A Thailand pedophile arrest after an investigation has identified an American suspect. Police in Thailand worked with the FBI in the United States in order to investigate a suspected pedophile ring, and a Thai man has been arrested and charged after it was discovered that he had procured more than 100 boys for the American client. 24 year old Akha hill tribe member Ayo Ahcho was placed under arrest on Tuesday and charged with human trafficking offenses according to Lt. Col. Apichart Hattasin. The American suspect involved is Thomas Gary, a 61 year old American citizen who has traveled to Thailand for over two decades. Gary was arrested on September 13, 2014 on charges of the sexual abuse of minors. According to Hattasin “This was an individual case. This was not a network.”
The most recent pedophile arrest and the fact that an American suspect is involved just points out the fact that child sex tourism is a big draw in Thailand in spite of police efforts to crack down on the practice and protect minors. Many people in Thailand are destitute, and these are individuals with little income whose children face an uncertain future. According to investigators Ayo was also having sexual relations with Gary, and he would procure boys who ranged in age from 13 years to 18 years old so that Gary could have sex with them. In June Thailand was listed as one of the worst countries when it comes to human trafficking which included sex trafficking and forced labor.