Britain To Crackdown On UK Child-Abuse Offenders In Thailand

[webfact]

Britain to crackdown on UK child-abuse offenders in Thailand

By Pravit Rojanaphruk

The NatIon

Children need to be empowered, with stakeholders working closing together and being vigilant in order to tackle the issue of child-sex offenders, Peter Davies, CEO of the London-based Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP), said.

Davies, and his colleague Tim Gerrish, were in Bangkok earlier this week to exchange views with the Thai police and the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) - a sign that the British government was taking the issue of child-sex offences by UK nationals seriously.

The two also visited Vietnam and Cambodia, the other two top destinations for British child-sex offenders after Thailand.

Gerrish said his government had more than 30,000 paedophiles and child-sex offenders on its watchlist, and had enlisted some 50,000 volunteers to disseminate useful information and preventive advice, which has reached up to 7 million people so far.

Both explained that their visit to Thailand and work with related agencies here shows how important issue is for the UK government.

"The message is that the UK is not a nation of sex offenders, and is prepared to tackle this issue," Gerrish said. Last October, Gerrish was in Thailand to help run a training session for 125 teachers from public and private schools.

Davies explained that it was crucial to teach children to look after themselves in both online and offline environments. The United Kingdom has introduced educational products such as five to 10-minute video clips that can be used in school to help raise children's awareness. CEOP is considering if similar products might be useful in Thai schools as well.

He said the problem of child-sex offences would have to be addressed both in Thailand and in the UK. "Some of that is about education and some of that is about social issues, which can take a long time to tackle," he said.

Davies added that while those caught for drug trafficking in Thailand were almost always denied bail, child-sex offence cases were treated more leniently.

When asked to compare the severity of the situation in Thailand vis-?-vis other nations, both Davies and Gerrish said such comparisons were unhelpful.

"We will not look for hot spots because it limits our work," Gerrish said, adding that the centre might "miss what is going on elsewhere"

as a result. Though CEOP has contacts in South American and Eastern European nations, Davies insisted that "statistics tell us very little".

"It so happens that Southeast Asia is the first continent where we have work. Anywhere in the world, where there are UK nationals, it's a place of our concern," Davies, who was formerly a police officer in Oxfordshire, said. He also highlighted the fact that in many cases, child-sex offenders were members of the family, which made it difficult for it to be reported to the police.

As for online exploitation, Davies said websites displaying sex-crimes against children were often blocked and persons behind them were prosecuted. He said that just five years ago, people could make a lot of money selling such images, but now offenders are selling access to images of child abuse instead. Paedophiles are also sharing such images through smart phones, though the UK authorities have had some success in making arrests, Davies said.

"The distinction between online and offline [abuse] is not so great," he said, adding that more thought was needed in caring for victims in terms of rehabilitation and recovery. He also said that media coverage of high-profile arrests could work as a deterrent.

-- The Nation 2011-03-11

[londonthai]

emmigration services in both countries have some job to do - like asking why the person is comimg often to thailand (and refusing entry, if something is not right), why is extending their visa or what was doing in thailand on his visit. There are tell tell signs why somebody is travelling if you watch carefully. The extreme measure is to check luggage and laptop by customs (happens in the usa) for pictures.

the process of selection can start already in consulates issuing visas, at least to compare with police database. Short interviews can be done, if needed, as they are done for thai applying for visas to the uk.

thai, when applying to move or work abroad, are required to present their clean police record - similar can be required by thai consulates and emmigration offices.

also police in both countries can watch out for those on the database and their international movements.

certainly there is a lot to do on thai side, including educational programs and rising social awareness of the problem

Edited March 11, 2011 by londonthai

[reason1]

"his government had more than 30,000 paedophiles and child-sex offenders on its watchlist, and had enlisted some 50,000 volunteers to disseminate useful information and preventive advice, which has reached up to 7 million people so far"

This is just the UK how about all the other countries too, numbers are staggering but are they real? -very complicated -definitions leave a lot to be desired and if a tourist is in a massage parlour and unknowingly has sex with an underage girl who is to blame? Beats me how a European can always judge correctly a 15 year old from a 17 years old and I have been around SE Asia for 30 years.

[keymaker]

From the article: "more than 30,000 paedophiles and child-sex offenders on its watchlist - the UK is not a nation of sex offenders"

Not a nation of sex offenders really??

[londonthai]

[/i][/b]Not a nation of sex offenders really??

probably there are not more, than local, thai children abusers or anywhere in the world, just there are no statistics on hand.

generalising doesn't go anywhere and is misleading.

as well as using a nationalistic, archaic motion of "nation"

Edited March 11, 2011 by londonthai

[whybother]

From the article: "more than 30,000 paedophiles and child-sex offenders on its watchlist - the UK is not a nation of sex offenders"

Not a nation of sex offenders really??

With a population of 60 million, 0.05 percent are on the watch list. That's too many, but it's "not a nation".

[kumsamut]

in thai jail, the prisoners are ready to welcome the sex offenders. my friend told me how warm the welcome party is in there.

[londonthai]

my friend told me how warm the welcome party is in there.

it's everywhere in the world.

in some countries, like in the uk, they have special wards, for protection of those prisoners. They might not have long life on the general wards

[ianbaggie]

From the article: "more than 30,000 paedophiles and child-sex offenders on its watchlist - the UK is not a nation of sex offenders"

Not a nation of sex offenders really??

You dont state which country your from - but i dont notice anyone else cracking down on it - only britain. hence this PROVES the UK is the nation LEAST full of sex offenders. Pity we cant crack down on illegal immigrants with equal vigour.

[dunkin2012]

Humm! interesting enough leniently in Pattaya?

[thaiorchidsource]

From the article: "more than 30,000 paedophiles and child-sex offenders on its watchlist - the UK is not a nation of sex offenders"

Not a nation of sex offenders really??

You dont state which country your from - but i dont notice anyone else cracking down on it - only britain. hence this PROVES the UK is the nation LEAST full of sex offenders. Pity we cant crack down on illegal immigrants with equal vigour.

I wonder if it would be possible for Thailand to obtain lists from the UK or any other country that such information is kept and bar these pedophiles from entry as undesirables. Also the UK or any other country who has this information could restrict travel for these individuals, by canceling their visa, or refusing to issue one or requiring a stamp identifying this individual as a sex offender to alert any country that they travel to.

[londonthai]

Also the UK or any other country who has this information could restrict travel for these individuals, by canceling their visa, or refusing to issue one or requiring a stamp identifying this individual as a sex offender to alert any country that they travel to.

visa is issued by the thai consulate and nobody can cancell it, but the right to travel can be denied (as with a football huligans travelling abroad for matches - but hulligans are much easier to identify)

Edited March 11, 2011 by londonthai

[harrycallahan]

From the article: "more than 30,000 paedophiles and child-sex offenders on its watchlist - the UK is not a nation of sex offenders"

Not a nation of sex offenders really??

With a population of 60 million, 0.05 percent are on the watch list. That's too many, but it's "not a nation".

That's 1 in 2000. Restrict it to males only (most are), then 1 in 1000. Adults only 20-60 might bring it down to 1 in 700. That's on a watchlist doesn't necessarily mean they're actively chasing.

It's still too few to justify putting every male traveller through a screening process.

[khaowong1]

oh-oh Another crackdown..

[Thai at Heart]

From the article: "more than 30,000 paedophiles and child-sex offenders on its watchlist - the UK is not a nation of sex offenders"

Not a nation of sex offenders really??

You dont state which country your from - but i dont notice anyone else cracking down on it - only britain. hence this PROVES the UK is the nation LEAST full of sex offenders. Pity we cant crack down on illegal immigrants with equal vigour.

I wonder if it would be possible for Thailand to obtain lists from the UK or any other country that such information is kept and bar these pedophiles from entry as undesirables. Also the UK or any other country who has this information could restrict travel for these individuals, by canceling their visa, or refusing to issue one or requiring a stamp identifying this individual as a sex offender to alert any country that they travel to.

Part of the rules is that a registered offender must notify the police of any foreign travel arrangements. How well this works in reality, I don't know, although here is a real example.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article4847269.ece

[biloutte]

sade for children and some familly

we need to speak about familly close eyes for that too and make some money maybee we need to look all problem and punish all people familly include

Now one thing will be nice to when we have think like this the peadophile must to go in jail in Thailande and if they back the mother country have to send back in Thailand is too easy to speak about human right , who speak about childrens right, is sometime crasy with law and lawyer about situation like that, I m shy when speak, we are Human.

NO PITY, is time to become strong with this case

if father kill people make wrong with is children he go in jail , but if peadophile do bad in go in jail few month, some treatment, after free i m shy about people make law realy shy, second chance for peadophile and killer is bullshit for victim.

and after if they make bad again my idea we must to punish people release them like this they take their total responsability is to easy, doctor, psy,judge or lawyer have tp pay for that

we speak the law is strong WHERE if law is strong ok, if you kill one people and u need to go in jail is for all live, and is totaly normal one live for one live

[loser1]

emmigration services in both countries have some job to do - like asking why the person is comimg often to thailand (and refusing entry, if something is not right), why is extending their visa or what was doing in thailand on his visit. There are tell tell signs why somebody is travelling if you watch carefully. The extreme measure is to check luggage and laptop by customs (happens in the usa) for pictures.

the process of selection can start already in consulates issuing visas, at least to compare with police database. Short interviews can be done, if needed, as they are done for thai applying for visas to the uk.

thai, when applying to move or work abroad, are required to present their clean police record - similar can be required by thai consulates and emmigration offices.

also police in both countries can watch out for those on the database and their international movements.

certainly there is a lot to do on thai side, including educational programs and rising social awareness of the problem

Be quiet! Your saying an oil worker who is spending his shore leave in Thailand every 2weeks should be interrogated as to whether he is fiddling with kids ? And have his laptop plundered??

Who resigned and made you the Boss?

[DoctorG]

It would seem that the first thing to do would be for every country to provide every other country with their child-sex-offenders watchlists. Visas could be denied, or entry refused, on this basis.

This cannot now be happening because we are always reading about some wanted person being (eventually) found in Thailand.

[thaiorchidsource]

From the article: "more than 30,000 paedophiles and child-sex offenders on its watchlist - the UK is not a nation of sex offenders"

Not a nation of sex offenders really??

With a population of 60 million, 0.05 percent are on the watch list. That's too many, but it's "not a nation".

That's 1 in 2000. Restrict it to males only (most are), then 1 in 1000. Adults only 20-60 might bring it down to 1 in 700. That's on a watchlist doesn't necessarily mean they're actively chasing.

It's still too few to justify putting every male traveller through a screening process.

It is my opinion that a pedophile is always actively chasing and looking for an oportunity, because they cannot control thwue impulse and interest. in sex with children. If at all possible, they must be kept either under 24 hour surveilance, or under lock and key. For travel purposes they should be restricted from entering any country, where they are likely to be there for that interest. If Thailand was truly interested in attracting the quality tourist, that would not include pedophiles, and they should have their own watch list and refuse entry. The Thai embassy or counsulate should have these lists in their computers to screen visa applicants, and the passport issuing country could also stamp any passport issued that this "individual is a registered sex offender pedophile" without refusing to issue a passport.

[dumpling]

Also the UK or any other country who has this information could restrict travel for these individuals, by canceling their visa, or refusing to issue one or requiring a stamp identifying this individual as a sex offender to alert any country that they travel to.

visa is issued by the thai consulate and nobody can cancell it, but the right to travel can be denied (as with a football huligans travelling abroad for matches - but hulligans are much easier to identify)

Huligans ? Are they are travellers who obtain their visa from Hull ?

They are easy to identify ?

Could you give me some pointers in case I cross paths with one.

[pjclark1]

If you actually read the story,you will see this is nothing to do with the UK government.

A couple of NGOs are out to make some money for themselves, they are quoted as not bothering to track down 'hotspots' of such activity around the world.

When asked to compare the severity of the situation in Thailand vis-?-vis other nations, both Davies and Gerrish said such comparisons were unhelpful.

"We will not look for hot spots because it limits our work," Gerrish said, adding that the centre might "miss what is going on elsewhere"

as a result. Though CEOP has contacts in South American and Eastern European nations, Davies insisted that "statistics tell us very little".

So I assume they are just visiting places that will get them free publicity, news reports and a bit of cash for their organisation. Gerrish also seems to have a bit of a penchant for visits to Thailand.

In other words, Thai bashing!

Edited March 11, 2011 by pjclark1

[SICHONSTEVE]

emmigration services in both countries have some job to do - like asking why the person is comimg often to thailand (and refusing entry, if something is not right), why is extending their visa or what was doing in thailand on his visit. There are tell tell signs why somebody is travelling if you watch carefully. The extreme measure is to check luggage and laptop by customs (happens in the usa) for pictures.

the process of selection can start already in consulates issuing visas, at least to compare with police database. Short interviews can be done, if needed, as they are done for thai applying for visas to the uk.

thai, when applying to move or work abroad, are required to present their clean police record - similar can be required by thai consulates and emmigration offices.

also police in both countries can watch out for those on the database and their international movements.

certainly there is a lot to do on thai side, including educational programs and rising social awareness of the problem

This will only work if there is complete co-operation between the relevant authorities and police forces of ALL countries dealing with this abominable problem of child sex abuse (wherever it is taking place in our world). It is important to ensure equall billing between ALL of those participating authorities and organisations involved is given for this to function properly as if some divisions are deemed more important (or has power over and above that of the others) then a similar situation to that, that exists between the CIA AND FBI in the states will occur whereby resentment and competition has severely limited their overall effectiveness as they try to out-do each other in the success stakes. There must be unequivical and mutual access to ALL compiled databases and systems set up to tackle this problem. ALL successes must be attributed to the "organisation" as a whole and no single element must be singled out for praise at any time, no matter where the origins of the idea/operational expertise has emanated from, leading to the successful arrests of paedopliles.

Employee pay-scales must match and complement each other in each and every section in the organisation ie: they must not be imbalanced, with equivalent (comparatively country-wise) operational budgets set for ALL participating "teams" of people involved in resolving this heinous crime that will affect those exploited unfortunates forced into the sex trade - for the rest of their lives!!!

Unless it is set up something along these lines I fear that it will remain ineffectual if personal resentment between the leaders of the various operational divisions is allowed to materialise due to envy or jealousy it will impinge detrimentally on achieving successful outcomes thus allowing these evil perpetrators of this vile trade to flourish unabated.

It is, in this 'cyber era' where technology is making such sex - crimes easier to disseminate to an ever growing and sofisticated nettwork of child sex abusers, increasingly pertinent to infiltrate, bring down and prosecute these organisations so that our children can feel and be protected.

[andrewt]

"his government had more than 30,000 paedophiles and child-sex offenders on its watchlist, and had enlisted some 50,000 volunteers to disseminate useful information and preventive advice, which has reached up to 7 million people so far"

Wonder how many of them are expatriates working in Thailand, 5000 ?

[IvanDobsky]

In other words, Thai bashing!

Nonce sense.

Anyone who exposes a criminal deserves praise rather than castigation.

[featography]

What took them so long?

[Stu666]

Pssshhh - I in NO way condone the behaviour of child sex offenders etc - but I think people in general need to clean up their own back yard before they go knocking on their neighbours door - pedophilia in Asian countries is massively dominated by locals............Britain a "nation of sex child sex offenders"??? Get a grip!!!! <deleted>!!!

[Stu666]

I'm sorry I just find that accusation SO offensive!!!!!

[londonthai]

If you actually read the story,you will see this is nothing to do with the UK government.

A couple of NGOs are out to make some money for themselves

they are part of the police force www.ceop.police.uk

[robblok]

I wonder if any locals have ever been charged with facilitating child sex. I'm not saying that there are no foreign pedophiles. But here in Thailand it always looks like the foreigners are to blame while locals do a lot more but its never really publicized. While if a foreigner is caught his picture comes in the newspaper.

And im with the other poster that this is just an other NGO who with (probably inflated) figures is trying to get some money to pay their exorbitant salaries. Currently in Holland your a pedophile when you look at a picture of a 17yo nude while not so long ago this was perfectly legal. The true definition of pedophile is totally different.

[jackr]

[/b]Not a nation of sex offenders really??

There are plenty of other fora to troll in. :jerk:

Also the UK or any other country who has this information could restrict travel for these individuals, by canceling their visa, or refusing to issue one or requiring a stamp identifying this individual as a sex offender to alert any country that they travel to.

That should be a given, and short of a stamp on the forehead, a proper sentence wouldn't go amiss. Also in the case of those previously convicted, it's a bit rich comparing druggies being worse off here, yet we let these weirdos back out onto the street in the first place!