Question of the week: Meldpunt Kinderporno, witch hunt or not?
This week, the editors received a request by e-mail from Meldpunt Kinderporno to place a banner on Thailandblog to draw attention to the action “Don't Look Away”.
After internal consultation, the editors have decided to reject this, because it seems like an uncontrolled witch hunt, which could put completely innocent people in unpleasant situations.
Below is the text of the request:
Dear editors,
I work at Meldpunt Kinderporno, which also houses the Meldkindersekstoerisme.nl website. Travelers can report suspicions of child sex tourism here.
Since the beginning of this year we have been coordinating the Don't Look Away campaign, a collaboration between the Ministry of Security & Justice, the police, the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, various travel organizations and children's rights organisations. The main goal of this campaign is to generate more qualitative reports of (suspected) child sex tourism, in other words reports with sufficient leads for a criminal investigation. The second goal is to draw attention to the phenomenon of child sex tourism, i.e. structural awareness, among travellers. For more information see: www.meldkindersekstoerisme.nl/ campagne-dont-look-away
We are now looking for travel sites and forums that would like to place our banner to promote the Don't Look Away campaign. In particular, we look for sites related to countries where child sex tourism is common, Thailand is certainly one of them.
I was told that Thailandblog is a very busy forum and would therefore like to ask you if you would like to place our banner or bring the campaign to the attention in a different way.
The Editorial Board of Thailandblog responded as follows:
Dear Mrs,
In response to your e-mail, we unfortunately have to inform you that we will not place the banner of the campaign “Don't look away” on our website.
Every sane person – just like us – abhors pedophilia and it is therefore good that there is a hotline, so that the necessary measures can be taken in certain cases of pedophilia. In our opinion, however, you are missing the point with the action “Don't look away”.
It looks like an uncontrolled witch hunt, where innocent people can end up in unpleasant situations. At the end of August, we paid attention to pedophilia on our blog with an article by Gringo, which we recommend you read: www.thailandblog.nl/column/herkent-een-pedofiel
The article and the many reactions contain examples of how ordinary Western citizens in the company of a young Thai-looking person (girl or boy) are quickly seen as pedophiles. Usually wrongly, because the young children in their company are often either their own children or children of their Thai partner.
Yes, pedophilia occurs in Thailand, but you also know that pedophiles never show themselves as such in public. Several thousand Dutch and Flemish people live or reside in Thailand, spread over the country, which makes it difficult to track down Dutch or Flemish pedophiles.
Because we do support the idea of a reporting center for child pornography, we will soon pay attention to your organization, whereby we will emphasize to be extremely careful with the possibility of reporting.
We would like to count on your understanding of our position.
Best regards,
Editorial Thailandblog
As said, child pornography and pedophilia must be combated, but it must not degenerate into the airing of suspicions. As we know from the earlier story on Thailandblog, the possibility to register someone cannot be handled with enough care.
The editors would like to hear from the readers whether they think that this has been done correctly. What is your opinion about this?
I think the editors did a good job. Do not look away from the phenomenon, but certainly do not unleash or support a witch hunt. A nuanced approach, in my humble opinion.
The editors acted well, I had problems with Dutch holidaymakers, because I went to an amusement park in Phuket with my (Thai) daughter aged 15 and 2 of her friends, I was attacked but knocked down 3, I had a swollen face. The police arrived and arrested the Dutch, two had to go to the hospital and from there 2 weeks to Chalong the police station, they wanted to make a settlement. My luck is that I can meet everyone at the office in Chalong, they wanted to fob me off with 10.000 Baht, I told the police 10.000 Baht per person is 50.000 Baht in total, that was arranged within 2 hours. have to pay the police, a multiple of what they paid me.
I would have liked that banner. Why not? I don't think that (international) authorities are busy with manhunts. It has also not come to my attention that here and there in tourist places people have been wrongly arrested, pointed out or mistreated because of wrong suspicions. On the contrary. Occasionally you read in the TH media that a pedophile who has actually assaulted a child has been arrested. The police work to this end has then been carried out in a neat manner. That those suspects are then extensively shown on Thai TV, and if proven sentenced to high sentences, fine! People know about the risks if they commit pedophile practices here. A year ago there was a report on BE-TV about how the police and aid organizations act in Cambodia with little manpower and resources. No excesses here either, no witch hunts or manhunts.
In Gringo's article there is no mention of excess or hysteria. You can, however, speak of immature and ill-considered reactions based on prejudices. In addition: with some corrections the image was put right again, and people saw in what a silly attitude they took.
But mind you: countries in this region, from Indonesia to the Philippines, simply have the dubious honor that anything is possible for money, and that morality and decency can be tampered with. And all ASEAN countries are guilty of turning a blind eye or two to abuses. In that sense, it is therefore not surprising if the reaction is based on bias and lack of nuance. Mention Thailand and the mean mouth will meet you.
I think that the editors of Thailandblog should distinguish between the serious work of the police and aid organizations, and should not let their ears hang for fear of those people who are just shouting around. Then it is better to address those people and point them out to the possibility of reporting, if you are so sure, instead of damaging them.
I don't understand the connection between posting the banner and starting a witch hunt. Or do we sometimes ask the name and address of ™suspicious™ persons and then report them wrongly. I myself once witnessed a well-known Dutchman arranging sexual contact with a twelve-year-old girl. He tried to arrange that visibly and audibly with money. Indicating this can have a preventive effect, but as long as no proof can be provided that contact has taken place, nothing else will happen. A father who is attacked while walking on the street with his underage daughter has nothing to fear from this banner. That's a whole other problem.
@Soi, It happened, some years ago at the Lotus Pattaya, that an ex-pat living here met his Thai boy next door and offered to drive him home which this boy accepted. Bystanders, who saw this boy getting into the car, alerted the police and this ex-pat was arrested. I was walking with my daughter in the same Tesco and a saleswoman stopped her and asked if I was her father. A true witch hunt indeed. There are countless examples of innocent people who fell victim to this.
I think your response to this request is the only good one.
It is now becoming a witch hunt, especially here in NL.
The last time I traveled via Schiphol (now 3 years ago), I was already handed a folder and asked what I thought about child pornography in Thailand. When I had no comment on that and refused the brochure, my bag, telephone and labtop were completely scanned. I was immediately suspicious.
Fortunately, the photos of the children of various friends and acquaintances together with me could not be found on those devices.
I regularly give swimming lessons to children of all ages. Imagine saying… A 44-year-old man with children in swimwear….and then also touching them.
The children and their parents really enjoy it. The average European, and in particular the Dutch, usually immediately looks at this with suspicion.
This NL witch hunt is one of the reasons I fly from Belgium or Germany these days. There you will still be treated kindly if you only fly to Asia.
I would have liked the banner, the more alertness to this phenomenon the better! take that scum!
Good thing of you. I have also read a comment on Facebook that there is child prostitution here in Thailand, which means that pedos do sex tourism here. This has indeed happened in the past, but this continues to be in the news. If you are going to accentuate this then Thailand will remain the country of child pornography. It also occurs in the Netherlands and they are also punished for it, just like here in Thailand. We expats are also branded by this and I personally think this is irrelevant because my Thai wife and family know better. Keep it up and I'm not for child porn if people think so but let the pedos come and they will live get to know here in prison.
I completely agree with the editor's decision.
Thailand has the reputation of being a paradise for pedophiles and likes to be portrayed as such in the media. Some of you will remember the (older) SBS broadcast in which a documentary was made on Patpong, Walking Street and Bangkok. It seemed as if there was one stream of pedophiles. A very generalizing broadcast….
We ourselves have been regularly visiting Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket for years and in all those years I have only once had a suspicious feeling. More often you see men with children where you already see from the whole situation and intercourse that there is a relationship other than a sex-oriented one.
Child pornography is very wrong, but to turn it into a witch hunt and to put every father, uncle or family friend in a bad light! A pedophile knows very well that he is doing wrong and will not openly show off his "boyfriend" / "girlfriend".
Hello Ingrid
I remember the broadcast of SBS but that was in Pattya now I have been in Thailand for 14 years.
and we are all taken for a ride by the media even young kids have been paid just for the ratings let them go see it in cambodia or vietnam i never experienced it in bangkok pattya jomtien cha am phuket or wherever they will there are fixed, but the control is many times stricter than in the Netherlands.
But warning is still good.
I think the editors acted well not to place the banner. “Everyone” knows that there is child abuse, especially in these countries. Witch hunt seems superfluous to me given the many international family compositions nowadays. Would be too crazy for words if we report someone who takes his own child to school, or goes to buy clothes at the local market. We are all in with our right minds, and DEFINITELY need to take action when we see something that is not according to human standards and values. That's what we have the police for. And they know what to do with these kind of people.
Yes, I too have found that many Thais are at least 25% older than my European estimate. In addition, the cup size of young ladies in TH is small anyway, so a girl of 19-22 looks like one of about 14 in the Dutch eyes. I once knew a girl in NL, who said she was 19, I thought 16-17, 1 or 2 years younger than myself at the time. In fact…. 13 !
Yes, many older farangs have also started a family again with a Thai, so they walk with young children in their hands, with whom they also cuddle. Just like I used to with my children and now with my grandchildren.
Yes, I also think that child pornography should be combated as hard as possible.
Yes, also in NL there are quite a few charges of sexual abuse, especially with children, reasonably faked by social workers, consciously or unconsciously. Compensation for the damages to the later proved innocent after a great deal of effort is generally rather delayed.
So I come to 50,0001% in favor of that banner, but with a few warnings like: “beware of baseless accusations. Think about your situation” (just think of this grandfather and his grandchildren)
Warning: Pedophilia is bad and those guys need to be dealt with.
But I have the same experience as you.
A girl worked in the clothing store of a friend of my wife in Kamphaeng Phet. I estimated her to be 12 years old. I asked the girlfriend: shouldn't that girl go to school?
She took out a copy ID card, she was 19 years old.
Asians look young and she was very petite.
If such a girl goes to work in Patpong, which would be perfectly legal, her Dutch boyfriend could be accused of pedo behavior by well-meaning observant tourists.
They hear that you are Dutch, take a photo or video and send it to them. You are requested to be investigated, and you cannot prove in the NL that the girl was of age. But you are immediately known to everyone as the Pedo.
Have the same experience as you Josh,
Girlfriend of my Thai ex was 23 had a daughter of 3.
She looked at least 8 or 10 years younger.
She did not enter any disco with her Belgian husband without showing her passport.
Hypocracy….prejudice in the Netherlands, seems vaguely familiar to me !!!
Pedro
Dear editors,
Dear employees of Meldpunt Kinderporno,
It seems that the reactions have been divided so far, personally I think that the editors of Thailandblog have done the right thing.
Child pornography and related crimes can be detected in a different way. In the proposed way, innocent Western-Thai parents of Thai children run the risk of being misunderstood.
I hope that the people of Meldpunt Kinderprono read this: an alternative could be, for example, to request the Thai authorities to be extra vigilant at airports and certain nightlife areas where child prostitution occurs. Read a while (may well be a year ago) I read here on Thailandblog a contribution from a Dutch or Belgian traveler that he and his daughter or son were taken out for questioning at the airport in Bengkok. Was the child his, and other questions were asked. So there are already initiatives at the airport, for example, and I think we can continue working from there.
I also think that there should be initiatives against child pornography and abuse, and I hope that this has provided an approach for a possible course of action for the employees of Meldpunt Kinderporno. Let us only ensure that honest citizens do not end up in a witch hunt.
Best regards,
Bruno
When I read the introductory text, in which you say not to mention the banner on this blog, I was a bit surprised and angry…
When I read your answer with clear explanation to the hotline, I think it is a justified and courageous decision.
To be honest, I had already forgotten the article 'Do you recognize a pedophile', and it indeed turned out (to my great surprise) that quite a few men were wrongly viewed and addressed.
That is not good!!
I too abhor pedophilia without discussion and even support a ramped-up hunt, but the right perverts must be rounded up and dealt with radically, not innocent men.
The police services that take on this task must therefore do their homework well in advance…
As you rightly point out, pedophiles will not show themselves in public with their victims, so don't search too impulsively, I would say, at the child pornography hotline.
Sensible and balanced people at Thailandblog.
In view of the reactions already posted, an extensive response is no longer necessary. I can only agree with Soi's nuanced response on 4 October. In my opinion, there is no question of a witch hunt. The best interests of children must remain paramount, while relying on the SOUND common sense of adults.
The period during which the subsidy applications or. extension going out the door takes place around this time. In the media you can see that from the reports that appear about all the suffering that can be imagined.
It is time for NGOs and their Lobbyist army to get on the road, to generate as much money as possible with the moral right on their side and the suffering they stand for.
Several months ago, I attempted to put my concerns and nuances to the various organizations involved in the “Don't Look Away” campaign.
Only Defense For Children responded with the comment "That she regretted that there is a stigma, whereby the innocent are the victims". ie “Deal with it”.
Hereby, a link that refers to the progress report Child Pornography and Child Sex Tourism April 2015
https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten/kamerstukken/2015/06/02/tk-voortgangsrapportage-kinderpornografie-en-kindersekstoerisme-april-2015
Without looking back and verifying the Report again, I seem to recall that the returns in 2014 were 4 cases, with 2 cases that could be forwarded to the Public Prosecution Service. It is unclear whether these results could be attributed to the campaign and which countries were involved.
As usual, the Report deals very briefly with the cash flows, financing and expenditure. But that it involves a lot of money is one thing that is clear. In my opinion, what the countries concerned are already doing themselves and the culture in which it takes place is ignored.
The haziness and intransparency of such campaigns, NGOs and their army of lobbyists is traditionally maintained
Totally agree with Thailand blog's response
Completely agree with your point of view
Thailandblog's response and reasoning is completely justified. Unleashing a witch hunt, in which the parents/grandparents of Thai-European very young children are also viewed as suspects, is not desirable in my opinion.
Dear editors,
The reactions to your decision have been overwhelmingly positive. I would like to join that. But I also listen to the arguments of the more or less negative reactions. That is why it is good to read that the editors will soon pay attention to the reporting center for child pornography.
In my opinion, two groups are victims of child pornography. The children and the wrongly identified “perpetrators”. The damage done to the misidentified “perpetrators” is significant. That is precisely why it is good that you are going to pay attention to the child pornography hotline.
I think the editors acted well, I'm going to Thailand again with my wife in November and I'm going to enjoy the sun on the beach and grandchildren there, I don't feel like functioning as a police there,
Who am I to accuse other people, and that also during my deserved vacation period
I believe that the editors acted correctly! Thailand, where I myself have lived for many years, has been discredited so many times in the media, as a country where only sex is the only pastime! Of course there is, if you look it up, but that's all over the world.
And of course we all agree that pedophilia and child abuse are heinous crimes and must be dealt with! But the many reactions from other readers clearly indicate the other disadvantages as well.
As far as I'm concerned, the banner should have been placed. I assume most people understand that if an old man walks in Thailand with a young child, it is probably a family/acquaintance relationship. (The "wrong" men don't walk in public with that, I think). I think that the banner can help to identify establishments where child prostitution is facilitated, so that appropriate measures can be taken against it. That is of course a very good thing!
Excellent response from the editor. I totally agree with your point of view
I agree with your choice and I too am afraid that if you walk around with your child right away, you will be called a pedophile. So of course pay attention to child pornography, but also call on people to be careful with their judgement.
I completely agree with the editors. We all also abhor violence, fraud or bastard behavior in traffic. Foreigners are also guilty of this in Thailand. Why only draw public attention to child abuse? The police are perfectly capable of dealing with this where necessary. No one needs such a witch hunt.
I completely agree with Soi's response of 4 October. As a Dutch police officer who regularly goes to Thailand, I see a missed opportunity of Thailandblog here. I am also very curious about the opinion of our new ambassador in Bangkok.
Unfortunately, I disagree with you because on this blog too there have been so many reactions from people who cannot judge things properly, as a result of which innocent people have had to undergo very unpleasant experiences. It would be good if professional people were present in places where this is known to happen. I myself think that it would be good if the Netherlands could take the initiative to do this in a European context. I myself also think that it is much worse in Cambodia than Thailand, where I myself have never been confronted in the nightlife with minors who were out with Western men.
Great decision to prevent such a kind of witch hunt.
The Dutch TV sensation makers had already caused enough unnecessary commotion with their fake reports, like last of Zembla in 2012.
In Thailand, a pedophile can be sentenced to no less than 54 years in a medieval cell without privacy with many criminals in 1 cell.
For men between the ages of 40 and 70, this is equivalent to the death penalty.
Surely you are a bovine if you stunt with your own life like that !!!
This kind of punishment coupled with the expected special pedophile treatment of fellow inmates should in itself be a more than sufficient warning for aspiring will-o'-the-wisps.
In the Netherlands, these child rapists are treated with all due respect, after their (too short) sentence they may go into hiding anonymously according to their preference.
Like the notorious Dutch swimming teacher who continues to "live" in Germany in the middle of schools and other child-rich locations.
Compared to Thailand, the Netherlands is a pedophile paradise………….yet.
Excellent point of view and I agree with many of the previous comments.
I have never heard of pedophilia in 16 years in Thailand and it is illegal there.
That the smear makers of the reporting center will do something sensible if recruiting sneaky clickers with all the consequences of false accusations.
Pedophiles are here in the Netherlands and mainly with our good Christians of the Catholic Church!
Well done Thailand blog!
Right, totally agree!
Hello
I agree with the editors not to mention this.
Everyone knows that child abuse is punishable by law, whoever dares to do so knows the consequences, without mercy.
Groet
J. Beyens
I completely agree with the editor's point of view. Great response with your letter!
I fully support the editors. Who knows better about the misunderstandings that arise
like the people who tell their stories on the blog and take a walk through Thailand or Pattaya with their children or grandchildren. Enough has been written about it on the blog.
There has already been enough attention to this on the blog. I wrote an example myself.
Cor van Kampen,
Soon these groups will have their hands full with pedophilia here in (hypocritical) Netherlands with brides aged 12-16 who are married to men who are 30-50 years older and come over from the Middle East.
I also fully support your position.
Mark Heydemann
And again Thailand has been placed in the negative news. and I completely agree with Peter de Bruin and the editors.
I disagree with the editor's position.
Why witch hunt? The participants in this promotion are of such name and fame that this should certainly not be assumed in the first place.
A site that claims to have a reach of more than a quarter of a million readers cannot look away from child prostitution in a country where the content of the site is 100% focused. Not even because someone might end up wrongfully in the dock for once. Such a misunderstanding is soon enough cleared up and the person concerned will probably be able to understand it too, knowing that so many other people involved are rightly disappearing behind the wire mesh due to the action don't look away.
When I read the newspaper, I regularly see reports about child abuse in the Netherlands.
Perhaps it is therefore a good idea to also approach the VVV and distribute leaflets to men traveling alone who visit the Netherlands.
Thailand and visitors to Thailand often seem to be found guilty in advance.
Congratulations editors with this well-considered decision and the motivation given, a decision worthy of an editor.
If everyone keeps their eyes and ears open for such abuses and takes action in the event of serious, well-founded suspicions, then this subject will receive sufficient attention.
Nico B
Agree with the editors. A well-reasoned decision!
Oh well, such a banner, provided it is provided with a prominent disclaimer, that reports based on suspicions that remain unprovable, is rewarded with publication of the name of the declarant. would have had my agreement. However, pedophilia is and always will be, covertly and covertly. Bringing this to the attention via a banner will not change this, many rightly indicate that this will cause many false reports (with unnecessary suffering as a result). This problem can only be fought at the source, tackling poverty and corruption gives more results than trying to get the perpetrator to change his habits.
Wow. The existence of child pornography is quite a stir among our Thailandblog readers, given the many reactions. I think the editors of Thailandblog did the right thing in this matter.
The editors of Thailandblog are man enough to bring well-founded issues such as child pornography and other matters to the attention of their readers in a responsible manner.
I've always struggled with the question of what age is child pornography and what age is it no longer. I think the limit is set at 18 years. Anything under the age of 18 is a criminal offense whether it be sexual acts or the distribution of sexually explicit material by a boy or girl under the age of 18. In my opinion, age should not be the criteria for condemning someone as a “pedophile”. Legislation should be formulated in a more nuanced way in this area and not use age as the sole criteria for convicting someone. I myself have been a “pedophile” in my younger years. I was then 18 years old and my girlfriend was 16,5 years old. And yes, we then performed sexually tinted acts. Am I a pedophile then? Am I then punishable within the meaning of the law? The answer is yes. How many girls and boys between the ages of 14 and 18 have performed sexual acts? I think there are quite a lot. To give another example. A 70 year old man having sex with an 18 year old is okay under the law. But is that really okay? Coincidentally, that girl has just finished school and the parents have more or less forced her to earn some extra money in Pataya with farangs after a second failed rice harvest. Emotionally and sexually, she is not much more mature than a 2-13 year old. Isn't this man a much bigger "pedophile" than a 14-year-old farang who falls in love with a 20-year-old Thai beauty? According to the law, he is punishable and can face a long prison sentence in Thailand. The 17-year-old man goes free because she has now reached the age of 70.
Another example: a 21-year-old man was convicted in America for having sex with a 16-year-old girl. He has been sentenced to 2 years in prison. After those 2 years in prison, his girlfriend (now 18 years old) was waiting for him and they immediately married each other. They are now 2 children richer after 3 years and happily married.
Another example: I once approached a man in Thailand who was around 50 years old, who walked hand in hand on the beach with a girl of an estimated age of 14 years old.
I asked him if he was aware of the sky-high prison sentences in Thailand for having sex with a minor. Yes, he was aware of that, but she's 18 years old; i saw her ID. To me it was just a pedophile because she was behaving like a 14 year old school kid emotionally while hopping on the beach.
Does this give you food for thought about the age criteria on which the entire legal system is based?
That was also my intention.
Greetings Hans
I think those campaigns only yield limited results. A drop on a glowing plate. There should be much better international partnerships to track down and bring these types to justice. Interpol, Europol and task forces from the Netherlands and other EU countries that work together with the Thai police. Think of actual organized undercover actions. Many places where these types make their move can be traced in this way. A matter of prioritizing and the question immediately arises whether this has that priority. It is confessed with the mouth. But yes that costs money and as we know that is becoming increasingly scarce in the world for some!!!!!.
I think you did well! Cheers!
Indeed, it has two sides, I still remember how 6 years ago I saw about 3 families next to my apartment who lived there under corrugated iron and with a horde of children.
One day I gave these kids all a cornetto ice cream, and oh how happy those children were and then stood every morning at the fence of the apartment, but later thought something like this? what can anyone else think?
Now with more pressure, something like this will only get worse, on the other hand if I hear or see it, well then it hits the spot and call in the police/government, this is now more important in view of the broadcast by R. Stegeman a few years ago, I therefore think that pressure and emphasis should be placed there through Thai media and the government.
I fully agree with the editors not to post the banner. A cleaning lady sees dirt everywhere. An artist art everywhere. And a policeman suspects everywhere. Personally, I don't want to go through life with police thoughts in my head.
Moderator: please don't chat.
Fully support your position
Editorial office
Excellent answer and response…because I have been coming to Thailand for years, it is still there, but you will have to look for it if you want to find children for something so impudent. You don't understand something like that.
Do know from a friend that girls of 16 years old sometimes walk around in the nightlife with a
false pass….well solved like this
The tenor of the reactions is that placing the banner in question is equivalent to launching a manhunt or witch hunt or smear campaign, and then mainly aimed at elderly people with young children living in TH. Which any sensible person will not agree with. Anyway: it is about the image and apparently it is very sensitive. The argumentation is then fueled by fear of being associated with a pernicious but common phenomenon in TH. Whether that fear is real remains to be seen.
Most reactions follow the idea: a banner means that everyone does nothing but continuously bombard the reporting center with incidents. The idea is then not substantiated by figures, facts or examples of incorrect situations.
In fact, not a single incorrect situation is put down in the responses. Some references are made to TV reports, for example by a certain sensation seeker Stegeman, or to a TV report from years ago in Cambodia. But no one actually comes up with a report where someone has been damaged by a false accusation.
The fact that there could be false accusation must then become apparent, for example, in the reaction of eg @theoS who says that: his daughter at TescoLotus is asked by a saleswoman whether he is the father. Is this smear or is this caution from a Thai who also knows what is going on in her country? Everyone thinks what they want, but how does the reaction of a certain Jos compare who thinks he sees a child in the clothing store of a girlfriend of his wife, asks that girlfriend, and is convinced when an ID is shown. Are we now going to say that Jos did the right thing and the saleswoman was busy with a smear? Or were both simply attentive, which is to be commended in both!
Let's all face it: Thailand is really not such a good country and a lot of people come here with a lot of butter on their heads. What they forget is that TH is hot. In short: in the long run they will certainly show up with their melted faces. A banner does not change that. So post that thing, if only to signal that readers and editors of Thailandblog are extremely distancing themselves from this kind of behavior.
Dear Soi, with the statement,
"So post that thing, if only to signal that readers and editors of Thailandblog are extremely distant from this kind of behavior."
If you miss the point, every non-pedo naturally distances himself from this, that's not what the Banner is for. Especially the Pedo does not care about such a Banner. Besides a witch hunt, there is a very small chance that you will report an uncle, friend or other close acquaintance who you actually know is a pedophile. But precisely because these are people who are very close to us, people usually turn a blind eye to this person. Ergo, posting or not posting has no influence whatsoever on the behavior of pedophiles.
We all know that pedophilia in Thailand has declined greatly in the last 20 years. It is tragic that it has spread to surrounding countries, but it happened.
Thailandblog, a missed opportunity! I myself, living in Cambodia, was apprehended in PP about ten years ago by US embassy employees dressed as tourists on suspicion of pedophilia. At the time I supported a street family. At some point I thought it necessary for the eldest daughter, whom I called Princess, to go to the dentist: she had been suffering from toothache for some time. I had taken every possible precaution to avoid being mistaken for a pedo, but it happened anyway. I was surprised, not indignant. After an interview of about 30 minutes, in which Princess was also present, the air was cleared, on the understanding that I was warned that my data would be saved. I never heard anything more about it. At the same time, I also heard many stories in PP about children who disappeared forever after use. To this day, all of SE Asia is a pedo paradise. In the fight against pedophilia, the fear of an unjust accusation should not be the guiding principle, but the unimaginable damage to the victims.
The (emotional) damage for people wrongly suspected/accused of pedophilia is also unimaginable. It can turn out good, but also very bad. That is why caution is advised when detecting pedophilia. A witch hunt is out of the question. That is why the editors have made the right decision, which I wholeheartedly support. In view of the very diverse reactions, it is not inconceivable that “in our midst” there are people who could make false reports thoughtlessly.