PATTAYA, THAILAND – A special unit from Thailand’s Department of Provincial Administration raided an unlicensed karaoke bar in Pattaya and secured evidence of the alleged exploitation of a 16-year-old girl.
Government-ordered night raid in Na Kluea
The operation was carried out in the early hours of 13 February 2026 at a venue publicly known as Zeed’s Bar 31 in Soi Nakluea 12, Na Kluea subdistrict, after reports that the girl had been forced into prostitution there. The raid followed a directive from Interior Minister and Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who had ordered tougher measures on public order and illegal activities.
Senior officials on site as task force moves in
Senior Interior Ministry officials monitored the action on site, including Arsit Sampantharat, permanent secretary, Narucha Koshasivi, director-general of DOPA, and deputy director-general Ronrong Thipsiri, alongside investigation and volunteer defense units. The special unit, led by Saksachai Rotjanarat, director of the Law Enforcement Operations Center for Provincial Administration Officers, entered the building at about 12:36 a.m. together with Ronrong Thipsiri and Banglamung district chief Anusak Piriya-amorn.
Complaints of noise and alleged sexual exploitation
Residents had complained that the venue caused significant late-night noise and allegedly employed minors in sexually exploitative roles. Inside, officers found five female workers, including the 16-year-old girl, and determined that the premises operated as a karaoke bar without the required entertainment licence while also serving as a cannabis shop and small Thai eatery.
Owners suspected of profiting from child prostitution
Initial findings led investigators to suspect that the married owners knew of the sexual exploitation of the minor and profited from it, although their names were withheld due to the ongoing investigation. Multiple charges were prepared, including operating an entertainment venue without a licence, selling alcohol outside permitted hours, arranging obscene acts and exploiting a minor for prostitution, which was treated as human trafficking.
Wide range of alleged legal violations
Investigators also cited suspected breaches of anti-prostitution regulations and labour law, which prohibit employing anyone under 18 in places where food, alcohol or other drinks are served together with entertainment services. Thai laws against human trafficking and child prostitution provide for severe penalties, with operators who knowingly exploit minors for prostitution facing multi-year prison terms and substantial fines.
Strict legal framework and possible five-year closure
The Law on the Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution and the Anti-Human Trafficking Act formed the legal basis for the investigation, with authorities stressing strict enforcement of youth protection rules. A closure order of five years for the venue was expected from the Chonburi provincial governor, in line with directives from the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), while the operators initially made no public comment.
Victim protection through National Referral Mechanism
The task force brought the 16-year-old to safety and planned to refer her to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), where interdisciplinary teams would assess her situation and initiate protection measures. Further care was expected to be provided by the provincial Office of Social Development and Human Security in Chonburi.
Officials urge public to report suspected trafficking
Deputy director-general Ronrong Thipsiri underlined that trafficking in persons remained a major national concern requiring joint action.
“Operators of entertainment venues must assume social responsibility; such places must under no circumstances employ children, and the concealment of child prostitution constitutes human trafficking with harsh penalties.”
said Ronrong Thipsiri, deputy director-general of DOPA.
He called on the public to report suspicious activities to district and provincial authorities or to the Interior Ministry’s Damrongtham centres via the 1567 hotline.