SEX AND THE CITY -- HANOI STYLE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 HANOI 002845 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SOCI PGOV KHIV VM HIV AIDS TIP SUBJECT: SEX AND THE CITY -- HANOI STYLE REF: 01 HANOI 735 ¶1. (U) SUMMARY. THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF VIETNAM (CPV) AND GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM (GVN) ADMIT THAT PROSTITUTION IS A MAJOR PROBLEM FOR THE COUNTRY. DISCOS, KARAOKE BARS, MASSAGE PARLORS, AND OTHER "FUN" LOCATIONS EVEN IN STAID HANOI INCREASINGLY OFFER PROFESSIONAL OR SEMI-PROFESSIONAL UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HANOI 02845 01 OF 03 261021Z SEX SERVICES FOR SALE. APART FROM LAMENTING THE PROBLEM, OFFICIALS APPEAR TO DO LITTLE TO REMEDY THIS SOCIAL EVIL -- PARTLY DUE TO CORRUPTION BUT PERHAPS MORE IMPORTANTLY BECAUSE THEY CANNOT BE SURE WHETHER THE PUBLIC WOULD RATHER CONTINUE TO ENJOY SUCH NEWFOUND FREEDOMS OR WELCOME A CLAMPDOWN AND RETURN TO "SOCIALIST MORALITY." UNFORTUNATELY, THE HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF THE GROWING SEX INDUSTRY ARE NO JOKE, WITH HIV/AIDS INFECTIONS RISING STEADILY (ALTHOUGH OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THAT THE LARGE MAJORITY OF INFECTIONS STEM FROM INTRAVENOUS DRUG USE). TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS RELATED TO PROSTITUTION ALSO REMAINS A SERIOUS ISSUE OF CONCERN TO THE GVN, ALTHOUGH MORE IN VIETNAM DUE TO THE EXPORT OF WOMEN THAN TO THE DOMESTIC MARKET (REFTEL). THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT HANOI NIGHTLIFE AND SOCIETY INCREASINGLY RESEMBLE THE REST OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN CITIES -- ESPECIALLY HO CHI MINH CITY. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) THE COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE SEVENTH PLENUM OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF VIETNAM (CPV) 9TH CONGRESS ON NOVEMBER 9 ADMITTED "URGENT SOCIAL PROBLEMS" THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, NOTABLY "SOCIAL EVILS SUCH AS DRUG ADDICTION, PROSTITUTION, AND CRIME" AS WELL AS CORRUPTION. SIMILARLY, PRIME MINISTER PHAN VAN KHAI, IN OPENING REMARKS TO THE SECOND SESSION OF THE 11TH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ON NOVEMBER 12, REFERRED TO "URGENT SOCIAL ISSUES" AND POINTED IN PARTICULAR TO "DRUG ADDICTION, PROSTITUTION AND CRIME." NEITHER ARE BRAND-NEW THEMES FOR SENIOR CPV AND GVN OFFICIALS, BUT THEIR PROMINENCE IN THESE KEYNOTE ADDRESSES -- AS WELL AS THE TOTAL ABSENCE OF PROPOSED SOLUTIONS -- REFLECT THE NOW "IN YOUR FACE," ENDEMIC NATURE OF THESE PROBLEMS IN THE VIETNAM OF THE 21ST CENTURY. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HANOI 02845 01 OF 03 261021Z ¶3. (U) HANOI HAS A REPUTATION OF BEING THE DOUR BUREAUCRATIC OLDER BROTHER OF THE MORE FLASHY HO CHI MINH CITY; THIS CHARACTERIZATION IS NOT FAR OFF THE MARK. BUT OVER THE PAST DECADE, WITH RISING INCOMES, GROWING PERSONAL FREEDOMS, AND DIMINISHING PUBLIC SECURITY INTRUSIONS INTO PERSONAL LIVES, AT LEAST MANY HANOI RESIDENTS HAVE AGAIN -- OR FOR THE FIRST TIME -- BEEN ABLE TO INDULGE IN RANGE OF SEXUAL LICENSE THAT WOULD MAKE HO CHI MINH AND HIS REVOLUTIONARY CONFRERES TURN OVER IN THEIR GRAVES. (OR MAYBE NOT; RUMORS CONTINUE TO PERSIST ABOUT CPV GENERAL SECRETARY NONG DUC MANH BEING THE ILLEGITIMATE SON OF UNCLE SIPDIS HO AND ONE OF HIS SERVANTS.) -------------- DISCO LIVES! -------------- ¶4. (U) AT LEAST THREE DISCOS IN HANOI CATER TO THE WELL- HEELED TWENTY- AND THIRTY-SOMETHING VIETNAMESE OF HANOI; ALL, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, SPORT ENGLISH NAMES: "NEW CENTURY," "MAGIC MOO," AND "SPARK." ANOTHER, "APOCALYPSE NOW," CATERS PRIMARILY TO A WESTERN CROWD BUT HAS A SIZEABLE AND APPARENTLY INCREASING PERCENTAGE OF LOCALS. COGNAC -- AT PRICES THAT IN THE COURSE OF AN EVENING COULD EASILY EAT UP THE ANNUAL PER CAPITA INCOME OF THE AVERAGE VIETNAMESE -- AND BEER ARE THE BEVERAGES OF CHOICE. CONVENTIONAL WISDOM HOLDS THAT "NEW CENTURY" IS ALSO A POPULAR SITE FOR DRUG PURCHASES AND EVEN USAGE, ESPECIALLY OF METHAMPHETAMINES. ¶5. (U) WHAT ALL THESE CLUBS HAVE IN COMMON ARE, UNUSUALLY UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HANOI 02845 01 OF 03 261021Z FOR VIETNAM, LARGE NUMBERS OF UNACCOMPANIED YOUNG LADIES WHO ARE REMARKABLY FRIENDLY TO STRANGE MEN. MANY, ESPECIALLY IN THE UPSCALE "NEW CENTURY," EVEN SPORT LONG, SLINKY EVENING GOWNS (WHICH MUST BE A TRICK TO WEAR WHEN ARRIVING BY MOTORCYCLE, AS VIRTUALLY THE ENTIRE CLIENTELE DOES). BASIC POLITENESS REQUIRES GENTLEMEN WHO DANCE WITH THEM TO BUY AT LEAST ONE DRINK PER DANCE; EVERYTHING FROM THERE ON OUT APPEARS NEGOTIABLE. UNLIKE THE MIDNIGHT CURFEW THAT HAS HIT HO CHI MINH CITY'S DISCO SCENE IN RECENT YEARS, HANOI'S CLUBS STAY OPEN -- AND OFTEN STRANGELY FULL -- INTO THE EARLY HOURS OF THE MORNING EVERY NIGHT OF THE WEEK. -------------- SING, SING A SONG -------------- ¶6. (U) KARAOKE HAS EXPLODED ONTO THE HANOI SCENE WITH A VENGEANCE; THERE ARE LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF KARAOKE BARS -- VIRTUALLY ALL PRIVATELY OWNED AND OPERATED -- SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THEY RANGE FROM LUXURY ESTABLISHMENTS AT THE DAEWOO AND FORTUNA HOTELS TO BARE MINIMUM HUTS ALONG THE ROAD TO THE AIRPORT AND ELSEWHERE. THE MAIN ROAD NORTH OUT OF HANOI THROUGH ITS GIA LAM DISTRICT -- JUST ACROSS THE DOWNTOWN CITY BRIDGE SPANNING THE RED RIVER -- IS KNOWN BY UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ2625 PAGE 01 HANOI 02845 02 OF 03 261022Z ACTION EAP-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 EVG-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 ED-01 FBIE-00 UTED-00 VC-00 HHS-01 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OES-00 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-00 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /008W -------------- 0E92E1 261022Z /38 R 260957Z NOV 02 FM AMEMBASSY HANOI TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8196 INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY ASEAN COLLECTIVE USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 03 HANOI 002845 SIPDIS LOCALS AS "HONG KONG HANOI" DUE TO ITS HEAVY CONCENTRATION OF KARAOKE BARS AND OTHER "ENTERTAINMENT CENTERS." MOST OF THESE KARAOKE BARS CARRY THE FULL RANGE OF SONGS, INCLUDING NOT ONLY VIETNAMESE FAVORITES BUT ALSO A SURPRISINGLY BROAD SELECTION OF ENGLISH, CHINESE, AND KOREAN TUNES. (RANDOM SAMPLINGS SUGGEST THAT THE NUMBER OF HANOI RESIDENTS WHO KNOW "SEALED WITH A KISS" AND "UNCHAINED MELODY" IN ENGLISH UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HANOI 02845 02 OF 03 261022Z FAR OUTNUMBERS COUNTERPART GROUPS IN THE U.S.) MOST KARAOKE OFFER AT LEAST ONE -- IN SOME CASES, DOZENS -- OF PRIVATE ROOMS FOR MORE DISCREET CROONING. ¶7. (U) PROBABLY BECAUSE SINGING CAN BE A LONELY BUSINESS, MANY KARAOKE BARS EMPLOY A STABLE OF USUALLY VERY GOOD- LOOKING "HOSTESSES," WHOSE SINGING ABILITIES VARY CONSIDERABLY. VIETNAMESE CALL THIS KIND OF KARAOKE BARS "KARAOKE OM" -- CUDDLE KARAOKE. THE HOSTESSES ARE GENEROUS WITH THEIR ENTHUSIASM FOR OTHERWISE UNTALENTED RENDITIONS OF POPULAR TUNES, BUT ALSO WILLING -- NAY, EAGER -- TO KEEP THE MALE SINGERS WARM AGAINST THE CHILL OF AIR CONDITIONED ROOMS IN THE HANOI HEAT. MOST, ACCORDING TO ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE, ARE ALSO QUITE WILLING TO GET OFF WORK EARLY TO GO ON TO OTHER NOCTURNAL ACTIVITIES, IN EXCHANGE FOR CERTAIN MONETARY COMPENSATIONS. -------------- RELAX -- THE "THAI" WAY -------------- ¶8. (U) A REAL BOON FOR HANOI RESIDENTS WITH BAD BACKS OR STIFF NECKS, INTER ALIA, HAS BEEN THE PROLIFERATION OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS OF AT LEAST HUNDREDS OF MASSAGE CENTERS, OFTEN HIGHLIGHTING THE FACT THAT THEY OFFER "THAI-STYLE" MASSAGES. (ODDLY, THE VIETNAMESE TERM "XOA BOP" IS GRADUALLY GIVING WAY IN THE LINGUA FRANCA AS WELL AS ON SIGNS TO A MORE VIET-ENGLISH "MASSAT" OR THE STRAIGHTFORWARD USE OF THE ENGLISH WORD.) AN ASTONISHINGLY HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THESE MASSEUSES APPEAR TO BE ATTRACTIVE YOUNG LADIES, MANY OF WHOM CLAIM TO BE FROM OUT OF TOWN. (FOR SOME UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HANOI 02845 02 OF 03 261022Z REASON, MANY DESCRIBE THEMSELVES AS SAIGON NATIVES; MAYBE THEY ARE.) VIRTUALLY ALL APPARENTLY OFFER PRIVATE ROOMS, SOME WITH ATTACHED BATHS. ONE NEW MULTI-STORY "ENTERTAINMENT CENTER," WHOSE ELABORATE STATUARY AND OTHER DECORATION HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED BY SOME OBSERVERS AS "CLASSIC BROTHEL STYLE," IS JUST A COUPLE OF DOORS DOWN THE STREET FROM THE US EMBASSY AND WAS REPORTEDLY BUILT AT A PRIVATE INVESTMENT OF SEVERAL MILLION US DOLLARS. IT INCLUDES NOT ONLY SEVERAL FLOORS OF INDIVIDUAL MASSAGE ROOMS BUT ALSO SAUNAS, A SMALL SWIMMING POOL, SEVERAL RESTAURANTS, A BAR, AND A KARAOKE LOUNGE, AS WELL AS SOME OFFICES AND APARTMENTS NOW AVAILABLE FOR RENT. ¶9. (U) ACCORDING TO MANY HABITUS OF THE MASSAGE SCENE, THE MAIN ATTRACTION IS NOT THE MASSAGE ITSELF OR EVEN OF OTHER PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES ON THE PREMISES. RATHER, THE ATTRACTION IS THE WILLINGNESS OF THE MASSEUSES TO "GO OUT" WITH THE CLIENT AFTERWARDS. HOWEVER, SOME MANAGERS QUAINTLY PROMISE "HAPPY ENDING MASSAGES" TO WOULD-BE MALE CLIENTS AT THEIR MASSAGE CENTERS. -------------- REST FOR THE WEARY -------------- ¶10. (U) WHERE ARE ALL THESE NEWLY FORMED COUPLES HEADING? TO ONE OF THE SEEMINGLY UBIQUITOUS "NHA NGHI" -- REST HOUSES -- THAT DOT THE URBAN (AND MORE AND MORE, EVEN THE RURAL) LANDSCAPE. AGAIN, MOST ARE SMALL ESTABLISHMENTS, PRIVATELY OWNED, AND ASK FEW QUESTIONS OF THEIR GUESTS, UNLIKE HOTELS AND GUESTHOUSES, WHICH USUALLY REQUIRE THE DEPOSIT OF A UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HANOI 02845 02 OF 03 261022Z GOVERNMENT ID CARD AND/OR FOREIGN PASSPORT TO RENT A ROOM. MORE IMPORTANTLY, THESE "REST HOUSES" OFTEN OFFER ROOMS BY THE HOUR FOR THOSE QUICK NAPS -- OR TRYSTS. AT ABOUT USD 7 AN HOUR, THEY ARE NOT ONE OF THE BEST BARGAINS IN HANOI, BUT ARE NOT OUT OF THE RANGE OF THE LOCAL CLIENTELE. SOME, BUT PROBABLY NOT EVEN MOST, OFFER YOUNG HOSTESSES OF THEIR OWN FOR OTHER SERVICES. ¶11. (U) ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE -- INCLUDING FROM THE USUALLY RELIABLE STAPLE OF POLOFFS EVERYWHERE, TAXI DRIVERS -- INDICATE THAT THE COST OF SHORT-TIME SEXUAL SERVICES RANGE FROM 100,000 VIETNAMESE DONG (USD 7) UPWARD. VIETNAMESE MEN CALL STEPPING OUT FOR ONE OF THESE EXTRAMARITAL LIAISONS "EATING PHO" (THE CLASSIC VIETNAMESE NOODLE SOUP),IN CONTRAST TO "EATING RICE" AT HOME. AS IN OTHER ASIAN CULTURES, MANY HANOI MEN TEND TO GO OFF AND "EAT PHO" ALONG WITH THEIR BUDDIES, RATHER THAN ON THEIR OWN, OFTEN AFTER AN EVENING IN A BEER HALL AND/OR KARAOKE AND/OR MASSAGE. WHILE OF COURSE MANY -- PERHAPS EVEN MOST -- HANOI MEN MAY NEVER ENGAGE IN THIS STILL ILLEGAL PASTIME, RANDOM SAMPLES SUGGEST THAT MANY MALES DO SO ABOUT ONCE A MONTH, AND THAT THE FIRST SEXUAL EXPERIENCE OF MOST HANOI MEN PROBABLY TAKES ONE OF THESE FORMS. UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ2627 PAGE 01 HANOI 02845 03 OF 03 261022Z ACTION EAP-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 EVG-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 ED-01 FBIE-00 UTED-00 VC-00 HHS-01 H-01 TEDE-00 INR-00 IO-00 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 OES-00 OMB-01 OPIC-01 PA-00 PM-00 PRS-00 ACE-00 P-00 SP-00 TEST-00 TRSE-00 USIE-00 PMB-00 DSCC-00 PRM-00 DRL-02 G-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /008W -------------- 0E92FB 261022Z /38 R 260957Z NOV 02 FM AMEMBASSY HANOI TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8197 INFO AMCONSUL HO CHI MINH CITY ASEAN COLLECTIVE USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI UNCLAS SECTION 03 OF 03 HANOI 002845 SIPDIS -------------- DOWN BY THE LAKE -------------- ¶12. (U) HANOI'S NUMEROUS SMALL LAKES, WHICH USUALLY HAVE ATTRACTIVE PARKS AROUND THEM, OFFER CHARMING LOCATIONS FOR BOTH PRO- AND NON-PRO SEXUAL ACTIVITIES. THE LARGE LAKESIDE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HANOI 02845 03 OF 03 261022Z LENIN PARK FAIRLY TEEMS IN THE EVENING HOURS WITH YOUNG COUPLES SEEKING A PRIVATE SPOT FOR A BENCH -- OR IN THE BUSHES. (DRUG USE HERE IS ALSO A PROBLEM; USED SYRINGES DOT THE PARK, AND THE BENCHES ARE FULL OF SLEEPING ADDICTS AT ALL HOURS.) EXPAT FOLKLORE HAS IT THAT THIS PARK WAS A CENTER FOR FURTIVE HOMOSEXUAL ENCOUNTERS AS LONG AGO AS THE EARLY 1980S. NOWADAYS, THE HOAN KIEM LAKE (LAKE OF THE RETURNED SWORD) -- THE SPIRITUAL IF NO LONGER PHYSICAL CENTER OF DOWNTOWN HANOI -- OFFERS AGGRESSIVELY FRIENDLY YOUNG MEN COURTING CLIENTS; EMBASSY ADVICE TO TRAVELERS IS TO STAY OUT OF THE PUBLIC TOILETS THERE UNLESS EXPLICITLY SEEKING AN ENCOUNTER OF ANOTHER KIND. -------------- IT'S NO JOKE, HOWEVER -------------- ¶13. (U) ACCORDING TO A RECENT REPORT IN THE OFFICIAL MEDIA, THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH HAS PREDICTED THAT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN VIETNAM INFECTED WITH HIV/AIDS WILL REACH 200,000 BY 2005. ALREADY, ACCORDING TO THIS REPORT, 154,244 PEOPLE ARE INFECTED, 23,605 CASES WITH FULL-BLOWN AIDS, AND 20,089 ON THE VERGE OF DEATH. THE NATIONAL AIDS STANDING BUREAU OFFICIALLY HAS ACKNOWLEDGED ONLY 56,495 HIV CARRIERS (13,000 OF WHOM WERE IDENTIFIED SO FAR IN 2002),AS WELL AS A TOTAL OF 4,649 DEATHS (1,096 IN 2002) AND 8,450 CURRENT AIDS PATIENTS, ACCORDING TO ANOTHER REPORT IN THE OFFICIAL MEDIA. MOST GVN OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THAT THE LARGE MAJORITY OF INFECTIONS STEM FROM INTRAVENOUS DRUG USE, ALTHOUGH SOME EXPERTS BELIEVE THAT THIS TREND IS NOW SHIFTING IN FAVOR OF SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS. GVN UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HANOI 02845 03 OF 03 261022Z OFFICIALS HAVE NOTED PRIVATELY THAT HIV/AIDS INFECTION BY A PRISON INMATE IS SOMETIMES A FACTOR IN WINNING AN AMNESTY. ¶14. (U) AS NOTED IN REFTEL SUBMISSION TO THE ANNUAL ANTI- TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REPORT, TRAFFICKING IN VIETNAM REMAINS AN ISSUE OF CONCERN TO THE GVN AND OTHER OBSERVERS, INCLUDING THE USG. HOWEVER, MOST TRAFFICKING IN WOMEN APPEARS TO BE AIMED AT FOREIGN AUDIENCES, ALTHOUGH SOME TRAFFICKING FROM RURAL TO URBAN AREAS FOR THE PURPOSES OF PROSTITUTION EXISTS. ECONOMIC INCENTIVES ARE MORE LIKELY FACTORS TO INDUCE YOUNG WOMEN VOLUNTARILY INTO PROFESSIONAL OR SEMI-PROFESSIONAL PROSTITUTION DOMESTICALLY, HOWEVER. WITHIN HANOI, THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE THE CHILD SEX PROSTITUTION SO ABHORRENT IN OTHER NEAR-BY COUNTRIES. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶15. (U) NO RELIABLE ESTIMATES EXIST ABOUT HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ENGAGED -- FULL-TIME, PART-TIME, FREE-LANCE, EMPLOYED -- IN PROSTITUTION IN HANOI THESE DAYS, BUT THE NUMBERS APPEAR TO BE GROWING. HANOI STILL (AS FAR AS EMBASSY KNOWS) HAS NOTHING LIKE DE FACTO BROTHELS OR BANGKOK-STYLE "MASSAGE PARLORS," BUT THE RANGE OF OTHER OPTIONS HAS DEVELOPED MARKEDLY AND IS CLEARLY MEETING SOME MARKET DEMANDS. THE RESPONSE OF POLICE AND SECURITY OFFICIALS TO ALL OF THESE TRENDS APPEARS WEAK, EVEN INDIFFERENT. THE CLEAR IMPLICATION IS THAT, AS ELSEWHERE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, CORRUPTION IS EFFECTIVE IN KEEPING POLICE AWAY AND OFF OF THE BACKS OF THESE DEMIMONDE ENTREPRENEURS. IT IS NO WONDER UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HANOI 02845 03 OF 03 261022Z THAT THE GVN AND CPV FEEL COMPELLED TO ADMIT THE GROWING PREVALENCE OF SOCIAL EVILS. WHAT THEY MAY NOT YET HAVE A GOOD GAUGE FOR IS WHETHER THE HANOI PUBLIC WOULD RATHER THESE SOCIAL EVILS CONTINUE TO PROLIFERATE, OR WHETHER THEY WOULD PREFER AUTHORITIES MIND THEIR OWN BUSINESS. IT MAY BE THIS INDECISION THAT PREVENTS A MORE VIGOROUS OFFICIAL RESPONSE TO THE PROBLEM OF PROSTITUTION IN HANOI AND ELSEWHERE IN VIETNAM. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT HANOI'S NIGHTLIFE AND SOCIETY INCREASINGLY RESEMBLE THOSE OF OTHER SOUTHEAST ASIAN CITIES -- ESPECIALLY HO CHI MINH CITY. BURGHARDT UNCLASSIFIED