20 officers linked to parlour files
Women supplied to many outlets, cops say
Twenty state officials including senior police are implicated in documents found at a city massage parlour raided last Friday, the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) says.
The DSI and Department of Provincial Administration (DPA) yesterday handed over documents and computer files to the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) which is investigating alleged corruption against the state officials following the raid on Victoria’s Secret Massage on Rama IV Road in Huai Khwang.
Kongrop Prathumnad, a special agent attached to the DPA, said the arrest team found potentially damning documents which could expose a human trafficking network.
However, it was too early to determine if the documents, some of which were seen by the media, were evidence of kickback payments or a show of generosity.
Some of the seized documents indicated some officers were said to have been “100% sponsored” when they visited the massage parlour which is under the supervision of Wang Thonglang police station.
“It is unclear if these documents are records of bribe payments even though they say ‘100% sponsored’. The arresting team can’t say for sure and the issue needs further investigation,” he said.
He added the seized documents date back about two years. During the raid last Friday led by the DPA and DSI, authorities found records of police who visited the parlour and received free food, drinks and even free massage services. The discounts and free services were believed to be bribes paid to the authorities.
Six people were arrested in the raid and 113 women were rounded up for interviews.
According to Mr Kongrop, three of the women are being treated as victims of human trafficking and have been handed over to the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security for rehabilitation.
They were forced into prostitution and were aged under 18 when forced into the sex trade. Two of them are from Myanmar and the one is a Chinese national.
Another group of 25 women were sent for bone examinations at the Police General Hospital to determine their age. Those believed to be under 18 will be treated as victims of human trafficking. Of this group, 21 are from Myanmar, three from Laos and one Thai, he said.
The remaining 85 women have been initially charged with unlawful assembly in a night entertainment venue. Only three of them are Thai nationals, he said.
However, Mr Kongrop said authorities have agreed the migrant women who are not classified as victims of human trafficking will face charges under the immigration control law and will be handed over to the Immigration Bureau for deportation.
The document hand-over came as DSI director-general Paisit Wongmuang and Piriya Chanthadilok, a representative from the DPA and other agencies observed the opening of three vaults seized from the massage parlour.
Two of the vaults contained documents and cash worth hundreds of thousands of baht while the other was empty. Forensic workers from the Justice Ministry’s Central Institute of Forensic Science sorted through the documents and made lists for further examination by the PACC and the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo).
Deputy national police chief Srivara Ransibrahmanakul said he has ordered authorities to look into possible links with transnational trafficking of prostitutes after most of the women were found to carry pink cards, or temporary ID cards.
He said he has also instructed Wang Thonglang police to pursue charges of human trafficking against those involved after three women were confirmed to be under 18.
Pol Gen Srivara said police are advised to follow the model used in the case involving Nataree Entertainment massage parlour in Bangkok’s Din Daeng area.
In April last year, the Criminal Court handed down jail terms of between eight and 11 years to five men found guilty of colluding to traffic women, including underaged girls, for sex services at Nataree Entertainment.
The police raid led to the arrest of massage parlour manager Phonganan Khanakhet, an executive of PSS Entertainment Ltd, Somprasong Soichit, and three others, Phanarin Hanphatthanacharoen, Atapha Laemae and Lapshulap Ngoenpiam. According to Pol Gen Srivara, those facing legal action include the owner and the manager.
A police source said an initial probe indicates the owner of Victoria’s Secret Massage is a woman who reportedly owns seven other similar businesses.
DSI deputy chief Songsak Raksaksakul said yesterday the agency has clear evidence to link the massage parlour to trafficking of migrant workers for prostitution.
He said the women are procured and supplied to many establishments in Bangkok and the provinces.
The raid resulted in five senior officers at Wang Thonglang station being transferred to inactive posts to clear the way for an inquiry. They are the Wang Thonglang station chief, the deputy chief for investigation, the deputy chief for crime suppression, an investigating inspector, and a crime suppression inspector.
Metropolitan Police Bureau (MPB) commissioner Pol Lt Gen Charnthep Sesavej said the bureau is still waiting for documents from the arrest team about the alleged kickbacks. He acknowledged reports about special discounts and free services given to Wang Thonglang police but said further action will be taken when the bureau gets the documents. The five transferred officers have reported to the MPB, he added.
Crime Suppression Division chief Maitree Chimcherd yesterday defended his subordinates after the seized documents indicated a CSD officer received discounts at the massage parlour. He said the CSD is ready to cooperate with the probe.