Crime Suppression Police arrested a 54-year-old German man in Pattaya after a raid on his condominium in Bang Lamung district for operating a dark web platform that sold and distributed child porn.
The arrest was a joint operation between the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) and US Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The suspect, identified only as Steffen (last name withheld), was detained at his condo in Bang Lamung district on March 5, following an arrest warrant issued by the Criminal Court on March 3.
According to TCSD commander Pol Maj Gen Athip Pongsiwapai, the investigation began after HSI provided information linking Steffen to the operation of a dark web site selling explicit content.
The US Department of Homeland Security investigators believed the suspect had been running the site for about three years. The site offered access to child pornography, with users paying in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Monero to view or download the material.
Authorities traced Steffen’s cryptocurrency transactions and discovered he had transferred the $16.95 monthly membership fees to his digital wallets. These funds were converted into various currencies, eventually exchanged into Thai baht and deposited into his bank accounts.
Steffen faces several charges, including possession of child pornography for exploitation, distributing it for commercial purposes, and involvement in importing, exporting, or producing such material. He admitted to the charges and revealed that he moved to Thailand after retiring from programming in Germany.
He also confessed to managing two dark web platforms that hosted over 5,000 child pornography videos. These sites had over 10,000 subscribers and generated about 3.5 million baht in illegal income.
Police seized several items from the suspect’s condo, including his laptop, a network computer, a mobile phone, storage devices containing 140,000 explicit files, bank records, credit cards, and SIM cards.
Thailand Intensifies child porn penalties
In December 2015, Thailand introduced stricter penalties for anyone caught possessing or sharing child pornography involving individuals under 18. The Criminal Code was updated to impose harsher consequences for possession, distribution, or gaining profit from such materials.
This change came after Thailand ratified the International Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The law covers objects or visual content, whether still or moving, that depict sexual acts involving minors. This includes images, drawings, portraits, and files stored on smartphones or computers.
Even receiving these images through apps like Line and using them for personal sexual gratification makes someone an offender. The updated law ensures there are no exceptions when it comes to protecting minors from exploitation.
Anyone in possession of underage pornography for personal use can face up to five years in prison and/or a fine of up to 100,000 baht. Sharing these materials with others can lead to a sentence of up to seven years and/or a fine of up to 140,000 baht.
The punishment is more severe for those who distribute, possess, or import such material with the intent of making money. They may face three to ten years in prison and fines ranging from 60,000 to 200,000 baht.
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Geoff Thomas is an award winning journalist known for his sharp insights and no-nonsense reporting style. Over the years he has worked for Reuters and the Canadian Press covering everything from political scandals to human interest stories. He brings a clear and direct approach to his work.
