36 sex workers in Pattaya arrested for prostitution

Thirty-six prostitutes in Pattaya were arrested last night near Walking Street for selling their bodies.

Channel 3 reported that the Pattaya tourist police, and volunteers, patrolled Pattaya Walking Street yesterday at about 10pm. Officers were acting on complaints by tourists that they had been robbed in the area and their mission last night focused on the resort’s sex workers illegally offering sex services to visitors.

According to the report, many transwomen and women dashed to the beach and tried to hide when they saw the officers approaching but the men in uniform managed to track down and arrest 36 people trying to seek refuge. Officers then took them to Pattaya Police Station for questioning.

An officer from the Pattaya Tourist Police Bureau, Pitchaya Kheawpluang, reported that every suspect was ordered to stop offering sex services to tourists and quit stealing from them. The police also issued a warning to both Thai and foreign tourists to be aware of pickpockets while travelling in the area.

Pitchaya added that the tourist police, together with officers from Mueng Pattaya Police Station, took the theft and assault cases between Thai and foreign visitors very seriously.

The charges issued against all of the prostitutes have not been reported but according to Section 5 of the Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act, any person who solicits, induces, or introduces themselves for prostitution purposes at any place shall be fined up to 1,000 baht.

Pattaya has a bad name for ladyboy and transwomen thefts in recent years and the police are determined to crack down on the practice. Indian tourists wearing gold necklaces appear to be a target of the ladyboy thieves.

On Friday, The Thaiger reported how an Indian tourist’s night went completely wrong after the sex worker he hired turned out to be a transgender woman. The woman managed to steal the man’s watch.