Throughout Thai history, there has been a close connection between economic development, migration, and prostitution. The history of human trafficking in Thailand had occurred since ancient times, especially in the form of prostitution. During Ayutthaya period from 1300s to 1700s, human trafficking in the form of prostitution was legal and taxed by Thai government (Betz, 2009). During this time, Thai kings had a polygamy marriage system with harems to produce heirs to the throne. Under the Sakdina social hierarchy system, it was common to give women as a reward for military achievement, service Thai men that worked for wealthy family, and exchanged or taken as concubines by elite man (Tarancon, 2013). From the late 1700s to 1850s, the expansion of the rice export economy initiated an influx of Chinese labors and sex workers coming to Thailand (Tarancon, 2013). After the 1855, the Bowring Treaty, signed between the Great Britain and Thailand, has opened Thailand to international trade, bringing women and children to Thailand to either marry or become prostitutes for Chinese migrant workers (Tarancon, 2013). In the 1900s, Thailand has opened relations with the Western world. Consequently, Thai government reformed its rules, laws, policies, and regulations, especially the issue of slavery, polygamy, and prostitution to demonstrate that …show more content…
Due to the massive number of issues associated with human trafficking in Thailand, the Thai government has adopted anti-trafficking policies in hopes of addressing these growing concerns. By examining overall and specific causes of human trafficking, one can answer the reasons of Thailand’s status as the source, transit, and destination for forced labor and sex trafficking, which can lead to accurately appoint individuals or groups that are in danger of trafficking or being