Thailand announces crackdown on Pattaya, the 'sex capital'.

Leaders in Pattaya, Thailand's 'sex capital,' have pledged to transform the area into a 'Happy Zone,' a family-friendly destination.

A dancer prepares to perform a pole dance in a bar in Pattaya. Photo: Mirror.

Thai tourism leaders have pledged to clean up Pattaya, also known as the "sex capital of the world," the Mirror reported yesterday.

"I want people to see that we are not like they say. We do not allow prostitution in entertainment venues."Pakkaratorn Teianchai, governor of Chon Buri province, where the city is located.Pattaya announced this earlier this month.

THowever, prostitution in Pattaya does not appear to be decreasing. The police and Thai tourism leaders still have a long way to go to fulfill their commitment to eradicating prostitution.

An estimated one million men visit Pattaya's red-light district each year, while nearly 20% of the women in the city are involved in sex trafficking.

Thai police patrol in Pattaya. Photo: Mirror

A 2014 report by the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) stated that there were 120,000 sex workers in Pattaya. Some argue that the actual number is double that, and that not all women who earn money from sex are full-time sex workers.

According to VNE