Woman arrested for alleged abuse of Cambodian kids
Thai Immigration police have arrested a female member of a suspected human trafficking gang that is accused of forcing Cambodian children aged 13 to 16 to peddle flowers and sunglasses on Patong beach in Phuket.
The children faced punishment if they failed to achieve Bt2,000 in daily sales, Immigration Police deputy chief Pornchai Kandee said on Friday (October 25).
Cambodian national Kimhang, 24, was taken into custody on October 20 and charged with human trafficking and illegal confinement of the children.
Police learned that there were four persons in the gang.
Kimhang would drive the kids to the beach at 8am and then take them back to a rented house at 9pm. They would be beaten with a clothes hanger if their daily sales fell below Bt2,000.
In January 2018, the mother of two Cambodian children abused by the gang had lodged a complaint with the police.
Following investigations, police arrested Kimhang who was still hiding in Thailand. Police are looking for the other members of the gang.