Kate Molinari
For nearly sixty years, Thailand has witnessed the development and growth of an illegal sex trade. The sex trafficking industry is as vast as it is lucrative in Thailand—around 300,000 women, men, and children are involved in prostitution, which brings $4.3 billion into the country each year. There are tens of thousands of illegal immigrants involved in Thai prostitution, as well as an equal amount of Thai emigrants that work in this industry around the globe, including in Europe, Australia, Japan, and the United States. The roots of this pervasive and degrading industry can be found within Thailand’s recent history. With a lack of governmental intervention, great proliferation within the country’s society, and a stronghold within its economy, the business of sex trafficking has reached unparalleled heights within the kingdom of Thailand.
Since the 1960s, prostitution has been a widespread problem within Thailand. It began to blossom in 1964 when the United States planted military bases in Thailand. A few years later, the Thai government promised to provide US soldiers with vulgar forms of recreation; something the soldiers called “I &I,” short for “intercourse & intoxication.” From that point, the prostitution business boomed and, once the Vietnam War ended, the regular customer (a soldier) changed into tourists seeking sex. Prostitution had become a large yet disgraceful part of Thai society, and continues to be to this day. Although not considered acceptable conduct within Thai culture, prostitution is a common path many take to alleviate the poverty they experience. This occurs within rural families, who sell their children into the industry, and within neighboring countries such as the military state of Burma, whose women seek the sex industry of Thailand as refuge from the oppression of their country. Thus, there are approximately 300,000 prostitutes within Thailand consisting of 35,000 children, 30,000 illegal Burmese immigrants, and a majority of native Thai women. Prostitution is certainly not acceptable by Thai standards, but the ubiquity of it being chosen as a way of life reveals that it is embedded within the society.
The reason many have turned to prostitution in Thailand is due to an unstable economy. The country has faced great economic growth—since the 1980s, Thailand has become a large exporter of manufactured and agricultural goods within Asia. This success, however, has been met with crippling instability. The economy of Thailand grew into a major power in Asian economy during the 1990s; so much so that the fall of the baht in 1997 led to an economic crisis throughout Asia. As the country entered into economic dismay and unemployment rose, many turned to prostitution. Despite the fact that Thailand has made a turnaround from this crisis and continues to grow, prostitution and trafficking are steadfast. This is due to the fact that in a nation whose economy has met debilitating lows and soaring success within short periods of time, the sex trade remains a staple of Thai economics. Although outlawed in 1960, prostitution constitutes a whopping 3% of Thailand’s economy.
Since the 1960s, Thai government has shown more support for the industry than opposition. In 1960, the Thai government passed the Law to Deter Prostitution which made prostitution outright illegal. However, it passed the Entertainment Places Act of 1966, which made the selling of sexual services legal within entertainment settings, such as massage parlors and GoGo clubs (note that these are the prime destinations that account for Thailand’s “sex tourism” today). The business was able to thrive under this government, and continues to. Although Thai government passes laws against trafficking as well, they often prove insufficient. For example, after many years of trafficking issues, Thailand passed its first anti-trafficking law in 2006, and it excluded the protection of males. A law was passed in 2008 that added males to this, but the inefficiency of police to enact the law is a problem yet unsolved. The lack of governmental opposition may come from two factors. The first is that in opposing the sex trade, the government will be upsetting a large portion of the economy and those involved in it. To add, in recent history, Thai government holds unsteady popularity and has faced a plethora of coups from its people, the most recent being in 2006. Thus, the government is at a standstill on sex trafficking.
The sex trade is a very deep-rooted issue in Thailand. It goes far beyond simple economic issues, unfair laws, or political turmoil. The sex trafficking of Thailand is embedded within deep problems: an ambivalent government and the trade’s hold on the country’s society and economy show just how strong sex trafficking has become within Thailand.
“New trafficking law for Thailand”
“Sex as a sector: Economic incentives and hardships fuel growth” from the International Labor Organization
“Prostitution, Health and Well-Being, Cases,Policy and Law,Official Responses and Actions, Official Corruption and Collaboration,Official Response and Action”
“Thais mull legalising sex trade”
Andrea Vilchez
ReplyDeleteIt is clear that the Thai government is not working to its full potential to correct the situation with the increased sex trafficking occurring today in Thailand. While the government continues to enact laws that supposedly oppose and prohibit the trafficking of men, women, and children, they do barely anything to enforce these legislations. Rather, it is often found that government officials are either involved with or own shares in the sex trafficking industry.
While I must also agree that Thailand's lack of a stable economy has driven the country to its increasing participation in sex trafficking, I am not sure that I am in complete accordance with your review of the role of prostitution in Thai society. I may be mistaken but I recall reading in my research that prostitution is in fact, widely accepted in Thailand. It is believed to be a part of the social fabric and even encouraged. Women are viewed as sources of sexual temptation and while promiscuity in a woman is frowned upon, a man's participation in the act is often applauded. Men are encouraged to fulfill every sexual desire, and react to every urge, even if it involves seeking sex outside his home. Inclusively, many young boys’ first sexual encounters are with solicited prostitutes. The article did however state, that while Thai society accepts prostitution, this does not make the practice right. The article goes on to say that while the selling of one’s body for money is not moral, a good percentage of Thai prostitutes are in fact a part of the network of sex trafficking.
Tim Sakow
ReplyDeleteThe government is definitely the largest of the pertaining issues to the growing sex trade in Thailand because they refrain from enforcing many of the laws and acts passed against sex trafficking and prostitution. The reality of the situation is that even the government knows that they cannot do much to enforce the sex trade because it is one of the most stable and profitable forms of business that Thailand possesses. The officials of the Thai Kingdom worry that if that if they begin to enforce then the Thai economy will continue to plummet, which may cause living conditions to worsen.
Anthony Greenfield
ReplyDeleteWhile there are many factors that led to the use of sex trafficking, such as poverty and the Vietnam War, the government is the absolute reason why human trafficking has remained consistent in Thailand. Their lack of control over this problem has caused sex trafficking to have a firm grasp over Thailand. Their economy is deeply rooted in trafficking humans and sexual labor, and it is too risky for the government to stop these illegal acts now because of the consequences that may come. Thailand would lose billions of dollars in revenue without human trafficking and would therefore collapse without it. It is a disgusting realization, but sex trafficking is the basis of Thailand's economic success.
Jennifer Elovitz
ReplyDeleteIt's unfortunate to learn that prostitution began to blossom in 1964 when the United States planted military bases in Thailand. It's disgusting that the Thai government promised to provide US soldiers with "intercourse and intoxication." This is just one of the many examples that the Thai government was willing to do anything for money, even depreciating their Thai standards and accepting prostitution. It is certainly true that the fall of the baht in 1997 led to the economic crisis throughout Asia, thereby forcing some rural families to resort to selling their wives and children into the sex trafficking industry and prostitution. Prostitution constitutes a large part of Thailand's economy, both from the natives and the tourists. When the Thai government Thai government passed the Law to Deter Prostitution, they made it seem as though they were helping the victims in these situations. However, these Anti-Prostitution laws only arrested the prostitutes and did not punish the clients who took part in these sex services. Although the Anti-Trafficking Law was passed excluding males, it ultimately didn't matter because they never seemed to enforce it for the females either. The government needs to carry out the laws they pass, rather than finding ways to work around them and make money.
RE: Andrea Vilchez
ReplyDeleteAs you read the comment I just posted on your essay, you'll see that I just argued my side of Thai society's take on prostitution on your post as you did on mine. You do make a very good point--I have also read that it is encouraged for men to fulfill their sexual desires, since it is seen more as a necessary form of release in Thai culture. However, I also read that it is unacceptable for women to become prostitutes and/or fulfill their desires so openly. Thus, I propose that there is a cultural double-standard. In Thai society, it is perfectly acceptable for Thai men to become customers of the sex trade, and it is this laxness that keeps the laws from being enforced. When it comes to females, however, there is a leash on the extent of their sexual expression or release. Furthermore, anyone who was/is a prostitute is deemed indecent in Thai culture, but the men who act as customers are merely doing something normal.
RE: Anthony Greenfield
ReplyDeleteAlthough you make quite a valid point, I'm not sure I completely agree. In my research I have come across little evidence as to the government being the root cause of the issue. While the government is at fault for not enforcing or creating effective laws and earns a large amount of money from the business, sex trafficking in Thailand runs much deeper than just a faulty government. It is an active part of Thai society. As I've discussed with Andrea, participation in prostitution and the sex industry is perfectly acceptable for males, but not so for females. There seems to be a societal double standard, one that allows women and even children to be mistreated and repeatedly abused without any repercussion within Thai society. I argue that it is this double standard that is behind the government's actions. In a country where it is completely natural for men to be involved in prostitution, it's no wonder that he Thai government has no qualms with being so deeply involved in the horrid trade. Furthermore, it is this inequality that keeps the government from creating or enforcing laws against the trade.
In conclusion, I feel you are in most part correct. The government is allowing such a trade to continue because it profits from it. It is inequalities within the society, however, that led the government into the trade without conscience in the first place.
RE: Tim Sakow.
ReplyDeleteThere is much truth in the fact that the government is a large portion of the sex trafficking problem within Thailand. However, I find myself disagreeing with much of what you have said.
From my research, I have found Thailand's economy to be one of steady growth. After the 1997 crisis, Thailand received a $17 billion bail out from the International Monetary Fund (http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108034.html?pageno=3). Since this period, Thailand has witnessed mostly growth, especially in exports. The economy is in O'Neill terms ideal--they export far more than they import, and remain one of the globe's largest rice exporters (http://www.thomaswhite.com/explore-the-world/thailand.aspx). Thailand's GDP has done little else but grow in recent years, as you may see through this link (also posted in my comment on your post: http://www.indexmundi.com/thailand/gdp_real_growth_rate.html).
I agree with you, however, that prostitution is an important staple in Thai economy. It is one of the most stable markets they have. Thus, there is much truth in what you have said regarding the government's approach to the illegal market: why would they want to shut something down that so many make their livelihood from?
I feel, however, that there is a largely proponent for the government to keep the business running. In several of the main blog posts, it has been noted that the Thai government faces much corruption when it comes to the sex trade. From faulty law enforcement to the money the government makes off the business, Thai government holds a big stake in the sex trafficking market. This is further a reason for Thailand's officials to keep the door to sex trafficking open.
In addendum, I feel that there are other important issues that are at the root of the problem. For instance, the people that join the trade freely do so to escape poverty. This is seen abroad as well as within Thailand, as families sell their own daughters and children as sex slaves. There is also a double standard within Thai society that keeps women sub par to men; men can participate freely in prostitution while a woman in the same position would be labeled indecent. It is this inequality that many Thai men (and other people internationally) take advantage of; in Thai society it is acceptable for men to misuse women for sex.
RE: Jen Elowitz.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you've said, and I feel you've stated the problem with the government's corrupt laws quite well. It seems to be true that the Thai government uses sex trafficking for money, and blatantly disregard there own laws to gain money. This reveals a problem outside the immediate realm of sex-trafficking--the Thai government appears unreliable. If the government is unreliable in enforcing laws that protect the people, sex trafficking may grow in other ways. As we have already seen, the corruption of the laws allows the trade to occur fluidly. But this corruption can also lead the Thai people to not be afraid of the government's power. In other words, if people involved in the sex trade can disregard this one law and get away with it, what stops them from disregarding every law regarding prostitution and trafficking?
Perhaps this has been a problem all along. The government's unreliability in effective law enforcement could be part of the reason why sex trafficking has become so rampant. If the government has a history of unreliable protection of rights, then it'd be very easy to abuse the laws that protect citizens against prostitution and trafficking. This is a whole other can of worms. Regardless, the Thai government has to step up their game, unless they want their people to disregard laws they actually find important.