Open child porn trade outrages Bangkok

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BANGKOK, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Thais are voicing outrage over the open sale of child pornography on one of Bangkok's busiest roads.

After receiving complaints about video vendors along Sukhumvit Road, the Bangkok Post Sunday found that child pornography was openly displayed on tables along with Hollywood movies.

The videos featured children from Burma, China, Europe, the Philippines and Thailand. Some of the covers, graphically displaying children in sex acts, advertised that they were as young as 7, the Post said. Pornographic videos of bestiality were also displayed by vendors.

"This is totally outrageous and should not be tolerated by the authorities,'' said an ambassador who lives nearby. ''You would have to look hard for any country in the world where this would be allowed, let alone on the main tourist street of the capital.''

The open display of pornography would have been unthinkable only a few years ago, although pirated Hollywood movies were freely available.

A senior officer, who asked to remain anonymous, said the trade is run by ''influential people,'' so it was unlikely ever to be stopped.