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Here is a little bit of Thai cultural trivia for you. Inspired, by a recent field trip report from a Thai friend and a small article in this Sunday's Nation newspaper Sunday section.
'Samnak Khom Keaw’ or, the ‘Green Lantern House’ of old
The setting:
Perhaps you have heard of the crocodile farm for tourists, out in Samat Prakan. Well, very close to the farm is another place called Muang Boran [translates to: Ancient City]. Now while I haven't ever been to either, all the reports I have heard suggest the Muang Boran is a great excursion and makes for a rather fascinating day trip.
You can do a virtual tour by going to these two sites:
Ancient City
Muang Boran
The context:
The world’s oldest profession
During the reign of King Narai the Great, the specific term used for sexual services was rub jang tham chamrao kae burud. The phrase rub jang translates to “paid service”, while tham chamrao stands for “providing sex” in today’s context.
Later on, during the reign of King Rama V, brothels were legalised for the first time through the Ror Sor Act 127 and in 1909 there was an attempt to control sexually transmitted diseases through a social order. By law, brothels had to hang khom keaw, or green lanterns, at the entrance.
The industry boomed and was believed to have contributed more to the country than gambling. In fact, two mama-sans even donated money for the construction of Wat Kanikaphol (which translates to temple made of “money from prostitutes), and Wat Kanmatuyaram.
Prostitution continues to be a booming industry, and even a high-profile politician has been linked to the business. He claims he shared his ill-gained profits by donating land for public parks in Bangkok.
The women, however, have ended up facing a greater social stigma than they did in the past.
There has always been talk about the legalisation of prostitution, with the most recent government proposal in 2003, but it has yet to come into action. Some sex workers argue that they are better off living in the shadows, saying that registering with the government won’t protect them from corrupt policemen, pimps or cruel clients, nor will it lift the stigma attached to their trade, or solve the health and criminal problems they are faced with.
Meanwhile, rights advocates and social experts acknowledge that prostitution is a structural problem that neither legal nor economic perspectives alone would solve it.
[sidebar, picture missing]
In the days gone by: A drawing entitled ‘Samnak Khom Keaw’ (the ‘Green Lantern House’) from ‘Talat Bok’, published by MuangBoran Press in 1992. Below, a picture of a Siamese woman published in ‘Krungthep
Aree Chaisatien, The Nation
[source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/sunday/ 19, Feb 2006]
Tourism trivia:
My Thai friend, who recently took some visiting farang to Muang Boran for the day, upon returning told me this: Their tour guide for the day pointed out a particularly significant [if modest looking] building on the grounds of Muang Boran. Yup, that's right, they have their very own historic whorehouse replica 'Samnak Khom Keaw’ ~ ‘Green Lantern House’.
I think it would be interesting to know if the guides point this out Thais as well as farang, or, do they keep it mum for the farang guests.
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