UDON THANI — The governor of Udon Thani led a crackdown on human trafficking in Samphandamit Alley, an area of foreigner-oriented bars in the heart of city. The officers raided a karaoke bar where child prostitution with foreign customers was secretly practiced.
The provincial administration received a tip-off from the Ronnasit Foundation about an establishment called PEW BAR on Watthananuch Wong Road, Samphandamit Alley, Mak Khaeng Subdistrict, Mueang Udon Thani District, Udon Thani Province. The bar was suspected of employing girls under the age of 18 for sexual exploitation.
On June 20, 2024 at 10:00 p.m., Udon Thani Governor Wanchai Kongkasem instructed Mueang Udon Thani District Chief Wimon Surasen, along with administrative officials and officers from Mueang Udon Thani Police Station, to raid PEW BAR, much to the surprise of the Western tourists present.
During the raid, the officers found 10 young women in the bar, including three underage girls: two 16-year-olds and an 18-year-old who had been there since they were 16. They mainly served foreign customers.
The officers took the young women through the national referral mechanism for questioning and review by multidisciplinary professionals and prepared their admission to a children’s home for psychological rehabilitation, recognizing them as victims of trafficking.
The investigation revealed that the establishment did not have a license to operate as a service establishment, as required by law for service establishments. The officers also confiscated a large number of unused condoms, the bar’s revenue book and a list of customers as evidence.
Investigation confirms that this entertainment venue operated a karaoke bar as a front, but behind the scenes, there were underage girls under the age of 18 who were available to serve customers. This included the hidden sale of child sexual services. Therefore, police officers have filed serious charges against the owner of this establishment, including:
- Human trafficking
- Operating an unlicensed establishment
- Promoting or condoning the misconduct of minors
- Violating a government order regarding measures to prevent and solve problems related to motorcycle racing on public roads and the control of entertainment venues or businesses that operate in a manner similar to entertainment venues
Wimon Surasen, district chief of Mueang Udon Thani, explained that the girls who worked in this bar all had family problems, such as divorced parents and no one to take care of them. The girls had to find money to support themselves. Most of the customers were older Thai and foreign men who had a sexual preference for young girls.
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