About a dozen Thai women have been fooled into selling sex in Bahrain by job brokers.
An investigation along with immediate assistance are being carried out by the Anti-Human Trafficking Division after the unit received a complaint from the parents of one of the victims yesterday, saying their 30-year-old daughter is living in fear from being forced to work as prostitute in the Middle Eastern country.
Police are examining an online chat record between the victim, identified as Phennapha Khamphromma, and her friend. The correspondence was posted on social media, following the alleged scam to lure women into prostitution run by a female Thai broker, said deputy division chief Mana Klipsattabut.
A record of the conversation was given to police by Ms Phennapha's parents along with additional evidence, including their daughter's whereabouts, a photo of her allegedly being injured as well as a photo of the woman believed to be the broker.
The broker was named by police as Supphanat Plapkhonchua. However, the authorities suspect the name is fake as there were no matches when checked against the civil registration database.
The broker told Ms Phennapha's mother on March 8 that she could find a job for Ms Phennapha as a masseuse in Manama, the capital of Bahrain.
However, Ms Phennapha had to pay 300,000 baht to process documents and for other fees, according to the Help Crime Victims Club, which has been approached by the woman's parents to help.
One week after she began working as a masseuse in Manama, Ms Phennapha transferred 10,000 baht to her family. But in April, she and 10 other Thai women were allegedly forced to work as prostitutes, according to the head of the victims club, Atchariya Rueangrattanaphong.
"We've been informed about many similar cases," Pol Col Mana said.
Many women in the Northeast have fallen victim to forced prostitution after being deceived by people in their communities or someone they know, who pretend to offer legal, well-paid jobs overseas, said Usa Loetsisanthat of the Foundation for Women.