Last week, Thai immigration authorities arrested five Ugandan women in Phuket’s Patong district, a popular resort island, for allegedly soliciting foreign tourists for prostitution.
The operation, overseen by Pol Lt Gen Panumas Boonyalug, Commissioner of the Bangkok-based Immigration Bureau (IB), targeted the bustling Soi Bang La nightlife area.
The women—identified as Mayimuna (36), Hadijah (36), Sandra (31), Harriet (35), and Bett (38)—were charged with publicly inviting others to engage in prostitution under Thailand’s 1996 Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act.
According to officials, the group approached foreign tourists in the entertainment district, leading to their arrest. After admitting to the charges, the women paid undisclosed fines, had their Thai visas revoked, and are currently detained pending deportation to Kampala, Uganda.
The 1996 law criminalizes solicitation and related activities, with penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment or expulsion. While Thailand is known for its strict anti-prostitution policies, enforcement varies across tourist hubs.
