Anti Human-Trafficking in Bangkok

Hi from Bangkok!

I’ve been working for the Mekong Region Law Center, researching human trafficking in Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar, and working with the Bureau of Anti-Trafficking of Women and Children in Bangkok. This is an awesome time to be learning about anti human-trafficking laws in Thailand because on June 6^th a new law to prevent and suppress human trafficking was put into force.

Human trafficking is a huge issue here because Thailand is a destination country of trafficked victims, an origin country, and also a transition country. Human trafficking and exploitation is also very obvious here. For example, I was driving with a Thai friend of mine and a little kid came up to the window of the car selling flowers. My friend pointed to a sketchy man standing close by and explained that the kids were probably with him, and that gang members often exploit children by drugging them to make them look more pathetic, and then forcing them to beg.

One of the most interesting issues of the new trafficking law is that it further blurs the line between mistreated illegal workers, and human trafficking victims. In my research, I have been concentrating a lot on a case from Ranong, a southern province of Thailand, where 120 illegal Myanmar migrant workers were being carried in a refrigerated truck when the air conditioning broke, suffocating 54 workers to death. Those surviving workers were arrested and fined for illegally entering Thailand, but once they were released, were protected as human trafficking victims. According to the old Thai anti-trafficking laws, this seemed to be the proper way to deal with the matter, however there has been a big controversy as to whether the survivors should have been jailed, or immediately treated as human trafficking victims. The side that feels they should have been treated as victims explains that they were transported in an abusive way, and the fact that they consented should not be taken into account. There is an important section of the new law that seems to lean more toward the latter opinion, and so I’ve been trying to examine through second hand research, and interviews with key officials, whether that case would be treated the same or differently under the new law, and whether it presents any other problems regarding Thailand’s other laws, and security.

Thailand is an incredible country! The people are so kind and there have been so many times that they have gone far out of their way to help me. Their respect and kindness is reflected in so many ways through their language and culture. For example, the word Ka (for females) or Khrap (for males) attaches to the end of every sentence just to show politeness. The layout of Bangkok is interesting to me because there is no recognizable pattern- there are tons of huge skyscrapers, surrounded by pretty little communities, bordering ghettos, with massive temples rising from the center, but every part has something new to offer, whether it be food, scenery, or a random elephant passing by. The food is amazing! I’ve had a couple frightening experiences, like finding out that I was eating “insect fetus” or drinking a crazy herbal remedy to my bronchitis, but I look forward to eating lunch with my Thai co-workers every day, or eating something new off of a street car in my neighborhood.

This has been an awesome experience so far- right now I’m looking forward to interviewing more officials and lawyers in different parts of the country. In a couple of weeks I am visiting a shelter in Southern Thailand to speak with prosecutors down there about their take on the new law, and will also begin working on the Ranong case with the Department of Special Investigations.

Can’t wait to send updates!

Jill