Thai bar girl woes

A few weeks ago, the Bangkok Post published an article exposing human trafficking, which from memory was about girls from neighbouring countries being trafficked. There was no mention of the exploitation and enslavement of Thai nationals.

As a frequent visitor to the country over the years (22 times), I would like to share the stories of some bar girls I talked to. Although they don’t complain against their employers for fear of losing their jobs, the majority of the ladies feel they are being enslaved and exploited.

They have harsh working conditions, working 10-hour shifts with one day off every two weeks, no allocated wage, relying on tips and a 50-baht commission if a customer buys them a “lady drink”. They receive no cut of the “bar fine”, and cannot know- ingly to their employer have a boyfriend. If a girl is fortunate to meet a man who is willing to take her away from this situation, there is a “release fee” imposed by the bar owner which can be between 10,000 and 20,000 baht. I was informed the bar owner’s reasoning behind the “release fee” is that if the girls weren’t working in the bar they would not have met the man.

The above information on the “release fee” is common in the larger type bars and more so in the owners of multiple bars.

I have not heard of small bar operators imposing the release fee. The owners of a large and multiple bars would be making a fortune, with no wage outlay and inflated drink and food prices.

To the best of my knowledge, these girls are being exploited, enslaved and trafficked by the bar owners. The Thai police and the appropriate government officials should investigate and set a wage, a cut of the “bar fine”, just working conditions and abolishing the “release fee”. POMMY PETE