PATTAYA, Thailand – A mother and relatives, who had been searching for her 16-year-old daughter for nearly three months, were shocked to find her working in a beer bar in Pattaya, Nov 11. They immediately reported the matter to the police, leading to an investigation and potential legal action.
The teenager had disappeared from home months ago, and the mother only recently discovered through a video clip that her daughter was employed at a bar in Soi Buakhao, South Pattaya. Upon confronting the bar’s management, the family questioned why underage employees were being hired, but received contradictory explanations. The bar claimed the teen had asked for work out of sympathy, later stating she had used a fake ID.
The police arrived at the scene after the family alerted them out of concern that the young girl might have been coerced into working. The 42-year-old mother tearfully explained how she had been desperately searching for her daughter. She expressed anger that the bar had not verified her age and demanded legal consequences to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The police have detained the bar’s manager, Jetwiwat, 30, and charged him with hiring an underage worker in an establishment that serves alcohol, among other offenses. The authorities have also issued a summons for the bar’s owner and are considering shutting down the business.
Pattaya police chief, Colonel Nawin Teeravit, warned all service establishments in the area that any violations, including the employment of minors or illegal activities such as prostitution, would result in strict legal action without exceptions.
