Abstract
The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the impact of the Thai Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act of 1996 in ten geographical regions of the country. This paper also addresses law enforcement approaches in controlling prostitution. Data for prostitution arrests from 1995 to 1998 were obtained from official police sources (Statistics of Reported Crimes of Thailand). ARIMA intervention analysis was employed; revealing the arrest rates of prostitutes between pre- and post-enactment of the present Prostitution Act did not differ statistically within the regions except for Region 8 (Phuket). The paper reaches two general conclusions: (1) the 1996 Thai prostitution law did not significantly reduce the arrest rate for prostitution across the country; and (2) further consideration must be given to the idea of decriminalizing prostitution, which might allow for licensure, improving health and living conditions as well as potentially limiting exploitation and impact crimes associated with the prostitution industry.
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Notes
The estimated average monthly salary of working class Thai citizen is 7,000 Baht (approximately US $200).
A factor that limits this assumption is that police work against prostitution differs from area to area and from year to year.
The population in the ten regions varies across the 4 years of the study, based on the data from the Office of National Statistics of Thailand.
The time-series analysis disregarded the last 10 days of December 1996 for the post intervention impact since daily data was not available.
The proportions of prostitute arrests per total arrests from 1995 to 1998 in Bangkok were around 1/26, 1/36, 1/143, and 1/67, respectively; in Region 4 (Khonkhaen) were around 1/111, 1/333, 1/333, and 1/500, respectively; in Region 5 (Chiang Mai) were around 1/77, 1/100, 1/333, and 1/333, respectively; and in Region 7 (Huahin) were around 1/91, 1/200, 1/250, and 1/250, respectively.
The proportions of prostitute arrests per total arrests from 1995 to 1998 in Region 1 (Nonthaburi) were around 1/111, 1/333, 1/1000, and 1/167 respectively; in Region 2 (Pattaya) were around 1/38, 1/71, 1/63, and 1/83 respectively; in Region 3 (Nakhon Ratchasima) were around 1/167, 1/333, 1/91, and 1/111, respectively; in Region 6 (Tak) were around 1/125, 1/167, 1/167, and 1/1,000, respectively; in Region 8 (Phuket) were around 1/77, 1/91, 1/45, and 1/29, respectively; and in Region 9 (Songkhla) were around 1/40, 1/59, 1/53, and 1/35, respectively.
Pathumthani, Chonburi, Nakhornratchasrima, Khonkhaen, Chiangrai and Chiangmai, Tak, Prajuabkhirikhan, Suratthani and Phuket, and Songkhla
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Khruakham, S., Lawton, B.A. Assessing the Impact of the 1996 Thai Prostitution Law: A Study of Police Arrest Data. Asian Criminology 7, 23–36 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11417-010-9100-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11417-010-9100-9