Thailand saw last year over 20 Million tourists and i would be willing to bet only a fraction were here actually for the sex trade. Thailand has beautiful beaches, mountains, lakes, culture, and history...so why is it most known for prostitution???
Thailand was home to the U.S. armed forces as well as other nationalities during the Vietnam war. Thailand's hospitals served as recovery centers, airstrips served as allied air bases, buildings served as station posts, and places like Udon Thani and Bangkok served as r&r havens.
Thailand's northeast " Issan" and northern regions are home to some of the countries poorest - by monetary definition - relying on farming just to get by on a daily basis.
The Vietnam war was brought home to televison and dinner tables all across the U.S. The social movements and protests changed the sentiment and culture of the country. Hollywood was very quick to begin writing and producing movies about life on the war front as well as the r&r of the soldiers. From their day and weekend leaves to Saigon where they indulged in booze and local bar girls to Bangkok and Udon, where girls flocked from all over rural Thailand to try and capitalize in the frivilous spending of the countries new guests, and make some quick extra cash. Hollywood sensationalized the bar scene, took Thailands natural charm and mystique, and catapulted Thailand to the top spot in sex tourism.
So what seperates Thailand from countries like Phillipines, Singapore, Indonesia, Chek Republic, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Argentina just to name a few? All having notorious nightlife and are known for brothels, cheap women and booze. More than likely it is that Hollywood has yet to lend to their fame.
Just who are the girls that make up Thailands sex trade? Are they really just dirt poor farmers with no other option as their families are starving? There is alot more to it than the typical rehearsed story a "ying" gives a punter in the bar, and leave it at that. Instead lets look at another side of things.
How many of these girls now have found foreign boyfriends, and husbands? Boyfriends and husbands that have provided edcucations for the children the girls came into the trade to support. How many tractors have been bought to help families to be more productive farmers and make better lives for themselves? How many new homes have been built to improve the living conditions of their families?
While the girls like to cry boo hoo for sympathy and the country wants to hang its head in embarrassment over the trade, no one seems to have any problem taking the cash. Is Thailand really embarrassed by its prostitution image...its just politics babe!!
