Thai MP proposes to legalise prostitution

 

Picture: Thai Channel 8

 

A Thai MP has added his weight to calls for the sex industry and sex toys to be legalized in Thailand. 

 

Doing so would bring sex workers into the system, afford them better protection from crime and allow them to seek state benefits.

 

Taxing them on their earnings would be a bonanza for state coffers. 

 

It is time Thailand faced up to the facts - prostitution is everywhere and has been completely widespread since the days of Ayuthaya 700 years ago. 

 

Sometimes it has been legal, sometimes not - now is a time for it to be made legal again after 61 years.

 

The comments came from party list MP and head of the Thai Civilized Party Monkolkit Suksintharanon who has thrown his weight behind other calls for the legalization of this massive but officially unrecognized industry in Thailand. 

 

Mongkolkit is part of a committee attempting to seek change and get help for victims of sexual abuse and rape. He said that Pheu Thai and Move Forward party MPS had previously tried to change the law but without success. Now was the time to renew efforts.

 

In an interview with Thai Channel 8 he first talked about legalizing sex toys. He said that their use was completely widespread in Thailand and it was virtually impossible and ridiculous to ban them. They are legal in most places abroad and should be legal in Thailand and taxed. 

 

Then he turned to sex workers and the prostitution industry saying that on his committee progress is hindered by some old dinosaur MPs who hail from World War II. But there is a new breed of forward thinkers who are pressing for change. 

 

Along with him they believe it is much better to get sex workers into the system, give them a tax number and afford them state benefits when necessary.

 

The tax gained would be huge and pay for everything anyway. 

 

Because of the stigma and negative attitudes towards sex workers many do not seek help when they are the victims of crime and sexual abuse. Mental problems are left untreated too. This needs to change and now is the time. 

 

Mongkolkit said that attempts to stop prostitution in Thailand are completely futile as the industry is widespread everywhere and always has been.

 

Questioned as to whether Thais are ready to accept that idea, he pointed to the fact that prostitution has existed in Thailand going back to the glory days of the Ayuthaya Kingdom 700 years ago. Since then there have been times when it has been legal, times when it was illegal. 

 

The last time it was legal was in 1959 when the laws changed.

 

He likened the sex industry to online gambling in Thailand. It is just as widespread, and just as nonsensical to think that it can be stopped.

 

It is time Thailand faced up to these facts and moved with the times and started to regulate the industry. 

 

Thaivisa notes that many Thais are in complete denial about the sex industry. 

 

But even if they accept it, many parts of society remain deeply conservative and with the old guard that the MP refers to in the story still making up a high proportion of the government, change is unlikely to be a quick and easy road. 

 

Source: Thai Channel 8

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-06-23

 

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Give that MP a pay rise, sensible thinking

5 minutes ago, webfact said:

Mongkolkit said that attempts to stop prostitution in Thailand are completely futile as the industry is widespread everywhere and always has been.

well that's wrong, one province banned it last week, promises were made

welcome to the 19th century....

To go where the coin is and taxeth it to fill the coffers.  Free rides for government on the horizon...

Fantastic news! Will I need a work permit?

Well about time.

 

Prostitution is there anyway. 

It helps fulfilling a natural need.

It helps people make honest money

Why can't sex be a comodity among others?

Making it legal gives rights to the prostitutes and can make them independant from pims.

Pims are not necessary anyway. 

Wow. Legalize weed for everyone, legalize prostitution, allow long time foreigners to have PR's.... NO! 

But prostitution would be work only a Thai can do. No work permits given.

A lot of sense in some of what he's saying .. And the continuing denial when it's been part of their society for centuries just adds to the ridicule that comes Thailand's way from other quarters on the subject .. They should also look at how some Euro countries manage prostitution regard the health check issue and put in place a regime if they are thinking about taxing them .. 

5 minutes ago, timendres said:

Fantastic news! Will I need a work permit?

Will you be in one of the window shops like they have in Copenhagen, with a flashing red light.  If so then you will need to be tested, screened and payeth the BIB via the brown envelope or ?

A sensible reform acknowledging an established fact. Will probably be opposed by those profiting from its illegality at present.

Many of these girls make more then expats living in Pattays.

I think it is a terrible idea.

But if guys are ok with prices going up, then support it.

Various issues, mostly pro. Child exploitation would be easier to detect and control, at least to some degree. 

The reason I've thought it was kept illegal was to save work for the police. If a prostitute steals from a customer's room, the customer cannot file a complaint. 

Legalization might make it harder for rogue police to extort sex workers at various levels of the industry, not that any police are dishonest or that that ever happens of course.

Legalization might be more difficult to implement because who knows, some individuals in government or enforcement might have a financial interest in the industry, not that I've ever heard of such an unlikely thing.

Big subject.

Prostitution is technically not illegal in the UK (per-se), it's soliciting for the purpose of prostitution that is illegal. (Someone's gonna correct me if I'm wrong?)????

Also, "living off immoral earnings" is illegal.

It is not viewed as prostitution if you do not pay them up front but rather pay them to leave as the majority here in Thailand do it, just like a divorce ????

 

20 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Will you be in one of the window shops like they have in Copenhagen, with a flashing red light.  If so then you will need to be tested, screened and payeth the BIB via the brown envelope or ?

I think this proposed legalization is more like a backdoor ban or a steel fist in a velvet glove....

 

Legalization sounds good but you can bet your last dollar that there will be lots and lots and lots of rules regulations fees testing registration forms id cards tax numbers etc etc etc..........A whole boatload......

 

So in reality legalizing will be raising the cost  a lot and reducing the supply a lot.........

 

No way government is going to let this cat out of the bag with out expecting massive control and oversight...   

 

 

16 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Will you be in one of the window shops like they have in Copenhagen, with a flashing red light.  If so then you will need to be tested, screened and payeth the BIB via the brown envelope or ?

In Copenhagen??..??.. Missed that one.

 

Don't you mean Amsterdam?

3 minutes ago, redwood1 said:

a backdoor ban or a steel fist in a velvet glove....

That made me spew my coffee out of my nose.  I have not laughed that hard in ages.  Thank you for my Tuesday laugh and smie.

If they do that then some Thai people might do that for a living?

2 minutes ago, rasmus5150 said:

In Copenhagen??..??.. Missed that one.

 

Don't you mean Amsterdam?

There as well. 

But Copenhagen has it own district as well.

 

https://www.eremmel.com/2020/02/22/copenhagen-red-light-district-girls-denmark-prices-cost-prostitutes-blue-light/

4 minutes ago, rasmus5150 said:

In Copenhagen??..??.. Missed that one.

 

Don't you mean Amsterdam?

He went to a brown cafe just before he saw those windows, thought he was in Denmark.

5 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

That made me spew my coffee out of my nose.  I have not laughed that hard in ages.  Thank you for my Tuesday laugh and smie.

You have a vivid and adventurous imagination.

2 minutes ago, AlexRich said:

He went to a brown cafe just before he saw those windows, thought he was in Denmark.

Travel the world and see the exotic destinations for yourself just once in your life to learn there is more than one place to get some personal treatment from a lovely lass.

Just curious how they have gone from not wanting to be seen as a sex tourist destination to now wanting to legalize prostitution.

What's wrong with his face?

49 minutes ago, webfact said:

Taxing them on their earnings would be a bonanza for state coffers. 

Can't see many girls agreeing with this one ................LOL

17 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Many of these girls make more then expats living in Pattays.

I think it is a terrible idea.

But if guys are ok with prices going up, then support it.

why would prices increase, they should come down and stabilise as the weekly mafia fee won't have to be paid, but very unlikely to happen as the loss of income to the BIB etc. will ensure the right pressure is applied to those proposing the idea. 

1 minute ago, skorp13 said:

Just curious how they have gone from not wanting to be seen as a sex tourist destination to now wanting to legalize prostitution.

Money, Money, Money as Meryl Streep, Julie Walters and Christine Baranski would sing in Mama Mia.

"I work all night, I work all day
To pay the bills I have to pay

 

No money, No Honey

Off topic post removed

2 minutes ago, skorp13 said:

Just curious how they have gone from not wanting to be seen as a sex tourist destination to now wanting to legalize prostitution.

easy, this is Thailand where nothing is ever permanent, TAT will be able to spin the story to their benefit ....