Three local leaders in Ratchaburi province were arrested for molesting youngsters who were under the age of 15 after six madams told investigators they were among the customers that had visited their brothels.
Commandos and police from the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division (ATPD) raided 10 locations and arrested nine out of 10 suspects who were charged with the alleged sexual abuse of underage sex workers.
ATPD chief Pol Maj Gen Worawat Watnakornbancha said yesterday that Maitri Sowseng, 54, a village chief in Muang district, was arrested after being reported as one customer in the investigation that had led to the arrest of the six madams in June.
Somsak Rattanamung, 71, former chief executive of Ratchaburi Provincial Administration Organisation, was also taken into custody from his home in Damnoen Saduak district and charged.
When arrested, Mr Rattanamung attempted to find out how the police tracked him down.
Another alleged customer was Senee Sirinawee, former deputy mayor, arrested after police investigated the prostitute traffickers.
Mr Sirinawee denied the charge. Police found five guns in his house, four with licences and one without.
Pol Maj Gen Worawat said the crackdown came after an NGO told police there were sex procurers in Kanchanaburi, supplying young female prostitutes to Ratchaburi and nearby provinces.
The victims confirmed the suspects were customers, police said.
Pol Maj Gen Torsak Sukvimol, chief of the commando division, said the arrests followed court-issued arrest warrants.
Police are confident the evidence will lead to prosecutions and a wider crackdown on human trafficking.
On 28th May 2020, police identified an online sex trafficking network in Ratchaburi and Kanchanaburi and rescued three teenagers before arresting the six madams in June.
