Minister Blames Borders for Trafficking

[geovalin]

Interior Minister Sar Kheng blamed the country’s continual problems with trafficking on porous borders and local government officials, who he said during a speech yesterday were frequently ignoring edicts from the national government and even orders he personally delivered himself. During a workshop on the implementation of a law attempting to address human trafficking and sexual exploitation yesterday, Mr. Kheng acknowledged the government’s failure in dealing with the root causes of trafficking, but said national officials and ministries had little sway over provincial authorities, who wielded large amounts of power in remote areas where they know few people will hold them accountable.
 

He said the provinces along the borders of Thailand, Vietnam and Laos had many “secret” illegal crossings that had been opened and operated by corrupt officials. Everything from people to drugs and illegally logged wood passed through these unsanctioned border crossings and Mr. Kheng’s many calls for them to be shut down have largely been ignored by local officials, who make hefty sums of money from bribes.
 

“We opened many legal gates and international checkpoints with our neighboring countries,” he said. “I myself have called many times to close these [illegal] gates, but why are they still open? “This type of secret opening is a way to traffic humans, drugs and to smuggle goods into the country,” he said.

 

read more http://www.khmertimeskh.com/news/33463/minister-blames-borders-for-trafficking/

 

 

-- © Copyright Khmer Times 22/12

[rudi49jr]

So when you know there are 'many “secret” illegal crossings that had been opened and operated by corrupt officials', why don't you throw these corrupt officials in jail and close the secret illegal crossings? Oh wait, I forgot, corrupt officials just get a slap on the wrist here and are transferred to an inactive post, where they can continue their evil ways. Corruption is a way of life in Thailand, and unless some like Lee Kuan Yew comes to power, this will never change.