Gay Boy Thailand

Canadian, American charged over obscene website
Boonlua Chatree
Pattaya Mail April 2007

A Canadian and an American have been arrested on charges of producing materials for a p*rn*graphic website from an address in Pattaya, and bringing disrepute upon the Kingdom of Thailand.

Police investigations traced the origins of the website material to a room on the fourth floor of the Argyle Apartment Complex on Pratamnak Road. Armed with an arrest warrant issued by Pattaya Provincial Court, police raided the premises on April 5.

Inside the apartment, which was luxuriously decorated, the officers found three men. They were identified as John Gilbert Bowen, a 60-year-old American citizen, Kyle Mark Milgram, age 30 and of Canadian citizenship, and Paul Saengsuwan, 25, who is of joint Thai and American descent.

The room had been arranged as a large photographic studio, and contained installed video cameras, a stills camera in every corner of the room, and a bed. At the head of the bed were two Buddha images, and there were other Buddha figures in every corner of the room. Wherever photos were taken, Buddha ornaments could be seen.

Also in the room was lighting and audio equipment, and two computers with photo editing equipment. There were costumes, phalluses, whips, and other sexual toys, and there were also Thai traditional costumes and the tail feathers of a kinaree.

Police also found videotapes and CDs, and when they searched the computers they found pictures of (**censored**) between men, men who dressed like women, and naked women in many poses. The Buddha figures were clearly visible in the backgrounds of the pictures. A computer specialist searched the internet and confirmed there were many websites that had advertisements significantly damaging the image of Thailand.

The three men were taken to Pattaya Police Station for questioning. Saengsuwan said he was not involved in the production of obscene materials but that he could provide information. Police therefore questioned him as a witness.

Bowen and Milgram admitted that they produced the pictures and that the materials were sent to a website. However, they stated that people who visited the website did so of their own accord. There were no less than 1,000 people a day visiting the site, and they did so at their own risk according to the regulations in their own countries. The accused men said they were not responsible for who viewed the content.

The police told the two accused that Thailand has culture, moral principles, and good traditions. Thailand is not a country that produces vulgar media that damages the image of the country.

Selling pornography is a crime in Thailand. The suspects face a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a fine of 6,000 baht.

The two men were charged with producing and selling obscene materials, and arrangements were made to have them deported.