Special Reports

Child Sex Tourism Prevention – A Dynamic Ministry of World Vision Foundation of Thailand

During the past 2-3 years, the number of children in difficult circumstances is rapidly rising in Asia due to various social problems, such as children are abandoned, addicted to drugs, abused, exploited, sold to sex service and afflicted with HIV/AIDS. From studies made by WVFT and Pattaya provincial police, it is discovered that from the number of children arrested, 72 are street children below 18 years old. Out of this number, 48% are boys and girls at 10-13 years of age who are delinquents, are used as unskilled laborers and do not go to school, 23% of girls have committed adultery, 22% of girls are working in the bars and 6% are boys and girls who are illegal immigrants. (These are 2003 statistics of street children in Pattaya.) WVFT is well aware of the situation and has tried to seek solutions to protect and help these children by setting up a project called “Child Sex Tourism Prevention.” This is a special project to protect children from sexual abuse, raise awareness to people in society and give hope to children through networking with other organizations.

Mr. Anusorn Somsiri, Manager of the Special Projects sets his hope in putting this project into action.

“Child-focused is one of the key principles of WVFT's development ministry. The well being of children is always the ultimate goal of its programs. Therefore, it is primarily necessary that we must give children an urgent priority, as the statistics of children being exploited and sold by their mothers are increasing. WVFT has come in to find ways to respond to this worrisome situation by setting up protection networks. We will then go back to the process of helping families to slow the spread of the problem of child abuse. What can we do to ensure that children are under the proper care of their mothers? The answer to this question can help to resolve the root cause of the problem. As part of the development work, our hope is to create warmth and care within the family.”

Mr. Thanit Khomsanit, Coordinator of the Special Projects says, “I'm so glad that this project is well received and I'm here to help. Before putting up a board advertisement, our team will visit the field first to experience for ourselves the real situation and see the progress of our advertising campaign.”

The procedure of administering the Child Sex Tourism Prevention project is to initiate a variety of ways to advocate for the awareness among foreign tourists and the general public who frequent popular resorts in Thailand. WVFT coordinates with other core public and private agencies in exchanging information and organizing training to educate volunteers. The workers who have come to work in the network are actively watchful on any child sexual abuse in the target project areas. They are working closely with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, the Office of Youth Welfare and Protection, Office of the National Police and the Ambassador of the United States of America to Thailand through World Vision of the United States of America for 3 years.

This project has an initial operation time frame of 3 years. The first 18 months of operation will be focused on the target areas of Chonburi, Chiengmai, Phuket and Bangkok. In the final period of implementation, the project will expand to other tourist and at risk child sexual abuse hotspots.

During the first 2 years of operation, the 2 major objectives are to give information to the general public and tourists on child sexual abuse and the tourists are conscience stricken that they will no longer want to commit the abuse and to create a support network that will seriously abide by the laws on child exploitation.

WVFT has also set up a coordinating center to help children who experience sexual harassment. The individual can notify the news to the Office of Child Sex Tourism Prevention in the operation areas of Chonburi, Chiengmai, Phuket and Bangkok so that the child will receive help.