Originally posted by Flow
To think that prostitution, and the concept of prostitution, is limited to Thailand, is very short sighted. I think that if you read my Journals from China, especially the last ones (the Discovery Channel shoot), you'll find that it's overwhelmingly present there, in fact, over the past ten years I've been going, it's gotten to be more "in your face" and less secretive. Young women from poor parts of the country flock to areas where they can make money, and they do so not so that they can get drugs and BMW's (as the whores/strippers/girls in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego, etc), but so that they can take care of their parents. Imagine that. Prostituting yourself so that you can take care of your mom. It's accepted. It's part of life. Contrast that to the women you find doing similar things in the US, and you'll start to understand that, in a way, it's part of the culture.
And not only in Thailand and China. But you'll find it in the Philippines, one of the most Christian countries in the world. When I go there to do my annual medical mission (I see and take care of poor villagers in the Cebu area), the overwhelming presence of bars (whore houses) is not easy to disregard. Some of the largest nightclub buildings are outrignt whorehouses. I've been told that Anglis City is an entire city of whoring.
It's life in Asia. It's the way it is. It's the whole concept of survival for these people. And if you talk to some of these girls, most of them really don't like doing what they're doing, but they do it to take care of their families. And, ironically, to find a husband. Some do, and they move on with happy marriages. It's a bit bizarre if you ask me, but, in some ways, this whole whoring thing that you find here, in a way, is almost like their version of dating for us in the west. To some of these girls, it's a way to find a boyfriend. To some, who have developed "dark hearts", they've descended truly into the pits of hell with this, and get involved with drugs and god knows what else. Some really deteriorate into the lifestyle, much as a good deal of the Las Vegas strippers do.
I don't condone prostitution. I'm not saying it's a good thing. But it's part of life in MANY parts of the world. In Russia, forget it. It's everywhere. In fact, when we see Russian women here in Thailand, 98% of the time, they're with mafia types. These women are whores, much as they are in Vegas when they go there to strip. Russian bars tend to be whore houses. Eastern European girls travel to the Caribbean to work in island "clubs" to make money, and meet men, all in an effort to support themselves, or, find a newer, better lifestyle. You'll find it all over in China, in Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, and the US. It's prevalent in Europe, and it's advertised in Holland. To think that this is not a common way of life throughout the world is laughable.
So, to say that Thailand is one big whorehouse is just wrong. There are many wonderful women here that have never gotten involved in this sort of thing, just as there are many wonderful women in China, the Philippines, Russia, Europe, the US, etc, who have not either. Not sure I can say the same thing about Vegas, oh, another story, lol.
You probably won't find this sort of thing in Malaysia. In the Muslim dominanted societies, I doubt you'll find prostitution to any degree. But, don't think that these people are all that clean in this regard. Their treatment of women in many ways is far worse than the whole concept of prostitution. The Quran makes it clear that for a woman to claim rape against a man, there must be four other men who have witnessed it. A woman's word is only worth half of what a man's word is worth. Women can be abused at will, with little repercussions. And so on.
So, you think about what's better. Your repressive society in Muslim dominated worlds, where prostitution is not allowed, or, your other societies in Asia, where prostitution is accepted, and women do as they please. Remember something. These women do this of their own free will. In other countries, that participate in Sharia law, their free will is limited, sometimes, to a significant degree.
Enjoy your time in Thailand. It's a wonderful country, full of wonderful people. You can live here without any sort of interaction with these "elements" that you seem to think are evil, and, at the same time, have a fruitful and wonderful life.
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