VietNamNet Bridge - Many prostitution rings only serve "foreigners," which may be "the new way" of prostitution in Vietnam.

On June 14, the more than 80 HCM City police officers surrounded a hotel and four bars at No. 35, No. 37, No. 49 and No. 51 on the street of Hai Ba Trung in District 1. Checking these sites, the police found a lot of violations in business and seized documents showing prostitute operations of the waitresses.

According to the police, this is a sex ring with very sophisticated operation. This complex of bars was actually a sex ring for foreigners only. Vietnamese rich men and even overseas Vietnamese were refused to be served. This is considered a way to avoid investigating agencies.

These bars opened daily from 6pm to 2am, mainly for foreigners. Whoremongers were offered 15-20 girls for their selection. The price is $100. In addition, the whoremonger had to pay the bar manager VND500,000 and VND50,000 to the guard. The investigation agency said nine people who ran the four bars are relatives.

These four bars used two cars to carry prostitutes to hotels to serve foreign whoremongers. These girls came from southwestern provinces and they were “selected” carefully.

In May 2013, at a hotel on Nguyen Chi Thanh road and a hotel on Hong Bang Road, District 5, inspection teams caught seven prostitutes serving their clients, including some gay pairs. Inspectors also caught red-handed two pairs of gay prostitution at a spa in Phu Nhuan district. At this spa, a lot of male prostitutes waited for clients. According to the police, this spa is familiar site for gay prostitution and many clients are foreigners.

In Binh Duong province, in late December 2012, the police discovered three Korean men with Vietnamese prostitutes. According to investigation, this restaurant only provided prostitution service for foreigners.

In August 2012, Thanh Hoa police arrested Do Thi Ha, 34, innkeeper of Nam Thanh motel and Bui Trung Son, 22, receptionist for arranging ten prostitutes to serve foreign whoremongers.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Anh, a sociological researcher in HCM City said that prostitutes could earn higher from foreign whoremongers, with VND1-1.5 million ($50-75)/time. These girls often work at bars, karaoke parlous or hotels in industrial zones, where have many foreigners.

However, it is difficult to solve foreigner-related prostitution activities because the procedures must be approved by the Foreign Affairs Department. In addition, the pay for interpreters is high.

Tien Phong