BANGKOK, Thailand – Immigration police, Lumpini officers, and social development authorities launched a sweeping crackdown on illegal prostitution activities in central Bangkok, resulting in the arrest and visa revocation of 10 Vietnamese women accused of soliciting tourists and pedestrians along public streets. The operation was conducted under the direction of Pol. Maj. Gen. Prasart Khemaprasit, commander of Immigration Division 1, alongside officers from Lumpini Police Station and Thailand’s Ministry of Social Development and Human Security.
Authorities carried out coordinated inspections across the Lumpini area targeting immigration-related crimes and other offenses linked to public order and illegal activity. During the operation, officers detained 10 Vietnamese women allegedly caught approaching, following, and soliciting people along roadsides and public areas for prostitution purposes. Officials said the behavior caused public nuisance and damaged the image of the area, particularly among tourists and local residents. The Department of Women’s Affairs and Family Development imposed administrative fines of 1,000 baht on each suspect under Thailand’s prostitution suppression laws. However, the legal action did not stop there.
Following the completion of the social welfare process, Lumpini Police formally notified Immigration Bureau officers of the women’s conduct. Immigration authorities later determined that the group’s activities constituted behavior harmful to society and disruptive to public order. As a result, Immigration Division 1 immediately revoked the women’s temporary stay permits under Section 12(8) of Thailand’s Immigration Act. All 10 women were transferred to immigration detention facilities pending deportation and will reportedly be blacklisted from re-entering Thailand in the future. (TNA)
