Asia Adult Guide

Travel essentials

Updates log

Chronological log of significant changes to adult-travel-relevant legal frameworks, district closures, NGO contact updates, and clinic changes across Asia. Most-recent first. Each entry links back to the relevant country page where the change is contextualised.

  1. 2026-05-17

    Site launch — adult-travel guide goes live

    Initial launch covering 11 countries, 32 cities, 10 cross-cutting reference pages and a venues directory. Tone: factual adult-travel guide; harm-reduction sections retained on reference pages where on-topic.

  2. 2026-01-02 · indonesia

    Indonesia KUHP 2023 comes into force

    The revised Indonesian Criminal Code (Law No. 1/2023), enacted in December 2022, took legal effect on 2 January 2026 after the three-year transition period. Articles 411-413 criminalise extramarital sex generally — a complaint-based offence with penalties up to one year. Applies to tourists; the practical impact is being watched.

    Source: Indonesian government gazette; Reuters

  3. 2025-01-22 · thailand

    Thailand recognises same-sex marriage

    The Marriage Equality Act, signed by King Vajiralongkorn in September 2024, took effect 22 January 2025 — making Thailand the first ASEAN country to legalise same-sex marriage. Has no direct effect on adult-industry law but reframes the LGBT-traveller legal context significantly.

    Source: Royal Gazette of Thailand

  4. 2024-10-01 · cambodia

    Siem Reap's new Techo International Airport opens

    The old Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport closed; the new Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport (Techo) opened ~40 km southeast of the city. All tourist arrivals now route through the new facility; pre-book transit accordingly.

  5. 2023-07-13 · japan

    Japan raises age of consent from 13 to 16

    The June 2023 Penal Code amendment came into effect 13 July 2023. First overhaul of the Japanese sexual-offences framework since 1907. Significantly tightens compensated-dating-sting customer prosecution risk in particular.

    Source: Japan Times, NHK

  6. 2023-01-01 · singapore

    Singapore repeals Penal Code §377A

    Section 377A (criminalising consensual male same-sex activity) was repealed effective 1 January 2023. The Women's Charter commercial framework remains gendered; same-sex commercial activity falls into a separate enforcement category without the §377A overlay.

    Source: Singapore Statutes Online

  7. 2022-03-04 · philippines

    Philippines raises age of consent from 12 to 16

    Republic Act 11648 signed into law 4 March 2022. The Philippines had had the lowest age of consent in Asia (12) since the 1930 Revised Penal Code; the change brings it in line with most regional neighbours.

    Source: Official Gazette of the Philippines

  8. 2021-10-08 · hong kong

    Hong Kong adds voyeurism offence to Crimes Ordinance

    Crimes (Amendment) Ordinance 2021 added sections 159AAA (voyeurism) and 159AAB (publication of voyeuristic recordings) to Cap. 200. Penalties up to five years imprisonment. Aligns Hong Kong with the post-2018 Korean and Japanese tightening on intimate-image offences.

  9. 2020-05-19 · korea

    Korea raises age of consent from 13 to 16

    Penal Code amendment effective May 2020. Followed sustained civil-society advocacy after the 'Nth Room' (n번방) Telegram cases. The 2004 Act on Arranging Sexual Traffic also tightened around the same period.

  10. 2019-08-22 · cambodia

    Cambodia bans online gambling

    Prime Minister Hun Sen's directive ended Cambodia's online-gambling licensing regime, triggering the partial collapse of the Sihanoukville Chinese-investment boom over 2019-2020. Adult-entertainment economy in Sihanoukville reshaped substantially; some venues displaced to Phnom Penh and to scam-compound operations.

  11. 2018-04-26 · philippines

    Boracay closes for six-month rehabilitation

    President Duterte's directive closed Boracay to all tourism 26 April to 26 October 2018 for environmental rehabilitation. Adult-industry-crossover venues in particular did not return at pre-2018 density post-reopening; the island has been re-positioned as a 'family beach destination' by Department of Tourism.

  12. 2018-04-13 · korea

    Korean illicit-recording (molka) penalties tripled

    Amendment to the Act on Special Cases concerning the Punishment of Sexual Crimes significantly increased penalties for non-consensual recording. Followed by the 2020 'Nth Room' amendment criminalising mere possession of illicitly-recorded intimate images. Foreigners are not exempt.

  13. 2018-03-15 · korea

    Seoul demolishes Cheongnyangni 588 district

    The most-photographed glass-fronted red-light district in Seoul was progressively demolished and redeveloped starting March 2018. By 2019 the district was effectively gone, replaced with apartment towers. The trade dispersed online and into apartment-based 'condition' meetings.

  14. 2017-10-31 · korea

    US 8th Army Yongsan Garrison closes

    The principal US military installation in Seoul relocated to Camp Humphreys (Pyeongtaek) by end of October 2017. Itaewon's dependency on the garrison customer base shifted; the district has reorganised around general foreigner-facing nightlife since.