Pattaya Café Owner arrested on firearms and human trafficking charges

[Rimmer]

Pattaya Café Owner arrested on firearms and human trafficking charges

PATTAYA:--On Sunday Night at Banglamung Police Station, the Acting-Commissioner of Region 2 Police announced the arrest of a 44 year old Café Owner who was accused of firearms and human trafficking offences relating to his Café in North Pattaya.

Police Major General Sanit announced the arrest of Khun Dumrongsuk, who is the alleged owner of the Superstar Café in the Lompok area in the northern outskirts of Pattaya. He was arrested on the strength of two arrest warrants, numbers 221/2557 and MF 222/2557 in conjunction with the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO).

The warrants related to possession of firearms and purchase of these and other items which are thought to relate to Money Laundering. The other warrant relates to charges of human trafficking in relation to the Café where he is alleged to have employed females under the age of 18 who would engage in prostitution.

A raid of the Café and his residence took place and 11 rifles and pistols were seized along with 977 bullets. A Land Title Deed, gold, 2 vehicles and other smaller items with a combined value of over 1 Million Baht were also seized under the Money Laundering Act 1999.
- See more at: http://www.pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/131704/pattaya-cafe-owner-arrested-on-firearms-and-human-trafficking-charges/#sthash.pjXjNUgY.dpuf

-- Pattaya One 2014-06-16

[terryp]

many in Thailand just dont realize that Bar girl/boy/tran prostitution in Thailand IS human trafficing

[JoePai]

Have they stopped using their fingers to point now ?

[Tatsujin]

many in Thailand just dont realize that Bar girl/boy/tran prostitution in Thailand IS human trafficing

Quite correct . . . but how many are there within prostitution "by choice" . . . ? Is that still trafficking? (I'm talking about "adults" here not "children")

[jmccarty]

Hat like that, Guilty!

[amerasian]

What got the man in trouble was most likely children under age working in the bar...

no one likes that.

[Kerryd]

Wonder who he p***ed off to get that much heat ? Or is this just the new Police Chief doing the job he said he was going to do ?

Seems these days that just being a supporter of one side or another may be enough to bring unwanted attention down on you. Support the Shins/Red shirts - watch out for the Army. Support the anti-gov/yellow shirts - watch out for the police. Support either side (as a foreigner) - watch out for the Immigration police.

Sheesh - it's getting so that your average dishonest businessman won't have any idea of who to pay these days !

Also makes me wonder - if they conducted more raids, how many more weapons (and other items) would they find, just in Pattaya ?

[chaiyapoon]

Yes, makes you wonder how many more illegal guns are about in the area.

[NelsonHubbucks]

Have they stopped using their fingers to point now ?

Why use a finger when you can point a rifle instead.

[IamNoone88]

When there are 10 announcements per day for sweeping scum off the streets including the big fish in both Pattaya and Phuket, then we can say that there is really is change for better. A few token heads here and there does not cut it just yet. The quantity and quality of arrests will be a good enough indicator and then it will be the turn of the judiciary.

[TechnikaIII]

many in Thailand just dont realize that Bar girl/boy/tran prostitution in Thailand IS human trafficing

Quite correct . . . but how many are there within prostitution "by choice" . . . ? Is that still trafficking? (I'm talking about "adults" here not "children")

The so-called "choice" you talk about ( consoling yourself are you? ) would for 99.9% of them, be at the bottom of the list of options, had their been alternatives. So many were of them were children, young women, burdened with the obligation to support their parents. They were pushed into getting money by any means.

The masters of slavery are consumers, all over the world and including you, who crave the latest in everything from electronics to fashion, at the lowest price. The customers of the arrested cafe owner, who use his girls, are as guilty as he is. Paid for sex in Thailand , have you?

[ChrisY1]

Have they stopped using their fingers to point now ?

Seems so...now they point with assault rifles!

[Benmart]

Aside from the alternative comments...good job Police and Army.

[wandasloan]

Thank goodness the government/regime/junta/whatever is on top of this problem before Thailand gets a bad reputation! This will probably make the United States delay release of its human trafficking report to change the Thailand section, give The Guardian's writers pause, and make all those Cambodians wish they hadn't been so hasty.

[Mrjlh]

Some pretty heavy fire power there on the table.

[Benmart]

many in Thailand just dont realize that Bar girl/boy/tran prostitution in Thailand IS human trafficing

Quite correct . . . but how many are there within prostitution "by choice" . . . ? Is that still trafficking? (I'm talking about "adults" here not "children")

The so-called "choice" you talk about ( consoling yourself are you? ) would for 99.9% of them, be at the bottom of the list of options, had their been alternatives. So many were of them were children, young women, burdened with the obligation to support their parents. They were pushed into getting money by any means.

The masters of slavery are consumers, all over the world and including you, who crave the latest in everything from electronics to fashion, at the lowest price. The customers of the arrested cafe owner, who use his girls, are as guilty as he is. Paid for sex in Thailand , have you?

Valid points Sir. However, I have no control over low price electronics, fashion apparel, food, production, etc. that often times uses slave labor, endentured servants and bond captives. I consume, try to shop wisely, but I have no idea as to the origin or conditions under which they are produced.

Profit sometimes trumps doing what is right, what is lawful and what is morally correct.

[hobz]

many in Thailand just dont realize that Bar girl/boy/tran prostitution in Thailand IS human trafficing

Quite correct . . . but how many are there within prostitution "by choice" . . . ? Is that still trafficking? (I'm talking about "adults" here not "children")

Depends on the definition of trafficking. Do you need to come from another country to be considered trafficked? Or is it enough that the same kind of tactics are used?

For example, a girl from Isaan could be tricked into working in Pattaya, they might tell her she will work in massage. And pay for her room and trip there, they might also pay for clothes etc or some made up charges?. When she arrives she is told the bad news that she needs to pay off the debt by working as a prostitute. Being a scared little girl she feels forced.. I would consider her trafficked,, even though she never left thailand. Correct me if i'm wrong.

Ofcourse, it's more horrible when they take someones passport etc...

*edit* Another situation might be when the girls parents, again from Isaan owes money to loansharks, and they take the daughter as payment.. The daughter is having a hard time to refuse, because thai girls rarely if ever rebel against their parents.

Think about this when you pay for prostitutes, you don't know what kind of evil bastards you are supporting.

ps. I've done well above my fair share of bargirls, and I am deeply ashamed..

Edited June 16, 2014 by hobz

[Andre0720]

many in Thailand just dont realize that Bar girl/boy/tran prostitution in Thailand IS human trafficing

Quite correct . . . but how many are there within prostitution "by choice" . . . ? Is that still trafficking? (I'm talking about "adults" here not "children")

Massage studio, at least 18.

Prostitution venues, at least 21 (Which is, for all intents and purposes, legal)

[newermonkey]

What got the man in trouble was most likely children under age working in the bar...

no one likes that.

Yea right... Children under the age of 21

[Maggusoil]

many in Thailand just dont realize that Bar girl/boy/tran prostitution in Thailand IS human trafficing

Quite correct . . . but how many are there within prostitution "by choice" . . . ? Is that still trafficking? (I'm talking about "adults" here not "children")

The so-called "choice" you talk about ( consoling yourself are you? ) would for 99.9% of them, be at the bottom of the list of options, had their been alternatives. So many were of them were children, young women, burdened with the obligation to support their parents. They were pushed into getting money by any means.

The masters of slavery are consumers, all over the world and including you, who crave the latest in everything from electronics to fashion, at the lowest price. The customers of the arrested cafe owner, who use his girls, are as guilty as he is. Paid for sex in Thailand , have you?

I like the posts, and its a good comment about choice. The trafficking must refer to "underage".

The great pity is that so many see themselves without a choice and in some cases, especially for a young girl, there may be no perceived choice. Sent by the family. This guy should have known better than to employ underage girls and or his subscription to the gendarmerie got behind.

[Tanlic]

many in Thailand just dont realize that Bar girl/boy/tran prostitution in Thailand IS human trafficing

And that's got as much to do with this guy being arrested as selling bottle of Chang beer.

It's a law that is simply not enforced unless something else is afoot.

Employing girls for the purpose of prostitution who are under the age of consent, gun running and money laundering is what he's been charged with not running a straight forward go go bar.

The day they start arresting people for the latter they better move Angkor Wat to Thailand to house the offenders

[hobz]

many in Thailand just dont realize that Bar girl/boy/tran prostitution in Thailand IS human trafficing

Quite correct . . . but how many are there within prostitution "by choice" . . . ? Is that still trafficking? (I'm talking about "adults" here not "children")

The so-called "choice" you talk about ( consoling yourself are you? ) would for 99.9% of them, be at the bottom of the list of options, had their been alternatives. So many were of them were children, young women, burdened with the obligation to support their parents. They were pushed into getting money by any means.

The masters of slavery are consumers, all over the world and including you, who crave the latest in everything from electronics to fashion, at the lowest price. The customers of the arrested cafe owner, who use his girls, are as guilty as he is. Paid for sex in Thailand , have you?

I like the posts, and its a good comment about choice. The trafficking must refer to "underage".

The great pity is that so many see themselves without a choice and in some cases, especially for a young girl, there may be no perceived choice. Sent by the family. This guy should have known better than to employ underage girls and or his subscription to the gendarmerie got behind.

Trafficking is not about underage, it's about forcing / coercing people from other places to come work as a prostitute, often with false promises about working as massage or waitress. Traffickers often takes passports and make up debt that the trafficked needs to pay off (by being a prostitute) before getting her passport back. Common that adults (young females) being trafficked from eastern europe into western europe.. Probably common in other parts of the world too.

[slygeeza]

Paid for sex in Thailand , have you?

what does this have to do with his comment?

[climbertrev1]

many in Thailand just dont realize that Bar girl/boy/tran prostitution in Thailand IS human trafficing

Many here in Thailand don't realise that prostitution has existed in Thailand for a very long time. Long before Farangs joined in.

This cafe was extremely unlikely to be catering for the appetite of any Farangs. It was almost certainly meeting the demands of the local Thai community. Of course there are many bad things in Thailand including human trafficking and underage prostitution.

The Bar scene aimed at Farangs is far removed from these more traditional Thai (SE Asian is probably more accurate) practices. It is important to discriminate against the two cultures. The majority of bar girls in Farang orientated bars are there of their own free will: they have not been trafficked.

[Maggusoil]

That's true. Trafficking is done everywhere. Especially in the West where women are lured like this from poorer countries. Not just locally.

[climbertrev1]

Paid for sex in Thailand , have you?

what does this have to do with his comment?

Quite it could have said "paid for plumbing in Thailand have you? or building or washing or cooking etc

Depending on your definition of Trafficking, in the extreme you could argue that anyone who has benefited from Burmese, Cambodian of Laotian labour are just as guilty.

[aspenninja]

Paid for sex in Thailand , have you?

what does this have to do with his comment?

We all pay for sex. It doesn't really matter if it's dinner and a movie, or baht to a "dancer". Same same. The latter is just being straightforward, the former is rolling the dice.

[wvavin]

Why was there no arrest before the coup? Kind of strange that the police suddenly started doing their rightful work. This only proved one thing. The Thai Police are hopelessly corrupted all along.

[Nemesis7]

So many guns in the possession of a single person?

KARMA.......

[slygeeza]

Why was there no arrest before the coup? Kind of strange that the police suddenly started doing their rightful work. This only proved one thing. The Thai Police are hopelessly corrupted all along.

there were arrests before the coup as well, I dont think it proves anything