Two young women have been arrested separately for their alleged involvement in luring 25 underage tribal girls from northern Thailand into selling sex to Chinese customers in Bangkok.
Police from the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division (ATPD) apprehended Nalatporn, 22, at a massage shop in Muang district of Suphan Buri province on Thursday. Panida, 21, was arrested at a condominium in Huai Khwang district of Bangkok on the same day. Their surnames were not disclosed.
The two women were wanted under arrest warrants issued by the Criminal Court for human trafficking by procuring children aged over 15 but under 18 into prostitution and profiting from the flesh trade.
The arrests followed a police operation targeting a human trafficking gang said to have duped 25 tribal girls aged under 18 from Mae Hong Son into coming to Bangkok, where they were made to sell sex to Chinese customers at luxury hotels. Five women aged under 18 were arrested last year on charges of procuring.
Police said the five suspects and others bought mobile phones for the girls and took them to visit various places in Bangkok before taking them to hotels to sell sex to Chinese customers.
The customers offered as much as 200,000 baht for girls who were virgins, and would pay half that price for those who were not, investigators said. Some girls became victims of sadistic customers who had violent sex with them without wearing condoms.
Investigators later extended the investigation and found that Ms Nalatporn and Ms Panida had worked with the first group of suspects into luring girls into the sex trade.
The two women admitted to all charges and were being held in police custody for legal action.