Schools across Thailand must run criminal checks when hiring foreign teachers after an Australian child rapist was caught teaching English at a school in Ubon Ratchathani last week.
The crackdown by the Office of Basic Education Commission (OBEC) was announced today following the arrest last week of Peter Dundas Walbran, 59, who served a three-year prison term in Indonesia in 2012 for the rape and molestation of at least three boys over a period of nine years. One of his victims was just 8-years-old.
Walbran was confronted by Australian Federal Police agents and Thai police on Wednesday as he was leaving to work at Narinukun International School in Isaan, where he had been teaching children aged 12-17.
The police had a warrant to search his apartment on the suspicion he possessed child pornography. They raided the apartment two days after new child pornography legislation came into effect on Tuesday
Walbran was deported to Australia from Indonesia in April 2014 after completing his jail term. He was ordered to register with Australia’s National Child Offender Register but failed to do so. Shortly afterwards, he left Australia and entered Thailand earlier this year, reported the Sydney Morning Herald.
If Walbran had been on the sex offender register, he would have been required to report his travel plans with the Australian police, who would have alerted Thai authorities. Still, he was hired despite his past crimes being only a simple Google search away.
Walbran is expected to be flown to Bangkok as investigations continue into his activities in Thailand.
Suthep Chittayawong, OBEC deputy secretary, said the Education Ministry has set new guidelines for schools requiring foreign applicants to pass a criminal record check, have a degree and a non-immigrant “B” visa. They also need a teaching license recognised by the Teachers’ Council of Thailand.
“I know some schools choose to hire foreign teachers first and run background checks on them later,” Suthep told Bangkok Post.
“This is because language teachers are in high demand and the checking process usually takes time and is expensive for the school. So we will write to school directors urging them to follow the rules strictly.”
Narinukun International School could face a disciplinary punishment if it is proved the school did not conduct the required screening process on Walbran.
Related:
Britain warns Thailand its English teachers could be sex offenders
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