Prostitution: Thailand's worst kept secret

[LannaGuy]

Thailand is more 'liberal' and 'flexible' and I have sex with 'normal' girls all the time - it's an exchange - some rent money, uni money or shopping money I don't care - it works!

[bobthomas]

BANGKOK: -- You could be forgiven for thinking if you were new to Thailand that prostitution was a market aimed solely at foreign tourists and fund-dumping expatriates. The garish lights, garish hook-ups, and garish whispers in the night have become iconic, a thing of holiday myths, books, films, and for many who don’t live here deceitfully representative of an entire culture. But Thailand’s lusty epithet of a land of salacious, often mendacious smiles, is a foreign concoction, and within these borders most citizens I think don’t taint themselves with that brush...

________________________________________________

Great prose- but it merely states the obvious

Prostitution will (and has) always been a part of our humanity.

People need sex.

Ethnocentics should consider that limited acces to resources will always engender alternative avenues to subsistance

Kind regards,

Uncle Bob

[MobileContent]

Majority of these girls come from Issan, They work this for help their poor parent from Issan.... But Issan is not the PTP/Red Stronghold ?

You will be very much surprised how many hookers are from the South and Central Thailand. I would say 40% of all are not from Isaan but the South, Central and Northern Thai provinces. If you go to Rachada 70% are hookers from Bangkok and Central Thailand. You seem to be only in the cheap places.

BTW: The hookers in Isaan are from Lao.

[MobileContent]

Thailand is more 'liberal' and 'flexible' and I have sex with 'normal' girls all the time - it's an exchange - some rent money, uni money or shopping money I don't care - it works!

Not really but they are hookers too. Ask them for a free f.ck and they will tell you piss off kee nok.

[Acharn]

Majority of these girls come from Issan, They work this for help their poor parent from Issan.... But Issan is not the PTP/Red Stronghold ?

You need to get out more. The girls from Isaan are the ones that work with tourists. My theory is that when the U.S. established their air bases to bomb Vietnam most of the bases (not the B-52 base at U-Tapao) were in the Northeast because they housed the fighter escorts that had a shorter range than the bombers. So the G.I.s got used to the darker-skinned Isaan girls and those were the girls with the opportunity to learn to speak English. Then when they opened up the R&R program in Bangkok those were the girls who knew G.I.s best. When I was hanging out with prostitutes several of the girls asked me about it, because to Thai men the dark-skinned Isaan girls are unattractive.

By far most sex workers come from Chiang Mai, with Lamphang in close second place. Farangs aren't going to see those girls and they don't speak English anyway. Incidentally, the World Bank was the foreign aid agency that advised the Thai government (probably under Prime Minister Thanom Kittikachorn) to promote prostitution as a tourist attraction. About twelve or fifteen years ago the Bangkok Post ran a couple of articles using statistics from the Department of Public Health. Very interesting. Often, according to them, the girls' parents are the ones that essentially sell them into the job. I've seen this story theme in at least one Thai soap opera (lakhorn), too.

Oh, yeah, Chiang Mai, Lamphang, Chiang Rai are all Red strongholds. So what?

[Scuba 1st]

If you have a family to support, you work. Ive done that for 45 years in my trade and I'm sure that most of you did too. Im proudly wofking class and most of the ladies that i talk to are the same----- working class with a family to support.

[spidermike007]

If anybody doubts y that the sex industry in the US is at least as big as it is in Thailand, here are some stats :

PREVALENCE

There are more women are employed by the sex industry than any other time in historyThere are more strip clubs in the United States than any other nation in the world[ii]Hollywood releases 11,000 adult movies per year – more than 20 times the mainstream movie production[iii]At 13.3 billion, the 2006 revenues of the sex and porn industry in the U.S. are bigger than the NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball combined[iv]Worldwide sex industry sales for 2006 are reported to be $97 billion. To put this in perspective, Microsoft, who sells the operating system used on most of the computers in the world (in addition to other software) reported sales of 44.8 billion in 2006 [iv].Every second – $3,075.64 is being spent on pornography [iv].“The porn industry employs an excess of 12,000 people in California. In California alone the porn industry pays over $36 million in taxes every year[v]Human trafficking is the second largest global organized crime today, generating approximately 31.6 billion USD each year. Specifically, trafficking for sexual exploitation generates 27.8 billion USD per year[vi]There 1.39 million victims of commercial sexual servitude worldwide [vi].

Prevalence in the Church

Promise Keeper men who viewed pornography in last week-53%33% of clergy admitted to having visited a sexually explicit Web site. Of those who had visited a porn site, 53% had visited such sites “a few times” in the past year, and 18% visit sexually explicit sites between a couple of times a month and more than once a week[vii]Out of 81 pastors surveyed (74 males 7 female), 98% had been exposed to porn; 43% intentionally accessed a sexually explicit website[viii]In March of 2002 Rick Warren’s (author of the Purpose Driven life) Pastors.com website conducted a survey on porn use of 1351 pastors: 54% of the pastors had viewed Internet pornography within the last year, and 30% of these had visited within the last 30 days.

WOMEN

Research related to women working in various aspect of the sex industry is telling. Such research indicates that women working in the sex industry are faced with higher rates

drug addictions[ix]sexually transmitted diseases[x]violent assaults[xi], andmental health problems[xii] such as Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder than the general population.

Between 66% to 90% of women in the sex industry were sexually abused as children[xiii]

70% of interviewees in a study by Silbert and Pines noted that childhood sexual abuse had an influence on their entry into prostitution[xiv].

Women in the sex industry experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder at rates equivalent

to veterans of combat war[xv]

Diagnosis of PTSD per country of prostituted respondents:

• Canada: 74%

• Colombia: 86%

• Germany: 60%

• Mexico: 54%

• South Africa: 75%

• Thailand: 58%

• Turkey: 66%

• USA: 69%

• Zambia: 71%

***Diagnosis of PTSD for combat war veterans: 69%

89% of women in the sex industry said they wanted to escape, but had no other means for survival [xv].

73% of women in prostitution have been raped more than five times. vi

70% of females who are trafficked are trafficked into the commercial sex industry[xvi] (This includes Porn, Strip Clubs, and massage parlors in the US) –

Women in the sex industry face a myriad of issues that impact their physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Many feel desperately isolated and alone. Because their hurts and needs are multi-faceted, the approach to assisting them in the recovery process needs to be holistic as well.

VIOLENCE AND AGGRESSION AGAINST WOMEN IN PORN

A content analysis of the 50 best-selling adult videos revealed that across all scenes:

3,376 verbal and/or physically aggressive acts were observed.On average, scenes had 11.52 acts of either verbal of physical aggression, ranging from none to 128.48 percent of the 304 scenes analyzed contained verbal aggression, while more than 88 percent showed physical aggression.72 percent of aggressive acts were perpetrated by men.94 percent of aggressive acts were committed against women. [xvii]

MENTAL HEALTH OF WOMEN IN PORN

A cross-sectional study based on the California Women’s Health Survey did a comparison of the mental health of female adult performers and other young women in California. Here is what their research revealed.

Women in porn Women NOT in porn

Met criteria for depression 33% 13%

Child victims of forced sex 37% 13%

Lived in poverty 24% 12%

Placed in foster care 21% 4%

Lived in poverty in past 12 months 50% 36%

Experienced Domestic Violence 34% 6%

in past 12 months

Experienced forced sex as adults 27% 9%

THE DEMAND

70% of men ages 18-28 regularly view porn sites (XXXChurch.com)U.S. adults who regularly visit Internet pornography websites-40 million [iv].1 of 3 visitors to all adult websites are women [iv].9.4 million women access adult websites every month [iv].

FAMILIES

47% of families say pornography is a “problem” in their home[xviii]Excessive interest in online porn contributed to more than ½ of all divorce cases in 2002 according to attorneys who attended conference for American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers41 percent of surveyed adults admitted they felt less attractive due to their partner’s pornography use[xix]77% of online visitors to adult content sites are male. Their average age is 41 and they have an annual income of $60,000. 46% are married[xx]

CHILDREN

116,000 searches for child porn every dayAverage Age Child 1st sees porn: 11 years old [xxi]

STRIP CLUB STATISTICS ACCORDING TO THE BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

Strip Club StatisticsGlobal strip club annual revenue$75 billionUS strip club annual revenue$3.1 billionCalifornia strip club annual revenue$1 billionNumber of strip clubs in the US4,000Estimate number of strippers employed by US strip clubs400,000City with the most strip clubs per 100,000 residents (Springfield, Oregon)9.3Average yearly earnings for a stripper$125,000

The State of California brings in 1/3 of the annual strip club revenue for the entire United States!

[spidermike007]

Thailand is more 'liberal' and 'flexible' and I have sex with 'normal' girls all the time - it's an exchange - some rent money, uni money or shopping money I don't care - it works!

Not really but they are hookers too. Ask them for a free f.ck and they will tell you piss off kee nok.

And ask a gal in Los Angeles for some action without taking her out for a nice meal, or buying her a gift of some sort. Any different? On a certain level, it is more honest here.

[GaryAdriaenssens]

So what's new with this article? The whole world knows it! Will never change, that's it.

[anon4546543]

Who is the <deleted> that tried to tie all bar girls in Thailand to being from Issan and being "red" sympathisers. What a stupid person

[willyumiii]

Majority of these girls come from Issan, They work this for help their poor parent from Issan.... But Issan is not the PTP/Red Stronghold ?

You need to get out more. The girls from Isaan are the ones that work with tourists. My theory is that when the U.S. established their air bases to bomb Vietnam most of the bases (not the B-52 base at U-Tapao) were in the Northeast because they housed the fighter escorts that had a shorter range than the bombers. So the G.I.s got used to the darker-skinned Isaan girls and those were the girls with the opportunity to learn to speak English. Then when they opened up the R&R program in Bangkok those were the girls who knew G.I.s best. When I was hanging out with prostitutes several of the girls asked me about it, because to Thai men the dark-skinned Isaan girls are unattractive.

By far most sex workers come from Chiang Mai, with Lamphang in close second place. Farangs aren't going to see those girls and they don't speak English anyway. Incidentally, the World Bank was the foreign aid agency that advised the Thai government (probably under Prime Minister Thanom Kittikachorn) to promote prostitution as a tourist attraction. About twelve or fifteen years ago the Bangkok Post ran a couple of articles using statistics from the Department of Public Health. Very interesting. Often, according to them, the girls' parents are the ones that essentially sell them into the job. I've seen this story theme in at least one Thai soap opera (lakhorn), too.

Oh, yeah, Chiang Mai, Lamphang, Chiang Rai are all Red strongholds. So what?

I see one problem with your theory.

Girls working during the Vietnam war and learning English from GIs were working 50 + years ago!

I doubt they are still "working" today.

If they are, business must be very slow for girls in their 6s 70s and 80s!

With the invention of viagra, there are still some ex Vietnam GI buyers, but few girls of the=at era still selling!

[ratcatcher]

Thailand is more 'liberal' and 'flexible' and I have sex with 'normal' girls all the time - it's an exchange - some rent money, uni money or shopping money I don't care - it works!

Your honesty re "having sex with normal girls" is refreshing except for the fact that the majority of bar girls are also " normal".

However, at least you didn't say that you only had sex with white skinned Chinese-Thai ladies with MBAs from Harvard etc etc.

Having sex with normal girls is a bit different than copulating with katoeys or, so I am told..

[cumgranosalum]

"...excludes male prostitutes, who amount to 42% of all UK sex workers."

Probably excludes MPs expense account spending on dalliances too.

An estimated $40 Million a day is spent on prostitution in the United States.

365 days X $40 Million = $14.6 Billion a year in prostitution spending.

It is an enormous industry in the US. At least as large as here. A huge number of very attractive, younger women will give it up to a much older man, for huge sponsorship deals. Nobody could ever convince me that is not prostitution.

feeling a little left out??

[727Sky]

Thailand was never subject to Puritanical Colonizers, so perhaps their take on the whole thing isn't colored by Western obsession with "sin".

And I for one hope Thailand never goes that route: That just drives everything underground and makes the really bad come out of the wood work.

Kinda like many country's drug wars. More available today at cheaper prices than before any war was ever declared ...

Unfortunately some of the biggest pushers of the stuff are the very governments with strong anti drug stances. It does remind me of a politician who proclaims all gays are going to hell and then is caught with his young page boy doing the nasty... Hypocrites and B.S. runs the world or at least they think they do.

[PattayaPhom]

Majority of these girls come from Issan, They work this for help their poor parent from Issan.... But Issan is not the PTP/Red Stronghold ?

A lot are but go to Hat Yai or Sadao and you will see tens of thousands from the Southern provinces doing exactly the same.

[ratcatcher]

Same story everywhere. Boys look for girls to fit, girls look for someone that fits and takes care, and when both sides are compatible they stay together. Only in Thailand everybody's pointing their fingers on this. Maybe because the sex market is not so well hidden from the public like in Farang countries.

never used one in the UK, never met one as far as I know, was there 50+ years.

Used one my first night in CM, two or three times a week ever since, 6+ years.

So well hidden in the UK, I couldn't find them.

Right in yer face here, all the time.

I think that means there's more around in Thailand.

"Right in yer face here, all the time."

If it's really 'right in yer face, all the time', maybe you should consider changing positions once in a while.

[Gillyflower]

Well I've just learnt something. Prostitution is a secret!!

[willyumiii]

Duplicate post removed

Edited July 3, 2015 by willyumiii

[rametindallas]

Without prostitution Thailand would easily lose 50% of Tourists.

People who deny this are just liars and/or ignorant.

But it's all about appearances and saving face.

I, myself, don't know the whole picture but was struck by your comment that says everyone who disagrees with you are liars. It kind of puts the damper on any further discussion. I'm not going to argue with you and become a 'liar' but I will question how you could possibly know that 50% of the 26.7 million tourists who visit the Kingdom each year, many of whom are women, are coming to Thailand exclusively for the prostitution and would not come otherwise. That would mean that almost every male coming to Thailand is only here for the prostitution.

Now, you don't be like Thais when/if you respond to this because you aren't all about appearances and saving face.

.

[willyumiii]

No matter what country you are in, sex is never free.

It is all prostitution.

Dinner, drinks, cab fare......the price of these in the west makes the cost of a Thai bag girl seem very inexpensive.

The married guys pay the most for it and probably get it less often.

Be honest, how many hand over the entire paycheck to the little lady?

Since we all lived in caves, women have been using "that thing " to get what they want from men.

Back then it was a good chunk of meat.

Now it's money to buy the meat.

Nothing has changed.

[Mazungu]

An Israeli general once said, "All men are warriors and all women are whores." He was fired over it but in the long run of history he may have been on to something.

[sgtsabai]

The military shut down many, if not most, of the places with Lao women in my part of Issan. Many/most of those places were basically for Thais. Some were in the farang bars. The women working the bars up here are NOT Lao with very, very few exceptions. The first time I went with a lady to her village to meet the parents I had my meal and was sitting aside while the family discussed "the farang". Her dad said to her something about me and while I did not understand I knew it wasn't very nice. I demanded, yes I do that, to know what they spoke about. She said "My papa says only reason farang come to Thailand is for sex". I raised my hand high and said with a big Thai style smile "Yes, thank you, thank you very much, that's me". She didn't have to translate, he speaks and understands English although he will not reveal that. Ahem, he wasn't very happy. We've been married since 2008 and met in 2006. Half the women in her village her age worked Pattaya/Bangkok/Phuket, some still do, different generation now and not so nice, much more mercenary, like American women. Oh and f*** all you do-gooders that claim you came here for the food, temples, met your wife at the university, online etc. Oh, btw all us Vietnam Vets don't need viagra....lol.

[connda]

One of the better articles I've read. No real moralizing, but information for those who can actually be 'shocked' Lol.

Mary: "OMG. Prostitution? In Thailand? John, we retired here. Now what do we do. I'm 'shocked'.

John: "Hummm. I may have to do some personal investigation and get to the bare bottom of it."

[rametindallas]

Without prostitution Thailand would easily lose 50% of Tourists.

People who deny this are just liars and/or ignorant.

But it's all about appearances and saving face.

BULLSHIT

what about the millions of Chinese/Korean tourist, the thousands an thousands of families.?

i'd say at most 15% to say 50% ur out of ur head on something

It would be nice to see either of you support your wild opinions with facts.

Exactly, I can remember not too long ago when seeing a farang woman in Thailand was a novelty.

You should get out from the 'hooker' areas more often. Most of the foreigners I meet in Thailand are Farang women. (of course, I'm not looking to meet Farang men so my view may be skewed)

.

[eddie61]

if it werent for pussy, Thailand would not have an international airport. FACT

[luckyman]

Without prostitution Thailand would easily lose 50% of Tourists.

People who deny this are just liars and/or ignorant.

But it's all about appearances and saving face.

I would think 80% actually.

Lots of families end up here because dad managed to convince them of the beauty of the beaches, great food and cheap prices, meanwhile his real thoughts are with the ladies in the bars. massage clubs etc.etc.

honey, I am going to get that sore back looked at ok?

[noitom]

The Thai prostitution trade within Thai society far out dwarfs the Thai prostitution trade for foreigners. Thai prostitution trade was going on long before any foreign soldier saddled up on R & R. Thais are in constant denial and hypocritical attitude about Thailand's prostitution. It is never discussed, the police and government corruption, counterfeit property and dug trade that operates as by products of it are never discussed. In addition to the thousands of street sois where the primary activity is prostitution and sex trade, five an four star hotels and bars, provide a work venue for thousands of Thai girls working the sex trade as free "lancers." A Thai free lancer is an everyday girl who may have a day job in a bank, shopping mall store or company, but tricks in hotel bars whenever she feels up to it - 2, 3, 5 nights per week. Everyone knows this about Thailand. Thais are a sham and a disgrace in that they cannot face the facts and truth about what they are and what really goes on in this prostitution and sex trafficking game.

[NickJ]

Where can Steven and I just get decent burrito? were not here for anything but the food.....and weather

[green job]

Without prostitution Thailand would easily lose 50% of Tourists.

People who deny this are just liars and/or ignorant.

But it's all about appearances and saving face.

What a nieve post, You lot,,,Well,,,your brain is in your dick. Not all come here for that. For Fxxxx sake. grow up and engage the brain not the dick.

Germany is the world leader in prostitution,its also legal.

[brling]

Thailand is more 'liberal' and 'flexible' and I have sex with 'normal' girls all the time - it's an exchange - some rent money, uni money or shopping money I don't care - it works!

Not really but they are hookers too. Ask them for a free f.ck and they will tell you piss off kee nok.

And ask a gal in Los Angeles for some action without taking her out for a nice meal, or buying her a gift of some sort. Any different? On a certain level, it is more honest here.

Trying to justify your prostitute partner again "spidermike" ?