Negotiating the Edge: The Rationalization of Sexual Risk Taking Among Western Male Sex Tourists to Thailand

Abstract

Every year thousands of Western men travel to Thailand as sex tourists to participate in paid-for sex. Although many of these men will use condoms to protect themselves against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), others will not, despite the risks. By applying Steven Lyng's (1990) concept of edgework to data collected from 14 face-to-face interviews with male sex tourists in Pattaya, Thailand, and 1,237 online discussion board posts, this article explores the ways in which these men understood and sought to rationalize the sexual risks they took. We argue that notions of likelihood of infection and significance of consequence underpin these behaviors, and we identify the existence of understandings of sexual risk that reject mainstream safer-sex messages and frame condomless sex as a broadly safe activity for heterosexual men. The article concludes by summarizing the difficulties inherent in driving behavior change among this group of men, for whom sexual risks appear to be easily rationalized away as either inconsequential or irrelevant.

Pragmatic approaches to control inbound sex tourism and prostitution in Thailand and Cambodia: the examination of relevant policy gaps and suggestion of multifaceted policy development

“…In short, they have insufficient quality social and cultural capital that is conducive to labour market entry. They get used to earning “fast and easy” money from their commercial sex clients (Bishop and Limmer, 2018a). Given the situation that they have limited, or an absence of, work experience, they are hampered from securing and disqualified for, any better-conditional, legal job opportunities.…”

“…To avoid any exposure to the risks of public health crises in the long term, Phnom Penh should cautiously and thoughtfully consider the distribution of free condoms to identifiable (child) commercial sex workers. Existing literature argues that, despite realising the possibility of contracting sexually transmitted diseases, many Western sex tourists in Thailand are reluctant to use condoms during sexual transactions (Bishop and Limmer, 2018a, 2018b). They justify their decisions by claiming that they prioritise the obtainment of maximised sexual satisfaction.…”

The provision of sexual and reproductive health information and services to travellers: an exploratory survey of Australian travel medicine clinicians

“…sexually transmitted infections, STI) may increase the likelihood travellers will engage in preventative behaviours. 5 However, it is estimated that only a third of travellers seek pretravel healthcare advice. 6 International travel can contribute to short-term changes in sexual practices and has been associated with the global spread of STIs and blood-borne viruses (BBV).…”