Parents, tourists prey on children

Lite Beer · October 26, 2013

'Parents, sex tourists prey on children'
THE SUNDAY NATION

PATTAYA: -- Child prostitution in Pattaya will flourish as long as the number of homeless children - both Thai and foreign - remains high and they continue to be exploited by sex tourists and parents who sell their children into the trade, says Human Help Network Foundation Thailand (HHN) director Kanjanas Memanas.

Despite a drop in the scale of child prostitution and other child abuse following police crackdowns and stricter enforcement of laws against human trafficking, child prostitution rackets now avoid scrutiny by servicing their clients on ships anchored off Pattaya beach or neighbouring provinces.

Rather than working via go-go bars as previously, children coaxed into the sex trade now roam the streets at night or shopping malls in the day and approach prospective clients themselves, Kanjanas said. In some cases poor parents introduce their children to clients.

There are around 25,000 street children, both Thai and migrant, known to the HHN in Thailand, with up to 2,000 of them based in Pattaya. There is also a large but unspecified number of children under parental care but suffering poverty, and thus at risk of being lured into child prostitution.

-- The Nation 2013-10-27

Joe90KTF · October 27, 2013

This kind of article makes my blood boil.

O.K i'll have a drink of milk, deep breath and say Pattaya should be sent out to sea and sunk!

It does nothing but besmirch the great ancient nation of Siam and it's peoples at home or abroad to have the Achilles heal that is Pattaya associated with this great country.

somtampet · October 27, 2013

I would like to ask all residents of Pattaya if anyone has heard about this,because i certainly havent in 10 years of living here.

Ships anchored ate sea???

child prostitution in go-go bars????

<deleted> is all this about, dreamland or reality ????

lovetotravel · October 27, 2013

Pattaya is an "interesting" place, but this type of activity occurs on an all to regular basis all over Asia. A lot not visible to foreigners as it's mainly with locals...and with the support of the local police. Not a good situation.

silent · October 27, 2013

Personally haven't either, but suspect if not look,........not see. While denial of it like everything else, is more than half the problem.

philotruth3 · October 27, 2013

This is totally exaggerated, there is no source for their claims. This reporting is criminal behavior, we have to start punishing liars for trying to infuriate people against sex and against asia. They are scared to death people will find out how cheap it is here and how friendly the people are. Asia is getting better and U.S. is going down and they don't want you to notice. They want to direct the anger away from wall street and the terrible gov onto imaginary people. They should be made to pay with jail time. Up to 2000 children roaming the streets in pattaya? a complete lie. I'll bet not even in the last 40 years total.

HOAX · October 27, 2013

I've only been in Pattaya once, so I don't really know how bad it is but my friend and I just walked outside our hotel and two young girls, probably less than 10 years old, came and begged us to do something with them. They followed us about 50 meters before we started making police siren sounds with our mouths and they got scared and ran away. There were lots of people there that must've seen it but no one had any reaction what so ever. I don't know if that really is the reality in Pattaya but what I've seen is depressing.

But, child prostitution is a problem in Thailand in general. It's a problem in Asia in general. Mostly it's young Thai school girls selling themselves to elder Thais for money. The problem is that no one talks about it, but at the same time it's not a taboo. It's widely accepted. In many northern districts it's a norm, even down to the age of 12. While dealing with the problems in Pattaya, don't ignore the problems elsewhere just because there are only very few farrangs involved.

There's no one there to lose face, no one is responsible, no one to blame, no one cares. If anyone is losing face, then it's news worthy.That's why there's nothing about it in the media.

ChoakMyDee · October 27, 2013

I suspect the report was made by a journalist staying in a 5 star hotel in Bangkok who's never been to Pattaya but had to submit something.

jimmybcool · October 27, 2013

Well, I don't claim to know everything that goes on in Pattaya. I mean who could? But I live there about 6 months a year and have done for over 10 years and I am not a stranger to the gogos, beer bars and Beach Road. I live 400 meters from Beach Road.

I do not see many underaged workers. I'm sure they are there but certainly not in anything like the quantity this article infers. In all my wanders I have to think I would see something such as mentioned in this article if it was as rampant as described.

And I have NEVER been approached by 2 ten year olds offering sexual services.

mrdome · October 27, 2013

Well, let me ask then: What services are available for street children in Thailand? Get them off the street and they won't fall prey to any adult exploiters/abusers.

Card · October 27, 2013

If they got rid of Pattaya, another one would emerge in Thailand - somewhere, somehow.

Edited October 27, 2013 by Card

ricardofel · October 27, 2013

Too many ignorant foreigners who live in Thailand and don't really know what transpires. Let's face it Pattaya is the Soddom & Gomorrah of Thailand-anything sleazy could happen there. The two-faced ministers who complain about insipid things and yet allow all the sleazy disgusting sex venues stay in business so they can continue to get their cut along with the rick sleazy Thais who own all the sex venues. They don't care about little children in the sex trade as long as they make their cut of the action. The police get their cut and that's the way things are in Thailand-it will NEVER change.

jacko45k · October 27, 2013

You should come take a look.

I have yet to see a child working in a Go-Go Bar in Pattaya.

I see a damned lot of them being used by 'Asians' to help them beg or make money.

There isn't anything going on in Pattaya that you don't get in Bangkok.....other than jet-ski scams and overcharging for deck chairs.

philotruth3 · October 27, 2013

"Too many ignorant foreigners who live in Thailand and don't really know what transpires. Let's face it Pattaya is the Soddom & Gomorrah of Thailand-anything sleazy could happen there."

Yeah anything so just pull numbers out of butt and call people ignorant for not believing it. If there are 2000 kids roaming the streets in pattaya, I am a 5 headed cyclops who also is the president of the u.s.

stickylies · October 27, 2013

everybody with eyes and a brain *knows* it's widely available in pattaya (and SE-asia in general). the "new" thing involves poor folks having their kids do all kinds of sicko stuff on demand in front of a webcam in return for money (paid by western union, paypal, bitcoins and the likes). u don't wanna know what is going on in myanmar for example.

Dgmtexas · October 27, 2013

I could not agree more, I think it's a moral duty to beat the crap out of a pedophile, when you are sure of it.

empireboy · October 27, 2013

Does any other city with 9 million tourists per year have less problems....??

I'm not trying to discount hideous behaviours but I doubt it's a lot better in any similar locale on a per capita basis!

somtampet · October 27, 2013

My ex wife worked with nonces for 20 years, in the uk,and i have heard more sick stories to last me a lifetime,more than anyone on here.Top government people are involved,the jimmy Savilles of the world,and a disgusting underworld/pc brigade.I have seen many of these nonces face to face,and all seem to have this certain look about them,makes me cringe,and no doubt it happens all over the world,there is a network world wide.

We all have to have our ears and eyes peeled wherever one lives,not just Pattaya.Sometimes it realy pisses me off when someone from uk knocks this country,as the country is being involved in one of the biggest sexual abuse trials of all times,with famous stars being arrested

Boltshack · October 27, 2013

I have been living in Thailand for over a year and been coming for over 3. My first trip was to Pattaya for 10 days, loved it had a great time! 1 night late, about 2.30am I was walking back to my hotel alone along the beach front when I heard "Hello" I looked at it was a little girl around 10ish, I saiid hello and she says where you go? I say back to hotel to sleep, she says I come with you?? I nearly fell over!! I have a daughter around the same age!! I said What?? NO, you should be home asleep, Why you do this?? She says can do everything in Thailand, I said NOT with me!! and walked off, I told my mate the next morning and I said you would hope there was police or somebody hiding in the bushes ready to grab you if you said yes... But sadly I think that was not the case. It blew me away!!

frimu · October 27, 2013

Don't blame it on Pattaya only! I happens everywhere, where there is poverty.

I once was offered the service by an about seven year old girl in Laos.

I was terrified and rushed away from her. And remained sad, that these things happen, for a long time. You want entire Laos to be sunk too?

And what about Cambodia and India?

Open up companies in these countries and give as much people as possible a job. It's the best you can do!

i claudius · October 27, 2013

I love the holier than thou brigade who post on here about how bad Pattaya is ,read about it in a book or came here for the day once ,they dont know jack sh-t, only how to put our town down ,i first came here 23 years ago ,i have also had a buisness in Bangkok and believe me in my time i saw it and did it ,in all that time i have only once been offered an underage girl and that was about 16 years ago in BKK ,in all my years here in Pattaya i have never ever been approached by little girls or their parents or pimps,i am sure it goes on ,just as it does in my old home town and yours back home ,but it is not a major problem here in Pattaya and certainly not "on boats" out in the bay except in the minds of the terrminally stupid. But hey it makes good copy

Baerboxer · October 27, 2013

I have to agree with you. I've been a regular visitor to Thailand for over 20 years and lived here for several. I've never seen anything like the article describes. I've never been approached by young children, or pimps offering young children. Ladies of the night will approach in most Asian countries I've been too - Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Philippines - all have ladies on the streets and in the bars, even the 5 star hotels, who will approach a guy who is on his own, But these are always adults, not children, as far as I've seen. Having said that, its the same in many European cities, although perhaps less noticeable with the use of escort agencies and the internet.

I have to caveat that by saying that no one has ever approached me trying to sell drugs either. I don't do drugs and have no interest, so don't look for them. Maybe, as one poster says, if you don't look you don't see,

This sort of activity must exist - the likes of Gary Glitter and the other high profile pervs that get caught. To what extent this exists is what seems unknown. From what I've seen, it's not as rampant, visible and in your face, as the report states. I always have the concern with NGOs that they need to be reporting their activities and issues in such a way to guarantee and increase their funding from whatever sources. Facts and statistics can be presented quite differently.

I've never seen or heard of an instance of a Thai schoolgirl "selling herself' as one poster suggested. I do know that some university students often look for a "sugar daddy" to help with their tuition fees and expenses whilst undergraduates. I know several Thai guys that kindly "sponsor" an undergraduate - but these are not children. It's a strange concept to Westerners - but goes on a lot here (and other Asian countries too), and is accepted and kept under the carpet.

Regardless of the numbers involved and the visibility there needs to be more action to stop the exploitation of all people - for sex, slavery and based on ethnic or social status. This is not an Asian issue - the Indian sub-continent, South America, and Africa have problems. So does the West for that matter, particularly the Eastern European nations. All have poverty, corruption, poor law enforcement, low educated masses and high social divides between the "have and have nots". Maybe these are the areas that should be concentrated on.

kennypowers · October 27, 2013

The HNN work day in day out on cases of child trafficking and prostitution, and people on here are calling them out as lying? What is wrong with you? They have the stats, they work with the authorities and the kids, they are on the ground documenting it all.

Why the hell do you think people like this guy move to Pattaya ****Link to Andrew Drummond web site removed****

and this guy http://www.pattayamail.com/localnews/german-briton-arrested-on-pedophile-charges-21820

and this guy http://www.pattayadailynews.com/en/2012/06/12/american-pedophile-teacher-arrested-in-pattaya/

and this guy http://www.pattayapeople.com/Crime-News/Swiss-Paedophile-Caught-

and this guy http://www.pattayadailynews.com/en/2011/03/01/karl-erik-berglund-pedophile-gets-4-year-sentence/

Seriously there are so many I can't even believe any of you are attempting to defend Pattaya against child prostitution.

Edited October 27, 2013 by metisdead
Thai Visa is not employed as a tool to obtain information for Andrew Drummond nor do we use material from his web site. Link to his website removed.

Ulysses G. · October 27, 2013

Horse manure. You either misunderstood the situation or just made it up.

UncleJ · October 27, 2013

Girls arrive by the busload to Pattaya every high season and apply for jobs in the bars.

On another forum, a bar owner says he often turns down applications from girls ages 14 to 17.

Some bars do have young girls and pay the police I have been told.

They are warned if a police raid is on the way.

jbrain · October 27, 2013

i guess a 17 year old is also classified as a child in this caase, and I think you would be surprised how many 17 year olds there are in bars- disco's and probably some gogo's

philotruth3 · October 27, 2013

" I think it's a moral duty to beat the crap out of a pedophile, when you are sure of it." AGREED! Whole heartedly.

SO why haven't any priests had the crap beat out of them? Not even one!

In fact nowhere does this happen. Probably because there aren't nearly as many molestors as the sex warriors claim. It's happening in Russia and their photos are all on mainstream porn sites. All you have to do is visit a few porn sites and you'll have underage looking teens on your computer in the cache. And that is enought to get you arrested, but the search engines and banks and criminals that send you to the photos are not charged. Go figure.

slipperylobster · October 27, 2013

Seems many people on this formal are in some kind of "denial". Of course you do not see the problem if you are not looking. I suppose it would be possible to never encounter this situation and still live here 10 years, it you hole up in some soi in Bangkok, and just do your normal routine. I suggest a better look around, try some of the "back alleyways.... look for some old houses with seedy men out front coaxing you in. Watch young girls from Laos wander out in small groups from time to time to get a load for their cellphone at a nearby 7/11. It is right under your nose..if you care to look. It is nothing I care to see, but having spent 30 years in Asia...(and only a few months of that in the States) you will see/

godden · October 27, 2013

Total BS, now Angeles city different story

TheWizardofRnR · October 27, 2013

Hold on , not just in Asia and not just in Pattaya , the sick s-o-b's are all over the world trying to take advantage of kids who are poor !

Asia gets blamed big time ,but you will find evil wherever you go ,unless the police in other places go under-cover to weed out the culprits, lock them up and throw away the keys, see how they like losing their freedom & humanity, if they ever had any !

Sinking Pattaya isn't the answer Education is ,and wiping out poverty,

if you take Pattaya away ,you don't fix the problem ! You just made it change location!

Sign In

Parents, tourists prey on children

Recommended Posts

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Create an account or sign in to comment

Create an account

Sign in

Recently Browsing 0 members

Announcements

Topics

Latest posts...

Popular in The Pub

ASEANNOW

MORE INFO

POPULAR AREAS

CONTACT US