Have you ever been judged for going on a vacation to Thailand? If yes, you have all my sympathies. That happens often because people think that Thailand is a synonym for sex. No, no, no, it’s not like that. Thailand is NOT the sex capital of the world.
Do you think it is? Before you say yes, read a little about Thailand. Read about the beautiful beaches Thailand has and all the wonderful places Thailand has, to offer.
According to a paper published in NCBI by Van Kerkwijk C., Many foreigners visit Thailand in search of sex. The paper said:
“An estimated 30,000 sex workers are active in Bangkok, of whom 7000/10,000 are females who work specifically in the tourism sector. 1/2-1/3 of the 600 commercial sex establishments in the city are visited by foreigners.“
Wait a minute! Are you also judging the beautiful country for this reason? Before you judge Thailand, go on the internet, spend some time there and see what the city has for its tourists (No, I am not talking about the red light areas).
Let me ask you something, which country does not have prostitution or brothels? Take an example; India is the richest country in the world when it comes to culture and festivity. Isn’t India beautiful with wonderful tourist places, thousands of temples, and amazing beaches? Indeed it is. What about prostitution in India? Shonagachi in Kolkata, G.B road in Delhi, Meergunj in Allahabad, and Chakla Bazar in Surat are all the red light areas in India. But that doesn’t make India any less beautiful. My question is why is Thailand’s statistics hyped?
If you search for “things to do in Thailand” on the internet, “sex” will surely not be a part of the list. People who think sex tourism is a reason to visit Thailand are the people who actually opted to indulge in that.
Only because the statistics are pushed about one country doesn’t mean that we start judging the country on the basis of just one thing.
Not Only Thailand
So, as I was saying, Thailand is not the only country having prostitution. Prostitution is illegal in many African countries as well. For your information, HIV is common in African sex workers. It is a common practice in many sub-Saharan African countries. Egypt is one example of illegal prostitution. But like many other countries, prostitution exists in Egypt as well. America is not very open about it. That doesn’t change the fact that prostitution exists in America. There are approximately 1-2 million sex workers in America. Does that make America less attractive? Let me know in the comments section.
I am not saying that it is okay that Thailand has prostitution. But what I am saying is, Thailand will be the sex capital if you want it to be. If not, there are many places in Thailand where you can visit not just to have sex, but travel like a traveller.
BUT THAT’S MY OPINION!
What Exactly Is Making Thailand Infamous?
Pattaya, one of the cities in Thailand has been famed worldwide for sex tourism. Pattaya has the biggest red light areas in the world. Yes, prostitution is illegal in Thailand but the law is pretty much ignored just like many other countries in the world.
Pattaya was home to more than 1000 bars but things have changed now. Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, the previous Minister of Tourism and Sports in 2016 declared that she is going to work on quality tourism for Thailand and make it a family-friendly place for the tourists. She wasn’t joking! Soon after declaring this, one hundred prostitutes were arrested and sadly 15 of them were underage. Since 2014, there have been raids ongoing for bars and brothels.
Guess what? Thailand’s tourist agencies from then have successfully divorced themselves from sex tourism. Her message has been clearly understood now!
Does Thailand Depend On Sex Tourism?
As per 2014 report, Thailand’s tourism revenue accounts for 19-20% of the total GDP. As per, havoscope.com, a political party leader in Thailand stated that the prostitution industry there earns over 6.4 Billion Dollars (200 billion Thai Baht) which is just 10% of the country’s GDP.
After reading all this, do you think Thailand is the sex capital of the world? Or it is just another tourist destination with brothels?
To be honest, if Thailand is the sex capital of the world, then there are many more destinations to be labelled as that.
What To Do In Thailand?
Here is proof that you can not only visit Thailand but make a memorable journey there. Below listed are just a few places that are famous for tourists to encounter.
- Thailand is a beautiful place with palaces, floating markets, adventurous activities, amazing beaches, delicious street food, and not to forget Buddhist temples.
- You can visit the White Temple in Chiang Rai which was purchased by a local artist who spent 40 million baht for restoring the temple.
- If a temple is not your thing, you can watch the sunset at a sky bar in Bangkok.
- You can go diving in the islands of Thailand. Almost every island in Thailand has a dive shop. But the most popular diving spot in Thailand is Koh Tao.
- Do not miss the elephant nature park located outside of Chiang Mai. This nature park is known for rescuing and rehabilitating elephants.
- You can stay in overwater Bungalows in Khao Sok, Kanchanaburi, Koh Lanta, and Koh Samui. And you thought the Maldives is the only place that offers overwater bungalows?
- You can celebrate Thai New Year ‘Songkran’ and participate in the squirt gun fight. This is one of the coolest things to do in Thailand. The festival happens every 13-15 of April.
These are just a few things you can do in Thailand and I don’t think I mentioned having sex anywhere in the list.
I have my own opinions but I would love to hear yours. Let me know in the comments section if you think what I think about Thailand.
