Simon Carman case puts blowtorch on Australians buying sex in Thailand as new study reveals one in four paid

When news broke of the alleged murder of a 17-year-old Thai girl by an Australian man in Pattaya, child protection advocate Siromes Akrapongpanich was saddened but not shocked.

For years, he has walked the streets of Thailand’s most notorious sex tourism destination, warning tourists about child abuse.

In his view, the death of Tunchanok Donhomla, who was allegedly strangled by Ballarat-born Simon Carman before his body was stuffed into a suitcase, was a tragedy that exposed the dark side of an industry that has exploited vulnerable people for decades.

“I’m not that surprised, to be honest,” Mr. Akrapongpanich told The Nightly from Pattaya.

“Underage people dating strangers in Pattaya… it bothers me a lot because that’s the root cause of the problem.”

Carman, 45, is charged with murder, concealment of a corpse and detaining a minor for sexual purposes. Thai authorities say they deny the accusations.

His arrest last month turned global attention to Pattaya, a seaside city two hours south of Bangkok known for its neon-lit bars, go-go clubs, street sex workers and decades-long reputation as Thailand’s “Sin City.”

Prostitution remains illegal in Thailand but operates openly; It is estimated that there are around 60,000 sex workers in Pattaya.

Approximately 800,000 Australians visit Thailand each year; These include an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 people traveling to Pattaya, although there are no official figures to show how many people are buying sex.

Mr Akrapongpanich, deputy director of Humanitarian Network Foundation (HHNF) Thailand and director of the Child Protection and Development Centre, said Australians made up just one part of Pattaya’s thriving tourist mix.

“You also can’t say 100 per cent that the majority of Australian people are here just for sexual pleasure,” he said.

“We also see a lot of family tourists and those who come for exotic sports such as bungee jumping or rock climbing.”

Pattaya also attracts young men who are intrigued by its bodybuilding culture, he said.

“It is still very easy to find performance-enhancing chemicals for athletes in Pattaya,” he said.

“So there’s a little bit of everything when it comes to Aussies, and yes, of course there’s cheap alcohol and cheap sex too.”

He said Australians were also involved in “occasionally” alcohol-fueled clashes with bar security.

“Australians are quite bulky and muscular, so they get drunk and fight with the locals here,” he said.

“Normally they push it to the extreme.”

HHNF outreach teams patrol Pattaya’s Walking Street and red-light areas, trying to persuade tourists to understand the difference between adult prostitution and child abuse.

Only 10 to 15 percent of foreign tourists stop to interact with the foundation’s volunteers, Mr. Akrapongpanich said.

“You can imagine that it’s very strange to open their ears and listen to such messages, especially if they are looking for sexual pleasure,” he said.

The impact of sex tourism extends far beyond individual victims, he said.

“It creates a lot of social problems and affects the mentality of people here,” he said.

“We have bars, brothels, baths, we have the opportunity to go to schools, hospitals and temples within 50 or even 100 meters.”

His four-year-old son once asked him why women were “half-naked,” drunk in the afternoon, and kissing strange men as they passed through town.

HHNF supports approximately 70 children affected by sex trafficking; These include approximately 10 children who witnessed a parent providing sexual services to clients.

“The danger is that kids start to see this as normal,” he said.

“If some kids or students may see that their friends are much better off going out with strangers – if they get a new phone or a new motorcycle – that also creates bad values ​​for kids.”

Leading international sex tourism researcher Ronald Weitzer told Nightly that exact figures are not available on the number of sex tourists visiting Thailand each year.

“But tourism in general has grown tremendously in recent years, and as a result the number of tourists seeking erotic entertainment or services has also increased,” he said.

“Some tourists who had no intention of purchasing sex before visiting Thailand do so after arriving in Thailand.”

The retired University of California professor said the industry consists of a largely under-researched domestic sector and a growing tourism industry.

“The tourist-oriented sector has expanded significantly in the last decade,” he said, pointing to the emergence of Treetown as a new red-light district and three districts catering to foreign men seeking young Thai men.

The profile of foreign sex tourists has also changed dramatically “compared to 20 or 30 years ago.”

“In the past, the vast majority of sex tourists fit the stereotype of a middle-aged or older white man seeking sex with a younger woman in foreign lands,” he said.

“These men are still attracted to places like Thailand, but a growing number are moving away from the stereotype, including Japanese, Korean and white men aged 25 to 40.”

Professor Weitzer said some tourists were looking for more than just a physical encounter, paying the price for companionship and emotional intimacy through what is known as the “girlfriend experience” or “romance tourism”. Some Western expats eventually formed long-term relationships with women they initially paid for sex.

Author of Sex Tourism in Thailand He said minors are more likely to engage in street-based prostitution rather than indoor prostitution.

“Owners and managers of brothels, massage parlors, go-go bars and beer bars often screen job applicants to make sure they are not minors or undocumented immigrants,” he said.

Although prostitution is illegal, Professor Weitzer said many businesses pay police protection money to operate openly, but risk raids if minors or undocumented immigrants are detected.

“The company owners and managers I interviewed see this payment as a ‘tax’ that they are happy to pay in order to operate freely,” he said.

Professor Weitzer said regulation encouraged corruption and inconsistent practices and argued that full legalization and regulation would eliminate the retainer-pay system while allowing authorities to vet operators, inspect facilities and impose zoning controls.

He added that the teenager killed in Pattaya was caught in a street prostitution zone where workers face much greater risks than those working indoors.

Meanwhile, Australian researchers are increasingly concerned about the health risks associated with overseas sex tourism.

A recent Curtin University study found that almost a quarter of Australian-born men surveyed had purchased sexual services after traveling to Southeast Asia.

Almost half had sex during their last trip, less than half consistently used a condom, and more than a third of men who purchased sex did not use a condom during their most recent commercial sexual encounter.

Participants were on average 47 years old and were predominantly heterosexual, tertiary educated, and working full-time. Thailand was the most preferred destination.

For Mr Akrapongpanich, the biggest problem remains children growing up in Pattaya.

“We have many child victims who are direct or indirect consequences of sex tourism,” he said.

“We want the government to take bold steps and enact laws not only for the well-being of sex workers, but also for the future of children.”

He had a simple message for Australians considering going to Thailand for sex.

“If sex workers willingly provide this type of service in exchange for your money, that’s fine,” he said.

“But you also have to make sure they are underage.

“We are a decent and functional society here and there is no need for Pattaya to be known as Sin City, the perception that everyone in Pattaya is a prostitute.”