Thai authorities arrested a woman yesterday who is believed to be a ‘key figure’ in a human trafficking ring with links to Bahrain.
Police from the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division in Thailand arrested the 54-year-old in Samut Prakan province, south of Bangkok.
Wassana Meechan, named by the Thai media, allegedly promised women high-paying positions in Bahrain as masseuses but later forced them into prostitution.
She was wanted on an arrest warrant for allegedly being part of a human trafficking ring. Police Lieutenant General Jirabhop Bhuridej, commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), released details of the operations, published yesterday in the Bangkok Post daily newspaper.
Wanted
“Wassana Meechan was wanted on an arrest warrant for alleged collusion in human trafficking by procuring women for forced prostitution and illegal detention,” highlighted the report.
“The suspect was allegedly a key figure in enticing young women into going to Bahrain, leading them to believe there were spas there wanting to hire masseuses and paying high wages of 50,000-70,000 baht (BD568 to BD795) a month.”
The report adds that several women fell for the scam and arrived in Bahrain where they allegedly ended up being locked up in rooms and forced into prostitution. They received a 50 per cent cut of the charges paid by punters.
The case came to light after victims in Bahrain managed to make contact with the Pavena Hongsakla Foundation for Children and Women. They were rescued and returned home to Thailand.
“Investigators are still ascertaining how many women had been victimised by the suspect,” said Lt Gen Bhuridej.
Meanwhile, the GDN contacted the Thai Embassy in Bahrain yesterday, which said in a statement: “What appears in the news is the police’s investigation.”
Former Thai Ambassador to Bahrain Thanis Na Songkhla told the GDN last month that 30 Thai women were rescued from alleged human trafficking rings in Bahrain since the start of the pandemic last year. Seven of them were identified as victims of human trafficking – which the status of the rest remains unclear.
He stated that a majority of Thai nationals benefited from Bahrain’s liberal visa policy that allows them a 14-day stay upon arrival, adding this good intention was unfortunately ‘exploited’ by criminals.”
The GDN has reported on several cases of Thai women being held captive in apartments and allegedly forced into the vice trade before being rescued by police.
There have also been several cases of Thai nationals in Bahrain involved in crime, with some facing trial or serving their time.
Thailand has a memorandum of understanding with Bahrain on security matters, while similar agreements have been made with other countries to tackle human trafficking.
A dedicated anti-trafficking hotline (995) is currently overseen by Bahrain authorities.
sandy@gdn.com.bh
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