Pattaya Police arrest 14 street beggars including nine kids

Pattaya Police are cracking down on street beggars by arresting 14 just last night. The arrests come after many complaints from tourists and residents. The arrests were of migrant workers, nine of whom were aged two to six years old.

Patikorn Sornchai, deputy commander of Chon Buri Provincial Police, led the operation while Social Development and Human Security Officers combed the city for beggars.

According to the Pattaya News, Patikorn says he received several complaints regarding a group of migrants that were soliciting people for money and illegally selling candies, boiled beans and flowers. Patikorn says the beggars tarnished the dignified reputation of Pattaya City. But, his statement didn’t include how prostitution has also crippled the city’s reputation.

As five of the migrants were also women, the arrests did not appear to include any men. The beggars claimed that the nine children were their own. But, authorities say they are sceptical as the kids had no identifying documents.

The suspects were initially taken to the Pattaya Police Station but will be transferred to the Sri Racha Police Station to be identified. Pattaya Police say the migrants will be deported back to their countries due to working illegally and likely not having a valid visa.

Just over a week ago, a leader in the human trafficking trade from South Korea was arrested at a luxury condominium in Pattaya. He was charged with operating an illicit massage parlour in Busan and luring Thai women into sex work.

The South Korean criminal boss, identified as 50 year old Cho, was arrested at a luxury condominium on Pattaya Sai Sam Road yesterday at 10am. The arrest was made after a complaint was filed by three Thai women in 2019.

According to a report by the Royal Thai Police Immigration Bureau Division 3, three Thai women told police they saw a massage parlour job advertisement on Facebook. The agency offered to pay all travelling expenses for those who applied for the position, so they accepted the offer.

However, upon arriving in South Korea, their passports were seized, and they were forced to work as prostitutes by the massage parlour owner, Cho.