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Multidisciplinary Analysis of Human Sexuality and Diversity

Thailand’s Sex Tourism

California State University, Long Beach

STUDENT SAMPLE 1D

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Word Count: 2187

Abstract

Prostitution in Thailand has been around for hundreds of years. As a result of the Vietnam war the phenomenon of sex tourism began to erupt in the country. As prostitution began to expand so did the sex industry, many erotic shows started to appear throughout the streets of Thailand. Along with this increase in the sex industry came an increase in AIDS throughout the nation. Even though prostitution is illegal in Thailand, the country’s economy benefits significantly from it.

Introduction

Countless evidence exists that examines the contributions of tourism, from its capability of bridging the gap between the those who are rich and those who are poor, to improvements in livelihood, increased occupational potential, and even its ability to overcome unequal growth in emerging regions around the world. Tourism is major a contributor to the solidity of expenses and international exchange earnings for developing countries, these nations must break into the commercial mainstream if they anticipate accomplishing the transformation into the twenty-first century. Thailand has perceived this point of view by establishing a tourism advertising method which accommodates large quantities of travelers to nearly all regions of the country. “Land of Smiles” is the catchphrase coined by Thailand to promote their nation. This motto has been advertised around the world, the country has developed into one of the most pursued and renowned international tourist destinations. On the contrary, an extremely dark side to the paradox of tourism exists, it is called sex tourism. Sex tourism universally refers to individuals traveling internationally, whose sole purpose, is to procure sexual services of indigenous men and women (Rao, 1999). This phenomenon affects both the political and economic spectrums. The main factors that cause the existence of this growing reality are the regions that endorse prostitution and the sources of demand that feed its growth. The United States has deep roots tied to sex tourism in Thailand, the sex industry has a profound impact on the economic and social stability of the country.

History of Sex Tourism in Thailand

Part of the reason why Thailand’s prostitution dilemma has thrived for many years is due to a couple key political and social changes. The first major change took effect, in 1943, when prostitution was legalized by King Rama V. Then by 1960, under pressure for the United Nations, prostitution was banned across the county. By 1967 another major change had taken into effect, during the Vietnam War, a transaction of women for currency between Thailand and America, these incidents are considered to be the origins of sex tourism in the country. Due to the presence of the establishments constructed by the United States military during the war, a considerable expansion in Thailand’s prostitution industry was experienced. Being only a short distance from the warfare, the American soldiers used Thailand as a “Rest and Recreation” location (Nuttavuthisit, 2007). Prostitution had gained such an enormous popularity in the nation that it had replaced tourism altogether, even after the war had subsided. As prostitution began to run increasingly rampant across the country, the nation began to experience an increased volume of sex tourists flocking into the country from around the globe. The amount of Thai women consumed by the uncontrollable growth of prostitution during 1957 was an estimated 20,000. This valuation had increased to more than ten times to a half million, by the time the United States soldiers had dispersed (Belk, Ostergaard, Groves, 1998). The Vietnam War had officially embedded the tradition of Thai prostitution into the consciousness of western nations.

Prostitution began taking on new appearances in the form of aliases like bar girls, massage parlors, go-go clubs, singers, maids and other cover occupations. International economics coupled with Thai prostitution helped facilitate this new paradox of sex tourism. Cities like Pattaya, just an hour south of Bangkok, were created by this clash of forces. In 1987, the Thai government advertised a form of sexual tourism through the phrase "The one fruit of Thailand more delicious than durian, its young women" (Poulin, 2003). In today’s day and age, there are persuasive campaigns that broadcast sex tourism in Thailand all around the world. As an example, in Europe there are advertisements for “Thailand Express Sex Tours”, these advertisements refer to Bangkok as “one big brothel” (Nuttavuthisit, 2007). This type of marketing must not be held accountable for harming Thailand’s image and the proliferation of prostitution in the country. These advertisements only exist because Thailand allows the country to be branded accordingly. It would be a pivotal misconception not to acknowledge the components that help maintain this erotic image, such as unethical law enforcement who permit commercial sex services to prosper. The country must recognize holding this position means accepting that the global opinion will threaten the image of Thailand as a civilized and reputable nation. To the Thai people it is considered taboo to convey these types of issues openly, in most cases conversations of this nature are completely avoided. Comment by Nathan Matza: Amazing statement!

Thailand Sex Shows

For the Tourism Authority in Thailand, the sex industry is like the skeleton in the closet that nobody wishes to discuss. The nation strives to portray a traditional, historic, and alluring perception to the rest of the world. Yet, there is very little talk of the industry that has notoriously tainted Bangkok with a reputation as "the carnal capital of the world" (Chia, 2016). The countries sex industry had grown exceedingly for international travelers during the 1980’s, sex shows in particular. Many strange erotic shows began emerging onto the scene, it was at this time that many economies in Asia were facing accelerated industrialization followed by a striking increase of economic growth. The sex shows emerging during this time became a vital driver of the tourist industry. In the red-light districts, there are overwhelming amounts of posters and many neon lit signs that advertise these explicit forms of entertainment. On the streets, individuals carry posters and pass out flyers displaying the current line-ups for different shows, in attempt to lure clientele. These erotic shows could include anything from dart shooting, cigarette smoking, ping pong balls being shot across the room, to tricks with living fish and other critters, tricks with different types of fruit, writing letters or drawing pictures, stunts with razor blades strung together like a rope, and even genuine sex on stage. Many of these activities top the lists at a variety of these popular sex shows, most of the activities you would not believe unless you had seen it with your own eyes. These “vaginal acrobats” as some would call them, are definitely a very different kind of eroticism that most westerners wouldn’t be accustomed too, they may even be consider disturbing to some individuals.

HIV/AIDS in Thailand

Not only has sex tourism shouldered a significant source of income to boost the country economically, it has also suffered from downfalls. One of the major downfalls that struck the nation was the AIDS disease. In 1987 the first incident was diagnosed in the country, this incident marked the emergence of AIDS in Asian countries. At first, the escalation of the disease was predominantly a result of sex trade and drug consumption, but by 1997 there was an estimated 800,000 individuals in the country diagnosed with HIV. This rapid increase in individuals diagnosed with HIV induced Thailand to introduced a “100 percent condom use” campaign. This new movement emboldened the urgency of practicing condom use in brothels, educating individuals about the AIDS epidemic, and efforts to educate prostitutes on the necessity of condom usage (Nuttavuthisit, 2007). The outcome of the new program was extraordinary. A few months it was initiated, newly sexually transmitted infections amongst sex workers had been reduced in Ratchaburi Province, from beyond ten percent to below one percent. In reaction to its monumental success, government representatives vigorously extended the program to many provinces across the nation. According to the Department of Disease Control, within a few years after the campaign had been implemented throughout the country, condom use among sex workers had improved from under twenty percent to beyond eighty percent. In the succeeding years between 1991 and 2001, HIV infections dropped from 143,000 per year to under 14,000 (Treerutkuarkul, 2010). As word of the campaigns progress had spread throughout the land, comparable movements were embraced by bordering Asian countries such as: China, Cambodia, Myanmar, Philippines, and Vietnam.

Economic Impact of Sex Tourism

Economically the nation benefits significantly from the revenue brought in by sex tourism. Before the 1960’s, the city of Pattaya was a rather small fishing village until hundreds of American troops had arrived for “Rest and Recreation” from the war, this surge of soldiers and their sex drive, led to the creation of one of the most expansive red-light districts in the world. Sex tourism still exists as the core of the economy in the city of Pattaya. As the controversy of sex exploitation arises, it must be scrutinized from a broader perspective. Many analysts believe that prostitution leads to the destruction of human rights and is a crime to women’s dignity, in numerous cases prostitution develops as a unique method of economic exploitation rather than carnal persecution. Women growing up in impoverished households may choose to participate in the sex trade because it may establish opportunities to provide benefits for their families (Nuttavuthisit, 2007).  The aspiration of becoming prosperous and achieving a social status in the Thai economy not only entices the masses into prostitution, but it also traps them there. Regions of the country where living conditions of individuals are indigent has caused an influx of exposure to distorted standards. Other factors such as a rising consumer culture, an increased burden to triumph in a materialistic world, as well as the need to overcome poverty, drives women to find supplementary ways to earn money to fund their material needs.

Sex tourism remains a very complex network, it is not solely the sex tourists who reap the benefits, but others in the organization as well. Others that may be benefiting from this industry include; local businesses, prostitutes, taxi’s, tuk-tuk drivers, and even vacation companies. Perhaps, it is the stakeholders that have an economic interest in promoting the continuance and development of the ongoing sex tourism industry and not so much the tourists. Sex tourists arriving in Thailand find themselves with an amplified economic purchasing power to contemplate choices of sexual pleasure in a multitude of situations and dealings (Nuttavuthisit, 2007). Legalizing prostitution was considered by the Ministry of Justice of Thailand in 2013, it was projected to raise tax revenue and create enhanced working conditions for the sex laborers. To this day, the debate has yet to be legalized, but it is generally observed that prostitution in Thailand as financial arrangement is commonly accepted. In 2015, it was predicted that the revenue from the sex businesses supplied from between two and ten percent of Thailand's GDP (Chia, 2016).

Conclusion

Prostitution has been ingrained in the Thai culture for hundreds of years. It wasn’t until the Vietnam War when prostitution began to be exploited by more individuals around the world. This was the beginning of rapid growth of sex tourism and the sex industry in the nation. Even though prostitution is not legal, it is widely accepted because of the financial gains. It will be very hard to change the perceptions that other countries have about Thailand because of this dark side to tourism.

Reflection

I do believe that prostitution and sex tourism runs rampant in Thailand. Although, I think there is a misconception that prostitution and forms of erotic fun can be seen on any street all over Thailand, this is not the case. There are places like red-light districts where most of these types of services are located. During the summer of 2017, I visited Thailand for three weeks after a study abroad trip I had finished in China. I had observed sex tourism at its finest, there were many older aged males, maybe 55 years or older, with one, two, or even three women under their arms. Many of these women could have been no older than twenty-five from what I could tell. It is a fact that in these emerging countries money is very sought after, especially US dollars.

At the time I was in Thailand, one dollar was equivalent to thirty-five baht. I believe this increase in purchasing power is a major factor why many sex tourist travel to Thailand from the United States. I also believe that much of the time the women involved are benefiting as well, they choose to be a part of the sex industry because money is the motive. I have made some friends in Thailand from Chiang Mai, which is up in the Northern part of the country, four of them lived in a single room and used a hole in the ground as a toilet. The air conditioner did not even work and it had to have been more than 95 degrees Fahrenheit outside daily, during my stay. With living conditions like this I could understand why some individuals would chooses prostitution or the sex trade to attempt to better their lives.

References Comment by Nathan Matza: Good refs and APA formatted