Humble Thai 'hero' tackles child prostitution

With few social safety nets, many poor Thai youngsters find themselves falling into prostitution

MAE SAI, Thailand (CNN) -- Sompop Jantraka is not a name most people have heard of, even though he was recently named among the top 25 Asian heroes by TIME magazine.

In fact, his work should be better known: Sompop was the driving force behind a foundation to provide education and a better life for children in Thailand.

The program is especially targeted at young girls and boys at risk of falling prey to a life of prostitution.

It is a place filled with love and the desire is to prevent youngsters from being trapped in an underworld web of prostitution and drugs.

It is a mission to which Sompop has devoted his life.

Sompop Jantraka is a 44-year-old Thai man who puts children first on his agenda.

Recently he was cited by TIME magazine as one of Asia's leading heroes -- along with Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan.

Nominated twice for a Nobel prize, Jantraka doesn't consider himself a hero.

"When someone calls me 'Sompop hero', I turn my head and see my staff and my daughters who help me and [who] wake up before me, cook and take care [of me] and I feel bad," he told CNN.

Since 1988 Sompop has saved thousands of young girls and boys from entering the sex trade by providing them a home and insuring they get an education.

Sompop says he has only one regret from his country.

Although Thailand has a strong Buddhist tradition and a large monastic order, he says he has never heard a monk speak out against prostitution.

"If the Buddha were here today I think he would say that selling children to prostitution or accept or receive money from prostitution is a sin," he said.

Second father

CNN NewsPass VIDEO CNN's Tom Mintier has a look at Sompop Jantraka, a man who rescues young women from Thai brothels and offers them homes and scholarships (April 30) Play video   EXTRA INFORMATION TIME: Setting Free the Slaves

While Sompop may be too humble to consider himself a hero to the more than 1,000 young children he has helped so far, the word definitely applies even if they don't use it.

They call him father.

"He is the one who gives new life to several children who think they are worthless ... He gives everything, love, willpower, so they can fight for their own life," says 17-year-old Ampha Srivichai.

Meeka Yesaw, also 17, saw her older sister go into prostitution, return home with AIDS and eventually die.

"If I'm not here I'll be gone into the same business because my parents are poor and have many children . . . I have to help my Mother," Meeka says.

Thirteen-year-old Saithong Saengka is an orphan -- both her Mother and Father have died from AIDS.

"He is a very kind father ... he helps poor children," she says of Sompop.

Tanyaporn Laeche, 21, regards Sompop as his second father.

"He gives me new life, gives me strength and warmness, love and care. He's like a tree," Tanyaporn told CNN.

If Sompop is a tree, then his children are the new branches.

Many already work here at the center with younger children.

For his part Sompop says the real heroes are the children who carry on his work and teach others the difference between right and wrong.