Two Thai women were safely rescued from forced prostitution in Myawaddy, Myanmar, after being deceived by a fake job offer promising high-paying work. The successful extraction was carried out through cooperation between Thai authorities and the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women, following a desperate plea for help from one of the victims.
On December 8, Pavena Hongsakul, president of the Pavena Foundation, met with officers at Pobpra Police Station in Tak province to discuss the rescue operation. Officials from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security in Tak also joined the team to interview the victims in accordance with human trafficking protocols.
The ordeal began when a 27-year-old woman, identified only as “A,” filed a complaint with the foundation. She reported that a woman she had met through Facebook persuaded her to work as an entertainer at a nightlife venue in Myawaddy, offering a lucrative salary of between 50,000 and 70,000 baht per month. Believing the offer, A left her hometown on November 1 and travelled by bus to Mae Sot in Tak province.
From there, a contact escorted her across the Moei River into Myawaddy, where a Myanmar military vehicle transported her to the venue. A described the location as a row of townhouses divided into multiple rooms, where many women were staying. She met the woman known as “BB,” who had invited her, and briefly encountered the Chinese employer of the venue. Soon after, BB disappeared, leaving A alone with the employer, who then forced her into prostitution and informed her that she owed money to the establishment.
A’s situation grew more dangerous over the following weeks. On November 18, she attempted to escape by secretly taking photos of the site and sending the coordinates to request help. However, staff discovered the images on her phone, confiscated the device, and locked her in a room. She reported being beaten with batons and electroshocked by five men. Despite her injuries, she was still forced to serve customers and was warned that she would face penalties for attempting to flee.
Eventually, A managed to regain access to her phone. On December 3, she contacted the Pavena Foundation again, urgently requesting rescue. After confirming her location, the foundation coordinated with Thai police to begin a cross-border extraction.
Officers successfully located A and another Thai woman who had also been forced into prostitution. Both victims were brought to safety and returned to Thailand, where they are now receiving assistance and protection.
In a related development, Bang Phli police in Samut Prakan recently rescued a university student who had been deceived by a call centre scam gang into believing he was involved in a money laundering case, illustrating the ongoing dangers posed by human trafficking and transnational criminal networks.
