Gold Rush Abroad: The Trajectory of Singapore-Based Thai Transsexual (Male to Female) Sex Workers in Global Sex Tourism (original) (raw)
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Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography, 1998
In this paper I propose that spatially-informed and agency-centred treatments of prostitution as a practice can fruitfully highlight the moral and symbolic economies operating in the lives of women as they engage and disengage with prostitution in the tourist sex trade zones of Bangkok. By reexamining and re-contextualising the practices of prostitution in terms of interacting spatiall socio-cultural fields, we can gain more useful insights than heretofore obtained through a monodimensional political economy or gender-culture framework. We must accept that women sex workers are part of the geography of socio-econornic transformation, responding to the centralisation and expansion of key sectors of the Thai economy. I conceptualise this broader geography as involving "oscillation" between urban and rural "places" (which represent key "fields" of value), and at the level of the city (and the tourist leisure infrastructure) as "movement" between different work sites and "arenas" of identity formation. Within this complex ofcirculation and engagement, women strategise to maxirnise what may be described as survival and status resources (conversion of income into cultural capital) aiming towards recovery of meaninghl self-identity.
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In the diverse tapestry of human professions, sex work occupies a unique and often misunderstood place. Like any other means of livelihood, it represents one path to economic sustenance. Yet, unlike more conventional occupations, sex work dwells in the periphery of societal acceptance, influenced by a complex interplay of forces that set it apart from more conventional livelihoods. The very nature of sex work, entwined with various shades of human desires and vices, has contributed to its enigmatic aura. It is an industry often cast in darkness, where discretion is currency, and allure stems from its mystique. However, it is essential to recognize that sex work, like any profession, is not monolithic. It encompasses a diverse array of individuals, each with their unique stories and motivations. While society may stigmatize sex work, it is vital to acknowledge that it is, at its core, a means of livelihood chosen by some and compelled upon others. This profession, like any other, is bound by the same principles of supply and demand, survival, and human agency. The complexities surrounding sex work, including its entanglement with other gray areas like alcohol, drugs, and gambling, pose challenges that require thoughtful consideration. Sex work, as it unfolds in Thailand, involves a cast of characters that extends far beyond the individuals engaged directly in the industry. It touches the lives of families, friends, employers, colleagues, and the broader public. It is an industry that thrives, in part, on the willingness of society to engage with its offerings—a reality that both shapes and is shaped by the multifaceted relationships that bind people together. This essay offers an introduction to the world of sex work in Thailand, with a brief exploration of the unique historical, cultural, and political factors that define the landscape of this profession. It will also delve into the multifaceted issues inherent in this realm and explore solutions, all within the context of a feminist approach. By employing feminist frameworks, we aim to analyze the situations faced by sex workers in Thailand through a lens that considers gender, power dynamics, and societal structures. This approach allows us to identify the nuanced challenges, including those of forced sex workers and issues surrounding sexual agency and autonomy. The purpose of this essay is not to pass moral judgment or advocate for the complete eradication of the industry. Instead, it aims to foster a more neutral perspective—one that recognizes the humanity of those involved, addresses the multifaceted issues inherent in this realm, and works toward ensuring the safety, rights, and well-being of all parties involved. Achieving this goal demands cooperation and understanding from all stakeholders, recognizing that the sex work industry, like any other, is shaped by a diverse array of forces that define human endeavor.
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Synergy: The Journal of Contemporary Asian Studies , 2021
Thailand is renowned as one of the most popular sex tourist destinations in the world; with the industry estimated to have contributed to 12% of its GDP in the year 1998.[1] Alongside its natural landscapes and its bustling street food culture, some of the commodities it exclusively offers to both its tourists and domestic populace includes the sexual services of women, children and men who have been trafficked from the nearby Mekong sub-region. Not only is Thailand a country of destination and origination when it comes to sex trafficking victims, but it is also a country of transit.[2] This means that Thailand is so entrenched in routes and networks of sex trafficking that its populace, particularly its ethnic minorities and those who hail from its lowest economic strata are shipped off as mail to order brides and sex workers to other countries, while acting as both a workplace for those who have been sex-trafficked in the region and as a point of transit for those victims waiting to be shipped to a different destination country.
The Dynamics of Sex Tourism: The Case of Southeast Asia
Development and Change, 1983
This paper attempts to set out a basic framework within which the growing body of empirical material on prostitution and mass tourism can be analyzed. Section I1 distinguishes specific forms of female prostitution, considers how these have evolved historically, and looks at the forces ...
Primal dream: Masculinism, sin and salvation in Thailand's sex trade
Sites of desire, economies of pleasure: …, 1997
The libidinization of Thailand has been a key aspect of the marketing of the country. During the heights of the tourist boom in the 1990s the availability of sexual liaisons was a major attraction. This paper considers the money-love relation as reflected in numerous "memoirs" and short-stories written by farang (foreign) men. I argue that while there may seem to be a profound misfit between farang and Thai, there may in another way be a true satisfaction for both: the masochistic male who identifies with the abused woman, the "good woman" who sadistically revenges herself through a clever masquerade of passivity and obedience. Their project are meshed through their mutual disguises.