The use of undercover operations to combat human trafficking in the sex industry must stop because they violate human rights, the Empower Foundation says on the eve of Anti-Human Trafficking Day to be held tomorrow.

The current method of investigation and prosecution is not a legitimate method to end human trafficking. Sex workers from surrounding countries such as Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam are not helped but arrested and then imprisoned, sometimes for up to a year. They are then deported and are never allowed to enter Thailand again.

The migrants see sex work as a job to support their families, but they are branded as victims of human trafficking and sent to rehabilitation programs. This approach is wrong because the Thai government does not help the victims of human trafficking, but punishes them by detaining them so that they no longer have any income.

The DSI anti-trafficking department defends the method. Deputy director Kritthat: 'The authorities must comply with the prostitution law, otherwise they will be guilty of dereliction of duty.'

Source: Bangkok Post

3 responses to “Criticism of the police about the approach to human trafficking and prostitution”

  1. Rob says up

    I feel very sorry for these women. Although it will arouse suspicion, I still want to make this request: (I once read an account of a Dutchman who visited such a woman in prison, a hilarious story, just as sad): how can I support such a person, give language lessons , correspond, possibly look up? Who has a tip?

  2. Jacques says up

    Moderator: Please keep the discussion to Thailand.

  3. Jacques says up

    I cannot judge how action is taken on the ground in Thailand, because I am not there, but I am in favor of applying a human scale. So apply the law with respect and understanding. I am aware that this does not always happen in Thailand. So this is a given. But (forced) prostitution and forms of exploitation are punishable in Thailand and in many countries for that matter, and you cannot say that we are not doing anything about it. Undercover operations occur not only in Thailand, but in many countries. Undercover operations usually have the desired effect and result in arrests. I understand that the police in Thailand will continue with this. In this type of crime you cannot look the other way and tolerate it. This is not doing the people in question any favors. In my view, there is an obligation to act against human trafficking and abuse and the forms of exploitation that accompany it. I fully support the statement of that police chief. . In Thailand they apparently work with rehabilitation programs and I can imagine something about it. Often the prostitutes involved do not see the work as committing a criminal offense, but according to Thai law it is. So whether the law in Thailand should be abolished and for this a majority will have to be formed from within society to ensure that this takes place through the appropriate channels. Because in my view the legislation is based on that. I am curious what a possible referendum could yield. I would be in favor of that. As long as this is not the case, the law remains in force and it is judged that the person in question must be persuaded to change his mind and be helped to do so. People sometimes need to be protected from themselves whether they want it or not. There are often other arguments why people want to continue with this work and these are sometimes legitimate in my view, but also sometimes very condemnable and cannot be tolerated.


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