asianews

The global financial crisis has hit hard at the non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and child protection agencies that fight child sex crimes in South East Asia.

Funds are running low, and the child sex tourism industry has boomed.

Now a US study has found that sex offenders from Australia are a big part of the problem in Thailand.

A report from the Protection Project at Johns Hopkins University found that sex offenders from Australia topped the list of foreigners involved in child sex tourism in Thailand.

Its executive director, Mohamed Mattar, says the economic downturn means plenty of cheap flights and more children and women living under the poverty lin