Ethiopian maid accuses WHO official in Thailand of slavery

[Lite Beer]

Ethiopian maid accuses WHO official in Thailand of slavery

Bangkok, Thaïlande | AFP |

BANGKOK: -- Thai police said Wednesday they are investigating a senior Bangkok-based World Health Organization official and his wife after their Ethiopian maid accused them of modern-day slavery and physical abuse.


The 25-year-old maid filed a complaint last month accusing her employers of beating her and forcing her to work without pay for nearly two years at their residence in a plush expat colony in Nonthaburi, a northern satellite city of Bangkok, police said.


"They (the official and his wife) have been accused of human trafficking, tricking her to work, failing to pay her and abuse," Police Colonel Mana Tienmaungpak, head of investigations at Pakkred police station in Nonthaburi, told AFP.


He added that no charges have been pressed against the couple but they will be called in for questioning next week.


The maid's lawyer Surapong Kongchantuk from the Lawyers Council of Thailand confirmed his client had worked for a "high-ranking WHO representative" from July 2013 until early March.


"She did not receive a salary. She had to start working at 5 am through to midnight everyday. She had to spend nights in a small room outside with a dog. She ate only rice and could not associate with any other people," he told AFP.


He added that she had been promised a monthly wage of 3,000 baht ($92) which never materialised.


The maid finally escaped her employers when she was rescued by passers-by after a suicide attempt and is being helped by a local NGO to pursue a case against her employers, Surapong added.


A WHO spokeswoman in Bangkok confirmed the organisation was aware of the accusations.


"WHO has been informed about the allegations in the media related to a private matter between a WHO employee in Thailand and an individual working at his residence. WHO is looking into the matter," she said.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2015-04-01

[Skywalker69]

Pigs do come in different shape.

[JOC]

If true, what a lowlife scum!!

Another one belonging to the privileged taking advantage of the most vulnerable !!

Disgusting!!

[JOC]

"They (the official and his wife) have been accused of human trafficking, tricking her to work, failing to pay her and abuse," Police Colonel Mana Tienmaungpak, head of investigations at Pakkred police station in Nonthaburi, told AFP.

And despite chose charges, they only have "invited" the couple to the police station next week!!

Arrest them, and let them taste a little of their own medicine!!

[thesetat2013]

It makes you wonder how many other officials in Thailand are doing the same.

[Happy Grumpy]

If not Thai, I'm guessing, Malaysian, Singaporean or Honky Kongky.

If Westerners, the Thais would have photos of their passports posted up.

Edited April 1, 2015 by Happy Grumpy

[JOC]

It makes you wonder how many other officials in Thailand are doing the same.

Of the NGO's probably very few.

The people I know with domestic help Thai/Burmese all treat them very well.

Pay them a decent salary, regulated working hours and often a little present/bonus.

The b*****rds in the OP are hopefully an exception!!

[metisdead]

An off topic deflection post has been removed.

[ravip]

If true, what a lowlife scum!!

Another one belonging to the privileged taking advantage of the most vulnerable !!

Disgusting!!

Many "belonging to the privileged NGO's" treat their lesser beings like scum - this is very common.

[bangkokfrog]

"They (the official and his wife) have been accused of human trafficking, tricking her to work, failing to pay her and abuse," Police Colonel Mana Tienmaungpak, head of investigations at Pakkred police station in Nonthaburi, told AFP.

And despite chose charges, they only have "invited" the couple to the police station next week!!

Arrest them, and let them taste a little of their own medicine!!

Another typical TV knee-jerk. Are you saying that anyone accused of a crime should be arrested without investigation?

Slavery and human trafficking is a terrible crime and should be punished to the maximum... which I (sadly) acknowledge does not happen enough here.

However, if we automatically presume someone guilty without trial we should go back to the middle ages where alleged witches were subject to "dunking" (the original version of water-boarding) to prove their innocence!

[JOC]

"They (the official and his wife) have been accused of human trafficking, tricking her to work, failing to pay her and abuse," Police Colonel Mana Tienmaungpak, head of investigations at Pakkred police station in Nonthaburi, told AFP.

And despite chose charges, they only have "invited" the couple to the police station next week!!

Arrest them, and let them taste a little of their own medicine!!

Another typical TV knee-jerk. Are you saying that anyone accused of a crime should be arrested without investigation?

Slavery and human trafficking is a terrible crime and should be punished to the maximum... which I (sadly) acknowledge does not happen enough here.

However, if we automatically presume someone guilty without trial we should go back to the middle ages where alleged witches were subject to "dunking" (the original version of water-boarding) to prove their innocence!

Nonsense.

The family in question is accused of a serious crime, why wait a week before bringing them in for questioning??

To give them an opportunity to leave the country, because they are someone??

They will probably get away with it, and the poor maid will be charged for immigration violations and get deported!!

[Seligne2]

People are innocent till proven guilty. However, it is good police practice to interview suspects and all concerned immediately after the crime is reported to capture the facts.

[Tomtomtom69]

If not Thai, I'm guessing, Malaysian, Singaporean or Honky Kongky.

If Westerners, the Thais would have photos of their passports posted up.

Same thing would have happened to the Malaysians, Sings and Honkys.

[Tomtomtom69]

There are Ethiopian maids working in Thailand? How could she even get a work permit? I thought maid work was only for Thais, Burmese, Lao, Cambodians and maybe Vietnamese, but not for Europeans, Africans etc.

[JOC]

There are Ethiopian maids working in Thailand? How could she even get a work permit? I thought maid work was only for Thais, Burmese, Lao, Cambodians and maybe Vietnamese, but not for Europeans, Africans etc.

Wouldn't it be nice if the workpermit/visa police here could give it a break just for a day??

This case is about a young woman who (allegedly) have been abused, not about her visa status!!

[webfact]

Domestic accuses WHO executive of exploitation
THE NATION



BANGKOK: -- THE LAW SOCIETY of Thailand has taken up the case of an Ethiopian domestic worker, who has filed a police complaint, accusing her employer - an executive at the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Thailand - and his wife of exploiting her through harsh labour.

Law Society lawyer Surapong Kongchantuk said that the worker, 24, said she was employed by an Ethiopian couple, who reside in a housing estate where wealthy families live in the Pak Kret area. She said she had got the job through an agent to serve as domestic maid to the WHO executive since July 2013.

'Passport taken away'

She said her employer picked her up from Ethiopia and took away her passport and she had not seen the document again, Surapong said.

The worker claimed that the couple made her work from 5am until midnight and let her sleep in a small room, as big as a dog kennel. She said she was never paid any salary and was only given plain rice for meals.

According to the worker, she was often beaten up by the couple in front of their children. She was not allowed to leave the house compound and was not allowed to enter the house. She said her efforts to get the couple to return her passport were in vain.

On March 8, she alleged that she was hit for unknown reasons and kicked out of the house.

She said she contemplated suicide by jumping into a pond in the housing estate but another Ethiopian, who lived in the same estate, took her to a human rights NGO to seek help.

The NGO took her to a police station on March 18 to file a complaint against the couple on four offences, including human smuggling.

She went to the police station again on March 30 to file a complaint against them for confiscating her passport.

The Law Society has agreed to provide her legal assistance after the agency was called in to look into her case.

The society will set up a panel to conduct an in-depth investigation into her case and her circumstances to help the worker.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Domestic-accuses-WHO-executive-of-exploitation-30257221.html


-- The Nation 2015-04-02

[smutcakes]

I expect she is working for an Ethiopian or African WHO official.

In many parts of Africa the hierarchical society and use and expectation of maids as low class, worthless beings is even more prevalent than areas of south east Asia.

[tx22cb]

Poor maid - and kudos to the fellow Ethiopian maid who helped her.

I wouldn't be surprised if the WHO guy has Diplomatic Immunity, as is customary for a UN official.

Can't see the WHO voluntarily revoking DI for one of its own, so likely the official will be whisked out of the country pronto.

[cgphuket]

NGO bigshots are some of the worst scum in SE Asia.

[jerojero]

So....WHO is it?

[laocowboy2]

"They (the official and his wife) have been accused of human trafficking, tricking her to work, failing to pay her and abuse," Police Colonel Mana Tienmaungpak, head of investigations at Pakkred police station in Nonthaburi, told AFP.

And despite chose charges, they only have "invited" the couple to the police station next week!!

Arrest them, and let them taste a little of their own medicine!!

Not sure - but possibly they carry diplomatic status. Not uncommon for UN agencies. What interests me is the nationality of the accused official.

[English 1]

Throw away the Key.

[JOC]

I expect she is working for an Ethiopian or African WHO official.

In many parts of Africa the hierarchical society and use and expectation of maids as low class, worthless beings is even more prevalent than areas of south east Asia.

I expect she is working for an Ethiopian or African WHO official.

Thaivisa Sherlock!!

The second OP states:Law Society lawyer Surapong Kongchantuk said that the worker, 24, said she was employed by an Ethiopian couple

[car720]

There are Ethiopian maids working in Thailand? How could she even get a work permit? I thought maid work was only for Thais, Burmese, Lao, Cambodians and maybe Vietnamese, but not for Europeans, Africans etc.

Maybe the bosses are Ethiopian.

The blacks have always sold other blacks into slavery.

[AlQaholic]

Even if she got the promised 3000 Baht in monthly salary and was well treated, I would still consider it slavery, 3000 Baht in monthly pay by a well off employer who easily could afford to pay her even a salary by western standards. Disgusting.

[car720]

So....WHO is it?

on first base.

What is on second.

[AlQaholic]

Where is What?

[Strangebrew]

WHO is investigating WHO? Is this the standard RTP bribe as you go investigation? or drop a million baht and witness and accuser mysteriously disappears?

[Strangebrew]

So....WHO is it?

on first base.

What is on second.

I give up "centerfield"

[Tomtomtom69]

There are Ethiopian maids working in Thailand? How could she even get a work permit? I thought maid work was only for Thais, Burmese, Lao, Cambodians and maybe Vietnamese, but not for Europeans, Africans etc.

Maybe the bosses are Ethiopian.

The blacks have always sold other blacks into slavery.

But this is Thailand.

I don't see much justice for this woman considering how she was working in a profession foreigners aren't allowed to work in (except for Lao, Burmese, Cambodians and maybe Vietnamese). She'll probably be charged with working illegally in a restricted profession without a work permit and deported.