SARABURI: A former senator has been charged with buying sex from a minor after arrest warrants were issued for him and 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, met investigators at the Ban Mo police station on Wednesday night to acknowledge the charge and 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.
Investigators had collected enough evidence to issue warrants to arrest five of the six people, including Mr Boonsong, said Pol Col Somkid Sawisai, head of the investigation division at the Saraburi provincial police.
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.
Pol Col Somkid said some of the accused did not fully admit to the charge, while the others confessed all. They were all released after being granted bail.
There was not enough evidence against the sixth suspect to issue a warrant against him, he added.
The girl’s mother, identified only as Mamiao, would be arrested for child prostitution and illegal entry, said Pol Col Somkid.
The scandal broke when the girl’s father and one of her teachers filed a complaint with the police in Saraburi 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 reportedly able to identify all the clients who had sex with her, including Mr Boonsong and Mr Decha.