Can Bangkok Curb Prostitution? And Should It?

Tourists flock to Thailand for its temples and beaches, but also for its sex workers. From go-go girls to ladyboys, Thai cities and resorts like Bangkok and Pattaya are known as hubs of the Southeast Asian sex trade, despite the fact that prostitution has been illegal in Thailand since 1960.

It’s clear many officials and law enforcement have turned a blind eye for decades. This could be changing. Thailand’s first female minister of tourism, Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, recently called for an end to the debauchery. “We want Thailand to be about quality tourism,” she told Reuters. “We want the sex industry gone.”