Thailand Adds Forced Labor to Anti-Trafficking Law - FreedomUnited.org

Thailand Adds Forced Labor to Anti-Trafficking Law

  • Published on
    April 8, 2019
  • Written by:
    Jamison Liang
  • Category:
    Forced Labor, Law & Policy
Hero Banner

Thailand announced revisions its anti-human trafficking law this Sunday, introducing harsher penalties for traffickers and adding “forced labor or service” as a criminal offense.

Under the new amendments, traffickers can be jailed for four years and fined 400,000 Thai baht ($12,516). BBC Thai also reported that the death penalty is the most severe punishment in cases where a victim is killed.

Take Action: Fight Slavery in the Thai Chicken Industry

“It shows the serious intent of the Thai government in tackling forced labor and improving the image of the country,” said Puttanee Kangkun, a human rights specialist with advocacy group Fortify Rights in Bangkok.

“It spells out the conditions, and the penalties are quite strict. But we have to see how effective the implementation is.”

Thomson Reuters Foundation reports:

There are about 4.9 million migrants in Thailand, making up more than 10 percent of the country’s workforce, according to the United Nations. Most are from poorer neighboring countries including Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

Migrant workers get few protections such as a minimum wage and overtime pay, and contend with unsafe working and living conditions, the U.N. said in a report earlier this year.

Besides the seafood industry, exploitative practices have been recorded in domestic work, construction, agriculture, livestock, hospitality, garment manufacturing and other sectors in the country, it said.

The amendment widens the definition of forced labor and includes anyone engaged in the purchase, sale, confinement or exploitation of a person.

However, some observers say the law is not yet perfect.

Ruttiya Bhula-Or, an assistant professor at Chulalongkorn University, said that while the changes can be implemented immediately, “its inclusion as part of the anti-human trafficking act can also make it less potent, and the definition of forced labor remains unclear.”

Thailand has taken steps to crack down on exploitative recruitment fees paid by migrant workers and last June it became the first country in Asia to ratify the forced labor protocol of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

Freedom United is interested in hearing from our community and welcomes relevant, informed comments, advice, and insights that advance the conversation around our campaigns and advocacy. We value inclusivity and respect within our community. To be approved, your comments should be civil.

stop icon A few things we do not tolerate: comments that promote discrimination, prejudice, racism, or xenophobia, as well as personal attacks or profanity. We screen submissions in order to create a space where the entire Freedom United community feels safe to express and exchange thoughtful opinions.

guest
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

This week

Migrant workers jailed in Qatar over demands for owed wages

Five months on from the World Cup final, migrant workers continue to report exploitative labor practices and mistreatment at the hands of Qatari authorities. Three former security guards have been jailed in Qatar for four months following their repeated requests for unpaid wages from their employer, Stark Security Services. Though lauded by FIFA as an opportunity to improve Qatar’s treatment of migrant workers, workers who toiled to make the world’s

| Friday May 26, 2023

Read more