Trade getting larger....

[Guest]

More Thais entering sex trade despite improving economy

 

BANGKOK, : The number of people entering Thailand's booming sex trade rose by 50,000 in 2003 despite an improving economy and the government's war on poverty, a report has cited a survey as showing.

 

Chulalongkorn University political science professor Nitet Tinnakul said some 2.8 million Thais, including women, men and children, served as sex workers throughout the country from 1999 to 2002, the Nation newspaper said.

 

About 800,000 of them were under 18 years of age, it said, though the report did not provide comparative annual figures for the industry.

 

Nitet reportedly listed the number of sex service outlets at 60,000.

 

"If we judge by the rising number of sex service venues, I believe the number of prostitutes is much higher," Nitet was quoted as saying.

 

"The increase of sex services shows that the government's war against poverty is not effective."

 

He said 33.9 percent of prostitutes had entered the trade because they had no other form of work, while the rest turned to prostitution to supplement their income.

 

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has vowed to eradicate poverty within six years.

 

The survey was based on interviews with sex workers, the paper said, adding that Nitet supported the legalisation of Thailand's sex industry.

 

The opinion jibed with that of Thai prostitutes and academics who gathered last month at a government-organised debate and said they strongly opposed legalising the nation's sex industry, arguing it would increase child exploitation and lure more women to the trade.

 

An expert at the debate said the experience of Western countries which decriminalised prostitution showed that trafficking in humans destined to be sold into the sex trade had exploded as a result, with child prostitution numbers tripling.

 

The Thai government has been keen to stamp out Bangkok's image as a sex tourism destination, and has launched a crackdown which ordered bars and other entertainment venues closed at 2:00 am.

 

Source: AFP

 

HT

[OCgringo]

I find it hard to believe that over 25% are underage ,

 

if those numbers are true then the Thai only places must have them,

 

but its another nail in the nightlife coffin

 

If the average newspaper reader believes these numbers then it really looks bad

 

and gives more push to clean up the night life

[Guest]

Sorry, but I don't think I am going on a limb by saying their numbers are pure BS. You don't become a prostitute as an infant or a granny so I think it's reasonable to say we are talking about the 10.9 million Thai's currently aged 16-39. From this, the study concludes one in four Thai people regardless of gender becomes a prostitute. Sorry, not buying that. Maybe their definition of a sex worker includes anyone affiliated in anyway with a place with prostitutes (eg: the kids making rounds selling flowers). Or more likely their data and statistics are just plain wrong.

[Guest]

0-14 years: 24% (male 7,364,411; female 7,095,428)

15-64 years: 70% (male 20,878,602; female 21,493,735)

65 years and over: 6% (male 1,664,113; female 2,112,757) (1999 est.

 

Don't know where you get only 10 mil ppl in the 16-39 range.

 

Even if you halve the 15-65 year old, that still leaves 21,000,000 in the 15-40 year old category. Of course the number would be even higher, as all people do not live to be 65. It would be closer to 25+ mil ppl in the 15-40 range. Which would be a little less than 1/2 of the population. And there are plenty of 40+ aged hookers in Thailand, as well. And sadly to say, workers below the age of 15, also.

 

With almost every town in Thailand having at least 1 brothel and/or massage parlor, his numbers may not be far off.

 

Certainly the governments stats of 600,000 in the trade, is way low. The most scary number would be the number of workers now, and then include anyone else who has ever participated in the trade in the past. :-O I think that number would be truly shocking.

 

HT

[keith doug]

one only has to walk along Suckhumvit late at night and the reason is clear... 1am closing it will be worst.. 12midnight aweful and 10pm it will be hell let loose!

[Guest]

Oops, went back to verify the numbers and noticed I was looking at male population numbers. Including females almost doubles my population figure in that range. But still, 1 in 8 Thai's become sex workers??? Since I would think there are significantly more girls than guys in the scene and my age range seems pretty generous compared to the average shelf life, that 1 in 8 would probably be much higher if just talking girls.

[pattaya127]

I wonder if Thailand will not stay forever the country where "women can easily be bought for sex", no matter what is done towards eradicating it.

Even a better schooling at this point will not help young women and men making more than when selling their bodies.

Moreover if the numbers are remotely accurate, it also shows that the shame (or sense of personal failure) that could be attached to entering the trade is, either non-existant or deterring.

Really, it seems that working in a bar, a gogo, a karaoke, freelancing 100% or on the side, whatever, is becoming a normal economic/professional activity. With its dangers and healthhazards, maybe, but just like many other unskilled professions.

 

Your thoughts?

[Old Hippie]

"...I wonder if Thailand will not stay forever the country where "women can easily be bought for sex", no matter what is done towards eradicating it.

Even a better schooling at this point will not help young women and men making more than when selling their bodies..."

 

Talked to a girl the other night she seems to think a crack down would actually drive up the price, as there would be fewer public venues open late to draw from. Also, she stated that many educated women with office jobs occassionally "moonlight" for a few bucks, as their 8-10,000 salaries aren't enough for a good life style. At some point, the question has to be asked, what is a reasonable salary? and would a reasonable salary stop a girl from "moonlighting" when she knows she can make even more? Where is the end? I can't see where a crack down would really work at all, hell, even Afganistan, Iraq and Iran all have prostitution, and the penalty there is death, so if that won't stop it, what will?

[pattaya127]

and would a reasonable salary stop a girl from "moonlighting"

-----------------------

 

Well, I guess this is what i was getting at: the business may be less and les related to making a better monthly income (still is for many though), and simply about money, period.

 

You can make some doing this, then let's do it.

 

In a way, it both fits the image of the thai woman being the hindlegs of the elephant serving her man (men now), but at the same time, showing indomitable pragmatism. 12 angry men (thai gvnmt : won't change that anytime soon, then....

[Guest]

The only thing that shocked me here was that 2/3 of the trade have other income/support. I've been with a lot of freelancers, and all but 1 had another source of income, or went to school. I think most here generaly only see the full time falang entertainment girls, so get a sense that is indicitive of the industry as a whole. Full time farang go-go/Bbar workers are a tiny percentage. The real trade is in the Thai for Thai trade. Seems like there is an enormous amount of moonlighting going on there, to make ends meet. As is also the case with most sukumvit freelancers, as well.

 

Trouble is this board is made up of 99% farang, cumulativly with us being with 10's of 1,000's of girls. But there is very limited insight here into the real sector, that makes up maybe 90% of the numbers.

 

In fact, that might make for an interesting thread. What legit job was your girl doing besides moonlighting as a prostitute?

 

HT