Three procurers and three customers have been arrested in two child sex abuse cases in Chanthaburi and Nakhon Ratchasima, police said on Friday.
In Chanthaburi, two arrests were made on Thursday in a sting operation. It followed an investigation by the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division (ATPD), which learned in September last year that the Twitter account @chadon_chang, since suspended, posted messages online offering child sex services. Girls and boys were available for 1,500 to 2,000 baht each.
A police spy acting as a customer contacted the Twitter account to buy sex from two boys, arranging to meet in front of a department store in tambon Wat Mai of Muang district. At the appointed time on Thursday, a man showed up with a 13-year-old boy and a 19-year-old. Police moved in to arrest him and rescued the two victims, said Pol Maj Gen Sarut Khwaengsopha, commander of the ATPD.
While officers were questioning the two victims, the suspected procurer, Chayadon Jeedchang, received a phone call from his associate asking about his share of the money. The officers then plotted a plan to arrest the second man. Sukree “Sor Jaeo” Kornmaneeroj, 72, was subsequently arrested at a restaurant in tambon Wat Mai.
Seized from the pair were 3,000 baht in banknotes used by police, two mobile phones and two condoms.
During questioning, Mr Sukree admitted to having procured children to provide sex services. He would get 200 baht per head. Mr Chayadon, 45, told police that he was tasked with contacting customers and supplying children to them.
The two men have been charged with human trafficking by colluding in procuring children aged below 15 and related offences.
Another police team arrested four suspects — one procurer and three customers — and rescued two girls in Nakhon Ratchasima province on Jan 12, said Pol Maj Gen Sarut.
The arrest came after police learned that Supatcharin Angkrathok, 19, had been luring girls into the sex trade via Twitter. She was apprehended when she took two teen girls to meet three customers, who were also arrested.
Ms Supatcharin has been charged with human trafficking by reaping profits from the flesh trade, procuring people aged under 18 for the sex trade, depriving youths of parental care and related offences. The customers have been charged with depriving girls aged below 18, indecent assault, enticing girls into acting inappropriately and reaping benefits from them.
During questioning, Ms Supatcharin reportedly admitted to having pimped out girls for five or six months to earn money to finance her family expenses. She would get 300 to 500 baht from each sexual encounter she arranged.
The three customers admitted they had bought sex from girls aged below 18. police said. All were being held in police custody for further legal action.