- Published: 29/06/2011 at 08:04 PM
- Online news: Learning From News
The situation has been made worse in Thailand by the integration of victims into the country's economy - similar, in fact, to the United States
Download and read the full US State Department's "Trafficking in Persons Report 2011" (discussed in today's Bangkok Post editorial below) here.
Photo above of illegal migrants from Burma being smuggled into Thailand hidden in a truck by human traffickers.
Click button to listen to Human Trafficking Report and rightclick to download
EDITORIAL: A poor record on trafficking (29/06/2011)
The US State Department's annual report on human trafficking once again gives Thailand a black eye. But it also recognises the scope of this worldwide problem, and gives credit for the few steps taken in recent years to combat slavery and exploitation.
The US report, once again signed and strongly supported by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, minces few words. It highlights problems which have been known for years in the country.
Many countries, including some of our close neighbours, criticise and dismiss the annual US report. They would be better off to examine its contents more carefully and perhaps take quicker, more efficient action to protect the victims of this problem.
The 3,400 words detailing mostly negative statements about the country start with an intentional shock effect. "Thailand is a source, destination, and transit country for men, women, and children who are subjected to forced labour and sex trafficking." This is neither new nor arguable. The news pages of this newspaper can attest to that. An estimated million or more illegal migrants are in the country. Many were smuggled out of their homeland and into Thailand by cross-border gangs. Similar criminal groups feed the voracious appetite for the sex industry: foreigners into Thailand, and Thai women to other countries.
The US report illustrates how human trafficking has become part of the country's business. Trafficked migrants are employed as seafood processors, garment makers and domestic help.
A special part of the Tuesday morning report focused specifically on the fishing industry. A paper entitled "Slavery and Food Security" recounted stories, familiar to some, of Burmese and Cambodian fishermen hijacked or lured into slave-like conditions for months at a time. Again, the report is clear that Thailand is not the only country doing this.
The problem with Thailand, from Washington's perspective, is that officials talk a lot about fighting human trafficking but achieve minimal success at best.
Corrupt police and the slow justice system may be part of the problem, as Mrs Clinton's report alleges. But the real problem is the lack of impetus and support for fighting this modern-day slavery from the government itself
A 2008 law provides stiff jail sentences for convicted human traffickers. Police claim that they investigated 70 cases of trafficking last year, most of them for forced prostitution and labour. Few reached the prosecutors.
Prosecutors picked up the ball and filed charges in 79 cases, but few have reached court. The US report profiles a case where police rescued 12 Uzbek women forced into prostitution in Bangkok. Their female Uzbek controller was arrested, but quickly obtained bail and is once again involved in pimping activities.
It is not possible to overstate the difficulties of fighting human trafficking. The situation has been made worse by the integration of victims into the country's economy - similar, in fact, to the United States.
Whatever the motives of Mrs Clinton and the US government, however, their report is a public service, reminding Thais and the government of the terrible abuses going on.
There never will be a successful fight against this slavery-type scourge without involvement from the top. The country already knows that the next prime minister will launch yet another war on drugs. Similar or even greater efforts should go into a campaign to crack down on the worst human trafficking gangs.
(Source: Bangkok Post, EDITORIAL, A poor record on trafficking, 29/06/2011, link)
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