Male sex workers
CHIANG MAI, Thailand — Sex work is seen as a taboo subject by much of Burmese society, but over the border in Thailand, Burmese migrants make up a large share of male sex workers.
In the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai, Burmese migrants sell their bodies for sex at “show bars” or other entertainment venues. The bars are legal, but it is illegal for migrants to work at them. As a result, many male sex workers do not seek medical assistance if they contract sexually transmitted diseases because they do not want to reveal their source of income.
“A majority of the youths working at our bar are from Burma, between the ages of 18 and 25,” said an employee at one of the city’s best known gay bars, speaking on condition of anonymity.
He said that despite assumptions in the community that male sex workers are gay, some of the migrants were straight but had sex with men to support their families.
A large proportion of sex workers in Chiang Mai are from ethnic minority areas in Burma, including Shan, Kayah and Karen states. Ethnic minority states were ravaged by civil wars under Burma’s former military regime, forcing more than 130,000 civilians to flee to Thailand over the course of 20 years.
Burmese migrants from Shan State made up nearly half of 50 young male sex workers interviewed at massage parlors and bars in Chiang Mai for a report released earlier this year by Urban Light and Love 146, two NGOs that aim to end sexual exploitation and child trafficking.
“A young man earns between 20,000 and 40,000 baht [US$625 to $1,250] per month, working at the show bar,” a waiter at another gay bar told The Irrawaddy, also requesting anonymity for security reasons. He said waiters earned less money than male sex workers and usually acted as agents, arranging meetings with clients.
Male sex workers find clients in Chiang Mai’s famous tourist spots, including Santitham, Chiang Mai Land and Night Bazaar.
Their jobs are not usually long term.
“Many cannot
In the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai, Burmese migrants sell their bodies for sex at “show bars” or other entertainment venues. The bars are legal, but it is illegal for migrants to work at them. As a result, many male sex workers do not seek medical assistance if they contract sexually transmitted diseases because they do not want to reveal their source of income.
“A majority of the youths working at our bar are from Burma, between the ages of 18 and 25,” said an employee at one of the city’s best known gay bars, speaking on condition of anonymity.
He said that despite assumptions in the community that male sex workers are gay, some of the migrants were straight but had sex with men to support their families.
A large proportion of sex workers in Chiang Mai are from ethnic minority areas in Burma, including Shan, Kayah and Karen states. Ethnic minority states were ravaged by civil wars under Burma’s former military regime, forcing more than 130,000 civilians to flee to Thailand over the course of 20 years.
Burmese migrants from Shan State made up nearly half of 50 young male sex workers interviewed at massage parlors and bars in Chiang Mai for a report released earlier this year by Urban Light and Love 146, two NGOs that aim to end sexual exploitation and child trafficking.
“A young man earns between 20,000 and 40,000 baht [US$625 to $1,250] per month, working at the show bar,” a waiter at another gay bar told The Irrawaddy, also requesting anonymity for security reasons. He said waiters earned less money than male sex workers and usually acted as agents, arranging meetings with clients.
Male sex workers find clients in Chiang Mai’s famous tourist spots, including Santitham, Chiang Mai Land and Night Bazaar.
Their jobs are not usually long term.
“Many cannot