Thailand: the world’s  brothel or its kitchen?

The real tragedy of this news is that it is neither the first such case nor will it be the last. Truth be told, Thailand continues to be Southeast Asia’s – if not, the world’s sex tourism capital. Do we want Thailand known as the world’s kitchen or the world’s brothel? Do we want more “sexpats” or high quality tourists genuinely desiring Thailand’s great sightseeing and world-class cuisine? 
Since the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is talks to use Facebook Live to promote tourism, it is high time we repositioned, rebranded, and reformed Thailand’s tourism industry, maximising its true potential. Besides sex tourism and binge drinking, Thailand has much to offer if it dares to think radically outside the status quo. Here are several things TAT can do:
1. Invest in medical tourism where foreigners can enjoy world-class treatment at an affordable price.
2. Brand Thailand as one of the world’s top spiritual spots where people from all walks of life come for meditation courses, learning about Buddhism, appreciating century-old temples.   
3. Pivot to sustainable tourism, making tourism hotspots such as Chiang Mai and Phuket able to accommodate tourists in the long term sustainably, without overtaxing infrastructure. This means matching supply of accommodation with actual demand, keeping the beaches clean, reducing waste, and preserving natural forests and habitat as best possible, much like in Japan whose tourism campaign is a success story. 
4. Have each province create its story and brand, thereby stimulating local tourism. People in all provinces know their local attractions best – be they scenic areas, tasty cuisine, the local dialect, sacred temples, etc. This would be aided by a radical logistics upgrade (inter-provincial buses, fast trains, domestic budget airlines) to make it as accessible and affordable for locals and foreigners alike to explore each province. Women who otherwise would enter the prostitution industry would have other employment alternatives. 
More revolutionary than Dr Somkid Jatusripitak’s smart cities would be turning a city, such as Chiang Mai, into a Silicon Valley, in collaboration with local universities and international research centres and backed by foreign investors. No province and region should be left behind. Tourism promotion budgets must be equitably shared in the South and the North, as the South is getting more attention.
It is indeed time to radically rethink our golden goose. I repeat: Do we want Thailand to be known as the world’s kitchen or the world’s brothel?
Edward Kitlertsirivatana