'Trafficked' Laotian sex workers rescued in northeastern Thailand

[konying]

I wonder how true the statements " was forced"

Anytime, i meet a bar girl, she cannot wait to get back in the bar.

Not saying being forced not possible, just seems many do not want to do anything else but work in brothels

That said, there is a massive difference between a girl working in a bar and a girl working in a Thai brothel.

The end result/objective may be the same but the methods of achievement are completely different.

Yes and the working program is

1. Thai brothel

2. Thai bar

3. Foreign bar, ie catering to foreigners

4. Either go go or freelance.

Again , not saying trafficking does not happen. I just find its more volunteers than being forced .

If you want to see trafficking and being forced visit some brothels in Cambodia where girls are kept in cages and chained . Not sure if still exists but sure did 5-6 years ago, sadly

Edited July 29, 2015 by konying

[Travelman868]

what's this 'inactive posts' BS? anyway very best wishes for those girls locked into a life of misery

Chances are those girls are ruing being caught by the police. They were not slaves, and they were earning money.

Sad situation, yes. But "traficked"...I doubt it.

I used to live in Udon Thani and the bars had "lots" of Lao boys and girls working. They all pop home every 3 months to

visit family.

[Sparkles]

I presume inactive post means suspended from duty while being investigated.

Yeah .....means you get a desk and a fan and full pay and can play with your phone/tablet all day. What a joke this country is. 15 years of this is almost enough !

Some parents tell their daughters and sons to join up,its easy money for those that can just switch off whatever mind they have.

Brothels in Bangkok ,the mega ones, have been doing it for decades,best customers politicians and BIB ,not my opinion but a friend who has had a brothel in Bangkok for 25 years.

[brewsterbudgen]

what's this 'inactive posts' BS? anyway very best wishes for those girls locked into a life of misery

Chances are those girls are ruing being caught by the police. They were not slaves, and they were earning money.

Sad situation, yes. But "traficked"...I doubt it.

Under-aged are always trafficked and those that run the brothels surely must have paid off a lot of people to allow child prostitution on their premises.

A quick google search shows the age of consent in Laos is 15. Seems the girls may not have been underage as far as they were concerned.

They may well be much cleverer than people give them credit for. Especially to oversensitive westerners.

Caught in a brothel, most likely illegally in country...easiest way to try and get off any charges would be the to claim having been trafficked.

Go to any jail and ask the any of the inmates if they are guilty. None...all are innocent but have been wrongfully imprisoned.

No such thing as "consent" if she's under 18 and it's prostitution.

[kovaltech]

sad but true... most of these girls come volontary, even pay for the working place... and that is not hear say but first hand information.

i live here in that mentioned naiborhood ... and could point out many more...

since the military is in charge, almost 80% is gone of these venue's

as long the girls not complain themselves, how would you say that there is wrong doing if they all are 15 up and trying to make a buck voluntaraly ?

Edited July 29, 2015 by kovaltech

[chrisinth]

I wonder how true the statements " was forced"

Anytime, i meet a bar girl, she cannot wait to get back in the bar.

Not saying being forced not possible, just seems many do not want to do anything else but work in brothels

That said, there is a massive difference between a girl working in a bar and a girl working in a Thai brothel.

The end result/objective may be the same but the methods of achievement are completely different.

Yes and the working program is

1. Thai brothel

2. Thai bar

3. Foreign bar, ie catering to foreigners

4. Either go go or freelance.

Again , not saying trafficking does not happen. I just find its more volunteers than being forced .

If you want to see trafficking and being forced visit some brothels in Cambodia where girls are kept in cages and chained . Not sure if still exists but sure did 5-6 years ago, sadly

I'm not disputing your program, this of course happens.

But it is step 1 that the OP is addressing, the introduction to the 'life'. How they got there in the first place. And of course it could have been voluntary on the girls part, and human nature kicking in with lies to the effect that they were detained against their will.

But we should never ignore the dark-side either. The brothels were either protected by the police or at the very least known about by them; it is impossible to keep these operations quiet in small communities. The accusations of trafficking have been made, they should be investigated fully. Whether this happens or not is another question.

Steps 2 - 4 more than likely of their own choice or under peer pressure, if this is the road the girls followed as it is one path of many.

Of course, the above is mostly speculation as we have restricted information through the media in the OP to base assumptions on. But, there are facts there.

I also understand where you are coming from with the Cambodian brothels.

However, it is not necessary for the chains and cages to unhinge a young persons mind................

Regardless, I hope the girls find what they most need; sometimes it is possible to get a second chance.

[konying]

what's this 'inactive posts' BS? anyway very best wishes for those girls locked into a life of misery

Chances are those girls are ruing being caught by the police. They were not slaves, and they were earning money.

Sad situation, yes. But "traficked"...I doubt it.

Under-aged are always trafficked and those that run the brothels surely must have paid off a lot of people to allow child prostitution on their premises.

You might be surprised to find out, in many cases mothers sell their daughters for a one off fee or yearly contracts

[pedro01]

I wonder how true the statements " was forced"

Anytime, i meet a bar girl, she cannot wait to get back in the bar.

Not saying being forced not possible, just seems many do not want to do anything else but work in brothels

Do you meet many 15 year old bar girls?

There are many facets to the sex trade here. These girls were probably servicing licals at 300 baht a pop. Dont think for a second its all Nana and Pattaya

[pedro01]

So nobody here remembers the girls dying in a brothel fire because they were in chains and could not escape?

Not all prostitution here is voluntary.

Some very naive people in this thread.

[konying]

I wonder how true the statements " was forced"

Anytime, i meet a bar girl, she cannot wait to get back in the bar.

Not saying being forced not possible, just seems many do not want to do anything else but work in brothels

Do you meet many 15 year old bar girls?

There are many facets to the sex trade here. These girls were probably servicing licals at 300 baht a pop. Dont think for a second its all Nana and Pattaya

Yes, and just as many work go go's and walk the streets

[The Deerhunter]

I wonder how true the statements " was forced"

Anytime, i meet a bar girl, she cannot wait to get back in the bar.

Not saying being forced not possible, just seems many do not want to do anything else but work in brothels

I like your post because the majority of self consumed and full of shit guys love to claim " I don't pay the girl to be with me, I pay her to leave in the morning". What a total crock!!

I hope well for any lady in SEA whether in the sex trade business or not.

Stories even now, continue to come up occasionally of fires in brothels and girls burned to death because they were chained to the beds. Not bar girls!!! Trafficked sex slaves. I am sure there was one in BKK in the last very few years, but I do not remember details. Edit: Oops someone else said it first.

Edited July 29, 2015 by The Deerhunter

[misterphil]

"The women have now been placed under the protection of the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security"

Should say "The children have now been placed under the protection of the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security"

[masquerade]

.

Here we have all these arrogant government pricks complaining about the US and tier 3, low and behold we have this. Are they really sure the operators were Thai, no not Lao but I would have thought Burmese.

[BestBitterPhuket]

Why are they not charged with rape? They should be charged with rape AND trafficking.

[slipperylobster]

Decades f this. Laos and Philippines have "recruiters" that go around to the villages/towns. It is not always a mystery what they are going to do with the new recruits. First of all, agencies do a false passports with fake names and birth dates. Then they are grouped together, at a "location/agency"..and billeted, while visas are arranged. Many times (such as in the Philippines), the father or mother stays with their daughters in these agencies, until visas and jobs arrive. In Japan, an "agent" on that end (usually a Japanese man married to a Philippine ex hooker), would fly to Mabini Street, to the agency...and pickup the girls. I am sure Laos does it this way too. Brothels, bars, etc...then would pay 6000 us dollars for each girl that would be delivered. Passports are confiscated, and the girl(s) are assigned. Many are "returnees on a two year contract". They are locked in a house, given certain shopping/calling privileges..and fined heavily for indiscretions. After six months...they are sent back to their country (in this case, the philippines), for visa renewal (phony name/birth/employment).

Most know exactly what is going on. The mom of my daughter did.... She is now married to her Policeman and is a recruiter..just outside of Manila...after "doing" pretty much the whole world. My daughter (whom I supported)...is now in Taiwan...doing God knows what. She is 20, however.

It is not much of a secret...but there is alot of face saving going on with family, agencies, police, and country of destination. Facts, history, jobs are lied about...to save embarassament. The girls come home with good bank accounts (when they successfully complete their contracts)..with gifts for the family. Some are despised, but many are emulated. My ex fiancee owns 3 homes there.

Several of us know about it first hand. I have been in the agency in Manila...and on the Japan side...and this was 25 years ago. My would-be-wife refused to marry..and insisted she wanted that life. I thought she was 19..(passport was fake, when I tried to do my daughters visa, her mom gave me her real passport..years later). Turned out she was 16. I truly did not know. You see, could not even petition for my daughters birth, as all the mom's documents were fake. and worse...she was underaged. (again, fake passport said 19)

Thing is..everyone in the province knows exactly what she was doing.

Edited July 29, 2015 by slipperylobster

[webfact]

Officials transferred after nine Lao teenagers are rescued
Jirasak Wongkhamjan
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- NONG KHAI'S Tha Bo District deputy chief and five senior officers from Tha Bo Police Station were transferred yesterday following the Tuesday night rescue of nine Laotian girls aged 16 to 19 from two restaurants.

Rawichai Paritpahol has been transferred to an inactive post at the city hall, while provincial governor Suchat Noppawan has set up a fact-finding panel to investigate the official's alleged negligence in allowing such a crime to occur in the district.

The five officers Pol Colonel Somchai Sanguansakpakdee, Pol Lt-Colonel Thansamai Phromsit, Pol Lt-Colonel Ratchapong Artkaew, Pol Lt-Colonel Anant Supanpasat and Pol Major Suriya Taothong were to report for their new positions at the provincial police operation centre later yesterday.

The owner of the Pulsap karaoke bar, Sompit Dongluang, 41, was arrested and her six Laotian employees were rescued.

In Sri Chiangmai district, KS restaurant owner Kosol Uppahad, 60, and his three Laotian employees were rescued.

A special task team of Nong Khai-based Interior officials launched raids after the provincial Dhamrongtham Centre received complaints of prostitution and human trafficking.

Officials collected the victims' personal information and checked their bone mass to determine their actual age before pressing a human-trafficking charge against Sompit and a charge of employing minors against Kosol.

A 17-year-old Laotian waitress at Pulsap said she had worked at the bar for two months for a daily wage of Bt300 and occasionally served as a sex worker.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Officials-transferred-after-nine-Lao-teenagers-are-30265532.html


-- The Nation 2015-07-30

[cnx355]

I presume inactive post means suspended from duty while being investigated.

From what I read over the years, inactive duty refer to posting your in an office where you receive our salary but cannot get " extra money" using your rank or official status..

After a while , they move them to another active posting.

Edited July 29, 2015 by cnx355

[SantiSuk]

Trafficked or not, prostitution for girls that young is immoral let alone illegal. Bang the ba$tard owners away for a long time please. Bang up the pederast customers while you are at it - none of these care whose life they <deleted> up.

[i'm OK with the concept of legalised prostitution - for over 21s]

[willyumiii]

If all of these places were closed down, there would be many, many more "inactive posts" here in Thailand.

Paid for play is the only activity many posts here ever experience!

Edited July 30, 2015 by willyumiii

[slipperylobster]

Of course there stalking expats that play every night with hookers.

Others were stationed in Asia, at a very young age, and had the whole mess in their face. Some of us felt sad, lonely, and made relationships...that still last today..with bar hookers. The drama never left the soul...on either side.

Not right or wrong or immoral. Just a part of life. Sometimes victims on both sides.

However, it is the patronizing saint of a man who has no experience outside his farm back in Kansas, that would call any of us...evil...or low life. It may just be their ignorance of real world experiences

[bkkgooner]

The Lao-Thai border in that region is very porous and I cannot understand why the girls at any time did not simply refuse to work and ask the nearest fisherman to take her across the river.

Locals criss cross the river all the time to work or go shopping

Maybe someone placed a gun in their mouth on their first night of work and told them the rules?

Maybe they don't have the money to get back home?

Maybe they feel ashamed and want to support their family with whatever it takes?

[SanukDii]

Yes I remember the brothel fire a few years ago (near Khao San Rd if memory serves) Where the girls were chained to the beds and died.

For those members who claim the girls are mostly voluntary: there are many girls that would claim they are but are coerced by their families who put continual pressure on them to send money home.

Case in point: Whilst living in Chiang Mai my friend had a staff member, a seveteen year old girl, who he was paying 12,000 baht a month to. Not much, but the deal was she could go to school and he would cover her education too. This young lady was everything you would want in a member of staff: Honest, loyal and loved studying - in which she could see a future.

Her family in Isaan had a different view however. They put her under constant pressure to stop studying and join her two sisters and Aunty in Bangkok. The story was they worked in a pub and earned good money as waitresses. Eventually she agreed to go down to BKK just to see her Aunty. On arrival an 'Aunty' picked her up, drove straight to a gogo bar and during the course of the evening forced her to get up on stage wearing a bikini saying her mother had agreed she works here now.

We got the phonecall at 3am from a young girl completely traumatised by the experience. My friend and I flew to Bangkok in the morning and found her in the Mcdonalds near Nana plaza in a shirt and bikini bottoms. We had to drive her back to CM because she refused to go back for her belongings. She cried for the entire journey.

Not every girl is tough enough or lucky enough to get away that easily. My friends wife had a few choice words for her mother who really didn't care and was angry we had rescued her.

Of course it will be convenient for most to live in denial about the life trauma these girls endure, after all they are good actresses.

The acceptance of prostitution on the level it exists in this country is a serious indication of both the lack of parental care in Thailand at a fundamental level in the provinces (where most of these girls originate) and the sociopathic indifference that a certain section of expats and visitors display towards young women who wouldn't give them the time of day under normal circumstances.

Of course this is TV so I await the considered and measured response :-P

[jspill]

There are 15 year olds in nataree (bangkok soapy massage brothel) as of today. This isn't a 'trafficked Laos slave' issue, it's a deep rooted part of the culture across South East Asia.

A girl I know showed me facebook pics of her 15 year old friend there. She used to work there at that age herself (she's 20 now).

Have also met freelancers in sukhumvit who were on soi nana from age 13.

All girls seemed fine with it, willing to do it, enjoying the money and higher quality of life compared to working in 7/11 or on a farm. They didn't even want to be accountants, saying it's boring and limited to a 15k or so salary until you've been there for a decade. Part of the problem is you don't get rewarded on merit, only age. Older employees in the workplace are automatically correct on everything.

At least outwardly they seemed fine, can never know what their mental state is going to be in the future though.

[JAG]

I presume inactive post means suspended from duty while being investigated.

that's a bit of a presumption as tons are transferred to 'inactive posts' even when found guilty - so I 'presume' their pay is safe as well as their pensions they just do 'nothing'

But the " informal opportunities to supplement their income" are severely reduced.

[NanLaew]

...

Anytime, i meet a bar girl, she cannot wait to get back in the bar.

...

That's what's commonly called "not a hansum man syndrome" and I reckon you've learned how to deal with it.

[dageurreotype]

And yet another Spot The Monger thread

[NanLaew]

There are 15 year olds in nataree (bangkok soapy massage brothel) as of today. This isn't a 'trafficked Laos slave' issue, it's a deep rooted part of the culture across South East Asia.

A girl I know showed me facebook pics of her 15 year old friend there. She used to work there at that age herself (she's 20 now).

Have also met freelancers in sukhumvit who were on soi nana from age 13.

All girls seemed fine with it, willing to do it, enjoying the money and higher quality of life compared to working in 7/11 or on a farm. They didn't even want to be accountants, saying it's boring and limited to a 15k or so salary until you've been there for a decade. Part of the problem is you don't get rewarded on merit, only age. Older employees in the workplace are automatically correct on everything.

At least outwardly they seemed fine, can never know what their mental state is going to be in the future though.

The girls that you know that have worked in soapy massage places, Nana Plaza or freelancing on Sukhumvit have never worked in a brothel.

Thanks for playing.

Edited July 30, 2015 by NanLaew

[NanLaew]

... My friend and I flew to Bangkok in the morning and found her in the Mcdonalds near Nana plaza in a shirt and bikini bottoms. We had to drive her back to CM because she refused to go back for her belongings. She cried for the entire journey.

...

Of course this is TV so I await the considered and measured response :-P

Why didn't you fly back with the poor girl?

[SanukDii]

... My friend and I flew to Bangkok in the morning and found her in the Mcdonalds near Nana plaza in a shirt and bikini bottoms. We had to drive her back to CM because she refused to go back for her belongings. She cried for the entire journey.

...

Of course this is TV so I await the considered and measured response :-P

Why didn't you fly back with the poor girl?

no ID and she wouldn't go back for her stuff

[dageurreotype]

... My friend and I flew to Bangkok in the morning and found her in the Mcdonalds near Nana plaza in a shirt and bikini bottoms. We had to drive her back to CM because she refused to go back for her belongings. She cried for the entire journey.

...

Of course this is TV so I await the considered and measured response :-P

Why didn't you fly back with the poor girl?

no ID and she wouldn't go back for her stuff

Does that answer your fatuous question NanLaew?