Dutch Child Molester’s 37 Year Prison Term Upheld by Thailand’s Supreme Court

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BANGKOK – The Supreme Court in Thailand has upheld a 37-year prison term for 56-year-old Dutch National Willem Gerard Knoppien, convicted of molesting a 12 year old boy in Prachuap Khiri Khan in 2007.

The court said another convict, Thanes Bualuang, 37, confessed to taking the 12-year-old boy to see  Willem Gerard Knoppien

The 12 year old boy confirmed that Knoppien had sexually molested him in his Hua Hin home five times.

The court said the young boy had no reason to make up a story to implicate Knoppien and that his testimony was given without hesitation.

Police attached to the Children and Women’s Protection Sub-Division also gave testimony corresponding to that of the victim.

The court was told that Thanes lured the boy to the Dutch man’s house for cleaning work in March, 2007.

The boy was paid 120 baht, while Thanes received 200 baht for each of the five visits.

A search of the perpetrator’s house uncovered nine pornographic books.

Knoppien was found guilty of violating Section 227 (3) of the Criminal Code, which involves offenses against children under the age of 13.

A lower court in 2009 sentenced Thanes to 26 years and eight months in prison and Knoppien to 37 years.

The Dutch man appealed against the sentence, but the Appeals Court said the appeal carried no weight, since the boy remembered the incident clearly and Thanes pleaded guilty to the crime. It rejected his appeal.

Knoppien then appealed to the Supreme Court, and was again met with no success.