Why Pedophiles Are No Longer Welcome in Thailand

For many years, Thailand has had an unwarranted reputation as a place where Western men could come to have sex with children. In the last few years, the Thai police have taken the prosecution of these men very seriously, yet the sad and terrifying fact is they still come to Thailand.

What is even sadder and more terrifying is that most of these men come to Thailand to be teachers. Without proper qualifications or experience, often without even a college degree, they manage to walk into a Thai school and procure themselves a job. Within days of getting off the plane, some of them are already at work in the classroom, with as much access to Thai children as they want. The only reason for this is Thailand's shortage of Western teachers and a previous lack of background checks on the part of the Thais.

Thailand was in the news again recently because of the international manhunt of an accused pedophile, who was eventually caught in Thailand. Christopher Neil was arrested in Nakhon Ratchasima just over a week after he had arrived here and charged with child sexual abuse. He is also wanted in South Korea, Cambodia and Vietnam for similar charges. He was also a teacher.

Last year, another suspected pedophile, American John Mark Karr, was arrested by Thai police after he confessed to killing an American child, Jon Benet Ramsey. After being returned to the USA, the charges were dropped against him when DNA samples couldn't connect him with Jon Benet. While he was in Thailand, he had been fired from two teaching jobs after the staff at the school felt uncomfortable about him being around children.

These are just two of the numerous Western men who come to Thailand thinking they can get away with having sex with children, something that would be much more difficult for them to do in their own country. In Thailand, in the past, it has been easier for them because of the trusting nature of the Thais and also because teachers are highly revered in this traditional Buddhist culture.