Missing Children In Thailand

[churchill]

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) - Thai social workers have urged the government to find a solution for a large number of missing children less than 18 years in the country.

Bangkok-based, Information Center of Missing Person to anti-human Trafficking, The Mirror Foundation, released a report on Thursday, which revealed that the there are about 1,000 reported missing children in Thailand since 2005. Those who could not be found is about 63 per cent of a total of 1,600 missing, both children and adults.

The report noted that the situation of missing children in the country is bad and more complicated. “The reasons for going missing include abduction or misleading the children for sex trade or forced labour” and added that “a number of them were misled via internet communication.”

The group urged related authorities including the Thai Royal Police, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Social development and Human Security and media network to take appropriate action on this problem.

Thitima Meeparn, Head of the center told Mizzima that there are about 20 to 30 cases each year where Burmese families want to find their relatives who work in Thailand by coordination though migrant workers assistance organization.

“However, we expected the number to be higher because the total number of migrant workers in Thailand is very big and many move their workplace quite often. So, it’s very difficult to find them,” she said.

Thitima’s center did not specifically record children from Burma separately but just told Mizzima that a number of them are stateless children (about 10-20 per cent from 1,000).

Thitima added that there are cases that aid organizations asking the center to find families for migrant children who were found while they were on the street or rescued from risky places.

“It’s very difficult because these children were confused about details of their parent’s workplace and houses,” she added.

Mala, a Burmese woman working for a local NGO in Ranong in Thailand told Mizzima that parents of Burmese children in the area are also scared that their children would be abducted because last year some of migrant children went missing but there is no NGO or authority to follow up the case.

The group proposed to the authorities to solve the problem by setting up a government agency to process the notice of missing children and adults and follow up because recently, only non government organization are into this role and police should receive the notice from the family and follow up immediately in case of missing children.

According to Thai regulations regarding missing persons, they have to be missing for more than 24 hours, and then the police will accept complaints from the family. Normally, when police are informed about missing persons, they investigate to find them such as from clues, evidence and witnesses. Then they post announcements in the police station, local newspapers and radio. Now they also post it on Ministry of Social Development and Human Security website.

Actually, there is no Thai law that directly links the case of missing persons that include procedure of authorities in dealing with the case. The group noted that the Thai Royal Police should identify the terms and conditions of missing person’s case to be a model for basic investigating.

In addition, local authorities and organizations such as police stations and schools should provide information and warning to parents in case there are abductions in the areas to lessen the problem.

http://www.mizzima.com/news/regional/3344-...n-thailand.html

[churchill]

Homeless children: a significant caution for Thai social problem

The number of Thailand’s homeless children nationwide jumped quickly to some 30,000 in 2010 from 20,000 in 2006, according to research by the Foundation for the Better Life for Children.

Most of the children are found in the northern province of Chiang Mai, where they came down to live in the city from the mountains, while almost 10,000 youngsters are living on the streets of the Thai capital of Bangkok.

According to Teacher Jew, or ‘Kru’ Jew of the Better Life for Children Foundation, the number of young homeless in almost every province of Thailand is rising, and more and more they are at risk of becoming criminals and prostitutes. Many die of HIV/AIDS.

"One factor pushing these children this way is economic. Some people don’t have access to public services, while others have insufficient family income, which makes them unable to finish school,” said Thongpoon Buasri, also known as Kru Jew.

An open space and a small park around Bangkok’s King Rama I Monument at Memorial Bridge, or Phra Buddha Yodfa Bridge (Saphan Phut), has long been a gathering and sleeping place for homeless people.

Another teacher, ‘Kru’ Nang from the Human Development Foundation (Mercy Centre), who has been familiar with the young homeless in the area for about ten years, said family problems is the main cause pushing children to run away from home, while those living on the streets are also either drug or game addicts or those wanting to live with their homeless friends or to live a life which they think is freedom.

No matter what the reason, Kru Nang said most of the children cannot escape the consequences of using drugs, especially glue sniffing, which only gives them the illusion of happiness.

“’Are they mentally happy?’ I don’t think so. These children live here like they’ve no parents. When they see a family of a dad, a mum and a kid holding hands, they surely must feel something and think why they’re not like that,” Kru Nang said.

As a spot for the homeless, Bangkok governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra plans to improve the landscape of the Saphan Phut neighbourhood with a budget of Bt40 million (US$ 1.2 million) to include a fountain, larger floor space, and a fence surrounding the area as well as installing infrastructure and provide regular guards to monitor the Monument’s entrance and exit.

Although the plan is now only a proposal, construction is set to be complete before April 6, the anniversary of the enthronement of King Rama I as first king of the Rattanakosin era. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), or City Hall, believes that the building project will push the young homeless to move away from this gathering spot once construction starts.

"The public space here is not appropriately used. We’ve checked that two families are settled in the premises, and we are to move them out, and as where they’re residing will become construction sites, they definitely won’t be able to live here," said the director of Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon District Office, Suachana Sudcharoen.

Manop Meksuriya, a man with no home, has been living in the Saphan Phut neighbourhood since he was nine. He is now almost 40 and said despite the planned changes put by the City Hall, he was certain those in his younger generations would not return home but rather continue to be homeless in other neighbourhoods.

"It’s hard to say. I think if the children can’t live here, they’ll probably either move to a further distant neighbourhood or go home, which would be rare, or maybe they won’t go home at all," said Manop.

It is a good idea that the BMA wants to make the City of Angels look brighter in this spot, but the question remains where will the next possible shelter for the poor population be if they are not to continue to be homeless. The solution may not be able to be resolved only at the Saphan Phut neighbourhood, but to end the social situation the causes of the problems must be addressed. Families should be much more involved in cooperation with both public and private sectors to come up with strategies to prevent and bring to a halt such a sad cycle of life. (TNA)

http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=13702

[geriatrickid]

Very simple start is to visit the areas where minors are most likely to be found such as the bars of Pattaya and Patong. The results might shock a few people into action.

[brahmburgers]

It takes a village....

When the community fabric is torn assunder, which all-too-often happens, then all sorts of problems fester.

Hate to say it, but he problem of homeless kids, and all that goes along with it (glue-sniffing, prostitution, spread of diseases, petty crime, mental anguish, etc) is a wave of the future. Sure, such things have been happening since people first started communities, but the future will have scenarios of masses of disenfranchised young people. Overpopulation, habitat destruction, dead seas, non-food foods, incessent and violent TV, plus a bunch of other reasons will ensure that the problems mentioned in the OP will grow like a tsunami. This will happen particularly for those who are out of touch with nature, which most city dwellers and suburbanites are.

Sorry to sound so gloom and doom, but the OP triggered it (the thoughts must have been latent in my gray matter).

On the other side of the coin, I'm endeavoring to create nature parks in my area of northernmost Thailand. It's 180 degrees different than what's on offer in congested cities. I could go on, but then I'd be ranting.

[espinoza]

Why do the thai govrnment not at least try to copy the european way to make a good living ??? I can not understand it ??? Why do they not hang the corrupted shit in the market square ??? I can not understand it ???

[FM505]

Being a civilized human being is dam_n hard work (A. Bartlett Giamatti)

There is a fundamental error in Thai society... a moral compass does not exist. Too many important topics are not talked about or acted upon with conviction.

Right and wrong are the basis for an organized society of any size to develop properly - that is to the benefit of those living within the society and further, this direction for mature behavior positively impacts other societies with whom they interact. A consistency develops.

Better that people are married before starting a family. This guarantees nothing with regard to personal responsibility but it is the most effective means for a conventional society to prosper. It does however make public a record and an implied agreement that the couple has recognized the importance of their decision and are bound by their word in this way. Others are aware of these decisions and support them both spiritually and emotionally - even financially at times.

It is right for people to follow this well proven path. It is wrong for people to ignore the historic failures of non-conventional living as those kinds of lapses in judgment - poor decision making with regard to personal choices - have devastating impacts on the society at large such as the alarming rate of 'illegitimate' births and the subsequent missing children reports.

Friends and loved ones counsel each other in life. Teachers and coaches as well as bosses and peers do likewise at differing stages. The common thread is with regard to understanding the consequences of routine decisions that we all make.

Bottom line: To address challenging situations, they have to be discussed without embarrassment or fear. Easier said than done, but this is where community leaders, both public and private are obligated to advance the dialog and support initiatives. They will only be successful when the community supports them.

People are busy with their lives, and work, and dreams. But when tragedy or problematic complications arrive in our lives, they take most if not all of our attention. These experiences are shared by all at one time or another, and when we reach out to each other good things (i.e. solutions) happen sooner.

Peace.

[moetownblues]

Very simple start is to visit the areas where minors are most likely to be found such as the bars of Pattaya and Patong. The results might shock a few people into action.

Pattaya relies on this trade for survial without it the city would collapse that is the only reason the scum of the world flock there for the child sex industry.

Yes I agree stamp out the bars, brothels there and you will see a reduction in stolen children.

[FM505]

Very simple start is to visit the areas where minors are most likely to be found such as the bars of Pattaya and Patong. The results might shock a few people into action.

Pattaya relies on this trade for survial without it the city would collapse that is the only reason the scum of the world flock there for the child sex industry.

Yes I agree stamp out the bars, brothels there and you will see a reduction in stolen children.

Pattaya would not collapse by reducing and eliminating the sex trade, but like other coastal towns and cities in the world they would have to create alternate industries and entertainment venues. It would be a giant task since entire villages throughout the country have their local economies dependent upon daughters (and sons) 'earning' wages.

This is not a new problem in Thailand. It is only now being recognized on a more widely viewed basis... via the (outside) NGO's and media. It is a centuries old pattern of behavior.

A very real starting point would be from the top down... and I am referring to the very top of this society structure. Not vague quotes with references to treating others well and finding peace in your life, but very specific instructions (or encouragement, advice) to the people... "Don't sell your daughters", "Don't rent someone else's daughter", etc. "Stop defiling yourselves". "Stop worshiping money".

[TAWP]

Where in Pattaya and Patong are these underage [sex?]workers?

[nicolas18]

I don't think that providing addresses where underage sex workers are available would be appropriate in a public forum, TAWP...

Also, what bothers me from the second article is that Thailand seems to have now taken the "Western" approach to dealing with homeless people, which is to simply find ways to move them out of the more public areas, instead of dealing with the root of the problem. It reminds me of those new street benches installed a little bit all over Europe which are specially designed to prevent someone from sleeping on them.

Edited January 14, 2010 by nicolas18

[moetownblues]

Where in Pattaya and Patong are these underage [sex?]workers?

If you are a pedophile they are everywhere. There is an Australian organisation that is doing brilliant work (Grey man) check them out on Youtube. Pattaya I am sorry is the sex city of the world and known as a pedophille heaven. My personal opinion is that if there was no Pattaya then there would not be missing children in Thailand. I think Pattaya accounts for 99.99% of the problem. A person would have to blind, stupid and a complete moron to think that Pattaya was anything else but the sin city of the world. Yes if you are looking for these inocent children then go to Pattaya.

[moetownblues]

I see a topic like this gets little response from TV members. I do not know how to take this. This is an extreemly serious topic. We are talking inocent children that will be abused. I know there is a portion of Thai Via people who will support the abduction of children in thailand for thier personal use . We all here must rally to stop this.. These are children.

Edited January 14, 2010 by moetownblues

[TAWP]

I don't think that providing addresses where underage sex workers are available would be appropriate in a public forum, TAWP...

Not addresses but general observations was sought. Thankfully I have never seen any sex child-workers in my years here and I really doubt any focus is on Pattaya or Phuket of their existence...instead, from stories, it seem to be more common in much less tourist-oriented areas...

[rhinoboy55]

A lot of child missing these figures are pumped up so that another foiregn aid worker can come over and live in Thailand, wherever and get paid 10ooousd a month. And as sick as it sounds many of them are the very problem. And who is talking about peole dying of HIV/Aids a whole nother topic and here any unexplained death is called aids, because they get more money for it. This whole "helping, saving the world saving the children" is a bunch of BS wordlwide, self serving idiots. YOU want to help someone out? Try it, it's almost impossible. Most of the donation money goes into the pockets of very sick individuals. YOU want to help some kids why not stay in your home town and help out the poor there?

[tominbkk]

A lot of child missing these figures are pumped up so that another foiregn aid worker can come over and live in Thailand, wherever and get paid 10ooousd a month. And as sick as it sounds many of them are the very problem.

Have to agree with that. I don't deny that orgs like World Vision etc do good work here but their existence depends on them getting visibility and funding and if that means fudging with numbers of victims, or going as far as labeling a 22 year old a child, then they have done it before. People I know here from World Vision in particular were making fantastic salaries and living very nicely indeed. They also work pretty hard and do good. So I don't want to critique them too much but I am also a realist when I hear reports like this.

[Thai at Heart]

I see a topic like this gets little response from TV members. I do not know how to take this. This is an extreemly serious topic. We are talking inocent children that will be abused. I know there is a portion of Thai Via people who will support the abduction of children in thailand for thier personal use . We all here must rally to stop this.. These are children.

I would hope that the lack of response to this issue is because the vast majority of members know very little about child trafficking and child prostitution.

Whilst I don't deny that the issue is there, after nearly 20 years in the country I would no more know where to go and procure a child than fly.

It doesn't make the issue any less important.

[thaihome]

The foreign NGO’s tend to be the ones that make the missing children into a sex industry issue. The fact is most abducted teenagers end up on Thai fishing trawlers or processing houses in virtual slavery. But that is just not “sexy” enough for the foreign NGO’s and does not go near as far in collection donations as saying the kids end up chained to beds in brothels.

TH

[moetownblues]

I see a topic like this gets little response from TV members. I do not know how to take this. This is an extreemly serious topic. We are talking inocent children that will be abused. I know there is a portion of Thai Via people who will support the abduction of children in thailand for thier personal use . We all here must rally to stop this.. These are children.

I would hope that the lack of response to this issue is because the vast majority of members know very little about child trafficking and child prostitution.

Whilst I don't deny that the issue is there, after nearly 20 years in the country I would no more know where to go and procure a child than fly.

It doesn't make the issue any less important.

The Thai government ran an ad campain on Thai Television which was simply titled "Help stop child trafficking" It depicted a low life going into a village and buying a small child from the parents. The child was then used as a begger on the streets before eventually being forced to work in the sex industry. After the use by date they are simply discarded and suffering from AIDS. The government recognises that it is a real issue. Children are both stolen and sold by parents who cannot afford to raise them.

[moetownblues]

A lot of child missing these figures are pumped up so that another foiregn aid worker can come over and live in Thailand, wherever and get paid 10ooousd a month. And as sick as it sounds many of them are the very problem.

Have to agree with that. I don't deny that orgs like World Vision etc do good work here but their existence depends on them getting visibility and funding and if that means fudging with numbers of victims, or going as far as labeling a 22 year old a child, then they have done it before. People I know here from World Vision in particular were making fantastic salaries and living very nicely indeed. They also work pretty hard and do good. So I don't want to critique them too much but I am also a realist when I hear reports like this.

Maybe this might help

[moetownblues]

Pattaya has a multi-billion dollar multinational sex industry with links to drug trafficking, money laundering and an expanding regional cross-border traffic in women. (Mark Baker, "Sin city can’t shake vice’s grip," Sydney Morning Herald, 17 May 1997)

In Thailand, trafficking is a Bt500 billion annual business, which is 50%- 60% of the government's annual budget and more lucrative than the drug trade. (Authorites and activists, Kulachada Chaipipat, "New law targets human trafficking," The Nation, 30 Novermber 1997)

Of the estimated 20,000 prostitutes in Pattaya, hundreds are children who are either lured from their villages by the idea of opportunity or by criminal networks. (Mark Baker, "Sin city can’t shake vice’s grip," Sydney Morning Herald, 17 May 1997)

In Thailand, up to 400,000 children under the age of 16 are believed to be working in brothels, clubs or bars. (Jill Serjeant, "Asia to launch joint crackdown on child sex trade," Reuters, 1 April 1998)

Edited January 15, 2010 by moetownblues

[tominbkk]

Not Thailand. Sad, though.

Problem is, no amount of NGO work will stop corrupt government officials and police from turning the other way and taking the bribes. True, NGOs get word out about it but alas until the dealers and enablers are hung high there will be no end to it.

Many of the NGOs have ulterior motives as well. For World Vision, their primary goal is to convert people to Christianity, everything else is secondary. It's in their mission statement. Their aid station in Phuket after the tsunami doubled as a baptismal center. A strange kind of altruism going on there. Still, they are doing more than I do (though I try to do what I can).

[TAWP]

(Mark Baker, "Sin city can’t shake vice’s grip," Sydney Morning Herald, 17 May 1997)

(Authorites and activists, Kulachada Chaipipat, "New law targets human trafficking," The Nation, 30 Novermber 1997)

(Mark Baker, "Sin city can’t shake vice’s grip," Sydney Morning Herald, 17 May 1997)

(Jill Serjeant, "Asia to launch joint crackdown on child sex trade," Reuters, 1 April 1998)

Duplicate source and fairly out of date. There has been many clean-up attempts since the [sensationalist?] articles above was printed.

My personal opinion is that if there was no Pattaya then there would not be missing children in Thailand. I think Pattaya accounts for 99.99% of the problem.

Thanks for making it easy to discount your knowledge of this very serious issue.

[moetownblues]

(Mark Baker, "Sin city can't shake vice's grip," Sydney Morning Herald, 17 May 1997)

(Authorites and activists, Kulachada Chaipipat, "New law targets human trafficking," The Nation, 30 Novermber 1997)

(Mark Baker, "Sin city can't shake vice's grip," Sydney Morning Herald, 17 May 1997)

(Jill Serjeant, "Asia to launch joint crackdown on child sex trade," Reuters, 1 April 1998)

Duplicate source and fairly out of date. There has been many clean-up attempts since the [sensationalist?] articles above was printed.

My personal opinion is that if there was no Pattaya then there would not be missing children in Thailand. I think Pattaya accounts for 99.99% of the problem.

Thanks for making it easy to discount your knowledge of this very serious issue.

Why do the pedo's from around the world flock to Pattaya? It is for the missing children forced into the sex slave industry. The place is known world wide as a brothel there is nothing else there but for the sex industry.

supply and demand farangs in Pattaya demanding children and the thais steal and supply them. I would love to see an end to this repulsive trade but as long as there are supporters like yourself then thay children will continue to go missing.

[TAWP]

(Mark Baker, "Sin city can't shake vice's grip," Sydney Morning Herald, 17 May 1997)

(Authorites and activists, Kulachada Chaipipat, "New law targets human trafficking," The Nation, 30 Novermber 1997)

(Mark Baker, "Sin city can't shake vice's grip," Sydney Morning Herald, 17 May 1997)

(Jill Serjeant, "Asia to launch joint crackdown on child sex trade," Reuters, 1 April 1998)

Duplicate source and fairly out of date. There has been many clean-up attempts since the [sensationalist?] articles above was printed.

My personal opinion is that if there was no Pattaya then there would not be missing children in Thailand. I think Pattaya accounts for 99.99% of the problem.

Thanks for making it easy to discount your knowledge of this very serious issue.

Why do the pedo's from around the world flock to Pattaya? It is for the missing children forced into the sex slave industry. The place is known world wide as a brothel there is nothing else there but for the sex industry.

supply and demand farangs in Pattaya demanding children and the thais steal and supply them. I would love to see an end to this repulsive trade but as long as there are supporters like yourself then thay children will continue to go missing.

You are a pathetic human being. And I am using the term loosely.

Wanting facts to be used does not imply supporting it. It implies WANTING FACTS TO BE PROPERLY USED.

You should be ashamed of yourself.

[tominbkk]

(Mark Baker, "Sin city can't shake vice's grip," Sydney Morning Herald, 17 May 1997)

(Authorites and activists, Kulachada Chaipipat, "New law targets human trafficking," The Nation, 30 Novermber 1997)

(Mark Baker, "Sin city can't shake vice's grip," Sydney Morning Herald, 17 May 1997)

(Jill Serjeant, "Asia to launch joint crackdown on child sex trade," Reuters, 1 April 1998)

Duplicate source and fairly out of date. There has been many clean-up attempts since the [sensationalist?] articles above was printed.

I would agree with that. When I first came to Tahiland you would see kids in single digit ages with farang all over the place in the evening in Bangkok, Pattaya, even wandering the beaches on Samet. Very disturbing. They cracked down shortly after that and it is a different place now. No doubt they are better hidden and it still exists to some extent but not on the scale that it did when those articles came out. They say a vast majority of the child sex trade is domestic customers, who belong to special "clubs" that cater to them, no farangs involved as it would be to risky and might expose them. A couple years ago a brothel in Nonthaburi was busted, boys from 8-16, I think about forty of them, lived there. When they got the books of the place, it was all Thai people, including names of politicians, police officers, some monks, etc. who were the customers. No Farang. I think the child sex stuff happens more in Cambodia with Farang, at least that is what I have heard, though I am sure there is a little going on here as well.

[tominbkk]

Why do the pedo's from around the world flock to Pattaya? It is for the missing children forced into the sex slave industry. The place is known world wide as a brothel there is nothing else there but for the sex industry.

supply and demand farangs in Pattaya demanding children and the thais steal and supply them. I would love to see an end to this repulsive trade but as long as there are supporters like yourself then thay children will continue to go missing.

Was he supporting child prostitution? You are not nice putting words into people's mouths like that. There are certainly elements of truth to what you are saying, but you also seem to have a zeal to make it all a farang-child prostitute issue, when the vast majority of these kids are being abused, either sexually, through labor, or otherwise by their own fellow citizens, and this goes on with the government and law enforcement officers knowing about yet doing nothing about it.

[brahmburgers]

Pattaya is the most blatant venue, but this 99.9% stuff is nonsense.

It's like saying because cotton candy is full of sugar, that 99.9% of sugar is housed in cotton candy.

I just heard about a Chinese girl in Bkk who had her virginity taken by a visiting Chinese guy for Bt.30,000. The girl probably got 3,000, if anything. The reason it's farang who get all the attention as customers, is because they're walking around with loud shirts, talking loud - not trying to hide their trespasses like Asians - who outnumber farang in the pay-for-child sex dept. within SE Asia.

There are more than a few red light districts throughout Thailand, usually away from tourist areas, which flat-out will not allow any farang customers. The main reason: farang customers bring unwanted attention to their places. Most of all, it's because farang could be undercover NGO and/or Christian do-gooders out to bust their business.

[churchill]

Dutch Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin has launched a new campaign this week against child sex tourism. He wants Dutch people on holiday to be more alert and to report child abuse by compatriots themselves. What do they need to know to do so?

"Watch out - don’t play Sherlock Holmes!" warns the website of the international watchdog against child abuse, ECPAT. ECPAT supports the ministry’s awareness campaign. The association of travel agencies ANVR and the Royal Dutch Military Polcie are also participating in the campaign.

What you should do as a tourist, says Sergeant Greet Koster of the Military Police, is just keep your eyes and ears open:

"Say what you hear, look around you when you're at the beach or having dinner at your restaurant and you see men of an age between fifty and sixty with very young children. Especially bars where you see young children and something in your stomach says: this is not right."

Little girl

Travel guide David de Koning from the travel organisation Koning Aap had just that feeling when he saw a tourist disappearing with a little girl into a houseboat on the river Kwai in Thailand.

"I once was in a houseboat on the River Kwai. In the houseboat next to me was a bit of a shady character, he had with him one small girl. He reported that this was his daughter, but according to the noises I heard at night it wasn't his daughter so I reported him to the authorities."

Mr De Koning went to the local authorities, but they were unable to stop the man getting away. The new campaign stresses that there is an alternative: reporting child sex abuse after the holiday in the Netherlands. Far too few people know that this is legally possible.

"There might be a chance that you're on the same plane with that person back to Holland. You might notice the chair number in the airplane, so that you can say: okay, it's that passenger. And then, we can go after the airline and ask the name of the person in that seat."

Few prosecutions

Up to now two Dutch nationals have been convicted of child abuse on the Philippines, and one in Gambia. The handful of convictions no way reflects the total number of Dutch tourists which, according to a study from 2002, have sex with underage children, which is more than 3000 per year.

Even that estimate could be too low, thinks Ms Koster. Who knows what we’ll find out once the awareness campaign is up and running and tourists actually start to report what they have seen and heard. "The Netherlands happens to be one of the problem countries in the area. Unfortunately."

That is why the threshold for reports has been made as low as possible. As of this week there’s an internet address, which is linked to a well known anti-child porn site. People can also phone an anonymous police tip line.

Anonymous

Anonymous tip lines in the Netherlands work surprisingly well. Last year alone a crime tip line led to around 1000 ‘ordinary’ arrests and solved more than 800 cases. Meanwhile the number of online reports of child porn has reached up to 1000 per year.

Nevertheless, Sergeant Koster does not want to start cheering too soon. Because an anonymous accusation does not carry much weight, especially if there is just one and its not confirmed by other travellers. "It’s a start."

http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/how-do-y...ild-sex-tourism

[Thongkorn]

Speaking from experience . I think a lot of these child disappearances are not what they seem , My Thai wife has a Son. He ran away from his father and is now living with his Grandmother, My wife could not get custody of her children, The son ran away because his father kept hitting him because he looked like his mother, What i am getting at is that he was probably reported as missing , The grandmother is not going to say :yes i have My grandson: So there is now another statistic for the missing persons list. I think that there must be a lot of family disputes, that children are used as tools to hurt the other partner or family, Maybe how the missing person list is compiled should be better investigated, If the police find any child in this situation the police should maybe not list them as missing, just turn a blind eye for the better welfare of the child.

[brahmburgers]

As for 'reporting incidences that are suspicious' - that could get over-done.

Years ago, when my neighbors' 2 daughters were around 7,8,9 years old, I went downtown with them and their parents for lunch. After lunch, I took a stroll with them to get some ice cream around the corner. Some of the looks I got were staggering. Because I'm a single guy, around 40's at the time, other farang (particularly women) gave me squinched glances that indicated they were sure I was a salivating sex addict. As for Thais, one woman in a shop stopped to converse with the kids, and the kids told her I was a friend of the family, and that was that - a smile and a wave, and we went on our way.

Message to vigilant farang: Be wary, be observant, but don't be so quick to judge - as there are a lot of decent farang out there who are doing good. Not every old guy is a pervert just because he's near a young lady.

On the other side of the coin, I saw a young Thai guy (about 19) sitting on a curb on a side street with a 9 yr old girl scrunched up close between his open legs (both facing the same way). It didn't look right. Should I have said something, or reported it? I don't know.