The Child Prostitution Problem In Thailand

[dunkin2012]

Child Prostitution in Thailand

by Sirirat Pusurinkham Child prostitution is a serious social problem in Thailand. Prostitution is a form of enslavement that currently involves perhaps 800,000 children under the age of sixteen, bought and sold for a profit that exceeds that of the drug trade or weapons sales or lotteries or sports gambling.

http://www.thewitness.org

ncregister.com

wiki Prostitution of Children

Sex work web link

It is important to note that this is not a news article from a recognized news source but rather a report from a Christian mission in Chiang Rai that does not cite the sources for its information--sbk admin

Edited June 9, 2011 by sbk
edited for fair use and note added regarding this piece

[Boater]

The goverment will denie this !

[Travel2003]

Perhaps 800,000 children under the age of sixteen?

Perhaps??

Numbers have been estimated to be as low as 12,000 to somewhere in the hundreds of thousands.

Girls as young as 10-12 years old service men in the sex industry. Many of the girls typically have sex with ten to fifteen men every day, and sometimes as many as 20 to 30.

Interesting numbers.

I dont think anyone denies the problem exists and must be dealt with.

But where does she get the numbers from?

[daoyai]

From the tone of the post, speaking of "blame" for Thai cultural sex practices, and the link to a religious website, seems they are using the child sex hot button to appose prostitution in general.

[folium]

Found the rest of this article here:

Witness article Child Prostitution

Quite a hard hitting piece from April 2007, which will hopefully help raise awareness of Thailand's darker side.

[dunkin2012]

thanks for restoring the missing piece.

Found the rest of this article here:

Witness article Child Prostitution

Quite a hard hitting piece from April 2007, which will hopefully help raise awareness of Thailand's darker side.

Tried to contact her via the e-mail to get the up-to-date info. and anything to back up those figures she quoted in the article. Apparently, the e-mail is no longer used anymore.

"Numbers have been estimated to be as low as 12,000 to somewhere in the hundreds of thousands." is from another child prostitution website.

very interesting article!!!!

Perhaps 800,000 children under the age of sixteen?

Perhaps??

Numbers have been estimated to be as low as 12,000 to somewhere in the hundreds of thousands.

Girls as young as 10-12 years old service men in the sex industry. Many of the girls typically have sex with ten to fifteen men every day, and sometimes as many as 20 to 30.

Interesting numbers.

I dont think anyone denies the problem exists and must be dealt with.

But where does she get the numbers from?

if this is true?

The men arrive from the Europe and the US, and often a bus is waiting at the airport to take them straight to the girls. All of this is organized through the Internet — and not only in Bangkok. There is an urgent need to control this trade. The men pay the girls $4, sometimes $5. After the pimp has taken his share, the girls are left with less than the price of a meal.

[hehehoho]

800,000 child prostitutes out of a total population of what, 65 million....

Hmmm.

[Travel2003]

No doubt that whatever she talks about has some thruth in it.

But I doubt the numbers.

[bermondburi]

What is the toal number of kids under 16 in Thailand ?

I just got some figures from Wikipedia ( not perfect I know ) which came from the CIA World Factbook . ( they might be totally wrong but they should still show what a load of rubbish this article is ). It states that from 0-14 years of age the population of females ( I'm presumimg they will make up most of the prostitutes ) is 6,466,225. stick on another 500,000 or so for the rest top make it up to those under sixteen and you can see that the numbers just don't add up.

So 800,000 kids out of 7 million or so are under age prostitutes !!!! This is absolute <deleted> and whoever spreads this kind of rubbish for their own religous purposes should be rounded up and...........................up to you.

Not saying it doesn't happen but on this scale ....

Don't think so.

[F1fanatic]

thanks for restoring the missing piece.

Found the rest of this article here:

Witness article Child Prostitution

Quite a hard hitting piece from April 2007, which will hopefully help raise awareness of Thailand's darker side.

Tried to contact her via the e-mail to get the up-to-date info. and anything to back up those figures she quoted in the article. Apparently, the e-mail is no longer used anymore.

"Numbers have been estimated to be as low as 12,000 to somewhere in the hundreds of thousands." is from another child prostitution website.

very interesting article!!!!

Perhaps 800,000 children under the age of sixteen?

Perhaps??

Numbers have been estimated to be as low as 12,000 to somewhere in the hundreds of thousands.

Girls as young as 10-12 years old service men in the sex industry. Many of the girls typically have sex with ten to fifteen men every day, and sometimes as many as 20 to 30.

Interesting numbers.

I dont think anyone denies the problem exists and must be dealt with.

But where does she get the numbers from?

if this is true?

The men arrive from the Europe and the US, and often a bus is waiting at the airport to take them straight to the girls. All of this is organized through the Internet — and not only in Bangkok. There is an urgent need to control this trade. The men pay the girls $4, sometimes $5. After the pimp has taken his share, the girls are left with less than the price of a meal.

I doubt the last paragraph "The men pay the girls $4, sometimes $5"

An attractive, young b/g will charge far more than this and child prostitution must attract an even higher price as a 'niche' market with far greater risks.

Of course its a problem, but until the government does something about it, nothing will change.

Poor parents encourage their daughters to move to tourist areas to 'get money' - selling their children is just another (horrible) step in the pursuit of money.

[dunkin2012]

According to the article below "poverty and the great demand by pedos for [young] children,"

Honestly, with $4-$5 no one can even get an aged whore in Pattaya , CM or else.(these days)

seriously!!!!!.... someone gotta do something to fix this.

I doubt the last paragraph "The men pay the girls $4, sometimes $5"

An attractive, young b/g will charge far more than this and child prostitution must attract an even higher price as a 'niche' market with far greater risks.

Of course its a problem, but until the government does something about it, nothing will change.

Poor parents encourage their daughters to move to tourist areas to 'get money' - selling their children is just another (horrible) step in the pursuit of money.

The root cause of child prostitution is "poverty and the great demand by pedophiles for [young] children," said Lea Robidillo, Asia desk coordinator for the International Catholic Child Bureau (ICCB).

Read more: http://www.ncregiste.../#ixzz1OlroD3Uh

[folium]

What is the toal number of kids under 16 in Thailand ?

I just got some figures from Wikipedia ( not perfect I know ) which came from the CIA World Factbook . ( they might be totally wrong but they should still show what a load of rubbish this article is ). It states that from 0-14 years of age the population of females ( I'm presumimg they will make up most of the prostitutes ) is 6,466,225. stick on another 500,000 or so for the rest top make it up to those under sixteen and you can see that the numbers just don't add up.

So 800,000 kids out of 7 million or so are under age prostitutes !!!! This is absolute <deleted> and whoever spreads this kind of rubbish for their own religous purposes should be rounded up and...........................up to you.

Not saying it doesn't happen but on this scale ....

Don't think so.

To be frank whether it's 800,000, 80,000 or even 8,000, underage sex or calling it for what it is, child abuse and exploitation is a major problem here. No other country has prostitution of all forms on such an industrial scale, to Thailand's eternal shame. While the figutres may be exaggerated in the OP, the problem is not, the complacency about it is not, the ignorance of the scale of the problem is not, and the unwillingness of the authorities (for a whole host of reasons) to enforce the law is not exaggerated.

This issue has been discussed with particular reference to Chiang Mai on that forum, in some detail and the link is below:

Darker Side of CM

[Ulysses G.]

From the tone of the post, speaking of "blame" for Thai cultural sex practices, and the link to a religious website, seems they are using the child sex hot button to appose prostitution in general.

I agree and even when Thailand was wide open with prostitution everywhere, have never seen "10 or 12 year old girls" selling themselves in Thai brothers or anywhere else for that matter.

[folium]

From the tone of the post, speaking of "blame" for Thai cultural sex practices, and the link to a religious website, seems they are using the child sex hot button to appose prostitution in general.

I agree and even when Thailand was wide open with prostitution everywhere, have never seen "10 or 12 year old girls" selling themselves in Thai brothers or anywhere else for that matter.

While you may not have witnessed it (neither have I), this does not mean that the sexual abuse of children is absent from Thailand. Tragically it does exist and on a scale that few of us can comprehend. Child abuse is not just a "hot button" issue, it is a fact of life in LOS.

[Ulysses G.]

I agree that it exists, but not on the scale claimed by NGOs and religious groups that profit by exaggerating it.

Unfortunately, very few of them concentrate on saving children except to attract attention to raise funds for stopping prostitution in general.

[StreetCowboy]

What is the toal number of kids under 16 in Thailand ?

I just got some figures from Wikipedia ( not perfect I know ) which came from the CIA World Factbook . ( they might be totally wrong but they should still show what a load of rubbish this article is ). It states that from 0-14 years of age the population of females ( I'm presumimg they will make up most of the prostitutes ) is 6,466,225. stick on another 500,000 or so for the rest top make it up to those under sixteen and you can see that the numbers just don't add up.

So 800,000 kids out of 7 million or so are under age prostitutes !!!! This is absolute <deleted> and whoever spreads this kind of rubbish for their own religous purposes should be rounded up and...........................up to you.

Not saying it doesn't happen but on this scale ....

Don't think so.

To be frank whether it's 800,000, 80,000 or even 8,000, underage sex or calling it for what it is, child abuse and exploitation is a major problem here. No other country has prostitution of all forms on such an industrial scale, to Thailand's eternal shame. While the figutres may be exaggerated in the OP, the problem is not, the complacency about it is not, the ignorance of the scale of the problem is not, and the unwillingness of the authorities (for a whole host of reasons) to enforce the law is not exaggerated.

This issue has been discussed with particular reference to Chiang Mai on that forum, in some detail and the link is below:

Darker Side of CM

But, as you highlight, this is just a sensational issue raised with a view to attacking the sex industry generally in Thailand. I am not really sure about eternal shame, but I accept that you may cast opprobium at the nation ceaselessly until you die, based on your own values and prejudices.

There was a very serious case of organised child abuse centred around Belgium a few years back, as I recall. However, I would hesitate to castigate the entire nation on that basis, nor to start threads maligning its reputation

SC

[Mrjlh]

This "article" was written and posted on "Saturday, December 9, 2006". This isn't really any thing new that hasn't been discussed already. It is an inflammatory news article just based on the numbers presented. True there is a problem, but a bigger problem is in Cambodia as reported by John Walsh of "Americas Most Wanted" last year.

[Beetlejuice]

I have never witnessed any child prostitutes in Thailand. Maybe its because that I don`t go looking for it, but I have never met or know anyone else who has seen them either. Or is this all done discretely behind closed doors?

So I find it extremely difficult to believe that the problems of underage prostitution in Thailand are as serious as claimed in the reports.

Maybe some of you know better with some real facts because I don`t know for sure.

[Rumpole]

True there is a problem, but a bigger problem is in Cambodia as reported by John Walsh of "Americas Most Wanted" last year.

I dispute this. The Western media tend to fly into Cambodia for a couple of days, see what they want to see (older Western men with their own mixed-race children, or young-looking 20 year old bar girls for example), record some sensationalist and appallingly-researched footage and then fly out again.

Things have changed quite dramatically in Cambodia in the last 3 or 4 years. White, male pedophiles are (quite rightly) actively pursued by a number of NGOs here, and their strategies have included campaigns to involve schools, tuk-tuk drivers and guest house employees in the investigative process (I will not here get into some of the more insidious modi operandi of one or two of these NGOs).

Nowadays as a white Western male child-abuser you stand a better chance of avoiding detection in your hometown in the West than in Cambodia. This is fairly widely known and many of the perpetrators have moved on to less risky pastures. I am not suggesting the problem of Western pedophiles has been completely eradicated, but it no longer occurs on anywhere near the same scale as it did five or so years ago.

Of course, the number of Westerners involved in the abuse of children pales into insignificance when compared to the huge number of Asians - locals, Chinese, Koreans and Japanese - doing the same, and often in even more disturbing circumstances (child brothels etc). This is totally ignored by the Western NGOs and media as (1) there is no mileage or funding in it, and (2) they are aware that taking on a well-connected local will likely result in someone propping up the foundations of the latest tower block.

Edited June 9, 2011 by Rumpole

[folium]

What is the toal number of kids under 16 in Thailand ?

I just got some figures from Wikipedia ( not perfect I know ) which came from the CIA World Factbook . ( they might be totally wrong but they should still show what a load of rubbish this article is ). It states that from 0-14 years of age the population of females ( I'm presumimg they will make up most of the prostitutes ) is 6,466,225. stick on another 500,000 or so for the rest top make it up to those under sixteen and you can see that the numbers just don't add up.

So 800,000 kids out of 7 million or so are under age prostitutes !!!! This is absolute <deleted> and whoever spreads this kind of rubbish for their own religous purposes should be rounded up and...........................up to you.

Not saying it doesn't happen but on this scale ....

Don't think so.

To be frank whether it's 800,000, 80,000 or even 8,000, underage sex or calling it for what it is, child abuse and exploitation is a major problem here. No other country has prostitution of all forms on such an industrial scale, to Thailand's eternal shame. While the figutres may be exaggerated in the OP, the problem is not, the complacency about it is not, the ignorance of the scale of the problem is not, and the unwillingness of the authorities (for a whole host of reasons) to enforce the law is not exaggerated.

This issue has been discussed with particular reference to Chiang Mai on that forum, in some detail and the link is below:

Darker Side of CM

But, as you highlight, this is just a sensational issue raised with a view to attacking the sex industry generally in Thailand. I am not really sure about eternal shame, but I accept that you may cast opprobium at the nation ceaselessly until you die, based on your own values and prejudices.

There was a very serious case of organised child abuse centred around Belgium a few years back, as I recall. However, I would hesitate to castigate the entire nation on that basis, nor to start threads maligning its reputation

SC

Child abuse anywhere, be it Belgium, the Catholic church in the US or Thailand, should offend anyone's values. Both the cases in Belgium and in the US triggered embarrassment and horror both home and abroad. If a country or organisation cannot, or will not protect its children, there is something very wrong.

No country is clean in respect of child abuse but at least most countries do (sometimes too late) something about it and prosecute those involved.

"maligning it's reputation" was a comment that made me laugh as Thailand's reputation is to some considerable degree built on the ready access to sex in whatever form is required. Asian and western tourists flock here exactly because of this reputation. The money involved in catering to this market just ensures that laws remain unenforced (apart from the occasional bust of some sad old farang), and the business, including child abuse, continues.

Many Thai friends of mine are disgusted and embarrassed by the situation here. Hopefully, without exaggeration or melodrama, the situation can be dragged out into the open and eventually be addressed.

[StreetCowboy]

...

But, as you highlight, this is just a sensational issue raised with a view to attacking the sex industry generally in Thailand. I am not really sure about eternal shame, but I accept that you may cast opprobium at the nation ceaselessly until you die, based on your own values and prejudices.

There was a very serious case of organised child abuse centred around Belgium a few years back, as I recall. However, I would hesitate to castigate the entire nation on that basis, nor to start threads maligning its reputation

SC

Child abuse anywhere, be it Belgium, the Catholic church in the US or Thailand, should offend anyone's values. Both the cases in Belgium and in the US triggered embarrassment and horror both home and abroad. If a country or organisation cannot, or will not protect its children, there is something very wrong.

No country is clean in respect of child abuse but at least most countries do (sometimes too late) something about it and prosecute those involved.

"maligning it's reputation" was a comment that made me laugh as Thailand's reputation is to some considerable degree built on the ready access to sex in whatever form is required. Asian and western tourists flock here exactly because of this reputation. The money involved in catering to this market just ensures that laws remain unenforced (apart from the occasional bust of some sad old farang), and the business, including child abuse, continues.

Many Thai friends of mine are disgusted and embarrassed by the situation here. Hopefully, without exaggeration or melodrama, the situation can be dragged out into the open and eventually be addressed.

So you agree, though, that

a) paedophilia is abhorrent to all decent people

B ) your target is prostitution in Thailand, because it offends you and your friends.

By portraying a link between the two, you may be able to use a) to achieve B ).

Apart from one poster offering the advice that paedophiles are probably safer in their own countries than in Cambodia (possibly a blanket generalisation, but possibly useful advice), and the supporting anecdotal facts offered by that poster, I have seen nothing constructive in this thread, nor anything new. There was some anecdotal material maligning other Asian nations' tourists in the same post, but even that seemed to be simply the airing of old prejudices.

SC

EDIT: While in principle, I agree with BJuice on this story, I suppose we are not likely to notice anything that is not marketed towards us, and we could find (or invent) all sorts of 'underground' or 'secret' problems - freemasonry, for example.

Edited June 10, 2011 by sbk

[bermondburi]

What is the toal number of kids under 16 in Thailand ?

I just got some figures from Wikipedia ( not perfect I know ) which came from the CIA World Factbook . ( they might be totally wrong but they should still show what a load of rubbish this article is ). It states that from 0-14 years of age the population of females ( I'm presumimg they will make up most of the prostitutes ) is 6,466,225. stick on another 500,000 or so for the rest top make it up to those under sixteen and you can see that the numbers just don't add up.

So 800,000 kids out of 7 million or so are under age prostitutes !!!! This is absolute <deleted> and whoever spreads this kind of rubbish for their own religous purposes should be rounded up and...........................up to you.

Not saying it doesn't happen but on this scale ....

Don't think so.

To be frank whether it's 800,000, 80,000 or even 8,000, underage sex or calling it for what it is, child abuse and exploitation is a major problem here. No other country has prostitution of all forms on such an industrial scale, to Thailand's eternal shame. While the figutres may be exaggerated in the OP, the problem is not, the complacency about it is not, the ignorance of the scale of the problem is not, and the unwillingness of the authorities (for a whole host of reasons) to enforce the law is not exaggerated.

This issue has been discussed with particular reference to Chiang Mai on that forum, in some detail and the link is below:

Darker Side of CM

not saying it isn't an issue here but when people come up with total <deleted> statistics to further their own agenda then there is something wrong with that. Why couldn't they just use a more accurate figure.

[bermondburi]

From the tone of the post, speaking of "blame" for Thai cultural sex practices, and the link to a religious website, seems they are using the child sex hot button to appose prostitution in general.

I agree and even when Thailand was wide open with prostitution everywhere, have never seen "10 or 12 year old girls" selling themselves in Thai brothers or anywhere else for that matter.

While you may not have witnessed it (neither have I), this does not mean that the sexual abuse of children is absent from Thailand. Tragically it does exist and on a scale that few of us can comprehend. Child abuse is not just a "hot button" issue, it is a fact of life in LOS.

are we talking about child abuse or prostituiton here ?

[dunkin2012]

Last Year 53

17 Year Old Female Pimp Caught with Young Prostitutes

17 seems a little young to start on a vocation as a pimp, but that's exactly the career path chosen by a young woman arrested Tuesday evening by the Chonburi Immigration Police. The immigration officers, supervised by the Superintendent of Chonburi Immigration Pol. Col. Atisawit Gamonrat, arrested the teen at the top of Soi 12 off Central Pattaya Rd after being informed that this young lady had established a thriving business providing young girls, most between 15 and 17, to tourists and foreign residents. She also claimed to have a number of local government officials as customers, but declined to name them, perhaps holding back for some bargaining power.

++++ http://www.pattayapeople.com ++++

read more

[folium]

What is the toal number of kids under 16 in Thailand ?

I just got some figures from Wikipedia ( not perfect I know ) which came from the CIA World Factbook . ( they might be totally wrong but they should still show what a load of rubbish this article is ). It states that from 0-14 years of age the population of females ( I'm presumimg they will make up most of the prostitutes ) is 6,466,225. stick on another 500,000 or so for the rest top make it up to those under sixteen and you can see that the numbers just don't add up.

So 800,000 kids out of 7 million or so are under age prostitutes !!!! This is absolute <deleted> and whoever spreads this kind of rubbish for their own religous purposes should be rounded up and...........................up to you.

Not saying it doesn't happen but on this scale ....

Don't think so.

To be frank whether it's 800,000, 80,000 or even 8,000, underage sex or calling it for what it is, child abuse and exploitation is a major problem here. No other country has prostitution of all forms on such an industrial scale, to Thailand's eternal shame. While the figutres may be exaggerated in the OP, the problem is not, the complacency about it is not, the ignorance of the scale of the problem is not, and the unwillingness of the authorities (for a whole host of reasons) to enforce the law is not exaggerated.

This issue has been discussed with particular reference to Chiang Mai on that forum, in some detail and the link is below:

Darker Side of CM

not saying it isn't an issue here but when people come up with total <deleted> statistics to further their own agenda then there is something wrong with that. Why couldn't they just use a more accurate figure.

Quite agree. Exaggeration does little to advance the issue. It just allows people to highlight the statistical nonsense, whilst ignoring the real issue.

Sadly many NGOs and religious groups "over-egg" the cake in whatever issue they are focused on to get media attention - the tabloid effect so to speak- which is ultimately counterproductive.

[afarang]

A point everybody is missing . Child prostitution is minicsule in the farang population ,compared with the Chinese -Thai group. Where it is substantial. There are cultural reasons why the Chinese -Thais like very young girls. Primarily , they are trafficked from the North , as they will not touch "dark skin" ladies, only white skin.Although prostitution is very evident in certain places for farang, it is still quite small , compared with prostitution for the Thai community.Which is everywhere in Thailand, yes all over Thailand

[folium]

...

But, as you highlight, this is just a sensational issue raised with a view to attacking the sex industry generally in Thailand. I am not really sure about eternal shame, but I accept that you may cast opprobium at the nation ceaselessly until you die, based on your own values and prejudices.

There was a very serious case of organised child abuse centred around Belgium a few years back, as I recall. However, I would hesitate to castigate the entire nation on that basis, nor to start threads maligning its reputation

SC

Child abuse anywhere, be it Belgium, the Catholic church in the US or Thailand, should offend anyone's values. Both the cases in Belgium and in the US triggered embarrassment and horror both home and abroad. If a country or organisation cannot, or will not protect its children, there is something very wrong.

No country is clean in respect of child abuse but at least most countries do (sometimes too late) something about it and prosecute those involved.

"maligning it's reputation" was a comment that made me laugh as Thailand's reputation is to some considerable degree built on the ready access to sex in whatever form is required. Asian and western tourists flock here exactly because of this reputation. The money involved in catering to this market just ensures that laws remain unenforced (apart from the occasional bust of some sad old farang), and the business, including child abuse, continues.

Many Thai friends of mine are disgusted and embarrassed by the situation here. Hopefully, without exaggeration or melodrama, the situation can be dragged out into the open and eventually be addressed.

So you agree, though, that

a) paedophilia is abhorrent to all decent people

B ) your target is prostitution in Thailand, because it offends you and your friends.

By portraying a link between the two, you may be able to use a) to achieve B ).

Apart from one poster offering the advice that paedophiles are probably safer in their own countries than in Cambodia (possibly a blanket generalisation, but possibly useful advice), and the supporting anecdotal facts offered by that poster, I have seen nothing constructive in this thread, nor anything new. There was some anecdotal material maligning other Asian nations' tourists in the same post, but even that seemed to be simply the airing of old prejudices.

SC

EDIT: While in principle, I agree with BJuice on this story, I suppose we are not likely to notice anything that is not marketed towards us, and we could find (or invent) all sorts of 'underground' or 'secret' problems - freemasonry, for example.

Gee thanks StreetCowboy for telling me what I think and what I am trying to achieve.

Sadly you are utterly wrong on both counts.

Prostitution is a fact of life in probably every country on this planet, and far from wishing to abolish it, it can be like any industry that is properly managed and regulated to ensure the health and safety of its participants. Prohibition of anything is ultimately an expensive waste of time only of advantage to criminals. Prostitution has both social and economic roles to play, and consenting adults being fleeced for whatever the seller can get away with is classic capitalism in action.

But all this distracts from the key issue, which is child abuse/prostitution. Accurate statistics are naturally hard to come by due to the "under the counter" nature of the business, but while many countries do enforce laws that protect children, Thailand appears to be lacking in this respect. Hence the shame felt by many Thais, especially those who have lived abroad, who see through the corruption and shaky rule of law, and that mai pen rai and "saving face" are just excuses for allowing an ugly status quo to be preserved in many areas of life in their country. All countries have faced shameful activities whether they be slavery, child labour, discrimination by gender, race or religion etc, which are dragged into the open, discussed and ultimately addressed. What happens here in Thailand is Thailand's business and one for Thais to address (or not), but there is no harm in airing the issue, that's what debate is all about.

[Crushdepth]

Hardly seems like a credible source. Why not post something from a more reliable source instead?

Beating up numbers does not help the cause.

Edited June 10, 2011 by Crushdepth

[moe666]

A few years ago The Bangkok Post hwd a story about prosititution in Thailand and they quotated 60,000 workers on the Thai side and 30,000 workers on the farange side. Considering this was a story about adults the 800,000 children seems a bit proposterious.

[afarang]

800,000 child prostitutes working with farang ? A bit preposterous? No, more like total arrant nonsense. Prostitution involving farang is mainly seen in : Patpong, Nana, Cowboy in Bkk., Pattaya and Phuket. Somebody ,surely should be able to estimate how many girls are involved.Let me have guess. 1,000 in Patpong?. 1,000 in Nana? 500 in Cowboy?Another 1,000 in minor venues in Bkk.. Would I be about right? Add in Pattaya and Phuket, how many in total have you got?Somebody , please advise. I suggest less than 10,000, all up .Now, take prostitution servicing Thais. In every town in Thailand, you will find brothels or karaoke Bars. Which are fronts for prostitution. Add in many restaurants that provide "upstairs " services.Many of which will not allow farang entry. How many "fishbowl" places are there in Thailand? Hundreds. What is one very important difference between farang and Thai premises? In farang places, the girl is free to choose ,as to whether she "goes " with a farang customer. Not so , in most Thai places .She is "chosen ", often from being behind a one way mirror, where the customer can see the girl, but she cannot see the customer. She is identified by a number ,and has no choice. She must go with the man.In the small rural town ,in which I live, there are more than 10 Karaoke bars. Catering to primarily a Thai clientele.It is not considered to be an unusual rural town, for Thailand. Now, try and work out how many girls are there in all Thailand , servicing Thais. I suggest you will be amazed !!! Finally ,are any girls working with farang , trafficked? No. Are girls working with Thais trafficked? Yes, Especially from the North. Most of them are. many sold by their parents.