Thai agencies revising labour law to deal with human trafficking

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Thai agencies revising labour law to deal with human trafficking
By Digital Content



BANGKOK, July 18 -- Thailand's labour law is now being revised by several concerned government agencies and upon completion it could guarantee customers overseas that there is neither child labour, forced labour nor human trafficking in Thailand, said Ms Puntarik Smiti, deputy permanent secretary for labour.

Most of the human trafficking problem, as accused by the US, lies in the fishing industry sector and concerned agencies such as the Labour Ministry, the Fisheries and Marine departments are currently amending laws related to trawler registration and foreign employees registration, said Ms Puntarik.

All the seven fishing labour coordination offices in seven provinces will play a major role to prevent any abuse in the fishery sector from occurring to ensure that good labour practices are implemented. "It could be proof to show to customers in foreign countries that there’s no child labour, forced labour and human trafficking,” according to Ms Puntarik.

A working committee met recently to discuss the negative US annual report, issued June 20, which downgraded Thailand to “Tier 3” which is the lowest level after accusing five industries in the kingdom including the shrimp, textiles, sugarcane, pornographic materials and fishing industries of using child and forced labour.

Washington had held Thailand on Tier 2 warning list for four consecutive years before dropping the kingdom to an even lower level.

Ms Puntarik said the meeting decided that the Labour Ministry and concerned government agencies would cooperate more on four issues.

The four issues which are needed for urgent implementation are to regulate migrant workers, which is being implemented now under orders of the National Council for Peace and Order, labour inspection at offices and aboard fishing trawlers, amending laws and to regulate foreign labourers.

A public forum is expected to be held August 1 in Bangkok, aimed at making Thai society to better understand how human trafficking problems are being solved by government agencies. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2014-07-18

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Labor steps up measures on human trafficking



BANGKOK, 18 July 2014 (NNT) - The Ministry of Labor has met with concerned parties in order to find solutions to the country's human trafficking problems after the US demoted Thailand for abysmal human trafficking records last month.

According to M.L. Puntarig Samithi, the Labor Permanent secretary, the meeting has come up with measures to deal with Thailand's chronic human trafficking, which call for greater cooperation among concerned parties on four issues: Enhancing transparency of immigrant labor system, frequent inspecting of workplaces and trawlers, amending laws to be more efficient and increasing confidence of foreign countries in Thailand's determination and its measures to solve the problems.

The sector with the severest problem of human trafficking is the fishing industry. The ministry is in the process of amending laws and regulations governing operators and workers in the industry to prevent human trafficking. In addition, seven provinces have set up centers to focus on preventing migrant labors from being exploited.

The ministry and other units will on August 1 hold a public forum to clarify its stance and measures on the issue of human trafficking.


-- NNT 2014-07-18

[Emster23]

Good start. Sticking point here, as most areas, is getting officials in the field to implement the laws. Should include Thai navy in there somewhere, as they have been linked to the whole trafficking criminality system. And one would hope they would take occasional cruise out to the waters to do in situ checks for compliance.

[BudRight]

Why did they need new laws? Is it not already illegal to enslave and murder people?

[FangFerang]

There is a lot of news TVF is not reporting -- from the BP, Nation and even (gag) Khaosad. It is not due to dishonesty, but economics. TVF is not a charity, and must conform to current conditions.

There is a call from the junta for amnesty for all the boats involved in human trafficking -- what Thainess. There is, of course, no consideration of the people who are slaves, and have been slaves for more than twenty years.

Again, amnesty is fine -- even those trafficking slaves -- but not for evil Thaksin who was convicted (of what?) making money without permission.

The entire political landscape is a joke. Hang Thaksin and Suthep side-by-side and I would cheer.

Sacrifice one, and not the other, and I will call FOUL.

[noitom]

Bust a few Thai Mr. Bigs from the fisheries trade and we will take it seriously.

[FangFerang]

According to the Nation and BP, the major revision to slave labor is........to grant amnesty to the boat captains that were literally slave drivers.

Amazing Thailand.

[EricBerg]

There is a lot of news TVF is not reporting -- from the BP, Nation and even (gag) Khaosad. It is not due to dishonesty, but economics. TVF is not a charity, and must conform to current conditions.

There is a call from the junta for amnesty for all the boats involved in human trafficking -- what Thainess. There is, of course, no consideration of the people who are slaves, and have been slaves for more than twenty years.

Again, amnesty is fine -- even those trafficking slaves -- but not for evil Thaksin who was convicted (of what?) making money without permission.

The entire political landscape is a joke. Hang Thaksin and Suthep side-by-side and I would cheer.

Sacrifice one, and not the other, and I will call FOUL.

Never expected anyone to make the slave trade on Thai fishing trawlers a red-yellow controversy issue.

Downgrading the missunderstood fugitive's wrong doings to "making money without permission" is something else.