Outsiders may argue that these young women could live a simple
life at home in the country and could survive by working at their traditional
tasks in the household and rice fields without having to resort to
prostitution. Contemporary pressures, however, are extremely powerful.
Development projects undertaken by the central government have
brought roads, radio, television, and popular magazines to the villages,
spreading the religion of consumerism, and people are no longer happy
with former traditions (Sivaraksa, 1992:3–9). Traditional values are
threatened by desperate poverty, the inability to possess land, and the
exploitation from agribusiness. In addition, the new values increase
the demand for consumer goods. Today most rural Thai families are
torn apart by these two forces, and under these circumstances, it is
hard for young men and women to stay home and be happy in rural
areas. Today most rural villages, especially in the north and northeast,
are populated only by those left behind, old people, and children.