Prostitution

In Thailand, there are two words for "prostitute." One of the words is "subhini," an abbreviation from nagar subhini meaning "beautiful women belonging to the city." Such women had to be learned in the social arts: singing, dancing, conversation, poetry and kamastura. As a subhini, the woman did not belong to anyone in particular because such a woman was desired by competing kings, princes and nobles and could be at the center of conflict that could easily escalate into war. The social status of these women was considered to be very high.

The other word is "ganika." Ganika come from a community of women who are to serve the general public. If their ownership could not be determined then they were made into public property, belonging to all. In early Buddhist history, the Buddha is known to have welcomed three women and he gave them the opportunity to walk the path of enlightenment, equal with all. One such famous woman was Ambapali. The Buddha ate lunch with her. She renounced her former life and gave up her belongings. She offered her mango grove to the Buddha and the Sangha and became a bhikkhuni. Another woman, Salavati, is another famous public woman. Her second child, Sirima, became a subhini. The monks became obsessed with thinking about her, so when she died the Buddha requested to keep her body for four days. He made an offering of her body and no body wanted it. He did this to prove the impermanence of beauty and attraction. The Buddha did not promote prostitution as the life was characterized by suffering. If one was born to this, it must be a result of karma.

In Thailand Rama V abolished slavery and some of the female slaves began brothels. Prostitution was legalized in 1934 by Rama V, allowing them to be registered to receive regular medical care. In the 1960's the Act to Deter Prostitution replaced the 1934 law. NO one is permitted under this law to perform in the sex trade, either homosexual or heterosexual. There is a $2,000 baht fine and imprisonment for up to two months if one is caught in violation.

While prostitution became illegal the number of prostitutes increased noticeably in the 1960's. Some credit this to the presence of American servicemen in Thailand during the Vietnam war. Others credit it to the promotion of tourism and the rising sex tourism industry in the US, Japan, and Germany in particular. Yet another factor is the common practice of taking a young boy to a brothel prior to his matriculation in high school as a kind of rite of passage. Finally, others say that because women cannot make merit on their own other than through the provision of money for their families, unlike boys who can make merit by becoming a monk, the religious system which devalues women promotes the prostitution industry. The majority of the women who are prostitutes come from very poor backgrounds with only four years of primary education. As the life of the rural poor becomes even more difficult during the period of industrialization, more and more women go to the cities, sometimes being sold by their families, sometimes being taken on false pretenses, sometimes choosing willingly as a way of making merit for their families. Since there is no regulated medical care for the prostitutes, since the 1980's the rise of venereal disease and HIV/AIDS has increased dramatically. In 1996, over half of the prostitutes, which number about 1 in 70 Thai women, tested positive.

The income for a prostitute varies. The highest fees range around $600 baht or $240 American dollars. Over half of the women receive less than $20 American dollars. 36% receive less than $4 American dollars. Groups are arising throughout Thailand, such as FEDRA's girl's school, Mae Chi Pratin's Dhammacarini Girl's School and others, to give poor girls an alternative, non-formal education after the 6th grade, providing them with marketable skills that may dissuade them from entering the sex industry.

Several solutions have been posed for the problem of prostitution:

1) Have a clear and systematic policy of the government to maintain up to date records. Strengthen the legal structures to protect women from exploitation, provide education, health care and security.
2) Develop a national plan with a long range view that is not just economic and material but moral and ethical
3) Religious organizations must begin to show concern for the existing problems faced by women.

In 1989, a joint statement was signed by several women's groups in Thailand. It called for the abolishment of the Prostitution Control Bill. They wanted instead a commitment to the inspection of sex related enterprises. They want the procedure that allows for police to maintain records of prostitution to be transferred to the Department of Labor. They called for a commission to study the problem, a public campaign to warn of punishments for selling children, and the increasing of nonformal training for women to provide more opportunities for rural girls.

Many suggest that the revival of the Bhikkhuni Sangha could provide a real alternative for girls, just as it did for poor, rural boys. The male Buddhist Sangha needs also to become more directly involved in helping women and indirectly by deepening its own understanding of how Buddhism can be a refuge for women.