Phuket investigations underway into suspected child sex exploitation

[rooster59]

Phuket investigations underway into suspected child sex exploitation 

 

‘We are focusing on main tourism location in Thailand, such as Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Phuket,’ said Pol Gen Tamasak Wicharaya, a Level 10 Adviser of Royal Thai Police (RTP) who heads the RTP’s Thailand Internet Crime Against Children (TICAC) division. Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot

 

PHUKET: A leading police investigator specialising in investigating sex exploitation and human trafficking has expressed grave concerns about child sex exploitation in Phuket.

Col Sanakorn Manmuang, Chief of Investigation of Royal Thai Police Region 8, told The Phuket News this week, “I have received some tip-offs from local people, including foreigners, in Phuket about suspicious behaviour that may lead to evidence of child sex exploitation on the island.”

 

Col Sanakorn heads a police unit specifically tasked with investigating sex exploitation and human trafficking in Phuket and surrounding provinces.

“I want to make sure Phuket will not become like Pattaya and Chiang Mai,” he noted.

 

“Phuket province is a base tourism destination, like Pattaya and Chiang Mai, where there are increasing numbers of tourists. We are concerned that as child exploitation is a hidden form of crime, it might be on the rise in Phuket,” Col Sanakorn explained.

 

Investigations launched just weeks ago are continuing, he assured, but declined to reveal any further details.

 

“We are now collecting evidence. I think our investigations might lead to evidence of children in the sex trade,” Col Sanakorn said.

 

Col Sanakorn expressed his concerns after Phuket last Friday (June 2) became home to the first Child Advocacy Centre in Southern Thailand to spearhead a multi-agency campaign against human trafficking and sexual exploitation of children.

 

The branch in Phuket, located in Cherng Talay, is to serve as the head office for operations throughout Southern of Thailand. (See story here.)

 

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/phuket-investigations-underway-into-suspected-child-sex-exploitation-62523.php#oABM4dBd2FgChHhj.97

 

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2017-06-10

 

[darksidedog]

At first glance this appears like very good news. Anything that protects kids from sexual predators is good right?

However, it then clearly seems to focus its attention on foreigners, when there have been numerous stories of late involving Thais guilty of this too.

I saw what happened in Pattaya, when one guy, on a pay per arrest bonus scheme, made 400+ complaints against foreigners, that resulted in 3 convictions, but 400 arrests. I add, he had no authority to make a single one as neither parent nor guardian in any case.

Since the pay per arrest scheme fell apart, arrests in Pattaya of foreigners essentially ceased.

NGO's and the Police can help in this matter a great deal, if they do their work openly, honestly and don't go on a foreigner witch hunt.

Edited June 10, 2017 by darksidedog

[Reigntax]

  "I want to make sure Phuket will not become like Pattaya and Chiang Mai,” 

 

They are delusional and in denial from top to bottom, every single one of them!

Edited June 10, 2017 by Reigntax

[lonewolf99]

to create the supply and the demand for foreigners.....then surely that has to start with locals.

Foreign deviants don't come to LoS looking for underage Eskimos.

 

 

[TheFishman1]

Hard to believe these guys I think the Top Cops are involved or get money from this TIT

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, darksidedog said:

At first glance this appears like very good news. Anything that protects kids from sexual predators is good right?

However, it then clearly seems to focus its attention on foreigners, when there have been numerous stories of late involving Thais guilty of this too.

I saw what happened in Pattaya, when one guy, on a pay per arrest bonus scheme, made 400+ complaints against foreigners, that resulted in 3 convictions, but 400 arrests. I add, he had no authority to make a single one as neither parent nor guardian in any case.

Since the pay per arrest scheme fell apart, arrests in Pattaya of foreigners essentially ceased.

NGO's and the Police can help in this matter a great deal, if they do their work openly, honestly and don't go on a foreigner witch hunt.

Dont confuse 'tourists' as mentioned in the article with 'foreigners' as mentioned by you.

[hgma]

It is a venom in society, and as a parent of a young child we notice that Thai parent in particular are extremely reluctant to leave their children to play with ours on our premise, it took a while before a steady group of school mates were allowed  to come and play.

We are fortunate while we can communicate with other parents in sharing concern and responsibility.

One of the reasons why we don't see children play outside with each other is that kidnapping and sexual abuse are apparent rampant in Thailand

[stevenl]

41 minutes ago, hgma said:

It is a venom in society, and as a parent of a young child we notice that Thai parent in particular are extremely reluctant to leave their children to play with ours on our premise, it took a while before a steady group of school mates were allowed  to come and play.

We are fortunate while we can communicate with other parents in sharing concern and responsibility.

One of the reasons why we don't see children play outside with each other is that kidnapping and sexual abuse are apparent rampant in Thailand

Strange, I see many children play outside.

[hgma]

9 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Strange, I see many children play outside.

NOT here......bannok perhaps?

Edited June 10, 2017 by hgma

[Maggusoil]

I am not a paranoid person for my own safety, but kidnappers strike with ruthless regularity all over Thailand. The last figure I saw on the U.S.of A. was a child disappearing every 4 seconds. 

 

Its an international hazard and my guess is that the people involved in this could be "stocking up". 

 

My Thai daughter is 9 years old this month. I no longer live with her but she is on a fairly strict roam control in the village. The black van can strike at any time. I don't think one can be too careful. Other expats used to think I was paranoid. She's pretty and has that little extra appeal being half caste. Its an onging and terrifying nightmare for those parents involved.

[BernieOnTour]

Yes, of cause: the wonderful, safe south - but the terrible Pattaya and Chiang Mai...

Why that fingerpointing on other provinces, instead of a coordinated effort? -I always thought, it's the RTP-Royal Thai Police and not a RPP-Royal Phuket Police?

 

I would consider paedophilia as one of the worst problems in our world.

 

However, their focus on tourists appears me to neglect the real roots of the problem. The NGO involvement does not seem to help, their funding and consequently their targeting in mainly concentrated on Westerners. Mae Hong Son was involving only Thai, or am I wrong? 

Maybe, the reason for that is that I'm not in their "target group", however: in 14 years, I was not even once offered a child in Phuket, Pattaya or Chiang Mai - so are "the tourists" the real problem? 

 

 

 

Edited June 10, 2017 by BernieOnTour

[darksidedog]

4 minutes ago, BernieOnTour said:

Yes, of cause: the wonderful, safe south - but the terrible Pattaya and Chiang Mai...

Why that fingerpointing on other provinces, instead of a coordinated effort? -I always thought, it's the RTP-Royal Thai Police and not a RPP-Royal Phuket Police?

 

I would consider paedophilia as one of the worst problems in our world.

 

However, their focus on tourists appears me to neglect the real roots of the problem. The NGO involvement does not seem to help, their funding and consequently their targeting in mainly concentrated on Westerners. Mae Hong Son was involving only Thai, or am I wrong? 

Maybe, the reason for that is that I'm not in their "target group", however: in 14 years, I was not even once offered a child in Phuket, Pattaya or Chiang Mai - so are "the tourists" the real problem? 

 

 

 

Brilliant post! I agree totally that pedophiles are just the worst thing around.

NGO's come here, occasionally, with the best of intentions, but tend to target foreigners, rather than from where the problem really stems.

Tourists can't "buy" sex with a child without an intermediary.

I would suspect the more serious rock spiders are out in small villages, off the beaten track, where a little wealth can sway things.

Focusing on tourist cities might catch the odd sicko here and there, but the real and bigger problem is a national one,

[NamKangMan]

7 hours ago, darksidedog said:

At first glance this appears like very good news. Anything that protects kids from sexual predators is good right?

However, it then clearly seems to focus its attention on foreigners, when there have been numerous stories of late involving Thais guilty of this too.

I saw what happened in Pattaya, when one guy, on a pay per arrest bonus scheme, made 400+ complaints against foreigners, that resulted in 3 convictions, but 400 arrests. I add, he had no authority to make a single one as neither parent nor guardian in any case.

Since the pay per arrest scheme fell apart, arrests in Pattaya of foreigners essentially ceased.

NGO's and the Police can help in this matter a great deal, if they do their work openly, honestly and don't go on a foreigner witch hunt.

 

Yes, meanwhile, up north, sneaky Uncle Somchai gets a free pass.

 

Not to mention, Grand Mama, and Mama, who say, "We went down south and did it.  You go and do it too, and send money home every month so we can drink whiskey and play cards." 

 

No extortion money to be made from Uncle Somchai, and Grand Mama, and Mama.  They are just written off as, "Thai Culture."

[stevenl]

4 hours ago, hgma said:

NOT here......bannok perhaps?

Here, everywhere.

[captnhoy]

My issue with this announcement is the warning that it sends to the guilty. I would be much happier if they actually accomplished something and then held a press conference. Perhaps goals would be more attainable if they remained confidential for the appropriate time frame.

[Old Croc]

This is basically the same article posted on 3 June about a couple of missionaries from Canada who have convinced others to pay their expenses for a couple of years in Thailand.

Their aim is to save children from abuse and, no doubt, convert them.

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/986142-police-fbi-ngos-unite-to-combat-child-abuse-sex-exploitation-in-phuket/

This seems to be the police version of the same story, no doubt justifying their part in the venture.

 

“Phuket province is a base tourism destination, like Pattaya and Chiang Mai, where there are increasing numbers of tourists. We are concerned that as child exploitation is a hidden form of crime, it might be on the rise in Phuket,” Col Sanakorn explained.

Investigations launched just weeks ago are continuing, he assured, but declined to reveal any further details.

“We are now collecting evidence. I think our investigations might lead to evidence of children in the sex trade,” Col Sanakorn said.

 

The Colonel doesn't have any evidence apparently, but thinks there MIGHT be a problem because tourism numbers are increasing! 

I am not saying there isn't child exploitation in Phuket, I'm sure there are some individuals abusing children for  gain, as in most places. However, I've never seen nor heard evidence of it here.  Most stories that hit Thaivisa columns seem to mention Bangkok, Pattaya, Cambodia or towns in the north.

 

 

[impulse]

Kind of wonder if this isn't a ploy to deflect some attention from the recent high profile case, which seems to have dropped off the media radar.