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 says ECPAT believes that tourism professionals can be important allies for the protection of children.
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.”
