The Tourism and Culture Minister of Gambia, Hamat Bah, has warned foreign tourists hoping to travel to his country to engage in sex tourism, to rather go to Thailand.
Bah made this statement on GRTS TV, a state-sponsored TV station, during a news update show that airs weekly.
Apparently, winter season is high-time for tourism in Gambia and some of those visitors do go to the country for more than just the beaches.
According to Travel Wire News, Bah said,
“If you want a sex destination, you go to Thailand. Gambia is not a sex destination. We are not, and please every Gambian must sing that song. We cannot afford to see this country be brought to that level. We must protect and preserve this country.”
He went on to warn that foreigners engaging in sexual activities with underage Gambians will be prosecuted
Further speaking, he said:
The Gambia is not a sex destination. We are not, we are not and please every Gambian must sing that song,”
His position gained currency recently after an online new agency republished his view attracting the attention of the Thai authorities after it went viral on the country’s social media space.
Thai Culture minister, Veera Rojpojchanarat is on record to have said that sex tourism used to be prevalent but has since dropped because of the country’s focus on “morality.”
“Thailand has improved a lot in this issue. After the Ministry of Culture worked on promoting morality, this issue has improved a lot,” Veera told reporters on Tuesday.