Over 50 Thai Girls Went Missing After Online Chats With Strangers

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Over 50 girls missing after online chats

By The Nation

A three-day-old baby was a victim of physical abuse last year - and some 56 young girls went missing after online chats with strangers, the most in 11 years. These were some of the disturbing details in an annual report released yesterday by the Paveena Hongsakul Foundation.

The foundation received 7,855 complaints, 635 involving rapes and molestation of women up to 60 years of age. Most of the violators in rape and molestation cases were close to their victims.

The number of victims forced into involuntary prostitution was 172 - also highest in 11 years.

Some 558 cases of physical abuse, including murders and acid attacks, were reported - with the youngest victim being three days old and the oldest 76.

The number of missing-person cases reported to the foundation was 269, also an 11-year high, with the youngest 14 months old and the oldest 68. Of the 269 missing, 56 involved online chats with strangers, with the youngest 13 and the oldest 29. The foundation welcomes feedback and complaints on either the 1134 hotline, mobile phone number (081) 814 0244 or via mail to Thanya Buri PO Box 222.

Two women lodged a complaint with the foundation accusing a teacher at a school in Sa Kaew province of raping their daughters over seven years, since they were in kindergarten.

The women, whose names were withheld to protect them and their daughters, said the unnamed teacher was merely transferred to another school in the same district after they filed a complaint with Khlong Nam Sai police last November.

-- The Nation 2011-01-18

[brahmburgers]

Sad. What can be said? Just because a girl goes missing, doesn't necessarily mean she's in dire trouble or dead.

More than a few young women I know, Thai and hill tribe, go off to touristy Thai cities. Happens often. They just pack a bread loaf-sized bag, with no prior mention to me (as a friend) and maybe not even telling their parents. More often than not, I get a phone call a week or so later saying something like 'Hey, I'm in Pattaya/Bangkok/Chiang Mai (fill in the blanks) ....come visit me, kittung' (p.s. I don't visit, as I stay away from those places)

I don't mean to treat the OP lightly, as there are some v. serious items there, but some of the disappearances may be more a matter of mis-communication than serious trouble - or maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part.

Either way, the OP is a wake-up call for parents - particular those with teenage daughters. Here's some unsolicited advice: Listen to them, read to them, discuss philosophy, take them to outdoor places away from town and away from the mall, have fun with your kids, don't be hypocritical, don't be judgmental, discuss sex and lust and what results of not using condoms, do a creative project together, do some sporty things together, have some fun.

Edited January 17, 2011 by brahmburgers

[canuckamuck]

Crime is heavily under reported in Thailand due to the fact that the police are either incompetent, involved, or likely to take advantage of the situation. I expect the real numbers are much higher. Can't comment on the missing people stuff as they don't say for how long or what efforts were made to find them. But we know stalkers do use the internet to find victims so no reason to doubt it happens here too.

Edited January 18, 2011 by canuckamuck

[Gandalf8353]

It makes me absolutely sick to read this. Almost 60 missing after online chats. Dear God. Have to agree with canuckamuck and brahmburgers. As said, stay away from Bangkok and Pattaya. ESPECIALLY Pattaya. My wife had never been to Pattaya before and asked if we could go to visit. I told her NO. She didn't understand until I explained why. Quite naive. After I explained she understood and agreed.

Edited January 18, 2011 by Gandalf8353

[featography]

7 years before reporting the teacher?!?!?!

[Gandalf8353]

7 years before reporting the teacher?!?!?!

Believable. Often victims are afraid to come forward.

[hardy1943]

It makes me absolutely sick to read this. Almost 60 missing after online chats. Dear God. Have to agree with canuckamuck and brahmburgers. As said, stay away from Bangkok and Pattaya. ESPECIALLY Pattaya. My wife had never been to Pattaya before and asked if we could go to visit. I told her NO. She didn't understand until I explained why. Quite naive. After I explained she understood and agreed.

So did mine they think it is a nice beach resort it is a sewer at best. Mine agreed too not to go and was shocked.

[Kohn Ferang]

LOL, Yup, one of those missing internet chat girls is my bride, I'm not giving her back either. going to keep her :-) Remember ICQ

[tonititan]

7 years before reporting the teacher?!?!?!

Believable. Often victims are afraid to come forward.

Yes, and it doesn't say that the parents knew about it for the entire 7 years. It could have been that the child only reported it after 7 years, which as Gandalf said, is believable. Young children ARE often afraid to report abuse. Sometimes they don't know how wrong/bad/illegal it really is, and often the abuser threatens the child and his/her family if they tell anyone. Five year olds are impressionable.

[hardy1943]

Crime is heavily under reported in Thailand due to the fact that the police are either incompetent, involved, or likely to take advantage of the situation. I expect the real numbers are much higher. Can't comment on the missing people stuff as they don't say for how long or what efforts were made to find them. But we know stalkers do use the internet to find victims so no reason to doubt it happens here too.

In Western countries one finds a bigger trust in the police and police working the chat rooms to catch these perverts.

[Tropicalevo]

It makes me absolutely sick to read this. Almost 60 missing after online chats. Dear God. Have to agree with canuckamuck and brahmburgers. As said, stay away from Bangkok and Pattaya. ESPECIALLY Pattaya. My wife had never been to Pattaya before and asked if we could go to visit. I told her NO. She didn't understand until I explained why. Quite naive. After I explained she understood and agreed.

We should not assume that just because they are missing that something bad has happened to them. Some people leave home because it's not that great there!

[hardy1943]

7 years before reporting the teacher?!?!?!

Believable. Often victims are afraid to come forward.

Yes, and it doesn't say that the parents knew about it for the entire 7 years. It could have been that the child only reported it after 7 years, which as Gandalf said, is believable. Young children ARE often afraid to report abuse. Sometimes they don't know how wrong/bad/illegal it really is, and often the abuser threatens the child and his/her family if they tell anyone. Five year olds are impressionable.

I have a sister in law that was repeatedly rape by here father and she was under psychiatric care for many years and blocked it out of her mind and finally remembered it while she was in her fifties. She led a troubled live until then but now is a completely different person.

Edited January 18, 2011 by hardy1943

[tonititan]

We should not assume that just because they are missing that something bad has happened to them. Some people leave home because it's not that great there!

I actually think that we should assume that they are missing, at least until they are accounted for. Better safe than sorry. I think it would be a huge shame to assume that a girl has chosen to leave home, then find out later that she was abducted/killed/etc.

[khaowong1]

What a sad commentary for a country. It happens in every country, but Thailand seems to just kind of gloss over the problem or ignore it. As far a any police monitoring the internet, they seem only interested in the porn sites. But we know that the internet is looked at by the Thai authorities, why can't they pay a little more attention to what's really going on. Oh, yeah, they do. The porn sites.

[keymaker]

Not only Thai girls disappear (not all) but they face internet and chat scam!

I've witnessed 2 Thai friends girls who in different times were affected by chatting scam, it was always the same idiot guy from England (an immigrant by his poor English language skill) whom tried to send gifts to them later it was understood it was a scam.

The moron is very skilled, after he gains enough trust he will offer to send very "expensive" gifts, I'm talking about a value of $5,000 and up depending on what is the target's financial capability.

The delivery always goes through some countries and suspiciously a delivery company based in north Africa sustains the dirty game!

Obviously the target is to steal money: suddenly the box results awaiting somewhere in North Africa or Singapore because of "unspecified" problems so the re-delivering and handling company cannot send it to the recipient unless the girl (the recipient) cash the amount of money then the sweet "lover" (the scammer) will give the money back when he the following week or month will go to Thailand to meet her honey.

It seems that Thai girls have no chance to report the scam because it's too much complicated or because ashamed and suffering for the loss of their money.

I still have copy of the delivering document which shows details of the scammer, delivery routes and handling and re-delivering company.

I will post it on request.

Edited January 18, 2011 by keymaker

[tonititan]

I have a sister in law that was repeatedly rape by here father and she was under psychiatric for many years and blocked it out of her mind and finally remembered it while she was in her fifties. She led a troubled live until then but now is a completely different person.

Wow. Sorry to hear about your sister-in-law. I find it disgusting that any "man" could rape his own child.

You're right, though....the mind does do crazy things to help us cope with traumatic experiences. People repress all kinds of bad memories. Unfortunately, I bet that when crimes are eventually reported, the victim is often accused of lying because they were not in the state of mind to report it immediately after the abuse occurred. I'm glad to hear that your sis-in-law is doing better now that the truth is out.

[Gandalf8353]

7 years before reporting the teacher?!?!?!

Believable. Often victims are afraid to come forward.

Yes, and it doesn't say that the parents knew about it for the entire 7 years. It could have been that the child only reported it after 7 years, which as Gandalf said, is believable. Young children ARE often afraid to report abuse. Sometimes they don't know how wrong/bad/illegal it really is, and often the abuser threatens the child and his/her family if they tell anyone. Five year olds are impressionable.

I have a sister in law that was repeatedly rape by here father and she was under psychiatric for many years and blocked it out of her mind and finally remembered it while she was in her fifties. She led a troubled live until then but now is a completely different person.

Indeed, in the U.S. the Department of Justice did several studies between 1994 and 2004 and found that 80-90% of victims knew their abuser. Often it was family, relatives, or someone that the child knew and trusted (like the teacher above). We train our kids to be wary of "strangers" when most often it is someone they know. In my opinion, that may be one reason that it is underreported as much as it is.

Hardy, I am very sorry to hear of your sister-in-law. I am happy that now she is has started recovery.

Edited January 18, 2011 by Gandalf8353

[Xonax]

Not only Thai girls disappear (not all) but they face internet and chat scam!

I've witnessed 2 Thai friends girls who in different times were affected by chatting scam, it was always the same idiot guy from England (an immigrant by his poor English language skill) whom tried to send gifts to them later it was understood it was a scam.

The moron is very skilled, after he gains enough trust he will offer to send very "expensive" gifts, I'm talking about a value of $5,000 and up depending on what is the target's financial capability.

The delivery always goes through some countries and suspiciously a delivery company based in north Africa sustains the dirty game!

Obviously the target is to steal money: suddenly the box results awaiting somewhere in North Africa or Singapore because of "unspecified" problems so the re-delivering and handling company cannot send it to the recipient unless the girl (the recipient) cash the amount of money then the sweet "lover" (the scammer) will give the money back when he the following week or month will go to Thailand to meet her honey.

It seems that Thai girls have no chance to report the scam because it's too much complicated or because ashamed and suffering for the loss of their money.

I still have copy of the delivering document which shows details of the scammer, delivery routes and handling and re-delivering company.

I will post it on request.

I also have a thai friend, who was involved in such a scam. The scammer spent a lot of time to build up trust and seemed to be a very kind, loving, rich and trustworthy person. After some time he offered to send an expensive gift, a notebook computer, where import duty and taxes should be paid before she could receive the gift. My friend then realised that she was the victim of a scam and pulled out of this cyber-relationship. She is now totally avoiding to visit chat rooms to find a good man.

The scammers normally gives the impression, that they are from a developed western country, but most likely they are from Africa (Nigeria a.o.) or another scumbag place in the third world. With a gmail, yahoo or hotmail email adress you can claim to be from anywhere in the world. Unfortunately it is absolutely safe to be a scammer in the third world, as the local police could not care less about the problem.

Edited January 18, 2011 by Xonax

[keymaker]

Not only Thai girls disappear (not all) but they face internet and chat scam!

I've witnessed 2 Thai friends girls who in different times were affected by chatting scam, it was always the same idiot guy from England (an immigrant by his poor English language skill) whom tried to send gifts to them later it was understood it was a scam.

The moron is very skilled, after he gains enough trust he will offer to send very "expensive" gifts, I'm talking about a value of $5,000 and up depending on what is the target's financial capability.

The delivery always goes through some countries and suspiciously a delivery company based in north Africa sustains the dirty game!

Obviously the target is to steal money: suddenly the box results awaiting somewhere in North Africa or Singapore because of "unspecified" problems so the re-delivering and handling company cannot send it to the recipient unless the girl (the recipient) cash the amount of money then the sweet "lover" (the scammer) will give the money back when he the following week or month will go to Thailand to meet her honey.

It seems that Thai girls have no chance to report the scam because it's too much complicated or because ashamed and suffering for the loss of their money.

I still have copy of the delivering document which shows details of the scammer, delivery routes and handling and re-delivering company.

I will post it on request.

I also have a thai friend, who was involved in such a scam. The scammer spent a lot of time to build up trust and seemed to be a very kind, loving, rich and trustworthy person. After some time he offered to send an expensive gift, a notebook computer, where import duty and taxes should be paid before she could receive the gift. My friend then realised that she was the victim of a scam and pulled out of this cyber-relationship. She is now totally avoiding to visit chat rooms to find a good man.

The scammers normally gives the impression, that they are from a developed western country, but most likely they are from Africa (Nigeria a.o.) or another scumbag place in the third world. With a gmail, yahoo or hotmail email adress you can claim to be from anywhere in the world. Unfortunately it is absolutely safe to be a scammer in the third world, as the local police could not care less about the problem.

Yeah those scumbags always take advantage of kind and inexperienced girls who struggle for a better living, the main targets are almost always girls aged 38 and up as they seem not having more choices in their country.

By the way, I'm a truly good boy you can tell your friend in case she changed her mind ))))))))))))))))))

[ableguy]

Not only Thai girls disappear (not all) but they face internet and chat scam!

I've witnessed 2 Thai friends girls who in different times were affected by chatting scam, it was always the same idiot guy from England (an immigrant by his poor English language skill) whom tried to send gifts to them later it was understood it was a scam.

The moron is very skilled, after he gains enough trust he will offer to send very "expensive" gifts, I'm talking about a value of $5,000 and up depending on what is the target's financial capability.

The delivery always goes through some countries and suspiciously a delivery company based in north Africa sustains the dirty game!

Obviously the target is to steal money: suddenly the box results awaiting somewhere in North Africa or Singapore because of "unspecified" problems so the re-delivering and handling company cannot send it to the recipient unless the girl (the recipient) cash the amount of money then the sweet "lover" (the scammer) will give the money back when he the following week or month will go to Thailand to meet her honey.

It seems that Thai girls have no chance to report the scam because it's too much complicated or because ashamed and suffering for the loss of their money.

I still have copy of the delivering document which shows details of the scammer, delivery routes and handling and re-delivering company.

I will post it on request.

Sounds like a Nigerian scam to me, they are very active on Thai love links posing to be of mixed ethnicity or working there as a nurse, they are very good at this at bit more sophisticated than the usual we have 7 million from a dead prince to get out of the country, I know because I find it amusing to string them along before getting them blocked.

[Payboy]

Over 50 girls missing after online chats

Some of those that didn't go missing, fared much worse by staying on camfrog.

[Credo]

I always read these articles with a little bit of a jaundiced eye.  NGO's are not immune from using statistics to assist them in getting funds.  In the case of the on-line chat, the first thing is to determine if there was a direct link between them going missing and chatting on-line.  I am not trying to minimize the seriousness, but the idea of meeting a stranger anywhere, anytime needs to be stressed.  

[ferryb]

Sad. What can be said? Just because a girl goes missing, doesn't necessarily mean she's in dire trouble or dead.

More than a few young women I know, Thai and hill tribe, go off to touristy Thai cities. Happens often. They just pack a bread loaf-sized bag, with no prior mention to me (as a friend) and maybe not even telling their parents. More often than not, I get a phone call a week or so later saying something like 'Hey, I'm in Pattaya/Bangkok/Chiang Mai (fill in the blanks) ....come visit me, kittung' (p.s. I don't visit, as I stay away from those places)

I don't mean to treat the OP lightly, as there are some v. serious items there, but some of the disappearances may be more a matter of mis-communication than serious trouble - or maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part.

Either way, the OP is a wake-up call for parents - particular those with teenage daughters. Here's some unsolicited advice: Listen to them, read to them, discuss philosophy, take them to outdoor places away from town and away from the mall, have fun with your kids, don't be hypocritical, don't be judgmental, discuss sex and lust and what results of not using condoms, do a creative project together, do some sporty things together, have some fun.

There are young girls who have your tel.number and they call you and say: Kit tung.

Well is there something you have not tell us yet???????????? I would advise the young Thai girls to stay away from you as long as you have not answered the question.

[ferryb]

It makes me absolutely sick to read this. Almost 60 missing after online chats. Dear God. Have to agree with canuckamuck and brahmburgers. As said, stay away from Bangkok and Pattaya. ESPECIALLY Pattaya. My wife had never been to Pattaya before and asked if we could go to visit. I told her NO. She didn't understand until I explained why. Quite naive. After I explained she understood and agreed.

You seem to be an understanding and loving husband.

And you seem to be the boss at home. You almost make me laugh.

But what did you explain your wife about Pattaya.

I like to know because I am living in Pattaya for 26 years.

And maybe you can tell me something I did not yet know.

[junglist]

Crime is heavily under reported in Thailand due to the fact that the police are either incompetent, involved, or likely to take advantage of the situation. I expect the real numbers are much higher. Can't comment on the missing people stuff as they don't say for how long or what efforts were made to find them. But we know stalkers do use the internet to find victims so no reason to doubt it happens here too.

Wisdom... dead on.

[pisico]

<br />

<br />7 years before reporting the teacher?!?!?!<br />

<br /><br />Believable. Often victims are afraid to come forward. <br /><br /><br /><br />

<br /><br /><br />

Just remember that Thais are gregarious and beholden to the group. What the group thinks about them is more important than their own lives or happiness. A case I know first hand. A female nurse at a major hospital a year ago announced to family, friends and coworkers she was engaged to marry. They are both Thais. Months passed and she learned that her husband to be was bisexual. Later on, he told her that actually he was more guy than bisexual and that he had a boyfriend. Would she mind if after marrying the boyfriend would stay with them? She was deeply affected and finally began confiding in two of the coworkers at the hospital, one of which is my girlfriend. What do you think she should do? my girlfriend asked. I advised to break the engagement ASAP, to forget about the guy and move on. She cannot do that, my girlfriend said. Her family is a traditional Thai family and by now everybody in the neighborhood and all of their friends know she is getting married. She cries a lot and is very unhappy but she will get married because she does not want to make her family unhappy.

That self-sacrificing facet of Thais make possible seven years of not reporting a rape because they are all too ashamed to let people know that they have been "soiled". They are afraid of having blame adjudicated to them for the rape. Saving face is another facet that maintains Thais in a backward path in time.

[NanLaew]

I say it's more disturbing that anyone can consider an internet 'blind date' as a reliable way of meeting ANYBODY let alone their life partner, soul mate or true love. There's a serious disconnect between what my generation considers as trustworthy on the internet and what younger or less savvy people do.

I guess it's not new. What's that old song again? "I guess it's true, 'cos I saw it on TV"

[keymaker]

It makes me absolutely sick to read this. Almost 60 missing after online chats. Dear God. Have to agree with canuckamuck and brahmburgers. As said, stay away from Bangkok and Pattaya. ESPECIALLY Pattaya. My wife had never been to Pattaya before and asked if we could go to visit. I told her NO. She didn't understand until I explained why. Quite naive. After I explained she understood and agreed.

Your affirmation seems just thrown there at that moment.

Do you really believe that your wife agreed with your "opinion"??

What can you tell me about not farang and normal people doing a normal life in Pattaya and Bangkok??

You have the right to avoid those places but please do just by your own!

Edited January 18, 2011 by keymaker

[Gandalf8353]

It makes me absolutely sick to read this. Almost 60 missing after online chats. Dear God. Have to agree with canuckamuck and brahmburgers. As said, stay away from Bangkok and Pattaya. ESPECIALLY Pattaya. My wife had never been to Pattaya before and asked if we could go to visit. I told her NO. She didn't understand until I explained why. Quite naive. After I explained she understood and agreed.

Your affirmation seems just thrown there at that moment.

Do you really believe that your wife agreed with your "opinion"??

What can you tell me about not farang and normal people doing a normal life in Pattaya and Bangkok??

You have the right to avoid those places but please do just by your own!

To both posters who were offended by my post about Pattaya. It is not and was not my intention to offend anyone who lives in Pattaya. I do not order my wife as a slave. She wanted me to take her to Pattaya. I said I did not want to go there. My reason? In years past I have been there before. I was very saddened by what I saw there. I decided I never wanted to go again. This is not an insult to those who live there, it is a personal preference. When I explained to my wife why I did not want to go there she understood.

No offense intended, nothing personal toward those who live there, but not somewhere I want to go again. If my wife wanted to go, she can go. Just without me.

[sydneyjed]

That's a very common scam used by Africans..It's mentioned in a very funny true story on the scam warning site..The English guy actually ends up getting the african scammer to send him money !I'll dig that one up ..but don't you think that this new wanky word'social networking' really is quite the opposite?These younger kids really don't interact at all other than in front of a computer screen or their blackberry,hence they take everything for gosple that's served up to them from a very early age.Unreported abuse or not reported till adolesence seems most common in positions of trust (e.g. school teacher,cub leader and of course priest....We won't go there,as it's taken 100 years or so for them to amit it happened!

Not only Thai girls disappear (not all) but they face internet and chat scam!

I've witnessed 2 Thai friends girls who in different times were affected by chatting scam, it was always the same idiot guy from England (an immigrant by his poor English language skill) whom tried to send gifts to them later it was understood it was a scam.

The moron is very skilled, after he gains enough trust he will offer to send very "expensive" gifts, I'm talking about a value of $5,000 and up depending on what is the target's financial capability.

The delivery always goes through some countries and suspiciously a delivery company based in north Africa sustains the dirty game!

Obviously the target is to steal money: suddenly the box results awaiting somewhere in North Africa or Singapore because of "unspecified" problems so the re-delivering and handling company cannot send it to the recipient unless the girl (the recipient) cash the amount of money then the sweet "lover" (the scammer) will give the money back when he the following week or month will go to Thailand to meet her honey.

It seems that Thai girls have no chance to report the scam because it's too much complicated or because ashamed and suffering for the loss of their money.

I still have copy of the delivering document which shows details of the scammer, delivery routes and handling and re-delivering company.

I will post it on request.