KHON KAEN — Police continue their relentless crackdown on foreign workers from neighboring countries and elsewhere, discovering that beyond typical manual labor jobs, some are illegally operating businesses, including male sex work services.
Laotian Man Caught in Sex Work Sting Operation
In the first case, a 22-year-old Laotian man was arrested while providing sexual services during a police undercover operation at Secret Club in Pimanachon House Estate 2, Nai Mueang Sub-district, Mueang Khon Kaen District on May 21. Undercover officers contacted the Laotian man through the Line application and used ten 100-baht notes and two 500-baht notes as evidence in the operation. Condoms and lubricant were also found as evidence.
Anousit, the Laotian national, testified that he entered Thailand through the Nakhon Phanom immigration checkpoint on April 24, 2025, with permission to stay in the kingdom until June 22, 2025. He had been working at Secret Club for approximately one month without any work permit documentation.
He stated he received 1,600 baht per session, with 600 baht deducted for accommodation and various service fees paid to the shop owner. Police discovered 4 additional Laotian men aged 22-25 and 1 Myanmar man aged 23 also working at the establishment, with Thai national Wachara, aged 36, serving as the supervisor.
Investigation revealed that the spa advertised photos of good-looking young men from neighboring countries. Rather than operating as a legitimate massage parlor, it functioned as an illegal sideline business employing 5 foreign nationals. Officers filed preliminary charges against the workers for being foreign nationals working without work permits and engaging in prostitution.
Additional charges were filed: one Myanmar national was charged with overstaying, and one Laotian was charged with illegal border crossing. Mr. Wachara was prosecuted for assisting and harboring foreign nationals.
Three Myanmar Nationals Operating Unlicensed Phone Shop
In another case, Phuket City Police received complaints from locals about foreign nationals operating a mobile phone shop in Downtown Market without work permits. Following investigation on May 21, they found three Myanmar nationals – one 22-year-old man and two women aged 23 and 32 – at “Phone Nan Tho Mobile” shop on Ranong Road, Talad Nuea Sub-district, Mueang District, Phuket Province.
Document verification revealed all three were working outside the job categories they had registered for with the Department of Labor. They were charged with being foreign nationals working without work permits or working beyond their authorized job scope.
____________
