A former senator has been charged with buying sex from a minor, along with four other suspects including a former director of the Saraburi branch of the National Office of Buddhism, a police source said.

The former senator, identified only as Mr Boonsong, 57, was granted bail, said the source.

Mr Boonsong, a well-known politician representing a major coalition party, was said to be one of six clients who bought sex from a 15-year-old girl at a resort where her mother worked in Ban Mo district.

The other four were identified as Suriya, a hospital staff member; Pornchai, a contractor in Lop Buri; Decha, a former director of the National Office of Buddhism in Saraburi; and Prasong, a salesman.

Mr Decha was arrested in Ang Thong on Monday, while Mr Prasong was arrested in Nakhon Pathom. Details about the other two were not released, said the source.

Police said some of the accused did not fully admit to the charge, while the others confessed. They were all released after being granted bail.

There was not enough evidence against the sixth suspect to issue a warrant against him, police added.

The girl’s mother would be arrested for child prostitution.

The scandal broke when the girl’s father and one of her teachers filed a complaint with the police against the mother, who allegedly forced her daughter into prostitution last year.

Her mother brought the girl to work at the resort where she worked as a housemaid, charging clients 1,500 to 2,000 baht each time. The girl was able to identify all the clients who had sex with her, including Mr Boonsong and Mr Decha.