A major suspect in a transnational human trafficking operation has been arrested at a border karaoke bar in Narathiwat, and several Lao girls rescued from the flesh trade.
The woman's apprehension followed the escape of a Lao girl forced into prostitution, who returned to her home and then discovered she was pregnant and infected with syphilis. She sought help.
Immigration police and officers from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) raided the Sabai Sabai karaoke bar in Sungai Kolok district in the early hours of Tuesday.
They detained Pornpimon Sae Tan, 42, also known as Jae Mai, of Narathiwat province, who was wanted on a warrant issued by the Nong Khai provincial court for colluding in human trafficking to reap benefit from victims, in transnational crime and coercing others to act against their will, Pol Col Khemmarin Pitsamai, chief of Nong Khai immigration police, said.
A Lao non-government organisation, Village Focus International (VFI), had alerted the DSI and Nong Khai immigration police on Saturday that a Lao girl, identified only as “Kitty’’, 17, had been lured into working in Thailand with the promise of a well-paid job at a restaurant, Pol Col Khemmarin said.
Attracted by the offer of 10,000-12,000 baht a month at the restaurant, Kitty went to work there - but was instead forced to work as a prostitute. She was beaten and denied food if she refused, Pol Col Khemmarin said. The girl said she was forced to sleep with customers and not even paid a wage.
Kitty had managed to flee and returned to her home province in Laos, where she discovered she was pregnant and had syphilis. The girl sought help from VFI, Pol Col Khemmarin said.
Police began an investigation and later sought court arrest warrants for one Lao national and two Thais suspected of involvement in human trafficking. The Thais were Ms Pornpimon and another woman identified only as Nanthana, alias Jiab.
During interrogation, Ms Pornphimon denied the charges but admitted being the owner of the karaoke bar. She claimed the Lao girls working at her bar had not been forced to provide sex services. They provided the service themselves, charging customers 1,000-1,500 baht each. The girls would give her 300 baht each time as a seat fee, the woman said.
Pol Col Khemmarin said Ms Nanthana had been arrested previously and was in Songkhla prison for procuring girls for sex services. Additional charges would be pressed against her.
Police were extending the investigation into the human trafficking network, and expected to make more arrests.