Parents, tourists prey on children

[DGIE]

There was a t-shirt printed that says:

bad people, go to Pattaya.

Good people go to heaven

[MILT]

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.

School! Sports! Art! Music! Temples!

[stickylies]

There was a t-shirt printed that says:

bad people, go to Pattaya.

Good people go to heaven

[NoBrainer]

Maybe this is a little bit of Propaganda to help the Navy get those Submarines they have been looking at for a few years.

After all they would be able to sneak up on those boats to arrest the perps, catching them completely by surprise. 555

[MMarlow]

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.

School! Sports! Art! Music! Temples!

Are you nuts? With the exception of the temples all these require money.

[nonsequitur]

Behind the facade there's a new definition of paradise!

[Jingthing]

On the streets of mainstream tourism Pattaya, I can assure everyone this problem is NOT easily visible. I'm sure it exists in the dark corners to some degree but it's clear that there is some kind of agenda to WILDLY EXAGGERATE the problem, especially the PATTAYA angle. Why? That's obvious. Money raising, publicity, and tieing in Pattaya bashing is always popular. The thing is yes very poor children are at risk for this kind of thing, but that would be ALL over the country, with Thais overwhelmingly being the most customers. But because Pattaya is the center for those demonic child raping FOREIGNERS, that makes for great publicity, as we all know the power of xenophobia here.

One can strongly support law enforcement and societal measures to prevent these crimes against children all over Thailand, but that doesn't justify the sensationalist nature of this press release and it's ridiculous demonization of Pattaya.

Edited October 27, 2013 by Jingthing

[Halion]

Never eases to amaze me how the 'Pattaya Brigade' rush to the defense of anything heinous or derogatory stated about their precious domain, Furthermore, the inane responses that make comments that such activities also occur in other countries are totally redundant to the points that are being made.

Unless one is in total denial ,Pattaya is the foremost purveyor of the sex trade in all vestiges of salacious activities in this region. This is an undeniable fact and for those who try to rebut this fact I can only say that they are merely adding to the problem.

Foreigners who wish to live in this area are free to do so and to enjoy their perceived benefits but to come out with ridiculous statements in defense of the realities is rather puerile..

[Jingthing]

The people who write red meat press releases such as this are counting on such knee jerk emotional reactions.

[wwex]

Im sure HHNs director gets a reasonable salary which comes from donations from all around the world based on Thailands reputation so thats why they fake the statistics

[NanLaew]

... Pattaya is the foremost purveyor of the sex trade in all vestiges of salacious activities in this region. This is an undeniable fact...

An undeniable what now?

but to come out with ridiculous statements...

Umm.... you started it no?

[chrisinth]

There was a t-shirt printed that says:

bad people, go to Pattaya.

Good people go to heaven

With the exception of tabloid media, I base my outlook of life on what is written on T-shirts.....................

Thank you for letting me know that this advice exists.

[SjaakNL2013]

It's good that the Thai Government recognize that big problem. Those thousands of poor an under aged children roaming the streets looking out for a few buck from the farangs.

That is why it's so a good step that, additional to the 200 bath rise an airport tax, there will come a 500 bath "Welcome Quality Tourist" fee.

This WQT fee will stop child porno and make Thailand again the great holiday place for the hole family.

[Jingthing]

People reading that absurd press release would imagine that if you visit Pattaya Central Mall that you'll be swarmed with young children sex workers clawing at your pants and pushing you into dark corners. I go there a lot and have NEVER seen even a hint of evidence of this kind of activity. As said before, yes this trade exists but the picture painted is overblown enormously.

Edited October 27, 2013 by Jingthing

[BlackJack]

someones trying to write themselves a nice plush job

if you want to know where the abused children are then try the very places that are there to protect them - the church, the homes, the shelters

half backed story this one

[cbluck58]

it happens everywhere unfortunately - there is a culprit - the cringing human rights do-gooder mafia who won't let right thinking people string up paedophiles.

if they were to step away from political correctness towards what is right ,there might be a chance.

anyone who abuses a child has lost their human rights already.

[GuyL]

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.

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.

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

First, the term 'child' should be defined clearly. Often when dealing with the topic of prostitution, it is referring to anyone under the age of 18. Yes, there is plenty of underage sex workers everywhere in Thailand (not only in Pattaya). Most of those underage sex workers probably are in the 15-17 year old age range, sometimes a bit less than that, but I am pretty certain that very few are prepubescent children. Of course, prostitution of prepubescent children does exist, but I guess that nowadays, it's very seldom accessible to the average sex tourist, even in Pattaya.

I have been regularly visiting Pattaya since the late 90's and only once I was offered to have sex with a prepubescent child (about 10 years old) by an adult (mother or other relative?) and it might as well have been a (very sick) joke. I would never know as I immediately said that I was not interested and I hope that it really was just a bad humor attempt from this middle-aged Thai woman.

Edited October 27, 2013 by GuyL

[chrisinth]

As with every other article of this nature it seems, I have to ask myself why Pattaya has been targeted in the headline? Is it because The Nation knows about the anti-Pattaya posters on TV and are wanting to increase the TV forum database?

"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"

This was the comment from the OP. Where are the other 23,000 of them and why don't they get a mention? Are all of them prostituting themselves?

The problem with statistics is that they are 100% numbers.......................

[carmine]

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.

Surely its down to the authorities of the great nation of Siam to stop knowingly letting it carry on as it has for years then. That is unless Pattaya is some foreign province within Thai borders.

[kennypowers]

To deny this is happening is as sick as the perpetrators themselves. Shame on you, and shame on humanity.

What is this "i don't see it in shopping malls or in my local bar " so it can't be happening rubbish?

Just because you don't see the act taking place doesn't mean it isn't happening.

You cam here for cheap sex with second/third world hookers. So what is so unbelievable that there are others coming here for sex with second/third world kids?

Just take a look at the amount of pedophiles arrested in Pattaya. It is a hot spot destination for sex offenders from all over the world.

[chrisinth]

I, like many others, have never been approached, have never seen, have never heard from others, underage children on the streets of Pattaya prostituting themselves. That said, it would be very naïve of me to think that it doesn't happen. There were certain areas of Pattaya that I wouldn't visit, the same would apply to any major city in the world.

The only time I seem to hear about what is going on is from media articles like the OP, where it is claimed that there are 25,000 street children in Thailand (believable) but portrayed that they are all involved in prostitution, well 2,000 of them anyway.

[kennypowers]

This one guy was having 3-4 kids every Sunday for a long time. http://www.pattaya-smart.com/gregory_James_Miller_Pedofile.html

Swiss guy in June

Then there was the infamous "ghost" http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-539228/British-paedophile-The-Ghost-accused-child-rape-times-arrested-AGAIN-Thailand.html

The cases are endless.

[Jingthing]

To deny this is happening is as sick as the perpetrators themselves. Shame on you, and shame on humanity.

What is this "i don't see it in shopping malls or in my local bar " so it can't be happening rubbish?

Just because you don't see the act taking place doesn't mean it isn't happening.

You cam here for cheap sex with second/third world hookers. So what is so unbelievable that there are others coming here for sex with second/third world kids?

Just take a look at the amount of pedophiles arrested in Pattaya. It is a hot spot destination for sex offenders from all over the world.

From the article. The part about shopping malls anyway as anything that is pervasive is simply FALSE. You can have fun demagoguing the issue and calling people who exercise critical thinking the same as sex criminals but that says much more about YOU than anyone else.

If this organization wants to be taken SERIOUSLY, they might want to start with facts.

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.

Edited October 27, 2013 by Jingthing

[FiftyTwo]

Like BB says,

Seen Uni students looking for sponsors, never seen a child.

Been living here a while, had many adventures.

Never been offered children or drugs.

I guess it must happen, but I don't believe it's widespread.

Sounds like a story made up by an NGO in order to gather funds.

@KP

If it was widespread, how come I've never been offered the services?

I've been to go-gos, I've been to shopping malls, I've been out late at night.

Edited October 27, 2013 by FiftyTwo

[chrisinth]

To deny this is happening is as sick as the perpetrators themselves. Shame on you, and shame on humanity.

What is this "i don't see it in shopping malls or in my local bar " so it can't be happening rubbish?

Just because you don't see the act taking place doesn't mean it isn't happening.

You cam here for cheap sex with second/third world hookers. So what is so unbelievable that there are others coming here for sex with second/third world kids?

Just take a look at the amount of pedophiles arrested in Pattaya. It is a hot spot destination for sex offenders from all over the world.

I don't think anyone is denying that this happens Kenny, what I would question is the numbers that are being used to portray it.

[NanLaew]

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.

Surely its down to the authorities of the great nation of Siam to stop knowingly letting it carry on as it has for years then. That is unless Pattaya is some foreign province within Thai borders.

Don't sweat it carmine, Joe90 is a milk-drinker.

"... besmirch the great ancient nation of Siam..." LOL. The main besmirchers are "it's peoples"... they besmirch their OWN country quite well all by themselves.

And it heel... Achilles HEEL <deleted>!

[Maseratimartin]

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.

You better open your eyes and finger away from Thai wiskey!

There are places in Asia developing...but sure not Thailand!

[donniereadit]

I have seen these cases with clearly underage ethnic girls (14 - 15 ish) sitting with very old white tourist looking men (60 thereabouts) at restaurants. From the expression on the girls face when I peered over and from the lack of conversation I would say it was a prostitute and not a father daughter couple. The weird thing about it was that it was uncomfortable, but I don't know whether the man knew what was up as far as how weird it looked to other people in the restaurant.

There were glances around and an uncomfortable vibe. But what can you do? I did not have the balls to get up and lecture them, especially solo. And a Thai is unlikely to make a public display. Perhaps the waitress could have asked them what was up and to leave.

Not much else you can do. Calling the police could result in a false accusation if they both deny it, and also doing anything in a public forum like a restaurant could potentially be a defamation issue which you could be liable for.

I also saw two tourists getting off a motorbike with an underage girl and walking towards a hotel. Again, stares from me and the noodle stand ladies, but again nobody surrounded them or said anything. It broke my heart.

This was in Chiang Mai, not Pattaya, but I'm sure Pattaya is probably much worse.

[Jingthing]

...

This was in Chiang Mai, not Pattaya, but I'm sure Pattaya is probably much worse.

Why do you think that? Have you lived in Pattaya and know or is it simply prejudice?

[CIHUAHUA]

Any person under 17-18 is a child here in Thailand. When I think of a child I see little ones that have not sprouted. Do they mean the little ones or the big ones? I don't think they mean the little ones do they?

I must be naive.