Briton Arrested On Paedophile Charges

[Guest Geezer]

"At around 4:30 on Friday morning police brought a 46-year-old British national, Mr Andrew John Gallacher, back to the Soi 9 station after allegedly finding him engaged in illegal sexual activities at his home with a 16-year-old Thai male."

 

http://www.pattayacitynews.net/news_23_05_51.html

 

 

I believe this is the first time in nine years in Pattaya I have heard of an arrest for sex with a 16 year old unless a younger lad was involved. I believe that 16 & 17 year olds are in a different legal category from 14 (15?) and under, and that police have not previously shown concern for this group. (Please correct me if I am wrong.)

 

If this be true it should give one pause. No matter how assiduously one tries to avoid boys under 18, it is possible to err when all parties in the bar are attempting to deceive one. I had thought perhaps lack of police concern regarding boys over 15 might provide a margin of safety.

 

Perhaps not.

[Gaybutton]

Actually, I already pointed this out in another thread, but the boy may not be 16. According to the PATTAYA DAILY NEWS. he's 15. See:

 

http://www.pattayadailynews.com/shownews.p...NEWS=0000006081

 

I have a feeling the boy is more likely to be 15 than 16, but either way, you put it into the perfect nutshell when you said "perhaps not." It doesn't matter whether the police have previously shown concern for the "buffer" age group or not because they can get zealous about it any time they please. Since there is currently quite a bit of publicity about these sorts of arrests, then people better assume the police are highly zealous for the time being.

 

The issue is so simple: You are placing yourself at serious risk unless the boy is at least 18 years old. If the boy is 17 years and 364 days old, you're at risk. I'd add a day to it if it happens to be a leap year.

 

There is only one way to be assured of safety and that is to do exactly what you always do. Check the boy's ID carefully and make damned sure the ID card is actually his. If you don't know how to check or you can't tell whether the picture on the ID card is really him, then have your hotel check for you. Do not . . . repeat, do not trust what a bar's mama-san tells you. If the boy comes up with some excuse for not having his ID card, then don't take him.

 

The current Thai year is 2551. The boy hasn't reached age 18 unless his birth year is 2533 or more. For those who don't know this little trick, there is the "543 Rule." Subtract 543 from the Thai year and you'll have the western calendar year. 2551-543=2008.

 

If the boy is 18, then he was born in 1990. 1990+543=2533.

[Guest stef]

Actually, I already pointed this out in another thread, but the boy may not be 16. According to the PATTAYA DAILY NEWS. he's 15. See:

 

http://www.pattayadailynews.com/shownews.p...NEWS=0000006081

 

The current Thai year is 2551. The boy hasn't reached age 18 unless his birth year is 2533 or more. For those who don't know this little trick, there is the "543 Rule." Subtract 543 from the Thai year and you'll have the western calendar year. 2551-543=2008.

 

If the boy is 18, then he was born in 1990. 1990+543=2533.

 

That's very good to know. I have been wondering how to really check their ages..

Thanks for the Info Gaybutton.

[Guest al_cappone]

I have a feeling the boy is more likely to be 15 than 16, but either way, you put it into the perfect nutshell when you said "perhaps not." It doesn't matter whether the police have previously shown concern for the "buffer" age group or not because they can get zealous about it any time they please. Since there is currently quite a bit of publicity about these sorts of arrests, then people better assume the police are highly zealous for the time being.

 

Just for the sake of information: What is the legal difference in Thailand between having sex with an under 15 year old and with a boy of the age group of 15 to 18?

Is both considered a major offence which leads to a trial in court or is the latter a somewhat minor offence that is just fined? I've just been wondering why – apart from the legal age of 18 – the fact that a boy is under 15 seems to be of importance too... Does underage mean underage, or is sex with a 14 year old a lot worse than sex with a 17 year old and will therefore be penalized much more harshly?

[Guest gwm4sian]

What is the legal difference in Thailand between having sex with an under 15 year old and with a boy of the age group of 15 to 18?

 

This reply may be considered contentious by some people, but here goes.

 

As far as I am aware, there is NO legal difference in the offence. It is just as illegal to off a boy over 18 as under 15. Prositution is illegal in Thailand.

 

Where the difference comes is in the punishment. The act lays down differing scales of punishment (fines and jail) depending on the age of the boy involved.

 

Just to be sure you understand things, the way the act is written you could be arrested and charged for ofing a boy aged 22. It's just that the BIB don't bother.

 

[Gaybutton]

As far as I am aware, there is NO legal difference in the offence. It is just as illegal to off a boy over 18 as under 15. Prositution is illegal in Thailand.

 

Where the difference comes is in the punishment.

 

Technically you are absolutely right. On a practical basis, the law might as well say that prostitution above age 18 is perfectly legal. To my knowledge, there has never been an arrest for prostitution involving age 18 and over in the entire modern history of Thailand.

 

Regarding the penalties, as far as I can tell, the younger the harsher. I wouldn't want to spend one day in a Thai prison, let alone years. Then, once you are released, you get deported and blacklisted, and in several western countries you then get to stand trial and be penalized all over again.

 

One of the things on my "I Don't Get It" list is why the pedophiles go after boys that young in the first place. There are so many Thai boys who are 18 years old, and can prove it, but look much younger. If the issue is whether they have reached puberty, many of them shave that area or would be perfectly willing to do so. The majority of them shave their armpits too. It seems to me the pedophiles can easily get the look they desire. Along with just a touch of imagination, they could get what they're after without any risk at all. But noooooooo. They've got to go after the boys who are truly under-age. I wonder what those who have been arrested would say now if they were asked whether they would do it again.

[Guest xiandarkthorne]

I wonder what those who have been arrested would say now if they were asked whether they would do it again.

 

They would say, "I'll make &*%# sure I don't get caught next time!"

 

I think it's more or less a common idea nowadays that pedos dont get scared for long by incarceration - or cured no matter how much therapy they undergo. Nobody might like admitting the idea but look at the measures taken once a man becomes a known pedophile - every legal, court sanctioned action points to that one unspoken fact. And every "former" pedo screams "Persecution!!! Prejudice!!!" until he does get caught again.

 

[Guest fountainhall]

The boy hasn't reached age 18 unless his birth year is 2533 or more.

 

Thanks for the 543 rule - great advice GB! But a year can be a long time and to be 100% sure you need to know the month. I can't remember where I found this chart, but it helps decypher the month of birth on the ID card.

Thailand_Months.pdf

[Bob]

I can't remember where I found this chart, but it helps decypher the month of birth on the ID card.

 

Was something I typed up many years back and, if I could find the Word version, I'd post it again (I'm sure I didn't toss it but I can't find where I stashed it). Here's a clearer photo of the original though:

 

 

[Guest zzrichard]

Thank you Bob and Fountainhall. Great bit of info!

[Gaybutton]

After a drink or two, I can already see I'm going to have a big problem with the abbreviations for January and March . . .

 

Anyway, thank you very much Fountainhall and Bob. That chart gets printed out and a definite place in both my wallet and on a laminated card that's going to be with me constantly.

[Guest fountainhall]

Thanks Bob - sorry I could not acknowledge your research in my original post.

[Guest netrix]

After a drink or two, I can already see I'm going to have a big problem with the abbreviations for January and March . . .

 

Anyway, thank you very much Fountainhall and Bob. That chart gets printed out and a definite place in both my wallet and on a laminated card that's going to be with me constantly.

 

Just remember 2532 or UNDER - lower number.

2533 if they already had a birthday this year.

 

Thai Calendar months in text format you can

copy and paste....

 

--------------------------Months--------------------------

English name.....Thai Name.....Abbr....Transcription

January.............มกราคม...........ม.ค....... makarakhom

February............กุมภาพันธ์.........ก.พ...... kumphaphan

March................มีนาคม.............มี.ค.......minakhom

April..................เมษายน...........เม.ย.......mesayon

May..................พฤษภาคม.........พ.ค....... pruetsaphakhom

June.................มิถุนายน...........มี.ย....... mithunayon

July..................กรกฎาคม.........ก.ค........ karakadakhom

August..............สิงหาคม..........ส.ค....... singhakhom

September........กันยายน..........ก.ย........kanyayon

October............ตุลาคม...........ต.ค........ tulakhom

November........พฤศจิกายน.......พ.ย....... pruetsachikayon

December.........ธันวาคม..........ธ.ค........ thanwakhom

[Gaybutton]

Say "karakadakhom" five times, real fast . . .

[Guest jtrack33]

Everything's going to be October for me from now on.

[Bob]

Heck, if the Thai government would proceed to issue the new identity cards to everyone, we wouldn't have to worry about trying to remember the damn month abbreviations in Thai. But I suppose that they will get back to doing that shortly after they finish the water pipeline to Pattaya! haha (or, perhaps, after I finish saying "karakadakhom" five times!).