CityNews – Police Region 5 has arrested two women in connection with the child prostitution ring in Mae Hong Son, as well as issuing an arrest warrant for the police officer who ran the operation, Sargent Major Yuttachai Thongchat.
On April 25, Police Lieutenant General Commissioner Poonsub Prasertsak of the Provincial Police Region 5 updated the press following a re-opened investigation into a child prostitution ring run buy a police officer in Mae Hong Son.
The accused police officer has been identified as Sargent Major Yuttachai Thongchat, who was based at the Nam Piang Din Police Station before being moved to an inactive post in Prae in a subtle response to the previously closed investigation.
An arrest warrant has been issued against Yuttachai who is believed to have fled to Bangkok. He has also been fired from the police force from immediate effect.
Two women have also been arrested in connection with the investigation after being identified as the women who find girls and procure them for human trafficking. They have been identified as Piyawan ‘May’ Sukma and Piyathas ‘Fah’ Thiansuwan.
Police Lieutenant General Commissioner Poonsub Prasertsak has ordered all police officers in the eight northern provinces under his control to be extra vigilant when checking entertainment venues, ruling that nobody under the age of 18 should be allowed inside any entertainment venues at any time.
UPDATE: Sargent Major Yuttachai Thongchat has now been arrested and is being kept in Bangkok along with the two women arrested. Deputy National Police Chief Pol Gen Srivara Ransibrahmanakul has also announced that three other policeman in the Mae Hong Son police department in connection to the child prostitution ring and on suspicion on having sex with the girls.