THE owner of an unlicensed liquor store was arrested on the charges of procuring underage boys for clients and 5 boys were rescued from the premises, the Thai-language daily Matichon reported today (April 27).
Pol Col Chirakrit Charuphat, head of youth and women welfare division, together with officers from Bang Yi Khan police station raided the 4-storey shophouse in front of Charansanidwong soi 34/2, in Arun Amarin sub-district, after finding out this unlicensed liquor store was procuring boys younger than 18 years of age for its clients.
They found that that the ground floor was used to sell alcohol, with there being 4 tables arranged to serve clients. However, the 2nd to the 4th floors were divided into 6 rooms where 5 boys aged from 13 to 17, who worked as waiters here but were secretly pimped out, were found.
Arrested was the shop’s owner, Mr Naphatyot Amasith, 40. However, the suspect denied procuring boys for his clients, saying that his clients brought their own partners, most of whom were over 17 years of age and that only yesterday were there boys under the age of 17 present.
Police added that this liquor shop, which has been opened for a year, usually only opened half the shutters and was only known to those who know about its business.
Clients also usually made appointments by Facebook.
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Top and in-text: The 5 boys rescued from the liquor shop. Photos: Matichon