Matt Owens Rees

16 June

It is not true that I had nothing on. I had the radio on. (Marilyn Monroe) A famous and true quip from the famous star.

Thailand has been tagged the land of sun, sand, sea, and sex for scores of years. Because the economy benefits from its image as a world centre for sex tourists, the sex industry is tolerated quite openly. Lip service may be paid to changing these perceptions but the cash flow generated is good for the country’s GDP and boosts the profits of other sectors of the economy.

The number of prostitutes is probably around two million. Not all of them are Thais and the greater number are not forced into the trade. Supporting one’s parents and older relatives is an overriding factor in Thailand and girls regularly send a big slice of their earnings home. Soliciting is not illegal unless it occurs “openly and shamelessly or causes a nuisance to the public. That is a rather vague definition in a country where the interpretation and enforcement of laws can change depending on the political emphasis at the time.

As we noted in Thailand Take Two, provision of escort or massage services is not illegal. Pole dancing is considered a cultural art form by the authorities. Recruiting bargirls to drink with clients in a bar is not against the law. Scantily clad girls sitting in a row outside a karaoke club and smiling at potential punters are committing no offence. Calling out “Hey, you handsome man” is not soliciting but a mere expression of a man’s physical attraction. Young women wearing numbered tags and sitting in a “goldfish bowl” waiting to be chosen by men sitting in rows gazing at their sexy bodies is nothing to do with paid prostitution.

The girls sit behind the glass screen watching TV and gossiping amongst themselves. There can be a lot of bitchiness and jealousy with the girls and mood swings can result in aggression. Their obvious boredom is only relieved when their number is called and they rush to get towel and soap.

Away from the “goldfish bowl” venues and the flashier nightclubs in the big cities, you find many smaller bars in every Thai town where the girls will congregate. A number of girls are looking for long term relationships with farangs to give them and their families a better standard of living. Marrying a much older man may be a small price to pay for that enhanced security.

Some women will engage with a number of men at the same time, merely ensuring that they never meet. If one of her catches is currently resident abroad, she will expect a regular money transfer into her bank account.