Child Prostitution ( Perek ABG sexy, montok )
Safeguarding the welfare of Thai women and children is a national priority for the Government of Thailand.
Of particular concern to the Royal Thai Government is the exploitation of children for the purpose of commercial sex. Young girls and boys too often are lured or forced into working in brothels and other sexually oriented establishments by profiteers.
While child prostitution is hardly unique to Thailand, its existence is repugnant to the Thai people. Thai society and culture are based on close family ties and religious values that are in direct conflict with the forced exploitation of individuals-- particularly children--for sexual or any other purpose.
A GROWING PROBLEM
Child prostitution is a growing problem worldwide. In Asia alone, according to experts on the subject, more than one million young boys and girls are engaged in commercial sexual activity. And indications are that in every part of the world the number of children being harmed in this way is growing. Child prostitutes are found in virtually every country, including the United States, France, United Kingdom, Germany and Japan. There is an apparent increasing demand, globally; part of it fed by the fear of AIDS and the naive belief that younger sex partners are free of disease.
NEW INITIATIVES IN THAILAND
Prostitution is illegal in Thailand. Nevertheless, like all crime, it exists. Sexual contact with minors is a criminal offense; sexual intercourse with a minor is statutory rape and is punishable by imprisonment.
In 1996, Thai laws were strengthened by new legislation which significantly increased the penalties for those caught engaging in sex with a minor. The law targets customers, procurers, pimps, and owners and operators of brothels as well as parents who sell their children to profiteers. The Thai law also provides for prison terms of up to ten years and heavy fines for anyone convicted of being involved in international commercial sex trade. The new legislation also eased restrictions on the police, making it easier for them to enter and search suspected brothels and make arrests.
The Royal Thai Government also works closely with government and law enforcement agencies in other countries and with international organizations to attack the problem from the outside. Part of these efforts is aimed at preventing known sex offenders and publishers of pornography from entering Thailand. The Government also monitors the activities of tour agents abroad who promote "sex tours", in an attempt to prevent their customers from entering the country.
Foreign nationals are not exempt from Thai law. Those who engage in sexual activity with minors are subject to arrest and imprisonment. The Thai police have stepped up surveillance of suspected child molesters and have made numerous arrests resulting in convictions and long-term prison sentences.
Information is now disseminated to all tourists visiting Thailand advising them of the law and the penalties for violating it.
GETTING AT THE ROOT CAUSES
Poverty is probably the most important factor contributing to the growth of child prostitution. Children offer themselves or, in some cases, are sold for sex in return for money. In developing countries particularly, the lack of viable economic opportunities, particularly in rural areas, combined with rising expectations and the desire to acquire modern goods, contributes to the potential for exploitation.
To counter this, the Royal Thai Government has taken initiatives which are designed to provide training and economic opportunities to youngsters who may be tempted or lured into prostitution. To reach these vulnerable children, the Department of Public Welfare has opened vocational training centers in every region of the country. These centers, aimed particularly at young women, provide job skills training and other services to more than 5,000 annually.
The Department also distributes information to households throughout the country, alerting parents to the dangers of prostitution and the scams employed by procurers and "recruiters".
Additional government efforts are aimed at locating women and children who have been forced into prostitution and assisting former prostitutes. Rehabilitation shelters, run by the Department of Public Welfare, offer counselling and vocational training for some 1,200 former prostitutes each year.
