Trafficking of Men in Thailand

Trafficking of Men in Thailand
May 17, 2007
The fight against human trafficking has for more than a decade tried to protect women and children, often forgetting that men, too, are victims of "new slavery". Thailand remains one of the region's busiest human-trafficking centres.
The National Human Rights Commission reports that between 17 and 19 July 2003, six fishing trawlers with about 100 crew sailed from Tha Chalom in Samut Sakhon province to fish Indonesian territorial waters. Most of the crew were migrant workers and four were younger than 16. None were allowed home for three years. The trawlers returned to Thailand in July last year. However, thirty-eight never returned – dying on the job. Two were buried on one of Indonesia's myriad islands and the rest unceremoniously dumped at sea. One more crewmember died shortly upon his return. Others returned home seriously ill - emaciated, emotionally disturbed and unable to see, hear or walk properly.
A Samut Sakhon Hospital medical report diagnosed the men with serious vitamin deficiencies. They had suffered months without proper food or water, eating only fish. None have been paid. Yet, they are not considered by law to be victims of human trafficking.
When they demanded compensation their "employers" claimed the men were unknown and said crew employment was the responsibility of trawler skippers. The boat owners refuse to pay until the men can prove they were aboard. Complicating the issue is the registration of the men under Thai names. They are all Burmese, Mon and Karen migrant workers. In addition, they discovered the labour law in Thailand does not cover fishermen working outside Thai territory for more than a year.
But, a new memorandum of understanding on Common Guidelines for Concerned Agencies Engaged in Human Trafficking and the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Bill are rays of hope. Men are covered by both documents. The memorandum was signed last week and broadens the scope of a similar 2003 document. The 2003 memorandum only included "children and women" in its target groups, but concerned agencies in 17 northern provinces have signed the new draft and expanded the scope to include protection of men. The memorandum will bring Thailand and its Social Development and Human Security Ministry up to world standards of protection.
The Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking Bill is before the National Legislative Assembly. Trafficking goes beyond the sex industry and child labour and many cases involve men, Sub-Committee on Coordination for Combating Trafficking in Children and Women chairperson Saisuree Chutikul said. Therefore, "[In the draft] we changed the wording from "women and children" to "human trafficking" because we found trafficking involves male victims," Saisuree, one of the world's leading voices in the fight against the trade in people, said.