Gary Glitter served time in Vietnam. His crime was sex with minors. The singer of ROCK AND ROLL PART 2 claimed he was innocent, since the act of coprophilia isn’t ‘sex’. Authorities in almost every country in the world begged to differ. Cambodia has long been targeted by pedophiles as a desired destination to pursue their prey. NGOs and police have arrested scores of chicken hawks and closed down the most notorious brothels of K11.
The problem is deep-rooted in poverty.
Several years ago Nick Spurs and I escaped the Songkran madness in Thailand. We overlanded from Pattaya to Sihanoukville and then up to Phnom Penh. I liked the old colonial capitol. It had escaped the Asian Tiger Boom. Nick and I had drank at Martinis. He found a date. I wasn’t in the mood. Mam was on my mind and she was a ten hour car ride away in Pattaya.
The next morning Nick met me on the terrace of the Hope and Anchor Hotel. The morning traffic on the Quai Sisowith was reserved for early risers and street urchins. A young boy came approached our table with yesterday’s papers. I had already read the Bangkok Post, but couldn’t let him go off empty-handed. 1000 rials made him smile. Nick felt the same way and handed him another 1000 rial note.
“You want to go room and have sex? Six dollars.”
I didn’t think I heard him right.
Six dollars.
Nick and I shook our heads.
“No, we’re not interested.”
“What about young girl? 10 years-old.” The young boy turned from hustler to pimp within a heartbeat.
“No, we want to eat our breakfast.” I signaled for the waitress to tell the boy to leave. He wasn’t giving up. “Maybe you like boy and girl. $10.”
“No.”
“I come back later. Maybe change mind.”
Travel brochures warn against trafficking in minors, but few mention how to avoid situations like this boy.
Best to stay away from the street side tables and never be too friendly, because you never know who might be looking or how they might interpret an innocent or not so innocent gesture.
Gary Glitter has been banned from SE Asia. His hit song was boycotted by sports stadium DJs. His income must have shrunk to nothing, but I heard ROCK AND ROLL PART 2 being played at Bulls-Pacers NBA game this afternoon. It’s a great song for the crowd. Americans don’t care if he’s a perv. They love the music and the Law can never take taht away from Gary Glitter. His music will live forever.
At least one song.
To hear ROCK AND ROLL PART 2 please go to this URL