Dutch man and Thai woman arrested in Pattaya child prostitution crackdown
Illegal sex services provided in hotel located just 100 metres away from police station
Police arrested a Dutch man and a Thai woman in Pattaya for procuring children for prostitution after teenage victims were taken to a hotel to provide sexual services to foreigners.
Officers from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) received a tip-off from the Destiny Rescue and Free a Girl foundations about a child prostitution ring in Pattaya, allegedly operated by a Dutch national and a Thai woman. Most of their clients were reportedly foreigners in the Jomtien Beach area.
Acting on the tip-off, DSI officers raided a hotel in Pattaya’s Bang Lamung district yesterday, October 2, and rescued three teenagers. The hotel is located only 100 metres from a Mueang Pattaya police substation.
According to a report by DailyNews, the commercial building was converted into a hotel offering rooms for both daily and monthly rental. The three victims were a 15 year old boy of unknown nationality, a 15 year old Thai boy, and a Thai girl whose age has not yet been confirmed.
All victims were found with foreigners in separate rooms and rescued as they were allegedly about to provide services to the clients.
The arrests of a 77 year old Dutch man, Joost Reinhard, and a 58 year old Thai woman, whose name was withheld, were made at a nearby residence. They are accused of being behind the child prostitution ring.
DailyNews reported that during the arrest, the Dutch man claimed to be friends with a powerful police officer and asked for permission to call him. Reinhard allegedly said his friend’s name was Nom and hoped this person could help him. However, the person reportedly denied being a police officer and stated his name as Bang.
The Dutch man and the Thai woman were then transferred to the DSI office for further questioning and legal proceedings.
Media reports indicate that the Dutch suspect was previously arrested in Thailand for human trafficking in late 2016, but police were unable to gather sufficient evidence to prosecute him. He was, however, deported from the country.
Despite his deportation, Reinhard is believed to have re-entered the country illegally via an illegal route at the border in the Isaan province of Sa Kaeo. He then allegedly continued his human trafficking operation in Pattaya until his arrest yesterday.
Officials have not yet clarified specific charges the suspects face.
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