140 Thai women lured into prostitution in Myanmar

The Pavena Hongsakul Foundation for Children and Women revealed that the foundation is working to rescue 140 Thai women lured into prostitution in the Shan state of Myanmar. Some of the victims were forced to take drugs.

Several Thai people employed in the Shan state urged the foundation and relevant Thai authorities to intervene and rescue these women. Some employees expressed their dismay, stating that the income and job description they were promised differed drastically from the reality they encountered. Others shared harrowing accounts of being coerced into sex work and compelled to consume drugs against their will.

Ruj Thammamongkhon, the Director of the Consular Affairs Department, addressed the media, disclosing that a staggering 140 Thai women urgently require assistance and rescue.

In the immediate term, Thailand plans to collaborate with Burmese authorities to facilitate the repatriation of these women to their homeland. For a long-term solution, authorities from both nations will convene to discuss preventive measures to combat this alarming issue. Furthermore, the Thai authorities are committed to disseminating comprehensive information and warnings to residents about working abroad, aiming to mitigate the risks involved.

Recently, Wanchai, a 44 year old Thai man, sought the help of Thai news agencies to rescue his wife, who fell victim to the clutches of prostitution on May 4. Wanchai revealed that his wife initially worked as an entertainer at parties in Thailand. However, she was enticed by a friend to work at a Chinese restaurant in Myanmar.

According to Wanchai, his wife’s friend painted an alluring picture, promising her significantly higher earnings compared to Thai establishments. Intrigued, she agreed to the proposition and embarked on the journey with three other friends. Astonishingly, the Chinese employer even provided them with 900,000 baht to cover their transportation expenses.

Tragically, their expectations were shattered upon arrival at the workplace. The Chinese employer confiscated their passports and coerced them into selling their bodies for sexual exploitation, while also demanding repayment for their transportation costs.

The employer callously informed them that they must work for a minimum of six months to settle the debt. If they wished to return home, they would be required to pay a repatriation fee of 190,000 baht to the employer.

In a separate case, a Thai woman complained to Thai authorities, recounting her horrifying experience of being forced into prostitution in Myanmar for over eight months. She endured the torment of serving nine customers per day, and her employer even attempted to sell her off to another brothel.