The raid followed an undercover operation in which a police officer posing as tourist paid ฿1,800 for sex with a woman in an adjoining room. All the sex-workers were between 21 and 37 years of age and have been charged with prostitution offences.
Police and security services in Chiang Rai raided a thriving brothel on the Airport Road in the city on Tuesday evening being run from bedrooms of a local hotel and reported to be the centre of a sex network involving up to 18 women.
Police raided a hotel in Chiang Rai on Tuesday night the 15th October after the Governor of the province received a tip-off that part of the hotel was being utilised as a brothel providing a service to tourists in the northern city.
Chaing Rai governor ordered the raid
The operation followed instructions to security agencies and involved the Deputy Chief of Police for Chiang Rai, Police Colonel Manat Kaewchinda as well as Lieutenant Colonel Khampun Chaiyamanon, the Chief of Special Operation in Chiang Rai.
Undercover policeman posed as a tourist
The raid on the hotel followed a sting operation in which a police officer went undercover posing as a tourist and contacted the operator of the brothel. She was named by police today as 37-year-old Wan Nipha Chuejarn.
Agreed on a fee with the 37-year-old madam and took a young woman to the next room
The undercover police officer made his way to Room B101 at the hotel where he negotiated with the 37-year-old madam.
There were a number of young women in the room and a 21-year old woman was selected to accompany the officer into room B102. The fee for the sex service was ฿1,800 and once the deal was concluded and the officer entered the room adjacent with the young prostitute, police and security services swooped on the hotel in force. This occurred at 7 pm.
5 sex workers were arrested at the scene as well as their boss after security forces arrived
Five sex workers in all were arrested in addition to the 37-year-old madam, Ms Wan. They were all overage and ranged from 21 years to 37 years old, four of them being in their early twenties.
Police in the course of the raid seized 8 mobile phones, playing cards and cash as well as other evidence. The women were taken to a nearby provincial defence forces hall where initial enquiries were carried out. They were then transported to Chiang Rai Police Station where charges have been pressed against them.
All women arrested face charges
Ms Wan faces a charge of procuring women for the purposes of prostitution while the five other women are being charged with engaging in prostitution.
There are some reports that up 18 local women had been working at the sex brothel and in a wider sex network headquartered at the hotel.
Further reading:
Child prostitution gang that ran a sex racket that terrorised children smashed by armed police
Calls to legalise prostitution in Thailand after Pattaya sex raid on Walking Street this week
Police raid on prostitution bar in Udon Thani linked with serving policeman and his Thai wife
