BANGKOK - The criminal court in Thailand on Monday sentenced a 30-year-old woman to seven years and six months in jail for human trafficking and aiding prostitution after forcing her daughter to work at a massage parlor in Tokyo last year.
The woman, only identified as Laksana, admitted to the charges. In June last year, she and her daughter, who was 12 at the time, went to Japan, where the girl provided sexual services.
Laksana told Kyodo News following the verdict at the Criminal Court of Thailand that she took her daughter to Japan because she only wanted her to help take care of her youngest baby boy while she was working at the massage parlor.
She has not decided whether to file an appeal. In Thailand, prison sentences are often reduced for good behavior.
According to Thai and Japanese police, the girl is believed to have provided sexual services to about 60 customers over a month between June and July.
The case came to light after the girl contacted Japan's Immigration Services Agency for help and was taken into protective custody.
