Lao Women Freed In Thai Brothel Raid: Police

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Lao women freed in Thai brothel raid: police

NARATHIWAT, December 14, 2011 (AFP) - Police in Thailand said they had rescued 41 women from Laos on Wednesday who had been forced to work as prostitutes in a southern border town.

The 45-year-old owner of a karaoke parlour was arrested on charges of human trafficking and detention of persons under the age of 18, following a tip-off from a relative of one of the victims.

"She called her parents and asked for help. After investigation, we obtained a search warrant and raided the place. We found and rescued 41 women," said police lieutenant Komvich Padhanarath.

The women, who were working in the tourist town of Sungai Golok near the border with Malaysia, were aged between 16 and 23 years.

"They said they were told by the broker that they would come to work as waitresses with a high salary but they ended up being forced into prostitution. Their passports were seized by the owner," Komvich said.

The victims were taken to a military camp pending legal procedures. Human trafficking victims are usually deported to their home country without facing criminal charges.

Thailand is said to be a source, destination and transit point for human trafficking, with ethnic minorities and citizens of neighbouring countries at particular risk of sexual abuse or forced labour.

Sungai Golok is one of the main human trafficking destinations in Thailand, with more than 100 brothels, police said.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2011-12-14

[RickBradford]

But if they happen to come from over the border in Isaan, and are 'lured' (or sold) to Pattaya, that's different?

[elliss]

FREED ,

so where do they go ?

back to poverty from whence they came .

i think not.

[RichardL]

But if they happen to come from over the border in Isaan, and are 'lured' (or sold) to Pattaya, that's different?

Seizing the passport of a Thai in Thailand wouldn't really be a major hurdle to escaping.

While there must be murky back street brothels somewhere in Pattaya, the girls who work in the bars there are in no way imprisoned, except perhaps through economics. The western view is always to assume nobody would ever do that job unless they are a drug addict or a sex slave being held against their will. That's not even true in the west.

[lovelaos]

But if they happen to come from over the border in Isaan, and are 'lured' (or sold) to Pattaya, that's different?

Seizing the passport of a Thai in Thailand wouldn't really be a major hurdle to escaping.

While there must be murky back street brothels somewhere in Pattaya, the girls who work in the bars there are in no way imprisoned, except perhaps through economics. The western view is always to assume nobody would ever do that job unless they are a drug addict or a sex slave being held against their will. That's not even true in the west.

Did you read the same report as me? Lao citizens do not hold a Thai passport.

Am I missing something?

[lovelaos]

FREED ,

so where do they go ?

back to poverty from whence they came .

i think not.

Why not? Perhaps they go back to their families in Laos. Again, am I missing something here?

[Oberkommando]

But if they happen to come from over the border in Isaan, and are 'lured' (or sold) to Pattaya, that's different?

Seizing the passport of a Thai in Thailand wouldn't really be a major hurdle to escaping.

While there must be murky back street brothels somewhere in Pattaya, the girls who work in the bars there are in no way imprisoned, except perhaps through economics. The western view is always to assume nobody would ever do that job unless they are a drug addict or a sex slave being held against their will. That's not even true in the west.

Many are trapped and are drug addicts, even those that work in the bars catering to Westerners.

It's somewhere in the middle.

That they are not being somehow forced to sell themselves (by economics or other factors) is the myth perpetrated by Westerners (myself included in naive days), to make ourselves feel better about engaging in the same immorality as the Thais.

[MEL1]

"Sungai Golok is one of the main human trafficking destinations in Thailand, with more than 100 brothels, police said."

That's an interesting passive statement to finish with.

So the police are aware of over 100 more brothels, they state.

I wonder what they, the police quoting such numbers, are going to do about these known establishments in the near future?

Maybe very little if they are on the pay-books of such places?

-mel.

[nikster]

FREED ,

so where do they go ?

back to poverty from whence they came .

i think not.

Why not? Perhaps they go back to their families in Laos. Again, am I missing something here?

I guess the implication of that statement - am I misinterpreting? - is that they will continue to work as prostitutes.

Maybe they will, maybe they won't - but even if they did, so what?

There is a mile-high difference between women working as prostitutes voluntarily and those who are forced against their will. One is a despicable crime, the other the oldest profession in the world.

Mixing up the two is dangerous, and usually done by people and organizations that have a problem with prostitution in the first place and therefore have an interest in implicating that it might be the same as a crime against humanity - when in fact nothing could be further from the truth. It's like the anti-gay crowd intentionally mixing up homosexuals and child molesters; or G.W. Bush mixing up Saddam and Osama Bin Laden. A tried and tested propaganda tactic. Throw enough dirt, and something will stick. The bias of balance will make people think that there is something to it, that it's more likely something is half true than not true.

[nikster]

"Sungai Golok is one of the main human trafficking destinations in Thailand, with more than 100 brothels, police said."

That's an interesting passive statement to finish with.

So the police are aware of over 100 more brothels, they state.

I wonder what they, the police quoting such numbers, are going to do about these known establishments in the near future?

Maybe very little if they are on the pay-books of such places?

You must be new here. The police gets a cut of all organized crime in Thailand. They're the largest mafia. Only when things get out of control or unbearable - like in this case with the human trafficking - they will step in. It's not so much fighting crime as it is curbing the excesses so the "normal", acceptable crime can continue. Maximizing profits. TIT

100 brothels in a town I've never heard of sounds crazy - has anyone been there? Is this like a Pattaya for Malays? Wikipedia says it's a town of 40,000.

Edited December 14, 2011 by nikster

[RichardL]

But if they happen to come from over the border in Isaan, and are 'lured' (or sold) to Pattaya, that's different?

Seizing the passport of a Thai in Thailand wouldn't really be a major hurdle to escaping.

While there must be murky back street brothels somewhere in Pattaya, the girls who work in the bars there are in no way imprisoned, except perhaps through economics. The western view is always to assume nobody would ever do that job unless they are a drug addict or a sex slave being held against their will. That's not even true in the west.

Many are trapped and are drug addicts, even those that work in the bars catering to Westerners.

It's somewhere in the middle.

That they are not being somehow forced to sell themselves (by economics or other factors) is the myth perpetrated by Westerners (myself included in naive days), to make ourselves feel better about engaging in the same immorality as the Thais.

How can people who live outside the clubs leave the bars every night be trapped?

Drug addiction also takes a pretty crippling toll on one's health and looks. It also gives them an outlook on life squarely fixated with getting the money for the next fix by any means possible. Guys who pick up cheap girls while kerb crawling (or in some dodgy back-street club) aren't going to be so fussy, but a drug-addict dancer or beer bar girl would never get picked, and the high chance of her stealing from the customers would be bad for business.

I'm sure the number doing it because they just love it as a job is tiny, but doing something because it's the only way of earning such a wage isn't the same as being trapped. To imply it is is actually pretty disrespectful to those in Thailand (and around the world) who genuinely are forced into it.

[HerbalEd]

But if they happen to come from over the border in Isaan, and are 'lured' (or sold) to Pattaya, that's different?

Seizing the passport of a Thai in Thailand wouldn't really be a major hurdle to escaping.

While there must be murky back street brothels somewhere in Pattaya, the girls who work in the bars there are in no way imprisoned, except perhaps through economics. The western view is always to assume nobody would ever do that job unless they are a drug addict or a sex slave being held against their will. That's not even true in the west.

And that assumption is often correct. As in Asia, the USA and Europe do indeed have women who are forced against their will to be prostitutes. They are lured by false promises and hope, and forced by violence and threat of death to themselves or their family back home.

Edited December 15, 2011 by HerbalEd

[CraigSchuler]

No mention of the family back home who know what their daughter is doing and expect her to send money home so Dad can drink and Mom can gamble!

[TAWP]

Many are trapped and are drug addicts, even those that work in the bars catering to Westerners.

It's somewhere in the middle.

That they are not being somehow forced to sell themselves (by economics or other factors) is the myth perpetrated by Westerners (myself included in naive days), to make ourselves feel better about engaging in the same immorality as the Thais.

Or you can ask the girls yourself, once you are on the other side of the looking glass, and they will admit what really goes on.

While high expectations from some girls families unfairly tax them with the pressure to raise money, they are very rarely ever without options. But the money is good. Far better than they will get doing something else.

[cardholder]

But if they happen to come from over the border in Isaan, and are 'lured' (or sold) to Pattaya, that's different?

Seizing the passport of a Thai in Thailand wouldn't really be a major hurdle to escaping.

While there must be murky back street brothels somewhere in Pattaya, the girls who work in the bars there are in no way imprisoned, except perhaps through economics. The western view is always to assume nobody would ever do that job unless they are a drug addict or a sex slave being held against their will. That's not even true in the west.

Many are trapped and are drug addicts, even those that work in the bars catering to Westerners.

It's somewhere in the middle.

That they are not being somehow forced to sell themselves (by economics or other factors) is the myth perpetrated by Westerners (myself included in naive days), to make ourselves feel better about engaging in the same immorality as the Thais.

Some just enjoy the lifestyle.

Many return after relationships break down or they are bored with village life and karaoke. Many cannot find work locally but most can rationalise selling their mutton for a better economic return.