PATHUM THANI, Thailand – Immigration Division 3 officers detained five Vietnamese women and a Thai beer bar owner in Thanyaburi district on October 19 following an investigation into suspected prostitution and illegal employment of foreign workers.
The operation took place at a beer bar in Bueng Nam Rak subdistrict after officers received information that Vietnamese women were being hired to drink with customers, with some allegedly involved in prostitution. Investigators arranged an undercover operation before inspecting the premises.
Officers found five Vietnamese women at the bar. Three were reportedly working as drinking companions, while two were allegedly linked to prostitution during the operation. Officers seized marked banknotes used in the investigation as evidence.
Checks of the women’s documents found that some were allegedly working without permits or outside the scope of their authorised employment. One woman was also found to have overstayed her permitted period in Thailand.
The 44-year-old Thai man who identified himself as the bar owner reportedly acknowledged renting the premises for a business selling alcohol and tobacco and employing the foreign women. He was charged in connection with operating a prostitution business and employing foreign workers without the required permits or beyond their authorised rights.
The five women face separate charges depending on the alleged offences, including prostitution-related offences, illegal employment and immigration violations. Officers also seized three account books and other documents from the premises.
All six were handed over to Thanyaburi Police Station for further legal proceedings. Immigration authorities said investigations would continue into employers and other people potentially involved in illegal activities.
