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Police scan internet for lewd clues
The Crime Suppression Division has blacklisted about 20 pornographic Thai websites featuring lewd pictures and offering porn video CDs for sale.
The CSD is also expanding its investigation to identify and arrest all involved with the sites, as well as looking for ways to prevent porn video clips being downloaded on mobile phones.
CSD commander Vinai Thongsong recently set up an information and computer-related crime centre, headed by his deputy Pisit Pisuthisak and staffed by 15 other officers.
The team was instructed to urgently crack down on porn websites and traders.
In only about one week of browsing, the team had found hundreds of porn websites, about 20 of which were run locally including
www.sexy111.com,
www.zeed69.com,
www.roadtoav.com, and
www.lhudlok.com.
Pol Maj-Gen Vinai said the CSD has already blacklisted those local websites, but could take no action against foreign ones because they were not subject to Thailand's Criminal Code.
Checks showed the websites were similar in format, he said. They provided space for posting lewd pictures, allowed viewers to comment freely and often rudely, carried lurid porn movie ads, and provided information about sexy models.
Buyers of porn movie VCDs from the websites, priced at 100-150 baht apiece, must register via the internet and pay for the goods in advance through bank accounts specified by the webmasters.
Pol Col Pisit, head of the CSD's anti-computer crime centre, said his team was gathering information and evidence to establish the origins of the websites. The team might have to work with the Information and Communications Technology Ministry since some of the websites were now closed, he added.
If it could be proved the websites had sold porn products, all involved would be arrested and charged with conspiring to sell lewd materials under article 287 of the Criminal Code _ an offence punishable by a three-year prison term and/or a fine of 6,000 baht, he said.
Those who posted lewd pictures on the websites could also be arrested on defamation charges if the persons shown in such pictures wanted to press charges, said the CSD chief.
His team was studying what legal action could be taken against the dissemination of lewd video clips on mobile phones.
Meanwhile, a boom in the sale of bootleg music and porn movie VCDs was reported at Vang Tao market in Laos, located next to Chong Mek border checkpoint in Ubon Ratchathani's Sirindhorn district. Pornographic VCDs were available at most stores there and the majority of customers was said to be Thais including students and Buddhist monks. Boonchu Chanthawong, who owns a store at the market, said she switched from selling clothes to music and movie VCDs, including porn, because they sold better.
Khamchan, another VCD shop owner, said the products came largely from Vientiane and were priced at 100 baht for seven karaoke or movie VCDs and 20 baht for a porn movie VCD. Most of the shop's customers were Thais.
Ubon Ratchathani police chief Pol Maj-Gen Amnuay Mahapol said huge gains from the trade had caused some Thai officials to turn a blind eye to the problem.