Bangkok contains lots of red light districts, so much that just one search regarding its red light districts gives results of guides, hotels with special services, and thousands of related pictures immediately. In order to sustain such a large market, a massive labor force comprised of prostitutes must be available and presents in shops at all times. Although by law, prostitution is illegal in Thailand, the profession is very much tolerated in the country since it goes a long way back in the history of Thailand. However, aside from women who voluntarily threw themselves into the profession, another source of the massive labor force is through kidnapping of young women and even children. For women that have been divorced or in desperate need of money, the industry has proven to be a profitable source for them. As for those young women who was forced into the industry, it has been said that the owners of the bars and hotels keep them inside at all times and they were not allowed to leave the place.
-Chi Z.
In Bangkok the sex industry has been thriving since the 1960s. In this industry there are men that also work as prostitutes, but the workers are predominantly women. It is said that many of the workers in Bangkok’s red light district are there by their own free will and are usually there due to financial troubles at home. Most women are from extremely poor, large families with rural background and in order to provide for everyone the sex industry pays more money then the jobs that are actually available. There is an options for them to work under a ‘pimp’ or they can even work as free-lancers.
Women usually get into the industry in their teenage years because they believe they are ‘worth’ a higher value when they are still young. Once they get older, many women leave the industry while others stay as supervisors to new young workers. Many others are sent less tourist filled areas.
-Myra Khan
When doing research regarding the red light district of Thailand, I focused on the issue of human trafficking. When reading Cori Wittman’s thesis called “FROM RICE FIELDS TO RED LIGHT DISTRICTS: AN ECONOMIC EXAMINATION OF FACTORS MOTIVATING EMPLOYMENT IN THAILAND’S SEX INDUSTRY”, I discovered that the sex industry in Thailand is highly accepted and brings a high source of income to the economy of the country. On Wittman’s thesis, he describes four levels of entrance into the industry in a spectrum regarding human trafficking according to The Global Alliance Against Traffic. The first level being pure coercion and the last being completely voluntary. While reading, I learned that this social norm of accepting prostitution, comes from pressure the Buddhist religion puts on women to be the provider of the household. There were cases where young girls and women did not know that their family was sending them to work in these situations, which was pure coercion. Then there were other minor cases, still being that the young woman did not fully know what she was getting herself into, where friends told them about these jobs without full disclosure. Then there was the last spectrum where the woman knew exactly what it was and she had the monetary pressure to provide for her family.
-Diana Rodriguez
The common idea found within the red-light districts is that the country thrives on the industry. Prostitution and other sex orientated businesses have brought a lot of profit for the economy. Also a lot of women go into the business because of poverty and pressure from society. Diana points out the article, “From Rice Fields to Red Light Districts,” which illustrates a huge shift in the country. The rise of urbanization led to a decline of jobs for rural individuals. Some people have no choice, but to join the business in order to make ends meet. Although some women are forced or kidnapped, some voluntarily join. This is a different perspective that I haven’t put much thought about. When it comes to red-light districts, I automatically think of the thousands of girls that are trafficked.
The high profit in which sex work generate in Bangkok is very similar to other parts of Asia. Like Chi Z mentioned many unmarried, divorce and poor women find work in this industry as a last resort to sustain themselves. However, there is a population of women who are forced into this industry and are treated terribly. Chi Z description of this treatment was extremely eloquent. She stated “ another source of the massive labor force is through kidnapping of young women and even children.” I find this to be extremely heart wrenching. It is unfortunate that a huge sector of Bangkok economy is built from this abuse.
I found the point that red light districts require a massive labor force comprised of prostitutes to be available and present, as it can be surprising to think about how many districts are involved and how many people can be apart of that. Chi’s point of the amount of people along with explaining how there are women who do it voluntarily as well as girls who are forced into it was a great point in my opinion. There is a strong contrast of how it can be a profitable industry for one group, while taking away another group’s life.
I went to Thailand before so I feel like I relate to this post a lot. I do noticed the red light districts but I never understood what it is, in a way I was kind of oblivious towards it. However this post explains a lot about what I went through during that time period when I was there. Girls look very young in the streets and they are working out for the money not because they want to but because they have to. They are basically the breadwinner because the family is poor. It’s an easier way for them to find a job because it’s really competitive out in the South Asia to find a normal, suitable work that can support the whole family.