Legalization

[Guest]

I saw in the paper this morning that Thailand is seriously considering legalizing its sex industry (a la Holland).

Stated foreign currency inflows are now around $3 billion, about one-third the size of construction or agriculture. With the increase in prices, this should be a source of growth well into the future.

Discuss.

[Snick]

Decriminilzation is better than legalization.
If its legalized, the girls may end up making less money and they face the stigma of having "prostitute" on their job history.
I say leave it the way it is, or zone it and charge a club more money to be in the zone (and having closing time 4am).

[Mai-Kee]

A lot of girls who work now in this industry - staying away from their families for a few years and then go back to their Isaan villages,with hopefully some saved money, where nobody asks what they did in the meantime, although everybody knows - will loose face and reputation when the whole business gets legalized. It's the Thai way to drive the girls out of business - or better said not even getting into it. They will also have to pay taxes for sure and the whole thing will get far more official. An interesting approach, but the effect would be very un-thai and I'll bet a lot that all this will never happen. Remember that the major part of the Thai sex industry caters for locals and not for farangs!

MK