In Thai tourist spots, a hidden world of male sex slavery

[webfact]

In Thai tourist spots, a hidden world of male sex slavery

Rina Chandran

 

FILE photo

 

CHIANG MAI, Thailand (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Young boys walk in pairs late in the evening at Chiang Mai’s popular Tha Phae Gate, sauntering past tourists taking photos of the fort as locals hawk souvenirs.

 

No one would connect the boys to the older, white men - and a pair of Chinese 40-somethings - seated under a tree, or to the young man with the mobile phone leaning on a parked motorbike.

 

But for Alezandra Russell, founder of non-profit Urban Light, this scene - which unfolds every evening in one of the country’s most popular tourist stops - sums up everything that is wrong with Thailand’s approach to trafficking and slavery.

 

“The dialogue in Thailand - and around the world - is focused on women and girls, because the general perception is that boys are big and strong, and that they can take care of themselves,” said Russell, pointing out the deals being done.

 

The boys, aged from 14 to 24, walk in pairs for greater safety, making eye contact with the men, who then communicate their choices to the man with the mobile phone. Once the deal is done, the boys move to a side alley to wait for their clients.

 

If no one passes muster, the men head to one of dozens of bars and karaoke lounges that offer boys for sex. The rates range from 2,000 baht ($62) for an hour to 5,000 baht for longer, in a back room or in the client’s hotel, Russell said.

 

“Why does this not shock and enrage people as much as it does when it’s girls?” said Russell, whose drop-in center is for boys in Chiang Mai’s sex industry.

 

“They are no less vulnerable and abused than girls who are trafficked into sex work. Yet it is much more hidden, so there’s much less sympathy, and far fewer resources for boys,” she said.

 

SOAPY MASSAGE

Thailand is a source, transit, and destination country for children trafficked for sexual exploitation.

 

Thailand has more than 123,530 sex workers, according to a 2014 UNAIDS report. Of these, at least 40 percent are under 18, and a significant number are boys, according to rights groups.

 

Children are trafficked into Thailand from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. Victims from Bangladesh, Pakistan, North Korea and China also transit through Thailand en route to the United States, western Europe and Russia, activists say.

 

“We are aware that there are boys also in the sex trade,” said Krittat Uamson, deputy director of the justice ministry’s human trafficking division in Bangkok. “But the majority of sex workers is girls and women, so our main focus is women.”

 

Globally, as many as 2 million children are sexually exploited annually, according to the United Nations children’s agency UNICEF. A significant number are boys, campaigners say.

 

Boys in poorer countries are particularly vulnerable, as they are often forced to work to support their families, and end up being lured to popular tourist spots.

 

Thailand’s sandy beaches, gilded Buddhist temples and popular cuisine drew a record 35 million visitors in 2017, with that number expected to rise to nearly 38 million this year, according to government data.

 

Although prostitution is illegal, it is tolerated.

 

Go-go bars, karaoke lounges and parlors offering “soapy massages” - bubble baths that usually end with sex - can be found in most cities and beach towns such as Phuket and Pattaya.

 

Agents prey on boys at bus stations, or go to villages to recruit them. The boys quickly run up debts with bar owners for clothes, drugs and money sent to their families, forcing them to remain in the bars, Russell said.

 

STIGMA

Violence and abuse are common, as is substance abuse and sexually-transmitted infections including HIV and AIDS, according to a 2013 study on boys in Chiang Mai’s sex industry.

 

The boys also display self-harming and suicidal tendencies, said Russell, who pawned her engagement and wedding rings to set up Urban Light.

 

“They are exposed to so much abuse and violence: I have seen boys come in who cannot even sit down. No 15-year-old should go through that,” she said.

 

“But we shouldn’t focus just on getting boys off the street. We have to involve the families, the communities that are putting them at risk, and talk about child rights, and safe migration,” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

 

A 2016 Global Slavery Index, compiled by the Walk Free Foundation, estimates that 425,500 people live in conditions of modern slavery - including sexual slavery - in Thailand.

 

To clean up the country’s image, the government recently partnered with airlines and charities to warn visitors about trafficking, urging them to report suspected cases.

 

It also runs vocational training for at-risk young people, and operates 24-hour hotlines, said Krittat.

 

But most of these efforts are focused on girls and women, leaving boys and young men vulnerable, activists say.

 

“There is greater stigma around sexual abuse of boys in some cultures, including in Thailand,” said Damian Kean at ECPAT International, a network of non-profits working to end sexual exploitation of children.

 

“Anecdotal evidence shows it’s under-reported to a far greater degree than sexual abuse of girls. And the offenders are not just Western tourists, but are just as likely to be locals and other Asian men,” he said.

 

Children worldwide are more likely to be preyed upon by residents of their own homeland than foreign tourists seeking illicit sex, anti-trafficking experts say.

 

TUK-TUK

Last year, Urban Light worked with more than 1,000 boys in Chiang Mai, which Russell said was a record.

 

Poverty drives thousands in rural Thailand and from neighboring countries to the bustling capital of Bangkok, too.

 

Boys and so-called “ladyboys”, or transgender women, are trafficked to the city, lured by promises of jobs in restaurants, then forced into sex work.

 

There are at least 10,000 ladyboys working in Bangkok’s sex industry, said Celeste McGee, founder of Dton Naam, a charity that focuses on boys and transgender women.

 

“There is more stigma around transgender women than even homosexual men,” said McGee.

 

“They are exposed to a lot of violence and abuse from clients, and need different interventions for rehabilitation.”

 

Urban Light and Dton Naam offer counseling, vocational guidance, funds to complete school, and job opportunities.

 

In Chiang Mai, many drive tuk-tuks with the help of loans or grants, Russell said.

 

One of them, who goes by the name Joe, entered the trade when he was 15 years old, and worked for seven years, contracting HIV along the way.

 

Today, he drives a tuk-tuk, his girlfriend sometimes accompanying him, with an Urban Light sticker that says ‘Boys cannot be baht’ displayed prominently on the vehicle.

 

“I like this job, and being my own master,” he said. “This makes me feel happy, confident.”

 

(Reporting by Rina Chandran @rinachandran. Editing by Lyndsay Griffiths)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-06-14

[LazySlipper]

22 minutes ago, webfact said:

Boys and so-called “ladyboys”, or transgender women

 

I fail to see how anyone would want to traffic ladyboys.

[DoctorG]

Good to see the oft-neglected boys issues getting some media time.

[fullcave]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

“But we shouldn’t focus just on getting boys off the street. We have to involve the families,

I wonder do the parents notice their children are missing? 

[Bob12345]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

“The dialogue in Thailand - and around the world - is focused on women and girls, because the general perception is that boys are big and strong, and that they can take care of themselves,” said Russell, pointing out the deals being done.

Plus feminists only care about made-up statistics about a non-existing pay gap and everything that focuses on men takes away from their agenda; which is why they not only ignore it but even trivialize it.

[owl sees all]

I think all the figures quoted are nonsense.

 

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Thailand has more than 123,530 sex workers

Of course there are more. Figures just made up. Yesterday I counted 123,531 in soi 6.

[trianglechoke]

WOW, I live in Chiang Mai. Although I don't live near that area everyone I know goes for a drink inn that general area now and again and I have never seen or heard anything. I don't even recall seeing pairs of young guys either.

I am shocked that it is portrayed as so open..... BUT not at all shocked that it happens in Thailand

[bkkgriz]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

“Why does this not shock and enrage people as much as it does when it’s girls?” said Russell, whose drop-in center is for boys in Chiang Mai’s sex industry.

Because radical feminists have done nothing but spew hatred towards men. Men are nothing but abusers and rapists, according to them. Men deserve nothing but scorn. Men are expendable and should be removed from society for the good of the world. Propaganda like this is being spread by major media outlets and taught in universities. It's really no wonder nobody cares about these boys. 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/why-cant-we-hate-men/2018/06/08/f1a3a8e0-6451-11e8-a69c-b944de66d9e7_story.html

[IamNoone88]

Thailand has more than 123,530 sex workers ...... come on some-one has to say it ...... 530 down and 123,000 to go ???!!!!

[The manic]

Another NGO spouting nonesense and redefining the word trafficking to suit their purposes which is hoovering up money. For real abuse of children visit the UK.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5838589/Oxford-child-sex-gang-jailed-75-YEARS.html

But such situations are not covered by the hypocrite zealots and NGOs because of political correctness. Thailand is a soft target but they would never dare report on the activities of the Asian grooming gangs in the UK because they are cowards.  The above linked story is about real abuse and rape and sex slavery not to be confused with voluntary sex workers of which there are thousands in Europe,  America, New Zealand and Australia. These sanctimonious NGOs, oozing self righteousness and propaganda have a hidden agenda. The promotion of right wing Christianity and the garnering of funds to spread their lies and propaganda. 

Edited June 14, 2018 by The manic

[robblok]

19 minutes ago, trianglechoke said:

WOW, I live in Chiang Mai. Although I don't live near that area everyone I know goes for a drink inn that general area now and again and I have never seen or heard anything. I don't even recall seeing pairs of young guys either.

I am shocked that it is portrayed as so open..... BUT not at all shocked that it happens in Thailand

If you don't see it and your mate's don't than its not that in the open as the article makes it out to be. Remember these organisations have an agenda too and want things to look bad so they get more donations.

[NextStationBangkok]

Does anyone think Thai police cannot raid over night ? Money is the game spoiler.

 

As long as Ray-bans are closed Thai police eyes, the cat-mouse game will go on.

 

Edited June 14, 2018 by NextStationBangkok

[The manic]

Just now, IamNoone88 said:

Thailand has more than 123,530 sex workers ...... come on some-one has to say it ...... 530 down and 123,000 to go ???!!!!

Sex work is just a job but these NGOs conflate the idea of sex work with sex slavery which is utter rubbish. The gay scene in CM is obvious but most foreigners pretend they are not paying for sex as they give gifts and pay 'expense'.

[Lupatria]

41 minutes ago, fullcave said:

I wonder do the parents notice their children are missing? 

I became aware of a case where a mother sent her 14 year old boy from the village to 'work' in Pattaya, as his older sister and many other girls in their neighborhood did. He was diagnosed HIV positive three month later. A year later he died and the entire village showed condolence saying they feel so sorry that the boy had to die due to cancer at such a young age.

Regarding the stance of the government:

Krittat Uamson, deputy director of the justice ministry’s human trafficking division in Bangkok said “but the majority of sex workers is girls and women, so our main focus is women.”

This reminds me to the governments 'handling' of the annual floods. "To prevent floods, we just focus on the two or three big rivers".

[Lupatria]

11 minutes ago, IamNoone88 said:

Thailand has more than 123,530 sex workers ...... come on some-one has to say it ...... 530 down and 123,000 to go ???!!!!

It is estimated by Mahidol University that CPs amounted to about 36,000 children out of 150,000-200,000 prostitutes. The Center for the Protection of Children's Rights estimates that Thai and foreign child prostitutes aged under 11 years, in 1996, amounted to about 800,000 out of a total 2 million prostitutes. 

 

Not counting the part time 'freelancers' in rural areas!

[robblok]

3 minutes ago, Lupatria said:

It is estimated by Mahidol University that CPs amounted to about 36,000 children out of 150,000-200,000 prostitutes. The Center for the Protection of Children's Rights estimates that Thai and foreign child prostitutes aged under 11 years, in 1996, amounted to about 800,000 out of a total 2 million prostitutes. 

 

Not counting the part time 'freelancers' in rural areas!

Seems like a radical drop in both child and normal prostitutes. 

[Lupatria]

7 minutes ago, robblok said:

Seems like a radical drop in both child and normal prostitutes. 

They are all motorbike jockeys and hairdresser now.

[fullcave]

10 minutes ago, Lupatria said:

I became aware of a case where a mother sent her 14 year old boy from the village to 'work' in Pattaya, as his older sister and many other girls in their neighborhood did. He was diagnosed HIV positive three month later. A year later he died and the entire village showed condolence saying they feel so sorry that the boy had to die due to cancer at such a young age.

Regarding the stance of the government:

Krittat Uamson, deputy director of the justice ministry’s human trafficking division in Bangkok said “but the majority of sex workers is girls and women, so our main focus is women.”

This reminds me to the governments 'handling' of the annual floods. "To prevent floods, we just focus on the two or three big rivers".

Sending your 14 year old child to work in Pattaya (boy or girl) is hard to fathom. I'm sure they had no idea...

[neeray]

1 hour ago, fullcave said:

I wonder do the parents notice their children are missing? 

Or notice that it is very uncomfortable for them to sit on a chair. Ouch! Sick! Perverted/disgusting!

[mok199]

time to listen to'' He-motions ''....or not...Amusing Thailand

[quandow]

2 hours ago, LazySlipper said:

 

I fail to see how anyone would want to traffic ladyboys.

THANKS!!! I needed that!

[HerbalEd]

1 hour ago, owl sees all said:

I think all the figures quoted are nonsense.

 

Of course there are more. Figures just made up. Yesterday I counted 123,531 in soi 6.

Since you're the expert on Thai prostitution, we'll just have to take your word for it. 

[lubfishin]

1 hour ago, Bob12345 said:

Plus feminists only care about made-up statistics about a non-existing pay gap and everything that focuses on men takes away from their agenda; which is why they not only ignore it but even trivialize it.

Someone took the red pill. ?

[simoh1490]

Many of the boys/young men who are trafficked are undocumented, hill tribe kids in particular. Trying to prove the age of some of them is extremely difficult and many times westerners are considered guilty until proven innocent in these situations. I knew a Brit more than twelve years ago in CM who got four years for underage sex with a hillside lad who we all believed to be over eighteen but it couldn't be proved and the authorities weren't interested in trying to find out, even he said he was over 18 - a couple of us tried to help and even went to his school in Central Thailand to try and get his records but we they wouldn't release them to us. Ultimately it was an NGO that was responsible for his arrest and imprisonment.

[Queen4ADay]

1 hour ago, Bob12345 said:

Plus feminists only care about made-up statistics about a non-existing pay gap and everything that focuses on men takes away from their agenda; which is why they not only ignore it but even trivialize it.

Yes of course, that's why this woman pawned her rings to start Urban Light to help the "BOYS" because 'feminists' only focus on girls. What have you done about this issue lately?

[skippy]

16 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

Many of the boys/young men who are trafficked are undocumented, hill tribe kids in particular. Trying to prove the age of some of them is extremely difficult and many times westerners are considered guilty until proven innocent in these situations. I knew a Brit more than twelve years ago in CM who got four years for underage sex with a hillside lad who we all believed to be over eighteen but it couldn't be proved and the authorities weren't interested in trying to find out, even he said he was over 18 - a couple of us tried to help and even went to his school in Central Thailand to try and get his records but we they wouldn't release them to us. Ultimately it was an NGO that was responsible for his arrest and imprisonment.

How old was your Brit mate 12 years ago in CM ?

[Broken Record]

1 hour ago, owl sees all said:

I think all the figures quoted are nonsense.

 

Of course there are more. Figures just made up. Yesterday I counted 123,531 in soi 6.

I didn't think ThaiVisa members went there.

[kamahele]

2 hours ago, LazySlipper said:

 

I fail to see how anyone would want to traffic ladyboys.

While it may not be your thing, these women are popular to a section of society.

[simoh1490]

5 minutes ago, skippy said:

How old was your Brit mate 12 years ago in CM ?

I'm not sure, I guess around 40 or thereabouts, he was well known by Red Lion staff who will doubtless remember him.

 

And he wasn't a mate, he was just somebody that I and another Brit tried to help because at the time it seemed like the right thing to do, it was a good learning experience.

[leeneeds]

Harmful sad world live in, 

depraved humans are everywhere, 

so morally corrupt it turns my stomach.