Police Raid Two Bars in Hua Hin for Underage Prostitution, Owners Arrested

[Georgealbert]

 

 

In a major crackdown on human trafficking, police from the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division raided two bars in Hua Hin, Prachuap Khiri Khan province, on charges of covertly offering underage prostitution services to foreign tourists. The bars were targeted following an extensive investigation based on intelligence reports that indicated illegal activities were taking place behind the facade of normal bar operations.

 

The raid, which occurred earlier this week, uncovered the involvement of two bars in a scheme to exploit underage persons for sexual services. Foreign tourists were reportedly charged a “bar fine” to take minors out of the premises. During the inspection, three individuals, all under 18 years of age, were found at the scene. The individuals were immediately rescued and are now under the protection of authorities, who are ensuring their care and safety according to Thai law.

 

 

Police arrested the owners of the two bars, both female Thai nationals aged 50 and 53, whom now face severe human trafficking charges. If convicted, they could face long prison sentences, as there are strict laws against human trafficking, especially involving minors.

 

A police spokesperson for the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division commented on the case, saying, “The protection of vulnerable minors is our utmost priority, and we will continue to aggressively pursue anyone involved in such heinous crimes. This operation was a key success in our ongoing efforts to dismantle trafficking networks that prey on minors.”

 

The victims have been placed in the care of social services and will receive both medical and psychological support. Authorities are also investigating whether more minors may have been involved and if there are links to a larger trafficking ring.

 

Local officials have promised that they will not tolerate any illegal activity that endangers minors, and have pledged to intensify investigations into other potential trafficking operations in the region.

 

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

-- 2024-10-19

 

 

[hotchilli]

8 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

The individuals were immediately rescued and are now under the protection of authorities, who are ensuring their care and safety according to Thai law.

Safe and sound now... 

[spidermike007]

Hard to find anyone under 30 these days. 

[rumeaug]

And what about the (pedo) customers requesting these services. Nothing? 

[RichardColeman]

3 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Hard to find anyone under 30 these days. 

..........and anyone under 60 KG !

[frank83628]

43 minutes ago, rumeaug said:

And what about the (pedo) customers requesting these services. Nothing? 

might be a few AN member laying low for a while

[transam]

1 minute ago, frank83628 said:

might be a few AN member laying low for a while

Oh, insider info, eh.......

[frank83628]

Just now, transam said:

Oh, insider info, eh.......

just judging by comments from some here, i think you'll be ok,

[OneMoreFarang]

12 hours ago, Georgealbert said:

three individuals, all under 18 years of age

Like 17? Or 13? Or what?

And did those individuals volunteer to work in those jobs? Or were they chained and couldn't leave the premises?

 

Obviously, any version of this in not legal. But IMHO it is a huge difference if some 17 yo teenagers, who were anyhow sexually active, wanted to make some money. Or if pre puberty children were forced to work there.

Not same, very different. 

 

 

[Albaby]

25 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Like 17? Or 13? Or what?

And did those individuals volunteer to work in those jobs? Or were they chained and couldn't leave the premises?

 

Obviously, any version of this in not legal. But IMHO it is a huge difference if some 17 yo teenagers, who were anyhow sexually active, wanted to make some money. Or if pre puberty children were forced to work there.

Not same, very different. 

 

 

Details dear boy, details.

 

[300sd]

5 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Like 17? Or 13? Or what?

And did those individuals volunteer to work in those jobs? Or were they chained and couldn't leave the premises?

 

Obviously, any version of this in not legal. But IMHO it is a huge difference if some 17 yo teenagers, who were anyhow sexually active, wanted to make some money. Or if pre puberty children were forced to work there.

Not same, very different. 

 

 

No, makes no difference legally. The law says you have to be 20 to even be in a bar. A 16 yr old with makeup can look like she's of age. It's all to do with management. Not the customer.

[Aussie999]

1 hour ago, rumeaug said:

And what about the (pedo) customers requesting these services. Nothing? 

Did they knowingly know the age of the girls... did they go in search of underage girls... you label people without knowing the facts.

[CHdiver]

I am sure this young Girls did just visit there Grandmothers working as Bargirls in the Bar. 

 

We are talking here about Hua Hin. Hardly any Bar has Girls below 30 (or 40). So everything below that age would stick out like a light house. A Bar Owner who would have underaged Girls really has to be stupid.

 

Btw. there is an Official App Barowners can check validity of ID Cards. No excuse to fall for a false ID Card anymore.

[thesetat2013]

7 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Safe and sound now... 

Yeah, it is kind of confusing. Rescued from what? Nothing in the story says they were taken or forced. Seems to me they were there wanting to make money by lying on their backs. I can not imagine granny and grandpa exerting any kind of force keeping them there against their will. 

I do not think those owners were right allowing the young girls to work there. Nor condone foreigners paying for their services. But rescued? From themselves? 

[black tabby12345]

Did the establishment owner forget to pass the Brown Envelop to the local high-ranking cop?

[OneMoreFarang]

3 hours ago, CHdiver said:

Btw. there is an Official App Barowners can check validity of ID Cards. No excuse to fall for a false ID Card anymore.

 

Some years ago, it was not unusual for girls to use the ID card from their older sister - a legal ID card, just for a different person.

I have no idea if they still do that. Personally, I rely on the guards in NANA to take care that everybody in there is legal.

[Celsius]

Poor mans Diddy

[BangkokReady]

5 hours ago, 300sd said:

No, makes no difference legally.

 

You often see something like "doing X with a minor under 15" in the news reports here.  Presumably that indicates some sort of differentiation.

[hotchilli]

9 hours ago, thesetat2013 said:

Yeah, it is kind of confusing. Rescued from what? Nothing in the story says they were taken or forced. Seems to me they were there wanting to make money by lying on their backs. I can not imagine granny and grandpa exerting any kind of force keeping them there against their will. 

I do not think those owners were right allowing the young girls to work there. Nor condone foreigners paying for their services. But rescued? From themselves? 

That was my drift too...

[300sd]

10 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

 

You often see something like "doing X with a minor under 15" in the news reports here.  Presumably that indicates some sort of differentiation.

Yes you're right. I forgot about that and I think the penalty is more severe if they are under 15. More severe for the management, and most likely since prostitution is illegal in Thailand it would be up to the client or person who takes the girl out of the bar to make sure she is of age. Under 15 more severe for them also.

Criminal Code Section 277:

Section 277 Whoever, has sexual intercourse with a girl not yet over fifteen years of age and not being his own wife, whether such girl shall consent or not, shall be punished with imprisonment of four to twenty years and fined of eight thousand to forty thousand Baht. If the commission of the offence according to the first paragraph is committed against a girl not yet over thirteen years of age, the offender shall be punished with imprisonment of seven to twenty years and fined of fourteen thousand to forty thousand Baht, or imprisonment for life.

Edited October 20 by 300sd

[rumeaug]

On 10/19/2024 at 5:49 PM, frank83628 said:

might be a few AN member laying low for a while

There must be, given the "confused" emojis i got from my comment which is pretty simple (what about the customers who i'm sure know full well who they go with...). i have 2 teenage daughters (14 and 17). Wouldn't go well for the guy who would "lurk" at them.

[Mr Meeseeks]

 

On 10/19/2024 at 7:04 PM, OneMoreFarang said:

I have no idea if they still do that. Personally, I rely on the guards in NANA to take care that everybody in there is legal.

 

I wouldn't rely on Thai security guards to guarantee anything of the sort. 

[BarraMarra]

why don't they name the bars involved or are they still open. 

[Sigmund]

Quite a rare case as a majority of the bar or flirting scene ladies in Hua Hin are often aged 50 but can look younger or with makeup and drunk customers, it passes. The young girls of 25 in Hua Hin only either date people of their age and mainly locals or other Asians.

[Patong2021]

4 minutes ago, BarraMarra said:

why don't they name the bars involved or are they still open. 

The bars are named elsewhere. As the report comes from Khaosod, the media entity most likely wished to minimize the potential for being sued for libel.

Do a Google search of Huan Hin bar raided underage girls and you will see the names of those arrested, the bars and a nice photo. Both bars were rather seedy looking and the strip isn't known for its quality of customers or beauty of its bar workers. I was rather surprised to read "underage" as most of the workers on the strip look more like naughty grannies with equally elderly customers.

[Liverpool Lou]

On 10/19/2024 at 5:05 PM, rumeaug said:

And what about the (pedo) customers requesting these services. Nothing? 

You don't actually know what a paedophile is, do you? 

 

Where there any customers there who were caught in the act with the girls, if there weren't what was there to be done about anything?

[rumeaug]

9 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

You don't actually know what a paedophile is, do you? 

 

Where there any customers there who were caught in the act with the girls, if there weren't what was there to be done about anything?

"offering underage prostitution services to foreign tourists." : i was referring to these customers sir. Cheers

[OneMoreFarang]

On 10/19/2024 at 5:05 PM, rumeaug said:

And what about the (pedo) customers requesting these services. Nothing? 

You asked why you got the confused and sad emojis. 

I didn't add any emoji to your post, but I have an idea.

Pedo = sick people who desire pre-puberty children, maybe 12 and younger. Look up the definition!

And then there are many guys, young and old, who are interested in innocent girls. It is legal in Thailand to have sex with girls 16 and older. Many of those girls have sex. And not too many years ago many bars employed girls 16+. 

According to statistic it seems >30% of 16 year old girls have sex. So, it's not exactly unusual for them.

 

Personally, I wish reporting would be accurate. And I would wish that not every case of <20 prostitution is handled as human trafficking. I am sure there are some cases where they are actually trafficked. But there are certainly also many girls who have anyhow sex and decide to do that and make money at the same time.

 

And, last but not least, if I go in a bar, then I expect from them that they know who they employ. It's the responsibility of the bar to check that their employees are old enough. It's not my responsibility as a customer to ask them for their ID card.

 

And last but not least, some girls look older than they are.

 

 

[3NUMBAS]

The very young gals will be working in bars that cater for Thai customers and they never get busted

[Hummin]

On 10/19/2024 at 12:49 PM, frank83628 said:

might be a few AN member laying low for a while

two of them gave a confused emotion on the post you replied to. 

Edited October 28 by Hummin