Thai authorities have arrested five Ugandan women in Koh Samui, accused of offering sexual services in the Chaweng tourist area.
The immigration services of the province of Surat Thani carried out a targeted operation on 16 October in the Chaweng district on the island of Koh Samui. Five women from Uganda were detained while soliciting clients in the area’s entertainment venues.
All those arrested were in the country illegally. Their passports had expired and they had overstayed their tourist visas. They were taken into custody and will face deportation proceedings.
The operation forms part of a nationwide campaign against cross-border crime, launched at the request of the national police chief. The authorities are seeking in particular to curb illegal work and prostitution by foreign nationals in tourist areas.
According to initial findings, the women are believed to have entered Thailand on tourist visas before being recruited to offer sexual services to holidaymakers. Unable to find legal employment, they reportedly sought to support themselves outside the law.
Source : MGROnline