Thais generally blame Chinese immigrants for bringing prostitution to Thailand. But Thailand already had a long-standing concubinary tradition. In the 17th century the capital at Ayuthaya housed an official government office in charge of hundreds of concubines, and until the 1930s Siam (as Thailand was formerly known) had no laws forbidding polygamy. After this time the traditional Thai Mia Yai-Mia Noi(major wife-minor wife) system has made it socially acceptable for men in Thailand to keep several mistresses. All the Thai kings up to Rama IV had 'Mia Noi' as did most Thai men who could afford them. Today talk of a Mia Noi hardly raises an eyebrow. The tradition lives on among some business men, politicians and crimelords.
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