The True Story Of A Thailand Sex Trade Worker (Phuket Girl)
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Phuket Girl
After watching the film "Bangkok Girl", a CBC Canadian television documentary, I decided to begin writing a series of articles about sex trade workers in Thailand. The reason the film inspired me to write my own stories, is because the film was such a one sided, distorted view of the sex trade in Thailand. I feel the other side of the story needs to be told. Before I begin this story I want to be clear that I do not in any way advocate prostitution or the use of prostitutes. My goal is simply to report the facts, and offer accurate information and my experiences, in order to allow readers to draw their own conclusions.
Today I am going to tell you a story about a girl that goes by the nickname "Nicky". I have known Nicky since July of 2000, and the events of this story are not based on speculation and second hand information, but actual experiences that I witnessed first hand. This is one story about one girl, and is no way intended to suggest that this is the situation for any other woman working as a sex trade worker. Nicky is very well known in Patong Beach Thailand, and many people who live in Phuket will already know her story.
Nicky
In July of 2000, my first trip to Phuket, I met Nicky when she was working in a massage parlor located in front of the Patong Beach Resort. This was not your typical sleazy, full service massage parlor. The shop was catering to a high end clientele of mostly middle aged couples and Asian tour groups. This also happens to be where I met my wife, and this is the reason I came to know and become friends with Nicky. In these days Nicky was an average looking girl at best, and she was new to the sex industry. While the place she worked was not designed for the sex trade, Nicky was able to meet customers at her workplace and set up a date later on.
At nights, some of the girls from the shop would go out to The Shark Club and dance, drink and enjoy themselves. They would also look for potential customers. The Patong nightclub scene is filled with girls that are in a grey area of the sex trade, many of whom may never directly ask for money in exchange for sex, however they will inevitably arrange payment at some point or another. Of all the girls from the shop, Nicky enjoyed the nightlife the most. Before long she had attracted a crowd of men that would shower her with money.
Nicky was not a natural beauty by any stretch of the imagination, however she had a charisma about her that was undeniable. She enjoyed sex, and when she gained some self confidence and began to feel sexy, she managed to be quite stunning in appearance. Along with the change in her appearance, she quickly started to earn large amounts of money. Most of her customers she would hand pick from nightclubs, young attractive men. Since there would be a host of men that would be willing to pay her, she would normally choose the ones she wanted.
After knowing Nicky for about a year, I asked her about her story. I had always assumed that she had come from a poor family and came to Phuket to earn money in order to survive. I was surprised to hear that in fact she came from a very wealthy Muslim family, and her father was a Pakistani. Her family owned a popular seafood restaurant in Bangkok and they had no shortage of money. The reason Nicky chose the life that she did, was to rebel against her family that wanted her to wear traditional Muslim clothing and behave like a traditional Muslim girl.
Nicky was not interested in being conservative, she was obsessed with sex, money and glamour. She wanted to be rich, famous and sexy, and as I am about to tell you, she did achieve this. After earning enough money as a freelance girl in the nightclub scene, Nicky was able to open her first massage shop in 2005. She was the main attraction at first, and she would service many of the customers personally. Her business model was simple and straight forward. Her shop offered full service, and unlike most other shops, Nicky recruited only attractive young girls. If a girl wanted to work for Nicky, she would have to offer the services provided at the prices Nicky had set.
This was very popular with sex tourists, because most other shops that would offer full service would allow the girls to set their own prices. Customers would not fully understand what was available and how much it may cost, and this would make them uncomfortable. Nicky's approach to business was different than most sex trade workers, and I have a certain amount of respect for her because of it. The typical sex trade worker's approach to earning money is to con foreigners by telling stories of sick or dying family members or other variations known as "the sick buffalo story". Nicky was far too proud to portray herself as a victim. She wanted to be perceived as a powerful woman, and not a victim.
With the success of her first massage shop, Nicky earned enough money to open a second location in 2007. The second shop became even more popular than the first. Nicky was earning money faster than she could spend it. At this point you might think she would no longer choose to sell her body, but for Nicky selling her body was not just about the money. I am not sure if it was that she was so addicted to sex, or if she was so emotionally messed up that she measured her self worth based on how many men she could sleep with. Perhaps it was a little of both.
Nicky began to push the limits of what one might consider normal. For somebody having so much sex, maybe you need to take things to a new level in order to remain excited. She began developing a reputation as someone who was into the more kinky side of things. One of the examples of this is that a lot of couples would go to her massage shops and request her services for both parties. Nicky was very proud of this and was happy to talk about it anytime.
By mid 2007 Nicky had reached legendary status in Patong Beach. She now owned 2 massage shops, an Internet shop, a fleet of 30 rental motorcycles, as well as a fleet of rental cars. It was at this time that I realized what a negative effect all these events had on her mental health. I noticed that she had began drinking very heavily, she had lost a lot of weight, and she was not nearly as attractive as she once was. She had become addicted to various prescription and non prescription drugs.
I have been told by women's rights activists that condemn my writing, that just because a girl chooses to be a prostitute, this does not make her any less of a victim. I must say that I find that to be quite accurate. I can tell you that Nicky was indeed a victim, even though she had become financially successful, she was always haunted by her inner demons. Nicky's story is the story of a victim, simply from a much different perspective than it is normally told.
DISCLAIMER : The story above is a true story based on facts about a sex trade worker in Thailand. The real name of the woman in this story is not mentioned in order to protect her Identity, however the nickname is given. There are thousands of women in Thailand that go by the same nickname, however based on the events in the story you may feel that you know the identity of the woman the story is about. Chances are if you are able to determine the identity of the woman by reading this story, then you are not learning any details that you did not already know.
- Film Review For The CBC Documentary "Bangkok Girl" (2005)
The film "Bangkok Girl", was featured on the CBC Canadian Television program "The Lens" in November of 2005. The film is the story of a Thai prostitute by the name of "Pla". The film is a distorted view of the Thailand sex trade through the eyes of a - The True Story Of Sex, Lies, Greed & Deceit (Phuket Girl 2)
Today I am going to tell you a story about a girl that goes by the nickname "Natt". I have known Natt since July of 2000, and I lived with her for 5 years. The events of this story are not based on speculation and second hand information, but actual - A Brief Love Affair With A Thai Bar Girl (Phuket Girl 3)
Today I am going to tell you a story about a girl that goes by the nickname "Tukta". I met Tukta in The Shark Club back in July of 2001. The events of this story are not based on speculation and second hand information, but actual experiences that I
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Peter, there are more stories on the way.
If you have a chance, you should check out the film review for the movie "Bangkok Girl". This explains why I am writing these articles.
How you know her?
Ann,
If you read the article it says how I met her 10 years ago, and I have known her well since then.
Nice report by someone who knows what they are talking about. Im feed up with do gooders and know nothing, bleating on about how wrong things are. Thailnd is what it is and there is nothing any of us can do about it. If you visit respect the people and accept their way of life, if you want to preach become a Baptist Minister and rob your followers and sleep with your flock..
Thank you Chang Noi!
Ajahn Phuket,
Thank you for your comments, please offer more comments I find them interesting!
A very interesting story of professional success but personal demise..I only hope other girls don’t consider her as a mentor and follow her ideologies..thanks for sharing..Cheers
MagicBoy,
If you thought this story was interesting, check out the second article in the "Phuket Girl" series:http://hubpages.com/hub/Phuket-Girl-2
Certainly there will always be girls that are tempted to do whatever it takes to gain wealth, not only in Thailand but in any country. How many hollywood actresses do you think started off as strippers or call girls..There is a long list!
That's an eye-opening true story for me. It's sad to read the ending though. I hope she will pick herself up at some point in her life.
Interesting story, I guess there is more to prostitution than our one dimensional view of it. Thanks for sharing and looking forward to reading more.
Kev8,
Thanks for the comments, here is a link to the second article in this series : http://hubpages.com/hub/Phuket-Girl-2
Awesome mate. Very informative and you showed a level of compassion through your writing.
Im headed to Thailand (Phuket) do you know of great places to stay as its our first time !
I want to do all the crazy things.....Eat all the weird food and find some ancient spiritual ritualistic things.
newclizzy@gmail.com
mail me with anything plz ! ! :)
Newclear,
If you check my profile you will see I have written quite a few articles on Phuket, travel tips for Phuket, Restaurant reviews etc. I lived in Phuket for 10 years so I know it well! Feel free to email me with any questions.
Travelinasia@hotmail.ca
i personally dis agree with this article, i know everyone has their opinion and thats fair enough. But some people dont in nz alone there are estimated 200 young girls that are forced to have sex with old perverted men just to stay alive. I can see how a girl could get hooked on the money and fast living life. But what happens when she gets knocked up or even HIV. I dont think its worth the money she is lucky she has a choice to get out, she will only relise this when shes old and lonely and proberly very sick.
Missy,
You personally disagree (it is one word)?? You mean to say you think that the true story is not factual? Or you think that I should not be telling it? The story is about a girl I know, the events are facts that I witnessed. I am not sure what 200 girls in NZ have to do with this story? Please explain?
MissyM006?
What a stupid comment! You dis agree with what? As far as I can tell this is just a true story, not a point of view! How is it that you disagree? And as the writer says, what does this have to do with girls in NZ? I think you are just too simple to have understood this excellent article. Two thumbs up for the article, and two thumbs down for the silly comments by MissyM006
J Jackson,
Very well put, and thanks a lot!
If you liked this article check out my film review for the movie "Bangkok Girl".
interesting story - money and success doesnt always lead to happiness!
luxuryphuket: Money and success would have surely made a huge difference to Pla's life. For a start, she wouldn't be in that situation if she had the money. Pla admitted she needed money which is why she agreed to sleep with the customer to pay for her mother's treatment. Imagine, if you had no money, you wouldn't be using the Internet for a start because it cost money albeit not very much.
Although money isn't everything, it certainly makes life easier.
AtaArticles,
Your comments seem to indicate that you did not bother to read the article at all, you only watched the video? The video is not a true story! Please don't comment on my articles unless you are going to take the time to read them!
In my opinion you are not a victim when you choose to do something, you are well full aware of the consequences and they are your choices. Rationalizing that a person's past or previous experiences are responsible for the choices a person makes in life would leave no one responsible for their actions.
Very good read and well written.
Alex,
Good point, I can not disagree with that.
Thank you for the comments!
Wow...I can't believe I am responding in this way, or rather inquiring, but out of the entire story...which was extremely intelligent, well written, and unique...was who is the girl in the picture? I read this story, understand the complex issues dealing with this girl's life and decisions, but all I really want to know is, who is the heck is the girl in the picture? Is that Nicky? If so, does she still look like that and how much is a plane ticket to Thailand?
Yeah, I understand I am a bad person, but that girl is ridiculously hot.
I do have a curious question however: what makes Nicky different from all of the millions of women who marry for stability, because of what the guy provides financially? So many marry with "security" in mind, and are open about it. So, how are they not also a "Nicky"?
Texasbeta,
Nicky certainly doesn't look like that anymore. She has lost a lot of weight due to heavy drug use. I am not even certain that she is still alive.
Most girls start young in the Thai sex industry, often pushed into it by families desperate to put food on the table. I have seen fourteen year girls old standing on stage in a Karaoke bar looking very sweet. By the time they are in their twenties they look hard edged and sour if the smiling mask slips only a little. And why shouldn't they?
They have been robbed of a decent life. Their bodies have been exploited. Their minds have gone un-nurtured and they are held in very low esteem by everyone around them.
For too many, the abuse that they suffer means they will smile their way through abusing those around them too- robbing and cheating anyone that they can. Many will feel they have no other place but the sex trade and that it is a question of exploiting others or being exploited themselves throughout their lives.
To believe that there are success stories in the sex trade is to lose all connection to the realties of human feeling.
wow..such a great article ...
The anonymous post above is a classic example of somebody so close minded they have missed the whole point of the story. This is not a success story, I am confused as how you could have interpreted that way? Perhaps you were intending to criticise before you even read the article.
This is a true story, I am sorry if you do not like it, but it is reality. It actually happened. I am well aware that there are plenty of women that may have a very different story. I have also mentioned that in the article, did you even read it?
You mentioned that you have witnessed under aged girls in Karaoke bars in Thailand, can I ask what it was you were doing there? I have been in Thailand my entire life, and I have seen the things you are speaking about, but they are rare, and normally they are located in border towns and the exploited women are from Myanmar or Laos. You will not find many foreigners in places like this.
I am not denying that the things you are mentioning actually happen, I am well aware that they do, and I do write about that as well. The problem I have is when people like you portray Thailand they way you do!
Do you think that these things do not happen in your country? Do you think that these problems do not exist all over the world? How do you think Thai people feel when they see ignorant foreigners writing about the sex trade, and making their country sound like a place where women are abused and forced into prostitution. I can tell you that Thai women especially despise this!
The reality is, my article is a true story and you were simply not literate enough to understand it, or too ignorant to actually read it in full. Yes the horror stories you talk about are also happening, not only in Thailand but in the USA, and Europe, however you will likely not see this in Thailand unless you go hunting for it.
Back to my question .. what were you doing in the karaoke bars in the first place?
I am still questioning how anyone could call this a "success story"?
Cut from the final paragraph:
It was at this time that I realized what a negative effect all these events had on her mental health. I noticed that she had began drinking very heavily, she had lost a lot of weight, and she was not nearly as attractive as she used to be. She had become addicted to various prescription and non prescription drugs.
I have been told by women's rights activists that condemn my writing, that just because a girl chooses to be a prostitute, does not make her any less of a victim. I must say that I find that to be quite accurate. I can tell you that Nicky was indeed a victim, even though she had become financially successful, she was always haunted by her inner demons. Nicky's story is the story of a victim, simply from a much different perspective than it is normally told.
I think if you read those closing paragraphs, and then refer to this story as a "success story", there must be something seriously wrong with you!
@TravelinAsia, I agree with you. It is not a success story, it does a story where one can reach success. But, as it is said, success is not a destination its continuous process.
This story is very good but end is very sad. The best thing is that you have shown the clear picture with all the pros and cons.
JohnBarret.. thank you so much!
Spoken like and intelligent person that actually read and understood the article!
I don't think its an advertising in any manner. I admire Travel Asia to open up this kind of stories to the rest of the world or people who traveled less or never.
SEO in Delhi,
Thank you for your comments. It is amazing to me how so many people can disagree with my writing, when they have little or no experience on the subject matter. Most people that have lived in Thailand, and have a reasonable understanding of the issue, can understand what I am trying to say. Many of those people who don't like what I am saying, have never been to Thailand!
I have travelled to Thailand several times, and I gotta say that Movie is crap! I don't believe for a second that the girl is dead! I think the film maker is a sick puppy!
Why present a story from Thailand - It is happening in Canada...everyday. The industry in Thailand took off with the Vietnam War and the R n R program orginized by the powers that in designed the Far-East war theater. Seems you are happy in the scene. Merry Christmas, Timelesstraveller
Timelesstraveller -
Prostitution in Thailand was introduced to foreigners during the Vietnam War, however it has been active in Thai society long before this. Prostitution in Thailand is very different than it is in Canada. And as far as myself enjoying being in the scene, I am married with a 7 yr old son, and I live in a gated community far away from any bars or nightclubs. I am not "in the scene" as you say! Would you like to offer any more judgement or criticism?
wow is great story,but is true?my
ibot, you can bet your @ss it is true. If you ever visit Phuket Thailand, you will surely find somebody who can verify the story!
Another great hub from you about Thailand sex trade worker. As the legal business, I thought this always be grow again and again. Thanks for brought this for us. Including Nicky's story. Take care!
Very interesting and true story. Thanks for sharing.
This hub was very interesting to read, i enjoyed how it wasn't trying to sway my opinion on sex trades and was just letting me absorb the information.
Again, very well written as well as insightful. And I don't see it as a success story. Looking forward to more hubs from you.
Island Queen, thank you for the comments. It is certainly far from a success story, it is amazing how some narrow minded people choose to view it that way! There will be plenty more hubs to come .. stay tuned..
Looks like either Google or hubstaff disabled ads here, which is a shame.
Wesman, don't even get me started..
I am furious about this! I have written half a dozen hubs that discuss some controversial issues, and had ads disabled by hubstaff. It is ironic however that google runs ads for a company called "Bangkok Girl Massage", which is actually a prostitution ring, these ads appear in my hubs about temples and beaches. When I contacted hubpages about this, they said "email google".
NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS AT ALL!
Oh MAN! That's some hardcore irony there. Hey, I only learned this yesterday, but you can disable those ads if you want to. all you have to do is go into adsense and "block," and submit that url, and then click "offensive," or "low quality," or whatever for a reason.
Of course you're probably, like me, more offended with the double standard than anything else. I got ads disabled from my recent "the shape of a woman" hub, and I have no idea why.
Wesman,
Thanks for the info, and yes you are correct! I am more offended by the double standard. Isn't it also ridiculous that hubstaff did not recommend that I block those ads? The response from them was that I should contact google, now it seems like the responsible response might have been to instruct me how to block offensive ads, and offer an apology?
I know Nicky quite well, and it is sad what happened to her. I must say that I find your accounts to be spot on and quite accurate. Thank you for sharing.
Vietnam Vet,
Thank you for commenting. Do you have any idea if Nicky is still alive? Last I heard she was in very poor health? Please let us know how she is.
Does anyone know if Nicky has Aids? I slept with her a few years ago. Do I have anything to be concerned about? I did not wear a condom. I should have known better!
Hey,
There are too many comments on a hub about Hookers!! Good for you!!
@bigocean,
This is not "a hub about hookers". This is a true story about a girl who chose a life in the sex trade. Did you even read the hub?
It is clear that many people who have posted here know nothing about Thailand.
Most - not all - girls in the bar trade are, indeed, from poor backgrounds and have little education. In many cases, the only legitimate option for them (off rice-picking season) is to work in a factory or sweatshop in Bangkok. They choose to work in the bar trade because the money is far better and the work is easier. Most of them support their families with their earnings. To say that they are exploited is to misunderstand Thai society and, with few execeptions, it is totally incorrect. It is not true that they become jaded over time - a small minority do, just as a small minority are dishonest, and this minority are the ones who do the exploiting.
Although Thai high society looks down upon them, the majority of Thai people do not view them in the same light as prostitutes in western society, and neither should we.
Sensitive topic, wow, took me long time to finish the hub. Nicky must have suffered a lot, you know, she chose this sort of extreme method to repel against her Muslim family!
Char4u.com,
I am not sure there is anything different between Nicky and any other young woman from a western country that rebels against their Christian parents, or there Parents regardless of their faith. Nicky wanted a glamorous lifestyle, easy money, life in the fast lane. This has been the demise of many people who allowed things to get out of control. I really don't think it has anything to do with religion.
unbelievable
i have stayed in thaialnd many times........
even my gf is from there ..
but i know how they are .....
like you said , they really like to have rabbit sex because they just deep down love it .
i have found them to be pervs .
me being 21when i first went and 25 now i can still see with my own eyes that they jump on you like a fly to poop.
the comment about them just wanting easy money is totally true . not just for the females but the males too .
it's just no white people will screw thai guys , lol
i have found from my time there that the REAL PROBLEM IS NO AMBITION
they do not have interest in Fine dining , opera , classical music , art , travel .
no you know what they want .
they want to buy stuff and have sex.
they are a very shallow race of people indeed .
and thats why i have a gf from there .
no expectations
cheers
Buzz lightyear,
"like you said , they really like to have rabbit sex because they just deep down love it."
Did I really say that? I don't think I did!
I think this woman is the most sexy woman in Patong. I know many people that tell me she is really good in bed.
I would like to try sometime. Maybe I let you know how it goes. Hej, do you have her phone number?
Even if she chose to be in this buisness and she DID become successful in it, I feel that just because you are 'rich' in a sense does not make you personally and spiritually 'rich', selling your body is like selling your soul: Its never the same. I pity this woman and as a woman myself i am disgusted with her choice in selling herself, she should have more respect for her body.
Hana,
Thank you for commenting, as you can see by what I have written, I certainly agree that her financial success did not lead to a healthy and happy lifestyle. If you feel that selling your body is like selling your soul, what do you think of Beyonce, Brintey Spears, Jessica Simpson and all the other women that have achieved fame and fortune because of their bodies? I don't think you should judge Nicky the way you have, saying that you are "disgusted". I feel sorry for Nicky, however I don't condemn her for making poor life choices. We all make mistakes, myself included.
Nicky is a legend, she is well known in Phuket. Everyone I know has slept with her, and those who haven't .. wish that they had. She is an amazing woman!
TravelinAsia, the last I knew "Beyonce, Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson" were in the music industry not the sex industry. Did it help their music careers that they were sexy, yes but that's where the comparisons can stop. Other than that I enjoy your stories. Personally I believe if given the option a lot of these girls would choose to settle down with one guy if that one guy had the means to support them.
Pattaya Peter,
Thank you for commenting. Some girls, not all, probably not even most .. would like to settle down with one guy.
Nicky in particular, is a fine example of a girl that had options, but was addicted to the lifestyle.
Wow u seem to think this is ok
Traveler01,
What the hell are you talking about?
Another good story about the industry. After so many years in Thailand, stories like this don't even surprise me anymore.
Excellent article Travelin! I've been in Thailand for a few years now and have come to know a few of these girls myself. I enjoyed reading this and thanks for taking the time to write it. I look forward to your upcoming articles. Cheers!
Thanks Mark,
if you look around the web you will see that I have published hundreds of articles on this very subject, try this one, I am sure you will like it:
Its been done to death and still being done to death, its like saying all girls and guys are the same, and making a crisis out of a natural need from both girls and guys.
I have been to Thailand 8 times,all with friends and the sole purpose of partying and having fun with the girls(25 and over).
We treat the girls well,pay them what they ask.All parties involved get something out of the service.
The article is very well written and factual.
Much has been said about this hub so I'll just vote it up and vote it interesting - 'coz that's what it is.
This is a fascinating article. I've never concerned myself with this side of Thai culture so it's all new to me, but this piece offers a very interesting look at the darker side of Thailand. Good work :)
I have known Nicky for about 5 years.. As well as having seen her around town for a lot longer.. In the last 4 or 5 years the effects of yabba have rotten her mind to the point where she can at times be barely coherant..
Shes lost the shops (tho the one under Sun Hill is still known as Nickeys, she no longer owns it or the lease the girls tell me) and the money has been wasted away. Last I saw her (about a year ago) she was back working in the shop servicing customers.
The first few times I met her she was a real fun gal.. Obviously hard on the game, but vivacious and a laugh, the party life got to her in the end tho.
nicky's two locations where massage in patong?
please answer me in email davidmingpiauw@gmail.com
thx
TravelinAsia, I have no problem with your story. It is 'your' story and anyone can buy it or let it be. But the discussion that follows makes the Hub more interesting. There are men who are openly or furtively asking for Nicky's whereabouts, as if she is a tourist attraction worth checking out when in Phuket! There are a few anonymous people who have spitted some bitter words, against the Hub that definitely you did not find interesting. But I felt there is some truth to both sides of the story. An apparent 'choice' to make money through sex, which was Nicky's in your story (and I believe it entirely) is not necessarily the entire story. It is a paradigm and the freedom of choice really does not exist. I am sure you are not saying that the sex-trade has not been the focus of the tourism industry in Thailand? If that is so, the other things just fall in place. It is easier to fall for the fast and easy money than for the one that requires hard work. Thailand is part of the rice-bowl of east, yet what did the woman have to earn from becoming a farmer, with maybe her parents support? Your story clearly states she had the choice of a cloistered, orthodox life-style and I doubt she had much education. These are obvious social vices, and the story neither says 'It is a success story' nor does it say that 'This is a story of a illiterate/poorly literate unfortunate woman'! Anyway, that is my opinion. I found the Hub interesting, as it definitely informs me of a culture I know less about. Voted up.
P.S. I have a lineage that had close professional ties with Thailand and Burma, some fifty or more years back. I have a lot of respect for these cultures and they are not alien to the Indian one. But I do feel unhappy at the plight of the poor Thai women, and young girls.
@sen.sush23,
I can assure you that Nicky is not illiterate, she is well educated by Thai standards. She made some poor choices, there is no doubt about that, perhaps there are reasons why she made these choices, but she was not forced, nor did she need the money. My point is, people assume that all Thai women that work in bars and sell their body do so because they are forced, either sold into it by their families, or due to a lack of opportunity. In reality it is quite rare for any Thai women in this day and age to be literally forced into prostitution, most of them simply prefer a job in a bar to a low paying factory job. Keep in mind that Burmese men and women flock to Thailand to take jobs that Thais will not take, and very few Burmese women end up working in bars .. instead they work as maids, housekeepers, cooks, or even in construction. There seems to be a lot more sympathy for Thai prostitutes than there is for poor and uneducated people in capitalist Western countries, and I totally disagree with that.
TravelinAsia, I agree to the point you are trying to put forward. To me it does not matter whether it is a Thai woman or an American woman. My question is this is story. When the entire trade is being considered- those are data. It may be entirely true and I believe it is true that many women, after a certain age, may be able to choose this easy route (frankly, they do not think HIV or STD are risks!) for comfortable and relatively luxurious, western-styled living. Poor people, where ever they may be, whether in New York or Phuket, falling into the vicious capitalist cycle of exploitation need sympathy and more than that awareness to be raised against the real perpetrators of the crime. In this case definitely, the government.
TravelinAsia, I can assure you that I am aware of this issue since 92, when I myself was a high school kid. That time, it was probably in Reader's Digest I first read about this issue and later there were several economic and regional periodicals that analyzed the issue. There is no doubt that the current prosperity of the country, however it may be, is based on the Sex-adrenalined-tourism industry which has been sponsored by the Government as a shortcut and patronized by the West.
@sen.sush23,
Sounds like you should read my articles on Chuwit Kamsolvisit : http://travelinasia.hubpages.com/hub/Chuwit-Kamsol
Thanks, I am already reading the first. I'll continue..:)
Peter Dickinson Level 2 Commenter 19 months ago
TravelinAsia - An interesting story of 'success' here. Thanks.