MsNina

feminist.... you probably have no idea of what it means to be feminine.

no, actually i have an excellent understanding of femininity. It is a social construction designed to make women depillate their bodies so that they look like pre-pubescent girls, to burn fat and diet so that they have the stomachs of pre-pubescent girls, to totter around on high heels so that they are unsteady and vulnerable, to wear make-up etc. etc. etc.

I choose to be a woman rather than to be feminine.

exploitation of women..!!!!

take a look at what goes on here and then tell me who is exploiting who.

lol! perhaps you should like at the demand side of the equation, rather than the women who constitute the supply, to understand the who really is being exploited and who is the exploiter. If men weren't buying women in the first place, then women would not be pretending to be your girlfriend and taking you for a ride. And do you really think that Thai women want to be ###### you??? If there were real alternatives, they would take them. When we look at global political economy including structural inequalities between nations, lack of opportunities within Thailand, the consequences of militarism in Burma, the lack of citizenship of the hill tribes in Thailand, and demand for sexual exploitation of women by men... then I think we get a pretty clear of who is being exloited.

you think I am having you on or someone else??

coz it's definitely true about the midwives...

and everything else.

excuse me as i wade into this topic, completely unaware of the sites internal politics...

I believe that prostitution is a form of violence against women. Prostitution reduces a woman's body to a commodity to be bought and sold by men. Men are prostituted too, but this is also for men, not for women. Whether or not a woman 'chooses' to enter prostitution, or whether she is forced into - either through circumstance or direct violence - is irrelevant: we should not live in a society where it is even an option for women to be bought and sold by men.

Legalisation of prostitution only increases the problem, rather than decreases it or makes it easier regulate. If you look around the world - including places like Amsterdam or Australia - legalisation of prostitution only makes it easier to hide extreme exploitation, like the trafficking of women, within the legal prostitution, as police rarely conduct investigations into legal brothels. Where prostitution is illegal and there are vice squads, a lot more is known about crimes against women in prostitution and it is more difficult and less lucrative for criminals to exploit women in prostitution.

Not only does legalised prositution make it easier to hide prostitution-related crime, but it also sends out a normative message that it is OK for men to buy and sell women. Legalisation of prostitution and pornography increase access and exposure and only further entrenches prostitution within our society.

And FYI, prostitution is not the oldest 'profession' - asides from the fact that prostitiution is not a form of work but is a form of abuse, I believe you'll find that midwifery is the oldest profession!

Thanks so much for all the information!

Not mingle with the men who ..... So your only going to mingle with women? 

Funny, you're not the only person who's said that... Honestly, most of my friends here in Melbourne are women, so I'm used to it!

A few other people have also recommended the area around the Victory Monument. The Lonely Planet guide says "There aren't a lot of cultural sights nearby, but the area is perfect for those who have been away from civilisation for a while and need bookshops, cinemas and shopping malls. The only drawback is that the nightlife closes with the shopping malls."

Is this true? Firstly, how far away are the cultural sights? And _is_ there no nightlife there? And if not, how far away is the nightlife?

Cheers.

I'm moving to Bangkok for a year, leaving in June. I would love your advice about setting up there!

I'll be working in central Bangkok, opposite Lumpini Park on Rama IV. I don't want to have to commute very far, but understand that living in central Bangkok is more expensive than elsewhere. Can anyone give me the lowdown, or links to a site, on good places to live? (This site http://www.ajarn.com/ has excellent information on living in Bangkok). I'm happy to spend about 10,000 baht a month on rent (plus utilities - about 3,000 - 4,000 baht?), and really want an apartment with a separate bedroom, rather than a studio, as I expect to have visitors during the year. I don't particularly want to live amongst expats, nor do I want to live in the middle of the loudest, most party-hard part of Bangkok, (though I wouldn't mind being near it, just not in it).

Besides which areas of Bangkok are good to live in, can people give me advice about finding an apartment? I understand that just walking around in the desired suburb is a good way, but I don't speak Thai! I don't feel super confident about the prospect of getting a fair deal, regarding deposit, utilities and rent, if I can't actually negotiate with the landlord. In light of this, is it better to mainly look in the Bangkok Post or will I face the same problems? Is going through a real estate agent necessary? If I do get to negotiate with a landlord, what questions should I ask of them? Should I try to get my utility bills directly from the utility company or is this even possible?

I also like the idea of sharing a flat with others, particularly Thai people (though they would have to have a decent level of English). Is this common or easy to do?

Can people recommend methods of transport to and from work? Is the sky train particularly accessable? And is it very expensive? Are the main transport options bus (non air-con?), train, tuk-tuk, taxi, motorbike and car? Do people cycle in Bangkok? Or is this something not to be done because of the pollution?!

While I'm waiting to find an apartment, I'll probably have to stay in a youth hostel. Can anyone recommend a good hostel?

I would also love to learn Thai. Can anyone recommend a good Thai school?

Finally, can people tell me about other great things to do in Bangkok (Thai jazz?!) and also good weekend holidays?

I should also emphasise that I am a feminist woman and have no interest in mingling with the men who sustain the exploitation of women and children in Thailand's sex industries.