Bang Yai district chief Niwat Inthaiwong ordered officials to question 23 local politicians from Tambon Ban Mai Administrative Organisation over the forced prostitution scandal and their field trip to the northern province last year.

Local politicians led by Wasu Phan-ngern, president of the Tambon Ban Mai Administrative Organisation, went to give information to Bang Yai administrative officials at Nonthaburi Provincial Administration’s multi-purpose pavilion.

The politicians were required to testify in pairs for about an hour each time.

Army officers who oversee Bang Yai observed the inquiry but did not allow any members of the media or non-related personnel to enter the room.

The session was expected to completed late in the evening.

Last week, Provincial Police Region 5 deputy chief Pol Maj-General Panudech Boonreung claimed that victims in the prostitution ring had identified five Ban Mai politicians as people who allegedly bought sex from them on September 22 last year.

Panudech also claimed one of the five might have also drunkenly claimed to be Mae Hong Son ex-governor Suebsak Iamwichan.

Suebsak had been accused of being a customer of the child-sex ring. He denies this, but has been transferred to an inactive post in Bangkok until an investigation is completed.

The fact-finding committee assigned to investigate Suebsak’s alleged involvement in the forced-prostitution ring is expected to be completed and the results reported to the Interior Minister and the ministry permanent |secretary by Friday, Interior Ministry deputy permanent secretary Prayoon Rattanasenee said yesterday.