John Kane

I am beginning academic-style research into violence against sex workers. This is likely to grow into a Master or PhD thesis.

For background only, what do you know about violence against sex workers?

This is becoming an important issue. Thanks to the expose' of Somaly Mam (Newsweek, May, 21, 2014) we know that anecdotal stories and huge numbers are important to justify and fund "rescue" NGOs. Maybe the need for rescue NGOs and their use of funds should be reconsidered - either increased or decreased - as a result of better understanding of violence sex workers face.

Now there is a study making the rounds claiming 15% of all Thai prostitutes experience violence weekly. (The Nation, May 28, 2016) Yes, at that rate 105% of all Thai sex workers can be assumed to be subject to violence every 7 weeks. Does this sound about right to you? What are your qualifications to have an opinion?

Comments from the Thai farang community will be helpful for background. Thanks - -

There is an American living here since he was a teenager with his military family who, first, is now a billionaire and, second, is a long time Thai citizen. I would love to hear his experience in becoming a Thai citizen and how it compares to others. A newspaper article said he is lucky if he knows 100 Thai words. I often day dream about what my life would be like if I were in Thailand starting in the late 60s - and never left. Of course we all know America is the land of opportunity, not Thailand. (yes, that is sarcasm) But it worked for that guy and I am both jealous and proud of him.

Enough with the coupon jokes. How do I get my hands on those TM47 forms we will need? I will bet they will become hard to find.

Consider if you will that a lot of this kind of thing is highly exaggerated. Yes, what was described in this new story defies all humanity but the stories are often sensationalized to get the kind of powerful emotional reactions you are providing to this anti-trafficking industry. Your remarks, and I hope mine but fat chance for mine, will be picked up and used to attack trafficking around the world in ways you may not agree with.

Currently two Swedish men - Solemo & Sederholm - are in Philippine prison for life for operating a cyber sex business. Note: I did say LIFE. They were arrested in 2009 but cyber sex did not become illegal until 2012. All women were over 18 according to a police report but NGO news reports said there were minors. All women, 19 of them as I recall, were sent to a rehab center and they tried to escape. One woman - only one out of 18 - said she was forced to strip in front of a camera making this a trafficking case. These women preferred cyber sex to prostitution. The other women think that single witness in court was an NGO plant. But the men are still serving their life sentence. Below is a FaceBook site the "victims" participate in called "Release the Five". It is their issue that deserves support too.

See: https://www.facebook.com/everybodyneedsfreedom

Get out of the country and come back to BKK. Soi dogs fighting, seriously fighting, wake me most nights.

I would like to mention that Allan B did not say he wanted to tour nor did he say he had a passenger in mind in his original question. He is large though.

I had a great experience with Honda's CBR 250 and it has just grown a little now to 300cc with more models too. I saw a motard version yesterday. I assume it is great like my CBR 250.

I am recovering from a motorcycle accident, one of the very common slow speed kind. Sunday was a very busy day at Big C. Usually I park my Honda CTX 700cc automatic among the cars instead of going into the special area for scooters. Because there were a lot of cars I went in the scooter area where they expect me to go. My mistake. It was a tight turn going in but coming out there were the back to back 90 degree turns with an ankle high railing along a to narrow path. Scooters went in and out with ease but I got stuck because my 220 kg long full size motorcycle couldn't make the tight turns. As I tried to unstick it it fell over on me. Because my leg was also stuck in the tight quarters I fell hard on my back. I have a sore spot on the left and a right kidney that hurts. I think that CBS 300 would wiggle in and out of there okay, not as easily as a scooter. But I usually ride back and forth to BKK, and Pattaya from Surin and this Honda CTX is great on the highway. I learned my lesson and won't try to go every where the scooters go.

Don't forget next weekend's International GP Motocross. Google it if you are a motocross fan. It is near Pattaya and Chomburi on March 7 & 8th. I'll be there with a sore back - but there!

The entire world is being dragged around by its nose because of the nexus of prudish American culture, radical American feminists, and the American religious right. For Americans trafficking is about sex. Trafficking is routinely confused with willing prostitution. Labor is secondary. Thailand is on the right track with better regulation of the fishing industry and other labor trafficking issues. Trafficking is about population increases and lack of unskilled jobs. Countries have to stand up to American's understanding of trafficking only as a criminal justice issue or they will find themselves on the wrong side of history as the villains, not the good guys. Trafficking is a migration issue and must be dealt with in that way.

Here is a crazy idea I hate to share. I live in a privately owned dormitory next to a Rajabhat University in a smallish town. Rent - 3,500, utiities less than 500, includes pretty good internet and parking. So, my housing expense is less than 9% of your income, and 3.5% of mine. I cook with a hot plate, toaster, water heater. I will probably add a microwave one of these days. It is a new building. The room is 196 sq feet not counting the bathroom and porch. I am surrounded by young people who don't mind me being here and are quite friendly. I could do some English tutoring if I want, but don't. I have taken part in some university activities. There is a lot of live music I can walk too and the normal compliment of farang bars and restaurants close by too. Some movies are in English. I use an okay health club which included a 25 meter pool for 1,500 a month. I am in a relationship with a college PhD across the street. She washes/irons my clothes, and expects a booty call a couple of times a week. Sorry, no beach here, but a pretty good lifestyle. Check around the local college towns especially between semesters and you too can get a dorm room. As I recall there 42 Rajabhat universities and lots of other schools too.

A reply here asked if the crime rate is so horrible in the USA that people feel the need to have a gun. Actually the crime rate ion USA is at a 20 year low but it is highly exaggerated and sensationalize just as so many other issues are. The crazy think Americans are taught to think about international trafficking of people is off the wall crazy. US people have a lot to be afraid of due more to media than anything else. Very sad but probably common among declining imperial super powers. Oh well, good to be in Thailand. Right guys?!

I have ridden in some truly crazy places in my time - Albania, Dominican Republic - but here in Thailand I still marvel at the trick of me riding down the middle of the right lane at what I conisder a safe speed like maybe 110 k/h when a full size car will fly past me on my right using every inch of any berm. Some times it seems like I get only a few inches to spare. If they don't fly up behind me at high speed and I get a chance to see them coming or if they would just beep their horn, I would gladly move over.

Motorcycle safety isn't only about Thailand. On an Italian freeway south of Naples two smart ass guys in full leathers once flew past me on their motorcycles on both sides like I was standing still. That would not have been worth mentioning except that I was going at about 150 k/h myself on my 1100 cc BMW. Yikes!

Since most of my riding is on the Thai highways between cities I would really like to see real motorcycles, but maybe not scooters, be allowed to use toll roads. What can we do about that discrimination? Getting in and out of Bangkok (rt 9) would be so much easier if all roads were available to real motorcycles.

Some fellow readers will find this interesting. I met Condi a couple of times but only to sit next to her on our respective Lifecycles in the Main State gym. She is okay, but to smart to run for President. Why would anyone want that kind of punishment? She was not yet Sec State at the time they are talking about here. For me there is no question that, if State Department's Diplomatic Security (DS) was involved I would have no surprise at what I read here about the chance this poor schmuck is being railroaded. DS has a history of deciding who is trustworthy and who they will attack. DS will fabricate whatever they need to protect their own and carry on a dishonest fight against other employees who just rub them wrong. Maybe you can still find some of the personal testimonies about that kind of behavior at this old website:

http://www.worldcrafters.com Better yet, start here: http://www.worldcrafters.com/advice.html

I just read about people talking tests of Thai language skill when taking Thai language with an education visa. But I am considering taking advanced education courses at a Thai university that teaches classes in English language, not Thai. Will there be any testing or whatever related to that? Does immigration think every farang is taking Thai language? Comments?

When you offer pay so low as to be be difficult to live in the face of temptation why would anyone think that police would not be organized in their corruption. When I lived in Albania police used to stop traffic on the edge of all small towns to collect tea money and no one seemed to mind paying it because they knew police where so poorly paid. Without better pay or other of off setting rewards it is hard to believe a few publicized arrests like this will last more than a month or so before the old system comes right back. The police officers were willing to pay those big fees for assignments to where they would make it back quickly with the illicit income they too could make in one area instead of another.

We are hearing about riding in an illegal place, so, do readers know that ALL toll roads are closed to all motorcycles? I just rode my $17,000 700cc Honda in from Surin via route 226 to Rt 2 to Rt 1 with intentions of connecting with Rt 9 which takes me to my neighborhood were I know my way around. But noooo! Only after getting there did I learn that Rt 9 is a toll road at that point! I got very lost somewhere near the Mo Chit BTS and wasted 30 minutes just finding my way to known territory. We should be asking why toll roads are completely off limits to full size motorcycles. That explains why someone with a serious piece of machinery is doing something illegal. And this might have a lot to do with why he died. I could have been me and maybe this guy wasn't such a crazy driver. Maybe he just was in unknown territory under pressure to get out of that illegal area he found his way into.