Prostitution crackdown: Thai masseuse arrested for offering ‘special massage’
Police arrested a masseuse in Nakhon Ratchasima yesterday, December 10, for offering sex services inside a massage shop, though the suspect insisted the shop owner and other staff had no involvement.
Officers from the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division (ATPD) received a tip-off about prostitution taking place at a massage shop in the Non Sung district. To verify the information, police launched a sting operation, posing as a customer.
An undercover officer entered the shop with marked 1,000-baht banknotes. Inside, he found four to five masseuses but no shop owner. When he asked about prices, staff quoted 500 baht per hour.
The officer selected a masseuse known as Kwang, who took him to a VIP room on the second floor. Once inside, she allegedly offered a “special massage”, a euphemism for sexual services, for 2,000 baht.
The undercover officer agreed and handed her the marked money. As she began undressing, he revealed his identity and called in the rest of the team to make the arrest.
The suspect, identified as 41 year old Buppha, admitted to providing sex services for 2,000 baht. She was charged under Section 5 of the Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act for presenting herself for prostitution, an offence punishable by a fine of up to 1,000 baht.
Buppha insisted she operated secretly and that the shop owner had no knowledge of her activities.
The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) initially posted details of the arrest on its official Facebook page, but the post was later deleted after receiving heavy criticism.
Many Thai netizens commented that similar activities occur widely, yet are often ignored by authorities. Others said the case highlights the need for Thailand to acknowledge the existence of sex work and reconsider legalising it.
In a similar case, police officers raided a massage parlour in Chiang Rai in May for secretly running a prostitution ring, charging clients between 1,000 and 3,000 baht per hour. Two of the workers involved in the prostitution were under the age of 18.
Latest Thailand News
Follow The Thaiger on Google News:
