The headline read: "Sexy models banned from motor show".
That probably raised a number of eyebrows. It definitely did mine. The gist the article was that models would no longer be draping themselves over cars at the Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition, which will be held in April.
Organisers, quoted in the China Daily newspaper, stated their desire to have exhibitors promote products in a "healthy and classy" manner, highlighting product quality and technology. The statement went on to say that "activities with low taste and those that violate social morality are prohibited".
Bravo! As a woman, I believe it is high time that somebody in authority took a stand against scantily clad female models adorning the latest car brands.
An auto show is an industry event to showcase cars, not beautiful models, and the faster organisers realise that the better. Nevertheless, reactions to the news about the Shanghai auto event have been mixed.
Some say the intention behind the move was motivated by the desire to create a clean and moral atmosphere; others take a more practical approach, saying it will avert the focus from stunning models in flesh-revealing outfits to the actual point of auto shows — the cars.
I've been to a few auto shows, and one thing is crystal clear — the most provocatively dressed women attract large numbers of male gawkers, snapping away on their cameras. This must make the genuine customers in their midst feel rather awkward, to say the least. Models are supposed to complement an auto show, not usurp the spotlight, which often seems to be the case today. Indeed, the fact of the matter remains — today's auto shows are heavily reliant on sexy models to lure in crowds.
In Thailand, female product promoters, or "pretties", are required to possess a significant amount of knowledge on the cars they are hired to promote. Unfortunately, the revealing clothes they are encouraged to wear do little to direct the attention of the men in the crowd to what they have to say about the product.
Hiring models dressed in a more appropriate manner would be a good start. One must keep in mind that a large number of visitors attend these shows with their families. Having your father, husband or boyfriend salivating over a model in a mini-shirt while checking out his favourite car brand is a situation most women would like to avoid.
Working as a "pretty" is not as rosy and profitable in the long-term as impressionable young women are sometimes made to believe.
It is a profession in which beautiful women will promote anything, from washing powder to luxury cars — for the right price.
Working as a product promoter in Thailand is an occupation in which image is everything. The jobs pay handsomely while the model is at her prime, but the situation can take a turn for the worse as age catches up. Models will then sometimes resort to cosmetic surgery, which is not cheap. That might lead them to use the services of an illegal clinic. In worst case scenarios, that decision could leave them disfigured — or dead. Many of those pretties invest thousands of baht into altering the way they look — lightening their skin complexion and undergoing rounds of surgery to change the appearance of their noses, narrow their jawlines and augment their breasts.
It is rather sad to imagine the pressure placed on young women who desire to work in the field. Growing up in a culture that glorifies the image known as the "Korean look" — light skin, an oval-shaped face, a high-bridged nose — only plays on the insecurities of vulnerable young women who dream of an occupation that is, in reality, short-lived and panders to a lascivious male audience.
Yvonne Bohwongprasert is a feature writer for the Life section.