Lamphun University student arrested for child exploitation scheme
Royal Thai Police (RTA) arrested a third-year university student from Lamphun for luring underage girls into sexual acts and recording the encounters to sell online. Shockingly, one of the victims was only 12 years old, and the clientele included monks, government officials, students, and other university attendees.
The arrest took place yesterday, August 4, with Police Lieutenant General Prachuap Wongsoog, acting Deputy Police Chief, and Police Lieutenant General Kritthapol Yeesakhorn, Police Region 5 Commander, leading the operation.
Officers from the Technology Crime Suppression Division and Police Region 5 were involved in apprehending Parames, a 20 year old student. During the search, officers seized a mobile phone and gathered evidence for further investigation into human trafficking activities.
Parames faces charges for creating and distributing child pornography. RTA officers also arrested his customers, including a 32 year old former monk, Thanasak, from Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, and a 22 year old man from Nakhon Sawan, Natchanon, for possessing child pornography.
The investigation revealed that Parames used Telegram and Nicegram applications to distribute the explicit content. He allegedly created a secret Telegram group where he sold videos of himself engaging in sexual acts with girls aged 12 to 22, with over 200 files available for purchase.
The suspect charged group members between 100 and 120 baht to access the content and had been operating for about a year. More than 100 people subscribed to his group, generating over 25,000 baht in revenue.
Underage girl
One particularly disturbing case involved a 12 year old girl who was lured into a public restroom, where Parames recorded and sold the footage, said Police Lieutenant General Prachuap.
“We are expanding our investigation to identify and separate the victims. More than 15 young women were deceived, sexually assaulted, and recorded. The suspect created a group to sell these clips, attracting various individuals, including government officials, monks, students, and university attendees. We have already arrested two people and will continue to pursue others involved, as possessing child pornography aggravates the victims’ suffering.”
RTA officers are determined to broaden the investigation and arrest more individuals involved in this network. The government has a strict policy against human trafficking, and officials urge anyone planning to exploit women or children to reconsider, as it constitutes a severe criminal offence under the Anti-Human Trafficking Act.
Police Lieutenant General Prachuap also warned those with a proclivity for sexual activities with minors that such actions are punishable by law. He emphasised that even if the minor consents, engaging in sexual activities with individuals under 15 years old is illegal. He cautioned against viewing or possessing child pornography, as it is also a criminal act, regardless of whether money is paid for access or not.
RTA officers urge parents to be vigilant and protect their children from becoming involved in human trafficking. They advise against allowing children or adolescents to spend extended periods with friends unsupervised, as they are vulnerable to being lured by exploiters, especially through social media and dating applications.
The police continue to crack down on such illegal activities and encourage the public to report any suspicious behaviour to help eradicate human trafficking, reported KhaoSod.
