Thailand Ranks Third in Number of Child Prostitution

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, December 14, 2001

Thailand Ranks Third in Number of Child Prostitution

Thailand ranks third after India and the U.S. in the number of child prostitutes, the United Nations (UN) said in its report prepared for the Second World Congress Against Commercial Sexual Exploitation which will be held in Japan Saturday, the Nation Newspaper reported Friday.

According to the U.N. report, about 400,000 women and children are believed to be sexually exploited in India, between 244,000 and 325,000 in the U.S., 200,000 in Thailand, 175,000 in eastern and central Europe, 100,000 in Brazil and 35,000 in West Africa.

The report also said that prostitution in Thailand accounted for 10 to 14 percent of the country's gross domestic product from 1993 to 1995 and an estimated one third of the women involved were minors.

Purachai Piumsombun, Thai Interior Minister Purachai Piumsombun vowed Thursday that the government would do its utmost to end child prostitution.

This problem has to be solved, and all authorities must join hands in tackling it and trying our best to end the business, he was quoted as saying.

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