What's the point in getting a visa?

[bnjmnkrs]

 

 

Sorry to be pedantic, but this is a common fallacy. It is not illegal to sleep with prostitutes in Thailand. In fact, prostitution isn't (any more) illegal per se - rather it is illegal if it is done in a promiscuous manner. The law doesn't define promiscuous, and it is at the discretion of the police as to what they call promiscuous (which is, of course, a great recipe for corruption). However, it is certainly not illegal to be a customer of a prostitute.

 

It's debatable, but I defer to you, as I am not an expert in these matters. ;)

[tode1640]

It's debatable, but I defer to you, as I am not an expert in these matters. ;)

 

Neither am I. However, I know a little and that font of all knowledge, Wikipedia, helps. It says:

 

The Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act, B.E. 2539 (1996) (the “Prostitution Law”), is the central legal framework prohibiting prostitution. The law defines prostitution as any act done to gratify the sexual desire of another in exchange for money or any other benefit, but only if it is done “in a promiscuous manner”. The Prostitution Law does not define what exactly a “promiscuous manner” constitutes, and the act of prostitution by itself is not outlawed anymore, while solicitation is. The crime of solicitation is vaguely defined.

 

The 1960 "Suppression of Prostitution" act was more general, but that was repealed by the 1996 law. Even under the 1960 act, though, customers were not criminalised - only prostitutes and pimps.

 

In short, mongers aren't breaking the law in Thailand by mongering. The girls might be, but that is dependent upon the interpretation of the law by the police. I strongly suspect that their definition of "promiscuous prostitution" is prostitution from which they don't get a cut!