Apart from the Lao sex workers, he says Udon Thani and the surrounding areas of northern Isan are now a major hub for sex tourists from Europe. Ms Chatchalawan is the only one with access to the detained sex workers. Often they are caught, detained and deported, yet the pattern for most of them is to return to sex work in Thailand. Though they might be looked on as victims, many of them come to work in the sex trade of their own volition, according to NGOs offering support to the sex workers. Many of the sex workers in the area are ethnic women from different hill tribes in northern Thailand.

Source: Bangkok Post July 24, 2016 00:03 UTC