© AFPKobkarn Wattanavrangkul wants rich holiday-makers to flock to Thailand for its beauty and luxury and not its seedy red light districts
But those working in the industry say any clampdown would devastate the local economy and leave thousands out of work. Thailand is predominantly Buddhist country and with traditional values, but it is also home to one of the world's most infamous sex industries. Every year, hordes of tourists flock to the bright lights of go-go bars and massage parlours in Bangkok and other tourist towns.
But Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul had tried to play down the role of the sex industry in drawing visitors. "Tourists don't come to Thailand for such a thing," Kobkarn said. "They come here for our beautiful culture. We want Thailand to be about quality tourism. We want the sex industry gone."
Prostitution is actually illegal in Thailand but the law is almost invariably ignored - mainly because of police corruption. Those trying to promote the welfare of sex workers say Kobkarn's goal is unrealistic. The military government is in denial about the proliferation of prostitution and its contribution to the economy and tourism, said Panomporn Utaisri of NightLight, a Christian non-profit group that helps women in the sex trade to find alternative work.
"There's no denying this industry generates a lot of income," Panomporn told the Mail. There are no government estimates of the value of Thailand's sex industry, or how much of the income from tourism comes from sex tourists. There are about 123,530 sex workers in Thailand, according to a 2014 UNAIDS report. The tourism sector accounts for about 10 percent of gross domestic product and sex worker groups said the minister's vision of a prostitution-free Thailand would dent that.
"The police presence already drives off a number of clients who come to relax or drink at bars," said Surang Janyam, director of Service Workers in Group (SWING), which provides sex workers with free medical care and vocational training. "Wiping out this industry is guaranteed to make Thailand lose visitors and income."
Many sex workers come from the impoverished northeast and see selling their bodies as a way out of poverty. Prostitutes can earn up to 5,000 baht ($143.14) a night, nearly 20 times the minimum wage of 300 baht ($8.59) per day. In an attempt to diversify the industry, Thailand is starting a "month for women travellers" campaign in August, in which female-only pink immigration lanes and parking zones will be set up in international airports. The campaign is timed to coincide with the birthday of Thailand's Queen Sirikit in August. Other travel sectors including wedding and honeymoon tourism, and eco-tourism, are also being pursued.
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