Thailand helps Interpol nail child sex predators
WITH THE help of local authorities, Interpol has managed to nail several predators who sexually exploited children and produced child pornography for online distribution.
The youngest victim was just 15 months old at the time of abuse, with the culprit having worked at a baby-care centre in Lampang province.
“Interpol alerted us after careful examinations of online child pornography suggested that the young victims were Southeast Asians,” Department of Special Investigation (DSI) deputy director-general Pol Lt-Colonel Pakorn Sucheevakun told the press on Thursday.
According to him, several Thais and foreigners have already faced legal actions for sexually violating children and producing child pornography.
Pakorn said an extensive investigation lasting more than six months allowed his agency to track down a house in Surin province where many local children were abused.
“The child pornography had been distributed via a website in Australia,” he added.
DSI said the suspect has been sentenced to 50 years in jail. “He’s also been ordered to pay Bt2.5 million in compensation,” Pakorn revealed, adding that an Australian court also convicted an accomplice in the case and handed down a jail term earlier this month.
From this case, authorities expanded their investigation and nabbed another man for sexually abusing children and broadcasting child pornography online. The content was sold in the US and Australia. Working at a baby-care centre in Lampang, this defendant received a 36 years and six months in jail and has to pay Bt300,000 in compensation.
In another case, a police senior sergeant-major was identified as a suspect. Legal proceedings are now underway.
Eric Mcloughlin, a senior official in the US Homeland Security Investigations department, said through collaboration with Australia and Thailand, four suspects were arrested in the US.
“Some are teachers who easily win trust and have access to children,” he said.
