CityNews Article Archive:
New Laws Concerning Child Pornography Discussed in Thailand

City News – During a meeting between Thai and international police 20th of March in Bangkok, the emphasis of the meeting was on the possession of child pornography in Thailand, which at the moment is not illegal.

Green: Possession of child pornography legal, including Thailand. Orange: illegal. Red: All Pornography illegal. White: No data. 

According to the Bangkok Post, the participants (including various NGOs), agreed that new improved legislation was required. At the moment the possession of pornographic content involving children content is not illegal, and legal action can only be taken the material is distributed (according to the 2007 Computer-Related Crime Act).

‘‘Without such a law, police lack teeth to arrest wrongdoers’’ said one Australian detective during the workshop. According to Schle Woodthanan, the deputy chairman of the Anti-Sexual Abuse in Children Foundation, who was in attendance at the meeting, the possession of child pornography is still a threat for children, as ‘‘many paedophiles use the pictures as a tool to lure children into imitating what they see in the photos’’.

The Thai royal police responded saying  that new laws are currently being drafted, and clauses concerning ‘possession’ will be included.