If you surveyed young women around the country and asked them for their choices of career, the so-called "coyote dancer" wouldn't make it into the top 10, or even the top 20.
Dancing erotically in skimpy outfits in front of men is by no means the job of a woman's dreams.
Many students become coyote dancers to finance their studies. Some are fortunate enough to carry on their education while a few become university drop-outs thanks to their part-time dancing work.
Like other employees, they are working legally. They believe dancing, even in front of drunken men, is far better than selling their bodies, but deep in their hearts they know that this is not their career and they prefer not to talk openly about it.
Despite unfavourable work conditions, the number of coyote girls is growing. As they become a favourite entertainment at various events, their performances have extended from nightclubs to temple grounds. They are increasingly visible, and society is getting worried.
Following HM the Queen's recent concern about sexy dancing at a Buddhist event in Nong Khai province, Thai authorities are now seriously looking into ways to curb the sky-rocketting growth of coyote dancers. The Interior Ministry has already asked provincial governors to curb inappropriate performances, especially at Buddhist sites and public events.
Every now and then, Thai society appears to fall into a period of moral panic. We've experienced it before - teen sex, Internet chat sites, under-age night owls and violent computer games. This time round it is the invasion of the coyote girls. The police, too, respond to the panic. This year, apart from their usual Loy Krathong routine of checking on the sexual behaviour of youngsters, they have instituted checks for undesirable dancing.
Many restrictions may have the effect of making coyote dancing fade from fashion. The Culture Ministry has proposed a restriction banning those under 20 from working as coyote girls and stopping all such performances in some places.
Coming to the rescue of the coyote girls are a few officials who look at the picture in a broader perspective. Fortunately not all officials are suffering from this moral panic. Labour Production and Welfare Department Chief Padungsak Thephasdin na Ayutthaya and Education Minister Wijit Srisa-an have expressed concern on the rights issue: the age restriction could be a breach of the right to work, they say.
The education minister said: "A lewd dance is a lewd dance, regardless of age." In other words, the lewdness of the dance should not be the basis of discrimination.
The Culture Ministry may think the restrictions on ages and venues are the right medicine for the increasing number of coyote girls, but they may be hitting where it doesn't hurt. If a coyote-dance troupe performs at an inappropriate place, it is the organiser who should be blamed. This would make everyone aware of cultural sensitivity rather than singling out the dancers. For they are just employees, and whenever or wherever they are employed, they will do their job. As to whether or not their bodily movements are in good cultural taste, we can again point the finger of responsibility at their employers.
It is about time that policy-makers looked at possible "threats" to our norms and values in a broader perspective instead of panicking. The Religious Department can ask all Buddhist temples to avoid inappropriate performances. The coyote dancers are just a tiny part of the overall problem, and the tip of the problem at that, not its root. The policy-makers should go back and try to answer all the basic questions. What is the target audience of coyote dancers? Why has coyote dancing become popular?
They may also find out why, if it is not a dream job, girls take it."
More importantly, after gathering the information, they should find out whether the dancing is the thing we should be panicking about. Does society really collapse because of dancing girls?
Showing posts with label culture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label culture. Show all posts
Sunday, December 31, 2006
'Sai diao': not the coolest dress for Songkran
Twenty-year-old Porn has bought a new top, a spaghetti-strap blouse and plans to wear it on Songkran day. She is no big fan of this kind of top but for the upcoming fun-filled festival, it's a very practical choice. For one, it's highly suitable for any watery battlefield: the top gets soaked and dries easily.
To Porn, wearing such a top is not a big deal for her because it'll be just another day that the young lady will be in sai diao (or "one strap", the Thai name for spaghetti-strap). Little did Porn know she can't follow her dress code preference now that Cultural Minister Uraiwan Thienthong has announced the crackdown on sai diao in many of Songkran's celebration areas.
Her reason is that such a revealing blouse might induce sexual harassment. And not only the top but also hot pants are ruled out by the minister. Instead of hot pants, Uraiwan kindly suggested that ladies wear simple Thai sarongs.
"Doesn't she know that we have not grown up with sarongs and that they can slip off from our bodies anytime we're on the run?" Porn asks.
Her friend Dao wonders what if she and Porn take no notice of the dress code announcement and leave for Songkran fun spots wearing their usual outfits?
Well, what they've heard is that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration police will order them out of the area.
"That's terrible and it really kills the joy of our festival," says Dao as she pictures in her mind young female revellers being banned from water-splashing areas just because they are sporting the government's unfavourable top. The two young ladies can't find any reason to justify the ban on si diao. If they can't even enjoy the freedom to be themselves during the country's biggest and most entertaining celebration, what remains of "freedom" for them?
"It's our basic right," Porn protests. "We buy our own clothes, wear them on our bodies, and don't harm anyone."
"Perhaps in the future the ministry would consider launching a proper dress code for us for all festivals," Dao says.
The two girls are not the lone dissenting voices. Many others have voiced their disagreement through various media, especially on the Net. Since Uraiwan cites sexual harassment as the reason for the ban, it leaves many people wondering if the ministry views the revealing fashion as an important cause of sexual harassment. And if the government has enough policemen to look out for the sai diao, why can't the same police force protect women from being the subject of sexual harassment during Songkran? And how about farang revellers who would certainly join the water battles in their own revealing outfits?
The ban on the spaghetti-strap demonstrates just another example in Thai society of women being the victim of problems caused by men. If not sexual harassment, the related government agencies prefer to link the sai diao fashion as a factor in cultural decline. A government radio programme even states that young women shouldn't wear sai diao on Songkran if they love the nation. What the heck is going on?
Dao sees such a statement as a way for grownups to deny that culture is also a dynamic thing.
"If sarong and sabai (breast wrap) were once their culture, sai diao is now our culture," Porn says. "But the point is, no fashion can really harm a country's dominant culture as exemplified by Songkran. It's not that we will wear sai diao to the temple or a religious event. We wear this comfortable top to play at splashing water."
And if we must blame someone, Porn and Dao would love to blame the minister who has already killed the spirit of "fun-filled" Songkran.
In the old days, Songkran - like other festivals in this country - gave a chance for young ladies to go out. It let them dress up and look as pretty as they could. They came out in breast cloths, not Western-style blouse, as was their lifestyles. When they were splashed, we could imagine how revealing they were.
No wonder that history professor Paothong Thongchua expressed worry about the ban on spaghetti-strap blouses. As an expert in traditional Thai fashion, Paothong understands well why the sai diao crackdown doesn't make much sense.
Porn and Dao and many other young ladies are so delighted by Paothong's comments. The ban is inappropriate and doesn't fit the spirit of Songkran. Paothong shares an opinion with many women that Uraiwan should have had launched a more democratic PR campaign, giving warning or advice rather than banning the outfit outright.
The academic's observation that the breast cloth of old is a bigger worry and more revealing than sai diao came just in time for young people like Porn and Dao who still have time to find their own comfortable yet genuine Thai fashion choice.
Why not? Breast cloths are friendly to Thai culture. More importantly, the minister hasn't banned them.
Published on Apr 12, 2003
To Porn, wearing such a top is not a big deal for her because it'll be just another day that the young lady will be in sai diao (or "one strap", the Thai name for spaghetti-strap). Little did Porn know she can't follow her dress code preference now that Cultural Minister Uraiwan Thienthong has announced the crackdown on sai diao in many of Songkran's celebration areas.
Her reason is that such a revealing blouse might induce sexual harassment. And not only the top but also hot pants are ruled out by the minister. Instead of hot pants, Uraiwan kindly suggested that ladies wear simple Thai sarongs.
"Doesn't she know that we have not grown up with sarongs and that they can slip off from our bodies anytime we're on the run?" Porn asks.
Her friend Dao wonders what if she and Porn take no notice of the dress code announcement and leave for Songkran fun spots wearing their usual outfits?
Well, what they've heard is that the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration police will order them out of the area.
"That's terrible and it really kills the joy of our festival," says Dao as she pictures in her mind young female revellers being banned from water-splashing areas just because they are sporting the government's unfavourable top. The two young ladies can't find any reason to justify the ban on si diao. If they can't even enjoy the freedom to be themselves during the country's biggest and most entertaining celebration, what remains of "freedom" for them?
"It's our basic right," Porn protests. "We buy our own clothes, wear them on our bodies, and don't harm anyone."
"Perhaps in the future the ministry would consider launching a proper dress code for us for all festivals," Dao says.
The two girls are not the lone dissenting voices. Many others have voiced their disagreement through various media, especially on the Net. Since Uraiwan cites sexual harassment as the reason for the ban, it leaves many people wondering if the ministry views the revealing fashion as an important cause of sexual harassment. And if the government has enough policemen to look out for the sai diao, why can't the same police force protect women from being the subject of sexual harassment during Songkran? And how about farang revellers who would certainly join the water battles in their own revealing outfits?
The ban on the spaghetti-strap demonstrates just another example in Thai society of women being the victim of problems caused by men. If not sexual harassment, the related government agencies prefer to link the sai diao fashion as a factor in cultural decline. A government radio programme even states that young women shouldn't wear sai diao on Songkran if they love the nation. What the heck is going on?
Dao sees such a statement as a way for grownups to deny that culture is also a dynamic thing.
"If sarong and sabai (breast wrap) were once their culture, sai diao is now our culture," Porn says. "But the point is, no fashion can really harm a country's dominant culture as exemplified by Songkran. It's not that we will wear sai diao to the temple or a religious event. We wear this comfortable top to play at splashing water."
And if we must blame someone, Porn and Dao would love to blame the minister who has already killed the spirit of "fun-filled" Songkran.
In the old days, Songkran - like other festivals in this country - gave a chance for young ladies to go out. It let them dress up and look as pretty as they could. They came out in breast cloths, not Western-style blouse, as was their lifestyles. When they were splashed, we could imagine how revealing they were.
No wonder that history professor Paothong Thongchua expressed worry about the ban on spaghetti-strap blouses. As an expert in traditional Thai fashion, Paothong understands well why the sai diao crackdown doesn't make much sense.
Porn and Dao and many other young ladies are so delighted by Paothong's comments. The ban is inappropriate and doesn't fit the spirit of Songkran. Paothong shares an opinion with many women that Uraiwan should have had launched a more democratic PR campaign, giving warning or advice rather than banning the outfit outright.
The academic's observation that the breast cloth of old is a bigger worry and more revealing than sai diao came just in time for young people like Porn and Dao who still have time to find their own comfortable yet genuine Thai fashion choice.
Why not? Breast cloths are friendly to Thai culture. More importantly, the minister hasn't banned them.
Published on Apr 12, 2003
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