Police in Bangkok have detained a couple they believe are responsible for the forced labor and child trafficking of six children from the Shan state of Myanmar.

Officers from Pracha Chuen police station and the Department of Provincial Administration raided a residence on Ngamwongwan Road in the Lak Si district of Bangkok early Saturday morning, arresting two individuals.

They were later identified only as Mr Golf, 35, and Ms Aye, 33.

The raid came after the mother of two children contacted the Human Rights and Development Foundation after she could not contact her two daughters. She said the couple had asked her if her daughters could help as their business struggled.

She told authorities that the girls’ pay was only 5,000 baht after they had worked for a few months. She sought assistance from the authorities out of concern for her daughter’s safety. Afterward, she found out from the Human Rights and Development Foundation that the couple had taken the girls’ phones.

According to the police report, the couple operated a Mala food business and forced the children to work from 6:30 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. Six children, ages ranging from twelve to eighteen, were rescued, according to the police report.

The Children told authorities that the couple would beat them if they didn’t work and would tie their legs together when they weren’t working to prevent them from escaping. The girls said that Mr. Golf touched them inappropriately and forced them to bathe while he watched against their will.

The couple is facing multiple charges, including statutory rape, human trafficking, forced labor, and child slavery. According to the police, Mr. Golf admitted to a previous charge of child solicitation in 2023.

The children have been placed in protective custody while legal actions are underway, and all six are currently being cared for by government childcare personnel.

Child exploitation is a major concern in Thailand, as many children are forced to work in hazardous jobs such as agriculture and fishing. They frequently work long hours without receiving remuneration.

This problem is related to poverty and a lack of educational possibilities. The cycle continues as many families rely on their children’s income to survive. Nonprofit groups and government initiatives are making headway, but the size of the problem requires extra resources and attention.

Source: MCOT