Tim Sakow
Over the past 50 years Thailand has gone through several changes, socially, economically, and politically. Since the 60s and 70s Thailand has become a major provider of exportations, which has been caused by its rise in industrialism. In the past 20 years a rise in corruption within the Thai government and sex trafficking has become evident. Since the Vietnam War Thailand has become known for its prostitution and the sexual exploitation of human beings. Thailand is world leader in sex trafficking, which is largely due to the fact that it has grown in economic strength attracting businesses of all sorts, corruption found within the government, and finally because of the widespread prostitution that is found in the nation.
In the growing population of Thailand labor became cheap, production greatly increased, and foreign countries saw great business potential. Although, in the 1990s the value of the Baht dropped dramatically, igniting a desire to make money with little regard to both legal and moral issues. Many rural families sold their children into the sex trade in order to make enough money to survive the economic crisis within Asia. Children were sold as cheap means of labor and used in brothels by neighboring countries also struggling in the economic depression. Other countries like Russia, Romania, and the Czech Republic have women that believe they can escape their own country’s poverty by going to Thailand in order to make a living as a prostitute. Often these women are desired by customers, which lead to violent, forceful, and abusive actions by brothel owners in order to keep them in the business and trade.
The government of Thailand has not been entirely stable, which allows for many schisms within the loyalty of its government officials. In the past decade there have been numerous accounts of votes that have been bought and sold for government elections. There have been actions taken by the government to stop prostitution and the illegal trades of human trafficking, but interestingly enough, prostitution is regulated and accepted in Thailand. The government has not done much about the trade and the sexual exploitations because it benefits their economy and is considered to be “not a big deal.” Other accounts of law enforcement corruption and government corruption has been found to be bargaining with the sex traders themselves for sexual benefits, and releasing them with little or no charges (www.uri.edu). The practices of the government seem to almost encourage the sex trade because of its lack of enforcement.
Since the Vietnam War there have been accounts of foreigners that have visited Thailand and enjoyed the widespread prostitution. Soldiers have been known to go to Thailand when off duty to drink and go to brothels. Stemming from the late 1960s and early seventies there has been a large demand for prostitutes that cater to tourists. Due to the large amounts of prostitution, there has been a spike in the cases of HIV/AIDS in Thailand forcing the government to regulate prostitution to an extent( www.state.gov). This is not only an issue that affects the Thai population, but also affects and endangers the tourist population. This rise in death and disease of trafficked prostitutes compels the leaders of the trade to buy and move more human cattle for business.
Thailand has a thirst for people to be bought and sold in the sex market because of the changes that have occurred within its industrial economy, the corruption in government, and the social ties to disease and tourism. Economic issues in the late 1990s caused a resurgence of sex slaves were bought from families that were desperate for a form of income. The government has exploited the sex trade for their own benefit and released trafficking kingpins in bargain deals for sex. After years of widespread prostitution disease has greatly risen, which encourages leaders to buy more people to add into the trade. A summation of these issues and occurrences over the past five decades has contributed to the desire and demand of human sex trafficking on a large scale in Thailand.
http://www.humantrafficking.org/countries/thailand
http://www.uri.edu/artsci/wms/hughes/thailand.htm
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2814.htm
Anthony Greenfield
ReplyDeleteI agree with this post, although I do feel that the financial crisis of 1997 had more of an impact on the resurrection of human trafficking. The influx of trade within Thailand was a direct outcome of the Vietnam War, while it also caused many foreigners to cross the Thai border. Jobs were hard to come by even before this wave of immigrants, and the scarcity of labor opportunities did not change. Thailand is not only a victim of human trafficking, it is also the center of human trafficking as well. Bordering nations as well as many Asian countries transport to and through Thailand every day, making it one of the largest human trafficking cartels in the world. The government always had its problems, and it even faced a financial crisis in the 1980s. Ironically, the government took care of this issue quickly and made it into successful fiscal year. The government’s corruption never faded though, and it is unfortunate that people need to rely on selling themselves in order to make money.
Jennifer Elovitz
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the fact that sex trafficking has grown in economic strength and attracts businesses of all sorts. It is completely evident that the declining economy was the catalyst for the growth of sex trafficking within the last few decades. However, you seem to have given the impression that women from other countries often desire to escape their own countries in order to travel to Thailand with plans to make a living in prostitution. While it is true that women from neighboring countries fled to Thailand in search of better economic opportunities as well as escape from human rights abuses in their own country, I do not agree that they planned all along to take part in prostitution once they arrived in Thailand. It seems to me that these women were often times wrongfully forced into sex trafficking, and they have no other options because they were desperate, vulnerable, and poor. I completely agree that corruption within the government is at the heart of the sex trafficking issue. It’s true that the practices of the government almost seem to encourage the sex trade, especially considering the country has an Anti-Trafficking Law, which they never seem to enforce since sex trafficking boosts their economy.
Tim Sakow
ReplyDeleteRE: Anthony Greenfield
Anthony-"Thailand is not only a victim of human trafficking, it is also the center of human trafficking as well." Now when you say that Thailand is a victim of human trafficking, I must disagree. I wouldn't say they are a victim because of the fact that the country as a whole exploits itself as a sex trafficking market, which is why they have become a sex trafficking center. Being that even the government generally accepts the trafficking as an economy. More or less over the past 50 years Thailand has been condoning sex trafficking regardless of laws posted against it. I may agree if the government decided to enforce the laws, but seeing how they themselves disregard the laws, one can hardly say that Thailand is a victim.
In response to your view on the government and the fact that it has been unstable, is largely because of its confusion in politics. During the 80s they disbanded the idea of using an already existent form of government, and decided that they should create and design a government system that would cater to the specific needs and wants of the kingdom. They wanted what they would call a "Thai-style Democracy", although, this loose phrase still lacks a real definition.
During the 1980s they also were not looking to fix their internal issues regarding sex trafficking and other internal affairs because they were largely looking to deal with foreign affairs. They specifically were looking to safeguard national security, expand exportations, and establish relations with powerful countries. National Security even in the United States of America takes priority over human rights, which was apparent in Thailand as well.
http://countrystudies.us/thailand/75.htm
Tim Sakow
ReplyDeleteRE: Jennifer Elovitz
Well, to be completely honest Jen, many of the girls that come from these foreign countries such as Russia have previously been prostitutes or are currently prostitutes to begin with. Often their procurers sell them into the trade in Thailand because foreign girls are desired for multiple reasons, the first because the basis of clients within Thailand are looking for foreign girls rather than Thai girls. The second reason is because, many foreign girls are believed to be "cleaner" in the sense that they will not have any STDs or other disorders, which to be completely honest does not make much sense. There isn't anything that proves or disproves the belief that foreign girls are "cleaner" and no proof should never be enough proof.
Now that being said, it does not mean that is necessarily the case for all foreigners placed in the trade. Yes, there are some who know what they are getting into, but you are also right. There are tons of girls that unknowingly enter the trade by signing up in job agencies where they expect to be placed into dancing jobs or servant jobs. They are then found a job, are told to pay a certain fee for transportation and are placed into brothels without a choice because upon arrival often these women are abused into being loyal. They live their lives in fear and have nowhere to go because after entry into their recipients brothels their personal information and passports are destroyed and disposed of.
I'm sorry if i did not clarify that enough within my original post, but in either case we are both correct. Some woman do plan to leave their countries to escape economic turmoil knowingly entering a dangerous business, while others are unexpectedly placed into a real dystopia, which is inescapable.
Tim Sakow
ReplyDeleteSorry Jen, but if you are wondering where my information came from here the source. I forgot to post it in my previous comment.
http://www.uri.edu/artsci/wms/hughes/thailand.htm
I agree with you on pretty much everything. The one thing I'd like to point out is that Thailand's economy has witnessed an immense amount of growth. From my understanding, the Thai economy began seeing growth in the 1980s and truly saw a transformation in the 1990s. In 1991, a new leader, Chuan Leekpai, began the process of writing a new constitution for the country and instated many reforms that led to major growth in Thailand (http://www.thomaswhite.com/explore-the-world/thailand.aspx). The growth was so large in fact that when the baht fell in 1997, many other Asian countries fell into a state of economic peril with Thailand (the Asian Economic Crisis of 1997). Furthermore, Thailand is classified as a middle-income country and exports great amounts of agricultural and manufactured products (same link as before). The economy of Thailand has witnessed much growth, and its GDP grows annually (2010 excluded). Here are some stats on the last eight years (http://www.indexmundi.com/thailand/gdp_real_growth_rate.html). It is absolutely true that the economic slump of 1997 led many into prostitution, but the Thai economy has vastly improved since then. There are still a large number of prostitutes within Thailand. If I can pose a question, why do you think this is?
ReplyDeleteOH SORRY!! that was KATE MOLINARI May 9, 2011 8:43 PM
ReplyDeleteAndrea Vilchez
ReplyDeleteThailand’s economic situation was definitely a major catalyst in the expansion of the sex trafficking industry. The decline of the Baht undoubtedly threw the kingdom of Thailand into a state of poverty. In despair, the country turned to cheap labor and sex trafficking, especially that of young children. While immigrants—specifically female ones—were also included in these exploitations, Russia, Romania, and the Czech Republic were not the only providers of these refugees. A significant amount of the trafficked peoples in Thailand had originally immigrated from neighboring Burma, and some even pertained to outcast ethnic groups in northern Thailand. It was the government’s unfair treatment of these groups of people that put them at risk for being coerced into the sex trade. The Thai government allowed such injustices to take place primarily due to corruptions within itself. Several government officials, as has been mentioned, have even been accepting bribes from traffickers, in addition to participating in the trade itself, whether by involvement or ownership. However, because sex trafficking provides such immense “profits” for the country of Thailand, the government merely shies its gaze away from these happenings. Rather than working to oppress the trafficking of children, women, and homosexuals, the government is prioritizing their economy and the high demand for prostitution.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteTim Sakow
ReplyDeleteRE: Kate Molinari
Yes, within recent years the economy has improved and has BEEN improving since the crisis in 1997, but it hasn't changed the want or need for prostitutes. Its apparent that even before the economic crisis of 1997 prostitution and sex trade in Thailand was still prominent, but it just so happens the issues that arose within 1997 encouraged an easy way to relieve some debts. Since the late 1990s sex trafficking within Thailand has become a staple to their economy bringing in multiple billions of dollars a year. If the government just decided to enforce all of these laws immediately I personally believe that the country may very begin to feel the loss of income.
Roughly around 5.1 million people buy prostitutes in Thailand annually, and one can assume that it will go up if nothing is done to prevent it. About 500,000 of that 5.1 million are tourists, which is a large number that is interested (CATW - Asia Pacific, Trafficking in Women and Prostitution in the Asia Pacific). On an even bigger scale, the market is can almost only expand because of the amount of information that can be processed and sent in seconds. The internet is an endless source of knowledge and information where anybody can find information on anything. Often sex tourists are able to connect with people of similar interests through various internet based programs and websites, because of this it facilitates and expands the knowledge of Thailand's exploits. Even in 1995 there were at least 25 sites based in the United States that were created to organize sex tours. One of the more repulsive lines that was used to draw members was a promise of "two young Thai girls for the price of a tank of gas". (http://www.justice.gov/criminal/ceos/sextour.html)
More or less i believe the two largest reasons for the continuation of sex trafficking and trade within Thailand is largely due to how profitable the business is and how it largely increases their annual revenue. I believe you stated that around 2-3% of the total Thai revenue is generated through sex trafficking, which may seem small, but when 2-3% is blown up for a nation's total yearly income it is a large sum of money. The second major reason is because since 1997 the world has become enveloped in fast technology, which opens the entire world to see and know about Thailand's trade. Whether it is a tourist or a procurer looking to expand their income, it allows connections and transactions to be made quickly, simply, and productively.
Tim Sakow
ReplyDeleteRE: Andrea Vilchez
Well Andrea, I wouldn't say that the government prioritizes its economy based on prostitution, but they do definitely turn the other way. They allow it because of its economic benefits, even though it is technically illegal to traffic people and own brothels in Thailand, it has just become accepted and tolerated by the government. In one account, government officials stated that one of the reasons they don't really enforce the sex trade is because it "isn't really a problem."("Pattaya: Murder, prostitution and tourists," Bangkok Post, 22 April 1998). By this account its obvious that the government condones such acts.
I am also well aware of the trafficking importations and their origins. Many women are imported from the neighboring countries, but because of demand by clients and brothels woman and children of non-Asian decent more woman are beginning to come from those regions. Generally speaking though, the largest sum of foreign woman come from the neighboring countries where transportation and movement of large quantities of people is easy and cheap.