American-Thai couple arrested for running Thailand’s largest online escort service
A significant breakthrough in the fight against online prostitution rings came to light last Friday when Thai Police revealed the capture of an American-Thai couple. The authorities believe they were the brains behind Thailand’s most extensive online escort service and sex agency website, tailormade to cater to an international clientele.
The website, which was revealed in a joint press briefing held by Bangkok Police, the Immigration Bureau, and the Information Technology Crime Suppression Centre, was reportedly the most visited of its kind in the nation. Deputy Immigration Bureau Chief, Police Major General Panthana Nuchanart, disclosed that the site was first on Google’s ranking and attracted a staggering 430,000 visits monthly.
The services provided were not limited to a specific location but spanned various popular tourist destinations in Thailand, including Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang Mai, and Hua Hin. The website offered an array of services provided by women, transgender individuals, and groups of sex workers working in pairs.
Interestingly, the website went beyond just advertising. It gave detailed descriptions of each sex worker, including their photographs and even “customer reviews.” These reviews, written by English-speaking foreigners, praised and recommended the various sex workers.
The Pattaya News, while reporting this development, decided against naming the website due to the ongoing legal action against the owners of the escort service. The report also revealed that the website remains online, with the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society working relentlessly to take it down.
The initial probe into the website’s activities started following reports of individuals being robbed by sex workers working for this online facility, as disclosed by Pol. Maj. Gen. Panthana. The first arrest in the case was that of the alleged website administrator, a 34 year old Thai woman known only as Kanya. Police arrested her immediately after her flight landed at Suvarnabhumi Airport from overseas on August 13 at 5am.
Following Kanya’s arrest, the police stormed a luxury villa in the Hua Hin area of the western province of Prachuap Khiri Khan. Here, they apprehended a 48 year old American national believed to be Kanya’s husband, known only as Brad. The police believe that Brad owns the website, which offered extensive prostitution services.
The couple’s arrest led to the seizure of assets valued at over 40 million baht, including a pool villa worth 15 million baht, a 3.5 million baht Mercedes-Benz C200 coupé, a 1.8 million-baht Honda CRV car, four computers, and bank accounts containing 9 million baht.
According to Pol. Maj. Gen. Panthana, Kanya was responsible for coordinating appointments between the sex workers and the clients, with her take from the transactions amounting to around 40%. He further revealed that the website operators used various communication channels, including Apple iPhones, WhatsApp, mobile phone numbers, and landline connections, and offered payment options like international credit cards and PayPal services.
Authorities believe there are more suspects associated with the website’s operation hiding in Bangkok and outside Thailand. The Royal Thai Police (RTP) stated that the negative perception such illicit activities cast on the country makes its suppression a top priority.
The RTP announced their intention to extend their efforts beyond the borders to dismantle the network involved in this unlawful activity and ensure the closure of the website.
Meanwhile, the detained couple faces charges related to prostitution offences. These offences include providing services that cater to the desires of others, involvement in procuring, enticing, or coercing individuals for indecent purposes, regardless of consent, and aiding, facilitating, or safeguarding the operation of prostitution by others.
