The Consumer Protection Police Division (CPPD) arrested two women involved in the illegal sale and installation of fashion braces through online platforms on July 28. The suspects, Ms. Soraya Chaowana, 31, from Nakhon Si Thammarat, and Ms. Kantkanit Nusap, 25, from Songkhla, were caught in two separate rented rooms in Hat Yai District, Songkhla Province.
The arrests followed an investigation into the suspects’ activities, which included selling fashion braces and related equipment, as well as offering fashion braces services to the general public. The police set up a sting operation using an undercover agent who posed as a customer. The suspects arranged to meet the agent in a rented room in Hat Yai, where the agent was to receive the fashion braces installation after paying a deposit.
Upon arrival at the agreed location, the undercover agent was about to have the fashion braces installed when police moved in. The raid resulted in the seizure of various items, including 77 pieces of braces equipment, 82 pieces of o-rings, 67 chain bands, five rolls of dental wire, and 17 brackets, with an estimated total value of over 80,000 baht.
The arrested individuals admitted to selling and providing fashion braces services, which are illegal under Thai law. The fashion braces and related equipment are prohibited for sale by the Consumer Protection Board. The suspects were charged with violating the Consumer Protection Act of 2019, specifically for selling prohibited fashion braces, and for practicing dentistry without a license, in violation of the Dental Profession Act of 1994.
The suspects were handed over to the Khor Hong and Hat Yai Police Stations for further legal proceedings.