Thailand arrests five for trafficking women into sex slavery in China

[webfact]

Thailand arrests five for trafficking women into sex slavery in China

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand has arrested five people suspected of trafficking Thai women into sex slavery in China and believed to be part of a ring that has also trafficked women into Malaysia and Singapore, Thai police said on Tuesday.

The arrests come a week after the United States kept Thailand on its list of worst human-trafficking centers. The Thai government has said it hopes the U.S. will removed it from the blacklist following a crackdown.

"Thailand is determined to tackle and eliminate human trafficking," Thai Police Chief Somyot Pumpanmuang told reporters on Tuesday.

Thailand in July indicted 72 people, including 15 state officials, over suspected links to human trafficking after what Thai police described as their biggest ever investigation into the crime.

Full story: http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCAKCN0Q90TB20150804


-- Reuters 2015-08-04

[Jimlove]

"Thailand is determined to tackle and eliminate human trafficking," Thai Police Chief Somyot Pumpanmuang told reporters on Tuesday.

So how many was RTP or Army ... ?

[bamnutsak]

Names, details, positions, charges, dates for trials.

Or will they plead guilty, do the perp walk/re-enactment and be off to prison?

[Happy Grumpy]

Army or police?

I'm guessing police.

[Local Drunk]

hailand in July indicted 72 people, including 15 state officials, over suspected links to human trafficking after what Thai police described as their biggest ever investigation into the crime.

​They took their time... but it's a drop in the bucket.

[Jessi]

They have arrested a few. That is just a small amount when one considers how many are involved in Human Trafficking in Thailand.

[webfact]

CRIME
Five Thais held in China prostitution scam
JESSADA JANTHARARAK
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- FIVE THAIS suspected of being members of a transnational gang that forced Thai women into prostitution in China by promising "hooter girl" jobs have been arrested after four victims filed police complaints.

Pol General Somyot Pumpanmuang, national police chief, said yesterday that police were looking for four other suspects and probably more, mostly foreigners.

The gang was believed to have operated since 2012 promising women jobs in China, Malaysia and Singapore.

The five were Sunatta Oopkaew, 32, who was nabbed in Samut Sakhon; Inthu-on Polpanchu, 25, and Pradit Thadee, 25, both caught in Bangkok; Srilakhon Thongkhao, 39, in Samut Prakan; and Jittanan Sithichai, 31, in Phuket.

Police spokesman Prawut Thawornsiri said this was one of the 34 human-trafficking gangs that Thailand presented in its update to the United States' "Trafficking in Persons" report.

Somyot said he hoped this bust would show the international community that Thailand was serious about suppressing the human trade and would help get Thailand out of Tier 3, the lowest level, in the TIP report.

Pol Maj-General Thiti Saengsawang, commander of the Anti-Human Trafficking Division, said the gang targeted good-looking woman via social media, a Facebook page named Jen Modelling, and falsely offered "hooter girl" jobs in the city of Chongqing.

Sunatta allegedly arranged for four women to travel to China accompanied by two Chinese men - Wei Kanghow and Keng Siangtan. Inthu-on delivered the women's passports prior to departure, police said. The women then found themselves locked up and forced into the flesh trade in the Chinese city, police said.

One victim pretended to be seriously sick and paid Bt50,000 to Pradit's bank account to be released to return to Thailand, where she filed a police complaint and sought the assistance of the Foreign Ministry to contact Chinese authorities to rescue her three friends, police said.

Jittanan was identified as the owner of the phone used in the gang's communications.

There were likely more than 20 victims, since Srilakhon's credit cards were used 23 times to buy plane tickets, police said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Five-Thais-held-in-China-prostitution-scam-30265921.html


-- The Nation 2015-08-05

[Thian]

Why they don't have to show their faces? If this is allowed then why all other criminal don't do it?

[Borzandy]

"The Thai government has said it hopes the U.S. will removed it from the blacklist following a crackdown." the US will remove Thailand from the list because the culprits were charged 1000 Baht each ? Not sure.

[TechnikaIII]

Show their faces !

Full-frame photos - front and both profiles

Published in National media - everywhere

With no exception, everyone convicted at every level of involvement, should be publicized for the protection of all.

National media and posters in schools.

It is irresponsible not to.

Edited August 5, 2015 by TechnikaIII

[northernphil]

Why they don't have to show their faces? If this is allowed then why all other criminal don't do it?

Maybe the perps are Muslim.

[Seastallion]

Why they don't have to show their faces? If this is allowed then why all other criminal don't do it?

Yeah, that struck me, too. Same thing with the two women who got the millions from the guy that died suspiciously in a car "accident".

My guess is that anyone who is allowed to hide their face is destined to be let off.

Stinks of "connections".

[nikster]

The main positive of this is to serve as a warning to other girls about to go to "country X" to work as "_______ (fill in the blank)"

If this is in the Thai news enough, girls will know better than to follow these scams. IMO the most effective way to solve this problem. Right now these girls go on their own free will - they're being set up, just like tourists are being set up in a Bangkok gem scam. Promises of riches, and victims are quite possibly aware that it smells fishy but they do it anyway as greed wins over reason.

The scams run the gamut: From promising factory/restaurant jobs to promising lots of money from illegal sex work - what the victims don't realize is that they sign away their freedom as soon as they cross the border. Then they're illegals with no rights, the traffickers tell them they now owe a large sum of money which they have to make back (the stick). And they can split their income 50/50 once that is paid off (carrot). It's not complicated, really. Best way to reduce this is information and education.

[kiwikeith]

Why they don't have to show their faces? If this is allowed then why all other criminal don't do it?

They lost their face cant be shown again!

[SOTIRIOS]

..........long long way to go......

[springheeled jack]

i think there is a lot more to be done yet human trafficking has been going on for a long long time and it will take a long time to tackle the problem and quite frankly i dont think they ever will be able to .

[springheeled jack]

i think there is a lot more to be done yet human trafficking has been going on for a long long time and it will take a long time to tackle the problem and quite frankly i dont think they ever will be able to .

[The Deerhunter]

Ah, the famous "Crackdown." The Thai political solution to everything. The purely temporary solution to everything.

[The Deerhunter]

The main positive of this is to serve as a warning to other girls about to go to "country X" to work as "_______ (fill in the blank)"

If this is in the Thai news enough, girls will know better than to follow these scams. IMO the most effective way to solve this problem. Right now these girls go on their own free will - they're being set up, just like tourists are being set up in a Bangkok gem scam. Promises of riches, and victims are quite possibly aware that it smells fishy but they do it anyway as greed wins over reason.

The scams run the gamut: From promising factory/restaurant jobs to promising lots of money from illegal sex work - what the victims don't realize is that they sign away their freedom as soon as they cross the border. Then they're illegals with no rights, the traffickers tell them they now owe a large sum of money which they have to make back (the stick). And they can split their income 50/50 once that is paid off (carrot). It's not complicated, really. Best way to reduce this is information and education.

I agree but it is difficult to educate louder than greed and stupidity.

[smutcakes]

i have my suspicions that these are not the ring leaders of a human trafficking ring!

[abitmiffed]

"Thailand is determined to tackle and eliminate human trafficking," Thai Police Chief Somyot Pumpanmuang told reporters on Tuesday.

So how many was RTP or Army ... ?

Agreed, not even mentioned if they are Thai.....or did I miss it?

There is not much pics and pointing going on, just names who we have no idea and lots of transfers but where are the jailbirds?

Just another case of sweeping it under the carpet and pretending they have solved this "small" problem.

[Mudcrab]

Amazing how some posters have found these people guilty and want them punished when they haven't even been to court yet.

If there were five paedophiles sitting there, TV would be full of the screams of their supporters saying why name them, why show their faces...they haven't been found guilty of anything.

[Srikcir]

Arrests and indictments but how many CONVICTIONS?

[Dumbastheycome]

Arrested "on suspicion". Not caught in the act? If guilty then they have no defence. But until....maybe the right to cover face?