It’s massage, not prostitution

The Son of one of Thailand’s oldest soapy massage parlour owners gives insight to the family business and openly admits to the criminal activities surrounding it.

Seeing him in person is not what you expect when you think of a pimp. Young, polite, decently dressed with a charming smile and yet – he is one of the major profiteers of Thailands twisted laws on prostitution and ongoing human trafficking.

Does he feel bad about the exploitation of young women at all?

“I don’t think it’s unethical because the employees {women} are not educated” is his response when confronted with this question. Without any pity, he clearly separates the fate of humans aside from his business and profits.

While he is enjoying a life of wealth and fortune, his female employees have to go through at least three customers a night to make it worth her while, with around 40% of her income pocketed by his company, if we can believe what he says, that is.

So what is the business exactly about? Thailand’s soapy massage parlours work more or less all the same way. Customers come inside the large, windowless buildings, where they can order drinks and talk to the women on duty, whom the source refers to as “ladies.” When the visitors have chosen one and a price is negotiated, the women take their customer to a private room, where the “massage” is given.

So far, so legal. Giving massages is deeply rooted in Thai culture, but what else is happening in these private rooms?

The son of the massage parlour admits that everything can be negotiated with the women, even sex without condoms.

Prostitution has been practiced for centuries in Thailand. According to the US State Department, it has been reported that an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 women are working as prostitutes in Thailand. According to a political party leader in Thailand and former massage parlor owner, it has been stated that the prostitution industry in Thailand earns over $6.4 Billion (200 Billion Thai Baht) a year in revenue, amounting to 10% of the country’s GDP.

Despite the large scale of the prostituion business, prostitution is actually illegal in Thailand; consequently, generating numerous problems.

According to a daughter of the owner of a massage parlor in pattaya (a well-known prostiution hub in Thailand), “When prostitution is illegal, sex workers are unable to report crimes to authorities without harming or exposing themselves thus leaving many crimes unreported and them a victim.” Apart from being mistreated by the numerous owners of massage parlors, workers in this business also have no basic human rights.

Moreover, human trafficking is also a common practice in the prostitution business. According to the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, of the 333 human trafficking case in 2016, 244 of them were related to prostitution. This includes being ‘lured or forced into the sex trade’ and more.

It would be impossible to cover up Thailand’s pre-existing business of prostitution, for this reason, the legalization of prostitution would be a better solution to all. Legalizing prostitution provides benefit for both people rooted in the business and the Thai government. If prostiution were to be legalized under the correct regulations and laws, safety and the rights of workers will be dramatically improved. Recognising this business would also mean more job security and tax from an officially recognised industry. Additionally, the problem of human trafficking would potentially be eliminated since the prostitution can be directly monitored.

Despite the majority of Thais supporting the legalisation of prostituion, this does not mean everyone is supportive of it, as there are still many people out there who are against the legalization of prostitution. An anonymous user from a survey on Prostitution in Thailand commented that ‘prostitution should not be legalize because it is a buddhist country and it attracts the wrong type of people who disrespect women and the culture’.

As true as that statement may be, this matter goes far beyond the reputation of Thailand but rather the well-being of sex workers and victims of human trafficking for prostitution who are at risk as a result of the unregulated prostitution industry.

Now you may wonder, if prostitution is illegal in Thailand, how can owners of such massage palours run their businesses with no fear of prosecution?

“We have connection to police forces and officers” explained the son of the owner one of Thailand’s oldest massage parlour.

“I have a relative on my mothers side working for the police.” Furthermore, he even gives exact numbers on how much they have to pay off as bribe, with the figure being approximately 100,000 Baht a month.

Sounds a bit much for a family business?

Only until you see the revenue..

“We have around 60 – 80 Million Baht revenue per month.”

With the average income of a Thai citizen hovering around 17,600 Baht per Month, that is a nice share of the cake. The fact that this money is made by traumatising hundreds or thousands of young women doesn’t seem to haunt these people in any way.

Currently, the number of trafficked and mistreated women in this industry is still rising. Despite Thai people having different opinions towards prostitution, it is perhaps time for Thailand to rethink the sense and practicality of its moral laws and work towards regulating the prostitution industry for the better good.