Tv Documentary On Sex Trafficking In Thailand Delves Into The Bangkok Underworld

[webfact]

SEX TRAFFICKING

The trade in sex and bodies

Jim Pollard

The Nation

Thai immigrantion police arrested about 40 Uzbek women in a raid on Bangkok's Grace Hotel in 2005. And the trafflicking of women is continuing. Nation Photo: Nuttapone Tipvateeamorn

A TV documentary on trafficking in Thailand delves into the Bangkok underworld

BANGKOK: --A National Geographic Channel documentary tonight sheds light on the trafficking of Central Asian women to Thailand for sex work. The programme, "Inside: 21st Century Sex Slaves", looks at the case of Uzbek women caught in a web of deceit in Bangkok and Pattaya.

It focuses on the efforts by Freeland - a non-governmental organisation that fights trafficking of people and wildlife - and Thai law-enforcement officers to extricate two young women and take action against the criminal network that brought them to Thailand.

The spotlight is on individuals caught in the Bangkok and Pattaya underworld. The size of the network involved is hard to gauge from this report, but the "Uzbek connection" is a slice of the local sex industry that has grown over the years, allegedly because rogue Army and police officers protect it.

The operation includes criminals from the Middle East faking passports and peddling drugs. Further arrests were made after the documentary was completed.

Part of the footage was shot with cameras concealed on Freeland agents as they searched bars in downtown Bangkok for a mamasan responsible for encouraging Uzbek women to come and work here, as well as the higher-level traffickers.

The mamasan was also accused of forcing the Uzbek ladies to undertake sex work on a casual basis by approaching men - generally Middle Eastern men - in notorious pick-up joints along lower Sukhumvit Road.

There are many twists and turns in the story, and the film does a good job of showing why human trafficking is difficult to combat and prosecutions hard to achieve.

Thousands of people come to Thailand in search of work every year, mostly from adjacent countries. Their situations vary greatly, but women and young men commonly lose control of their circumstances when the broker or a go-between seizes their passport, effectively trapping them here. Often there are threats of violence and sometimes they are simply locked up.

Individuals like the Uzbek women at the centre of this report say they suddenly found themselves in a web of extortion and threats were made to harm them or their family back home.

The film is at times overly dramatic, but at one point the prospect of violence is clear and police must enlist support for a rendezvous arranged to try and arrest key figures in the network in which the Uzbeks are caught.

This report is timely. There has been serious criticism recently of Thailand's efforts to counter human trafficking, characterised as lethargic and half-hearted. Freeland seem to have done a remarkable job just getting the Thai police to participate and be filmed during an undercover operation that had the potential to turn nasty.

The Uzbeks might only be "slaves" to a certain degree and lower on the scale in terms of their personal trauma, compared to the many horror cases found in Thailand, but the fact remains that this is organised crime in downtown Bangkok - with tentacles that spread across the continent.

Rights activists and people working in the anti-trafficking sector say Burmese and Cambodian men forced to work on Thai fishing boats probably face the worst instances of modern-day slavery.

There have been many credible reports in the past couple of years about young migrants killed at sea or forced to work for months on Thai trawlers for no wages, yet the government follow-up on this has been scandalously deficient.

Only now, with the US reportedly on the verge of downgrading Thailand to Tier-3 status, warranting economic sanctions, because of the lack of concerted action against trafficking, does it appear that the government might do something.

The Labour Ministry conceded on Tuesday that cases of trafficking are poorly handled because its five departments are not integrated. Officials are due to meet next week to discuss a master plan to combat trafficking in key sectors such as crews on fishing trawlers and migrant workers in Thailand in general.

Sadly, however, there is considerable scepticism about the approach, given the widespread corruption in the government hierarchy. Trafficking is deeply entrenched because it pays its sponsors and enablers high dividends.

The TV documentary shows some of the complexity and the sleazy side of the Thai sex industry. It also shows how people caught in difficult circumstances can get drawn in - and that it can be tough for them to escape.

GRIM VIEWING

"Inside: 21st Century Sex Slaves" airs at 9 tonight National Geographic Channel with rebroadcasts at midnight and 11pm tomorrow.

Watch the trailer at http://tinyurl.com/cl2a965

-- The Nation 2012-07-20

[Yunla]

The PTP government does not have the time or money to deal with trivial things like human-slavery and mass-exploitation in the capital, PTP are instead focusing on far more important things like cleaning-up Thaksin's image.

[Notstupid30]

The PTP government does not have the time or money to deal with trivial things like human-slavery and mass-exploitation in the capital, PTP are instead focusing on far more important things like cleaning-up Thaksin's image.

Even human rights for that matter when we are on the subject to be honest and i could see the singanl being jamed in all thuth they done it before when the yellow shut the airport down with bbc ....

Why wait till tonight just found it ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQH9aehMN58

Edited July 20, 2012 by Notstupid30

[drdoom6996]

The PTP government does not have the time or money to deal with trivial things like human-slavery and mass-exploitation in the capital, PTP are instead focusing on far more important things like cleaning-up Thaksin's image.

No, but National Geographic does. I hope thes Embarasess’s them to the core. Maybe next week they have one on MURDER in Phuket. Edited July 20, 2012 by drdoom6996

[Trentham]

*deleted*

Are you really being a sexist creep or is your ambiguity a genuine mistake???

Edited July 20, 2012 by cdnvic
Removed deleted quote

[siddv]

I saw this on NGO 5 weeks ago in the USA. News must be slow in Thailand.

[mistitikimikis]

The PTP government does not have the time or money to deal with trivial things like human-slavery and mass-exploitation in the capital, PTP are instead focusing on far more important things like cleaning-up Thaksin's image.

Don't tell me that this didn't excist before the year 2001

"Working" in 2008, lower Sukhumvit

Edited July 20, 2012 by mistitikimikis

[animatic]

...The Labour Ministry conceded on Tuesday that cases of trafficking are poorly handled because its five departments are not integrated. Officials are due to meet next week to discuss a master plan to combat trafficking in key sectors such as crews on fishing trawlers and migrant workers in Thailand in general...

How many decades have they had to get their departments in contact with each other???

Shear ineptitude.

Stayed two nights at Grace Hotel,

only because it was right next to Bumrungrad Hospital and I needed a recovery place.

Never again, this was just a horrible place to visit let alone stay at, the lobby made you

feel threatened and people looked at you suspiciously. I guess they thought I was a spy

for US gov. or something. I needed a massage and went to the basement thinking it was a spa,

no. it was the most horrible 'Fishbowl' in all of Thailand. Turned around and went upstairs.

Got healthy post operation, and left.

Can't drive by on Suk 3 and see the working girl line up in the parking lot and not shudder.

Good for NatGeo to run this.

Edited July 20, 2012 by animatic

[OnTheRun]

Grim viewing indeed. Most of those Uzbek

women were nothing much to look at!

Are you really being a sexist creep or is your ambiguity a genuine mistake???

He's a 'tim' mate, I wouldn't expect anything less from the permanently offended ones. :-(

[WilliamCraigKerr]

sex traffic of a view foreign women in opposit of many thousands of poor people from cambodia, laos and myanmar - what counts more?

thai people always felt and still feel "superior" regarding their neighbours from these countries - this issue is very little treated in my opinion

[Blue Unicorn]

Sad they let this go on...The whole of Sukhumvit, Soi 3 and now even soi 4 has many of Eastern European prostitutes. It has grown massively since all the Arabs moved into Soi 4 hotels etc. As most cater for them. If you walk from Asoke to Soi 3 at around midnight to 2 am the streets have many Africans and Eastern European girls. The whole demograhics of this area has changed. It now has an edge at night, feels slightly unsafe and some very questionable people. African pimps, young Eaastern European men who runs girl. One buidling my friend lives in in soi 4, Omni Tower seems to caters for groups of Eastern European prostitutes. The big fat lady pimps and young guys who run the girls sit outside openly and are always there when I meet my buddy. It is so obvious you would have to be an idiot not to realise what is going on. So why they are not arrested I do not know. Sad to see it happening as it just ruins the area, the crime goes up, and socially it looks horrible. I feel sorry for anyone who lives around there.

[yummypizza]

Nonsense, if they were serious,how easy would it be to pick up all these non Thai girls, secondly,how do they get in the country with an Uzbek passport,if it is so well known about their possible roles here,as usual,things all add up to major corruption right to the top...can't stop that dear friends...

[Jessi]

The spotlight is on individuals caught in the Bangkok and Pattaya underworld. The size of the network involved is hard to gauge from this report, but the "Uzbek connection" is a slice of the local sex industry that has grown over the years, allegedly because rogue Army and police officers protect it.

Like I always say the BiB the best money can buy.

[Yunla]

The PTP government does not have the time or money to deal with trivial things like human-slavery and mass-exploitation in the capital, PTP are instead focusing on far more important things like cleaning-up Thaksin's image.

Don't tell me that this didn't excist before the year 2001

"Working" in 2008, lower Sukhumvit

That's right. I was not telling you that.

I can list some more things that I was not telling you, if you like.

[pkspeaker]

thx for posting the video 'notstupid', pretty sure the cable companies here will blackout nationalgeographic when this one airs.. "umm sorry we're having technical difficulties just on this one channel tonight, we apologize for the inconvenience"

[asiawatcher]

...The Labour Ministry conceded on Tuesday that cases of trafficking are poorly handled because its five departments are not integrated. Officials are due to meet next week to discuss a master plan to combat trafficking in key sectors such as crews on fishing trawlers and migrant workers in Thailand in general...

How many decades have they had to get their departments in contact with each other???

Shear ineptitude.

Stayed two nights at Grace Hotel,

only because it was right next to Bumrungrad Hospital and I needed a recovery place.

Never again, this was just a horrible place to visit let alone stay at, the lobby made you

feel threatened and people looked at you suspiciously. I guess they thought I was a spy

for US gov. or something. I needed a massage and went to the basement thinking it was a spa,

no. it was the most horrible 'Fishbowl' in all of Thailand. Turned around and went upstairs.

Got healthy post operation, and left.

Can't drive by on Suk 3 and see the working girl line up in the parking lot and not shudder.

Good for NatGeo to run this.

One thing for certain - it has become far worse in the last year with the influx of cross trade between the Pattaya/Ukraine contingent. It certainly has Eastern European goods and there is no shortage of robed and African individuals who take advantage of them. Disgusting and putrid are not even words that qualify it. Certainly a street and a venue to avoid especially as there seems to be no Thai police even game to touch it.

[noitom]

The more interesting and informative documentary film would be following the private outsourced swat team with hoods and their capture of the two Thais M-7 and the other guy. It would be interesting to see how they got more information from them and how they acted on it on the higher ups in the food chain.

We are all probably aware that girls get hijacked on false premises and get "handled" by folks like Rano and Sharo. What we never see or hear about is tracking the bigger busts up the food chain to the Thai Mr. Big and the Uzbek Mr. big who made the deals that make all this happen.

It would also be interesting to see the USAID grant proposal that Galster submitted to get the funding. Did it include the use of black hooded outsourced secret guys with M-16s and AK47s? What does USAID believe that Galster is doing with this money and who did he hand it off to? There should be a follow up documentary on that.

[sunshine51]

Sex slave trafficing of Euro ladies is bad stuff and not only is it happening in LOS but

all over the world.

A much sinister problem deals with the trafficking of children for sex in Southeast Asia

as families ar dirt poor and a few hundred USD for a kid may just be that families way

out of poverty...albeit temporarily.

I do covert video and stills for a couple organisations trying to combat child trafficking

for the sex industry and the pix & vdo has led to arrests and imprisonments. I do this

work gratis because I believe in the cause...plus kids don't know any better whereas

adults can render an escape...even if the situation seems impossible...the adult just

has to want freedom bad enough.

Children just do not know...and their lives get ruined from such an early age.

Just my sip satang....and....thanks Notstupid30 for posting the NatGeo doco.

just edited for a spelling mistake a few seconds ago....

Edited July 20, 2012 by sunshine51

[happysanook]

The more interesting and informative documentary film would be following the private outsourced swat team with hoods and their capture of the two Thais M-7 and the other guy. It would be interesting to see how they got more information from them and how they acted on it on the higher ups in the food chain.

We are all probably aware that girls get hijacked on false premises and get "handled" by folks like Rano and Sharo. What we never see or hear about is tracking the bigger busts up the food chain to the Thai Mr. Big and the Uzbek Mr. big who made the deals that make all this happen.

It would also be interesting to see the USAID grant proposal that Galster submitted to get the funding. Did it include the use of black hooded outsourced secret guys with M-16s and AK47s? What does USAID believe that Galster is doing with this money and who did he hand it off to? There should be a follow up documentary on that.

You also don't hear much about the majority of these women who know full well what they're getting into and do it voluntarily because they don't want to work in factories 100 hours a week in horrible wages and conditions...Then they get caught and claim they were "forced".... Does it happen? Of course.. But the vast majority are prostituting voluntarily...

[Jessi]

Grim viewing indeed. Most of those Uzbek

women were nothing much to look at!

Its not about how they look its about " HUMAN BEINGS" held as slaves,

How would you like to being kept against your will & forced to do tricks for customers...............Oh yes but that would be different.

[eek]

*deleted*

What the hell is wrong with you???!!!!!!!!!!

------

Some topics show peoples true colours, when these kinds of people rear their ugly heads..There are some truly despicable individuals in this forum.

Edited July 20, 2012 by cdnvic
removed deleted quote

[Jessi]

Sex slave trafficing of Euro ladies is bad stuff and not only is it happening in LOS but

all over the world.

A much sinister problem deals with the trafficking of children for sex in Southeast Asia

as families ar dirt poor and a few hundred USD for a kid may just be that families way

out of poverty...albeit temporarily.

I do covert video and stills for a couple organisations trying to combat clild trafficking

for the sex industry and the pix & vdo has led to arrests and imprisonments. I do this

work gratis because I believe in the cause...plus kids don't know any better whereas

adults can render an escape...even if the situation seems impossible...the adult just

has to want freedom bad enough.

Children just do not know...and their lives get ruined from such an early age.

Just my sip satang....and....thanks Notstupid30 for posting the NatGeo doco.

Thanks sunshine, About five years ago 32 women from eastern Europe were found held against their will in Sihanoukville port area waiting to be transported to Pattaya. I think this was kept out of the press because it gives Cambodia & Thailand a bad name.

[mistitikimikis]

"Sex slave trafficing of Euro ladies is bad stuff and not only is it happening in LOS but

all over the world."

"A much sinister problem deals with the trafficking of children for sex in Southeast Asia

as families ar dirt poor and a few hundred USD for a kid may just be that families way

out of poverty...albeit temporarily."

AND WOMEN due too local culture / social laws I don't want to discuss in a forum......................

[rotary]

Some how I do not think these girls did not know what they were getting into. I am pretty sure they were "pros" before their arrival.

The real question is.............Who in the heck would want one of these girls after he saw a Thai Girl? Maybe a special hospital that does brain scans in the area is called for. ha ha

Edited July 20, 2012 by rotary

[sunshine51]

@ Jessi...

You're welcome Jessi...I was indirectly involved in that "rescue"...stand off filming for one of

the organisations I volunteer with. The world changed 20 years ago when the Iron Curtain

disappeared virtually over night...a new range of nasty problems emerged...If my memory

serves me right...first it was Ukranian Girls being offered "jobs" in Europe & Asia. Then

matters spread into "The Stans"....This won't end easily or very pretty...money talks...all

over the world.

[mowgus]

This has been going on for years. Why don't they stop allowing Uzbekies into the country? Or at least make it harder...i.e. they have to apply for a visa with proper education, etc. It's what they have done in many western countries to Thai's because of the fact the often end up working as prostitutes. If the Thai gov't really cared, they'd stop allowing them in and get them out. How are they even allowed to stay there without a new visa/work permit? If it was me even just hanging around I'd be locked up for overstay. Pathetic...but I didn't expect anything more.

[toenail]

I consider myself a "conservative" fellow but sometimes one needs to look at reality. Prostitution will always be around; but, in order to stop the "slave sex trade" or the mafia control of it, why not have the government legalize it with restrictions like they do in Amsterdam?

[Treborz]

Sad they let this go on...The whole of Sukhumvit, Soi 3 and now even soi 4 has many of Eastern European prostitutes. It has grown massively since all the Arabs moved into Soi 4 hotels etc. As most cater for them. If you walk from Asoke to Soi 3 at around midnight to 2 am the streets have many Africans and Eastern European girls. The whole demograhics of this area has changed. It now has an edge at night, feels slightly unsafe and some very questionable people. African pimps, young Eaastern European men who runs girl. One buidling my friend lives in in soi 4, Omni Tower seems to caters for groups of Eastern European prostitutes. The big fat lady pimps and young guys who run the girls sit outside openly and are always there when I meet my buddy. It is so obvious you would have to be an idiot not to realise what is going on. So why they are not arrested I do not know. Sad to see it happening as it just ruins the area, the crime goes up, and socially it looks horrible. I feel sorry for anyone who lives around there.

Hmmm i stayed in OMNI tower for a couple of nights back in May. Can't recall seeing any big fat lady pimps sitting outside although there was always at least 3 middle eastern looking men sitting at a table outside to the left of the entrance.

[lazygourmet]

Sad they let this go on...The whole of Sukhumvit, Soi 3 and now even soi 4 has many of Eastern European prostitutes. It has grown massively since all the Arabs moved into Soi 4 hotels etc. As most cater for them. If you walk from Asoke to Soi 3 at around midnight to 2 am the streets have many Africans and Eastern European girls. The whole demograhics of this area has changed. It now has an edge at night, feels slightly unsafe and some very questionable people. African pimps, young Eaastern European men who runs girl. One buidling my friend lives in in soi 4, Omni Tower seems to caters for groups of Eastern European prostitutes. The big fat lady pimps and young guys who run the girls sit outside openly and are always there when I meet my buddy. It is so obvious you would have to be an idiot not to realise what is going on. So why they are not arrested I do not know. Sad to see it happening as it just ruins the area, the crime goes up, and socially it looks horrible. I feel sorry for anyone who lives around there.

This is not news...

This area has been populated by African and Arab traders for decades; but unfortunately for them the vast majority of Asian service ladies never wanted to cater for them.

[bangkokheat]

thailand is a beautiful country but diseased with corruption, the longer the government lets the corruption grow it will be like trying to get rid of aids,,