13 May 2023

The bars were closed this evening, so I broadened the data collection area to include one of the larger mall-type retail establishments. I chose Siam Premium Outlets because I was told by locals that it was very busy and both tourists and locals shop there. I was also told that most of the shops in southern Thailand purchase quite a bit of their inventory from this mall. When I arrived, the place was packed with people. This would be a prime area to traffic people due to the heavy crowd and the multitudes of diverse nationalities, so no one culture would stand out. I also saw large load orders being moved on pallets, in and out of the mall. This would allow ample opportunity to move adults as well as children without raising suspicion. But in this type of crown, there would be little to no need to be so elaborate.  

This mall as with most in Bangkok is located within a short walk of the train system, the BTS. This would allow ease of movement between a plethora of areas including the airport. There is one drawback however, the BTS system only runs until midnight. So, anything after that would need to use private conveyances or other means of movement. One thing I did notice was the police presence in the area around the mall. I asked one of the locals near me why the police were there, and I was told it was to give fines or tickets to non-Thai people. From what I understand a lot of tourists receive fines for operating rented vehicles without proper licenses, but the fines go straight into the pockets of some police. This could prove lucrative to the human traffic business if it is true. I did not witness anything like this, all I saw was police directing traffic flow.