Surapong To Give U S Report On Human Trafficking: Thailand

[webfact]

Surapong to give US report on human trafficking
NANTIDA PUANGTHONG,
VISITH CHUANPIPATPONG
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- Foreign Affairs Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul will today submit a report to the US on Thailand's progress in curbing human trafficking in the hope it will prevent Thailand falling to the lowest, Tier-3, ranking in the 2013 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report. A drop from last year's ranking of 2.5 could affect Thai exports to the US.

Surapong will submit the report on implementing Thailand's anti-human trafficking plan 2012 via US Ambassador Kristie Kenney, then discuss with her the TIP Report 2013 and affirm Thailand's determination to curb human trafficking.

Thailand has been on the Tier 2 watch list for the last three years and as such risks being relegated to the third tier, of "countries whose governments do not fully comply with the minimum standards and are not making significant efforts to do so". Such a relegation would likely hit Thai exports to the US, especially of frozen fish and shrimp.

In related news, two men and one woman were arrested yesterday in Mukdahan's Muang district for allegedly procuring two 13-year-old girls for prostitution.

The arrests were made by the police anti-human trafficking division, who also announced the arrest of a 39-year-old woman for allegedly procuring a 15-year-old girl for prostitution in Nakhon Phanom's Muang district, and the arrest of a 22-year-old go-go bar manager in Chon Buri's Bang Lamung district for procuring eight women under the age of 18 for prostitution.


-- The Nation 2013-03-01

[dcutman]

This is the problem and what needs to be fixed. Not likely to happen any time soon. This piece from 2011 TIP Report.

Corruption remains widespread among Thai law enforcement personnel,
creating an enabling environment for human trafficking to prosper. There
are credible reports that officials protect brothels, other commercial
sex venues, and seafood and sweatshop facilities from raids and
inspections. There are also reports that Thai police and immigration
officials extort money or sex from Burmese citizens detained in Thailand
for immigration violations, and sell Burmese people who are unable to
pay to labor brokers and sex traffickers.²⁰

The Thai government has made mixed progress in its anti-trafficking law
enforcement efforts. It reported 18 convictions in trafficking-related
cases in 2010 – an increase from eight known convictions during the
previous year; however, as of May 2011, only five of the 18 convictions
reported by the government could be confirmed to be for trafficking
offenses.

[chainarong]

Has anything changed since the 2011 report Dcutman submitted, I would say no, but then i could be wrong , have been before.

[Locationthailand]

Start by having the sex tourism controlled. Registration of working girls works in many countries and gives them protection but the demand for underaged needs to be stamped out as well. Whilst I can't see girls being registered here as they will be exploited by the corrupt areas of the police, the second problem, the demand, may well be policed with undercover agents stopping John's with young girls and grabbing them for sex with minors. Not quite sure why this has fallen on the Foreign Minister when the Police Minister is usually called upon in these matters. Oh yes, of course, he's probably unavailable, too busy with Abhisit, or the request fell on deaf ears...

Edited March 1, 2013 by Locationthailand

[Pimay1]

I wonder if the good minister's report will include the Rohingya folks being trafficked by the army through Thailand?

[chiangmaikelly]

Start by having the sex tourism controlled. Registration of working girls works in many countries and gives them protection but the demand for underaged needs to be stamped out as well. Whilst I can't see girls being registered here as they will be exploited by the corrupt areas of the police, the second problem, the demand, may well be policed with undercover agents stopping John's with young girls and grabbing them for sex with minors. Not quite sure why this has fallen on the Foreign Minister when the Police Minister is usually called upon in these matters. Oh yes, of course, he's probably unavailable, too busy with Abhisit, or the request fell on deaf ears...

Probably a dumb idea but has anyone asked the trafficked people what they want? Last I heard 100,000 trafficked persons 100 for sex and 99,900 factory and fisherman and things like that. I think the sex workers just want to be left alone and the factory people just want to get paid. Am I wrong?

[NongKhaiKid]

I wonder if the good minister's report will include the Rohingya folks being trafficked by the army through Thailand?

Could be the shortest report on record - " read my lips, nothing and I say again nothing wrong ever happens in Thailand except when you farang are involved "

[dcutman]

Has anything changed since the 2011 report Dcutman submitted, I would say no, but then i could be wrong , have been before.

Nothing changed in 2012 TIP report, it was almost cut and paste of 2011. 2013 TIP report will be out soon (June for public viewing). There will have to be substantial progress made to avoid a further downgrade. There is however some serious politics going on right now with the U.S. over their "shift to Asia" policy so that might just be enough to get an upgrade to tier 2. Even though Thailand has done little to improve.

Edited March 1, 2013 by dcutman

[Docno]

While the objective may be laudable, I hate the fact that the American government feels that it is the one that can sit in judgement of the rest of the world. I can tell you that the Singapore assessment has been simply wrong in the past (and the Singaporean gov't responded as such), and so I will not give much credence to the assessment of Thailand. (I'm not denying the existence of human trafficking there). I wonder if the people who actually do assessments ever enter the countries they write about or ever check their sources; probably just civil servants scouring newspaper articles. Also, the report wreaks of US puritanical morality imposed on others (guns and violence = ok; sex = bad) ... one year, it called upon the Singapore government to 'reduce the demand for commercial sex.' This, of course, assumes that commercial sex is simply 'wrong', that it should not exist, and that all sex workers are engaged in it against their will. Ridiculous. But of course, if there are trade penalties attached to it, governments who need US trade have to play the game.

Now what is the current estimate of the number of illegal workers in the US again? And what about those poor ladies who work the 'chicken ranches' outside Vegas? The US needs to tidy its own backyard first....

[chiangmaikelly]

While the objective may be laudable, I hate the fact that the American government feels that it is the one that can sit in judgement of the rest of the world. I can tell you that the Singapore assessment has been simply wrong in the past (and the Singaporean gov't responded as such), and so I will not give much credence to the assessment of Thailand. (I'm not denying the existence of human trafficking there). I wonder if the people who actually do assessments ever enter the countries they write about or ever check their sources; probably just civil servants scouring newspaper articles. Also, the report wreaks of US puritanical morality imposed on others (guns and violence = ok; sex = bad) ... one year, it called upon the Singapore government to 'reduce the demand for commercial sex.' This, of course, assumes that commercial sex is simply 'wrong', that it should not exist, and that all sex workers are engaged in it against their will. Ridiculous. But of course, if there are trade penalties attached to it, governments who need US trade have to play the game.

Now what is the current estimate of the number of illegal workers in the US again? And what about those poor ladies who work the 'chicken ranches' outside Vegas? The US needs to tidy its own backyard first....

You are funny. Those ladies in Nevada are averaging 4 times as much as a Neurosurgeon in the UK. Poor ladies 555

[SteeleJoe]

Start by having the sex tourism controlled. Registration of working girls works in many countries and gives them protection but the demand for underaged needs to be stamped out as well. Whilst I can't see girls being registered here as they will be exploited by the corrupt areas of the police, the second problem, the demand, may well be policed with undercover agents stopping John's with young girls and grabbing them for sex with minors. Not quite sure why this has fallen on the Foreign Minister when the Police Minister is usually called upon in these matters. Oh yes, of course, he's probably unavailable, too busy with Abhisit, or the request fell on deaf ears...

Probably a dumb idea but has anyone asked the trafficked people what they want? Last I heard 100,000 trafficked persons 100 for sex and 99,900 factory and fisherman and things like that. I think the sex workers just want to be left alone and the factory people just want to get paid. Am I wrong?

Are you one of those people who think all sex work is like what is found in South Pattaya, Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy etc?

Are you aware that young men and women who are trafficked are often either literal sex slaves or something horribly close to it?

Just asking.

[SteeleJoe]

While the objective may be laudable, I hate the fact that the American government feels that it is the one that can sit in judgement of the rest of the world. I can tell you that the Singapore assessment has been simply wrong in the past (and the Singaporean gov't responded as such), and so I will not give much credence to the assessment of Thailand. (I'm not denying the existence of human trafficking there). I wonder if the people who actually do assessments ever enter the countries they write about or ever check their sources; probably just civil servants scouring newspaper articles. Also, the report wreaks of US puritanical morality imposed on others (guns and violence = ok; sex = bad) ... one year, it called upon the Singapore government to 'reduce the demand for commercial sex.' This, of course, assumes that commercial sex is simply 'wrong', that it should not exist, and that all sex workers are engaged in it against their will. Ridiculous. But of course, if there are trade penalties attached to it, governments who need US trade have to play the game.

Now what is the current estimate of the number of illegal workers in the US again? And what about those poor ladies who work the 'chicken ranches' outside Vegas? The US needs to tidy its own backyard first....

The US has a right to set whatever standards it wants regarding who can export to their country - just as Thailand or any other country does. A country - like Thailand can choose if they want to attempt to comply. Thailand has made the report in order to attempt to comply and thus not suffer any impediments to their export industry. The report being submitted was prepared by the Thai government.

US ills - of which there are many - have absolutely nothing to do with it. Because the US has a problem keeping illegal aliens out, it should not take any stance on human trafficking? Because it has legal brothels in one state, it should be OK if a country is involved in human trafficking and allow them to export to the US as freely as a country that is less guilty of such a thing?

That makes no sense.

EDIT TO ADD:

The UN also has positions on Human Trafficking. And yet that body has among it not only the US but other countries with domestic problems as bad or worse than those you cite. Should the UN just mind its own business?

Edited March 1, 2013 by SteeleJoe

[chiangmaikelly]

Start by having the sex tourism controlled. Registration of working girls works in many countries and gives them protection but the demand for underaged needs to be stamped out as well. Whilst I can't see girls being registered here as they will be exploited by the corrupt areas of the police, the second problem, the demand, may well be policed with undercover agents stopping John's with young girls and grabbing them for sex with minors. Not quite sure why this has fallen on the Foreign Minister when the Police Minister is usually called upon in these matters. Oh yes, of course, he's probably unavailable, too busy with Abhisit, or the request fell on deaf ears...

Probably a dumb idea but has anyone asked the trafficked people what they want? Last I heard 100,000 trafficked persons 100 for sex and 99,900 factory and fisherman and things like that. I think the sex workers just want to be left alone and the factory people just want to get paid. Am I wrong?

Are you one of those people who think all sex work is like what is found in South Pattaya, Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy etc?

Are you aware that young men and women who are trafficked are often either literal sex slaves or something horribly close to it?

Just asking.

Do you base your opinion on the NGO propaganda or information from the women who are trafficked?

[Thai at Heart]

While the objective may be laudable, I hate the fact that the American government feels that it is the one that can sit in judgement of the rest of the world. I can tell you that the Singapore assessment has been simply wrong in the past (and the Singaporean gov't responded as such), and so I will not give much credence to the assessment of Thailand. (I'm not denying the existence of human trafficking there). I wonder if the people who actually do assessments ever enter the countries they write about or ever check their sources; probably just civil servants scouring newspaper articles. Also, the report wreaks of US puritanical morality imposed on others (guns and violence = ok; sex = bad) ... one year, it called upon the Singapore government to 'reduce the demand for commercial sex.' This, of course, assumes that commercial sex is simply 'wrong', that it should not exist, and that all sex workers are engaged in it against their will. Ridiculous. But of course, if there are trade penalties attached to it, governments who need US trade have to play the game.

Now what is the current estimate of the number of illegal workers in the US again? And what about those poor ladies who work the 'chicken ranches' outside Vegas? The US needs to tidy its own backyard first....

The US has a right to set whatever standards it wants regarding who can export to their country - just as Thailand or any other country does. A country - like Thailand can choose if they want to attempt to comply. Thailand has made the report in order to attempt to comply and thus not suffer any impediments to their export industry. The report being submitted was prepared by the Thai government.

US ills - of which there are many - have absolutely nothing to do with it. Because the US has a problem keeping illegal aliens out, it should not take any stance on human trafficking? Because it has legal brothels in one state, it should be OK if a country is involved in human trafficking and allow them to export to the US as freely as a country that is less guilty of such a thing?

That makes no sense.

EDIT TO ADD:

The UN also has positions on Human Trafficking. And yet that body has among it not only the US but other countries with domestic problems as bad or worse than those you cite. Should the UN just mind its own business?

As a consumer i think i have a right to believe that the product i buy in the uk, or usa, which is made in Thailand, is produced at least to a legal standard in how the workers are treated.

One day, some consumer group in the usa will come over here and check it out. The stink will make week old shrimp shells handled by 15 year old Burmese kids on less than y Thai minimum wage, seem quite pleasant.

[khunken]

Start by having the sex tourism controlled. Registration of working girls works in many countries and gives them protection but the demand for underaged needs to be stamped out as well. Whilst I can't see girls being registered here as they will be exploited by the corrupt areas of the police, the second problem, the demand, may well be policed with undercover agents stopping John's with young girls and grabbing them for sex with minors. Not quite sure why this has fallen on the Foreign Minister when the Police Minister is usually called upon in these matters. Oh yes, of course, he's probably unavailable, too busy with Abhisit, or the request fell on deaf ears...

Probably a dumb idea but has anyone asked the trafficked people what they want? Last I heard 100,000 trafficked persons 100 for sex and 99,900 factory and fisherman and things like that. I think the sex workers just want to be left alone and the factory people just want to get paid. Am I wrong?

Are you one of those people who think all sex work is like what is found in South Pattaya, Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy etc?

Are you aware that young men and women who are trafficked are often either literal sex slaves or something horribly close to it?

Just asking.

Do you base your opinion on the NGO propaganda or information from the women who are trafficked?

Pretty senseless comment. There are reports almost every day in the Thai & (sometimes) international media of all sorts of trafficking here - sex slaves, trawler workers, the Rohingya & various illegal immigrants like the tortured Karen girl.

It's not only women & it's rather difficult for an individual to reach out to a trafficked person as they are 'protected' by the traffickers & end-users.

[chiangmaikelly]

Probably a dumb idea but has anyone asked the trafficked people what they want? Last I heard 100,000 trafficked persons 100 for sex and 99,900 factory and fisherman and things like that. I think the sex workers just want to be left alone and the factory people just want to get paid. Am I wrong?

Are you one of those people who think all sex work is like what is found in South Pattaya, Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy etc?

Are you aware that young men and women who are trafficked are often either literal sex slaves or something horribly close to it?

Just asking.

Do you base your opinion on the NGO propaganda or information from the women who are trafficked?

Pretty senseless comment. There are reports almost every day in the Thai & (sometimes) international media of all sorts of trafficking here - sex slaves, trawler workers, the Rohingya & various illegal immigrants like the tortured Karen girl.

It's not only women & it's rather difficult for an individual to reach out to a trafficked person as they are 'protected' by the traffickers & end-users.

If you are interested in the truth about the problem google Empower Foundation (Trafficked women not some cops or NGO's making money from the poor ladies) Hit and Run, The impact of anti trafficking policy in Thailand. Don't tell me I am senseless unless you know something about the issue.

[SteeleJoe]

Start by having the sex tourism controlled. Registration of working girls works in many countries and gives them protection but the demand for underaged needs to be stamped out as well. Whilst I can't see girls being registered here as they will be exploited by the corrupt areas of the police, the second problem, the demand, may well be policed with undercover agents stopping John's with young girls and grabbing them for sex with minors. Not quite sure why this has fallen on the Foreign Minister when the Police Minister is usually called upon in these matters. Oh yes, of course, he's probably unavailable, too busy with Abhisit, or the request fell on deaf ears...

Probably a dumb idea but has anyone asked the trafficked people what they want? Last I heard 100,000 trafficked persons 100 for sex and 99,900 factory and fisherman and things like that. I think the sex workers just want to be left alone and the factory people just want to get paid. Am I wrong?

Are you one of those people who think all sex work is like what is found in South Pattaya, Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy etc?

Are you aware that young men and women who are trafficked are often either literal sex slaves or something horribly close to it?

Just asking.

Do you base your opinion on the NGO propaganda or information from the women who are trafficked?

Huh. Went away fro dinner and come back to some classic CMK...

Why do you answer questions with a question? Just your usual obfuscation.

To answer yours: Which opinion are you asking about? I didn't express one.

Now if you want to know what I base my view of the human trafficking on, then it is both of those things and more - some of the information comes from NGOs and is indeed at times imparted with and to a degree corrupted by their agendas but not to the extent that the information is of no value; some of the information comes from trafficked women directly. Some of the information comes from independent researchers and scholars that I worked with (albeit admittedly very long ago). Why do you ask?

And can you answer my questions?

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap

[SteeleJoe]

Probably a dumb idea but has anyone asked the trafficked people what they want? Last I heard 100,000 trafficked persons 100 for sex and 99,900 factory and fisherman and things like that. I think the sex workers just want to be left alone and the factory people just want to get paid. Am I wrong?

Are you one of those people who think all sex work is like what is found in South Pattaya, Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy etc?

Are you aware that young men and women who are trafficked are often either literal sex slaves or something horribly close to it?

Just asking.

Do you base your opinion on the NGO propaganda or information from the women who are trafficked?

Pretty senseless comment. There are reports almost every day in the Thai & (sometimes) international media of all sorts of trafficking here - sex slaves, trawler workers, the Rohingya & various illegal immigrants like the tortured Karen girl.

It's not only women & it's rather difficult for an individual to reach out to a trafficked person as they are 'protected' by the traffickers & end-users.

If you are interested in the truth about the problem google Empower Foundation (Trafficked women not some cops or NGO's making money from the poor ladies) Hit and Run, The impact of anti trafficking policy in Thailand. Don't tell me I am senseless unless you know something about the issue.

It happens that I was among the very first generation of volunteers (nothing heroic or all that substantial but I'm proud of it) with Empower and also had the opportunity to deal with them when I was a research assistant and writer covering the Thai sex industry. I'm not surprised that you'd cite that excellent organization as they would be the one known to Farangs who thought only of the segment of the sex industry that caters to Farang. However, while certainly Empower would be a valuable source of information, unless they have changed more than I'm aware of (and they may have) they are involved with voluntary sex workers and make a crucial distinction between women who are trafficked and migrant sex workers - a distinction you seem to be unaware of. Unlike yourself, they don't deny the existence of the former group.

By sticking the title of that useful book but no other comment about it, what are you trying to say - that you read it or the title is just what you copied and pasted after a quick google? Anyway, I don't know all that much about trafficking but I know a bit. I happen to know quite a lot about the domestic Thai industry having had a fairly unique opportunity to gain said knowledge and some skills that lent to it - so I know there's a big difference between a girl who is voluntarily working and relatively happy with her situation and those who have been trafficked and are far from happy - perhaps even suffering horribly.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap

[khunken]

^^

Chiangmaikelly

I didn't say you are senseless but your comment is. I follow the issue & trafficked women are not sex workers in Pattaya, Nana or the like. They are in sleazy run-down rooms in Udon, Sakon Makhon etc etc. It only requires one to open ones eyes & read the various reports all over the media. Trafficked men are, for example, Burmese captured & violently forced to work on Thai trawlers.

Your so-called knowledge seems to be denial.

[chiangmaikelly]

Start by having the sex tourism controlled. Registration of working girls works in many countries and gives them protection but the demand for underaged needs to be stamped out as well. Whilst I can't see girls being registered here as they will be exploited by the corrupt areas of the police, the second problem, the demand, may well be policed with undercover agents stopping John's with young girls and grabbing them for sex with minors. Not quite sure why this has fallen on the Foreign Minister when the Police Minister is usually called upon in these matters. Oh yes, of course, he's probably unavailable, too busy with Abhisit, or the request fell on deaf ears...

Probably a dumb idea but has anyone asked the trafficked people what they want? Last I heard 100,000 trafficked persons 100 for sex and 99,900 factory and fisherman and things like that. I think the sex workers just want to be left alone and the factory people just want to get paid. Am I wrong?

Are you one of those people who think all sex work is like what is found in South Pattaya, Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy etc?

Are you aware that young men and women who are trafficked are often either literal sex slaves or something horribly close to it?

Just asking.

Do you base your opinion on the NGO propaganda or information from the women who are trafficked?

Huh. Went away fro dinner and come back to some classic CMK...

Why do you answer questions with a question? Just your usual obfuscation.

To answer yours: Which opinion are you asking about? I didn't express one.

Now if you want to know what I base my view of the human trafficking on, then it is both of those things and more - some of the information comes from NGOs and is indeed at times imparted with and to a degree corrupted by their agendas but not to the extent that the information is of no value; some of the information comes from trafficked women directly. Some of the information comes from independent researchers and scholars that I worked with (albeit admittedly very long ago). Why do you ask?

And can you answer my questions?

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap

If you are interested in the truth about the problem google Empower Foundation, Hit and Run, The impact of anti trafficking policy in Thailand. That report and the whole issue has been done to death on Thai Visa over and over and over again. Women for sex is a very small part of the problem. The NGO's and cops the largest part of that problem. But don't read me about it go to the ladies themselves and see what they have to say in the report by the Empower Foundation. I think it is only a few months or at most a year old.

[chiangmaikelly]

^^

Chiangmaikelly

I didn't say you are senseless but your comment is. I follow the issue & trafficked women are not sex workers in Pattaya, Nana or the like. They are in sleazy run-down rooms in Udon, Sakon Makhon etc etc. It only requires one to open ones eyes & read the various reports all over the media. Trafficked men are, for example, Burmese captured & violently forced to work on Thai trawlers.

Your so-called knowledge seems to be denial.

And the cops arrest the trafficked women lock them up with no contact with their families, teach them how to sew and take them home in a year or so and tell the whole village they worked as prostitutes. This ruins the girls future and her family starves because the last time a family existed by sewing tourist stuff was in the 1920's.

[chiangmaikelly]

Probably a dumb idea but has anyone asked the trafficked people what they want? Last I heard 100,000 trafficked persons 100 for sex and 99,900 factory and fisherman and things like that. I think the sex workers just want to be left alone and the factory people just want to get paid. Am I wrong?

Are you one of those people who think all sex work is like what is found in South Pattaya, Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy etc?

Are you aware that young men and women who are trafficked are often either literal sex slaves or something horribly close to it?

Just asking.

Do you base your opinion on the NGO propaganda or information from the women who are trafficked?

Pretty senseless comment. There are reports almost every day in the Thai & (sometimes) international media of all sorts of trafficking here - sex slaves, trawler workers, the Rohingya & various illegal immigrants like the tortured Karen girl.

It's not only women & it's rather difficult for an individual to reach out to a trafficked person as they are 'protected' by the traffickers & end-users.

If you are interested in the truth about the problem google Empower Foundation (Trafficked women not some cops or NGO's making money from the poor ladies) Hit and Run, The impact of anti trafficking policy in Thailand. Don't tell me I am senseless unless you know something about the issue.

It happens that I was among the very first generation of volunteers (nothing heroic or all that substantial but I'm proud of it) with Empower and also had the opportunity to deal with them when I was a research assistant and writer covering the Thai sex industry. I'm not surprised that you'd cite that excellent organization as they would be the one known to Farangs who thought only of the segment of the sex industry that caters to Farang. However, while certainly Empower would be a valuable source of information, unless they have changed more than I'm aware of (and they may have) they are involved with voluntary sex workers and make a crucial distinction between women who are trafficked and migrant sex workers - a distinction you seem to be unaware of. Unlike yourself, they don't deny the existence of the former group.

By sticking the title of that useful book but no other comment about it, what are you trying to say - that you read it or the title is just what you copied and pasted after a quick google? Anyway, I don't know all that much about trafficking but I know a bit. I happen to know quite a lot about the domestic Thai industry having had a fairly unique opportunity to gain said knowledge and some skills that lent to it - so I know there's a big difference between a girl who is voluntarily working and relatively happy with her situation and those who have been trafficked and are far from happy - perhaps even suffering horribly.

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap

It's about 160 page report by trafficked women and maintains the traffickers are the good guys and the cops and NGO's are the bad guys. Try reading it. The ladies say the culture of police raids and locking up women is the worst part of the trafficking problem.

[dcutman]

Start by having the sex tourism controlled. Registration of working girls works in many countries and gives them protection but the demand for underaged needs to be stamped out as well. Whilst I can't see girls being registered here as they will be exploited by the corrupt areas of the police, the second problem, the demand, may well be policed with undercover agents stopping John's with young girls and grabbing them for sex with minors. Not quite sure why this has fallen on the Foreign Minister when the Police Minister is usually called upon in these matters. Oh yes, of course, he's probably unavailable, too busy with Abhisit, or the request fell on deaf ears...

Probably a dumb idea but has anyone asked the trafficked people what they want? Last I heard 100,000 trafficked persons 100 for sex and 99,900 factory and fisherman and things like that. I think the sex workers just want to be left alone and the factory people just want to get paid. Am I wrong?

Are you one of those people who think all sex work is like what is found in South Pattaya, Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy etc?

Are you aware that young men and women who are trafficked are often either literal sex slaves or something horribly close to it?

Just asking.

Do you base your opinion on the NGO propaganda or information from the women who are trafficked?

Huh. Went away fro dinner and come back to some classic CMK...

Why do you answer questions with a question? Just your usual obfuscation.

To answer yours: Which opinion are you asking about? I didn't express one.

Now if you want to know what I base my view of the human trafficking on, then it is both of those things and more - some of the information comes from NGOs and is indeed at times imparted with and to a degree corrupted by their agendas but not to the extent that the information is of no value; some of the information comes from trafficked women directly. Some of the information comes from independent researchers and scholars that I worked with (albeit admittedly very long ago). Why do you ask?

And can you answer my questions?

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap

If you are interested in the truth about the problem google Empower Foundation, Hit and Run, The impact of anti trafficking policy in Thailand. That report and the whole issue has been done to death on Thai Visa over and over and over again. Women for sex is a very small part of the problem. The NGO's and cops the largest part of that problem. But don't read me about it go to the ladies themselves and see what they have to say in the report by the Empower Foundation. I think it is only a few months or at most a year old.

Just one word for ya CMK TROLL!!!

[khunken]

^^

Chiangmaikelly

I didn't say you are senseless but your comment is. I follow the issue & trafficked women are not sex workers in Pattaya, Nana or the like. They are in sleazy run-down rooms in Udon, Sakon Makhon etc etc. It only requires one to open ones eyes & read the various reports all over the media. Trafficked men are, for example, Burmese captured & violently forced to work on Thai trawlers.

Your so-called knowledge seems to be denial.

And the cops arrest the trafficked women lock them up with no contact with their families, teach them how to sew and take them home in a year or so and tell the whole village they worked as prostitutes. This ruins the girls future and her family starves because the last time a family existed by sewing tourist stuff was in the 1920's.

So now you agree that there are trafficked women - good. The Empower Foundation reports from the point of view of sex workers. They point to the police attitude & what happens to freed trafficked women & they have a point.

They don't have any particular viewpoint about trafficked men, nor trafficked refugees like the Rohingya & other Burmese ethnic groups. The Thai attitude to these people, whether trafficked or not, is pretty bad.

So, the topic is about human trafficking & Thailand has a long way to go to handle the issue in a way that is fair to the victims.

[chiangmaikelly]

Start by having the sex tourism controlled. Registration of working girls works in many countries and gives them protection but the demand for underaged needs to be stamped out as well. Whilst I can't see girls being registered here as they will be exploited by the corrupt areas of the police, the second problem, the demand, may well be policed with undercover agents stopping John's with young girls and grabbing them for sex with minors. Not quite sure why this has fallen on the Foreign Minister when the Police Minister is usually called upon in these matters. Oh yes, of course, he's probably unavailable, too busy with Abhisit, or the request fell on deaf ears...

Probably a dumb idea but has anyone asked the trafficked people what they want? Last I heard 100,000 trafficked persons 100 for sex and 99,900 factory and fisherman and things like that. I think the sex workers just want to be left alone and the factory people just want to get paid. Am I wrong?

Are you one of those people who think all sex work is like what is found in South Pattaya, Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy etc?

Are you aware that young men and women who are trafficked are often either literal sex slaves or something horribly close to it?

Just asking.

Do you base your opinion on the NGO propaganda or information from the women who are trafficked?

Huh. Went away fro dinner and come back to some classic CMK...

Why do you answer questions with a question? Just your usual obfuscation.

To answer yours: Which opinion are you asking about? I didn't express one.

Now if you want to know what I base my view of the human trafficking on, then it is both of those things and more - some of the information comes from NGOs and is indeed at times imparted with and to a degree corrupted by their agendas but not to the extent that the information is of no value; some of the information comes from trafficked women directly. Some of the information comes from independent researchers and scholars that I worked with (albeit admittedly very long ago). Why do you ask?

And can you answer my questions?

Sent from my iPad using ThaiVisa ap

If you are interested in the truth about the problem google Empower Foundation, Hit and Run, The impact of anti trafficking policy in Thailand. That report and the whole issue has been done to death on Thai Visa over and over and over again. Women for sex is a very small part of the problem. The NGO's and cops the largest part of that problem. But don't read me about it go to the ladies themselves and see what they have to say in the report by the Empower Foundation. I think it is only a few months or at most a year old.

Just one word for ya CMK TROLL!!!

I said don't believe me. Don't read me. Go get the information from a reputable source. The Empower Foundation. An all woman's group funded by women. http://www.empowerfoundation.org/index_en.html

[folium]

Looks like the stench is beginning to be noticed elsewhere...

http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21572800-long-standing-worker-abuses-get-some-serious-attention-deadly-cocktail

Interesting the State Dept's view/classification of Thailand re human trafficking, shame little is likely to be done about it...

[rbrooks]

And I am quite confident we can be assured that Surapong will ensure that Thailand adheres stringently to this new plan laid out in 2012 but not implemented until 2013 or at least until they come off the bottom line of the 2013 Trafficking in Persons TIP report.