Disturbing Child Prostitution Cases Reported In Two Thai Provinces

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Disturbing Child Prostitution Cases Reported in Two Provinces

PICHIT: -- Two disturbing child prostitution cases have been reported upcountry, with one involving a young student forced by her grandmother to sell sex services, while the other involves a girl raped by a former monk two years ago.

A Social Development and Human Security official in Phichit Province, Oranut Chaiya, has taken14-year-old schoolgirl Kularb (a pseudonym) to file a complaint with police officers against the grandmother of the girl, Pimwa Si-on, for alleged human abuse against the girl.

The girl explained that she and her 13-year-old sister have been forced by her grandmother to sell sex services for as many as 20 times to date.

The 14-year-old victim added that her 57-year-old grandmother is an alcoholic and often asked her to sell sex services when she ran out of money, sometimes taking alcohol instead of money as a payment.

The girl noted that one client was a teacher at her school.

She and her sister have lived with the grandmother since their parents divorced.

Police said they will seek arrest warrants for the grandmother and all the men who bought services from the girls, including the teacher in question.

The Social Development and Human Security Office said they will put the two young victims into rehabilitation as soon as possible.

In a separate matter, a mother in the Chiang Mai District of Sarapi, Deunchai Pattarapong, has filed a complaint with the provincial governor, as her 15-year-old daughter was raped by a former monk in 2008, but there has been no progress in the prosecution.

The mother said she filed charges in February of this year but the investigation has not made any progress.

In addition, she revealed that the abusive former monk is a nephew of an influential local politician.

-- Tan Network 2010-06-16

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Police Arrest Grandmother and Clients in Child Prostitution Case

PICHIT: -- The Phichit Provincial Police Bureau has arrested the grandmother who forced her 13- and 14-year-old nieces into prostitution. Criminal charges will also be brought against the clients of the girls.

Police Colonel Santirak Intarakao, the superintendent of the police force in Muang District of Phichit Province, and the investigation team have arrested 57-year-old Pimwa Sri-on for forcing her 13- and 14-year-old nieces into prostitution to use the money to buy alcohol. The arrest was made after the nieces informed social workers.

Pimwa has denied the accusation, claiming that she will only testify in court. Meanwhile, the police asked the court not to grant bail for the suspect, claiming that Pimwa is likely to flee.

The police have charged the grandmother with exploitation of juveniles.

Police have also arrested four men believed to have been clients of the two young girls.

The police were able to identify 3 of the 4 suspects.

One of the four men, identified as a teacher at the girls' school, has turned himself to the authorities, but denied the allegation against him.

Another suspect has been identified as a secretary of an MP in Phichit province, but his name has not been made public.

The last identified suspect is a former village headmen of the Tambon Tha Lor, where the girls live with their grandmother.

All the clients face charges of statutory rape, but the 3 identified men have been released on bail. The unidentified suspect is being detained along with the grandmother.

Meanwhile, the investigation team is currently searching for additional suspects.

Meanwhile, the girls have been placed under the care of the Phichit's provincial social development office and will be rehabilitated by psychiatrists and social workers.

-- Tan Network 2010-06-17