Thai brothers charged with trafficking Thai women to Brunei for prostitution
3 people, including 2 brothers, have been arrested on charges of sex trafficking, accused of sending women to Brunei for prostitution purposes. Brothers Somchai Sukson, 55 years of age, and 49 year old Rachen Suksorn, were detained under an arrest warrant issued by the Criminal Court, charged with a sex trafficking operation involving over 3 people. Following the arrest of the first suspect, the Pattaya News reports that Somchai was arrested in the northern province of Chiang Rai, with his brother taken into custody in the neighbouring province of Nan. They are charged with sending Thai women to Brunei for the purpose of prostitution, conning the women with promises of well-paid masseuse work.
The allegations against the traffickers came to light when a couple of their alleged victims reported to the Thai Embassy in Brunei to file a complaint. The women say the men lured them to Brunei with promises of masseuse work, saying they could earn between 100,000 – 200,000 bath per month, as well as being provided with free food and accommodation.
However, the victims say once they arrived in the independent sultanate on the island of Borneo, they were forced to work as prostitutes and the salary and living conditions were not as described. The women say they were not allowed to return to Thailand and were forced to work in unhealthy conditions, until they managed to notify the Thai Embassy of their plight. The embassy subsequently coordinated with police in Thailand to arrest the first suspect, who is now being held in Klong Prem prison in Bangkok. The 2 brothers were arrested shortly after. All 3 deny the charges against them.
SOURCE: The Pattaya News
