Vietnamese hotel receptionist in Singapore allegedly helped Thai sex workers get rooms, and earned a commission
- The receptionist at the hotel allegedly allowed three people she knew to be sex workers to occupy rooms
- Under the Hotels Act, managers are liable for any act by an employee that contravenes the Hotels Licensing Regulations
A receptionist at a hotel in Beach Road allegedly helped sex workers set up shop in the hotel and deducted commission from their earnings.
Michael Tay Fook Meng, a 51-year-old Singaporean, was handed one count of contravening the Hotel Licensing Regulations as a “hotel keeper”.
According to the Hotels Licensing Board, a hotel keeper must be a person who holds a post of chief executive officer, general manager or an equivalent role at the hotel.
The charge sheet stated that Tay’s receptionist, Do Thi Tuyet Nhung, allowed three people whom she knew to be sex workers to occupy rooms at the Lion Peak Hotel Bugis on April 26, 2023.
Do Thi Tuyet Nhung was handed three counts under the Women’s Charter of living in part on the earnings of sex work.
She allegedly collected earnings from three Thai sex workers aged 34 or 35 between April 20 and April 23 this year.
According to a police statement over the weekend, Do Thi Tuyet Nhung had facilitated the sex workers’ provision of sexual services at the hotel, deducting a commission from their earnings.
The police said officers from Central Police Division conducted an enforcement operation at the hotel on April 25 and April 26 and arrested eight vice workers for using remote communication services to offer sexual services.
It was through investigations that they suspected the receptionist had been facilitating the sex work.
Under the Hotels Act, managers are liable for any act by an employee that contravenes the Hotels Licensing Regulations.
Tay is accused of flouting Regulation 24 of the Hotels Licensing Regulations, which states that no licensee shall permit any person whom he knows or has reason to believe is a sex worker, catamite or bad character to occupy a room in the hotel or to frequent the premises.
According to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, a catamite was a boy kept by a man in ancient Greece and Rome for him to have sex with.
Tay was represented by Mary Magdeline Pereira from Whitefield Law Corporation.
He will return to court in January. Do Thi Tuyet Nhung’s case was sent for a pre-trial conference in January, after she indicated that she was not guilty.
If convicted, Tay could be fined up to S$1,000 if he is a first-time offender, or double that if he is a repeat offender.
On top of this, the court may cancel or suspend any certificate or registration, or cancel any licence granted under the Hotels Act.
If convicted, Do Thi Tuyet Nhung faces a jail term of up to seven years and a fine of up to S$100,000 (US$75,000) if she is a first-time offender.
If not, she faces up to 10 years’ jail and a fine of up to S$150,000.
