The international political economy of sex tourism in Thailand

Abstract

This thesis investigates the Thai sex industry by examining the sex tourism phenomenon and its advent in Thailand. It contends that sex tourism has contributed greatly to the growth of the Thai sex industry in recent decades although the industry does cater to local Thai men as well as foreigners. A better understanding of sex tourism can hopefully provide solutions to some of its derivative problems such as the increasing number of prostitutes and child prostitutes, the growing incidence of violence against people in prostitution, corruption, trafficking in women and children, and the escalation of HIV-infection among Thais. Sex tourism in Thailand is discussed in terms of wealth and power in the world system. The thesis is structured in terms of the three "grand narratives" of International Political Economy (IPE), as well as the less conventional narrative provided by feminist postmodernists. These different theoretical frameworks provide notably different accounts of the causes, dynamics, and effects of sex tourism. In mercantilist terms, sex tourism in Thailand makes most sense when viewed from the perspective of the Thai government. The sex tourist industry, as a part of the country's thriving tourist industry, has been sustained by the government because of its financial contribution to the Thai economy. In liberal terms, sex tourism is considered to be a market activity that features first and foremost the interaction of demand (sex tourists) and supply (prostitutes), and the managerial talents of business entrepreneurs. Sex tourism is seen as something that emerges naturally and that generates wealth because of Thailand's comparative advantage in sex industry terms. In Marxist parlance, sex tourism is viewed as an exploitative capitalist activity that creates rich and poor countries, and rich and poor within countries. Sex tourism has become part of the leisure component of the capitalist world economy and it helps alleviate the contradictions labour exploitation produces. Sex tourism allows global capitalists to extract more and more from proletariat labour. In feminist postmodernist terms, women are brought into their own in the analysis of sex tourism. Feminists in general contend that women's roles in sex tourism have not been recognised in spite of their participation and contribution. Thai female prostitutes themselves provide another dimension to the discussion on sex tourism, especially in terms of the moral judgement society and the state impose on them. The thesis suggests in conclusion that the three "grand narratives" of IPE cannot provide a complete explanation of the sex tourism phenomenon. We can learn from their strengths and weaknesses, however, in order to help solve the problems this sex tourism produces. The subjective experience of the people involved, and in particular of the prostitutes involved, must also receive serious consideration to adequately address such problems. These people are, after all, the ones most actively engaged in sex tourism.