Human trafficking in Thailand

50 public prosecutors serving in the seven upper southern provinces _ Chumphon, Ranong, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Krabi, Phangnga and Phuket _ attended a seminar in Phuket on human trafficking with an attempt to let the prosecutors know their roles and duties under the 2008 Anti-Human Trafficking Act.

The new law came into force on June 8. This law is an improvised version of the 1997 Measures in Prevention and Suppression of Trafficking in Women and Children Act, which was aimed specifically at protecting women and children, who are considered the most vulnerable groups. It also aims at preventing and suppressing a wide range of activities related to human trafficking, including the procurement or trafficking of people into or out of Thailand for prostitution, forced labour or services, begging, organ amputation for commercial purposes, or any other form of exploitation.

The new act also imposes heavier penalties on human traffickers. Anyone found guilty of human trafficking will be subject to imprisonment of four to 10 years and a fine between 80,000 and 200,000 baht. Even more severe penalties are prescribed for offences involving children under 15.

Thailand has always been infamous for human trafficking. Also, in one of the UN study, Thailand found a place on the ”red” list of countries most susceptible to the crime as a source, transit and destination country. The main cause of this crime in Thailand is undoubtedly poverty, which makes people in certain parts of the country an easy target for human traffickers.