DSI cracks down on gang trapping Thai women in KL sex trade

The Thai Embassy in Kuala Lumpur has successfully rescued six Thai victims and alerted the DSI about this gang.

DSI has arrested Steven Low or Keng Siang Low, a Malaysian, and two Thai nationals, Ratchadaphan Saenkasem and Kallaya Somsri. 

“We are going after the other Malaysian suspect,” Pol Lt-Colonel Komwit Pattanarat of the DSI said at a press conference yesterday. 

According to the DSI, the female suspects ran beauty salons in Bangkok’s Bang Bon district and Phayao’s Dok Khamtai district, through which they falsely advertised that they could place interested Thai women in well-paying jobs in Kuala Lumpur-based spas and karaoke parlours. 

The suspects also used Facebook to lure their victims. After the victims agreed to take up job offers, they were sent to Malaysia and locked up at a place, and only allowed out to provide sexual services to customers. 

“Catalogues found at the place show that this gang must have lured more than 100 victims already,” Komwit said.

He warned Thai women to be careful about job offers that promise unusually high wages. 

“Many Thai women end up being forced into prostitution after they take up such job offers,” he said. 

The three arrested suspects have been charges with several offences, including human trafficking. 

DSI chief Suwana Suwanjuta said human trafficking was a serious crime and Thailand was now seriously combating this.