Organizations
Several support organisations for sex workers exist in Thailand. Most of them attempt to discourage women from taking up or continuing the trade.
SHE Foundation (Self Help & Empowerment) works with women and children trapped in the commercial sex trade in Phuket Thailand. SHE offers a prevention programme that gives uneducated women FREE Hotel training that prevents women turning to bars through lack of choice and education. SHE also offers women working in the bars FREE housing and paid employment making jewellery within the SHE Center. www.shethailand.org
EMPOWER is a Thai NGO that takes a neutral stance towards sex work and offers educational and counseling services to female sex workers. It has been operating since 1985 and has offices in Patpong (Bangkok), Chiang Mai, Mae Sai and Patong Beach (Phuket).
SWING (Service Workers in Group) is a recent offshoot of EMPOWER, offering support to male and female sex workers in Patpong and Pattaya. It offers English classes, teaches safe sex, distributes condoms, and promotes health and safety with their gym and discounted medical examinations. The newly formed organisation SISTERS works with transgender sex workers in Bangkok and Pattaya.
Destiny Rescue, is an organisation that is focused on the prevention and rescue of girls involved in prostitution in Thailand.
FACE is an organisation that focuses on child prostitution and trafficking and is the main partner of the UN in the country. DEPDC is an organisation that battles trafficking of women and children.
The Population and Community Development Association (PDA), headed by Mechai Viravaidya, pioneered family planning and safe sex strategies in Thailand over thirty years ago. The organisation no longer focuses expressly on safe sex issues, but continues to provide information, condoms, and prevention programmes around the country.
CPCR (The Centre for the Protection of Children's Rights Foundation) is a Thai NGO which concerns primarily with preventing and confronting the physical and sexual abuse, exploitation and neglect of children in Thailand, and was established in 1981.
International Justice Mission is a U.S.-based Christian human rights organisation which operates in Thailand to rescue brothel workers held in sexual slavery.
Fr. Ray Foundation in Pattaya provides care and housing where vulnerable children can find safety at the Children's Home, and homeless kids are offered a sanctuary from the dangers of the street at the Drop-In Centre for Street Kids. Exploited women and their children are helped and assisted through education and care at the Fountain of Life.
The Well is a US-based Christian organisation that has been reaching out to sex workers and others at risk since 2004. They provide alternative employment, educational opportunity and social services to help restore women and families to health.
The SOLD Project began in 2007 and is committed to stopping child prostitution through education. Their mission is "to prevent child prostitution through culturally relevant programmes for vulnerable children and to share their stories to empower creative, compassionate people to act".
Read more about this topic: Prostitution In Thailand