The Code project manager
Patchareeboon Sakulpitakphon says ECPAT believes that tourism
professionals can be important allies for the protection of children.
Warunya Thongrod
Pattaya-area hoteliers and tour operators learned how to better
protect children against commercial sexual exploitation in travel and
tourism at a one-day seminar organized by ECPAT International and its
The Code initiative.
About 50 people attended the July 11 workshop at the Pullman Pattaya
Hotel G, one of 50 Thailand hotels and companies signed on to ECPAT’s
“Code of Conduct.” In Pattaya, members include the Accor Group’s Grand
Mercure, Pullman Pattaya and Ibis hotels, and all area Centara hotels.
The Code project manager Patchareeboon Sakulpitakphon
said ECPAT believes that tourism professionals can be important allies
for the protection of children by participating in responsible and
sustainable tourism.
The seminar aimed to strengthen understanding of the issue of commercial
sexual exploitation of children, child prostitution and child-sex
tourism; provide information on how to report cases to law enforcement
and NGOs; and offer resources and tools to enable tourism professionals
to create child-friendly companies, policies and procedures.
Pattaya spokeswoman Yuwathida Jeerapat said the
seminar was organized by ECPAT with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports
to combat companies and individuals profiting from child exploitation.
By signing on to the Code of Conduct, companies pledge to campaign
against child-sex tourism, educate employees on how to detect and report
suspicious activities, set policies under which suspicious customers are
refused service, provide educational material to guests and customers,
and contribute to The Code’s annual report.
“This is a special situation that can be fought
against to never reap any benefits from children by advertising with
tourists, colleagues and local communities,” Patchareeboon told the
meeting. “Your company can lead to a change by becoming allies
implementing the six parts of the Code of Conduct to be responsible for
the society, build an opportunity to beat competitors and give
importance to businesses working for the society.”
