One group, the KB Club, had 724 members as at October 31and drew its membership from children as young as seven years old. They graduated with age to become more hardened criminals, the meeting was told.
Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha and Phuket Police Commander Major General Pekad Tantipong were shocked by a video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6DA0TYQ9-I that they watched with Phuketwan.
The members of the KB (Kabotmuangtong) Club are, according to a group of teachers, school truants who flout the law and teach other children how to misbehave and become potential career crimininals.
''When kids are in school we can control them,'' said one Thalang teacher. ''But these youngsters are out of hand and running wild on Phuket. We can't control them.''
There were three generations, the female teacher said, the ''first generation'' aged 18 and above, the ''second generation'' aged 12 to 17, and the ''third generation'' aged between seven and 11.
Other gangs were almost large enough to rival the KB Club, the teacher said. The gang problem was affecting all schools as gangs tried to recruit new members from schools, she added.
The KB Club's symbol was a horned devil, sometimes depicted as a ragged doll with a twisted smile.
Girls as young as 13 were recruited to sell sex, the meeting was told. The fee for sex was 1500 baht, with 500 baht going to the ''mamasan'' gang leader.
Gangs of motorcyclists would also gamble their girlfriend's sexual favors on the outcome of motorcycle races, the meeting heard, and connected with each other via the Hi5 social network site in Thailand.
The presence of the gangs is not unknown to police but even Phuket's Police Commander was surprised today on hearing the details from teachers.
Phuket MP Rewat Are-Reerob said that not all Phuket parents could take proper care of their children and money was something they wanted to be free. Not enough attention was being paid to the proper upbringing of children, he said.
The 15 teachers who approached officials and police today were looking to establish a Semarak Centre on Phuket, where children without homes to go to could be properly protected.
Governor Tri said he would look favorably at making funding available for a 1.7 million baht centre as soon as possible.
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Wow, impressive video --- this time my compliments go to the teachers for shocking the governor and the police commander, not to mention me!
Posted by ssresident on February 8, 2011 15:21