WOMEN, MIGRATION AND PROSTITUTION IN THAILAND

NGOs are increasingly concerned about the alarming numbers of Southeas t Asian women in prostitution. This article addresses the case of Thai land, and explores the reasons behind the migration of large numbers o f women into prostitution there. It demonstrates that prostitution is the outcome of numerous interconnected problems, including environment al degradation and tourism, and sociocultural factors such as religiou s ideology and the status of women. This article shows that government development policies in Thailand have been detrimental to women. It c oncludes that governments must consider women's needs and rights in th e process of development, and devise plans for alternative options to replace tourism. Finally, implications of this issue for the field of social work are raised.