‘Secret Club’ busted: spa runs prostitution targeting gay clients
Fake spa in Khon Kaen exposed as illegal brothel known among gay community
Police raided the “Secret Club” spa in the Isaan province of Khon Kaen yesterday, May 21, after discovering it was a front for illegal prostitution services targeting gay clients.
The Khon Kaen Provincial Immigration Bureau received a tip-off that a property in Phimanchon Village, located in the Phralub sub-district of Khon Kaen, was operating under the guise of a spa named Secret Club. However, the true services offered at the premises were not health and wellness, but sexual services.
The establishment had reportedly been in operation for around three months, with most of the sex workers being Laotian and Burmese nationals. The spa specifically targeted members of the gay community, particularly foreign nationals. The illicit services were said to be openly advertised on social media platforms.
Acting on the information received, a police officer posed as a gay client and visited the Secret Club spa yesterday. The officer was offered sexual services for 1,600 baht. Once the illegal activity was confirmed, the officer signalled the rest of the team waiting outside to initiate the raid.
In a video shared by the news outlet Khon Kaen Weekly News on Facebook, officers were seen confronting a group of clients outside the spa. They were heard shouting, “What are you all doing? Let’s gather here. Sit here neatly. This is the police.”
Officers proceeded to search each room in the premises and found naked sex workers engaged in services with clients. Police instructed everyone to dress before escorting them to the immigration office for further questioning.
According to a report from Matichon, four Laotian and one Burmese male sex workers were arrested at the scene, along with the 36 year old Thai manager, Watchara Worraphon.
One of the Laotian nationals confessed to police that he had been working at the spa for one month. He explained that the service cost was 1,600 baht. He received 1,000 baht, and the remaining 600 baht went to the spa owner.
The five foreign sex workers were charged under Section 8 for working without a permit. Penalties include a fine ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 baht, deportation, and a two-year ban on applying for a work permit. Additionally, the Burmese man was found to be overstaying his visa and will face further legal action.
The Thai manager, Watchara Worraphon, was charged under Section 64 of the Immigration Act for harbouring or assisting foreign nationals in avoiding arrest. The penalty carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of up to 50,000 baht.
The identity of the spa’s owner was not disclosed in the report.
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