Police Raid Four Rayong KTVs, Uncover Two Prostitution Rings
Thai authorities raided four KTV venues in Rayong’s Plaeng Daeng District as part of Operation 'Secret Room', discovering two were operating as fronts for prostitution and none held proper licenses. Deputy Interior Minister Pholpeer Suwanchai ordered an expanded investigation to apprehend all those involved and warned that any officials complicit would face disciplinary and criminal penalties.
At 00:30 on 17 October 2069, Pholpeer Suwanchai, Deputy Minister of Interior, together with Anupong Suksomnit, Permanent Secretary Deputy for Interior and head of internal security affairs, Ranrong Thipsiri, Deputy Director-General of the Provincial Administration Department, led officials from the Investigation and Legal Affairs Office, members of the Territorial Defence Department, and the Rayong Provincial Special Operations Unit in executing Operation 'Secret Room'. They inspected four KTV venues: Qing Ren KTV, Singwe KTV, World Party KTV, and Grand Hyatt KTV in Plaeng Daeng District, Rayong Province. The operation followed a joint investigation by the Provincial Administration Department and Rayong Province, which found that some venues operated private karaoke rooms with female staff serving customers, sold alcohol, and charged high fees, primarily targeting Chinese clientele. Investigators uncovered evidence of disguised prostitution at two venues and identified Vietnamese women providing services there. Preliminary license checks showed that none of the four establishments possessed a license under the Entertainment Places Act of 1966. Pholpeer said he has instructed the Provincial Administration Department to expand the inquiry to identify operators, recruiters, managers, financiers, and beneficiaries for prosecution, and to hand over any detainees and evidence to police. He added that any government official found involved would be reported to their superiors for disciplinary action alongside maximum criminal prosecution, with the Ministry of Interior vowing strict enforcement at all levels to prevent venues from being used to profit from illegal activity.
