In an attempt to ‘cleanse’ the streets of Bangkok, police have arrested more than 100 sex workers in four neighbourhoods.
Pol Lt Gen Sriwara Ransibrahmanakul said at a press briefing on Friday that 104 people had been arrested and accused of soliciting people to buy sex, which disturbed local residents and pedestrians.
The 104 people arrested were caught in four areas;
- 35 in Wongwian 22 and Hua Lamphong
- 22 between Khlong Lod and Sanam Luang
- 25 at Makkasan train station, Wongwian Yai, Siam, and Rama II road
- 22 in Lumpini District.
They were taken to a police station to pay up to 1,000 baht in fines and then released.
Although prostitution has been criminalized since 1928, Thailand is infamous for sex tourism, which is vital to the country’s tourism industry. Red light districts are concentrated in Bangkok and Pattaya, attracting both Thai and foreign customers. According to a UNDP report in 2004 and WHO report 2001, there are in Thailand between 200,000 and 300,000 sex workers including 60,000 children. It is difficult to identify the current number of sex workers in Thailand.
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