Regional News
Myanmar Women Rescued from Phuket Brothel
PHUKET – The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) announced yesterday that it had rescued 12 Myanmar women aged between 16-29, forced into prostitution in Phang Nga and Phuket.
Officers arrested three suspects and issued arrest warrants for another two accomplices.
DSI chief Tarit Pengdit said he had assigned Pol Lt Col Komvit Pattanarat, director of DSI Human Anti-Trafficking Office, to investigate the report filed by the Myanmar Association In Thailand (MAT).
The association complained that Myanmar women, including several girls under 18, had been forced into the sex trade at a brothel in Phang Nga’s Kura Buri district.
The DSI joined forces with local police to rescue the eight Myanmar women, who told investigators they were forced to have sex with customers on a daily basis.
The victims, whose cell phones and passports were seized by the brothel owner, said they were beaten if they refused to work. They had also been told they would be paid Bt150 per customer, however, the brothel kept the money instead to pay for their travel expenses.
In a similar raid, the DSI also rescued another four Myanmar women brought by the same gang to work in a Phuket brothel. Two additional suspects were arrested in the raid.