9 Thai People In Jail For "online Brothels" In London

[LaoPo]

Catching up with the 'internet pimps'

Page last updated at 17:35 GMT, Wednesday, 12 November 2008

By Chris Summers - BBC News

Nine people from Thailand have been jailed for up to two-and-a-half-years for their part in exploiting women who were advertised in "online brothels". They are thought to have made millions of pounds from women trafficked from Asia to the UK for use in the sex trade.

More than 60 girls were advertised on the website

Scotland Yard launched Operation Gib in December last year after receiving intelligence that women had been trafficked into the UK and housed in 20 brothels in London.

Every night thousands of men trawl websites in the UK advertising women offering sex for sale.

Many of them are run by prostitutes, or escorts as they often like to describe themselves, who are essentially self-employed entrepreneurs using the internet to cut out the pimps.

But some are advertising women who have been trafficked into the country and are being exploited for profit.

Oriental Gems was one such "online brothel", which as its name suggested, specialised in girls from the South East Asia.

A gallery on the site showed photographs of more than 60 naked and semi-naked women. Many of them were effectively commodities who had been traded and invested in by "bondholders".

It can't be right in this day and age that young women coming to this country should be sold off effectively as slaves to work for free until their debts are expunged

Judge Christopher Hardy

One of the women - advertised on the website as "Helen" - had been "bought" from her traffickers by a syndicate of two women and a man for £11,000 and then told she would have to pay her "bondholders" £30,000 to win her own freedom.

Brian O'Neill, prosecuting, said she effectively had to sleep with 300 men, at £100 a time, to buy herself out of a modern-day form of slavery.

Earlier this year the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, announced plans to introduce legislation to outlaw paying for sex with someone "controlled for another person's gain".

It is thought this legislation could be included in next month's Queen's Speech.

If it becomes law it would mean "punters" would have a legal obligation to ensure women they pay have not been trafficked.

Oriental Gems was run by brothers Pongpoj and Bordee Pitayatanakul

Operation Gib followed a smaller scale investigation by Norfolk Police, who found Thai women being traded in brothels in Norwich.

Raids in April

By April this year the police had enough evidence and launched a series of late-night raids, which ended in a number of arrests.

Ten people, all from Thailand, were eventually charged with conspiracy to traffic women within the UK for the purpose of sexual exploitation; conspiracy to control prostitution for gain or money laundering.

But the prosecution later dropped the trafficking charges and earlier this week all 10 pleaded guilty to prostitution and money laundering offences.

Southwark Crown Court heard that Oriental Gems was run by Pongpoj Pitayatanakul, 31, his brother Bordee, 33, and Pongpoj's girlfriend Monthira Duangthip, 35, all from Guildford, Surrey.

They employed four men as drivers and assistants: Panya Peakaew, 26, from Paddington, west London, Nopharat Charoenying, 29, and Graipich Vudto, 28, from Bayswater, central London, and Thatri Pornpaditkong, 27, from central London.

The "bondholders", who effectively owned several of the women and expected them to pay off their £30,000 debt, were two women, Jirapha Sriwicha, 40, of Hendon, north London and Sutima Khongpon, 55, and Phanusak Kaewbenjarkarn, 32, both from Streatham, south London.

The key players were undoubtedly making hundreds of thousands of pounds, all generated through the exploitation and unhappiness of the women who were the victims

Det Supt Dave Eyles

Eight of the 10 defendants were illegal immigrants or had overstayed their visas. Pongpoj Pitayatanakul and Graipich Vudto had qualified for British passports by virtue of marriages to UK citizens.

Sutima Khongpon was sentenced to two and a half years in prison, Phanusak Kaewbenjarkarn and Jiripha Sriwicha were each sentenced to two years, Pongpoj Pitayayanakul was sentenced to 18 months, Bordee Pitayayanakul to 15 months, Monthira Duangthip to 12 months in prison, Panya Peakaew, Noppharat Charoenying and Graipich Vudto were all sentenced to 28 days in prison, and Thatri Pornpaditkong was given a community service order.

Sentencing the 10, Christopher Hardy said Oriental Gems "was exploitation on a grand scale".

"It can't be right in this day and age that young women coming to this country should be sold off effectively as slaves to work for free until their debts are expunged," the judge added.

After the raids the trafficked women were taken to a specialist centre, equipped with interpreters, health workers and officers trained in sexual offences interview techniques.

Suttima Khongpon and Jiripha Sriwicha hoped to make a profit after buying one of the girls

Nine of them, including "Helen", later gave statements to police. Most of them have since been sent back to Thailand.

"Helen" had been bought out of her slavery by a client, who had paid off the remaining £20,000 of her debt to her "owners".

Those convicted this week will face confiscation hearings and eight of them will be deported back to Thailand.

Last week another gang were jailed for up to 14 years for trafficking women around the UK and using them for prostitution.

That gang, led by Ali Arslan, a 43-year-old Turk, peddled dozens of women, the youngest a 16-year-old virgin from Slovakia.

Detective Superintendent Dave Eyles, from Scotland Yard's Clubs and Vice Unit, said: "Those who have been identified as key players in Operation Gib were undoubtedly making hundreds of thousands of pounds, all generated through the exploitation and unhappiness of the women who were the victims in all this."

-BBC News/UK

related:

Internet sex gang members jailed

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england...don/7725386.stm

LaoPo

[Boater]

well if they are not doing this ' Job ' in the UK, they will only be doing the same in Pattaya !

i highly doubt they where ' Forced ' to earn 5 times as much in the UK then here in Thailand...

well thats my 2 cents

[jayjayjayjay]

Anyone of us living in Thailand could pick up the phone and start trading in women the same way these scum have done, the only difference is we have the moral fibre not too. Unfortunately the prison terms are not harsh enough to teach them a real lesson. Wouldn't 5 plus years be a better lesson. They will be out of jail to enjoy their ill gotten gains of millions upon millions of baht quicker than you could walk from Discovery to Paragon! And worst than this, when they come back to Thailand they'll all be back into the same thing, but next time around they'll deal with countries like Hong Kong, Tiawan or South Africa that dont give a hoot about how these scum work.........

huMANatURE as our old friend would say!

Edited November 13, 2008 by jayjayjayjay

[animatic]

Good for them to stop even one bunch like this.

Yes human nature is too often inhuman.

[johnwills]

I hope the law starts seizing their assets over in the UK and then repatriating those responsible whether they have a valid visa or not.

[JimsKnight]

well if they are not doing this ' Job ' in the UK, they will only be doing the same in Pattaya !

i highly doubt they where ' Forced ' to earn 5 times as much in the UK then here in Thailand...

well thats my 2 cents

Well I agree to a degree, you often hear the story from women who've already 'escaped'.

I notice the prosecution have dropped the trafficking charge! Small wonder when they often know what they getting themselves into.

[Scott]

This hasn't been a very good week for Thai's living in London; first Thaksin, now this bunch!

[steveromagnino]

This hasn't been a very good week for Thai's living in London; first Thaksin, now this bunch!

on the contrary, I am sure most Thais prefer that scum are either sent to jail or sent away - a few bad seeds make the rest look bad IMHO.

Certainly was the case in NZ, very happy when they started clamping down on the illegal prostitutes, mind you it didn't last very long!

[true blue]

how do they all get visas to uk,i was under the impression that was the first thing they look at. (no reason to return) baffiling

[tattoodrob]

hold on hold on,a lot(most or all these women) know what there getting into so maybe some of these rescued women dont want to be rescued..........i mean they came to work in uk so they could earn good money doing this,now they gonna get sent back with nothing and a stamp in passport.they probably gutted it got shut down.

the guys/girls helped them and got paid for it,not really traffiking or enforced slavery.maybe the guys wanted a lot of money for it but if the girls know before then its not even extortion ......i think all they have done is falsified visa documents to enter uk so thats what should get done for.

obviously if they(girls) were forced to come here or lied to then thats bad but many girls here in thailand marry farangs so they can go to farangland then run off and meet there connections and work as prostitutes,depends whether they marry a rich or poor man.

sorry if thats sound a very liberal view but if no girls were complaining then no real harm and i believe prostitution is often a chosen career and is just a well paid service,dont forget it was legal in uk years ago and is still ok in many countries.

[tropo]

well if they are not doing this ' Job ' in the UK, they will only be doing the same in Pattaya !

i highly doubt they where ' Forced ' to earn 5 times as much in the UK then here in Thailand...

well thats my 2 cents

I would help for you to actually read the report before you put in your 2 cents.

They were (according to the report) paying off a massive debt to win their freedom. They were not making any moneny at all.

Secondly, did you miss the ages of the women they mentioned: 55, 40, 32. It's hardly likely a 55 and 40 year old would be doing too much business in Pattaya, with the 32 year old getting a little long in the tooth already.

[animatic]

Well on a different view.

My first regular massage lady in Chaing Mai was a poor Aka tribe woman.

She was very nice, gave a good quality massage, never any hanky panky.

Always got a nice tip from me, she earned it.

She told me she was offered a job to go to Ireland with two other girls to work.

She debated about it and decided to stay near her kids.

I thought it wasn't a good idea and said so.

The other two went, and one came back saying it wasn't massage, but whoring,

and she escaped. My friend is now quite glad she never went of course.

I haven't been there in awhile so I don't know about the second lady who went.

Lot of con artists pulling shit on the girls too.

[CuttySark]

Looks like one more of Thaksin business has been forced to close.

[barcelonatio]

hold on hold on,a lot(most or all these women) know what there getting into so maybe some of these rescued women dont want to be rescued..........i mean they came to work in uk so they could earn good money doing this,now they gonna get sent back with nothing and a stamp in passport.they probably gutted it got shut down.

the guys/girls helped them and got paid for it,not really traffiking or enforced slavery.maybe the guys wanted a lot of money for it but if the girls know before then its not even extortion ......i think all they have done is falsified visa documents to enter uk so thats what should get done for.

obviously if they(girls) were forced to come here or lied to then thats bad but many girls here in thailand marry farangs so they can go to farangland then run off and meet there connections and work as prostitutes,depends whether they marry a rich or poor man.

sorry if thats sound a very liberal view but if no girls were complaining then no real harm and i believe prostitution is often a chosen career and is just a well paid service,dont forget it was legal in uk years ago and is still ok in many countries.

I think there is some truth in this post. If I was a prostitute in Patpong treated like a piece of meat with a number on my bikiki ... being a high class escort in the UK would sound appealing. Not just to be able to travel but the quality of men would be better there.... not the drunk sex tourists that you have to blow for a few baht. Ick.

Edited November 13, 2008 by barcelonatio

[CuttySark]

hold on hold on,a lot(most or all these women) know what there getting into so maybe some of these rescued women dont want to be rescued..........i mean they came to work in uk so they could earn good money doing this,now they gonna get sent back with nothing and a stamp in passport.they probably gutted it got shut down.

the guys/girls helped them and got paid for it,not really traffiking or enforced slavery.maybe the guys wanted a lot of money for it but if the girls know before then its not even extortion ......i think all they have done is falsified visa documents to enter uk so thats what should get done for.

obviously if they(girls) were forced to come here or lied to then thats bad but many girls here in thailand marry farangs so they can go to farangland then run off and meet there connections and work as prostitutes,depends whether they marry a rich or poor man.

sorry if thats sound a very liberal view but if no girls were complaining then no real harm and i believe prostitution is often a chosen career and is just a well paid service,dont forget it was legal in uk years ago and is still ok in many countries.

I think there is some truth in this post. If I was a prostitute in Patpong treated like a piece of meat with a number on my bikiki ... being a high class escort in the UK would sound appealing. Not just to be able to travel but the quality of men would be better there.... not the drunk sex tourists that you have to blow for a few baht. Ick.

What's wrong being a Hooker. In certain WESTERN countries, these people also pay tax, have their own union, and contribute greatly to their nation GDP. IMHO it just another honorable career. Please tell me if there is any country in this world that does not exploit sex trade. We all know friends/relations/family members/neighbour that is either a prositute, or ever use the service of one. IT IS THE WORLD OLDEST PROFESSION, probably dated back to the stone age.

[dotcom]

Suttima Khongpon and Jiripha Sriwicha hoped to make a profit after buying one of the girls

What part of slavery do you folks not get?

Prostitution is one thing & selling human beings is another.

[Maigo6]

Suttima Khongpon and Jiripha Sriwicha hoped to make a profit after buying one of the girls

What part of slavery do you folks not get?

Prostitution is one thing & selling human beings is another.

Exactly!

These girls are bought and sold for profit, it happens to poor women all over the world.

Prostitution is a different thing when done by choice for profit without having to pay off gangsters.

I'm sure that the hoardes of UK, US, Canadian, Aus, NZ, etc etc white girls working in Tokyo's nightclubs as dancers and hostesses are not being bought and sold, in fact I know many that make a fortune in Tokyo, that's why they're there!

The Eastern Bloc girls that are there are probably not in the same position ( being poor ) they are mainly controlled and run by gangsters. They will be bought and sold as the Thais are.

Pathetically low prison sentences, no deterrent whatsoever, any sentence under 4 years is automatically halved with good behaviour in UK, a mate of mine got more time for smuggling cigarettes !

[Nana]

well if they are not doing this ' Job ' in the UK, they will only be doing the same in Pattaya !

i highly doubt they where ' Forced ' to earn 5 times as much in the UK then here in Thailand...

well thats my 2 cents

I would help for you to actually read the report before you put in your 2 cents.

They were (according to the report) paying off a massive debt to win their freedom. They were not making any moneny at all.

Secondly, did you miss the ages of the women they mentioned: 55, 40, 32. It's hardly likely a 55 and 40 year old would be doing too much business in Pattaya, with the 32 year old getting a little long in the tooth already.

Maybe you should actually read the report before posting!!!

As you said they were paying off massive debt to win their freedom...... But the women mentioned (55, 40, 32) were "bondholders", who effectively owned several of the women and expected them to pay off their £30,000 debt, were three women, Jirapha Sriwicha, 40, of Hendon, north London and Sutima Khongpon, 55, and Phanusak Kaewbenjarkarn, 32, both from Streatham, south London.

But I agree with what you are saying... this is slavery.

[tattoodrob]

well if they are not doing this ' Job ' in the UK, they will only be doing the same in Pattaya !

i highly doubt they where ' Forced ' to earn 5 times as much in the UK then here in Thailand...

well thats my 2 cents

I would help for you to actually read the report before you put in your 2 cents.

They were (according to the report) paying off a massive debt to win their freedom. They were not making any moneny at all.

Secondly, did you miss the ages of the women they mentioned: 55, 40, 32. It's hardly likely a 55 and 40 year old would be doing too much business in Pattaya, with the 32 year old getting a little long in the tooth already.

Maybe you should actually read the report before posting!!!

As you said they were paying off massive debt to win their freedom...... But the women mentioned (55, 40, 32) were "bondholders", who effectively owned several of the women and expected them to pay off their £30,000 debt, were three women, Jirapha Sriwicha, 40, of Hendon, north London and Sutima Khongpon, 55, and Phanusak Kaewbenjarkarn, 32, both from Streatham, south London.

But I agree with what you are saying... this is slavery.

......actually thats a little unfair to call its slavery. i know for a fact that a lot of thai girls are told of the costs for getting visa,flights,feeding them,housing them and as they have no money but still want to go then its like a loan to them.

who is gonna spend time and money and get the lady there then let her dissappear to work for someone else ,so they keep them very close till money paid back. i agree 30k pounds is a hel_l of a lot of money but hey maybe they can pay that off in 6 months then they start to make good money for themself and if they have a visa for 3 years sorted for them then they have potential of tens of thousands of pounds tax free to take back to thailand at the end. alternative could be work pattaya ,maybe bank grand or two a year(unless clever/beautiful or both!) which in 3 years is nothing compared to the uk alternative.

im not a big fan of any of this but if everybody is open and told everything then wheres the problem. if someone said to me i could work abroad in an extemely well paid job but i had to work the first 6 months and only get fed/watered and room but after that would earn super wages for a few years that would set me up then i would certainly think about it.......wouldnt do it as i dont trust anyone anyway but if a real good mate had done it and it worked out well then i might be on the next flight out

[sassienie]

Check this out, very interesting - post 20:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Thai-Gang-Ar...19#entry1942719