A Change of Guard

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Monday 22 March 2010

The Role of the Thai Prostitution and the Thai King in Economic Development

The Thai king with his bag full of money.

By Mr. Tony
Watch an excellent documentary film about the Thai king titled : "Thailand - Long Live the King"

What a tourist first see and asked after he sets his foot on Thailand, it must be the thousand portraits of the Thai King (Bhumibol Adulyadej). The King's portrait (and the Queen's) can be seen in stores, people's homes, hospitals, schools, outside on city streets, billboards, bridge crossings...everywhere decorated artfully throughout Thailand and when he gets in a taxi then the first question he is asked is if he needs a girl.

This is what we call Thailand, the typical country in the world. The land that the king is demanded to be loved by all. Constitutionally, he is above all, protected by the lése majesté which none is allowed to criticize him for his bad deed. He is credited as the symbol of the political intervention and unity of the country for his role in Thai political intervention and facilitating Thailand´s transition to democracy and even the symbol of economic development for his various development projects which these are reasonably or unreasonably believed and recognized by the Thais. With all these, he is respected like the semi-divine god king.

Comparatively, the prostitution also comes next to the image of the Thai King when one thinks of Thailand because Thailand is known as the Disneyland of sex tourism in the world which brings about the economic development to its zenith promoted by the government in order to attract more foreign tourists and investors to the country.

Actually, tourists will not come to Thailand if they just come to see the white sand beach, ancient temples and other natural beauty, since such things can be seen almost anywhere in the world and it is even ridiculous to say that tourists come to Thailand because they want to eat Thai food, since most of tourists still prefer the western , Japanese, Korean, and Chinese food during their visits which is available everywhere throughout Thailand.

Historically, Thailand’s prostitution has existed since the Ayuddhya period (1350-1767) and it becomes flourished especially during the Vietnam War in the 19th century and afterward to the present day.

The prostitution has now become the part of Thai society in both culture and economic development and politic which Thailand cannot survive without it. However, sadly the prostitution is not legalized and the prostitutes who most of them are from the poor family are being viewed as an object and have been looking down by the Thai elites as dog, the sub-human and the ignorant and with this it makes their dignity becomes less valuable and respected in Thai society.

In this point of view that the prostitutes or the poor, as the citizen of Thailand, must fight for their role and dignity respected just like other people in the country, the middle class, the elites and the king of Thailand for they have the same role in social development and political stability. Or at least I can say that the prostitutes have even more important role than that of the king of Thailand in the Thai society in both economic development and political stability.

This daring statement proved to be right because if we reasonably look closely into their contributions to the Thai economic development and political stability by the prostitution, we can understand that it is critically more important.

In Thailand the king is admired for his social development project and his role in political intervention. But the thing is not that true as its nature because most of the king´s projects are implemented under the financial and political support of the government.

For instance, in the military governments of Sarith Dhanarajata and his successors (1958–1980), Bhumibol was re-portrayed as the "Development King" and the source of the economic and political goals of the regime. Royally-initiated projects were implemented under the financial and political support of the government, including projects in rural areas and communities under the influence of the Communist Party of Thailand.

During the civilian governments of General Pem Tinsulanond (1981–1987), Prem, later to become President of Bhumibol's Privy Council, officially allocated government budgets and manpower to support royal projects. Most activities in this period involved the development of large scale irrigation projects in rural areas.

During the modern period (post-1988), the structured development of the Royal Projects reached its apex. Bhumibol's Chaipattana Foundation was established, promoting his ”sufficiency economy” theory, which is an alternative adopted by the period's elected governments. Following the 2006 coup, establishment of a "sufficiency economy" was enshrined in the constitution as being a primary goal of the government.

So we can see that all the projects of Bhumibol, the king of Thailand, are initiated maybe mostly by his surrounding and the government. It seems that Bhumibol is able to do nothing if his surrounding and the Thai government have not been extending their initiation, support, and implementation, because the king seems to be just a symbol only rather than the real key actor of development. In fact the government can carry out such projects by itself and even reduce bureaucracy, expense and improve effectiveness.

Only in the the military regime of Plaek Pibul Songrgram (1951–1957) that Bhumibol managed to initiate a few projects using his own personal funds. These projects included the Royal Film and Radio Broadcasting Projects. But we can ask where did he get the money from? Isn´t it from the government? And where does the government get the money from? Isn´t it from the tax collection in the country?

However, Thailand, the most peaceful country in the region for centuries, even with these many so-called developing projects, is still a developing country and millions of its citizens still live under the poverty lines. According to a United Nations report issued in 2000, Thailand has 9.8 million poor people, 5.8 million ultra poor people and 3.4 million almost poor people. The total figure is 19 million, or 29.9% of the population, and is concentrated in provinces along the borders in the West, North, and Northeast regions. However, the poverty reduction was remarkably reduced between 2000 and 2004 under Thaksin Sinawatra´s leadership in Thailand which fell to 11.3 per cent, according to the World Bank and continued to be reduced until he was toppled by the military coup d´eta in 2006. The reduction of poverty is seen slower after that and in 2008 the people who live under the poverty line is 5.4 millions or 8.4 % according to UNESCAP.

However, Bhumibol´s wealth has incredibly increased according to Forbes magazine published in 2008 said that the 80-year-old king had a $35 billion fortune, with his estimated net worth increasing sevenfold during the past year. The wealth is included a stake in a major bank and huge holdings in the Siam Cement company and most importantly it said that the Crown Property Bureau (CPB), which manages most of his family's wealth, "granted unprecedented access this year, revealing vast landholdings, including 3,493 acres in Bangkok which the Journal of Contemporary Asia estimated that the Crown Property Bureau’s assets worth at US$27.4 billion. Forbes said that figure is higher now that Thailand’s currency, the baht, has appreciated. But it is ridiculous that even Bhumibol becomes the richest king in the world, he still shamelessly receives the financial support for his family from the Thai taxpayers contributed to him for 2 billion baht (US$59 million) each year.

People in the world just think that if Bhumibol can sacrifice only $5 billion of his total wealth to help his people, the poverty of those 5.4 million of Thais will be effectively alleviated and they would stop selling their flesh for income to support themselves and the family. But there is no such a hope of help from this king.

It is even sad to know that the CPB has increased its assets in the prime locations in Thailand by means of land grabbing. This act of illegal land grabbing of the CPB is always successful for no one dares to criticize since the CPB always threatens the poor or land owners with the king power or that it simply touts the king’s theory of a sufficiency economy, which preaches moderation, reasonableness and immunity. Then the golden robe of king Bhumibol surrounded the land and the lés majésty law will bans everyone in Thailand to criticize and scrutinize this illegal land grabbing as forever. Below is one of the case happened to the poor in Thailand related to the CPB.

A man is called Somchai, lives in a prime location in central Bangkok. Now in his sixties, Somchai designed and built his house himself nearly 30 years ago. He doesn’t own the land, but he only pays about 400 baht ($11) in rent to his landlord.

So why does he now wish he lived somewhere else?

“If I could do it all over, I wouldn’t build on this land,” he told Asia Sentinel. “There is no security. I can get kicked off at any time.”

But he won’t go voluntarily. Somchai’s land, you see, is owned by the King. In fact, most of Bangkok’s best real estate is owned by Thailand’s royal family through the Crown Property Bureau (CBP), which manages the monarchy’s land holdings. Somchai was able to build the house by bribing bureau officials a few decades ago. Now if he sells it, 75 percent of the money will go to the CPB, giving Somchai—who is retired with little savings—no incentive to leave.

“The people around here all worry that they might be forced out, but we are too scared to talk about it,” he said.


Besides this act of illegal land grabbing and the leech-like person, this king is known as the coup maker or the coup supporter. We can say this because all the coup leaders always seek for his endorsement, support and blessings after they took the power in order to become legitimate leaders. This is the reason why he is always able to intervene the political crisis in the country. It even clearly understands that this king is the coup maker for his role behind the coup d´eta in 2006. This coup d´eta was believed to be engineered by the king and his surrounding elites in order to abolish Thaksin being afraid of his increasing popularity among the majority of Thais which they think that such a popularity could clearly conquer the present position of the Thai king today and harm the royal institution in the future.

Furthermore, this king has wasted so much Thai economy not only on the expense to his family´luxurious life in the golden palace, but also the expense of million dollars on millions of his decorated portraits hanging up throughout the country which cannot be seen anywhere in the world.

Comparatively, the prostitutes have more value to say about them due to their sacrifice for the well-being of their families and the economic development in the country compared to Bhumibol, the king of Thailand, because their sacrifice makes tourism in Thailand contributes to about 6% of the national economy.

In the past their business was legalized and taxed. However, it is considered as illegal under the prostitution law 1908, but it has even contributed more to the Thai economy. Especially, during the Vietnam war it injected some $16 million into the Thai economy annually through this sex tourism and it is remarkably increased to, as one estimate published in 2003 placed the trade at, US$ 4.4 billion per year or about three percent of the Thai economy. It is estimated that the number of prostitutes in Thailand has increased from 400,000 in 1964 to to 2 million today. Among which 20% of Thailand prostitutes are 18 or younger. According to research by Chulalongkorn University on the Thai illegal economy, prostitution in Thailand in the period between 1993 and 1995, made up around 2.7% of the GDP. It is believed that at least 10% of tourist dollars are spent on the sex trade.

Without such an invaluable sacrificial role of the prostitution or the poor, Thailand would never have come the tiger economic country in the third world countries. The investors and tourists would never flux into Thailand. With this, it keeps attracting and improving the Thai economic development and at the same time helps stabilize country´s politic.

On the other hand, without such an invaluable sacrifice to support themselves and family the poor would still be poor and would never see their living standards become improved through the elites´government policy, if Thaksin didn´t come to power whose leadership tried to clean up the country's image as the red-light district of the world and provide the Thai women with a decent jobs which was succeed somewhat, for Bhumibol and his elites politically and economically want to and will always keep the majority poor of Thailand become poor as long as possible so that they can easily control and exploit them in order to maintain their power, political status and enrich themselves on the expense of these majority poor Thais.

With these reasons, I think that it is time now for the poor of Thailand and even the middle class, to wake up and fight for what they deserve to be in the society. They should not live under the disguised semi-divined god king Please all majority of Thais realize that his development projects are initiated by his elite cronies, financed, supported and implemented by the government other involved institutions. In fact, this king has sacrificed nothing but enriching himself to the top of the world by sucking majority of Thais´ blood daily and embezzling the public property through his CPB and social development projects so that he can uses this wealth to maintain his power grip in the future.

However, we can believe that he is the loved king by all and the kindness king to all Thais only he can prove to the Thais that if he could sacrifice some of his wealth to alleviate the poverty in the country, stop receiving the annual $59 million from the tax payer to support his family, abolish the lés majésty law and allow the independent institute to investigate his wealth. Otherwise, he must be considered as the feudal, corrupt, dictatorial, and authoritative person that the Thai people must get rid of him and bring about the respect for human rights, human dignity , and freedom of expression, and social and economic justice to the Thai society. Or the majority of Thais will live a life like an object and their future will continue to be exploited without ending under this king and his surrounding elites.

About the Author: Mr. Tony, a British, is a regular tourist to Thailand since 1995. His destination is Asean countries which Thailand is his top favorite due to its sex industry and corrupt police officers. He also started his business in Thailand in 1999 and had a residence there which he just gave it up last year.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Khmerization,

Thank you for this good article on the corrupt Thai King.

This article raises several good points about King Bhumibol of Thailand.

I think you should ask KI Media to post it on its site (larger number of readers/visitors) as well since the article is quite informative.

Once again, as always thank you for the good work you have done.

Keep up the good work.

Anet Khmer

Cheka said...

i don't think anything wrong if Thai King will be rich.
cause Royal Clan have been working long time in country.



Crown Property Bureau (CPB) 's asset not belong to the King. but own by State and manage by Ministry of Finance. also data on Forbes is lead misunderstanding.

Anonymous said...

Prostitution is a problem in almost every country.
You should hurt people to buy services rather than demanding that the Thai king with no executive power.
Responsibility.
Thailand managed by parliamentary government.
Not managed by the king.
Should be ashamed of what Cambodia has filled out prostitution, male prostitution, poverty is a problem like other problems. Together to change. And to mitigate the problem is becoming. Seeks to resolve overnight at how Hyun Sen, Cambodia should not do or consider yourself why are there begging to be found everywhere. To smuggle people into work in Thailand. Fraction of the money for Dmrgcs life. Court system is terrible. Under the dictatorship. Loading alleging that oppositioners

Anonymous said...

Cheka-Aisya, it is wrong that the Thai King Bhumibol is getting filthy rich while millions of his subjects, the Thai people, live below poverty line. $35 billion for just sitting on the throne and jail everybody who criticized him? Is this what you called working hard? This guy/king is a real dictator/absolute monarch resemble that of the 17th century kings.

6:43 PM, it is true that Cambodia is poorer and more destitute than Thailand. This is because of the corrupt rule of Mr. Hun Sen, who is similar to the Thai king because both had only one eye and both are the real dictators. One more thing, the reason Cambodia is poor is because Thailand had stolen most of its rich lands from Korat to Surin to Trat, Sisaket, Buriram etc, etc..If your Thai ancestors didn't rob Khmer lands you would have been colonized by China in Nanchao and Yunan provinces because it was where you came from.

Anonymous said...

bad comment about Thai king. If you don't live in Thai, didn't growth up in Thai; Please don't say something like this. No any good person in the world has no gossip/fake story from other. Please take down this article and picture too!! It's very BAD!! no respect at all! I know you don't respect to him but we, THAI PEOPLE, are!

Anonymous said...

1:41 PM,This is 21st century so people should have the freedom of speech without fears. Lese majeste laws in Thailand made many people afraid to speak the truth and many Thais like yourself are ignorant of a lot of the bad things the Thai king and the Thai royal family did to his Thai subjects. Many were jailed simply for talking negative about the king.

Freedom of speech is paramount and people must know the truth!

Anonymous said...

People has good thing and bad thing in their life. No matter who they are and where they come from as long as we are "human"

This story is "normal" in my opinion. Our king has done so many good thing for the country so he should deserved to have what he has.

We should looking at ourselves what we've done for other people before talk shit about someone else.

I am truly Thai lady and pround to be Thai person with the great king that we love.

Anonymous said...

Do you know the word "Red Purse Money"? See the link below on how it was used.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Rama_III#Death_and_legacy

pou.rachada's said...

dont' interfere our country, you don't know, please don't use your idea to interfere our country any more. takecare your contry better lookdown on others.

Anonymous said...

เอาภาษาไทยกันเลยนะ นี่เวบของเขมรใช่ป่ะ คุณดูแลประเทศของคุณให้ดีก่อน ก่อนจะมาว่าประเทศคนอื่น ..

Nong said...

Dear Mr. Tony or whoever writes this article, I mean professionally there usually name & surname, I respect your comment but may I give you a little advice before you present your article to public. Please do your homework professionally, from my English capability and education I have, your story line in comparing prostitution with the King of Thailand is unprofessional and inappropreiate. Hard to believe that you are an English person where Monachy is still today existing (I live there before) and you don't understand at all what's you are talking about. Thailand is a democratic country managed by government under constitutional Monachy. Again, do you homework. Best regards, anonymous.

Thai citizen said...

oh my god, this is the most retard thing i had ever read. first if you don't like Thailand don't come here. and our king is human so where the hell so he got the money from? are you expect that he'd run a company or something? so yes why not, people do gave him money since we know he'd done something good with it, good for the country. just so you know our king do come up with the project by himself so what should he do? go dig dirt so you can think he actually do something? you know what he actually did with his two hands try google it. and he is now nearly 90 so forgive him if he have to lay down in the hospital. and he DOES PAY TAX. the land you mention about that Somchai thing well you know why that is because he is illegally stay on that land have you ever visit Thailand for once? if you did you'll see why and just so you know he doesn't even have to pay tax for that because again it ILLEGAL. and the word 'own by the king' is meant own by the country so please please if you don't know it try not to humiliate yourself. and what the fuck is golden palace?? really try to do research and if the portraits you said it can't be seen in anywhere in the world, how the hell do you know he got it? oh my god and the Thaksin part did he pay you to wright this shit? again read this form over time he had be a prim minister of Thailand he sold government businesses and gain over 60billion$ has pass many law to support his businesses. so yep he is sure helpful again please do research. finally if you really had ever live in Thailand, which i seriously doubt that, world of advice try to read more. oh and you should keep your opinion to yourself we can sue you for this remember our king is rich so he won't mind spend some just to ruin your life. and what your queen do? open more hospital or attend some social party?
so shut the hell up herpes man.

Tho said...

Fucking yellow head.

Anonymous said...

Wow it's interested.. How come writer who wrote this article show their ridiculous knowledge??? Ha ha..

No any countries around the world is perfect....

Anonymous said...

Please do better research before you try to publish something to the public. It is true that you have freedom of speech, but there should be some moral grounds for you to stand. Please take your moral and put it on higher standard you are currently standing on. You should look into good deeds that the King has done for Thailand. He has done much more things than you could have imagined and way more than you probably done in your entire life. Assuming you did not do much in your life since all you seem to be doing is trash talking and posting a bunch of crap.

Thai Citizens! said...

This article has nothing but assumption from misleading information.
In 60 years, our king created and manage 3000+ of project throughout country for rural people... that is average of atleast 1 working project. Not include other trial error project... these project are pilot project for people in the country.. to archive sustainable economy where global financial crises will not effect their basic living need..

That is why many selfish business people dont like the idea because it reduce inequality and make many people dont have to rely on MONEY!!!! as it use to be. These project are setup in such away that it is FREE! TO GET employee in the project to come out and help farmers.. algricultural people to archive these goal for FREE!

Thai pivoty line has dramatically decreases since he has become our king...

I do not wish to spend anymore time with this article.. simply says... it is retards.. misleading.. simply want a big hit on article... please becarefull yourself as you just make more than 60millions people very angry at you!.

we put his picture up because we love him! because the kindness..sincere and his hardworking life.. you will never had chance to feel it..because you ain't thai... may be thats why your jealously bring up this article!.. poor guy...

Anonymous said...

What's wrong if a king is rich? Look at Brunei, Saudi Arabia and England, all kings and queen are rich, and what is wrong with that?
I am Thai and I have seen my King working hard all his life. He did all the research trying to help poor people in the country. He has never done anything for himself, his people always come first.
You don't know anything about him so SHUT UP!
Go back and live in your shit hole and eat all your own shit.
You are way too far to compare to Thailand and Thai people.

Anonymous said...

To Whome it may concern
As the article is had been post by Mr Tony Is seem to wrote with out the rihgt infomation our king he paid his own tax and the money he used on his Royal project is come form the Donated that the Thai people been give it to him and some of it his own money and do not compare my king to thae prositute is not cool things to do My king he is not a dictator or feudalish and If you had been liveing in my counte=ry for more than16 years you would not publish any things like this and you would have the infomation which is base on the thrue and real things not lie and about the prositute and sex industrial in Thailand not every one who have a poor Mentallity like you which ic want to come to visit Thailand just for sex and That is mean you may can not find any partner or ....Then you got to come to Thailand for that and any way I am live on the south of Thailand on the island call Koh Phangan and most of the tourist who come to visit our island is come to enjoy the nice white sand beach and enjoy their freedom and in many of the tourist who want to come to Thailand they are not come for the sex industrial like you have didi on the past a swell as you live in Thailand for long time you should have more clues of what is going no and how the Thai fell about their kings and how much do they love him and they talking about him in the good way and full respect because of they can see and they know that he did many things to made the Thai people for many many years and even now still his project running for the Thai people and about That Man Somchai If he is working for long time and not even have his own home on the area that you mention that is because he know that he can not stay there and he is may break the low so do not wrote about this agian
And do not interfere our country and get you self busy els where
Another thing Wh didi not paid Tax is Mr Taksin Shinawatra He is the one who is not paid the Tax so blame him Not my King he does paid his own Tax
And take care of you openion and try to get more infomation before you want to write the new article and used less unreal imagination and stop lie please
p.s Stop talking bad thing and stop lieing to the other people

Unknown said...

To Mr. Tony, a British is a regular tourist.

Living in Thailand since 1995 did not make you an expert about Thais 'believe and value. There must be something wrong with your learning skills, i believe. Do you know how many charity the King and The Queen have for Thais? I bet you do not. if you do not feel shame about giving the reader a wrong idea about our King, that's fine but could you please keep your opinion to yourself, just for heaven sake.Finally if you do not feel comfortable living under our King, please do not come to our country ever again. Finally, finally, I wish all the bad things you have said about my king turn back to you as your Christmas gift from Thais.
P.S.Why don't you write an article about your own country in this case you might ( I said might)known better, if you be able to learn something from your own country.

Anonymous said...

Hereby what the Book says about the last king of the Thais, so near, so far to distinguish it from time:

In perfect harmony of union in business the old Mongolian sits in silence. Joy and contentment around, shouts on the fields. Mother and father coming together to the brightness corner of the stony palace. Sanctification from night to day and an everlasting sleep in glory. At dawn a new era for the kingdom, though an empty, sadden and longing throne. And you sons and daughters of the old Khmer Empire, pay honor to a forgotten king before the new year and he will keep you from a madness.

Anonymous said...

The negative comments here from Thai people are very typical. Unfortunately, most Thais do not question what they read?are told.

Undoubtedly the King has done good, but in essence, the picture of the King is controlled by the official Royal PR agency. Positive images about the King are produced day in, day out. No criticism is permitted (lese majeste). After decades of propaganda, Thais have never heard anything negative of their King - they cant comprehend it. But if the average Thai just paused and asked themself "how do I know that that is true", and if the answer is "I saw it on the TV" ... then there is something wrong.

The King did not start 3000 Royal projects - He is CREDITED with 3000 Royals Projects i.e. someone else started the project (such as a government agency) and then that project is characterised as deriving from the King -usually as an act of gratitute to the King - but then the King gets (and takes) credit. It spirals and soon you have the King who has created 3000 Royal projects.

To those who say there is nothing wrong with the King having money, I agree - but in Thailand the gap between rich and poor is incredible and the amount if wealth the King has and the means for creation are not in line with the image that exists of him in a country with such horrific poverty.

Thais dont get this. They dont understand. There is no point even arguing about the King. Just leave the Thais to think and believe what they want. The educated world knows differently - and at the end of the day the only people who will suffer from their stupidity are the Thais.

Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

To all Thais,

We know you love your king, but please be a bit open-minded and look around. Many Thais have been brainwashed by the Thai media, TVs, radio, newspapers etc. to believe that King Bhumibol is god or something. This is because of the lese majeste laws. Many people have been jailed for just making any negative comments of King Bhumibol and as such TVs, radio or newspapers dare not report any negative things about the king and the Thai royal family. So, it is important for all Thai people to be a bit open-minded and look around, read around from other sources to find out the truth. Your king had done many good things, but he also had done many bad things that the Thai media and government can't reveal because of the lese majeste laws.

Love Thai King said...

It is the truth that Thai king has a lot of money(rich), But almost his money comes from dispensation of Thai people who love him. Some of king's money is donated to foundations. I'm a Thai, and I love my king very much as well as many Thais. Finally, stop giving your WRONG idea about MY king to the public. You are only the tourist from some country, Do you think you know exactly about Thailand's affair? If not then shut up and live in your own country, this is not your business to complain other nation.

Anonymous said...

"the 80-year-old king had a $35 billion fortune, with his estimated net worth increasing sevenfold during the past year"

It's not that his fortune has increased, it's just that the "3,493 acres in Bangkok" you are refering to, accounting for 27 of the 35 billions, were NOT taken into account before... Which made sense because they most notably include the ROYAL PALACE, which might technically be his private property, but in reality is a historical monument and he certainly can't sell a bit of it.