There’s a thriving crime fiction scene in Bangkok. Writers like Colin Cotterill, John Burdett and Christopher G. Moore have lived in Thailand and published titles set there. Their writing is as hot as a Thai curry. Here are a few examples: Bangkok 8: A Royal Thai Detective Novel
Last January, we were in Thailand for ten days and two days in Bangkok. My son, my granddaughter, and her husband decided to go to "Cowboy," a district where most of the bars have girls out front cajoling people to come inside. Even I was approached and fawned over. Most of them looked underage, and a few looked scared. One bar was known for its trans bar girls. I watched an exchange between two men that resulted in one of them taking a girl with him off-site while two policemen stood nearby, talking. I was sickened and upset that we even went to this place. At first, I went with a noir writer's curiosity and research need, but quickly turned angry and said I wanted to leave. My son's friend, who is half Thai and lives there, said the girls are brought in by bus. I wish I knew what their living conditions were like. I don't think their government will do anything any time soon to stop the trade as the place was packed with tourists. Like me. I'm not sure any woman could write about this without doing more research and possibly putting their life in danger. I do wonder why these ex-pat male authors live there other than it is very inexpensive to do so.
I appreciate your comment. This kind of industrial-level exploitation of people for sex-gratification looks very different to women and others who are able to empathize with the victims of sex trafficking. Is there a problem with the crime fiction genre if it still permits and rewards writers who perpetuate representations of the sex trade that conveniently leave out the consequences for its victims?
I believe there is a problem with crime writers who use the victimization of these girls without showing the consequences to them. Once again, they are "used and abused" when sensationalized and exploited for plot points.
Last January, we were in Thailand for ten days and two days in Bangkok. My son, my granddaughter, and her husband decided to go to "Cowboy," a district where most of the bars have girls out front cajoling people to come inside. Even I was approached and fawned over. Most of them looked underage, and a few looked scared. One bar was known for its trans bar girls. I watched an exchange between two men that resulted in one of them taking a girl with him off-site while two policemen stood nearby, talking. I was sickened and upset that we even went to this place. At first, I went with a noir writer's curiosity and research need, but quickly turned angry and said I wanted to leave. My son's friend, who is half Thai and lives there, said the girls are brought in by bus. I wish I knew what their living conditions were like. I don't think their government will do anything any time soon to stop the trade as the place was packed with tourists. Like me. I'm not sure any woman could write about this without doing more research and possibly putting their life in danger. I do wonder why these ex-pat male authors live there other than it is very inexpensive to do so.
I appreciate your comment. This kind of industrial-level exploitation of people for sex-gratification looks very different to women and others who are able to empathize with the victims of sex trafficking. Is there a problem with the crime fiction genre if it still permits and rewards writers who perpetuate representations of the sex trade that conveniently leave out the consequences for its victims?
I believe there is a problem with crime writers who use the victimization of these girls without showing the consequences to them. Once again, they are "used and abused" when sensationalized and exploited for plot points.