Karaoke crackdown: Police hit the wrong note with trafficking bust
Royal Thai Police (RTP) swooped on a notorious karaoke bar in Kamphaeng Phet province, exposing a tangled web of human trafficking allegations involving minors and LGBTQ youths under 18.
The high-profile undercover operation, today, February 14, was designed to rescue the victims and gather crucial evidence against the accused.
Led by the Department of Provincial Administration’s special operations team, the raid hit a karaoke venue on Khlong Khlung-Pang Silathong Road in the Pho Thong subdistrict.
The arrest of Thirasit and Narissara, whose surnames remain undisclosed, was triggered by intelligence linking them to trafficking activities.
These owners allegedly forced young women and LGBTQ minors into entertaining clients, skimming between 200-300 baht off their 1,500 baht earnings from illicit services.
Kamphaeng Phet Governor Chatip Rujanaseri set the operation in motion following a strategy meeting with his team.
Undercover agents posed as customers, setting up the sting that ultimately exposed the sordid dealings. The marked banknotes used during the mission not only sealed the owners’ fate but also led to the successful rescue of the exploited minors.
RTP officers didn’t leave empty-handed, seizing a haul of evidence including licenses for cigarette and alcohol sales, the karaoke business license, and mobile phones belonging to both the culprits and victims.
Additionally, another special ops team helped free the minors from a room in Pho Thong, after an undercover agent nailed the perpetrators through a staged negotiation for illicit services.
Pang Silathong district chief Sané Chaimongkhon corroborated the legitimacy of the high-profile raid, which resulted in the arrest of key offenders and the rescue of four victims, now in protective care.
A multidisciplinary team has swung into action, launching preliminary questioning, while the accused face a barrage of charges: ranging from human trafficking and prostitution to child protection violations, labour law breaches, and running an unlicensed business.
The two suspects remain behind bars at Pang Silathong police station, awaiting further legal proceedings.
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