Officials may face punishment if allow human trafficking activity to take place

[webfact]

Officials may face punishment if allow human trafficking activity to take place

BANGKOK, 6 May 2015 (NNT) – The Prime Minister has announced the degree of punishment for administrative officials in the area where human trafficking activities are taking place, while urging military and police officers to perform inspection in all areas, says a spokesman.

The Deputy Spokesman of the Prime Minister’s Office Maj.Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd has revealed that the Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha has made additional commands on eradicating human trafficking. He said that the operations has to be carried out conscientiously by the administrative body of all areas in the village, subdistrict, and district level.

He has said the PM has made his remark that the administrative officials will face punishment if they support or allow human trafficking activities, including the establishment of the detention site that take place in their responsible areas. The Permanent-Secretaries of each province will be the main responsible officials on this matter.

The PM has mentioned that in extreme cases such as the discovery of the camp in Sadao district, the responsible officials will be relocated. Meanwhile, the related persons with human trafficking activities will face disciplinary and criminal punishments.

The Prime Minister has also commanded the military and police officers to perform investigation in their responsible areas, on human trafficking and other issues such as forest trespassing, narcotics, persons with sinister influence, and major criminal offences.

He has also mentioned that the government is required to take harsh measures to all criminal activities, while the administrative body should work in unity with the government to achieve the objective.


-- NNT 2015-05-06

[Bluespunk]

"The PM has mentioned that in extreme cases such as the discovery of the camp in Sadao district, the responsible officials will be relocated."

That's all that will happen to them?

[NongKhaiKid]

May, might and relocation threats ?

Yes the type of table thumping deterrent that's bound to scare officials into compliance.

He should stick to threatening reporters.

[zaphod reborn]

May, might and relocation threats ?

Yes the type of table thumping deterrent that's bound to scare officials into compliance.

He should stick to threatening reporters.

No, read his actual quotes. He used the word "will". In its headline, NNT reported it as "may". Typical Thai journalism.

[BSJ]

I doubt very much the miscreants will be shaking in their boots!

[noitom]

A disgracefully weak position by the Thai government and the PM and his spokesperson. Relocating "guilty" or implicated officials is not the solution. "May face" punishment as stated in this preposterous Thai headline is not what the world wants on human trafficking.

The discovery of two camps for the burial and disposal of Rohingya bodies in mass graves in Thailand merits immediate visits by UN representatives and investigations by Human Rights Watch.

This is a Thai disgrace.

[clockman]

The military and police are involved, so forget about anybody being punished. T.I.T.

[impulse]

I'm sure I'll be ridiculed for this here on TVF, but I think the finding of multiple mass graves may actually be a watershed event.

I'm hopeful that it's a wake up call to tell the folks in Bangkok that the glowing reports they've been receiving from their representatives in the south are not true, and that will trigger some real investigations and some real reforms.

And I hope the media stays on this beyond the 5 minute attention span of the interweb connected public.

[desi]

May, might and relocation threats ?

Yes the type of table thumping deterrent that's bound to scare officials into compliance.

He should stick to threatening reporters.

No, read his actual quotes. He used the word "will". In its headline, NNT reported it as "may". Typical Thai journalism.

"May" (or may not) seems about right. NNT is merely pointing out what they know will happen.

[Lupatria]

I wouldn't be surprised if these "wannabe journalists" at NNT would come up with line: There may be some laws in this country...

[Suffinator]

Officials may face punishment if allow human trafficking activity to take place

​May, but almost certainly not. Thainess will dictate that this be swept under the carpet for no Thai could possibly ever engage in such a heinous crime.

The PM has mentioned that in extreme cases such as the discovery of the camp in Sadao district, the responsible officials will be relocated. Meanwhile, the related persons with human trafficking activities will face disciplinary and criminal punishments.

What does Prayut mean 'in extreme cases'? Is not the murder of a vast number of innocent people considered extreme when the only goal is profiteering? Yes those responsible are to be relocated, not moved to inactive posts. Nothing like protecting your own from prosecution. But then he goes on to say that those related to trafficking will face disciplinary (moved to inactive posts) and criminal punishments - the later being 2 years but absconding on bail with the blood money.

Those that are involved should be tried and those that are found guilty should face the death penalty.

Now waiting to see if the west will find some balls and start placing sanctions on Thailand and other countries involved. Long has the west turned its back on the problems which makes them complicit.

[Suffinator]

I'm sure I'll be ridiculed for this here on TVF, but I think the finding of multiple mass graves may actually be a watershed event.

I'm hopeful that it's a wake up call to tell the folks in Bangkok that the glowing reports they've been receiving from their representatives in the south are not true, and that will trigger some real investigations and some real reforms.

And I hope the media stays on this beyond the 5 minute attention span of the interweb connected public.

It would indeed be a nice thought alas we've seen this before. Cast your mind back to the Governments covert orders to the Navy to push back refugee boats in the Andaman. In 2008 this came to light and the Thai gov first denied it and then admitted it after several NGO's produced survivors. All the Thai Gov did was to promise to stop doing it ... the west then closed the book on it.

[northernjohn]

"The PM has mentioned that in extreme cases such as the discovery of the camp in Sadao district, the responsible officials will be relocated."

That's all that will happen to them?

There seems to me to be a lot of misunderstanding here.

Meanwhile, the related persons with human trafficking activities will face disciplinary and criminal punishments.

Will be criminal punishment. Read the whole article. Also bear in mind their can be as often happens a mix up in translation.

[tifino]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdIAEpSyYTw

Edited May 6, 2015 by tifino

[soalbundy]

so no murder charges then ?? Silly me, they were foreigners, that's not even an assault charge

[Bluespunk]

"The PM has mentioned that in extreme cases such as the discovery of the camp in Sadao district, the responsible officials will be relocated."

That's all that will happen to them?

There seems to me to be a lot of misunderstanding here.

Meanwhile, the related persons with human trafficking activities will face disciplinary and criminal punishments.

Will be criminal punishment. Read the whole article. Also bear in mind their can be as often happens a mix up in translation.

I did read the whole post and do understand the differences.

Anyone whose incompetence at best or at worst collusion allows these camps to exist while they are in charge should be dismissed at once.

the incompetent should find a more suitable career, those who collude should go to gaol.

Edited May 6, 2015 by Bluespunk

[tx22cb]

I doubt very much the miscreants will be shaking in their boots!

Especially if some of the "miscreants" are the ones tasked with performing the investigation.

[boomerangutang]

The perps and any/all their assistants, if found guilty, should (besides other punishments should have their assets seized: houses, cars, boats, gold, etc, .....and auctioned off - proceeds to be distributed among survivors and next of kin of those killed (if possible to ID them).

[quandow]

"The PM has mentioned that in extreme cases such as the discovery of the camp in Sadao district, the responsible officials will be relocated."

Is it possible that the person interpreting this got it wrong or is this PM really that obtuse? The officials should be relocated into Thailand's worst jail with NO hope of ever seeing the light of day again!

[impulse]

"The PM has mentioned that in extreme cases such as the discovery of the camp in Sadao district, the responsible officials will be relocated."

Is it possible that the person interpreting this got it wrong or is this PM really that obtuse? The officials should be relocated into Thailand's worst jail with NO hope of ever seeing the light of day again!

Once again, may be wishful thinking, but perhaps relocation is just to get them to a place where they can't interfere and intimidate witnesses and underlings while they're being investigated for high crimes?

And once the evidence is in, perhaps they'll be called to account.

But I am a "half full" kind of guy...

Edited May 6, 2015 by impulse

[DLang]

Officials may face punishment if allow human trafficking activity to take place

Don't be too hard on them, they're just good, hard working Thais being polite and mannerly and not causing a scene or loss of face by turning a blind eye to such things.

[godden]

"The PM has mentioned that in extreme cases such as the discovery of the camp in Sadao district, the responsible officials will be relocated."

That's all that will happen to them?

Should be relocated to a camp of my choosing.

[jayboy]

It is inconceivable given there were several such camps that the army, police and civil administration - all at a senior level - were not fully aware of their existence and activities.I agree that this is a crucial test for Prayuth especially since he has up to now taken no action on the army's corruption and other criminal activities.The world is watching.

[impulse]

It is inconceivable given there were several such camps that the army, police and civil administration - all at a senior level - were not fully aware of their existence and activities.I agree that this is a crucial test for Prayuth especially since he has up to now taken no action on the army's corruption and other criminal activities.The world is watching.

It's also encouraging to see this splashed all over the Thai media. If the military government really wanted it to be swept under the rug, I doubt it would be front page news on the Bangkok Post.

[Longstaff]

I think what is needed here is for the international human rights organisations to work together and conduct their own, very thorough, independent investigation. They may very well already be doing such work. If that meets with an uncooperative officialdom then at least they can report that and identify the individuals concerned, thus highlighting to the world community the priority Thailand gives to this matter and the value it places on human life.

[shirtless]

with statements like this there really is no hope for reform these are serious crimes and anyone who is involved should be punished but i doubt this will happen , Thailand needs to act yet they will not as those who are involved must be connected.Shame

[Baerboxer]

It is inconceivable given there were several such camps that the army, police and civil administration - all at a senior level - were not fully aware of their existence and activities.I agree that this is a crucial test for Prayuth especially since he has up to now taken no action on the army's corruption and other criminal activities.The world is watching.

One thing that seems to unite the various factions is the opportunity for a share in the proceeds.

Remember when Tarit was requested to investigate such things and declined - far too busy doing his master's bidding. On Yingluck's Facebook page someone wrote how her government did lots of things to address trafficking. Perhaps they will explain how she missed all these camps and murders on her watch? Unless of course they are brazen enough to suggest this all happened in the last 12 months.

[maidee]

don't you love thailand when you read

Officials may face punishment

MAY face ... not sure ...

[jayboy]

It is inconceivable given there were several such camps that the army, police and civil administration - all at a senior level - were not fully aware of their existence and activities.I agree that this is a crucial test for Prayuth especially since he has up to now taken no action on the army's corruption and other criminal activities.The world is watching.

It's also encouraging to see this splashed all over the Thai media. If the military government really wanted it to be swept under the rug, I doubt it would be front page news on the Bangkok Post.

Fair point but on the other hand even the appalling BP has increasingly been concerned at the incompetence, hypocrisy and authoritarianism of the military government.I think given the widespread dissatisfaction with this administration it would have been quite difficult to suppress all media coverage.

Having said that it's an opportunity for Prayuth to deal with this scandal effectively.

[ThaiUser]

Again I find myself at a loss when it comes to read the English article and compare it with a Thai edition but I come to understand while based on the English edition the comments here give a negative view of what the PM has said.

It seems to be the belief that the expression ‘official responsible’ means that they had an involvement in the trafficking operations, but that isn’t the case. What it means is that officials responsible for a region a camp will be found will be relocated and the important bit when they can be linked to the operations will face criminal charges.

I think that is everything a fair legal justice system can promise and still here I find it is not enough when it comes to Thai officials in the view of the ex-pats. Human trafficking isn’t a problem confined to Thailand but also is happening in Europe and if people found being involved they get punished by the courts, the same what the Thai government intends and is going to do. The difference to Europe is that officials in locations where trafficking goes on but can not be linked to that operation have a right to stay on without the threat of being moved to different parts of the country. In the views of most ex-pats here Thailand would have to exceed the punishment that in Europe is regarded as fair and square and I start to wonder why?