THAILAND: Closed To Sex Tourism, Tourism Minister

Thailand has promised to eradicate its notorious sex tourism industry as it attempts to reinvent itself as a female-friendly travel destination.

Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, the country’s first female tourism minister, made the pledge following a series of police raids on Thai brothels last month, amid concerns over human trafficking and underage sex workers.

“We want Thailand to be about quality tourism. We want the sex industry gone,” Ms Kobkarn said.

“Tourists don’t come to Thailand for such a thing. They come here for our beautiful culture.”

Prostitution has been illegal in the south-east Asian country since 1960, but the industry employs more than 120,000 sex workers, with authorities frequently accused of turning a blind eye.

Ms Kobkarn began her drive to clean up Thai tourism’s image soon after arriving in office in 2014, singling out the seedy resort city of Pattaya as a pilot project for the country at large.

Pattaya has more than 1,000 bars and massage parlours, many of which are fronts for illegal brothels.

But last month’s police raids, in which police closed down a high-profile Bangkok massage parlour and arrested more than 100 sex workers employed there – 15 of whom were underage – could mark a turning point for the industry.

Although clients are predominantly Thai men, foreign tourists and expats also flock to brothels in Bangkok, Pattaya and other cities. Almost a million Britons visit the country each year.

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 on August 12.

Other travel sectors including wedding and honeymoon tourism, and eco-tourism, are also being pursued.

Several seemingly mundane activities can end up getting you arrested in Thailand, such as eating sandwiches in public, reading 1984 by George Orwell, wearing red clothing, and raising the “Hunger Games” three-fingered salute. Insulting the royal family is also punishable by up to 15 years in jail.

It is also illegal to leave your house if you're not wearing underwear, or drive a car if you’re not wearing a shirt.