Culture and politics forum

Also, the author wants to venture into an inside out analysis of how Thailands "elites" are "parasitic" and how upcountry folk are being put down and kept down (the author is assuming a western model would be superior here - ignoring the massive prostitution industry in Europe). I am EXTREMELY sceptical of these types who want to indict entire socio-economic systems, which is what's going on in this article. This is where Mau comes from, where Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot... all the "change the world" types. They change it alright.

Yeah I read it - frankly I find this kind of pontification annoying. Thailand is what it is, and if the Thais want to work to change it - fine. It's not up to people who aren't Thai to go about telling them how screwed up they are.

Prostitution is the least of the countries problems.

Somtam, i will read the story and post my thoughts.

However, having not been posting here for long, i am already "aware" you are totally against the industry, just by what others have said.

However, i would be interested to hear your views on the industry, as all i've seen is what other people "think" you think, if that makes sense.

Having a father living in patong beach and running a bar for 12 years, i would like to think i know quite a bit about the industry, and the stereotypes that go along with it.

"However, having not been posting here for long, i am already "aware" you are totally against the industry, just by what others have said."

Well, if that is what you think, I guess that's a great indication of why you shouldn't rely on others to characterise what my opinions are lol!

We made a decision early on that sex tourism wouldn't be discussed on the site -- many reasons for this, but primarily because there's a bucket-load of other sites solely dedicated to this topic. My personal opinion on the industry is irrelevant.

I posted the link because I thought it was a particularly well written and thought out piece -- a lot better than most of the stuff on the topic. Yes, there's a few probs with it -- notably that the local "scene" gets scant mention, but that is a different beast to what the author is writing about.

Anyway, glad you found it of interest -- that was the point in my posting it.

Cheers

"I wonder if someone can get in trouble in thailand for writing about the local sex industry, as in they will get charge for "slander" against thailand or something similar, kind of like that the producers of that show "trouble in thailand" and being done for...."

Probably not. Slander is not an easy charge to prove, even in Thailand. Now, you might get brains blown out if you start naming names and trying to make powerful people look bad. Thais will kill without a hesitation if provoked.

It reminded me of that girl who posted not longer ago who said "I can't stand to see older foriegn men with thai girls half their age"... yet seeing an older Thai man with a Thai girl half their age doesn't seem to concern them at all. In fact, I doubt they even notice it.

Was having lunch yesterday at a place I enjoy on the Mekong... in walks this absolutely stunning woman. The man in her company at least 30 years her senior. Both Thai. He must have had real money.