Sea Slaves In Asia

[churchill]

Human traffickers kidnap men to work on fishing vessels.

When the Gulf of Thailand teemed with fish, Southeast Asian fishermen would lift themselves from poverty by pulling up nets wriggling with food from the sea.

Twenty years later, with nets coming up empty, Thai, Burmese, Cambodian and Malaysian fishermen have struggled to find ways to earn money. But some have been dragged back out to sea against their will, literally caught in a bad undertow of murderous captains and greedy fleet owners.

Human traffickers, mostly out of Thailand, are capturing unsuspecting men and forcing them to work aboard fishing trawlers, according to labor rights activists. Owners of large fishing boats hire the traffickers to fill out crews. While an unprecedented rise in global fish consumption, especially in America and Western Europe, has decimated the world’s wild fish stocks, consumption is expected to rise 40 percent by 2030, according to United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

Far out to sea, forced to work long and hard, sick and malnourished, the men might as well be captives of another century.

"If you get injured or sick while on the fishing boat, and the boat is scheduled to be out for three months, you're forced to stay on board," said Piyakrai Seelakort. "You have to stay there, sick or injured, because they'll refuse to take you to shore."

Seelakort of the Labor Rights Promotion Network in Samut Sakhon, Thailand, helps victims escape, largely from fishing boats, and help police identify traffickers.

Death is not unusual aboard these boats.

"The boat captains can be very cruel. It's very easy for [the crew] to be killed,” Seelakort said.

Thailand has historically been a safe haven for traffickers, as an infamously fraudulent Thai government has repeatedly ignored trafficking violations. In 2008 amid mounting criticism, the Royal Thai government implemented an all-inclusive law banning trafficking.

Although law enforcement officials have been trained to uphold the new legislation, corruption still abounds.

"The government has to face the facts," Seelakort said. "There's a lot of cruelty and violence on these boats."

Abid Gulzar, manager of World Vision International’s anti-trafficking advocacy project, said that the next step for the Thai government is "to establish a special police task force to crack down on human trafficking.”

Gulzar also said that the Thai government should “provide [psychological] and social support to victims of human trafficking” as well as “legal assistance during the court proceedings to prosecute perpetrators.”

Unfortunately, the ocean is vast. Perpetrators are out to sea for months or even years at a time.

Thailand is the third most profitable fish exporter behind Norway and China.

Kevin Bales, president of the Washington-based aid group Free the Slaves and author of the upcoming book, “Blood and Earth,” described Thailand's human trafficking problem more starkly:

"When you thaw shrimp to put on your barbecue, it’s likely that the last person who handled that shrimp was a slave.”

Learn more about the endangered oceans in an interactive graphic.

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/study-a...eafood-industry

[Scott]

It seems that the road to true humanity has a lot of twists and turns.

[Xangsamhua]

This used to be known as "shanghaiing" or "press-ganging".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shanghaiing

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=press-ganging

A form of fixed-term slavery, those "impressed" or "shanghaied" by trickery or coercion were kidnapped for a term of service aboard ship.

I've seen reports of this on Thai TV (maybe a couple of years ago).

Pretty much an 18th and early 19th century practice in Britain, it continued on US merchant vessels until 1915.

[geriatrickid]

I can't wait for the the "stop interfering in Thailand" contingent to show up. As I recall from the angry statements made on the recent thread about the USA joining the international position on child labour, any opposition to such practices is an imperialistic foray into the affairs of another nation. I am sure the justifications presented will be as equally spurious and illogical, so I'll just go do my rounds and come back later to read the brilliant statements. Please don't disappoint me. Thanks.

[waza]

Unfortunately, the ocean is vast. Perpetrators are out to sea for months or even years at a time. Wouldnt that make the catch inedible?

[khundon]

Unfortunately, the ocean is vast. Perpetrators are out to sea for months or even years at a time. Wouldnt that make the catch inedible?

Not if their catch is transferred to a mother ship for processing.

[DP25]

We're posting stories written by college students now? All the agricultural products picked by Mexicans in the United States comes from slaves by the same logic.

[h90]

We're posting stories written by college students now? All the agricultural products picked by Mexicans in the United States comes from slaves by the same logic.

Anyway if they continue slaves or not, soon there is nothing more than plastic bottles to catch in the gulf which will make an end to the problem.

[LawnGnome]

I hope that at some point these cruel excesses can be eliminated. Everyone has the right to a save work environment.

[Bagwan]

We're posting stories written by college students now? All the agricultural products picked by Mexicans in the United States comes from slaves by the same logic.

Anyway if they continue slaves or not, soon there is nothing more than plastic bottles to catch in the gulf which will make an end to the problem.

Not so. The Thai fishing boats range far and wide. Off the East African coast is quite popular understand - and the Pacific Ocean is just round the corner.

[Patong Bob]

More lefty UN crap. By the same logic fruitpickers in Australia are slaves too.

You can't hire people from Myanmar as sailors ? There are a lack of professional Thai fishermen ?

The people who wrote this report are the same people who want to frighten us with global warming and other left wing crap.

[Johpa]

More lefty UN crap. By the same logic fruitpickers in Australia are slaves too.

You can't hire people from Myanmar as sailors ? There are a lack of professional Thai fishermen ?

The people who wrote this report are the same people who want to frighten us with global warming and other left wing crap.

First, we are really talking about the larger trawlers that ply the international waters and not the local fisherman in the smaller boats that stick to the Gulf of Siam and whom most ex-pats are likely to encounter down south. Second, I am curious as to what similar logic you are referring to when you claim that fruit pickers in Australia are in the same boat, so to speak as Southeast Asian fishermen who have been shanghaied into working on these boats. Please provide references to any article that would indicate that fruit pickers in Australia have been abducted and forced to pick the fruit. Sounds like Murdoch right wing crap to me.

This story is nothing new, other than there has been a shift over the past 15 years or so from Thai men to Burmese men abducted and forced to work offshore for a pittance. These are also the same "influential" people who use to prey upon the Vietnamese boat people in the late 1970s.

As a footnote, the AIDS epidemic in Thailand had its roots in the fishing community down south although at the time the government tried to blame it upon western tourists.

[LaoPo]

These are also the same "influential" people who use to prey upon the Vietnamese boat people in the late 1970s.

True and very dangerous people!

My ex wife and myself (some 30 years ago) visited, (coming from Penang/Malaysia) Sonkhla city where the harbour is and staid in the Samila Hotel.

The hotel was completely deserted and we noticed nobody in the lobby, not even servants. Later we found someone and were registered. There was NOBODY on the beaches around, nobody around the swimming pool.

Very weird and scary.

It's a long story but in the evening we went into town and harbour where all the fishing boats were and wandered around; we narrowly (with the help of a Thai/Chinese lady) escaped a bunch of aggressive fishermen....

In the morning at breakfast we found 4 HUGE Americans and Canadians having breakfast and upon seeing us, all four of them dropped their cups and gasped at us :D until one of them asked:

"what the <removed> are you guys doing here ?" Don't you know it's very dangerous here, people get killed, murdered, raped ? Haven't you heard about the Bangkok Thai tourist 2 days ago, asking a beach vendor for a drink and got shot immediately because he didn't like the question?

They happened to be 4 helicopter pilots, flying to and from the platforms in the Gulf. They advised to pack and leave ASAP for Hat Yai airport and NEVER return...which we did.

Explanation: the fishermen from Sonkhla are/were (amongst others) the infamous Thai Gulf pirates, preying upon the Vietnamese boat fugitives, murdering them, raping the girls and women and keep them aboard as slaves for cooking and other "usage"

LaoPo

[kicking]

More lefty UN crap. By the same logic fruitpickers in Australia are slaves too.

You can't hire people from Myanmar as sailors ? There are a lack of professional Thai fishermen ?

The people who wrote this report are the same people who want to frighten us with global warming and other left wing crap.

Hopefully, you just have a bad sense of humor...

Otherwise you may want to enlighten yourself on the condition of millions of people worldwide, show a bit of compassion, and be thankful you aren't in their position.

[TPI]

These are also the same "influential" people who use to prey upon the Vietnamese boat people in the late 1970s.

True and very dangerous people!

My ex wife and myself (some 30 years ago) visited, (coming from Penang/Malaysia) Sonkhla city where the harbour is and staid in the Samila Hotel.

The hotel was completely deserted and we noticed nobody in the lobby, not even servants. Later we found someone and were registered. There was NOBODY on the beaches around, nobody around the swimming pool.

Very weird and scary.

It's a long story but in the evening we went into town and harbour where all the fishing boats were and wandered around; we narrowly (with the help of a Thai/Chinese lady) escaped a bunch of aggressive fishermen....

In the morning at breakfast we found 4 HUGE Americans and Canadians having breakfast and upon seeing us, all four of them dropped their cups and gasped at us until one of them asked:

"what the <removed> are you guys doing here ?" Don't you know it's very dangerous here, people get killed, murdered, raped ? Haven't you heard about the Bangkok Thai tourist 2 days ago, asking a beach vendor for a drink and got shot immediately because he didn't like the question?

They happened to be 4 helicopter pilots, flying to and from the platforms in the Gulf. They advised to pack and leave ASAP for Hat Yai airport and NEVER return...which we did.

Explanation: the fishermen from Sonkhla are/were (amongst others) the infamous Thai Gulf pirates, preying upon the Vietnamese boat fugitives, murdering them, raping the girls and women and keep them aboard as slaves for cooking and other "usage"

LaoPo

It was southern Thai fishermen who kept over 400 women prisoners on an island and would regularly call in and barter sex for food...souless SOB's

[BSJ]

Dear me! There are some posting here who probably think Somalia pirates are a rollicking bunch of lads and their Captain is called Jack Sparrow!

[kenallday]

These are also the same "influential" people who use to prey upon the Vietnamese boat people in the late 1970s.

True and very dangerous people!

My ex wife and myself (some 30 years ago) visited, (coming from Penang/Malaysia) Sonkhla city where the harbour is and staid in the Samila Hotel.

The hotel was completely deserted and we noticed nobody in the lobby, not even servants. Later we found someone and were registered. There was NOBODY on the beaches around, nobody around the swimming pool.

Very weird and scary.

It's a long story but in the evening we went into town and harbour where all the fishing boats were and wandered around; we narrowly (with the help of a Thai/Chinese lady) escaped a bunch of aggressive fishermen....

In the morning at breakfast we found 4 HUGE Americans and Canadians having breakfast and upon seeing us, all four of them dropped their cups and gasped at us until one of them asked:

"what the <removed> are you guys doing here ?" Don't you know it's very dangerous here, people get killed, murdered, raped ? Haven't you heard about the Bangkok Thai tourist 2 days ago, asking a beach vendor for a drink and got shot immediately because he didn't like the question?

They happened to be 4 helicopter pilots, flying to and from the platforms in the Gulf. They advised to pack and leave ASAP for Hat Yai airport and NEVER return...which we did.

Explanation: the fishermen from Sonkhla are/were (amongst others) the infamous Thai Gulf pirates, preying upon the Vietnamese boat fugitives, murdering them, raping the girls and women and keep them aboard as slaves for cooking and other "usage"

LaoPo

It was southern Thai fishermen who kept over 400 women prisoners on an island and would regularly call in and barter sex for food...souless SOB's

where is the Island?

[hardy1943]

More lefty UN crap. By the same logic fruitpickers in Australia are slaves too.

You can't hire people from Myanmar as sailors ? There are a lack of professional Thai fishermen ?

The people who wrote this report are the same people who want to frighten us with global warming and other left wing crap.

Get your head out your a..........s

[LaoPo]

where is the Island?

I don't know which island KPI was talking about but it could have been Ko Yo or Yo Island in the inner sea/lake, just west of the fisherman's harbor of Songkhla which is on the south east coast of Thailand and which harbor is also based on that inner sea/lake with a small entrance from the gulf.

That island would have been quite "appropriate" for those pirates/fishermen.

http://maps.google.nl/maps?f=q&source=...mp;t=h&z=13

LaoPo

[tartempion]

More lefty UN crap. By the same logic fruitpickers in Australia are slaves too.

You can't hire people from Myanmar as sailors ? There are a lack of professional Thai fishermen ?

The people who wrote this report are the same people who want to frighten us with global warming and other left wing crap.

Why don't you hire yourself on a fishing boat?

I used to live near a fishing harbor and watch the boats/crews leave/return from work.

That might open your eyes just a little bit

Global warming?

The icecap is increasing or decreasing?

We have been taking good care of our planet the last 100 years as compared to the 5000 previous years???

après nous les mouches.

[brahmburgers]

More lefty UN crap. By the same logic fruitpickers in Australia are slaves too.

You can't hire people from Myanmar as sailors ? There are a lack of professional Thai fishermen ? The people who wrote this report are the same people who want to frighten us with global warming and other left wing crap.

I find the OP article far more believable than your right wing crap.

[Bagwan]

Patong Bob, please consult a proctologist. You need a new brain.

The sweatshops of Asia are renowned. Some Asians have even emigrated to the UK and set up sweatshops. That has happened on terra firma; a lot of worse things happen at sea.

In the late 50's we were patrolling of Hong Kong. The sea was like a mirror and a white object was seen floating some considerable distance away. We went to investigate and found that it was a body of a man, apparently Chinese. The fish had been at his bloated body and it was an ugly sight. Two shallow water divers, reinforced by a couple of tots of neat Navy rum (sheer nectar) went over the side and a sheet of canvas and slings were passed under the corpse which was then hoisted inboard using the torpedo recovery davit. The package was laid on the deck and hoses connected to the seawater fire mains played on it. Unfortunately this was above the boiler room. The stench permeated throughout the ship, even on the f's'cle messdeck (up the pointed end), even though we worked up to 24 knots to return to HK. A police launch came out to meet us and a farang Inspector signed for the corpse. Two Chinese cops then manhandled the wrapped up body and dropped it onto the deck of the launch. The splat noise was very disturbing and one of two of the sailors remonstrated with the Inspector and looked as if they were going to offer him harm. Petty Officers present restored order and then the Inspector said that the dead man should consider himself lucky. At least he would be cremated and he wouldn't be hungry any more. A sobering thought.

[animatic]

More lefty UN crap. By the same logic fruitpickers in Australia are slaves too.

You can't hire people from Myanmar as sailors ? There are a lack of professional Thai fishermen ?

The people who wrote this report are the same people who want to frighten us with global warming and other left wing crap.

Why don't you hire yourself on a fishing boat?

I used to live near a fishing harbor and watch the boats/crews leave/return from work.

That might open your eyes just a little bit

Global warming?

The icecap is increasing or decreasing?

We have been taking good care of our planet the last 100 years as compared to the 5000 previous years???

après nous les mouches.

Certainly the flies, and small crawling creatures, are awaiting their turn at the trough,

after we screw up and sink like a stone into a postmordial soup.

And as things get tougher and sea species die off or get over fished,

these same piratical 'fishing captains' will look towards other lucrative forms of income.

And it seems human life forms are just as good a catch for too many of them.