Abused children at risk from cadet ban

In January of this year, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and armed soldiers raided "Victoria Secret" massage parlour in the Rama IX area of Bangkok.

Inside, they found 113 girls, many under the age of 18, who were being sexually exploited through prostitution. Four of the victims were Thai citizens. The rest had been trafficked from China, Laos, Malaysia and Myanmar. All were frightened, alone, separated from their families and in desperate need of appropriate legal and emotional support.

Sadly, this was not a one-off event. Like many countries, Thailand remains a place where children are sexually exploited on a grand scale -- through prostitution, trafficking, in the digital/online world, and through the travel and tourism industry.