Thailand’s Problem with Prostitution
First-hand accounts from the girls themselves. And why the technically illegal profession is tolerated and even encouraged.
While waiting for her next client in her apartment near Pattaya’s Walking Street, Anna puts on a further layer of lipstick, and touches up her black eyeliner. Near her bedside are two photos, the first is of her as a thin and undernourished 15-year-old boy; and another, after her sex-change operation, as the beautiful woman you see today.
The 37-year-old, whose real name I have redacted, has been a transgender sex worker for over 17 years. She left a low-paying job in a packaging factory, just outside Bangkok, to become a cabaret dancer in nearby Pattaya, the Thai beach town famous for its wild nightlife. She applied for a job at a massage parlor to earn some money. Her very first client propositioned her for sex. “He said, ‘I give you 3,000 baht [$85]. One hour,”
Anna tells us that, “in the factory, I only earned 6,000 baht for the entire month.”
In Thailand, officials downplay the extent of prostitution so that the Land of Smiles is seen in a more positive light. Senior police officers have publicly stated, (15 January 2023), they were “satisfied” after finding no “illegal prostitutes” working in Pattaya.
“Why don’t they ask all the girls standing all around if they have seen some sex workers,” one Facebook user posted. Anna also questioned the police view, “visiting Thailand and not noticing any sex workers? It’s like going to “KFC and you never seeing fried chicken.”
“When I go to the police station, they don’t help me because of my job, because I work illegal work here in Thailand.”
It’s Thailand’s Oldest Profession.
Sex work in Thailand dates back to the 1300s. The industry climbed to great heights serving Chinese immigrants in the early 1900s, soldiers from Japan during World War II, and U.S. soldiers during the Vietnam War. One eminent researcher referred to it as “booming”, but I refrain from using that term as it has connotations with the girls crying out, “handsome man wants boom, boom”!!
Thailand adopted the Suppression of Prostitution Act in 1960, followed by the 1996 Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act, which made illegal almost all activities associated with sex work and the income from it.
The cash generated from sex work, together with bribes and commissions, maintains the black economy. Prostitutes can be educated college graduates or come from the families of poor farm and construction workers. Predominantly, the trade is between Thai hookers and their Thai customers. The numbers of foreign customers is exaggerated.
Thailand is a family-oriented society. It would be unthinkable to put an aged parent or relative in a care home. As with other girls, prostitutes regularly send money home to their families. It’s the Thai concept of “mother’s milk”, the girl is repaying her mother for the milk she obtained from her breast as a baby.
Prostitution is central to the black economy in Thailand. Reliable researchers have estimated there are well over 200,000 girls working the trade, adding $25 billion to the country’s GDP, (£20 billion).
They are called curtain hotels, “maan root” in Thai. Guests come either with girlfriends or with a prostitute. They drive in and pull the curtains behind them, ensuring total privacy. No-one can see the number plates of the cars or motorbikes.
How the Covid Pandemic effected Thai prostitution.
As reported by the World Health Organisation, the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on tourism. Around 91% of Thai sex workers lost their jobs because of lockdowns, border closures, and social-distancing measures. As illegal workers, prostitutes did not qualify for government relief benefits during the pandemic.
“A lot of sex workers could not pay the rent and they had to sleep on the street,” said Supachai Sukthongsa, the Pattaya manager of Service Workers in Group (SWING). “They worked and cleaned up at the bar in exchange for a little money and some food, just enough to survive day by day.”
The pandemic also reduced their access to health care services. Whether they get their business through dating apps, pimps, or on the street, sex workers face numerous risks to their health and safety. Transgender women, such as Anna, face an added layer of danger from clients who turn violent after discovering their identities.
Should the sex trade be legalised?
Currently, both the girl and her client are committing criminal offences. The advantages of de-criminalising prostitution are that they would pay tax on their earnings, just like workers in other businesses. The girls would not have to rely on their pimps, (procurers or ponces), so much to get business, and they would not face the stigma associated with their trade.
As the girls are carrying out legitimate businesses, the police would be able to investigate cases of violence and exploitation against them.
Sex workers frequently accuse Thai police of extorting or ignoring them. Researchers such as Ronald Weitzer, a sociologist and professor with expertise in sex work in Thailand, also accuse the police of being heavily involved in sex tourism and profiting off the industry.
“The authorities, especially the police, have a vested interest in keeping prostitution illegal,” Weitzer said. “They get payoffs.”
Gen. Surachate Hakparn, deputy commissioner-general of the Royal Thai Police, said he believes legalising sex work could cut down on such activities.
“I admit that there is corruption going on, but it’s only a fraction of police officers doing that,” he said. “From a law enforcement perspective, if it is legalised, it’s good for the police. We don’t need to keep disciplining our subordinates about corruption. And we can put the resources and time into something else.”
A final cultural point
Relationships are, for most Thai women, formed from their need for future security, much more than for love or bonding. The old adage on internet forums, “marry a Thai, build a house for the parents, and buy a bike for her brother” has much truth in it. It’s not just the ladies of the night who strive for security and money.
