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

[Andre0720]

Yikes - I had no idea - I regularly give these kids 20 Baht on the road next to Khaosan since I thought I was helping there families with the money - Gee I feel real bad now that I was actually aiding this trafficking...And also stupid that I did not think this situation through.

A few years ago, in Kata, the little boy selling roses at night was accompanied by his parents.

I knew the parents. They seemed to do the best they could.

I would buy clothes for the boy, a bicycle... I told his parents that the boy should sleep at night to be energetic to go to school... The next evening, the boy was selling roses...

When I told my gf then that I could take care of the boy, she was a bit bemused, and answered 'Children needing help in Thailand, there are many, many, many'. Her way to tell me that I was speaking nonsense...

I help people in Thailand when I can. But I often think that if I was given the powers of an eventual God, I could have done a better job at creating a world....

[venturalaw]

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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 !

"How could they?"

How else is the father's alcohol, smoking and gambling habits be supported? Where are your values? As you said, it's really SICK!

[123thaibourbon]

this has been going on for years, can remember since 1986... (and before, for sure) how ironic the TIP report & Tier 3 status coincided w/ former PM YLS' Birthday.. rtg hijacks democracy then masquerades as Nietsches' Superman.. real superstars ! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-Evzu4EC4E

[venturalaw]

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.

Not a tiny dent, rather a tiny temporary dent. In Chiang Mai the children are out selling flowers, then after some 'crackdown', they are replaced by adults for a few months. And then like everything else in this country, the adjustment is for show and in no time the children are out selling flowers again.

[catweazle]

Some of the best news in years!

[wabothai]

Welcome to 3rd underworld !! Everybody wanting to make a living and drive a mercedes, regardless......

Anymal behavior !! And to be punished accordingly.

[wabothai]

Why did Yinlucks government not do anything? Just a thaught.

A can of worms may be ?

[louse1953]

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 !

Dont comment unless you know the situation they have just come from.I have been to some refugee camps and it breaks your heart to see the situation human beings are in because of other human beings.Selling their kids is the last ,last resort,so others may live a bit longer.By the way,i'll take that bet.

[louse1953]

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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.

Realistically speaking,if you want to have a driving holiday,get out to the Burmese border and check out some camps.Plenty of volunteer work to be done,and also lovely tourist area.Some NGO's working against the odds.

[bigbamboo]

These evil people had better watch out...... Lara Croft's about.

And she doesn't take prisoners!

[louse1953]

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.

Dear General,check out your own backyard also,up in them thar hills.

[notmyself]

Yikes - I had no idea - I regularly give these kids 20 Baht on the road next to Khaosan since I thought I was helping there families with the money - Gee I feel real bad now that I was actually aiding this trafficking...And also stupid that I did not think this situation through.

Better to give some food such as a pad Thai or some fruit.

[sumtingwong]

More good news thanks to the Junta.

[louse1953]

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.

If she is an adult,whats the problem.People are donating freely.She has probably done other work but this works for her.Doubt she is independent though.Some lazy sleazebag would have moved on her.

[sumtingwong]

Why did Yingluck and her PTP end this practice?

[louse1953]

The tragedy of unwanted children.

Birth control should be encouraged globally.

@ClutchClark: it appears that your comprehension of the various cultures in "poor" nations, around the globe, is less than fractional.

You have to appreciate the fact that in those nations, there is no such thing as 'Social Security' - there are NO safety-nets for the people. There's also NO life-insurance to be had, so the solution (for these poor folks) is to produce as many children as possible, in the hope (and expectation) that IF the parents fal on hard times and/or 'old age' (and unable to work), that these many children will support these parents, so they don't simply starve to death.

Here in Thailand, the proof is everywhere too; a young couple gets together; have kid, or kids and guess who brings-up these children ? ? Grandma does, which enables the young couple to work and garner the money to support not only themselves, but also their kid(s) AND the grandmother. I realize this is very hard to 'stomach' when looking through 'Western-Eyes", but this is precisely what's happening all around the world.

Hey <deleted>. Can you not converse as an adult ?

Obviously when a parent sells a child for $50 then it is not the situation you describe. It is an unwanted child.

You have been placed on Ignore.

Circumstances change.One day you have a happy family unit in Burma,next day your crops are burnt,the women are raped and you have to bolt to the border to a less than friendly country,who also will exploit you.You have to bribe your way out of the camp to work illegally for a pittance in Chaing Mai.Your kids may get an education from the Thai govt.Other members of your extended family are in prison in Burma and may need money.After many years of this intolerable situation,the decision is made to "rent out" a child so others may survive.The west deal with the Burmese govt because it is mineral rich and turn a blind eye to whats happening in the north and west.I am sure when the children were borne they were wanted but circumstances change.Adoption would be an option but that takes years.These people live on the edge,day to day existence.

[FM505]

The tragedy of unwanted children.

Birth control should be encouraged globally.

Completely missing the point Clark... via this sophomoric perspective.

The tragedy is the desperation of people who 'flee' from dire condiditons, that are largely political in origin and seemingly beyond their abilities to engage.

Defense of individual liberties is to be encouraged globally... you should be outrgaged at the unscrupulous behaviors that lead to the OP.

[attento]

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...

Sure. . . better the medicine to cure the sickness, than continue with the sickness. Let's hope this is the correct medicine and the illness will be cured or at least, go into remission indefinitely.

[sumtingwong]

"I'll take Thai democracy and its coups any day" and twice on Sunday!

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Ill-take-Thai-democracy-and-its-coups-any-day-30236295.html

[englishoak]

More good news thanks to the Junta.

Thanks to continued exposure of the truth by people willing to risk themselves. publicity by international media and human rights groups and finally resulting in strong international pressure you mean.

Nothing at all to do with the Junta, just international pressure.

[Thongkorn]

The tragedy of unwanted children.

Birth control should be encouraged globally.

They are probably kidnapped, or been bought from there parents, this happens a lot, and has been happening for years in Thailand and other South Asian Country's. There use ti be adverts on Thai TV, telling people no to give to beggars, because it encouraged the gangs to steel and mutilate children for the purpose of begging.

[123thaibourbon]

At the end of the day, it seems that all of Thailands problems are centered around corruption, and that the whole question of corruption can clearly be placed in the lap of the Royal Thai Police Force. So get to the root of the problem.....Sort the RTP. Sack them precinct by precinct and put in place newly trained police who are paid good money and willing to end any corruption and uphold the laws of the country.

All the sacked police can volunteer for reinstatement but if selected after investigation, must be retrained and start their careers from scratch.

impossible, the culture of konrapchi(person for use) is pervasive in Thailand. the laws suck and the holy history is full of this crooked mentality...

[chooka]

More good news thanks to the Junta.

Thanks to continued exposure of the truth by people willing to risk themselves. publicity by international media and human rights groups and finally resulting in strong international pressure you mean.

Nothing at all to do with the Junta, just international pressure.

True the junta are being forced to act and wouldn't be do anything if it wasn't for the international pressure as it's not good for their human trafficking business.

[bob4you]

The tragedy of unwanted children.

Birth control should be encouraged globally.

retroactively!

[Cadan]

Really sick and sad... Selling their kids for 50 bucks. Get these kids of the street and give em food and education... People involved should be harshly punished... what future we / our kids got with this environment... Thailand has full employment and jobs can be found around... Also be good to start investigating the kids at BTS Asoke

[fire2rescue99]

"...has helped a number of these children be returned to their families." Sadly, just to be sold in slavery again, most likely.

Amoral, immoral, you just can't fix stupid.