Inside the Thai bars where ‘child entertainers’ are trafficked and put to work
- While Thailand has ramped up efforts to tackle child sex trafficking in recent years, the crime is evolving and taking new forms such as the rising use of girls as ‘entertainers’ to lure men into bars
- Sexual exploitation is the main form of modern-day slavery in Thailand – making up more than half of the 191 human trafficking cases recorded by the government so far this year
The four girls, all under the age of 18, told social workers after the raid on two bars that they were not forced to have sex with customers nor ordered to wear miniskirts and low-cut tops.
“Some customers touched my breasts, but I pushed their hands away,” said Pim, who could earn up to 700 baht (US$23) each night – more than double the daily minimum wage in Thailand – working for the owner of the bar who she always referred to as “mother”.
While Thailand has ramped up efforts to tackle child sex trafficking in recent years, the crime is evolving and taking new forms such as the rising use of girls as “entertainers” to lure men into bars, according to police chiefs and campaigners.
The majority of patrons, child waitresses and bar owners do not see this work as abusive or unlawful, but officials say it is a type of human trafficking that has largely gone under the radar – and proved difficult to investigate and prosecute.
“Most of the offenders are karaoke bar owners who have an understanding that it is OK for children to do this type of work when in fact it’s considered sex trafficking,” police lieutenant colonel Likhit Thanomchua said.