Pol Maj Gen Withaya Sriprasertparp, commander of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division, said officers detained the suspects at several locations on Sunday (Nov 2) after uncovering private LINE chat groups where high school students were being offered for sexual services.
Detectives gained access to the groups, which charged entry fees ranging from B1,500 to B20,000, and found detailed information about numerous schoolgirls, including their names, body types, schools and photographs in school uniforms, reports the Bangkok Post.
“Most of the girls are studying in high school in the Greater Bangkok area and are aged between 16 and 17,” Pol Maj Gen Withaya said.
According to police, the girls said they had initially applied for part-time jobs as PR staff or product presenters advertised online by a fake modelling agency. They were later persuaded to provide sexual services to clients who were members of the chat groups. Each encounter cost between B20,000 and B30,000, with the girls receiving around B10,000 each.
Among the 11 suspects, two key figures were identified as Weerapol, 49, and Natrika, 28, both of whom confessed to the offence. The remaining suspects, mostly women aged 19 to 42, admitted to acting as procurers but claimed they were unaware of the schoolgirls’ exact ages.
During Sunday’s operation, police rescued nine schoolgirls, who have been designated as victims under anti-trafficking laws.