Thai Police Seize Over 40 Million Baht in Assets Linked to Alleged Escort Websites

PHOTO: Siamrath

National —

Thai law enforcement on September 20th, 2023, extended operations to seize assets of the owners of what Thai police called an infamous sex-trade website “Absolute-Angels-Bangkok.com.”

The website had ranked number one on Google and was recently shut down by authorities.

First our previous story:

Thai Police in August announced a successful apprehension of an American-Thai couple, believed to have been operating what the authorities said was the largest online escort service and sex agency website in Thailand, tailor-made for a foreign clientele.

Now for our update:

Police expanded an investigation, named PCT1, to another website “smooci.com”, a website that allegedly provided similar escort services across various countries, including Thailand. The website was reportedly run by the same American-Thai couple who operated Absolute Angels Bangkok.

The couple was previously arrested in August.

PHOTO: Siamrath

Upon investigating these escort websites, authorities unveiled a intricate network of individuals engaged in the global sex trade. Ms. Ingpawan (assumed name) was identified as an administrator of the overall management, while Mr. Punwattana (assumed name) was identified as an administrator assistant responsible for financial transactions and collecting money from sexual service providers.

The PCT1 operation unveiled a well-organized system used by the suspects to evade detection.

PHOTO: Siamrath

They used a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone system, with call recipients located across multiple regions in Thailand.

After gathering enough evidence and uncovering the suspects’ hideouts, police filed a formal complaint with the Pattaya Provincial Court to arrest the aforementioned suspects on human-trafficking charges.

PHOTO: Siamrath

Upon further investigation, it was discovered that several other individuals were involved in this operation, owning at least another three to four websites.

Police raided multiple locations related to this criminal enterprise, such as in Bangkok, Samut Prakan, Nakhon Sawan, and arrested several suspects, mostly Thai nationals.

Seized from the enterprise were various electronic devices and a black Mercedes Benz valued at more than two million baht. The total value of the confiscated assets were worth at least 40 million baht, police said.

The original version of this article appeared on our sister website, The Pattaya News, owned by our parent company TPN media.

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Tanakorn Panyadee
The Latest Local News Translator at The Pattaya News. Aim is a twenty-two year old who currently lives and studies his last year of college in Bangkok. Interested in English translation, story-telling, and entrepreneurship, he believes that hard-working is an indispensable component of every success in this world.