Back then, the figure of sex workers recorded in Bangkok brothels was only 300, according to a report in the Bangkok Post on July 6, 1953. (See box story.)

The move was apparently fruitless.

In 1960, the government passed a draconian law to punish prostitution with imprisonment and/or a fine. Yet, the flesh trade flourished unabated and was fanned out by the Vietnam War during which Thailand served as a rest and recreation base for US troops.

When the economy and tourism industry peaked in the 1990s, Thailand had already become infamous as an international sex hub. The births of baby girls were celebrated in many villages in the North, then the country’s biggest source of sex workers. The girls were seen as the family’s gateway out of harsh poverty. Agencies argued over the number of prostitutes, ranging from 20,000 to 2 million. But they agreed that a large number were children forced or tricked into prostitution.

Fast forward to 2010.

The dimly lit, dingy brothels where prostitutes toiled in confinement have nearly become a thing of the past. Nowadays, the customers can buy sex openly from willing partners at ubiquitous karaoke bars, cocktail lounges, massage parlours, nightclubs, hotels, guest houses, male hair salons, restaurants, and along the streets at night. In the internet era, call girls – and call boys – are also openly offering their services on social networking sites.

Law Enforcement Still Lacking

Although the sex industry has been Thailand’s big income earner for many decades, there are still no accurate figures of commercial sex workers in the country – only estimates. And the estimates vary widely from 200,000 to 2 million, according to different organisations.

One thing they agree on: a large number of them are children who are lured, tricked or forced into prostitution. Many of them are stateless hill tribe girls and immigrants from neighbouring countries, namely Burma, Laos and Cambodia.

These girls are at the lowest rung of the sex trade, serving customers in shabby brothels along the border. Hence, the effort to assist them through the 1997 Measures in Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking in Women and Children Act.

Before, the stateless and migrant girls were treated as criminals who broke the immigration law and were subjected to immediate deportation. Without witnesses, the traffickers remained smugly intact.

Under the new law, the girls are considered victims of human trafficking and entitled to receive official assistance, including temporary shelter, food, vocational training, legal assistance and logistic support for them to return home safely.

The new law also gives harsher punishment for traffickers and abetters while giving the authorities more power to search the venues under suspicion to assist the victims.

Under the new child-friendly court system, the victims – regardless of nationality – can also testify in court with assistance from social workers without having to confront the intimidating traffickers. After the testimony, they can return home while the court case is being processed.

In theory, if they won the court case for compensation, the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security will act on their behalf to contact the public attorney authorities to make the traffickers pay.

“But in reality, that doesn’t happen. The victims get only a piece of paper saying they won,” says human rights lawyer Siriwan Vongkietpaisan.

At present, the authorities and social activists tend to focus on the raid-and-rescue missions without being able to pursue the court case till the very end to get compensation for the victims.

When the traffickers are declared bankrupt, for example, the authorities are too tied up with their routine work to go through the complicated legal process to confiscate the traffickers’ properties and get the money for the victims.

“Without money to start a new life, many of them are forced with the harsh reality to return to the flesh trade again.”

When the law is enforced half-heartedly like this, the traffickers’ pockets will not be hit and the victims, already fearful of the traffickers, will be reluctant to cooperate with the authorities.

A legal amendment is needed to empower the victim to pursue the confiscation of assets themselves through their representatives. But having a good law is not enough, she says. “We must also implement it fully to help the victims start a new life. And if there is anything that is hindering this, it must be cleared if we’re really serious about fighting human trafficking.”

Click here for the link to the article on the Bangkok Post website.