Thai sex industry - a truly authentic take

This blog focuses on how Thailand is presented in the media and, in particular, how the country's notorious sex industry is portrayed in so called documentary films. The men involved in the Thai bar scene are invariably depicted as ruthless predators or sad, fat old men who have failed to connect with females in their own countries. Thai women take the role of helpless victims of traffickers or heartless, scheming manipulators eager to separate the hapless "farang" from his hard earned savings.  It should come as no surprise that the reality is so much more complicated.

I have written two books set in Thailand's most infamous city, Pattaya. My contention is that the lazy stereotyping so prevalent in the documentaries is wide of the mark, but there is a thread that ties many of the participants on both sides of the sex trade together. They are all trying to find something that is missing in their lives, for many of the girls that is no more than the small amount of cash that it would take to look after their families. For others the stakes are much higher.

My books have consistently received 5 star rankings on Amazon and the key to their success, I am told, is that they are a truly authentic take on the dynamics of the Thai sex industry. If you would like to know more about the darker side of Thailand and how its participants really interact, then I hope you will take a look at these books.

Thai Kiss - is available on Amazon.co.uk  and Amazon.com. 

Thai Lottery - is available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com

Both books are available on all the regional Amazon sites and also on Barnes & Noble, Nook and Kobo.

I hope you will check them out and let me know what you think.

Thanks to Lewis on Amazon.com who says of Thai Kiss -
This book has now become my all time favorite novel about Thailand ,it gives a very enjoyable detailed look into the many facets of the underworld of the Pattaya bar scene ,and some of the not so pleasant characters involved in it. The story is a suspenseful, well researched fast paced page turner, from a brilliant writer. The twists and turns in the plot were very well executed, you will be hooked.

I loved this book , it's gripping from start to finish, can't wait for his next one.

21st Century Sex Slaves

There are countless films dealing with the sex industry in Thailand, this one is unusual on two counts. First it acknowledges that the majority of women involved in the trade are not the victims of trafficking. They could walk away if they chose to do so. Second it looks at the problem of women being brought into Thailand from abroad. In this case a gang from Uzbekistan is pimping its own nationals to Arabs and Indians living in Bangkok (so the film claims).

It's an interesting film and certainly worth forty four minutes of your time, but it is not without its irritations.

The voice over attempts to inject drama into situations which look considerably less dramatic than the narrator is suggesting. Some film, which is claimed to portray a single night's action, is betrayed by a time clock which shows it is spread over around 19 days. Most disturbing is that the police seem to blunder through their investigation, diving in to make arrests without the evidence to make a charge stick.

The case is bust open when police arrest two Thais outside Pattaya. I regret that when I saw that, I started to wonder if the whole thing was a fabrication. As the narrator tried to suggest it was a life and death situation for the forces of law and order, it looked to me like the arrest of a couple of taxi drivers who had stopped for a nap.

So, a genuine fly on the wall documentary or an elaborate promo for a well meaning charity and the Thai authorities anxious to suggest they are combating the sex trade? You decide.  Check it out here. Film