WannaGo Posted October 14, 2009 Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 If you took a poll of all the prostitutes, I would guess that not too many would say, I like what I am doing. Very true. And if most workers of any type took such a poll, their answers would be the same. I think the key here, as it relates to prostitutes, is whether they hate and feel degraded by what they're doing, or if they just don't like it, the same as any worker would rather be doing something else. I've known several prostitutes and/or strippers who've said they aren't crazy about what they do, but they chose it over a straight job because it pays them more and doesn't have a set schedule. I don't think customers necessarily are victimizing the ones who feel that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wino Posted October 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2009 I think the key here, as it relates to prostitutes, is whether they hate and feel degraded by what they're doing, or if they just don't like itPut yourself in the prostitute's place. You are usually scantily clad, you have people pawing you and you have to go to bed with mostly older, sometimes smelly and fat characters. Would you feel degraded or is it, "you just don't like your job?"I've known several prostitutes and/or strippers who've said they aren't crazy about what they do, but they chose it over a straight job because it pays them more and doesn't have a set schedule. I don't think customers necessarily are victimizing the ones who feel that way.They choose it over a straight job because it pays more. That is the choice many a poor Isaan girl or boy has. Work hard labor in the field for less than a living wage, or else go to the big city and degrade yourself. Is that much of a choice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lvdkeyes Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 Admittedly, it is not a choice I would like to have to make, but it is still a choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wino Posted October 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 Admittedly, it is not a choice I would like to have to make, but it is still a choice.A choice, like the convicted felon is asked, do you want to be shot by the firing squad or sent to the electric chair? Not much of a choice, but still a choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer Chang Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 No it's more like do you want to work as a waitress and earn less or work in a bar and earn more. No gun to the head, just capitalism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wino Posted October 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 No it's more like do you want to work as a waitress and earn less or work in a bar and earn more. No gun to the head, just capitalism.I understand what you are saying and in the West, there seems to be more of a choice and opportunities. In Thailand, it seems to me not as many choices are available. There are so many young people from Isaan in the bar scene that have a choice but really not much of a choice. These impressionable youngsters are lured into this trade without really knowing the full ramifications of their choice. I think it may be the "Pretty Woman" syndrome where they see easy money and think they will land a millionaire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lvdkeyes Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 Making the choice for easy money is a far cry from choosing which method of execution. There are other jobs available for ambitious workers; i.e.; waiter/waitress, hotel housekeeper, laundry worker, 7/11 and Family Mart clerks are a few. None of these jobs require higher education. They will never get rich, but they can earn a fair living. Regrettably, many make the easy choice and regret it later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer Chang Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 I don't think it that easy to get a job in 7/11 in Pattaya. A fair levelof English seems to be required. I know someone who was working as a waitress in a Thai place in the outskirts of Bangkok. Was making 4K a month plus tips but since tipping is not a Thai custom that was maybe an extra 30 baht a day. Room upstairs above the restaurant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lvdkeyes Posted October 15, 2009 Report Share Posted October 15, 2009 I have been to 7/11's and have encountered clerks who have no English skills. One time I went in to pay my electric bill. Unfortunately, it was 1 day past when I could pay there. The girl just pointed in the general direction of the electric company. I had no idea where it was. When I went outside and told my bf what happened, he went in to talk to her. She told him where the office was located. He asked her why she didn't tell me where the electric company was. She told him she couldn't speak English. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wino Posted October 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 Admittedly, it is not a choice I would like to have to make, but it is still a choice.This is a complex issue and in my opinion, is more than a simple choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lvdkeyes Posted October 16, 2009 Report Share Posted October 16, 2009 Oh! I never said a simple choice; I said it is a choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wino Posted October 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2009 Oh! I never said a simple choice; I said it is a choice. Did this young lady make a choice? Fifteen year old runs away from home do to stepfather’s behavior. The kid sells flowers on the street to survive. After repeated advances from customers, she turns a trick. Sees that it is easy money but hates it. To survive, she gradually turns to prostitution. I guess she had a choice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidTMike Posted October 17, 2009 Report Share Posted October 17, 2009 Did this young lady make a choice? Fifteen year old runs away from home do to stepfather’s behavior. The kid sells flowers on the street to survive. After repeated advances from customers, she turns a trick. Sees that it is easy money but hates it. To survive, she gradually turns to prostitution. I guess she had a choice? It was a choice she had between many bad options. One of my long term "dates" in Brazil is a boy I met when he was 18. He has just started working at the saunas. He knew at 17 he wanted to work there to make better money than the book store he worked at. So, for a year he saved his money and he learned English and started the saunas on his 18th Birthday. He said he knew he would make better money if he spoke English. He grew up in a flavela. A very poor kid with an older sister and 2 younger brothers. He made a choice to work at the sauna. It was not his dream job but it was his way out of the slums. Perhaps his only way out. He sent his sister to University and his 2 younger brothers to private school. His choice was to sacrifice himself for them. 7 years later, he is still doing the same thing and still paying for his 2 younger brothers to stay in Private school. I ask him why and his response is always, "so they will have more of a choice than I did." A choice yes. But, one he made with little options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wino Posted October 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2009 It was a choice she had between many bad options.In Thailand, Brazil and many other poorer countries, the options are often a matter of survival.A choice yes. But, one he made with little options. A choice of life as a prostitute or death on the streets is not much of a choice. Thais are a lot like your Brazilian friend, in that they sacrifice themselves for the benefit of their family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WannaGo Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 In Thailand, Brazil and many other poorer countries, the options are often a matter of survival. A choice of life as a prostitute or death on the streets is not much of a choice. Thais are a lot like your Brazilian friend, in that they sacrifice themselves for the benefit of their family. I take it, then, given the way you feel, that you never patronize the prostitutes, male or female, in Thailand? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WannaGo Posted October 18, 2009 Report Share Posted October 18, 2009 By the way, this bit from the Chicago Tribune seems relevant to the conversation: The Cook County sheriff's police detained three women from Thailand on suspicion they had been coerced to engage in prostitution across the U.S. in the last three weeks as part of an international prostitution ring. The women said operators of the ring confiscated their passports, demanded $60,000 for their return and then forced them into prostitution in San Francisco, New York, Texas and Chicago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wino Posted October 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 19, 2009 I take it, then, given the way you feel, that you never patronize the prostitutes, male or female, in Thailand? Whether I patronize the services of a prostitute, or not, is not the point I am trying to make. I sympathize with the young prostitute that is unwittingly lured into this age-old profession. Some tend to lay blame on the poor prostitute, saying they consciously wanted to go in this direction. That is a very simple outlook, which in my book, is not correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WannaGo Posted October 20, 2009 Report Share Posted October 20, 2009 Whether I patronize the services of a prostitute, or not, is not the point I am trying to make. I sympathize with the young prostitute that is unwittingly lured into this age-old profession. Some tend to lay blame on the poor prostitute, saying they consciously wanted to go in this direction. That is a very simple outlook, which in my book, is not correct.I haven't seen anyone laying all the blame on the prostitute, and everyone seems to be in agreement that there is nothing simple about it. And it does seem that, given the way you feel, you then logically would make the choice not to use the services of prostitutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wino Posted October 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 I haven't seen anyone laying all the blame on the prostitute. When one talks about a choice, that implies the prostitute had free will in choosing the profession and therefore, in a sense, is to blame for his/her actions. I do not see it that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lvdkeyes Posted October 21, 2009 Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 We do make choices in life, good, bad or indifferent. Many times we have to choose the lesser of two evils, but still, we make a choice and have to live with that decision unless we choose to change the circumstances. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wino Posted October 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 My problem with the choice issue is that it appears to me, you are blaming the person for choosing a life of prostitution. As we all know it is not that simple. My sympathy lies with the young person that is lured into this life without knowing the full ramifications of their actions. I think socio-economic situation is more of a cause than choice. I wonder if the Thai people see it as a simple black and white issue of choice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lvdkeyes Posted October 21, 2009 Report Share Posted October 21, 2009 I was not placing blame; it is not blame unless you perceive it to be wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wino Posted October 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2009 Call it blame, call it responsibility, call it culpability, call it fault, call it whatever you like. The point is young people are lured into prostitution many ways and for many reasons. I don’t think it is a conscious choice for most. How many young prostitutes from Isaan do you think say, “I think I will go down to Pattaya and sell my body to fat, smelly foreigners?†Not many. Once they are caught up in that life, it is hard to get out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lvdkeyes Posted October 22, 2009 Report Share Posted October 22, 2009 I believe they do think, "I am going to Pattaya and have sex for money and get rich." Then they choose to go. They may or may not know what it all involves, but they choose to go without finding out the details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wino Posted October 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2009 I bet you think a homeless person chooses to be homeless! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts