Bangkok couple arrested for exploiting Shan state minors

Police arrested a couple in Bangkok’s Pracha Chuen area on allegations of exploiting minors from Myanmar’s Shan state for forced labour.

The arrests took place yesterday morning when officials from the Department of Provincial Administration, alongside Pracha Chuen police officers, raided a house on Ngamwongwan Road in the Lak Si district.

The suspects, identified only as 35 year old Golf, and 33 year old A, face accusations from the Human Rights and Development Foundation (HRDF) of coercing minors to work in their Mala food business, which operated from 6.30pm to 4am.

Approximately two months ago, the couple reportedly contacted the mother of two young girls, claiming they needed help. However, the mother later discovered that the girls’ mobile phones had been confiscated, severing all communication with her.

Despite the girls working for several months, the mother reported receiving only 5,000 baht (US$150) in payment. Worried about her daughters’ wellbeing, she alerted the police.

Investigators found six foreign workers, aged between 12 and 18 years old, at the house. During the raid, police also seized a 9-millimetre pistol, three BB guns, and the confiscated mobile phones.

The children reported that the couple restrained their legs with leashes and frequently physically assaulted them when they failed to work. When the children fell ill, they were allegedly forced to bathe against their will.

The couple now face multiple charges, including forced labour, child labour, human trafficking, and statutory rape. Police disclosed that Golf had acknowledged a previous charge of soliciting a child in 2023, reported Bangkok Post.

Currently, all six workers are being questioned, and the underage individuals are set to be placed in protective custody as legal proceedings continue.

In related news, the Royal Thai Police arrested a third-year university student from Lamphun for luring underage girls into sexual acts and recording the encounters to sell online. Shockingly, one of the victims was only 12 years old, and the clientele included monks, government officials, students, and other university attendees.