Thailand Becoming More Unsafe For Women

[george]

Thailand becoming more unsafe for women

BANGKOK: -- A worryingly high number of spousal abuse cases, gang rapes and violence against women are being reported in Thailand, a women's right advocate said yesterday.

Thanawadi Thachin, director of the Friends of Women Foundation, citing a report from the World Health Organisation told a seminar in Chiang Mai that Thailand was one of the 10 countries with the highest number of spousal abuse. The seminar was held to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

This year alone, she said, her foundation had received more than 700 complaints, 500 of which were for domestic violence, and the rest about sexual assault and unwanted pregnancy. According to a Ramathibodhi Hospital survey there are some five million families in Thailand.

Thanawadi said the Domestic Violence Victim Protection Act 2007 was a boon for women because it ensured that the wrongdoers were severely punished. However, few women file complaints against abusive husbands due to embarrassment or fear of further assault.

She added that there was also an increase in the number of abused or abandoned children.

Thanawadi also expressed concern about the emergence of videotapes showing rape, catfights among schoolgirls, teenage girls being gang raped and obscene clips taken by peeping toms. She said at least four or five gang-rape cases are reported every month, many of which are recorded in the South.

In related news, the Social Development and Human Security also hosted an anti-domestic-violence event at Bangkok's CentralWorld yesterday.

-- The Nation 2008-11-26

[girlx]

I would totally agree with this, not just because of my own experience but because of stories I hear from other travellers. There have been a few warnings on the lonely planet site lately- especially about the Gulf islands. Sounds like it is not just travellers either, but local women who are having problems.

[tulipgirl]

This doesn't surprise me at all. In a recent survey I read that 50% of Bangkokians considered themselves to be alcoholics. Alcohol combined with poverty and stress makes very unhappy, frustrated, aggresive people who tend to blame others for their problems. Alcohol also often makes people do things they wouldn't if they'd be sober. I am shocked to see people drinking whiskey at dinner at 6, something unimaginalble in many other cultures, where they would drink water with their meals.

It is possible in Thailand to get drunk beyond what I consider healthy, though the use of marihuana is considered a major crime. In The Netherlands they understand that smoking a joint makes people mellow, nice, creative and relaxed people, a country with exceptionally low crime rates.

So I would suggest to change the law here, make alcohol illegal and put everybody on a daily ration of Dutch Government-grown laboratory grass.

[Bizz]

Tulipgirl before you start passing the bong I would ask you to look at what happens to people who are caught with even a small amount of grass.

On the topic of woman being more abused in Thailand read http://www.interpol.int/public/Children/Se...csaThailand.asp

If a woman is considered as an item to own.

Manifestations of the problem

It is not easy to determine the level of severity of child sexual abuse in Thailand due to the country's lack of efficient macro data base on the issue. With data gathered from local media in the past 3 years, it is clear that problems regarding child sexual abuse have grown. There are evidently more reports on children being raped and murdered Abuses take place throughout whether it be in big cities, small towns, or in rural villages, at a child's house, at school, and even in a religious monastery. The age of abusers and victims have been younger. There was an incident where a boy accused of rape and murder a four-year-old girl was a 13 year-old juvenile. The youngest victim reported was 8 months old.2

There are more reports of child sexual abuse by the victims' father. Many children are repeatedly sexually abused for a long period of time by men living in the same household. Sexual abusers are mostly close family members or relatives such as father, grandfather, brother, uncle, teacher, and male neighbor. Boys and girls, and children born to wealthy or poor families are all subjects to sexual abuse. Girls are found to be at higher risk than boys. Child sexual abuse problems have developed greater in degrees and in more complicated ways.

Thailand passes marital rape bill

The Thai national assembly has passed into law the nation's first marital rape bill.

Offenders now face up to 20 years in jail and a fine of 40,000 baht ($1,156; £620) for raping their spouses - the same penalty that exists for non-marital rape.

The bill also allows for women and homosexuals to be prosecuted for rape.

The previous law had defined a rapist as a person who rapes a woman who is not his wife.

"The previous law was discriminatory," said Kingkaew Inwang, deputy director of the Office of Women's Affairs and Family Development.

http://www.google.ie/search?hl=en&clie...earch&meta=

[TAWP]

Bizz>> When was that law entered into the books? The most recent thing I read here was that they just allowed woman to rape too in a relationship [...] - it sounds like atleast now they have taken a step in the right direction.

[Bizz]

Bizz>> When was that law entered into the books? The most recent thing I read here was that they just allowed woman to rape too in a relationship [...] - it sounds like atleast now they have taken a step in the right direction.

Just have the URL http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6225872.stm

[brahmburgers]

From the circle of about 30 women I know, most of whom are hill tribe in the northernmost Thailand - most of them were date raped when in their mid-teens. Often those rapes bore children - and the men responsible never, I repeat never pay any child support - even when their identity was known. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think there is any Thai law which compels a man to pay support for children he sires and abandons.

Men everywhere are irresponsible - in regard to providing tangible support for their abandoned kids, but Thai men must hold some sort of crowning status in that category.

Of course, there are other results that stem from girls from being raped. There are psychological problems galore - fear of men, cynicism about relationships, depression, feeling cheap and unworthy,....the list goes on.

Don't expect any tangible assistance from the Thai gov't. Such things are waaaaaaaay down the list of their priorities. If they even think of such things at all, they probably deem it's the girl's fault for acting promiscuous.

Incidentally, my personal opinion is that the #1 breeding ground for date-rapes of early and mid-teen girls:

The mega-loud, alcohol fueled all night parties that happen at villages throughout Thailand. I've seen very young girls (looked between 10 to 14) hanging around the fringes of such events in the wee hours of pre-dawn, their parent(s) probably sloshed on whiskey for the past 7 hours, .....altogether ideal hunting scenario for men eager to take sexual advantage. Even if the girl were to scream, either no one would hear them (for the ubiquitous loudness) or they would join in , or just laugh - as Thais so often do in dire situations. As for retribution after the fact: it just plain would never happen for a variety of reasons.

In sum, date rapes go on at an alarming rate, fatherless children are everywhere, ....along with the inherent poverty. When the little boys and girls grow up past their 12th birthday - the cycle continues.

[henryalleman]

This doesn't surprise me at all. In a recent survey I read that 50% of Bangkokians considered themselves to be alcoholics. Alcohol combined with poverty and stress makes very unhappy, frustrated, aggresive people who tend to blame others for their problems. Alcohol also often makes people do things they wouldn't if they'd be sober. I am shocked to see people drinking whiskey at dinner at 6, something unimaginalble in many other cultures, where they would drink water with their meals. To wich culture you refer, most Europeans drink beer or wine with their dinner, be it at home or in a restaurant.

It is possible in Thailand to get drunk beyond what I consider healthy, though the use of marihuana is considered a major crime. In The Netherlands they understand that smoking a joint makes people mellow, nice, creative and relaxed people, a country with exceptionally low crime rates. I think you smoke too much NEDERWIET otherwise you will not make such remarks. Holland does have a crime and violence problem, and you know that. In some towns in de Randstad they have a huge problem with violence. Near the Belgian border they have also a huge problem with drug trafficing and crimes related to that, why otherwise towns like Maastricht is going to ban all coffeeshopss out of the center.A few years ago a collegue of mine was robbed in his shop pointed a gun on his head, he called the police, they told him that he have to report it to the police station, THEY DID NOT EVEN COME, no wonder that Holland have low crime rates, simply because the public not even report many crimes to the police. Why you think otherwise Pim Fortuin had such a succes at the elections.

So I would suggest to change the law here, make alcohol illegal and put everybody on a daily ration of Dutch Government-grown laboratory grass.

Tulipgirl,

[mssabai]

Worrying figures, however it should also be taken into consideration that before many of these crimes would go unreported. It was widely believed that it is part and parcel of married life for a woman (particularly domestic abuse and rape). Is this really a rise in cases or a sign that Thai women are realising that they do not have to put up with this behaviour?

[tulipgirl]

This doesn't surprise me at all. In a recent survey I read that 50% of Bangkokians considered themselves to be alcoholics. Alcohol combined with poverty and stress makes very unhappy, frustrated, aggresive people who tend to blame others for their problems. Alcohol also often makes people do things they wouldn't if they'd be sober. I am shocked to see people drinking whiskey at dinner at 6, something unimaginalble in many other cultures, where they would drink water with their meals. To wich culture you refer, most Europeans drink beer or wine with their dinner, be it at home or in a restaurant.

It is possible in Thailand to get drunk beyond what I consider healthy, though the use of marihuana is considered a major crime. In The Netherlands they understand that smoking a joint makes people mellow, nice, creative and relaxed people, a country with exceptionally low crime rates. I think you smoke too much NEDERWIET otherwise you will not make such remarks. Holland does have a crime and violence problem, and you know that. In some towns in de Randstad they have a huge problem with violence. Near the Belgian border they have also a huge problem with drug trafficing and crimes related to that, why otherwise towns like Maastricht is going to ban all coffeeshopss out of the center.A few years ago a collegue of mine was robbed in his shop pointed a gun on his head, he called the police, they told him that he have to report it to the police station, THEY DID NOT EVEN COME, no wonder that Holland have low crime rates, simply because the public not even report many crimes to the police. Why you think otherwise Pim Fortuin had such a succes at the elections.

So I would suggest to change the law here, make alcohol illegal and put everybody on a daily ration of Dutch Government-grown laboratory grass.

Tulipgirl,

As a professional reseacher of human behaviour and publicist for over 20 years, I agree with you that The Netherlands is facing more problems regarding drugs and crime than ever before. This has mainly to do with the influx of immigrants who do not conform to the Dutch way of handling things. Foreigners travel to The Netherlands to get their Nederwiet and then travel back immediately after the purchase and this causes much inconvenience for the local people who live close to the border of Belgium and Germany. Planes with British grass tourists travel to Amsterdam to get stoned. Most Amsterdammers have moved out of the city and now live in Almere, a newly built city on reclaimed land in the IJssel Lake, just because they could no longer stomach what was happening in one of the most lovely capitals in Europe. 90% of prisoners in the Netherlands aren't of Dutch origin. Now they want to introduce special ID cards for Dutch people which allows only Dutch people to purchase their Nederwiet. Pim Fortuyn, a good friend of mine, was the first politician to be killed in the Netherlands in over 400 years. The country was shocked as many people agreed with his observation that most problems the Low Lands were facing were caused by non-Dutch people. These days gay people are beaten up again by individuals who do not respect the tolerant and liberal views of the Dutch. Dutch girls in short skirts are spat at by those who feel they should dress more like the women in their former countries. Dutch transsexuals stay indoors or move to Thailand because they fear being killed by those who do not respect the Dutch attitude of respecting those who have a special way of feeling, dressing and loving.

The main problems in The Netherlands all seem to have to do with "guests" that disrespect the Dutch way of life. I agreed with Pim Fortuyn. If I and my children would behave in Thailand the way many foreigners in the Netherlands behave, I am sure that I and my family would be kicked out of Bangkok within a New York minute or invited for an extended stay at the "Bangkok Hilton."

Regarding alcohol. Well, Heineken exports most of its beer abroad. The French like their glass of wine at dinner, the Scandinavians love their alcohol too. As for me, I don't smoke and I don't drink, but I do enjoy hot nasty dirty sex with men over 18.

Bless you all. May peace prevail on earth and may all living beings find happiness.

Tulipgirl

Edited November 28, 2008 by tulipgirl

[TAWP]

As for me, I don't smoke and I don't drink, but I do enjoy hot nasty dirty sex with men over 18.

Nostradamus sees many Messages in your Inbox in the nearest future.

[tulipgirl]

As for me, I don't smoke and I don't drink, but I do enjoy hot nasty dirty sex with men over 18.

Nostradamus sees many Messages in your Inbox in the nearest future.

I have been told that Mr. Nostradamus has been very accurate with his predictions. F.Y.I. many Dutch women euphemistically refer to their private parts as "Doos" which translates as Box in the English. So one has an Inbox and an Outbox. I'll make sure to check my Inbox for incoming "Messages".

[CelticBhoy]

I have been told that Mr. Nostradamus has been very accurate with his predictions. F.Y.I. many Dutch women euphemistically refer to their private parts as "Doos" which translates as Box in the English. So one has an Inbox and an Outbox. I'll make sure to check my Inbox for incoming "Messages".

One of the finest replies I have ever seen! Well done, Tulipgirl.

More seriously, in the 15+ years I have been here I have never

considered BKK to be dangerous, but of course that is a male

point of view. Walking around socially after dark, taking taxis,

going out alone etc must be an altogether different feeling for the

ladies. The earlier posts on this topic are scary and makes me

wonder what else I am ignorant to here.

My wife and I were recently in Malaysia and she commented at

the time how 'safer' she felt when she went out to shop alone.

Seemed a funny thing to say at the time, but maybe not.

[freitag1]

Legalizing weed would make Thailand definitely a more mellow place and boost the tourist industry!

[tulipgirl]

Thank you Celticbhoy for expressing those nice words.

THAILAND UNSAFE FOR MEN.

Regarding safety of women in Bangkok proper and/or Thailand I would like to say the following (and I am going to restrict myself to speaking of the safety of only one farang woman, MYSELF).

I have lived in Bangkok for nearly two years. I didn't want to, it just happened. As a village-girl, I only had plans to stay for 2 weeks because I have little experience in big cities and just don't tend to like them. I came to Bangkok, as I was in the process of carrying out research for a new novel that I am about to write and the story is partially set in the nightlife scene of Bangkok. Thus I have been researching my clogs off because o o o o what fun it was. Carrying our research for books is a good excuse for doing things that would otherwise be disapproved of by my old mother. Two weeks turned into two years and I am still not done! During this period I was all over the place. I went into unknown places and known places, I was underneath places and on top of places, I could be found in front of places and behind them, left and right of them, jumping on places and falling from places, and I usually executed this behaviour between 10 pm and 10 am. I turned extremely white, as I never saw Bangkok's daylight. I have been transported through the city in more ways than you can imagine, as well as in taxis, tuk-tuks, trains, boats and barges, in planes and on scooters and the occasional helicopter, and all that was done in the very dark of night, when vampires are out and bad men are supposed to hunt for innocent women. Please bare in mind that I don't drink alcohol. And whilst carrying out research in the nightlife scene of Bangkok I would always keep an eye on my water bottle, even whilst dancing in my bra on top of bar stools that were placed on top of stages in every club I was allowed to enter. I have never gotten myself into trouble.

I would always walk alone in the dark hunting for places to research, sometimes silently singing: "You'll never walk alone." Well, I am still alive.

For the record: I have never had any experience that I consider unsafe for my well-being. In fact, I have never had any bad experience involving Thai people ever. I have never been taken advantage of or mistreated by any Thai; male, female or those of the third gender. I have never been robbed or fondled or touched in inappropriate places by Thai men without my permission, let alone raped.

I have never been hit on the head by heavy objects by Thai people, and my diamond wedding ring is still on my finger. One may think: you must be an ugly old fat hairy butch dyke of a Netherlander. Not at all. I am one tall, slender blond piece of walking fabulosity. And yet, Thai men have always treated me respectfully. Okay, sometimes when I am hungry at night and I am walking two kilometers from my home to the night market, a Mercedes may stop next to me,and the gentleman-driver may open the window and ask me: "How much?" and/or "Are you Llussian girl?" to which I may reply: "One million baht five minute but not working today." in case I feel jolly or the guy in the Mercedes is really cute, otherwise I would answer "Solly. I am English teacher. You can find the hookers further down the stleet."

Concluding: Bangkok is a safe place for women, provided that they don't act stupid (or like men). It is more likely that a woman dies in Bangkok by accidentally being sat on by a drunk, white Thai bull elephant, rather than violent crime.

As a falang one may pay a little more for certain merchandise, but in my case this is not even so: my Thai and other Asian friends ask me to come along with them to purchase stuff, as I am better at bargaining: after all, I am a Hollander, a nation known for its frugality.

I would like to warn FARANG men. Thailand can be unsafe for YOU guys. It is YOU that end up in the news, lying in your own blood in hotel rooms after being drugged and robbed and stabbed by Thai female sluts or nasty gangs of ladyboys. So, gentlemen, be careful. Take care of yourself. Don't worry about us women. We are smart and careful by nature and tend not to pick up drug-addicted He-whores from public places.

Sawasdee kaa. Tulipgirl.

Edited December 1, 2008 by tulipgirl

[neverdie]

Thank you Celticbhoy for expressing those nice words.

THAILAND UNSAFE FOR MEN.

Regarding safety of women in Bangkok proper and/or Thailand I would like to say the following (and I am going to restrict myself to speaking of the safety of only one farang woman, MYSELF).

I have lived in Bangkok for nearly two years. I didn't want to, it just happened. As a village-girl, I only had plans to stay for 2 weeks because I have little experience in big cities and just don't tend to like them. I came to Bangkok, as I was in the process of carrying out research for a new novel that I am about to write and the story is partially set in the nightlife scene of Bangkok. Thus I have been researching my clogs off because o o o o what fun it was. Carrying our research for books is a good excuse for doing things that would otherwise be disapproved of by my old mother. Two weeks turned into two years and I am still not done! During this period I was all over the place. I went into unknown places and known places, I was underneath places and on top of places, I could be found in front of places and behind them, left and right of them, jumping on places and falling from places, and I usually executed this behaviour between 10 pm and 10 am. I turned extremely white, as I never saw Bangkok's daylight. I have been transported through the city in more ways than you can imagine, as well as in taxis, tuk-tuks, trains, boats and barges, in planes and on scooters and the occasional helicopter, and all that was done in the very dark of night, when vampires are out and bad men are supposed to hunt for innocent women. Please bare in mind that I don't drink alcohol. And whilst carrying out research in the nightlife scene of Bangkok I would always keep an eye on my water bottle, even whilst dancing in my bra on top of bar stools that were placed on top of stages in every club I was allowed to enter. I have never gotten myself into trouble.

I would always walk alone in the dark hunting for places to research, sometimes silently singing: "You'll never walk alone." Well, I am still alive.

For the record: I have never had any experience that I consider unsafe for my well-being. In fact, I have never had any bad experience involving Thai people ever. I have never been taken advantage of or mistreated by any Thai; male, female or those of the third gender. I have never been robbed or fondled or touched in inappropriate places by Thai men without my permission, let alone raped.

I have never been hit on the head by heavy objects by Thai people, and my diamond wedding ring is still on my finger. One may think: you must be an ugly old fat hairy butch dyke of a Netherlander. Not at all. I am one tall, slender blond piece of walking fabulosity. And yet, Thai men have always treated me respectfully. Okay, sometimes when I am hungry at night and I am walking two kilometers from my home to the night market, a Mercedes may stop next to me,and the gentleman-driver may open the window and ask me: "How much?" and/or "Are you Llussian girl?" to which I may reply: "One million baht five minute but not working today." in case I feel jolly or the guy in the Mercedes is really cute, otherwise I would answer "Solly. I am English teacher. You can find the hookers further down the stleet."

Concluding: Bangkok is a safe place for women, provided that they don't act stupid (or like men). It is more likely that a woman dies in Bangkok by accidentally being sat on by a drunk, white Thai bull elephant, rather than violent crime.

As a falang one may pay a little more for certain merchandise, but in my case this is not even so: my Thai and other Asian friends ask me to come along with them to purchase stuff, as I am better at bargaining: after all, I am a Hollander, a nation known for its frugality.

I would like to warn FARANG men. Thailand can be unsafe for YOU guys. It is YOU that end up in the news, lying in your own blood in hotel rooms after being drugged and robbed and stabbed by Thai female sluts or nasty gangs of ladyboys. So, gentlemen, be careful. Take care of yourself. Don't worry about us women. We are smart and careful by nature and tend not to pick up drug-addicted He-whores from public places.

Sawasdee kaa. Tulipgirl.

Hey tulipgirl, you and I have a few things in common:-

Firstly like you I also came to thailand for the first time to conduct research on the nightlife, I was writing a book too, however that was approxiamtely 20 years ago for me and i have since given up on the book, im not sure what my research is for now.

You have alarmed me tho about your comment about being 'stabbed' by a gang of ladyboys this sounds like a real pain in the backside, pardon the pun.

I would suggest that your research could probably do with some in house tuning, I hope you nightlife escapades may lead you to other areas of bangkok where the gang rapes of poor innocent male tourists isnt so common.

Which mirror are you using when you refer to yourself as being tall fabulous beauty or whatever you said? This isnt one of those "Mirror mirror on the wall, whos the most beautifulist of them all..." is it?