Thai berry pickers and Finnish justice

[webfact]

Pickers of the Bayaka pygmy traditional medicine, shows berries supposed to have medicinal properties, picked in the equatorial forest, in Bayanga, on March 13, 2020. – Since the beginning of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the authorities of the Dzanga-Sangha Park have been pushing pygmies into the forests. The displeases farmers take advantage of the pygmies to get free or very low paid labour for illegal diamond mines and agricultural fields. (Photo by FLORENT VERGNES / AFP)

 

A long story about the plight of 26 Thai berry pickers in Finland published on BBC Thai was a sad one, but with a just ending, as the Finnish Supreme Court reached a verdict on January 2ุ6th  and jailed, for one year and ten months, and fined a central Finland berry picking firm on 26 charges of human trafficking.

 

For ordinary Thais, the news was flabbergasting, as they normally consider Finland to be a paradise and one of the world’s most liveable countries, with everything at a high standard. Clean air, great education, nice forests and no human rights violation, let alone human trafficking.

 

The victims were Thai berry pickers, who were forced to work 15 hours a day for little or no pay. Like many other pickers, their wages were used to repay debts back home. These are familiar stories for Thai labourers overseas.

 

Full story:

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-02-05

 

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[The Hammer2021]

A sad story of people's  hopes and ambitions dashed

[Kiwithl]

Hope the recruits for Saudi Arabia read and understand all this before they go. Also that gaining freedom enough to go to embassy may not be straightforward. 

[hotchilli]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

For ordinary Thais, the news was flabbergasting, as they normally consider Finland to be a paradise and one of the world’s most liveable countries, with everything at a high standard. Clean air, great education, nice forests and no human rights violation, let alone human trafficking.

And for migrants in the Thai fishing industry... Justice?

[djayz]

2 hours ago, Kiwithl said:

Hope the recruits for Saudi Arabia read

The probability of anybody here reading the news is very, very low. If it ain't on FB or IG, then the vast majority of 'em simply don't have a clue. Sad, but true for many here. 

[MikeN]

I hope that it was Thai PBS and not our very own “Webfact” that is so poor at geography that they included a photo reference to pygmies in Africa linked to a story about Thais in Finland !

[Srikcir]

The dependent was also to pay his 26 victims a (cumulative?) total of 200,000 euros in lost earnings and other compensation.

Give Finland's judicial system and anti-traff8cking advocates credit to get a Supreme review that reversed the lower and appeals courts for justice. 

Note there appears to be no mention of Thailand embassy involement in the initial complaint nor judicial challenges. Does Thailand have a weakness for human trafficking?

Albeit, Finnish health authorities and Thailand's embassy there did cooperate to determine how in 2021 more than 400 Thai pickers have Covid 19. It appears none were infected until after being cleared after camp testing on arrival.

https://www.euronews.com/2021/09/16

 

[Tropposurfer]

Another example of mans inhumanity to himself ... 

[Enoon]

"For ordinary Thais, the news was flabbergasting, as they normally consider Finland to be a paradise and one of the world’s most liveable countries, with everything at a high standard. Clean air, great education, nice forests and no human rights violation, let alone human trafficking."

 

............and they thought they'd escaped and left all that **** behind them?

 

"These are familiar stories for Thai labourers overseas."

 

.............and also for immigrant labourers in Thailand.

 

Hopefully the ordinary Thais will have taken note as to how it has been dealt with in Finland, and will demand similar justice in their own country, for foreigners in similar circumstances.

 

 

 

 

 

[Neeranam]

14 hours ago, webfact said:

For ordinary Thais, the news was flabbergasting, as they normally consider Finland to be a paradise and one of the world’s most liveable countries

I certainly don't think that. It's the most miserable country I've ever worked in, and mixed with the darkness and cold in winter, I'll never go back. 

[StayinThailand2much]

15 hours ago, webfact said:

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, the authorities of the Dzanga-Sangha Park have been pushing pygmies into the forests. The displeases farmers take advantage of the pygmies to get free or very low paid labour for illegal diamond mines and agricultural fields (...)

 

A long story about the plight of 26 Thai berry pickers in Finland published on BBC Thai was a sad one (...)

Sorry to hear about the Finnish pygmies' plight...

 

So, did the Thais find diamonds in Finland?

Edited February 5, 2022 by StayinThailand2much

[Albert Zweistein]

9 hours ago, Neeranam said:

I certainly don't think that. It's the most miserable country I've ever worked in, and mixed with the darkness and cold in winter, I'll never go back. 

Not to the Fins cause they're always drunk or are they always drunk because of ? Kippish !

[Neeranam]

12 hours ago, Albert Zweistein said:

Not to the Fins cause they're always drunk or are they always drunk because of ? Kippish !

Do you mean 'kippers'? They seemed to love herring. Yes, many drunk people.

[xylophone]

23 hours ago, Neeranam said:

I certainly don't think that. It's the most miserable country I've ever worked in, and mixed with the darkness and cold in winter, I'll never go back. 

I'm not surprised at that as I spent some time up there, and of course there is the SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) syndrome to worry about, which can cause depression in people – – not a place I will ever visit again.

 

The only Finnish people I know of here are two guys who are permanently drunk, plus two others who drank themselves to death!!! They do seem to like their booze.

[Albert Zweistein]

2 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Do you mean 'kippers'? They seemed to love herring. Yes, many drunk people.

No, it means cheers or something similar.

[Neeranam]

48 minutes ago, Albert Zweistein said:

No, it means cheers or something similar.

I couldn't learn the language, much harder than Thai. 

[bangon04]

Wow  - 18 months in a luxury Finnish jail at the taxpayers expense..... that will really teach them.... 

""For ordinary Thais, the news was flabbergasting, as they normally consider Finland to be a paradise and one of the world’s most liveable countries, with everything at a high standard. Clean air, great education, nice forests "

[Albert Zweistein]

5 hours ago, Neeranam said:

I couldn't learn the language, much harder than Thai. 

It sounds harder than Thai because they're always drunk.

[rabang]

On 2/4/2022 at 9:44 PM, webfact said:

For ordinary Thais, the news was flabbergasting, as they normally consider Finland to be a paradise and one of the world’s most liveable countries, with everything at a high standard. Clean air, great education, nice forests and no human rights violation, let alone human trafficking.

That's news to me even though I was born and raised there.

 

Air quality, education system and national parks are far superior to those of Thailand though. Still I would guess most Thais haven't ever even heard of the place.

[sharksy]

Hang on - I saw an Al-Jazeera program on this, and whilst the Thais worked long hours and were exploited, some were still looking forward to returning the following year despite the difficult work.

 

I don't think the BBC has created a balanced program in at least 25 years sadly.