Thailand: Modelling agency proprietor charged with child pornography

BANGKOK, Feb 12 -- Thai authorities have arrested a 28-year-old man and seized more than 500,000 files of child pornography on devices in the central province of Pathum Thani.

According to Bangkok Post, the man, a local and proprietor of a child modelling agency was arrested and charged on Thursday for downloading and distributing child pornography, as well as molesting thousands of minors, aged 13 and below.

Department of Special Investigation (DSI) director-general Korawat Panprapakorn said that the authorities started the probe after the Australian Federal Police alerted and provided them with a single image of child pornography.

With technical support from California-based Operation Underground Railroad (OUR), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), he said that the authorities managed to detect the suspect and make an arrest at the modelling agency’s office on Thursday.

“We found cameras, a studio and more than 500,000 videos and images of child pornography on the premises,” he said.

Meanwhile, Korawat also advised parents to verify modelling agencies before allowing photography sessions of their children, especially when they are not present.

He added that DSI would coordinate with the NGOs to provide counselling sessions for children who were sexually assaulted.

-- BERNAMA