Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE EXPERTS' VIEWS: THAILAND'S SEX INDUSTRY
In an effort to provide an alternate view on one of Thailand's most contentious issues, we approached members of
Empower (
www.empowerfoundation.org)
, a Thailand-based NGO that fights for safe and fair standards in the sex
industry and equal rights in society, and Associate Professor Virada Somswasdi, Head of the Women's Studies
Center, Chiang Mai University. We asked a few of the most common questions we've heard from visitors to
Bangkok about Thailand's sex industry.
Why does the sex industry appear to be so open and tolerated in Thailand? Are Thai attitudes regarding
the sex trade different than those of the West?
Professor Virada
In any society - West, East and beyond, Thailand is no exception - where a deep-rooted and
dominant patriarchal social structure controls sexuality and abuses women's bodies, combined with the huge ves-
ted interests of 'the industry' and a highly corruptible level of law enforcement, any 'illegal' deeds will go un-
touched or with a low response.
Empower
Because it is so open and many people are in the business and they seem to make no harm to the pub-
lic. And because the work is an economic opportunity for many women who need a job that pays enough to sup-
port herself and her family.
What are the biggest problems with the sex industry as it exists now in Thailand?
Professor Virada
Degradation of women and their wellbeing, sexual exploitation, violence against women,
gender inequality and sex tourism. The thin and very blurred line between trafficking in women and prostitution.
Empower
Applying criminal laws to try and enforce moral judgement turns workers and the business into crim-
inals to be punished, not humans to be supported.
Why do Thai women (and to a lesser extent, men) become sex workers?
Professor Virada
It's about dominance of male sexuality that 'the industry' continues and expands to serve its
clients, taking advantage of lower economic, social and political capabilities of women and girls to traffic and
lure them into prostitution under the name of 'choice' or 'consent'.
Empower
It's the job they chose over other jobs because it offers the most freedom, variety and opportunities.
Many people in the West tend to associate Thailand with child prostitution - is this still a significant prob-
lem in the country?
Professor Virada
Yes, the establishments involved in commercial sexual exploitation and prostitution still target
girls more and more, focusing on those from neighbouring countries of Thailand.
Empower
As far as Empower's 25 years of experience, we have been working with adult women and have only
seen child prostitution if we watch a documentary.
Should prostitution in Thailand be legalised? What are the potential positives and negatives of this?
Professor Virada
Legalising prostitution will merely benefit pimps, traffickers and the sex industry; it will in-
crease child prostitution, clandestine, hidden, illegal and street prostitution; it does not promote women's health,
nor enhance women's choices; women in systems of prostitution do not want the sex industry legalised.
Empower
We don't think that there should be law to either legalise or criminalise sex work, but rather that [sex
workers] should be considered workers or employers under the labour protection law.
As told to Austin Bush.
