Officials from the Provincial Administration Department (PAD) rescued two underage girls from an illegal karaoke bar in Bangkok’s Muang Thong district, during an early morning raid on Wednesday.

The raid, which took place shortly after midnight, was ordered by Manrat Ratanasukon, director-general of the department, after they received a complaint from an international anti-human trafficking organisation that a karaoke bar, “Tukta Karaoke”, located on Putta Bucha Road in Bang Mod sub-district, had hired underage females and some of them might have been forced into the sex trade.

The officials from the department’s special action force found 14 female workers, two of whom were aged 16 and 17. The two minors were taken to a rehabilitation centre, under the national referral mechanism.

The owner of the bar, whose identity has not been disclosed, was charged with human trafficking and operating an entertainment venue without a license.