Thailand ! Ahem

Thailand. .Siam. ..Bangkok. ..Phuket...these words sound so exotic.

But I am sure many of you have seen the sheepish grins of people as an answer to "how was your trip" or the smirk on faces when you say "we are going to Thailand " or the exclamation " Bangkok ? With children? Crazy! !!"  Or the advice with a wink " It's Pattaya where you should go"

.

When you think of the Thailand and its scenic beauty, the images from the beaches..Phuket,Krabi..Phi Phi Island,,

Gives us a mental picture of  a very relaxing virgin beach..clear waters sand and a soothing wind ruffling through your hair.
..Or of a shopping paradise with a bargain haven on streets.  

Or of exquisite Thai curry with intoxicating levels of coconut milk and lemongrass flavors

Well Thailand is this and much more....!

But the much more is what strikes you the moment you set foot in Bangkok until you board flight back :-(

No I am not talking about the skin show. .nor from the conservative eyes of a traditional Indian wife..for all we know ,swimsuits/bikinis and micro minis are already here..thanks to our cosmopolitan cities and globalization!

It's the rawness of flesh trade,the enormity of people engaged in it and the nauseating levels of marketing which strikes you...

A country with such beautiful locales and high potential for tourism..the insatiable beaches, water sports. .exotic cuisine. .rich ancient culture blending Hinduism and Buddhism with ounces of Christianity. ..all these get washed off in the boards of "massages" and the people who flock there searching for "happy endings" 

In that Thailand turns out to be what it is now-a world's largest adult playground  (I am not kidding. ..this was advertised in a pamphlet")

It's a  pity to see that sex tourism is what makes Thailand famous ..

While in Phuket,we watched a cultural show , magnificently done with animals also as stage actors.The show was grand, but I was amazed at their resemblance to Hinduism and ancient India.

It makes one wonder why Thailand evolved to such an averse level of promoting prostitution

A big part of the population stays devoted to royalty, mourn the loss of their monarch with intense pain .. you will see how popular he was ...almost every establishment carries a sign of it..

This is so close to the era of monarchy in many countries and when we see Thai still hold on to that part of their culture, it is beyond my understanding where this "flesh trade and adult playgrounds" fit in.

 Every city has it red light areas..legal and illegal. But "legalized"prostitution and a tourism industry thriving on it and slowly Thailand -a country with much more to offer in terms of cultural experience, adventures and pure scenic beauty getting reduced to an Amsterdam of the East..is sad.

As we drive to the airport across a school and I see little young angels playing...I wish Thailand gets a makeover. ..

I wish that people who step in doesn't feel so nauseous of the flesh trade. .

Thailand you are beautiful and Thai people you are so courteous

If only this wasn't so much of an eyesore that you will feel sick thinking  if you have to come back here. ..