THAILAND

« Eternal smile, softness of life, religious tolerance, open-mindedness and economic dynamics. Exquisite delicacy, infinite courtesy and an innate kindness are part of this country ». All of this is true, certainly. These beautiful images are becoming ever harder to discern however. If one is satisfied with the classic route, one mostly encounters a smile with a commercial inclination and attitudes which sometimes lack authenticity. 5 million tourists each year, Thailand can't possibly smile at everyone anymore! And then, part of these tourists come here for the joyride, without any further interest. In short, a logic and inevitable mutation, the country of a thousand tastes is encountering the same contradictions than others experiencing the same rapid tourist explosion: transformation of privileged sites into tourist ghettos, prices go up, profitability on the service, etc. Muang Thai remains one of the last countries to unite so many quality ingredients for ideal holidays: bungalows on the beach, paddy fields and hills covered by jungle, ancient tribes, refined cuisine... If Thailand is a dream destination, remember that it is one of the last "free" countries to tolerate on its soil an odious form of slavery: one where small girls and boys are coerced into prostitution, i.e. being raped, without the government getting a serious grip on this problem. It is no longer a "cultural facet" of the country but of a genuine human market, of which the main victims are the children, and which is our task to denounce.