What is lacking in this work is a fuller look at the demand side of the equation. Blame lies with the gamblers and people frequenting brothels too. Still, as the authors point out, there are no easy answers. Nor quick solutions. Even if it were possible to shut down all the illegal operations straight away, there would be millions of unemployed to deal with.
Reform is vital.
But the authors believe government action, however well-intentioned, will achieve little. The illegal operations are too well integrated into the power structure. Pressure, they argue, will have to come from below. This book has undoubtedly helped raise that by several notches. A subequent right-wing backlash left a similar scar on the Thai social memory.