Naomi with the group of children she was working with while volunteering in Thailand

Coffee plantation in north Chang Mai

Thailand Map

Thailand is a well-known country in South East Asia. It is a very popular destination spot for holiday goers, but is also known for its involvement in human trafficking. It is a country that I have spent time volunteering in and so I have a great interest in the country and the goings on within it.

Many people are trafficked into Thailand as well as out of it and into other countries. This is something that occurs every year and this article is only touching on the base of the problem by identifying the areas that they work in and Thailand's fight against it.

Who are the victims of human Trafficking?
Men, women and children are trafficked to and from the country and are set to work in various sectors, such as agriculture, construction, the fishing industry and also for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation. Many of the people trafficked into Thailand come from neighbouring countries such as Burma, Laos and Vietnam. These are some of the poorer countries around Thailand, so these people probably have very few options and when offered the chance to earn money in another country they take it, even though they may be given misleading information with regards to the type of work that they will be doing and the conditions that they will be living in. These people are then placed and set to work within different industries.

It is the women and children that are placed within the sex trade in Thailand, while the men would usually work in a fishing or construction area. Those that are trafficked abroad usually come from the north of Thailand and can be seen as an ethnic minority as they are part of hill tribes. They usually come from rural parts of Thailand and are then moved to cities before eventually being trafficked abroad to other parts of Asia and also Europe and the Americas.

What the Thai Government is doing to tackle the problem?
Thailand does not meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking that has been set out by the Trafficking in Persons Victim Act. However, the country does have an anti-trafficking law in place and all those involved in the area of anti-trafficking, such as police and social workers, have been trained in this law. Unfortunately trafficking still occurs and it is sometimes believed that these officials play a role in the trafficking or at least aid it in some form. While some people may play a role in this trade, others are fighting to prevent it from occurring and are also helping those who find themselves within this trade. The Government provides support and services to Thais that have been trafficked abroad as well as non-nationals that have been brought into the country. Shelters are provided along with food, counselling and medical attention. It is believed that there is at least one of these temporary shelters in every province in Thailand. In order to decrease the problem of trafficking, in regards to Thailand, more effort needs to be undertaken to encourage this country to abide by the Trafficking in Persons Victim Act. This will help them to identify those people who are vulnerable and most at risk of trafficking and will also allow them to prosecute those that encourage and enable it.

Find out more here: 
http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/10492.pdf - TVPA (Trafficking asnd Violence Protection Act)

http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2009/ - Trafficking in Persons Report 2009

http://www.catwinternational.org/ - Coalition against Trafficnkg in Women

http://www.humantrafficking.org/ - Human Trafficking site

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