Thailand's NCPO orders nation-wide crackdown against slave labour

[webfact]

Junta orders nation-wide crackdown against slave labour



BANGKOK: -- A nation-wide crackdown has been launched against slave or illegal labour in fishing industry by the army, the police and local administration officials.

Colonel Winthai Suwaree, spokesman of the National Council for Peace and Order, disclosed on Friday that the crackdown was ordered by the NCPO after it was discovered by some operators of seafood industry had engaged in illegal activities by hiring illegal immigrants or using slave labour.

He cited the raids of several shrimp peeling sheds in Samut Sakhon on November 9 by officials of the Department of Special Investigation in which four operators were found to have violated the law by hiring illegal immigrants.

He explained that the crackdown was necessary to curb the illegal activities and to warn the operators that they would face legal actions if they broke the law.

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/junta-orders-nation-wide-crackdown-against-slave-labour

-- Thai PBS 2015-12-18

[JoePai]

I wonder why this is happening now

[clockman]

Two decades late, The only way is cut off the money. The mantra is greed!

[Lupatria]

That must be a blow to the retired Admiral who chained his personal slave to a car tire with the backup of the soldiers superiors...

[jaywalker]

Two decades late, The only way is cut off the money. The mantra is greed!

More like a century+ too late.

A "Crackdown" on slavery. It boggles the mind.

Just absolutely, utterly, totally ridiculous.

What's next? A "Crackdown on cannibalism" ?

[FangFerang]

My people have a bitter aversion to slavery and detest those who tolerate it. Many consumers are boycotting peeled shrimp, including all of my contacts in the West.

We know slavery still exists and are eager for any chance to pressure those politicians who would be hurt by a boycott, and especially their political adversaries.

The word slave is a foul damnation of the sleaziest side of human nature. I will not countenance it, nor support anyone who tolerates it.

Thailand is the Land of the Free. For anyone to be enslaved here is sickeningly ironic.

I really do not believe most Thais think this is acceptable at all. That any Thais think this is acceptable is disgusting.

The article said the crackdown was to "warn the operators". The operators should be imprisoned, and their slaves made wardens and guards.

Edited December 18, 2015 by FangFerang

[Hawk]

Yet another 10 minute crackdown. Slavery is everywhere in Thailand from the fishing industry to farms and prostitution. It will never be eradicated because far too many officials are corrupt.

[tbthailand]

the crackdown was ordered by the NCPO after it was discovered by some operators of seafood industry had engaged in illegal activities by hiring illegal immigrants or using slave labour.

... as supplied by key constituents of the junta?

This is either a wink-wink "crackdown" with a handful of victims/examples to send up the river, or it's just a press release...

Because, you see, this self-appointed government is not really here in order to help Thailand, and they are certainly not here in order to do good deeds like eradicating the enslavement of foreigners by other powerful Thais...

[Redline]

A warning for slave labor, 2000 baht and a couple of weeks off for manslaughter by van drivers.....

Surely the companies are putting cash in reserve to pay out for violations. They save a lot more with the super cheap labor.

Like the big bank's legal reseves

[ldiablo]

Good on AP for shining a bright light on this despicable industry.

Shame on Thailand for having to wait for such a report to come to light before actually doing anything about it considering they have been well aware of it for decades.

Edited December 18, 2015 by ldiablo

[doremifasol]

Slavery is rampant in Thailand on so many levels..........

[klauskunkel]

at least they are admitting, albeit tacitly, that slave labor exists in Thailand

[toybits]

at least they are admitting, albeit tacitly, that slave labor exists in Thailand

Only because they were caught with their pants down. Otherwise, they would have pretended it did not exist. Now I wonder if they would also crackdown on the Long Neck Karen human zoos?

[Eric Loh]

I am cracking up on so many crackdowns with little success to show. It has been almost 10 months ago when Prayuth vowed a crackdown on slavery. What about other big announcements of crackdown on mafia, Bangkok traffic, pavement vendors, illegal logging etc. Every now and then, the re-set button need to be re-started. Just a lot of hot air.The only success so far of crackdown is the cracking down on critical commentary.

[BuckBee]

thailand runs on slave labour in many forms & will never be eradicated until better education come forth & the greedy cockroach elite are banished from control ...

[thesetat2013]

So they only gave warnings this time. Excuse me for being stupid but weren't those given several months ago? So why didn't they are at and heavily fine the owners of these places? I know, I know! I just don't understand thainess and how things are so different in Thailand than the rest of the world.

[Wilsonandson]

A crackdown on prostitution should also be looked into.

[Nicki D]

Who's cracking down on who?

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

My people have a bitter aversion to slavery and detest those who tolerate it. Many consumers are boycotting peeled shrimp, including all of my contacts in the West.

We know slavery still exists and are eager for any chance to pressure those politicians who would be hurt by a boycott, and especially their political adversaries.

The word slave is a foul damnation of the sleaziest side of human nature. I will not countenance it, nor support anyone who tolerates it.

Thailand is the Land of the Free. For anyone to be enslaved here is sickeningly ironic.

I really do not believe most Thais think this is acceptable at all. That any Thais think this is acceptable is disgusting.

The article said the crackdown was to "warn the operators". The operators should be imprisoned, and their slaves made wardens and guards.

"My people" ????

sounds like something a slave owner would say.

Personally I don't have any people.

[razer]

Yawn ... ugh ... The Never Ending Story

[ChrisY1]

A crackdown on prostitution should also be looked into.

Oh....that'de be a real crack-up!

[oneday]

What a joke.

[mrrizzla]

Wait. I thought this had already been happening?

[TheCruncher]

So the crackdown announcement was 6 hours ago, has there been an announcement yet that slavery is now eradicated in Thailand?

[Yme]

The real question is why is The Guardian and The AP so interested in slavery int he Thai seafood industry as oppossed to force labour in rare earth mines in DRC?

In this day and age of shrinking newsrooms and editorial budgets, seem a bit odd that The Guardian doesn't have more important issues in the UK to investigate, while APs crusade seems totally disproportionate to the size of its customer base in Asean.

[arrowsdawdle]

The very fact that they will now 'crack down' on slave labor illustrates how slave labor has historically been condoned.

[uptheos]

A crackdown on prostitution should also be looked into.

They'll be leaving in droves.

Do prostitutes bother you and your life then?

[retarius]

Haven't they done this already? With the billions in sales at stake, you would think that they would put some traffickers in jail not simply "warn the operators that they would face legal actions if they broke the law."

[JAG]

My people have a bitter aversion to slavery and detest those who tolerate it. Many consumers are boycotting peeled shrimp, including all of my contacts in the West.

We know slavery still exists and are eager for any chance to pressure those politicians who would be hurt by a boycott, and especially their political adversaries.

The word slave is a foul damnation of the sleaziest side of human nature. I will not countenance it, nor support anyone who tolerates it.

Thailand is the Land of the Free. For anyone to be enslaved here is sickeningly ironic.

I really do not believe most Thais think this is acceptable at all. That any Thais think this is acceptable is disgusting.

The article said the crackdown was to "warn the operators". The operators should be imprisoned, and their slaves made wardens and guards.

"My people" ????

sounds like something a slave owner would say.

Personally I don't have any people.

Maybe he is from a community which has suffered slavery?

"My people" is a common expression to describe a community to which one may feel one belongs.