Pursue graft to end abuses
As the world marks International Migrants Day today to recognise their economic contributions and to call for safe migration and decent employment, Thailand is still a long way from fulfilling those goals. Thailand has been blasted as the hub of human trafficking and forced labour in mainland Southeast Asia. Geography may play a big role in this. But more worrisome is the persistent failure to punish human trafficking syndicates, exploitative employers and corrupt officials.
For decades, successive governments turned a blind eye because cheap migrant labour was crucial for labour-intensive industries and boosting exports.
It was not until two years ago when the United States blacklisted Thailand for failure to curb human trafficking that the government started to realise it had to do something.
While the official US sanctions are relatively minimal, the double whammy Thailand received this year from the European Union on illegal fishing and its use of forced and slave labour carried with it serious economic threats.
The warning is clear: Clean up the fishing industry, or face a trade ban on Thai seafood products.
To be fair, the military regime’s efforts to crack down on human trafficking syndicates and to regulate the fishing industry are unprecedented. While credit must be given where it is due, the long-accumulated problems still hang heavy over the country.
The global focus on Thailand’s human trafficking and modern slavery in the past few weeks speaks to the many pressing challenges. Food giant Nestle stunned the world by admitting that Thai seafood in its supply chains is linked with forced and slave labour. Other companies are in the same situation given endemic labour abuse in the Thai fishing industry, it emphasised. Immediately afterwards, two corporate watchdogs — Swedwatch and Finnwatch — reported widespread abuses in Thailand’s chicken processing industry.
And early this week, consumers worldwide were shocked to learn from an AP report that their delicious Thai prawns are allegedly shelled by migrant slave labourers. When consumers shudder and say no, their purse power will be most damaging to Thailand’s 200-billion-baht seafood industry.
The use of forced and slave labour and human trafficking is intertwined. People fleeing persecution, wars and harsh poverty in neighbouring countries are cheated, extorted and sold to abusive employers and illegal fishing boats. This cannot be done without collusion from corrupt officials and local mafia groups.
Arrests of a powerful military officer, local godfathers and officials have fostered confidence in the regime’s commitment. But that confidence was badly shaken last week.
The decision of Pol Maj Gen Paween Pongsirin to quit his job as chief investigator of the trafficking of Rohingya migrants and seek asylum in Australia for his own safety is an eye-opener. The lack of support from superiors explains why few officers want to fight crime syndicates. More importantly, it exposes the power of the underworld.
To ensure safe migration, the government must reduce migrants’ need to depend on human smugglers. This can be done by minimising the red tape, the costs, and by increasing co-ordination with migrants’ home countries.
The first thing to do is to allow year-round registration instead of imposing a very narrow time limit. Improving rights and welfare protection will also convince underground workers to join the system.
While improving labour standards is necessary, it is not enough. The government must get tough with criminals, corrupt officials and abusive employers. It has vowed to do so. Now, all eyes are watching to see if the regime can meet its promises.