Captive Cambodian Girls Freed by Pattaya Police

August 29, 2012

Three young Cambodian girls were held captive in a Pattaya apartment by a Thai man, until they were later freed by police. The man promised the girls he would take them to see their mother who works in Pattaya, but he locked them in the room.

PATTAYA – August 29, 2012 [PDN]; at 2:30 a.m., a report of three Cambodian girls being detained in a South Pattaya apartment was received by Pol. Sub. Lt. Varakorn Bannasit, Deputy Inspector, section 2; and Pol. Sub. Lt. Suriya Kheawlalim, Deputy Inspector, Banglamung police station, Nong Preu branch.

Together with a police team they rushed to the scene at Mae Norm apartments, address 67/43 in Soi Sukhumvit Pattaya 77, Sukhumvit road, before the entrance of Wat Thamsamakkee, south Pattaya Moo 13 Tambon Nong Preu, Amphur Banglamung, Chonburi province.

A tenant of the building informed police that three Cambodian girls were being detained in room number 56 on the fourth floor. However, police discovered that the front door of the room was locked by the big lock.

The three girls inside were crying and frightened as they called for people outside the room to help them. The police went outside the building, and tried to ask the three girls from the window whether they had relatives or someone with the key who could open the door of their room.

But the three girls could not speak Thai or English, and spoke only Cambodian. So police could not communicate with them. However, helpful residents located someone who could speak Cambodian, so the person called the girls on the phone.

Police discovered that the three girls were between 13- to 20-years-old, and were being detained in the room against their will. The girls said they had been deceived by a fat Thai man, who had promised to bring them to see their mother who works in Pattaya. But he had locked them in the room since that evening.

He had bought water for them, then went out and locked the door outside. He told them not to go anywhere because he would come back to pick them up. But the three girls got hungry, and were afraid that the man had deceived them and was holding them captive. So they shouted for assistance.

The police assumed that the Thai man probably belongs to a gang of human traffickers that are targeting girls to work as prostitutes in Pattaya or other areas, or possibly in foreign countries.

Later, the police cut open the lock to the door to the girls’ room and freed them. The police tried to communicate with the girls and asked for personal documents or identity cards, but the girls did not have any documents.

But the three girls were very grateful, and thanked the good people and the police for assisting them. The police gave the girls food, and later took them to Children’s House at the Center of Protecting Children to stay temporarily.

They will investigate further to find out where the girls are from and locate their relatives. Police will follow up to arrest the Thai man who detained the girls to prosecute according to the law.