Shan Male Migrants’ Engagement with Sex Work in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Pre- and Post-Pandemic

Abstract

ABSTRACT Thailand’s sex industry for same-gender sexual services for men has seen a shift to a predominantly migrant workforce, particularly in northern Thailand. The majority of male sex workers in Chiang Mai are ethnic Shan nationals from neighboring Myanmar. This research explores the lives of Shan migrant male sex workers, their adaptations to and survival strategies in the pre- and post-pandemic periods. The paper employs an intersectionality approach to understand how the intersections of class, gender, ethnicity, legal status, and the larger context of transnational sexual commodification shape the ways Shan migrant men engage in sex work. Based on two sets of data collected before and after the Covid-19 pandemic, the research explores how Shan male sex workers utilize their sexualities and other forms of capital while managing a plethora of risks.