CHIANG MAI, Thailand – Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) police arrested 20-year-old Jiranan and 23-year-old Puttipong on charges of human trafficking and exploitation of minors on August 21. The arrests took place following an investigation into allegations of underage girls being sold for sex in Chiang Mai.
The operation was led by Pol. Lt. Gen. Worawat Watnakornbancha, Chief of the CCIB, and Pol. Maj. Gen. Chusak Kanadnit, Commander of the Cyber Crime Investigation Division. They were joined by Pol. Col. Runglert Kanthachan, Head of the Child Sexual Abuse Division.
Jiranan and Puttipong were arrested after a sting operation where undercover officers arranged to purchase sex services from two minors for 12,000 baht at a local motel in Pa Daet, Muang District, Chiang Mai. During the raid, police seized the money used in the transaction.
Jiranan confessed to being a dancer in a popular music group in Lamphun. Facing a lack of performance work, she turned to entertainment jobs, including sex work. She admitted to recruiting other young girls into the sex trade for better earnings, operating for about a year. Jiranan charged clients 7,000 baht for underage girls, retaining 5,500 baht as her commission and paying only 1,500 baht to the girls.
Puttipong acted as the driver, transporting the minors to clients. Both suspects have been taken into custody by the investigation unit for further legal action.
