EJF has welcomed the news that Thailand’s Trang Provincial Court has sentenced six defendants to 14 year prison sentences for the human trafficking of migrant workers onto fishing vessels.
The six defendants sentenced in Trang included the former chairman of the Trang Fishing Association and owner of Boonlarp Fishing LP, Sompon Jirotemontree, who ran his fishing vessels using forced and slave labour, and Somjit Srisawang, who helped supply Sompon’s business with trafficked labourers from Myanmar.
Sompon, Somjit and six others were arrested on 7 November 2015 after EJF shared a detailed dossier of evidence of forced labour and exploitation with Thai authorities, including the testimonies of trafficked workers who had managed to escape their boats.
“The court’s decision is a vital step towards getting justice for the victims of the unspeakable human rights abuses witnessed within Thailand’s fishing sector,” said Environmental Justice Foundation(EJF) executive director Steve Trent.
“Coming after a decision by the Ranong Provincial Court in February to acquit two people of their trafficking and abuse charges, this ruling is an important precedent for future human trafficking cases in Thailand and provides hope for many others still awaiting justice.”
“The prosecution of those people controlling and benefiting from human trafficking, slavery and exploitation has been, and continues to be, an essential tool in the fight against the abuses taking place at sea. By taking definitive action against these individuals and organisations, Thai authorities will help to deter others from using forced and slave labour, and protect the lives of thousands of vulnerable workers.”
The Trang court’s verdict is the culmination of EJF’s three-year investigation into the use of slavery in Kantang’s seafood industry.
In March 2013, EJF carried out its first investigation into trafficked and forced labour on board Thai fishing vessels in Kantang, detailed in the report Sold to the Sea. In EJF’s 2015 follow-up Thailand Seafood Slaves it uncovered a sophisticated system of trafficking, slavery, abuse and exploitation on-board vessels in the southern Thai port.
As well as the 14 year sentences, the Boonlarp Fishing Company LP was also given a 600,000 baht fine, while the victims were awarded 1.90 million baht compensation. Four other defendants were released.
