Landmark Compensation Case:

[thaivisitor]

Victim sues three Thais after being lured and forced to work at Japanese brothel. A terminal-stage cancer patient yesterday filed a Bt4.68-million compensation lawsuit against three convicted human traffickers who lured her to a brothel in Japan where she was forced into prostitution.

Urairat Soimee, 38, said the forced sexual services also left her with ovarian cancer.

“I hope I still have enough time to complete this court battle,” Urairat said after she lodged the lawsuit with Lom Sak Provincial Court.

Reflecting her fear that she might not make it, Urairat has already appointed her adoptive mother to take charge if she passes away before the completion of her case.

Some doctors have said that Urairat only has a few months to live.

“I will fight until my last breath,” Urairat said.

To her, money is not the goal. She just hopes she can set a precedent that human traffickers must face not just criminal conviction, but also civil prosecution.

Urairat’s case is the country’s first civil lawsuit against human traffickers.

In her affidavit, Urairat named Sarit Kampa, his wife Kai Kampa and their grown-up daughter Pattama Kosaka as defendants.

The Criminal Court previously convicted Sarit, Kai and Pattama of human trafficking after another Thai woman complained that they also lured her to Japan where she was forced to work as a prostitute. Urairat was listed as one of the plaintiffs in that case.

Sarit and Kai are appealing the guilty verdict. Pattama, who married a Japanese man, did not protest.

According to Urairat, the defendants offered to hire her as a waitress at a restaurant in Japan. However, she was sent to a brothel where she was told to provide sexual services and repay the brothel operator Bt1 million.

After working for a period of time, Urairat tried to escape. During the attempt, Urairat, with the help of a Thai man accidentally killed a “mama san”. She was arrested and a Japanese court sentenced her to seven years in prison.

After five years she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, at which time she was released and allowed to return to Thailand. At that time, the Japanese authorities were informed of how Urairat was tricked into the flesh trade.

Lom Sak Provincial Court’s chief justice Pussanai Piphukkul said his court would expedite Urairat’s case, but the trial time would depend on when the Criminal Court could close its case.

“The Criminal Court’s verdict counts in civil cases,” Pussanai said.

Urairat’s lawyer Siriwan Wongkiatpaisan, who works for Fight Against Child Exploitation (FACE), said Urairat’s civil lawsuit would let other victims know that they were entitled to seek compensation.

Anyone wanting to offer assistance to Urairat can do so via FACE.

Source: The Nation 18 January 2006