A new briefing launched today by the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) highlights the Royal Thai Government’s “wholly inadequate improvement” in its efforts to eliminate human trafficking in the fishing industry this year.
In the new briefing, Broken Promises: Why Thailand should stay on Tier 3 in the 2015 Trafficking in Persons Report, EJF shares a selection of reported cases of trafficking, forced and bonded labour on Thai fishing vessels between March 2014 and February 2015.
"The Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report is a powerful tool to engage governments and industry on the issue of human trafficking. It offers insight into the nature and scope of human trafficking around the world and global anti-trafficking efforts,” said Steve Trent, executive director, EJF. “The report tracks improvement, with countries on Tier 1 still having to display appreciable progress in combating trafficking every year to maintain their place.”
According to the briefing, Thailand has failed to address the unregulated industry of labour brokers, which perpetuates trafficking and abuse in the fishing sector. In addition, EJF found that “insubstantial progress” has been made in identifying victims of trafficking, forced and bonded labour aboard fishing vessels, and says the Royal Thai Government has failed to enforce existing laws and regulations in an unbiased and rigorous manner and has failed to end extensive corruption and the involvement of state officials in human trafficking. There has been no adoption of a victim-centred approach to protecting those who have escaped or been rescued from modern-day slavery.
“After four years on the Tier 2 Watch List and one year on Tier 3, global leadership from the US Government and a wealth of evidence and advice from NGOs, the Royal Thai Government is still failing to take the action needed to prevent trafficking and human rights abuses in the fishing industry,” he added.
EJF says since 2014, trafficking victims have reported abuse, even in Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS) shelters designated to offer protection to victims. Reports of assault, threats at gunpoint and beatings by shelter staff leading to severe injuries, have been recorded, and corruption still seriously undermines Thailand's efforts to combat trafficking, EJF adds.
Despite this, Mr Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Minister of Thailand’s Foreign Affairs insists that substantial progress has been made, especially regarding anti-trafficking legislation, inspections of fishing vessels and the registration of migrant workers.
EJF’s review of the Thai Government’s actions in the last year concludes that the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking have not been met, and EJF strongly recommends that Thailand remains on Tier 3 in the 2015 TIP Report, as a clear signal to the Thai Government that a substantive programme of actions and series of reforms must be implemented.
“Nothing that we have seen or heard in the last year indicates that Thailand has taken meaningful action to address the root causes of trafficking and abuse. The Thai Government must take clear, significant and sustained steps to prevent and suppress human trafficking in the fishing industry,” Mr Trent concluded.
