Trafficker of rose-selling children on Bangkok's Khaosan Road arrested

[yankee99]

I say time for more corporal punishment. Castrate dad and hysterectomy for mom!!!

[moe666]

Children in Asia are the social security system, I love the idiots in the states who rile against social programs if we didn't have these programs no better than the countries we like to complain about. Even with social programs there is still problems in the west.

[Docno]

I Junta.

Jail for long term all these disgusting bastards who are involved this children trafficking case.

"I 'love' Junta"... Have to admit these sort of posts make me cringe a bit (and I've seen quite a few of them around here).

[To start on a more trivial note, I prefer the term, 'coup-makers' as used by some local media outlets. It's more explicit about how the regime came into power rather than simply labeling it as one of several 'optional' forms of government.]

But it's actually the zealous support of a non-democratic process/situation that makes me wince. The coup-makers have done some laudable things since seizing power... that cannot be denied. The OP is just the most recent example. They have clearly learned from their last experience in the chair, and are actively trying to win over the hearts and minds of the people, regardless of political stripe (or colour). And perhaps they genuinely intend to simply 'fix the system' then walk away and let democracy take root again in better [less corrupt, more just] conditions, something that juntas are generally not inclined to do. That is everyone's hope, I believe.

But I personally cannot go from that to say 'I love a junta'. That's like saying 'I love chemotherapy' if one is fighting cancer... the cancer needs to destroyed, sure, but it does not mean we should love the 'cure.' That cure comes at a price...

[khaowong1]

"The Mirror Foundation has helped return a number of these children back to their families." <deleted>.. It's their families that sold them off. Jeez..

[Docno]

Off-topic post, so please indulge.

What is the image in the background of the photo in the OP? ... appears to be a statue of a man in military garb carrying an unconscious (?) person. Is it the king? Have not seen that image before, and I'm just curious about its origins... My gf says she's seen it somewhere before, but thinks it is a past king. Anyone know...?

[smotherb]

The tragedy of unwanted children.

Birth control should be encouraged globally.

The problem is poverty among the people and lack of funding for assistance among the governments. Birth control costs. Funding for social programs--such as, education on planned parenthood, distribution of birth control, and health-related services of birth control--is key. Until government officials leave some money on the table instead of stuffing it into their pockets, the issue will only grab a few headlines, then fade away. Now, I will put away my crystal ball.

[chrisinth]

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Purchased from the family, sick, just sick. The family and the guy involved. $51 for a child ! How could they? I bet the family buffalo is still at home !

Without condoning what the families have allegedly done Lee, perhaps you, I, or the majority of members of TV could never envisage the circumstances these families are in and what they would be prepared to do to survive.

This is a completely different world to what most of us are used to in the civilized world.

To me personally, it is wrong, so wrong, that this can happen and everyone involved in profiting from this should be punished to the maximum extent of the law. Unfortunately in that statement it would include the families involved as well, so the children will remain a lost cause.

Realistically speaking, a rock and a hard place.

[TheRascal]

There's a few kids who sell roses around RCA every night, never buy roses but always offer food - eventually the girl accepted and told me and a few friends that they are all related (her one younger bro and one older bro), they don't go to school and they are Muslim's from Myanmar.

Pretty sad to see a missed opportunity for someone in life - with decent education who know's what they could have achieved, clearly not lacking intelligence if they can pick up Thai and English on top of their native language.

[trainman34014]

Been going on for decades and only now the Police can 'find them'.

Dear General; please take out the entire Police Force in every area this is found because they are the ones allowing it to happen. Don't just move them to 'inactive posts' though; fire them and take away pension rights before prosecuting them for dereliction of duty. Only when you show serious intent to those who wish to engage in crime will you stop others who wish to join in.

[Mot Dang]

Here's two observations that I made in the early 1980's when I lived in Sukhumvit 19.

Even in the early 80's there were children selling roses, flower offerings for the car and an assortment of tat around Soi Cowboy and the Soi Asoke intersection. You got to know their faces because you saw them every day, all hours. One day I was walking down the block where Terminal 21 is now and saw a bunch of these kids (dressed in their rags) waiting by the side of the road. It was about 10:00pm. What happened next changed my view forever. Along came a nice Mercedes, into which they all tumbled. The well-healed guy behind the wheel (not a Thai, not a falang) barked orders to them.

Around the same time I used to hang around Soi Cowboy and got to know a Thai kid (10 to 15yo maybe), whose turf was Cowboy, selling roses. I knew his family were not well off, but the parents were determined to educate their children and needed the money. I occasionally bought a bunch off him, for a girl who caught my attention, or maybe just feeling "I just wanted to help". In 2014 I still see him in Soi 22 selling roses, sometimes I buy sometimes I don't. We have a chat and I shout him a beer. What do his kids do? They have a flower shop somewhere in the area. He would not let his kids onto the street, saying "too dangerous now !".

[UbonRatch]

Off-topic post, so please indulge.

What is the image in the background of the photo in the OP? ... appears to be a statue of a man in military garb carrying an unconscious (?) person. Is it the king? Have not seen that image before, and I'm just curious about its origins... My gf says she's seen it somewhere before, but thinks it is a past king. Anyone know...?

More to the point, what is the wording in the background? Anti-Human Trafficking? laughingly sad error.

Typical Thai Freudian slip.... as all Myanmars etc. are considered anti-human, here.

[Lancelot]

Todays arrest came as Thailands military government scrambles to make up for a year of bad press surrounding the countrys dismal record of combatting human trafficking. Tens of thousands of migrants from neighboring countries are trafficked across Thailands borders every year and many of them are forced into slavery or exploited in the sex industry. Recent reports by Reuters and The Guardian have thrust a global spotlight on the tragic fate of many trafficking victims, as well as the complicity of some Thai officials.

I don't recall seeing how the trafficker would be punished.

Slightly off topic but I did read one report of a trafficker that was "brought to justice." He received a three months jail sentence; the Burmese -not sure if they were slaves or accomplices- received 30 years imprisonment.

Some times an arrest doesn't amount to much and other times it does...

Edited June 23, 2014 by Lancelot

[Oziex1]

Debaucherous revelers = foreigners

Revelers = Thais

Debaucherous revelers yep and we can buy anything we want from the Thais. ANYTHING!

Thanks to Khun English and co, hopefully more investigation and arrests will follow.

[Strangebrew]

A lengthy prison term would go along way int to curbing this, just make sure it is the worst hellhole possible that Thailand has to offer, and add daily caning and hard labor too.

[gsinter]

The other problem is, even if you only donate only food to the children, it still increases

the profit of the mafia, since they don't need to feed the kids as much.

[Oziex1]

I just love how the so called JUNTA gets more things done than any Government before them.

I think more of a case of the journalist and film maker getting the police to act after they recorded the evidence. Having police arrest the suspects and look after the children gives the film a good ending, not to suggest this is was shallow thing by the filmmakers.

And I'm sure the Junta is onto this and the other thousand issues that have to be sorted.

[jimbeam1]

Debaucherous revelers = foreigners

Revelers = Thais

Well done Thailand. Well done AHTD, Police and Thailands military government. Everyday more good news - may this continue.

Surely you mean welldone Khaosod (England)

[harrycallahan]

Will they round up the old women in the hill tribe hats who are probably more complicit than anyone in enabling this trade? Doesn't quite align with the usual 'human trafficking' narrative.

[cup-O-coffee]

It's all a charade; ...the action being taken, the emotions displayed and words spoken. It's all a charade... and act.

When one considers the anal retentive definitions of what constitutes work in this country, then every single Thai adult in charge of a child is guilty of trafficking or slavery.

The HUB of lunacy.

[muffy]

_{Well , are the children better off than being "home" where they were sold .}

[oneday]

Why does it take someone doing a documentary and a downgrade by the US before things finally start to get done. There are hundreds more all over the tourist destinations and beyond. You have made a tiny, tiny dent in the problem and have a long, long way to go so get moving.

[biggles45]

To me the saddest part of this story is that this has been going on for many years and it is only after an inquiry from a newspaper AND THE US DOWNGRADING, that something is seen to be done. It really shows that the US report was quite correct in that Thailand is not serious about stopping this.

[BudRight]

Let's just hope this ends.

[freebyrd]

The tragedy of unwanted children.

Birth control should be encouraged globally.

These kids need protection. With the way the world population is going, 3 billion when I was a lad, 7 billion now, sometime in the future, there will have to be control.

We need a licence to marry, drive a car, legally need to register a business etc. How about a licence to have children? Yes I can hear the Orwell supporters already. This is just a thought as I will likely be gone before 8 billion comes around, thank goodness.

[Carrerakiss]

And Thailand feels it has the right to complain about being downgraded on its HT status? I am very critical of the US on a wide range of subjects, but it seems to me they got the downgrade spot on.

Thailand should resolve the problem rather than bleat on about the result of their inaction. And not just some single guy operating on a single street. One arrest means nothing. Do it the army way. Issue an order and stop it in every street and arrest everyone involved in exploiting the children. Do everything necessary to help return the children to their family. Do everything possible to make the family economically self sufficient to stop the cycle being repeated.

Sorry to say it, but once again it comes down to the police doing their job properly by enforcing the law, thereby allowing social services and welfare agencies to start doing their bit.

Do this, in every locale, for a sustained period of time and Thailand may get some respect from the rest of the world and be upgraded. But beware, a few showboat arrests, fools nobody. Even the US can see through it, lol.

[kuifje]

They caught one. Only a tip of the ice-berg. Probably another 10000 organisers from beggar children/adults/handicapped people to go. You can find them in almost any town in Thailand. Not only flowers the once who sells flowers. And not only in tourist area's.

I give you an example, just at the traffic light which I have to pass every day, a handicapped woman is begging for money. Not sure she is independent or part of a criminal gang. In average in the 4-5 minutes the traffic light is red she will collect 20 baht from lets say one out of five drivers. Means she collect mostly over 100 baht in just few minutes. In one hour it will be probably 1000 baht or so. If she does do this for half a day, she will have probably 4000-5000 baht. That's an income of over 100.000 baht/monht. I know she is handicapped, but is this the way to take money from other people !??

Keep this in mind, if you think you should give something.

[Carrerakiss]

Well done US. Maybe downgrading Thailand to the lowest rank in its annual Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP) for not complying with the minimum standards for eliminating human trafficking has motivated Thailand to make greater efforts in investigating and stopping human trafficking. I look forward to the junta to bring all the nation's resources to root out this evil even if it means "shooting itself in the foot."

Not sure about Thailand being motivated to make greater efforts. Seems this single arrest was "motivated" by a documentary focusing on this single road and a few kids. No TV program = no arrest?

But I too look forward to a JUNTA order to the police to do their job. It would be a very good thing to do and I think a fairly easy win with very visible results. If I were the general! I'd write the order today.

[Maroon Watcher]

Well that is one. Go to almost any intersection or tourist locality anywhere in Thailand and you will see tiny children peddling wares into the early hours of the morning. They are not hard to find as they are everywhere.

Many countries have the same...

If they have more children than they can feed - they are put into service.

In China they are given to an Aunty, who looks after them like their own but they work 7 days a week 10/12 hours

[hobz]

Debaucherous revelers = foreigners

Revelers = Thais

Well done Thailand. Well done AHTD, Police and Thailand’s military government. Everyday more good news - may this continue.

You call it good news and well done when they catch a single perp,, when they catch hundreds or thousands of these scum, what words will you use then? Never mind, it's never going to happen.

[slipperylobster]

I seen girls barely six or seven sell love roses in the bars in Udon as well.