Phuket police have arrested the owner of a massage shop in Patong after an underage worker was found on the premises at night. The Phuket Express reports that the charge levied against the owner is that of hiring staff under the age of 18 during specific times.
Human trafficking and underage staff working in Thailand’s entertainment industries, including prostitution, is an ongoing problem for Thai officials as they try to crackdown on abuses.
Thailand’s labour laws stipulate that businesses are not allowed to hire people under the age of 18 to work between the hours of 10pm and 6am. Those found violating the law risk a prison term of up to 6 months and/or a fine of up to 100,000 baht.
According to the report, at 10.30pm on Tuesday night, November 28, police arrested the owner of a massage shop in Patong. The owner was then taken to Patong Police Station to hear charges of allowing an underage person to work at the massage shop between the hours of 10pm and 6am.
Patong Police have not released the name of the massage business or the owner.
SOURCE: The Phuket Express
