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> thailand sex
News & Views
Thailand’s Split Personality
How one revealing dress set off a firestorm of moralizing in the land of prostitutes and permissiveness. Date posted: February 28, 2007 THE WORD “Thailand” conjures up a million images: spicy cuisine, world-class white-sand beaches, and legendary hospitality. Oh yeah, and one more thing: hookers. Lots of hookers. Bar girls, bar boys, bar boys who look like bar girls (sort of), erotic Ping Pong players, massage artists and seedy go-go clubs figure just as prominently in the collective impression of Thailand as pad thai, Phuket, and gracious wais. And for good reason. The country’s sex industry is estimated to account for up to $4.3 billion per year—a staggering 3 percent of GNP. The kingdom is a popular destination for sex tourists worldwide; Patpong and Nana, two of Bangkok’s well-known red light districts, seem to draw just as many tourists as the reclining Buddha and the grand palace. And in many of the expat bars and nightclubs, girlfriends-for-hire flit about, shameless members of the world’s oldest profession. Every possible sexual preference—and I mean every—is catered to in the Land of Smiles, and people pursue their various proclivities largely devoid of self-consciousness. Which is why the case of Chotiros “Amy” Suriyawong is so perplexing. Here’s what happened: The 22-year-old actress and college student appeared at the Thai equivalent of the Oscars wearing a form-fitting black gown with a three-inch-wide strip cut from hip to bust. It exposed a lot of skin, but nowhere near what’d you spot on an average Sunday afternoon on Soi Cowboy. Suriyawong’s university officials, however, were incensed. The dress was deemed obscene, and the school ordered her to do 15 days of community service—by reading books to the blind (the only people who haven’t ogled all those photos). The university even forced her to submit the dress for inspection to verify that it had been fortified with special sewn-in underwear. Then the Culture Ministry weighed in, condemning Suriyawong and saying the dress was “very inappropriate.” Worse, the actress’s production house edited her out of an upcoming film. “I don’t want my actresses to dress that way,” the company president told the Thai-language Khao Sod newspaper. “We are not a porn production house and it goes against Thai culture.” Wait a second. It “goes against Thai culture”? Seriously? Tradition vs. Permission To understand the firestorm surrounding Suriyawong and her gown, it’s worth considering a few factors that lurk below the surface. First of all, while the sex trade flourishes in Thailand, most Thai people are actually quite traditional. “Even though Thailand has its red light districts, [it] is still a conservative society,” Bangkok Pundit, who blogs anonymously in English and has an intimate knowledge of Thai society, told me. “Such public displays of revealing clothing by young university girls is still frowned upon by the public.” And Suriyawong doesn’t attend just any college—she’s enrolled at the prestigious Thammasat University, regarded as one of Thailand’s two best institutions of higher education. Some feel that she should have understood her role as ambassador for her school, and that her skimpy clothing reflected poorly on Thammasat. (Thailand is one of the world’s few nations where students wear uniforms through the university level.) “Many Thai families consider their daughters … ‘children’ until they leave university,” says Bangkok Pundit. “So the outrage is … from middle-class families worried that their university daughters will end up like Amy.” Thailand’s political climate may also help explain the firestorm. The junta that wrested control of the government from Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in the September 19 military coup has taken a hard line against Western influences. While Thaksin, a lover of globalization, pushed for free trade and development, the military government has proposed changing the laws governing foreign-owned businesses and investment—and has gone so far as to tighten the rules regarding tourist visas. The Culture Ministry’s objections to Suriyawong’s attire might be related to the feeling, in some camps, that traditional Thai values are losing out to the depravity of Hollywood (as opposed to the home-grown variety). Valentine’s Day is ground zero for this burgeoning culture war. The ministry said police would be on the lookout for children under 18 kissing in public on Valentine’s Day. Then it published what it referred to as the “10 Commandments of Love,” the first of which was to “Love with patience, so as not to become a young parent.” Respect for authority, rigid social structure, and traditional gender roles also come into play. The Thai language has 11 words for “you,” based on the status of the speaker and the addressee. The king is considered semi-divine, and the royal family and monks are all revered. In Thai society, gender equality is still a long way off. Thai women, when viewed through Western eyes, often seem demure and submissive. Indeed, “A Maxim for Ladies,” written in 1844 by Thai poet Sunthorn Phu, contained this “advice for women”: “Walk slowly. While walking, do not swing your arms too much…. Do not sway your breasts, do not run fingers through your hair, and don’t talk.” Sunthorn Phu is part of some schools’ curricula even to this day. It’s Hip to Be Critical In covering the Suriyawong affair, Bangkok’s English-language newspapers—read by foreigners and the Thai elite—offered little commentary on the larger issues of social structure and gender roles. The Nation, however, argued that the uproar was hypocritical, plain and simple: “We have [never] heard of universities firing male students for visiting prostitutes, or companies demoting male executives for fathering illegitimate children.” (Further afield, The Independent noted that Thailand has a peculiar double standard: It’s acceptable to wear a revealing dress—as long as you’re not a woman.) What do women in Thailand think about the kerfuffle? My Thai teacher, who’s a few years older than Suriyawong, told me she felt the dress was inappropriate—given the circumstances. The awards ceremony was held in the northeastern town of Khorat, home to a popular statue honoring a woman who, in 1827, helped save the city from a rebel army. “The dress would have been okay in Bangkok,” my teacher said, “but not in Khorat. In Bangkok people wouldn’t mind as much. Khorat has a sacred statue. That’s why it’s such a big story.” I asked my girlfriend, an American who’s lived in Thailand for nearly two years, what she thought. “It’s completely hypocritical,” she said. “In a place where a lot of women make a lot of money undertaking risky sexual behavior, I can’t believe that people would get so upset over this. It’s incompatible thinking. It’s irritating.” • |
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Comments
These are the impressions of a sex tourist, for if you don't visit prostitution venues you never see hookers, "lots of hookers".
"Permisiveness" is not a part of Thai culture, as this outrage over that dress so clearly demonstrates. It is only behind closed doors in a few seedy areas that the nastiness this author speaks of is happening.
So either this author is the typical gullible foreigner who laps up these popular lurid tales, or is a sex tourist who sees little more than the inside of a bar on trips to Thailand. Either way, those of us who live here and are not full time sex tourists like the author of Bangkok Pundit know Thailand as a far different place.
Posted by: geomark | February 28, 2007 8:42 PM
As your average Thai, I see hookers on the street. But not in any larger number than in the US, UK, or Europe. But I don't call those countries "rife with prostitution" do I?
It would be nice if you applied that same sort of judgment to Thailand.
Posted by: JB | March 2, 2007 9:12 AM
Thanks for your comments, geomark and JB. My intention, in this article, was not to examine -- much less pass judgment on -- Thailand's sex industry. Rather, I wanted to explain why it is that the reaction to Suriyawong's dress was so strong, while most people in the West imagine Thailand to be such a permissive place. I think we all agree that Thai people are much more conservative than foreigners might think. This article isn't about hookers; it's about how Thai society is much more dynamic than it appears from the outside.
Posted by: Newley Purnell | March 2, 2007 11:57 AM
"These are the impressions of a sex tourist, for if you don't visit prostitution venues you never see hookers, "lots of hookers"."
Oh please. Prostitution is rampant in Thailand. Any kind of entertainment place where there are foreigners attract hookers. From places like O'Reillys or Irish Xchange which are certainly not prostitution venues you will find hookers. In the Thai scene it is just the same. This doesn't mean all girls are hookers or every place has hookers, far from it. I have never ever been approached by a hooker in the West, but I certainly can't say the same thing about Thailand.
It is not just behind closed doors in a few seedy areas. It is much more prevalent than that. There is also a very grey line between what is prostitution and what is not in Thailand.
"not full time sex tourists like the author of Bangkok Pundit "
Huh?! It was not that long ago I was called the child of a Thaksin crony. Now, I am a full time sex tourist.
"As your average Thai, I see hookers on the street. But not in any larger number than in the US, UK, or Europe. But I don't call those countries "rife with prostitution" do I?"
Thailand's reputation for prostitutes also comes from the number of Thai prostitutes abroad. How many European or American prostitutes are there in Thailand?
Posted by: Bangkok Pundit | March 2, 2007 12:17 PM
As a Thai born american, that lived and worked in the entertainment industry as a Sound Mixer, I think that they are to controlling of the females. Double standards,, would it be wrong for a famous (kratoey) Gay actor to wear the same dress to the same awards show? I lived in thailand for over 7 years in the same industry and I still believe that they are taking this out of propotion. I have woked at the same awards show and the US version at the Oscars and Feel the actress was just making a statement. Like her US counterpart. come on,, look at the red carpet show at the Grammy's or OScar or other Asian award show, it all westernize. Thailand a country that has everything should spend its time tackling the problems of Drugs/Alcohol abuse, Child pronography, poverty. But the new government is to busy making laws to cut foreign involvement in companies, changing the legal age of drinking to 25 etc... I am in no way purposing that Taksin come back,but I propose to have university officials at all Massage parlors to make sure that their Students are not using the service just to have equal standards... oh yeah,, so it also bad for a university student to be miss thailand or miss universe because she has to wear a swimsuit...and I dont feel that a student should be expelled from high school or university if they are mothering a child. thats just wrong.they made a mistake in some cases and should have the chance to finish school to gain the proper training to achieve a hi paying job. So I say it again, have University officials at all massage parlors and make sure their students arent using the services.,,oh yeah,, now what if the dean or professor was using the service? is that bad for the school too??
Posted by: Oakie | March 2, 2007 1:01 PM
Another problem in Thai society is that the Thai people normally blames Westerners and Western society for "Messing" with Thailand simply because Western society is much more advance than Thai society when it comes to Free Speech, Free Expression and other Freedom acts.
Blaming Western Foreigners is just a Thai bad behaviour.
This is because there are many Thais who were "Copying" what the Westerners were doing and I personally believe that many Thais out there somewhere, all wanted Freedom and Gender Equality like Westerners.
The innocent Westerners were to be blamed by Radical Muslims, Thais, etc for being the first good example in being open-minded people.
Did we Westerners obligate Thais to do act like us??? The answer is BIG NO!!! Its Thais who were having problem with their own society taboos and problem with some other very-conservative Thais and also with poor people who prostitutes.
Please don't get me wrong on this one sir....
Posted by: Yohan | March 3, 2007 1:00 PM
I saw that for 1000s of time in Europe and it is something normal. My girlfriend used to wear that and she does not prostitutes, I hated when someone thinks that my girlfriend is a bad girl because of her free expression. In Europe, especially Italy, we live in a Free Fashion society with many people dressing different and much more open which is normal and Policmen says it is normal. The problem is there are many prostitutors in Thailand and alot of Conservative Thais with ancient taboos. Also, It has never been a Free Democratic country which many Thais mistakenly assumed or it's democracy is very very young. Moderation is good, sometimes you had to be more open in your lifetime, otherwise Thailand would be like an Islam Radical country where women were not respected and the society remain closed.
Once again, don't say Westerners are obligating Thais to act like Westerners and don't blame Western society for messing with Thailand.
Posted by: Yohan | March 3, 2007 1:09 PM
My last comment:
I think this Thai girl is actually a "Propaganda Figure" and sending out a strong message to the Thais and the Thai-conservative government about Thai Women needs Free Expression and that we need gender equality....
In other words, she is on STRIKE or PROTEST for Gender Equality! She is sickened tired...
Like many people in the US and Europe, sometimes they became naked during a protest for saving animal and environment and against animal abuse, (to give attention to the public and government, therefore they had to be naked).....
Posted by: Yohan | March 3, 2007 1:32 PM
If she wins, she could have been an important woman in the Thai history and an important girl in playing a role in the gender equality for Thai women.....
Almost like the naked Joan of Arch of France perhaps...
Posted by: Tim | March 3, 2007 1:41 PM
I get fed up with western influence wiping out other cultures & lifestyles. Thailand has lovely outfits & styles from the different areas.
Add to this the influx of western holiday & (money making) events that are nothing to do with Thai culture - Halloween, Easter & Christmas, for example. None of these have links to Thailand, but future generations will be expecting presents at each of them. How to destroy a good culture in a few years - let the Yanks in.
Posted by: PaulS | March 3, 2007 1:49 PM
I've just watched Lock Stock and 2 Smoking Barrels. Surely the UK is not all gangsters and criminals?
In a sense, you can blame the outwards orientation of the Thai sex industry. Because we are a "cheap" country, we welcome the mighty dollar with open arms, therefore, our seediness tends to look outwards.
Thailand as a society is still officially puritan.
Posted by: A UK Student | March 3, 2007 2:31 PM
Get real. How many of the same people crying out over the dress were either men who visit prostitutes, men who have minor-wives, or wives of men who do some or all of it. We are all hypocrites, Thais just speak a little louder in Thailand. Here is Japan, we just enjoying going to sex joints where 70,000 Thai women work selling themselves because there is not enough demand, and more than enough supply, back in EVERY city and town in Thailand.
You know, prostitution is supposed to be illegal in Thailand. Is that why the 480 baht whorehouse within spitting distance of the police box in Bangkapi exists. Get real, Thais just want the world to think that Thailand has some culture. A culture that is special...and it does. It is a culture where parents sell their children to sex-brokers for the price of a new color television set. To be fair, some Thais do not benefit in a large way from prostitution, but you would hear a lot of crying if the sex tourists stopped showing up, even from the Khunyings who get their next diamond ring from the profilts related to the sex trade.
Get real Thailand, face the mirror!
Posted by: Bad Boy | March 3, 2007 11:27 PM
Interesting point of view. Thailand does present indeed lots of different sides... I am curious to see the evolution of it.
Posted by: john | March 4, 2007 5:45 AM
I think the attitude in Thailand is that things such as revealing dresses are appropriate in some contexts (places of entertainment for men for example), but not in others (a televised movie awards show). What is hypocritical about this?
As for hookers, don't kid yourself, there are plenty in the West, and the vast majority are not Thai. Look in the classified sections of many North American newspapers and you will find explicit advertisements for sex services that would never be permitted in a Thai newspaper.
I find the Thai attitude to these things far less hypocritical than that in the West, whose media seems to be constantly sitting in judgement of Thailand.
Posted by: James | March 5, 2007 12:24 PM
She was not wearing panties.Many people who attended the show saw her pussy, some photographers were able to shoot her from different angles proving this point. Just as there is difference between the pussy of Britney and the strip dancers of Las vegas or Soho or Amsterdam in the west there is also the difference between the pussy of a Thamassat student and a Nana gogo dancer in Thailand.If want want western hookers in Thailand you can get in plenty, you just need the right connection.
Posted by: John | March 7, 2007 2:23 AM
I totally agree with Bad Boy
Western sex tourists only amount for a small part of the industry's punters.
Thai men make up a large percent of the customers, form business men to truck drivers.
I have been all over Thailand and lived here for many years, prostitution is EVERYWHERE & not just in the slimy areas of Patpong & Nana.
Many ordinary Thai women I have met "act" like prostitutes - they want money for sex. - get real guys, its in the culture, the same as corruption is - it will never go away.
Posted by: John Cook | March 9, 2007 3:40 AM