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A 13-year-old girl’s harrowing account of being forced into sex work by her mother and aunt at age 11 has led to the arrest of her mother in Hua Hin, police confirmed on Tuesday (20 May).
The case surfaced after the girl confided in her father and stepmother, prompting swift action through the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women.
The mother, identified only as Ms. A to protect the victim’s identity, was arrested on charges of human trafficking, procuring, child prostitution, and acts against a descendant. She also faces a drug use charge after testing positive for methamphetamine. Police are pursuing her sister, the girl’s aunt, on similar charges and investigating a 50-year-old man alleged to have paid for sexual services.
The girl, referred to as Ms. C, disclosed the abuse to her stepmother on April 26, 2025. She recounted how, at age 11 in August 2023, her mother and aunt took her to meet the man for an “inspection” at a public park, followed by two visits to a short-stay hotel.
The mother received payments of 1,500 baht, 2,000 baht, and 5,000 baht for these encounters, though the aunt reportedly kept the money. The third attempt failed when the girl resisted, and the man refused further services.
Ms. C described returning home in pain and bleeding after the first hotel encounter, which her mother dismissed as menstruation. She also revealed her mother’s methamphetamine addiction, noting a recent incident where she was forced to collect drugs from a friend’s house to settle debts.
The girl’s father, Mr. B, a 35-year-old driver, and his wife contacted the Pavena Foundation on April 30, 2025, after learning of the abuse. Mr. B, who separated from the girl’s mother years ago without marrying, said she had restricted his access to their two daughters, aged 13 and 8. After the disclosure, he drove from Phuket to Hua Hin to retrieve Ms. C, filing a police report and informing the mother of his intent to take the girl to Phuket. The mother initially resisted but relented after a confrontation.
Pavena Hongsakul, president of the foundation, coordinated with Hua Hin Police Station chief Pol. Col. Kampanart Na Wichai to ensure a formal complaint was filed. The girl underwent a medical examination, and a multidisciplinary team interviewed her on May 19, 2025. The family is now under the foundation’s care.
Pol. Col. Kampanart said the mother confessed to collaborating with her sister to sell her daughter’s services. Arrest warrants have been issued for the aunt, and police are working to identify and prosecute the client. The mother is set to be detained on May 20, 2025.
Mr. B expressed concern for his 8-year-old daughter, who remains with her mother and grandmother. The Pavena Foundation is coordinating with social development officers in Prachuap Khiri Khan and Phuket to place the younger girl in her father’s care, arrange school transfers for both daughters, and provide psychological support. The foundation will monitor their welfare with the Ministry of Social Development.
The Pavena Foundation for Children and Women, established in 1999 by former Thai MP Pavena Hongsakula, is a prominent non-governmental organization in Thailand dedicated to protecting women and children from abuse, exploitation, and human trafficking. The foundation offers emergency rescue services, legal assistance, and rehabilitation support, and operates a 24-hour hotline (1134) to assist victims.
Hua Hin police and the Pavena Foundation were commended for their prompt response. The case has sparked calls for stronger protections for vulnerable children in the region.