Bangkok Library Digital library and information center for Bangkok, Thailand

A world-renowned Russian conductor and composer has been charged with raping a 14-year-old boy in Thailand.

Mr. Pletnev, 53, was arrested in Pattaya, a seaside resort east of Bangkok. The coastal city is a popular destination for many nationalities including Russian tourists and expatriates. It has a thriving sex industry driven by overseas visitors and the domestic market, and is widely regarded as the sex capital of Thailand and south-east Asia.