subject: You Know Me In Thailand [print this page] Ah, Thailand, that land of vice and sin, a playground for hippy backpackers and the perfect place to go to do the things in secret that you wouldn't do in your hometown, right?
Obviously that image is a blatantly false stereotype, but on the other hand if one comes to Thailand seeking vice, as long as he has money that's what he will easily find. It's not that Thailand is so different from any other country or culture. Every culture has its economic pressures, its history, and its guests. Thailand it is true, and like several other countries in the world, does have a highly visible and open sex industry. The industry is set on attracting such tourists and their dollars, and is pretty much left alone by the government. What isn't widely known in the minds of people is that this kind of thing goes on all over the world, and always has. In the case of Thailand, the Vietnam War played a tremendous role in making brothels an acceptable part of the G.I.'s rest and relaxation. That legacy remains in place. In the 60's and 70's hordes of hippies began visiting Thailand via their travels through India, another legacy that still exists. Again, due to the Vietnam War, drug trafficking was mostly tolerated, as it was through much of Asia at the time. These days things are a lot stricter and there are plenty of farang in prison to prove it. Still, the partying continues.
My point as a traveler is that vice is mainly restricted to foreign travelers who are interacting with Thais who are already on the fringes of Thai society and they interact with a foreign mindset- that is, with an image of what they imagine Thailand to be like in their fantasies. The truth is that very few visitors ever see the true Thailand. I am not judging them, but I will say that I have traveled extensively through Thailand, have learned a bit of the language, and I have stayed in fishing villages with Thai families. It is a beautiful country with a amazing culture and beautiful people, although Thais have their weakness too like everyone else. Me know you, you know me.
