Arrests highlight the uncomfortable pattern of misbehaviour of a small proportion of Western travellers to Thailand. However, in the past, the kingdom is known to have become a bolt-hole for sexual predators. While accusations against both men are still before the courts, if they are convicted, it will be a significant breach of trust.
Two UK teachers have been taken into custody by Thai police since January 24 last charged with the sexual abuse of minors. The first case saw 49-year-old David Brown from Tyneside in the UK collapse when police raided his home at 6 am in the morning. The second case has its roots in incidents in 2014 and 2015 in Phuket. Afterwards, a 38-year-old UK secondary school teacher, identified as Mr Tyler, was nabbed by police in Chiang Mai at his wife’s home.
In the course of a week, two UK teachers in Thailand were arrested for abusing female students.
Firstly, a 49-year-old Briton was detained at his home in Pathum Thani after the international school he worked at passed on disturbing reports to families and police.
Subsequently, Immigration Bureau police reported the arrest of another UK man identified by investigators in Phuket as Mr Tyler, another teacher.
The latter, a High School teacher, discovered there was a sting in the tail relating to an episode he had already put behind him.
UK teacher arrested for indecency incidents with a 16-year-old student in 2014 and 2015. Arrested in Chiang Mai, taken to Phuket to face legal proceedings
In short, he thought he had gotten away with an affair with an underage student in 2014 and 2015. However, he was wrong.
Police arrested Mr Tyler, a 38-year-old teacher, in Chiang Mai on January 31st last. He was wanted by Phuket Provincial Court for incidents in that province in 2014 and 2015. Tyler had moved north seeking a new life in 2016.
On Wednesday, he was confronted by Immigration Bureau officers with a warrant to arrest him and bring him back to Phuket to face the music.
Afterwards, the second case came about through chance. In turn, it left a 49-year-old UK national seeking medical attention. Such was his shock when police came to his door to arrest him in the early hours.
In the meantime, police revealed details of the case against Mr Tyler. He was arrested in relation to allegations of sexual activity with a 16-year-old foreign student nearly a decade ago. Similarly, in this case, there was also an early morning swoop by police.
In 2014 and again in 2015, he brought the teenager back home while working as a teacher at an international school in Phuket. He moved north to Chiang Mai
Previously, the then twenty-eight-year-old teacher reportedly took the victim home to his residence in Phuket. At length, once there, he engaged in indecent acts with his pupil.
Two illegal assignations with the student were detailed against him, one in 2014 and subsequently in 2015.
The allegations surfaced when the schoolgirl afterwards reported the incidents to her parents in 2016.
However, they decided to wait until her graduation from university to have the police pursue the matter.
Therefore, in recent weeks, they formally filed another complaint with investigators. In short, it was time to pursue the perpetrator and seek justice.
At the same time, in 2016, the school in Phuket upon learning of the alleged sex crime, took swift action.
It terminated Mr Tyler’s contract. Simultaneously, the police launched an investigation to collect evidence for a warrant.
However, the matter was left sleeping. In brief, the girl’s parents did not, at that time, wish to pursue the matter.
Police confirmed a warrant was issued based on evidence collected in the case in 2014 and 2015. This facilitated the parents of the girl to pursue justice
This week they confirmed the nature of the warrant and the charges.
‘An arrest warrant was issued against him in Phuket for taking away a minor who is over fifteen years of age but not more than eighteen years of age, away from father, mother, guardian or caretaker without justification for indecency.’
However, Tyler managed to evade arrest by relocating to the northern province of Chiang Mai.
Nevertheless, this week, acting on a renewed warrant from the Phuket Provincial Court, police successfully tracked him down.
He was arrested on Wednesday, January 31. He was found at his Thai wife’s residence in Chiang Mai, where he has resided since 2016.
Working as a teacher after entering Thailand in 2014. Police gave dates for the two assignations with the 16-year-old girl in December 2014 and April 2015
Tyler, 38, entered Thailand in 2014. After that, he secured employment at a private school on Phuket island, according to the Immigration Bureau.
The alleged assaults reportedly occurred at his Phuket residence on December 9, 2014, and April 2, 2015.
An Immigration Bureau spokesperson stated: ‘The Immigration Bureau arrested Mr Tyler, 38 years old of British nationality, for taking a minor to commit an indecent act.’
Details regarding the evidence against Tyler were not disclosed by law enforcement.
The parents explained their unusual decision to delay the pursuit of the police complaint. Basically, their desire was to shield their daughter’s studies from any disruption.
Mr Tyler now faces serious criminal charges with potential imprisonment of up to five years if found guilty.
Another potentially more serious case discovered the week previously when an alert teacher overheard young girls talking in school about an abusive teacher
At the same time, police also released details of another case linked with a British national. This time, the case involved a British teacher, David Brown, 49, from Tynemouth, Tyne and Wear, in Britain’s northeast.
He was arrested for the alleged sexual abuse of primary school girls. The crimes took place on the premises of a prominent private school located just outside Bangkok.
Brown reportedly lured girls aged between seven and eight, into his office under the guise of providing extra English lessons. In turn, he is accused of engaging in sexual acts with them.
The shocking and repulsive revelations came to light when an attentive teacher overheard girls discussing the alleged abuses perpetrated by Brown. Authorities detained him on January 24.
Meanwhile, they had already launched an investigation. They were apprised of the duration of the abuse and were collating a list of victims.
Investigators searching for more victims of the accused British teacher given the typical pattern of behaviour associated with alleged paedophile abusers
Investigators on the case suspect there may be more victims to be identified. Firstly, they are verifying the complaints already made against him.
In turn, they are looking at the suspect’s background in Thailand. Previous situations have shown, in cases, like is that the perpetrators have a pattern of such behaviour wherever they go.
Brown is understood to have been employed at the school since at least September 2017. It is not known yet if he denies the accusations against him.
On Wednesday, January 24, he collapsed during his arrest in the Thanyaburi district of Pathum Thani. Following this, he was briefly hospitalised before being questioned by police.
Police Colonel Jirawat Piampinseth, leading the investigation, confirmed the accusations against Brown. Police are now investigating these claims.
At this time, he faces potential criminal charges based on complaints filed by parents of four children.
Brown’s Thai wife, Toey Srisangar, accompanied him to the police station. If charged and convicted, Brown faces up to 10 years in prison.
UK man’s Thai wife is standing by him and helping to negotiate what must be a nightmarish prospect as he is incarcerated and addresses the accusations made
Police Colonel Jirawat told reporters that the accused’s Thai wife was standing by him. She had been helping him to communicate with police investigators.
He is being detained in Pathum Thani and unquestionably faces the prospect of serious criminal charges.
‘Parents of four children have filed complaints claiming that Brown took the children to his office to teach them English and then sexually abused them,’ the senior police officer explained. ‘He was arrested the next morning at 6 am at his home and he fainted, so he was taken to the Pathumvet Hospital. He arrived at the police station at 1 pm.’
‘David’s wife acted as an interpreter. He has been detained in a cell at the station while the investigation continues.’
The Siam International School, located in Pathum Thani on the outskirts of Bangkok, acted swiftly when its students were overhead discussing Brown. The establishment charges parents up to ฿300,000 ($8,500) a year in fees.
Elite school’s headmistress said the school acted swiftly following the shocking reports they received. Parents were then asked by police to file complaints
The school’s headmistress stated that when the conversation was overheard, pupils were immediately questioned.
Police were informed. In turn, they instructed the school to have parents file complaints against the teacher. Brown was subsequently arrested when the parents of four girls made formal complaints.
A UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office spokesperson stated: ‘We are in contact with the Thai authorities regarding the arrest of a British man in Thailand.’
The presence of UK or Western men in Thailand with a history of underage sex abuse is nothing new.
The country’s need for English-speaking teachers offers an attractive career path for those from Western countries.
Disturbing case of UK convicted paedophile Paul McKee who lived in Thailand for a decade until his arrest in September 2022 and subsequent deportation
In July 2023, a Judge in the United Kingdom sentenced UK national Paul McKee to 30 years in prison.
He had a history of sex abuse claims against him. Formerly, he fled Britain for Thailand a decade previously. He had committed horrific crimes against young girls in the 80s, 90s and noughties.
57-year-old UK paedophile may have offended in Thailand as judge jails him until he is 90 years old
Criminologists and expert witnesses described him as undoubtedly a predatory paedophile. The 57-year-old was arrested by Thai police in September 2022.
At length, at his UK trial, the court heard that it was certainly highly likely that he had abused children also in Thailand.
However, he lived in the country for ten years. In addition, he left behind a Thai wife and daughter when he was arrested and deported back home.
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Further reading:
57-year-old UK paedophile may have offended in Thailand as judge jails him until he is 90 years old
Thailand tightens screening of foreign English teachers following paedophile arrest
Aussie with Thai wife arrested in Chachoengsao on sex abuse of a minor charge in New South Wales
Thailand tightens screening of foreign English teachers following paedophile arrest
Calls to legalise prostitution in Thailand after Pattaya sex raid on Walking Street this week
