Sex workers stand in a largely shut-down red light area in Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, March 26, 2020. A month-long state of emergency has been enforced in Thailand to allow its government to impose stricter measures to control the coronavirus that…

Zsombor Peter
29 May 2020

"All my rings, necklaces, jewelry. I've pawned all of it."

In a good week, Nupchan could earn up to $230 — three times the minimum wage — from the throng of tourists that would sweep in and out of Chiang Mai, a city in the hills of northern Thailand famed for its gilded temples and cleansing retreats. As a sex worker, Nupchan catered to their more carnal tastes.

A 2003 government study put the value of the industry at $4.3 billion, according to Empower, a local nongovernment group that supports sex workers. A former Thai politician and massage parlor owner raised the figure to $6.4 billion in 2012. Estimates of the number of people the industry puts to work range from 100,000 to 300,000.

"It's been really stressful. I'm thinking a lot about how to cut costs, how to spend less and less, and how to make money," said Nupchan, who gave only her first name for fear of arrest."I've pawned everything I had," she said. "All my rings, necklaces, jewelry. I've pawned all of it."

A survey of about 100 sex workers by SWING found that only 23 had even bothered applying for the monthly handouts and that only four did so successfully -- and only by concealing the nature of their work.

If Thailand will continue to rely on ... commercial sex for its revenue for the country, maybe the Thai state will have to think clearly on how to protect these workers who are so important to earn this revenue," said Chalidaporn, an associate professor of political science at Thailand's Thammasat University.

full https://www.voacambodia.com/a/5440690.html

it was estimated to be worth US$6.4 billion a year in revenue (2015)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution_in_Thailand

Alex wrote: ↑Sun May 31, 2020 12:19 pm From a customer's point of view, things haven't been this good in Bangkok since a long time. Sure, bars are all closed, but ultimately that just means you get more bang for the buck, because you don't need to buy drinks first. Plenty of freelancers available, obviously.

Exactly the same in Pattaya. I’m saving a fortune by not going to bars, buying drinks, and paying bar fines. Tons of eager ladies available online, and hanging around on certain streets too. The sex trade hasn’t been diminished at all during the lockdown, although there are a lot less customers to go around.
Strangely, the hospitals here are not overloaded with dying working girls, or the overweight, unhealthy old men who use their services. Weird, considering how contagious and deadly we all know the Coronavirus is.

and what will the usual 'pro-womens'' rights campaigners come up with this time - perhaps all the working women will be happy to make 'bracelets' out of used coke cans instead, for tourists - perhaps for 50bucks a month in some do-gooder NGO shack somewhere

you lucky lucky bastards...

God'sGift wrote: ↑Sun May 31, 2020 1:03 pm and what will the usual 'pro-womens'' rights campaigners come up with this time - perhaps all the working women will be happy to make 'bracelets' out of used coke cans instead, for tourists - perhaps for 50bucks a month in some do-gooder NGO shack somewhere

My prediction is that the Thai government will use this opportunity to stamp out the seedy nightlife that soils Thailand’s global image, and will see to it that these women are offered dignified jobs working in factories owned by Thai elite and their Chinese partners.

Ryan754326 wrote: ↑Sun May 31, 2020 4:17 pm

God'sGift wrote: ↑Sun May 31, 2020 1:03 pm and what will the usual 'pro-womens'' rights campaigners come up with this time - perhaps all the working women will be happy to make 'bracelets' out of used coke cans instead, for tourists - perhaps for 50bucks a month in some do-gooder NGO shack somewhere

My prediction is that the Thai government will use this opportunity to stamp out the seedy nightlife that soils Thailand’s global image, and will see to it that these women are offered dignified jobs working in factories owned by Thai elite and their Chinese partners.

I think it more easy to say than do. Prostitution, seedy nightlife and practice of mia nois, soapy massage, fish bowls, brothel, short time hotel etc has been going on for centuries and ingrain in thai culture. Only during the vietnam war that gogos take off with serviceman on R&R and become known sort of famous and then booming in many foreign tourist in 1980s and become famous.

They maybe can restrain seedy practice in tourist areas but thai culture will continue I think like before but for thai only..not so visible to foreigner. Thai only worry about their image and reputation as sex country but they want to keep it underground for themself.