German suspect arrested over trafficking of teenage girl in Thailand with Thai mother and stepfather
A German suspect was arrested alongside a Thai mother and stepfather over the alleged trafficking of a teenage girl in Thailand.
Jens Fellmuth, 59, from Halle, reportedly bought the 17-year-old girl for sex while she was being forced into prostitution by her parents.
The suspected paedophile was also said to have recorded explicit videos against her will during the act.
Police raided Jens's rented house in Bangkok on June 23, after the girl sought help from self-styled 'justice influencer' Gun Jompalang, who escalated the case to authorities.
Her mother, 28, and stepfather, 36, were also arrested during the operation. The couple reportedly tested positive for narcotics.
Footage shows officers frogmarching the couple out on the street as shocked neighbours looked on.
Police said the German was charged with 'supporting the procurement or inducement of any person for prostitution, regardless of that person's consent'.
While Thanamat and Wittawat were charged with 'jointly procuring a child aged over 15 but not exceeding 18 years to gratify the sexual desire of another person without consent, with the offence committed against a descendant under their care'.
Police Colonel Supachai Chaisuwan, head of the local Children and Women Protection police division, said the girl and her three younger siblings, aged nine, six, and three, were taken into custody by the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security to undergo counselling.
He added: 'The Crime Suppression Division will expand its investigation to identify everyone involved in purchasing sexual services, as well as all individuals connected to the network. We will take legal action against those responsible in accordance with the law.'
Police were gathering evidence, including chat logs with customers found on Thanamat's mobile phone and bank account records, to trace money transfers and identify customers and other individuals connected to the case.
The alleged victim's 19-year-old aunt claimed she was subjected to similar treatment by her sister Thanamat when she was just 15 years old.
She claimed she was forced to have sex three to four times daily, earning 2,000 to 3,000 baht per session, to earn money for their bedridden father.
But Thanamat took the lion's share of her payment to fund her gambling and drug habit, while she received a measly 100 to 200 baht per customer.
She added: 'I endured the situation for around three years before deciding to escape. My sister would even force me to work during my rest time.
'After escaping, I did not know she would force her own daughter to do the same.'
Speaking after the raid, social activist Gun said the teenage girl herself had reached out to him on social media.
He said: 'She told me her mother had been forcing her to work since she was 14 years old, having sex with foreigners or taking pornographic videos for sale.
'The girl's situation had become so severe that she decided to ask for help because she felt trapped. She was scared the same thing would happen to her siblings.'
Officials said the youngsters will remain at the Bangkok Children and Family Shelter, where they will receive psychological rehabilitation and support.
Underage prostitution is rampant in Thailand despite government efforts to curb it through strict laws and enforcement initiatives. Driven by poverty, trafficking, and lack of education, vulnerable minors are sometimes forced into the sex industry to earn money.
