Thailand Set To Raise Age Of Consent To 20 For Sex With Women?

[Jingthing]

In bed A we have one middle-aged woman in flannel pajamas. In bed B we have two 20 year old Thai women in stockings and suspenders. Come on Jingthing do a poll. How many for bed A?

Well, I must say this is NOT a poll that interests me to start. I would choose neither (not for moral reasons), but if forced, the flanneled auntie of course as she probably wouldn't mind eating popcorn and watching a movie ... (I'm a virgin.)

Edited December 26, 2010 by Jingthing

[jombom]

To get back on topic, it seems to me there is a clear divergence of view between religion and state law.

Only yesterday, I heard of yet another 14 year old bride being married by the monks in a village ceremony. Parents gave written consent, and the dowry was exchanged etc.

Now State law for inter Thai marriages is 16 (according to my last research), and it appears the State is trying to nudge religion towards a higher age for village weddings. This, in my view, is the good old consensus approach in action. Eventually (Maybe), after many circular discussions have taken place, some sort of consensus will emerge. This may require a change in the State law, or it may not. Time will tell.

[mark45y]

To get back on topic, it seems to me there is a clear divergence of view between religion and state law.

Only yesterday, I heard of yet another 14 year old bride being married by the monks in a village ceremony. Parents gave written consent, and the dowry was exchanged etc.

Now State law for inter Thai marriages is 16 (according to my last research), and it appears the State is trying to nudge religion towards a higher age for village weddings. This, in my view, is the good old consensus approach in action. Eventually (Maybe), after many circular discussions have taken place, some sort of consensus will emerge. This may require a change in the State law, or it may not. Time will tell.

It's been 30 years since I have been there but up north in the hill tribe areas I thought it was 12 years old. The unmarried women wear white I think and switch to colored clothes when they get married. Or the reverse, its been a long time. But, anyway I realized there were no unmarried women in the village who had even reached puberty yet. I didn't stay long.

My point is parental consent in these things is far more important than any laws as I have seen negotiations for very young women as wives or mia nois at a variety of ages currently illegal. Or on the other side parental consent now extends to 20 and technically I think one must have parental permission to marry if under 20 now. Gaccha apparently knows and I asked him for clarification earlier in this thread but he never responded.

[jfchandler]

Well, notwithstanding the actual practice, prostitution is illegal in Thailand...

And, if someone is engaging in pay for play, frankly, I'm not sure there's much of an argument to make saying going for a 30 year old is fine, but 18-20 year olds are somehow a different kettle of clams....

Well we don't have to use the conditional tense as I have paid for sex in the past (only in countries where it is legal of course)...

I'm not sure if I would go as far as to say I felt morally superior to old men who paid to have sex with girls young enough to be their daughter / granddaughter but I found such liaisons rather distasteful, as I would in unpaid relationships too. Some people may find that odd, considering I was happy to participate in pay-for-play and they may well have a point!

I guess it is just my upbringing that leads me to feel that sleeping with an 18-20 yr old at my age (were I still single) would be "wrong" in some way, although I certainly wasn't brought up to think that prostitution was acceptable either so I cannot really justify my position on this, it's just how I feel.

[F1fanatic]

Well, notwithstanding the actual practice, prostitution is illegal in Thailand...

And, if someone is engaging in pay for play, frankly, I'm not sure there's much of an argument to make saying going for a 30 year old is fine, but 18-20 year olds are somehow a different kettle of clams....

Well we don't have to use the conditional tense as I have paid for sex in the past (only in countries where it is legal of course)...

I'm not sure if I would go as far as to say I felt morally superior to old men who paid to have sex with girls young enough to be their daughter / granddaughter but I found such liaisons rather distasteful, as I would in unpaid relationships too. Some people may find that odd, considering I was happy to participate in pay-for-play and they may well have a point!

I guess it is just my upbringing that leads me to feel that sleeping with an 18-20 yr old at my age (were I still single) would be "wrong" in some way, although I certainly wasn't brought up to think that prostitution was acceptable either so I cannot really justify my position on this, it's just how I feel.

But the joy is, that if you're trying v hard not to let friends in the West know what the relationship is about, an older woman is far better !

An old man telling his friends in the West that he's met a 20 year old woman that 'loves him too much' - is not going to go down well with friends from home..... Far better to find a woman a bit older .

That's why the older women still hang out in bars - they know there's a small market there.

Edited December 26, 2010 by F1fanatic

[IanForbes]

But the joy is, that if you're trying v hard not to let friends in the West know what the relationship is about, an older woman is far better !

An old man telling his friends in the West that he's met a 20 year old woman that 'loves him too much' - is not going to go down well with friends from home..... Far better to find a woman a bit older .

That's why the older women still hang out in bars - they know there's a small market there.

True that.

Of course, the whole premise of raising the consent age to 20 is faulty. Why not raise the consent age to 40! That would make as much sense.

Everyone is trying to compare apples to oranges. This is Thailand. They have completely different ideas of what it right or wrong. In Thailand, everything is okay so long as nobody sees it happen, or knows about it. Thia men don't use condoms and they get their teeny bobber girl friends (children) pregnant. As soon as the young girl gets pregnant the Thai guy does a runner. That leaves the poor girl with few options. She has to leave the child with mother or gramma and go find a job. Thai men are no longer going to have anything to do with her. That leaves the girl with the option of finding a farang for a mate. Any young farang she might find attractive can't stay in Thailand for more than a few months before going home to find a job. Most farangs dealing with working girls are expected to use a condom and pay the going rate. It's a vicious circle, but not one started by farangs.

[jfchandler]

F1, so, you're talking about a niche market for farang who are too embarrassed to tell their western friends about their 20-year-old hooker clients, but who are OK to tell their western friends about their 30-year-old hooker clients??? Am I getting that right???

Edited December 26, 2010 by jfchandler

[F1fanatic]

F1, so, you're talking about a niche market for farang who are too embarrassed to tell their western friends about their 20-year-old hooker clients, but who are OK to tell their western friends about their 30-year-old hooker clients??? Am I getting that right???

No - its the market for the old men that need to pretend to their friends back home that the woman who 'loves him too much' is not a hooker....

[Rinrada]

Would tend to agree with Bagwans comment that Education rather than Legislation would be more appropriate but with human nature etc....(humanmanure ...who used to say that? )BoI .

For all those contemplating the act/move

Enforced marriage law forces couple apart

Nineteen-year-old Canadian Rochelle Wallis married her Welsh husband Adam in November 2008, two years after they first met and fell in love.

But now Rochelle is about to be deported from the UK and has been told that she will not be able to come back to see Adam until she is 21.

She has become the first unintended victim of changes to UK immigration laws which were designed to protect young British Asian women from being subjected to forced marriages. ....more

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/8165684.stm

[F1fanatic]

Would tend to agree with Bagwans comment that Education rather than Legislation would be more appropriate but with human nature etc....(humanmanure ...who used to say that? )BoI .

For all those contemplating the act/move

Enforced marriage law forces couple apart

Nineteen-year-old Canadian Rochelle Wallis married her Welsh husband Adam in November 2008, two years after they first met and fell in love.

But now Rochelle is about to be deported from the UK and has been told that she will not be able to come back to see Adam until she is 21.

She has become the first unintended victim of changes to UK immigration laws which were designed to protect young British Asian women from being subjected to forced marriages. ....more

http://news.bbc.co.u...ght/8165684.stm

Gosh - makes one realise that's the typical marriage here - how can we be so insensitive?

I for one am bowing out in the face of this proof of the usual marriage between Thai and farang.......

[IanForbes]

Would tend to agree with Bagwans comment that Education rather than Legislation would be more appropriate but with human nature etc....(humanmanure ...who used to say that? )BoI .

For all those contemplating the act/move

Enforced marriage law forces couple apart

Nineteen-year-old Canadian Rochelle Wallis married her Welsh husband Adam in November 2008, two years after they first met and fell in love.

But now Rochelle is about to be deported from the UK and has been told that she will not be able to come back to see Adam until she is 21.

She has become the first unintended victim of changes to UK immigration laws which were designed to protect young British Asian women from being subjected to forced marriages. ....more

http://news.bbc.co.u...ght/8165684.stm

Gosh - makes one realise that's the typical marriage here - how can we be so insensitive?

I for one am bowing out in the face of this proof of the usual marriage between Thai and farang.......

Don't worry about it, F1fanatic, there are asinine laws in every country that are imposed by idiotic officials who couldn't wipe their arse unless they read a set of instructions. I've seen far too much of it in Canada to even consider what goes on in Asian countries.

Many people can't function without having a precise set of instructions... Just don't let the facts confuse them.

[Nisa]

I think the age of consent in Thailand is currently 15. What I am a bit confused about is that the drinking age is 20. Yet, there is mention here of bar-girls being 18 years old. Are these girls working legally if they are not drinking? Since they legally cannot let somebody into a bar under 20, drinking or not, it would seem somebody under 18 could not loiter or work in a bar.

[CheGuava]

I think the age of consent in Thailand is currently 15. What I am a bit confused about is that the drinking age is 20. Yet, there is mention here of bar-girls being 18 years old. Are these girls working legally if they are not drinking? Since they legally cannot let somebody into a bar under 20, drinking or not, it would seem somebody under 18 could not loiter or work in a bar.

Correct. 18 year old people can work everywhere including bars, but they cannot legally drink alcohol themselves of course.

[CheGuava]

Personally I think they should just make it illegal to have sex between 2-5pm and after midnight.

:D Brilliant. Best post to date.

Your typical kid out in the sticks knows to stick it in and wiggle it about but that is about it. Neither the boys nor the girls have any idea about contraception.

That must be why according to CIA Factbook Thailand has a fertility rate lower than the US, France, Australia, Norway, etc...

Exactly. The birth rate is already plummeting to quite alarming levels, especially given that Thailand isn't getting any safer or healthier at a comparable rate. Soon the government will have no option but to promote having children.

To be honest, even right now the age of consent laws are already ambiguous. So anyone would do well to stick with 20 year old and up regardless of the situation. Which shouldn't be that hard; as per the above fertility rate issues, the number of sub-20 year olds is rapidly decreasing.

[mark45y]

I think the age of consent in Thailand is currently 15. What I am a bit confused about is that the drinking age is 20. Yet, there is mention here of bar-girls being 18 years old. Are these girls working legally if they are not drinking? Since they legally cannot let somebody into a bar under 20, drinking or not, it would seem somebody under 18 could not loiter or work in a bar.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriageable_ageThailand:

20, 17 with parental consent, 15 in special circumstances with court approval. Note: The hill tribes follow traditional rules, as 12 for female.

http://www.besthotelpattaya.com/2010/10/legal-age-to-drink-go-to-clubs-in-pattaya/

There would be some people who would be thinking to them selves, I got a Bar Girl the other day and she was only 18, and worked in a Bar”. This would be absolutely correct and is just another strange side law which Thailand has developed. To help increase the staff in the Girlie Bars, it was allowed that Thai Girls could work in a Bar or Nightclub from age 18, they would be welcome to drink at this bar and only this bar – if the girl leaves the bar with a customer, it is expected that she will not drink at any other bar she enters although technically she should not be going inside any other bar besides that one she works at.

[thaibeachlovers]

Just revealed in the UK, mum and dad at 14 years old. Baby conceived when they were 13.

Lets not forget little Alfie, at 13 he was going to be the best father ever.

Thankfully I no longer have to support them.

Agreed.

It's "annoyed" me for 25 years that I've had to work my butt off to support teenage girls to raise their bastards, and they had a better standard of living than me!

[TaoNow]

For those of you trying to justify older farang male-Thai girl relationships involving an age difference of 20+ years: The point is that this is very offensive to the general Thai society. Think "pedophilia".

On other threads, Mark45 has generously described some of his experiences with previous Thai friends and shopkeepers when he started going out in public with his teenage concubine (Mark is in his 60's)

Most Thai men don't do this. While many may have mistresses or kept women, they do not flaunt it in the public eye. Certainly not in front of friends, acquaintances or relatives.

That is the difference. You may see it as hypocrisy but it is the cultural norm.

Thai society will tolerate your inter-generational relationships, but they won't like it.

So don't expect a rose garden when you flagrantly abuse the cultural rules.

[Ulysses G.]

For those of you trying to justify older farang male-Thai girl relationships involving an age difference of 20+ years: The point is that this is very offensive to the general Thai society. Think "pedophilia".

You must have been in Thailand about 2 days if you believe this.

[Nisa]

I think the age of consent in Thailand is currently 15. What I am a bit confused about is that the drinking age is 20. Yet, there is mention here of bar-girls being 18 years old. Are these girls working legally if they are not drinking? Since they legally cannot let somebody into a bar under 20, drinking or not, it would seem somebody under 18 could not loiter or work in a bar.

http://en.wikipedia....le_ageThailand:

20, 17 with parental consent, 15 in special circumstances with court approval. Note: The hill tribes follow traditional rules, as 12 for female.

http://www.besthotel...ubs-in-pattaya/

There would be some people who would be thinking to them selves, I got a Bar Girl the other day and she was only 18, and worked in a Bar". This would be absolutely correct and is just another strange side law which Thailand has developed. To help increase the staff in the Girlie Bars, it was allowed that Thai Girls could work in a Bar or Nightclub from age 18, they would be welcome to drink at this bar and only this bar – if the girl leaves the bar with a customer, it is expected that she will not drink at any other bar she enters although technically she should not be going inside any other bar besides that one she works at.

LOL .. only in Thailand.

They cannot keep motorbikes off sidewalks but they manage to develop a law to make sure we are not deprived of 18-year olds in our pick of bar girls. They even made sure the girls could get a little buzzed with us. .

[TaoNow]

No, Ulysses, I have spent 30+ years in Thailand over a period of 40 years: from 1970 to the present.

I have been in every province in the country and worked with multiple government and private sector agencies over that period.

I have lived at the provincial level and in Bangkok.

I speak Thai fluently and have had friends and acquaintances from all levels of society: from village, urban slum, to university-educated and Royal blood.

That is the problem. Too many on this section of the Forum know not what they speak about, having a very limited perspective on Thai society.

As if Bernard Trink was their guru.

[Jingthing]

For those of you trying to justify older farang male-Thai girl relationships involving an age difference of 20+ years: The point is that this is very offensive to the general Thai society. Think "pedophilia".

You had better look up the actual definition of that word in a dictionary before you toss it off incorrectly ...

[TAWP]

I think the age of consent in Thailand is currently 15. What I am a bit confused about is that the drinking age is 20. Yet, there is mention here of bar-girls being 18 years old. Are these girls working legally if they are not drinking? Since they legally cannot let somebody into a bar under 20, drinking or not, it would seem somebody under 18 could not loiter or work in a bar.

Girl-drinks don't contain alcohol, the girls usually don't want to get drunk (or drink every day). You are paying 120baht for a soft drink.

[Wallaby]

For those of you trying to justify older farang male-Thai girl relationships involving an age difference of 20+ years: The point is that this is very offensive to the general Thai society. Think "pedophilia".

You must have been in Thailand about 2 days if you believe this.

Better tell that to my gf too. I was quite reluctant at first to be seen to holding hands, arm in arm with her in Thailand in case it was insensitive to their culture. How wrong I was, she was latched onto me like a limpit mine both in Thailand and Australia. I did ask her about it and she just says it's normal for people in love regardless of age, no problem.

Of course this is all talk about women being half the man's age. I'm not quite at that point yet. i have to wait another 4 years for her to reach half my age. Poor me

[Ulysses G.]

No, Ulysses, I have spent 30+ years in Thailand over a period of 40 years: from 1970 to the present.

I have been in every province in the country and worked with multiple government and private sector agencies over that period.

I have lived at the provincial level and in Bangkok.

I speak Thai fluently and have had friends and acquaintances from all levels of society: from village, urban slum, to university-educated and Royal blood.

That is the problem. Too many on this section of the Forum know not what they speak about, having a very limited perspective on Thai society.

As if Bernard Trink was their guru.

That is all very impressive, but even Bernard Trink is observant enough to know that Thai people in general do not think that a 40 year man with a 20 year old women relates in any way to "pedophilia".

[Nisa]

No, Ulysses, I have spent 30+ years in Thailand over a period of 40 years: from 1970 to the present.

I have been in every province in the country and worked with multiple government and private sector agencies over that period.

I have lived at the provincial level and in Bangkok.

I speak Thai fluently and have had friends and acquaintances from all levels of society: from village, urban slum, to university-educated and Royal blood.

That is the problem. Too many on this section of the Forum know not what they speak about, having a very limited perspective on Thai society.

As if Bernard Trink was their guru.

That is all very impressive, but even Bernard Trink is observant enough to know that Thai people in general do not think that a 40 year man with a 20 year old women relates in any way to "pedophilia".

I think they are more surprised when they see a Farang with a girl that is close to their age and wonder why the guy isn't with a much younger girl.

[IanForbes]

For those of you trying to justify older farang male-Thai girl relationships involving an age difference of 20+ years: The point is that this is very offensive to the general Thai society. Think "pedophilia".

On other threads, Mark45 has generously described some of his experiences with previous Thai friends and shopkeepers when he started going out in public with his teenage concubine (Mark is in his 60's)

Most Thai men don't do this. While many may have mistresses or kept women, they do not flaunt it in the public eye. Certainly not in front of friends, acquaintances or relatives.

That is the difference. You may see it as hypocrisy but it is the cultural norm.

Thai society will tolerate your inter-generational relationships, but they won't like it.

So don't expect a rose garden when you flagrantly abuse the cultural rules.

For someone as knowledgeable as you, how do you explain the common "Mia noi" relationships with so many wealthy Thai men? And, the poor Thai men would have a Mia noi if they could afford one.

We are talking about hypocrisy here and everywhere. Hypocrisy is a married man WANTING to be diddling some attrative young woman and not being able to do it because his wife won't let him. Then, because he isn't allowed to do it he doesn't want some single man doing it either. There's not a lot of difference between wanting to do the dirty deed and actually doing it.

In a recent study it was discovered that many married men would rather watch porno and masturbate than actually have sex with their wives.

In just about all advertising they don't use old, ugly housewives to promote a product. They use sexy young ones who may or may not be over the age of 18. And, the women don't have any relationship to the product other than looking pretty. Just why is that? Anyone with half a brain knows the reason... sex sells.

[pipo1000]

Thailand Set To Raise Age Of Consent To 20 For Sex With Women?

I'm sure this will come as a gods scent for tea money opportunities to the Pattaya BIB.

[mark45y]

For those of you trying to justify older farang male-Thai girl relationships involving an age difference of 20+ years: The point is that this is very offensive to the general Thai society. Think "pedophilia".

On other threads, Mark45 has generously described some of his experiences with previous Thai friends and shopkeepers when he started going out in public with his teenage concubine (Mark is in his 60's)

Most Thai men don't do this. While many may have mistresses or kept women, they do not flaunt it in the public eye. Certainly not in front of friends, acquaintances or relatives.

That is the difference. You may see it as hypocrisy but it is the cultural norm.

Thai society will tolerate your inter-generational relationships, but they won't like it.

So don't expect a rose garden when you flagrantly abuse the cultural rules.

I think perhaps you might want to revise the 20 years up a bit and I question your use of the word pedophilia.

I have a 75 year old mate who is married to a 50 year old Thai woman. I guarantee you no one looks at his 50 year old wife and thinks pedophilia.

I am 65 and no one has ever questioned my being with a 45 year old woman.

Maybe if you said 50 year age difference it might raise some eyebrows.

[cdnvic]

For those of you trying to justify older farang male-Thai girl relationships involving an age difference of 20+ years: The point is that this is very offensive to the general Thai society. Think "pedophilia".

On other threads, Mark45 has generously described some of his experiences with previous Thai friends and shopkeepers when he started going out in public with his teenage concubine (Mark is in his 60's)

Absolutely unacceptable. You can disagree with members all you like but you will not slander them on this forum. Just because you think you are anonymous does not mean you can very flippantly tag people with such damaging labels.

Anyone claiming such long experience in Thailand is surely familiar with it's libel, and defamation laws?

Edited December 27, 2010 by cdnvic
This has been dealt with so please leave it be and move on with the discussion, thank you.

[ronz28]

Good luck in legislating hormones. The results will be Beavis and Butthead behavior...breakin the law...breakin the law...