Police have raided a ‘secret’ bar in Udon Thani city, rescuing several underage girls who were allegedly forced into prostitution, with the youngest victim aged just 15.

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Officers from the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division (ATPD) and Mueang Udon Thani Police Station conducted the operation at a bar on Samphanmit Road (known as Farang Soi) in Mak Khaeng sub-district. The action followed intelligence suggesting that girls under 18 were being employed at the establishment to sit with and serve alcohol to male customers.

Upon arrival on Friday 6 March, police discovered four girls, aged between 15 and 16, inside the premises attending to customers. A further two 15-year-old girls had already been taken by clients to a nearby hotel; officers were able to track them down and secure their rescue.

The operation led to the arrest of Somporn, 45, the bar owner, and Supphatthaphon, 58. They face a range of serious charges, including human trafficking, procurement of prostitution involving children aged 15-18, deriving gains from prostitution, child abduction, and procurement of children for illegal benefits. During questioning, Somporn allegedly confessed to using the girls to sell sexual services to customers outside the bar for 2,000 baht per session, with the establishment taking a 500-baht cut. Supphatthaphon denied the allegations.

Daily News reported that the two suspects have been handed over to investigators at Mueang Udon Thani Police Station to face legal proceedings. Meanwhile, the rescued girls have been taken into the care of the Udon Thani Children and Family Home, where they will receive protection, support, and psychological rehabilitation.

Pictures courtesy of Daily News

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The bar owners took a huge risk for 500 baht per transaction. 1500 baht is a fortune to a teen girl in rural Thailand. And once again underage girls are catering to the local market. Will there be consequences for the punters? Nay, probably a small donation to the right charity will get them a walk.

I wouldn't believe a word out of the alleged traffickers' mouths, considering it wasn't just one child amongst a bunch adults providing "services", but six children being exploited for monetary gain.

If the bar owners were going to traffic girls to paedophiles, I'd be more inclined to think the monetary split was the other way around; if the children were paid anything at all.

I'll leave my thoughts to the sentence if found guilty by the courts to your imagination as writing mine would, no doubt, get me censored and/or censured.

2 hours ago, flaming dragon said:

The bar owners took a huge risk for 500 baht per transaction. 1500 baht is a fortune to a teen girl in rural Thailand. And once again underage girls are catering to the local market. Will there be consequences for the punters? Nay, probably a small donation to the right charity will get them a walk.

"Local market"?

Why do you think "Samphanmit Road (known as Farang Soi)" is known as Farang Soi?

1 hour ago, NanLaew said:

"Local market"?

Why do you think "Samphanmit Road (known as Farang Soi)" is known as Farang Soi?

That’s UD day and night complex.

The farangs are long time residents so technically they are ‘locals’

1 minute ago, Hunz Kittisak said:

That’s UD day and night complex.

The farangs are long time residents so technically they are ‘locals’

Technically they are an abomination and the soi is a blight on the city. Old farangs, popping kamagra, who still think they're a 'hansum man' and God's gift but are too dim to work out that the bar ladies are laughing at them, not with them.

And some of them obviously like their bar fines a bit too young. Sick buggers.

2 hours ago, NanLaew said:

"Local market"?

Why do you think "Samphanmit Road (known as Farang Soi)" is known as Farang Soi?

You're being kind, we use to call it Soi Slum

31 minutes ago, Hunz Kittisak said:

That’s UD day and night complex.

The farangs are long time residents so technically they are ‘locals’

That's about as far from 'local' as you can get. They're, expat, guest, or sex tourist, who if they didn't P4P, they'd never have any. Too many caught out with under age girls.

Last one that got arrested for it, before I left Udon, didn't make it out of local lock up. Younger than myself, but apparent had a heart attack ... strange that, but good riddens.

Had numerous conversations with him, at restaurants, and seemed like a normal chap, and did say he like them younger. Didn't realize he meant school age, and we're not talking 16 & 17 yo. That how all should be dealt with.

15 hours ago, Hunz Kittisak said:

That’s UD day and night complex. ...

Yes, that barn-shaped place in the middle of the soi that hosts around a dozen open beer bars, collectively called the "cow shed". I'm not sure why it's labelled a "secret" bar in the OP.