16 May 2023

This was my last evening of research in Bangkok along Soi Cowboy. I witnessed a few children pass in front of the street where I was sitting but only saw one brought into the street. I was unable to get a clear photograph of the young female approximately 13-15 years old. She appeared to be escorted by a man and a woman who possibly could have been her parents or guardians. This was not a case of this street being used as a shortcut or a mere connection that they needed to pass through. I watched them walk past me both entering and leaving like any other sightseeing patron. I still feel this could be construed as possible grooming or at minimum a form of desensitization to this type of environmental stimuli. The rest of the evening passed uneventfully due to small crowds and a fairly calm atmosphere.