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.

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