Two women arrested in underage prostitution sting

Two Thai women who allegedly lured nine girls aged 14 to 16 into prostitution have been arrested and charged with human trafficking, said city police chief Pol Lt-General Kamronwit Thupkrajang at a press conference yesterday.

A 17-year-old suspect identified as Bee was arrested in a police sting at an unnamed dormitory in Bangkok's Thung Khru district along with the nine girls. Police later nabbed Nok Thonglek, 23, as the suspected mama-san. The gang reportedly charged customers Bt1,500 for each girl's services, with Bee pocketing Bt200, Nok Bt300 and the girl the remainder.

Kamronwit said police would extend arrests to the gang's customers because their actions constituted statutory rape of minors. Police say they also found that some of the girls were drug addicts. Kamronwit said police would crack down on human trafficking gangs in line with the policy of the national police chief.