Running head: HUMAN TRAFICKING IN THALIAND

|1

Human Trafficking in Thailand

MerliCampos
UniversityofTexasatElPaso
MeaganKinley
English1312:ResearchandCriticalWriting

Running head: HUMAN TRAFICKING IN THALIAND

|2

Abstract
Achildcanbejustachild.Thefacebehindthatchildcanbeamystery.Mostpeople
oftenthoughtslaverywasnotthatimportant,however,humantraffickingispartofourcurrent
societyandhasbeencontinuingaroundtheworld.Thisformofslaveryisknownashuman
trafficking.Traffickingisatypeofslaverythatinvolvesforcedorbondedlabor,sexualslavery,
childlabor,orinvoluntaryservitudeallovertheworld.Migrants,ethnicminorities,andstateless
peopleinThailandareatagreaterriskofbeingtraffickedthanThainationals,andexperience
withholdingoftraveldocuments,migrantregistrationcards,andworkpermitsbyemployers.
Thaimenwhomigrateforlowskilledcontractworkandagriculturallaboraresubjectedto
conditionsofforcedlaboranddebtbondageaswell. (Development(AED).,2015)The
networksthattrafficforeignersintoThailandtendtobesmall.Thaivictimsabroadtendtobe
moreorganizedandworkinmoreformalnetworks;oftencollaboratingwithemployersand,at
times,withlawenforcementofficials,andhavebeenfoundtoholdThaiandforeignpassports.
(Development(AED).,2015)

Running head: HUMAN TRAFICKING IN THALIAND

|3

Introduction
Humantraffickinginvolvessellingapersonfromonecountrytoanotherandtheyare
soldforsex.Thefightagainsthumantraffickinghasformorethanadecadetriedtoprotect
womenandchildren,oftenforgettingthatmen,too,arevictimsof"newslavery".(Human
Trafficking&ModerndaySlavery)Millionsofpeoplearebeingforcedintomoderndaysalver
todayinthe21centuries.Thailandisknownforhumanandsextrafficking.Thailandis
reportingprogressinitseffortstocurbhumantraffickingandabusivelaborpracticesformigrant
workers.Thegovernmentistakingsteps,includingtougherregulationsandnewantitrafficking
measures,aftercomingundercriticismfromrightsgroupsandtheUnitedStates.In2014the
UnitedStatesloweredThailandsratinginitsTrafficking in Persons' (TIP) report in an
assessment that the country showed few signs of improving its record on human tracking and
illegal labor. (Thailand: Progress Made in Countering Human Trafficking) There are an
estimated two to three million migrant workers in Thailand, most of whom are from Burma. U.S.
Department of State Stats The majority of the trafficking victims within Thailand tens of
thousands of victims, by conservative estimatesare migrants from Thailands neighboring
countries who are forced, coerced, or defrauded into labor or exploited in the sex trade. (U. S.
Depatment of the State ) A significant portion of labor trafficking victims within Thailand are
exploited in commercial fishing, fishing-related industries, low-end garment production,
factories, and domestic work; some victims are forced to beg on the streets. According to the
governments efforts to identify and protect trafficking victims remained inadequate. The
government provided services to 744 trafficking victims, and the Ministry of Social

Running head: HUMAN TRAFICKING IN THALIAND

|4

Development and Human Security (MSDHS) reported that it provided assistance to 681 victims
at government shelters (an increase from 526 in 2012), including 305 Thai victims (compared
with 166 Thai victims in 2012), 373 foreign victims (compared with 360 foreign victims in
2012), and three whose nationalities were unknown. (U. S. Depatment of the State )

1.
2.
3.
4.

Howdoeshumantraffickingaffectsocietyanditsvictims?
Howdohumantraffickersrecruittheirvictims?
Whydovictimsofhumantraffickingnotrunaway?
Whateffectdoeshumantraffickinghaveonavictim?
Howdoeshumantraffickingaffectsocietyanditsvictims?

ThesocialimpactofhumantraffickingisworldwidenotjustinThailand.Thosewho
havetrulyexperiencedhumantraffickingaretheoneswhomustcopewiththemajorityofthe
socialimpacts.Although,HIVandAIDScanbespreadbecauseofhumantrafficking,whichcan
affectanyandallofthepopulation.Despitetherebeingsharedimpactsofhumantrafficking,the
specificincidentstendtodifferfromcountrytocountry.(IomSactapSoutherAfricaCountry
TraffickingAssistanceProgram)Ifapersonhashadtoexperiencehumantrafficking,theyhave
knownalifeworsethandeathitself.Theconditionsthoseareforcedtoliveinthebrothelsare
thoroughlyterrible.Victimsofhumantraffickinghaveabsolutelynofreedoms,andexperience
fearssuchasabuse,violence,deprivation,andtorture.Thesekindofconditionsoftenleadto
trauma.Itcanbeunderstandablehowthesepeoplewouldfeeltheneedtoescape.
Unfortunately,thismisdeedwillnevergowithoutpunishment,whichareneverminor.One
persononcehadtosubmergetheirbodyinabarrelfilledwithwatercontaminatedwithscorpion
andothervermin,andsitthereforoneweek.Asifthatwasntenough,theyalsohadtositinthe

Running head: HUMAN TRAFICKING IN THALIAND

|5

darknessalllonesome.Anotherwaytomakethevictimsmorecooperativewouldbetoinject
themwithdrugs,leadingtoaddiction,whichmeantthebrothelwaseventuallytheirlifeline.
(StateofCaliforniaDepartmentofJusticeOfficeoftheAttorneyGeneral)

Howdohumantraffickersrecruittheirvictims?
Humantraffickersrecruittheirvictimsby offering potential victims false
promises, traffickers paint rosy picture of a better life, such as a good job,
educational opportunity or marriage. If a potential victim falls for the false
promises, the traffickers transport the persontoanotherplaceorcountryfor
exploitation.Thepersonbecomesavictimofhumantraffickers.(IomSactapSoutherAfrica
CountryTraffickingAssistanceProgram)Manyofthesevictimsareyouth,maleandfemale
usuallypeoplewhohavealowincomeordonotliveinastablefamily.Afterthehuman
traffickersrecruittheirvictimstheybecomemanipulatedandcontrol.AccordingtotheU.S.
DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices,AdministrationforChildrenandFamilies,violence
isusedespeciallyduringtheinitialperiodafterapersonhasbeentraffickedinordertobreakhis
orherresistance,whichinturn,makesiteasiertocontroltheperson.Commonlyusedmethods
offorceincluderape,beatingsandconfinement.(MissionariesoftheSacredHeart)Traffickers
usethreeprincipalmethods,force,fraudandcoercion,toinstillfearinandcontroltheirvictims.
Fraudinvolvesfalseadvertisementsandisusedtoleadpeopleintosituationswhereitiseasierto
trafficthem.Coercionusesthethreatofphysicalviolenceandsometimesactualphysical
violence)tocontrolavictimandpreventthemfromescapingorseekinghelp.

Running head: HUMAN TRAFICKING IN THALIAND

|6

Whydovictimsofhumantraffickingnotrunaway?
Victims of human trafficking do not run away because their traffickers
control them. For example through debt bondage, a victim is told that he or
she owes the trafficker money used for transportation, accommodation, food
or the like. The debt never decreases and the victim remains trapped by
the trafficker. Other forms of control include taking and keeping a victims
identity or travel documents, use of threats to harm the victims family,
locking up the victim, and forced drug use. The victim is completely
controlled and often too afraid to try to escape. (Iom Sactap Souther Africa Country
Trafficking Assistance Program )
Whateffectdoeshumantraffickinghaveonavictim?
Often,victimsdonotevenhavebasiccontrolovertheirdailydecisionssuchaswhen
tosleep,eatorrest.Theirlivesareatthemercyofthetraffickerswhosubjectthevictimsto
physicalviolence,repeatedrape,torture,forceddruguse,forcedabortionsandpsychological
manipulation.VictimsriskcontractingsexuallytransmittedinfectionssuchasHIV&AIDS.
Thetraffickersexperienceistraumaticanddamagesthephysical,mentalandsocialwellbeingof
aperson.(IomSactapSoutherAfricaCountryTraffickingAssistanceProgram)

Running head: HUMAN TRAFICKING IN THALIAND

|7

Graphicelement
Figure1:Seeinghowhumantraffickingcanaffecteveryhumansuchasyoungchildrenand
women.Knowingitisgoingtoaffectthemfortherestoftheirlife.Thispicturerepresenthow
eachhumanistrappedinajarwithnorescue.Thereareafraidtoreachforhelp.Justseeingthe
sadnessontheireyesthepaineachhumanhas.Humantraffickingshouldcometoastop.Itis
harmingmillionsofchildrenandwomen.Thesepicturesdehumanizevictimsofhuman
trafficking.Itmakethemlooklikeaproducttobeexportedandexploitedinsteadofaactually
humanperson.

http://blog.lib.umn.edu/isoke001/gwss10052014/2014/04/undocumentedimmigrationor
humantrafficking.html

Running head: HUMAN TRAFICKING IN THALIAND

|8

Figure2:Inthisgraphyoucantellthatwomenarethemosttrafficked.Menandboyshavethe
fewestrateinhumantrafficking.

http://stoptraffickfashion.com/aboutus/abouthumantrafficking/

Running head: HUMAN TRAFICKING IN THALIAND

|9

Reference
o HumanTrafficking.org:AWebResourceforCombatingHumanTraffickingin
theEastAsiaPacificRegion.(n.d.).RetrievedMarch8,2015,from
(HumanTraffcking.org)
o (n.d.).RetrievedMarch8,2015,from
http://www.ungift.org/doc/knowledgehub/resource
centre/IOM_SACTAP_South_Africa_10_Questions_about_Human_Trafficking.p
df
o UnitedNationsOfficeonDrugsandCrime.(n.d.).RetrievedMarch8,2015,from
http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/humantrafficking/whatishuman
trafficking.html
o SocialImpact.(n.d.).RetrievedMarch22,2015,from
http://htia.weebly.com/socialimpact.html
o HumanTrafficking&ModerndaySlaveryinThailand.(n.d.).RetrievedMarch
22,2015,fromhttp://gvnet.com/humantrafficking/Thailand.htm
o Thailand. (n.d.). Retrieved April 3, 2015, from
http://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/countries/2014/226832.htm

o http://stoptraffickfashion.com/aboutus/abouthumantrafficking/

Running head: HUMAN TRAFICKING IN THALIAND

|10

o MissionariesoftheSacred.(n.d.).RetrievedApril4,2015,from

http://www.misacorusa.org/index.php/howdotraffickerscontrol
theirvictims