Faint tunes drift out from an empty pub as darkness fills the misty valley of downtown Mae Hong Son. A handful of local diners and the odd souvenir shop light up its main street, but this seems to be about as far as nightlife gets in this remote northern Thai province. Recent events have cast it in another light: An ongoing police investigation has uncovered a prostitution ring involving minors, patronised by government officials and even allegedly run by a police senior sergeant major over a span of at least two years. Three young women say they were coerced into the trade. Mae Hong Son's governor has had to fend off allegations that he bought sex from a minor, while a local politician from Nonthaburi province north-west of Bangkok confessed to the crime.
Idyllic Thai province hides a dirty secret, SE Asia News & Top Stories - The Straits Times
For Note, a year-old freelance journalist in northern Thailand, there's nothing bigger or more exciting than welcoming government officials from the central office in Bangkok. The officials visit for inspections, meeting with locals and talking to the local media. The trip is usually well organised from the moment they arrive until they leave the area. Five-star hotels, the best local delicacies and private police escorts are included in the package whenever VIPs visit. But there's another "must try" item to cross off the list. We as local journalists have no choice but to provide them since it's our obligation to make them happy," Note said. Unfortunately it is still carried on.
Hi there, we use cookies to improve your experience on our website. You can update your settings by clicking the Privacy policy link at the bottom of the page. Please feel free to browse existing topics for answers to your travel questions. More information can be found by viewing the following announcement.
On Saturday, the court approved an arrest warrant for him for failing to report to police. The charge against Wasu is linked to the Mae Hong Son sex scandal, which has seen many police and state officials accused of buying sex from underage prostitutes. Investigators alleged budget documents were falsified to indicate the Ban Mai to Mae Hong Son trip last September was a study trip and local politicians in the group bought sex from teenage prostitutes.