Pattaya Daily News

Published : September 07, 2010 :: 16:09:47 [ 17,380 views ]

Investigations into the dealings of several Thai websites have uncovered a suspected child prostitution ring operating in Thailand recently. Police discovered the illegal operations following the June arrest of an internet gaming business owner in Pattaya.

Thailand, the 6^th of September 2010 [PDN]: Following the arrest of Mr. Traiphop Bunphasong, implicated in a Pattaya child prostitution racket, Children and Women Protection Center Police successfully uncovered a larger ‘parent’ operation, which had been running in Thailand for the last 10-years. Mr. Bunphasong’s arrest was directly related to the later arrest of famed Russian musician Mikhail Pletnev.

Initially, police investigating the case of Mr. Bunphasong linked the offender with several homosexual websites (poochai69.com and dekchai.com). The websites were found to be openly selling images, videos and DVD’s of explicit gay pornography including material believed to involve underage boys.

Progressing the case to a national level, Major General Rungsap Sunsap (Children & Women Protection Center Region 2 Deputy Commissioner) and Major General Kittiphong Ngaomuk (Police Region 2 Commissioner) begun investigations into the matters, finding that sites were operated by a Mr. Kanphon Chinchayaphorn [48] (AKA, Lung Mo, Lung Max (uncle Max)).

Mr. Chinchayaphorn is known to be a prominent figure in Thai gay social scene and was subsequently linked to at least seven other illegal pornographic websites (gaymorply.com, unzenzer.com, vdostation.com, gooogay.com, seeguy.com, thaiboyx.com, and loongmax.com).

Infiltrating the operations Economic & Cyber Crime Division Police (ECD Police) posed as a potential client of the illegal services, chatting on several occasions with the ‘webmaster’ of one of the sites before gaining enough evidence to procure a search and arrest warrant.

On the 27^th of August, ECD Police instigated a dual investigation, one to confiscate the server location of the illegal sites from CAT Telecom and the other a raid on the suspected business offices at a house in Soi Parchauthit 2, Sigan, Don Muang, Bangkok. Investigations uncovered the server locations to be owned by Network-Thai Communication while the raid in Don Muang produced the arrest of four suspects involved in the illegal operations, Mr. Setthaphan Srinuan [26], Mr. Mongkhol Khemjarern, [29] Mr. Sitthichot Kamjonphanitjarern [29], and Sergeant(air) Kittichai Dungphet [25].

Resultant from the raid, officers confiscated eight computers, 348 CD/DVD’s, video recorders, cameras, photographs and various items of evidence pertaining to financial transactions involving the businesses. The four arrested suspects admitted to working for Mr. Chinchayaphorn, explaining that he was the owner of all the aforementioned websites and the Don Muang house used to manage them. Mr. Chinchayaphorn has since turned himself into police admitting the charges before being released on bail.

All suspects have been charged with participating to provide illegal services/products via the internet and participating in the distribution, public broadcasting and/or possession of pornographic media. Should further evidence be acquired, human trafficking and child abuse charges are expected to be laid on all involved suspects.

Officers are now further investigating claims that several of the sites are a front for child prostitution rackets operating in the kingdom, while Network-Thai Communication administrators have been engaged over their involvement in the sites operations.

ECD police have subsequently released a statement to all customers, visitors and supporters of the offending websites, asking them to present themselves/contact police regarding their involvement with the business, as all cases are being investigated, including overseas involvement.

Related items

• Pletnev Travels as World Media Scrutinise “Child Sex” Case
• Russian Musician Pletnev Returns to Face Thai Courts
• Paedophile Agent Busted Following Pattaya Investigation
• Finnish National Arrested in National Child Abuse Raid
• French Paedophile Appears in Court over Pattaya Offences

Advertise

 Print This News




Type : Thailand News
Story : Warina Punyawan
Photo : Internet

Extensive Gallery [ 10 photos ]