THE WEAKER SEX from the Bangkok Post Thursday December 13, 2007

What is the place of Thai women in society as 2007 comes to a close? The best answer is in the statistics. And they are not very positive. While our country is in high gear for the December 23 general election, statistics confirm that Thai politics is still dominated by men. So are the top posts in officialdom.

And although women comprise half the workforce, they earn less than men in every income group. A majority of women who hold low-income, insecure jobs, are among the first to be axed in mass lay-offs during an economic crunch.

On the home front, wife-beating is on the rise. So is rape, with the ages of victims spanning from two to 80.

Continued in the Bangkok Post

Edited December 14, 200718 yr by sbk
as per post below

Yeah, it's good they are at least compiling and reporting it. I'll have a closer look later. Thanks girlio.

Thanks girlx. Really interesting reading. Has anyone read sex slaves? Incredibly subjective but really interesting arguments and insights into the gender inequality in S.E.Asia. Helps to explain why on the surface Thai women seem to hold a lot of power within the family and economically, but why they are still incredibly repressed.

Unfortunately the Bangkok Post does not allow us to quote entire articles out of their newspaper but rather the first few sentences so I have had to delete the entire article. Please post the first few sentences and a link next time, thanks.

argh, pretty annoying, here is the link

A survey of 600 families in Bangkok by the Ramathibodi Hospital revealed that 29 per cent of women are victims of domestic violence.

that is a big problem

Edited December 14, 200718 yr by girlx

Unfortunately that's consistent with my experiences. Whenever I talk to Thai women sure enough the topic "western hubby" and "don't you know anyone" comes up. The main argument for an expat husband is ALWAYS:

"AT LEAST THEY DON'T BEAT THEIR WIVES"

...

Unfortunately that's consistent with my experiences. Whenever I talk to Thai women sure enough the topic "western hubby" and "don't you know anyone" comes up. The main argument for an expat husband is ALWAYS:

"AT LEAST THEY DON'T BEAT THEIR WIVES"

...

Unfortunately that is an argument I have also heard used by an expat in relation to his Thai wife when defending himself against alleged bad behaviour "well she should just count herself lucky that she has a farang husband rather than a Thai one who would just drink himself stupid and beat her up" (all this said whilst sitting in the pub after a day / night long session). Can't help thinking the wife in question wasn't counting herself that lucky in having a husband with that kind of attitude.