Networks
of businessmen, government officials and politicians are behind Thailand's
booming illegal sex industry, Rak Prathet Thai Party leader Chuwit Kamolvisit
alleged yesterday.
"The sex industry earns more than 200
billion baht (US$6.4 billion) a year. It's [equivalent to] almost 10 per cent
of the country's national budget," said Chuwit, a former massageparlour
tycoon.
Speaking at a press conference, the colourful
politician said he would go to the US Embassy today to provide information on
human trafficking.
"Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra
should take action against human trafficking. Up to one million Thai women work
in the flesh trade. Of them, about 100,000 are younger than 18 years old,"
Chuwit said.
He handed out CDs containing video clips
showing how procurers negotiate prices with potential customers, as well as
scantily clad women waiting for customers in front of karaoke parlours and row
houses.
According to Chuwit, many prostitutes work the
streets, while many others are based at seemingly conventional massage
parlours, beer bars, spas and resorts.
"There are prostitutes working on
Phetchaburi Road. Their bases are very close to the Pheu Thai Party's
headquarters," Chuwit said.
He added that gambling dens were still
operating on Soi Kingpetch 4 and Soi Kingpetch 6 on Saturday nights.
Meanwhile, Khon Kaen University's Centre for
Research and Training on Gender and Women's Health released the findings of a
survey of women who had been pregnant as teenagers.
The survey covered 3,114 women who had been
pregnant before they reached 20 years old.
Conducted with financial support from the
Social Development and Human Security Ministry, the survey found the youngest
to become pregnant was just 11. Of the respondents, 62.9 per cent had older
boyfriends and 33.9 per cent had unprotected sex when they had sex for the
first time.
"Of those questioned, 70 per cent said
the pregnancies were unplanned and about 70.3 per cent had to leave their
schools because of the pregnancies," Prof Dr Siriporn Jirawatkul of the
centre said.
Sirikiat Liangkorbkij, who heads the Thai
Health Promotion Foundation's Health Risk Control II Section, said sex
education lessons should be integrated into the curriculum for secondary
schools as a measure to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
On St Valentine's Day this year, 19 couples
will register their marriages at the Giant Royal Flora Wheel and receive gold
marriage certificates.
Uppatham Nisitsukjarern, who heads the Project
Management Office of the International Horticultural Exposition Ratchaphruek
2011, said the couples, chosen from a campaign about love, would not have to
pay any fee.
News Desk
The Nation
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