Thailand in USA Today.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2006 ... karr_x.htm

BANGKOK тАФ The frenzy surrounding the deportation of American John Mark Karr dominated Thai TV and headlines over the weekend, the case a reminder of Thailand's struggle to shake its image as a magnet for foreign "sex tourists" and pedophiles.
Karr, who was once jailed in the USA on charges of possessing child pornography, says he killed 6-year-old beauty queen JonBen├йt Ramsey in 1996.

For Thais, the case comes against the backdrop of recent cases involving foreigners accused of sexually abusing minors. It also comes amid a debate about factors that have contributed a seamy image to Thailand: a thriving prostitution industry, poverty, lax policing and weak immigration laws.

"Thailand suffers from a reputation that this is the place for child-sex tourism," says Carmen Madrinan, executive director of a Bangkok advocacy group called End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT International). Campaigners against child exploitation say Thai authorities have cracked down on illegal sexual activity over the past decade. The government has prosecuted dozens of foreign pedophiles and signed agreements to speed up deportation and extradition of foreign suspects.

"It's harder for pedophiles to operate now in Thailand because of (new) bilateral laws that allow the transfer of offenders" to their home countries, said Kitiya Phornsadja, a child protection officer for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

Despite being jailed on child-pornography charges in the USA in 2001, Karr managed to get work as a teacher this year at two of Thailand's top elementary schools.

In February, he taught English at St. Joseph's Convent school, an all-girls academy, the school said. In June, he worked at all-boys Bangkok Christian College, a school founded in the 19th century by American missionaries, the Associated Press reported. Both schools said they fired him after only a few weeks.

His arrest came as local media were highlighting the case of two Thai teachers accused of raping a group of 8-year-old female students.

The media coverage reflects a greater awareness among Thais that children here are vulnerable to sexual predators, said Wanchai Roujamawong, head of prison probation at the Thai Ministry of Justice. "If these (cases) had happened 10 years ago, nobody would care, and it wouldn't get much attention," he said.

Wanchai, a former public prosecutor who specialized in child abusers, warned that pedophiles would not be easily deterred. "We expect that there will be many, many more of these cases in the future. People are talking about (Karr), but they're not really shocked," he said.

Karr didn't come to the notice of Thai authorities until he became a suspect in JonBen├йt's slaying. He has not been charged with any crimes in Thailand. Nevertheless, his ability to get teaching jobs in Thai schools has spurred the government to consider tighter controls on the hiring of foreign teachers. Thai school administrators will meet with government regulators this week to discuss the issue.

"These are the best schools in Thailand. You work there because it looks good on your r├йsum├й," said Jakrapop Penkair, a government official overseeing educational reforms.

Few schools bother to run proper background checks on foreign hires, and many teachers work illegally without proper qualifications, Jakrapop said. "We have enough laws in Thailand, but we disregard them," he said.

Outside St Joseph's Convent school in central Bangkok, parents expressed alarm. "I'm worried about this person (Karr). I think the school should know the history and background of its teachers," said Monthol Junchaya, 40, a banker whose daughter is in first grade at the elite all-girls school.

Thailand's Ministry of Social Development has launched an anti-prostitution public service campaign in schools and rural areas. The country's tourism board monitors travel agencies catering to foreigners, tipping off police to suspected sex tourism.

Similar Threads:

• Today's TIT
• Thailand's blind children's orchestra - from BBC news website today for anyone interested.
• My fave This Is Thailand story today
• Today is the day to do it..... 2
• My Thailand lottery numbers today are.........

I wonder if that 64,000 baht Thai sex-change only covers getting chopped and channeled or if they throw in a hair transplant? If not; is that why he didn't get one? Or is he just an undecided Miss Understood? Is he Tony Perkins as Norman Bates or Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond? Maybe after the operation he could, some times, be Norma Bates and, other times, her little brother, Master Bates?

And this from the BBC.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-p ... 266716.stm

The arrest of John Mark Karr over the killing of American child beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey has caused the Thai authorities to question the vetting procedures used to recruit foreign teaching staff.
Karr - a wanted man in the US, who was once held on suspicion of possessing child pornography - successfully applied for a job in a Bangkok school just days before his arrest.

He had previously worked in two other Thai schools.

In fact he seems to have spent the past 10 years as a globe-trotting teacher who, according to his resume, taught in South Korea, Europe and Latin America.

"This case shows that we may need to tighten the rules on screening teachers," said Jakrapob Penkair, a Thai government spokesman overseeing educational affairs.

Mr Jakrapob said that while there was currently no national recruitment system, the government was due to meet early next week to discuss whether more regulations were needed.

Inappropriate behaviour

Every year, thousands of foreigners apply for work in Thai schools, particularly in international and language schools.

It's obvious to me that more than 80% of schools here don't do any background checks

Frank Moore, teacher
"The vast majority are here trying to help the kids, but some are here for sex, booze and drugs," said Frank Moore, a teacher and moderator of an expatriate teaching website.

Some take it even further. In May, an American teacher was deported from Thailand after serving a one-year jail sentence for abusing teenage boys - and he is far from being an isolated case.

No background check available to a Thai school would have turned up Karr's previously being held "on suspicion of possessing child pornography". Unless he was actually convicted, the information would not be in the public domain.

PS: I wonder if Thaksin did a "background check" on Jakrapob before appointing him a government spokesman? He would have found some interesting skeletons in his closets, or so I am reliably told.

[Dboy]

Been reading about the coverage that MSM such as CNN and Faux News has been doing on this case. It's simply awful. Trashing Thailand is the only possible response that would be acceptable here in the US. Anything else would require self-examination of this toxic culture we live in and what it produces. And that ain't gonna happen. It plays right into the "America is the best country in the known universe!" mantra, which is sadly what most Americans really do believe.

Can't imagine the damage that this case must be doing to the thousands(?) of decent foreign teachers that are all over Asia. There are probably lots of families back here in the states who are now wondering what their brother, uncle, cousin, is REALLY doing travelling all over the world teaching English. Faux news was calling Bangkok the "Pedophile Paradise". I've been to lots of sleazy bars in Bangkok and I've never been offered a child for sale or rent. But I doubt my family would listen to that. It's all true cuz Faux says so.

Guess the main reason this is pissing me off is a selfish one. Was over at the parents house on Sunday and my father couldn't wait to tell me about Thailand being a Pedophile paradise. And my 19 cousin (female) called me last night, acting very suspicious as well. Suppose I haven't learned not to worry about other peoples opinions yet.

Dboy

Yes, I agree, this kind of press hurts alot of people.
I have some usually liberal cousins who won't let me near their kiddies unless being watched with an eagle eye, and I am sure the only reason they are suspicious is what they have heard about Thailand. This kind of stereotyping is nothing new.