Thailand’s Tourism Minister Wants to Rid the Kingdom of Sex Industry

[yuiyoshida]

Police say they’re looking to prosecute venues employing underage and illegal migrant workers

BANGKOK – Thailand’s infamous sex industry is under fire, with the Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul pushing to rid the country of its brothels, with police raids in recent weeks on some of the largest establishments providing sex services in Bangkok.

Those who work in the industry say curbs on commercial sex services would hurt a flagging economy that has struggled to recover after political turmoil took the country to the brink of recession in 2014.

However Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul told Reuters that people do not travel to Thailand for the sex industry. “They come here for our beautiful culture, we want Thailand to be about quality tourism”. We want the sex industry gone.”

Thailand is predominantly Buddhist and deeply conservative, but is home to an extensive sex industry, largely catering to Thai men. Hordes of tourists also flock to the bright lights of go-go bars and massage parlors in Bangkok and main tourist towns.

Although Thailand is mostly a conservative, Buddhist nation, its sex industry is widespread, serving mostly Thai men, the news service said. Prostitution is illegal in the country, but the law is mostly ignored.

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http://www.chiangraitimes.com/thailands-tourism-minister-wants-to-rid-the-kingdom-of-sex-industry.html

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