn a living for themselves and their families
42:56Next, I'm going island hopping in search of paradise
43:00This feels like a spiritual place
43:03Doing some gentle squeeze and releasing of your yoni
43:09I uncover the sex capital of Asia
43:1270 bars, 30 girls in each bar
43:15A lot more going on here than in Bangkok
43:17I'm one of the world's biggest beach parties
43:22Oh my gosh
43:23You'd lose a lot of blood
43:25If I hit the jugular, you know, I would have died in 20 minutes
43:39Yeah
43:58What's wrong with that?
44:00There, there's that
44:01There are a lot of flowers
44:02As you see and see in the crying
44:04Caption by Adriana Zanotto
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