By: KING-OUA LAOHONG
The Department of Special Investigation is warning women against "fake" marriages with Korean or Taiwanese men, who are believed to be involved with a gang which lures them into becoming prostitutes abroad.
The marriages and other formalities are organised by brokers to enable the women to travel with their husbands abroad, according to an initial investigation by the DSI.
''A wedding ceremony is held after a pair meets only once,'' said DSI chief for foreign affairs Songsak Raksakul, who believes the weddings are only a front for a transnational gang involve in human trafficking.
Last year, more than 100 women registered marriages with Taiwanese men at the Phra Khanong district office, which was an unusually high number.
Pol Col Songsak suspected the women might be falling victim to the gang believed to be luring them into becoming prostitutes or lowly-paid labourers in bad conditions overseas.
A broker, reportedly hired by the foreign men for between 200,000 and 300,000 baht for each woman, would arrange everything to facilitate the marriage, according to the investigation. Each pair would be given photos of their prospective spouse. If there were no objections, the marriage registration and wedding would quickly follow.
Each woman, however, is required to sign a contract which stipulates certain conditions. Any violation would expose their parents to paying large amounts of compensation.
''They will not know what's going to happen to them once they live abroad. They cannot return to Thailand because this will break the contract,'' said Pol Col Songsak.
The DSI is sharing information on the suspected scam with the Social Development and Human Security Ministry. Pol Col Songsak said he had told the DSI's human trade suppression centre to work with police to unmask the gang.
Women aged between 20 and 30 from the North and Northeast are a target group for the gang.
Source: Bangkok Post
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