Police searched Nataree Massage Parlour again on Thursday to gather more evidence and found that parts of the premises had been modified illegally.
Officials discovered that parts of the five-storey commercial building extended illegally into and encroached upon a canal on Ratchadaphisek Road, Pol Col Chayut Marayat, deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau's Division 1, said after the two-hour search.
Dozens of forensic police, soldiers, and officials from city hall, the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA), the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority (MWA) and Department of Public Works and Town and Country Planning joined the operation, which was continuing late into Thursday afternoon. Reporters were told to wait outside the massage parlour.
Officials found some employment documents of the 121 alleged sex workers detained during the raid on June 7 and are checking to see if the venue stole electricity or water from the MEA and the MWA.
Pol Col Chayut said Nataree Massage was given a Category 4 operating licence under the Entertainment Venue Control Act, which allowed it to provide services related to food and music. Instead it operated as a massage parlour, which required a Category-3 operating licence, and ran a prostitution business.
Information provided by the Immigration Bureau and related agencies indicated that Prasert Sukkee, the owner of Nataree, and Sommai Padsingh, the manager and licence holder, are still in Thailand, he said.
Mr Prasert, 58, aka Koluk, and Mr Sommai, 45, are wanted on 14 charges related to human trafficking, engaging in the prostitution trade, and sheltering illegal migrant workers after they failed to turn themselves in to police after the charges were pressed.