Teen girl found working at Mae Chan karaoke sparks trafficking fears
Police investigate possible trafficking links as young worker is rescued during raid
Police and administrative officials raided a karaoke bar in Mae Chan, located along Phahon Yothin Road, after discovering a 15 year old girl was hired to entertain guests, raising concerns of human trafficking.
Yesterday, May 7, Police Colonel Kiattisak Jitprasarn, the head of Mae Chan Police Station, received a report from the 191 patrol police, in collaboration with Mae Chan district investigators, Chiang Rai’s administrative division, and related agencies, about the arrest at the Mei Mei Karaoke K.T.U.
The raid took place late at night following reports that underage girls were serving customers. Two young girls were found attending to guests, serving drinks, and singing with them.
Upon investigation, the owner admitted to hiring the minors, providing a daily wage of 100 baht (US$3), with an additional 150 baht (US$ (US$4.5) per hour if they entertained guests.
Initially, the police charged the owner with four major offences: operating a service establishment without permission, encouraging inappropriate behaviour in minors, hiring people under 18 without notifying police, and allowing underage people to work during night hours without approval, reported KhaoSod.
Moving forward, a multidisciplinary team will interview the victims, and if evidence of human trafficking is found, further charges will be pressed. The owner remains in custody for legal proceedings.
In similar news, Royal Thai Police (RTP) launched a major operation at a notorious karaoke bar in Kamphaeng Phet province, uncovering a complex human trafficking scheme involving minors and LGBTQ youths under 18.
The undercover raid, conducted on February 14, aimed to rescue the victims and gather vital evidence against the suspects.
The operation, led by the Department of Provincial Administration’s special operations team, targeted the karaoke venue located on Khlong Khlung-Pang Silathong Road in Pho Thong subdistrict.
The arrests of Thirasit and Narissara, whose full names have not been disclosed, were made after intelligence linked them to trafficking activities.
The suspects allegedly coerced young women and LGBTQ minors into providing illicit entertainment services, taking a cut of 200 to 300 baht from their 1,500 baht earnings.
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