Thread: Pattaya - German, American face child sex charges

German, American face child sex charges

(Bangkokpost.com from Agencies)

A German and an American were arrested in Pattaya for sexually abusing children, police said Tuesday.

Unemployed Andreas Hubinger, from the southwestern German city of Mannheim, was arrested at a bar in Pattaya last Thursday accused of sexually abusing seven Thai boys, all under the age of 18, police said.

Four Thai bar staff were detained along with 53-year-old Hubinger and have been charged with procuring children for the German.

"The German man has denied the allegation, saying he just went to the bar but didn't buy sex services, but the boys have confirmed the abuse,'' said a Pattaya police officer.

In a separate case 62-year-old John Langan, living in Thailand on a retirement visa, was arrested last week and has been charged with sexually abusing three Thai girls aged under 18.

"If found guilty, they could face a maximum of 15 years in jail and fines of up to 20,000 baht or both,'' the police said.

He said that Hubinger had entered Thailand frequently over the past five years using a tourist visa, with his latest entry on August 24.

"We were asked by the German police to arrest the pedophilia suspect last month, and it took two weeks for us to find the suspect,'' said a Bangkok police officer in charge of the protection of women and children.

Police hope to take both cases to Thailand's criminal court before the end of December.

Hubinger also risks being tried in Germany, since local laws allow German authorities to try pedophiles for acts committed elsewhere.