Background checks on teachers follows second arrest

[buksida]

Thai police may begin making background checks on foreign teachers after arresting two on child pornography charges in less than two weeks.

Briton Paul Cornelius Jones, 39, who has lived in Thailand for seven years, was arrested on Tuesday after police raided his Bangkok apartment and allegedly found a computer containing hundreds of photos of naked boys and girls.

Earlier this month Canadian Christopher Paul Neil was held on charges of having sex with several young Asian boys after Interpol decoded disguised pictures of himself that he posted on the internet.

Jones, a teacher at a Bangkok private school, was arrested after a tip-off from British police who said had been sending photos of naked children to Britain over the internet.

"It shouldn't be enough to wear white shirts and have a university degree. We need to know their background," said police colonel Apichart Suribunya, head of Thailand's liaison office for Interpol.

"It's easy for teachers to gain trust and respect from people, especially in Asian cultures which hold teachers in high regard."

He said police would seek records of any convictions in home countries and from Thai immigration police before teachers are hired. Police also are considering background checks on the 1,000 foreign teachers already in Thailand.

"Academic background is one thing, but we need to also check for other information," he said.

Jones, from Cardiff, has been charged with distributing pornographic photographs of children under age 15, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.

Source: TPA

Thought: While this is necessary to weed out the scum it will probably turn into another excuse for them to clampdown on all foreigners in general.

[STEVE G]

They'll have to watch out for this wierdo:

A man has been placed on the sex offenders register after being caught trying to have sex with a bicycle.


Robert Stewart was discovered in his room by two cleaners at the Aberley House Hostel in Ayr, Scotland, in October last year. Stewart admitted to sexual breach of the peace in Ayr Sheriff’s Court, where the prosecutor described how he had been found by the hostel workers.


‘‘They knocked on the door several times and there was no reply. They used a master key to unlock the door and they then observed the accused wearing only a white T-shirt, naked from the waist down.


‘‘The accused was holding the bike and moving his hips back and forth as if to simulate sex.’’


He is not the first to be convicted of a sexual offence involving an inanimate object. Karl Watkins, an electrician, was jailed for having sex with pavements in Redditch, Worcs, in 1993.

Bangkok Post.

[johnnyk]

He was in the privacy of his own room and doing something wth an inanimate object.
Where is the problem?
Where is the victim?
What harm was done?

[BaaBaa.]

He was in the privacy of his own room and doing something wth an inanimate object.
Where is the problem?
Where is the victim?
What harm was done?

Good point.

Lock up all the Women who've got Rampant Rabbits while they're at it.

[Lwilliams]

I find it frustrating that with today's technology, more or less around the world, why things like this are still happening? One of our most protected things on earth should be our children, and who spends alot of time with our children? teachers, daycare workers, etc... I figure these are the people we need to know as much as possible about, world wide!!!! Linda...

[kendo]

[quote="STEVE G"]They'll have to watch out for this wierdo:

A man has been placed on the sex offenders register after being caught trying to have sex with a bicycle.


Robert Stewart was discovered in his room by two cleaners at the Aberley House Hostel in Ayr, Scotland, in October last year. Stewart admitted to sexual breach of the peace in Ayr Sheriff’s Court, where the prosecutor described how he had been found by the hostel workers.


‘‘They knocked on the door several times and there was no reply. They used a master key to unlock the door and they then observed the accused wearing only a white T-shirt, naked from the waist down.


‘‘The accused was holding the bike and moving his hips back and forth as if to simulate sex.’’


He is not the first to be convicted of a sexual offence involving an inanimate object. Karl Watkins, an electrician, was jailed for having sex with pavements in Redditch, Worcs, in 1993.

Bangkok Post.[/quote)
As long as he does his thing in privacy and does not peddle his fantacy in public, let him ride on he's not hurting anyone even if he is a saddo.

[Jockey]

I blame Freddie 'I want to ride my bicycle' Mercury.

[Wanderlust]

Nah, it's all Norman 'Get on your bike' Tebbit's fault!

[Spitfire]

Criminal record checks are a good idea and should be happening. Get rid of the trash that screws it up for everyone else.

Reverse the trend that Thailand is place for the sludge of western sociaty to hide in.

[Vital Spark]

I agree with you totally Spitfire.

It's unfortunate that a lot of decent people who are working or living here are tarred with the same brush - just because they have white skin. I abhor paedophilia, but the Thais should perhaps be keeping a close watch in their own back garden, while they keep an eye on the scum coming through immigration.
VS

(Chemical castration - it's the only solution).

[margaretcarnes]

Criminal Record checks (CRB in England) are essential here now for many types of employment, including care work. IMO the system should be implemented as widely as possible. But - and its a big 'but' - it costs. Regulations have to be in place to ensure that people don't start work until the checks are carried out. That takes time, with the result that many employers require the potential staff to pay for their own check, in case it comes back with a problem. If that happens the employer has to select someone else and wait again.
That often isn't practical. As a result employers take risks.
The checks aren't 100 percent either. In an ideal world the system would be up to date, free, and internationally available by return of an e mail. Dream on.

[caller]

Criminal Record checks (CRB in England) are essential here now for many types of employment, including care work. IMO the system should be implemented as widely as possible. But - and its a big 'but' - it costs. Regulations have to be in place to ensure that people don't start work until the checks are carried out. That takes time, with the result that many employers require the potential staff to pay for their own check, in case it comes back with a problem. If that happens the employer has to select someone else and wait again.
That often isn't practical. As a result employers take risks.
The checks aren't 100 percent either. In an ideal world the system would be up to date, free, and internationally available by return of an e mail. Dream on.

The trouble is the checks are only effective if the information provided in the first place is accurate, by having been properly validated and that takes time, at cost, as well.

The system would be far better if it was only used key for positions and posts and not open to all.

Anyone determined to create an alias without adequate checking by the employer requesting the check be done will still get through the system.

[Thai Tam]

The Bichard Report (following the Huntly killngs) recommends that all those working with children (including cleaners catering staff) etc must under go an Enhanced CRB.

Obtaining CRBs need not take a long time. As far cost, what price our children's safety and the cost of such checks has remained the same since 2005.

I know from my own experience that authorities adopt the precautonary principle, i.e. no enhanced CRB then no go.

It is the responsibiity of these schools to undertake rigorous checks as well as no doubt the varous agencies who place the teachers.

[caller]

It is the responsibiity of these schools to undertake rigorous checks as well as no doubt the varous agencies who place the teachers.

And therein lies the weakness in the system. I wouldn't trust any agency to make adequate checks, but I bet the schools do. I wouldn't really trust the schools either unless they have a dedicated resource with the tools needed to do such work.

So going back to the original point - the authorities in LOS haven't a hope and first need to tighten up the rules as to who can and can't teach and enforce it. That should clear quite a few problems.

[margaretcarnes]

Agreed ThaiTam - what price the safety of children (or any vulnerable people for that matter.) But the fact is that enhanced CRBs DO take time. About a month. As a result, potential employees, certainly in England, are often required to pay for the checks themselves. Many employers simply won't, or can't, risk the outlay. Nor can they sometimes wait the month or so it takes before starting new staff.
With respect, IMO Caller has a more realistic grip of the situation, i.e. it is wide open to fraud, and requires careful monitoring. From my own experience in the Care sector it seems that the main inspection body, the CSCI, themselves fail to notice anomalies in recruitment and CRBs.