Email this page

News & Updates

Homeless Most At Risk From Traffickers

May 29, 2006

Chiang Rai Province in Thailand organized the anti-trafficking conference to exchange the experience on women and children protection in the Greater Mekong Sub-region. Participants were from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, China and Thailand.  ¹

It was found that homeless ethnic tribal children and women from Burma and China’s Yunnan province are at highest risk of falling victim to forced labor or prostitution. Some of the victims end up as far away as Malaysia or Singapore. It was difficult to say exactly how many people are smuggled because they lack nationality papers.

A spokeswoman for the organizers, the Chiang Rai-based Development Education Program for Daughter and Communities Centre, said that Akha and Lahu women and children from Burma are the highest risk group, followed by Burmese Shan and Lue from Yunnan Province in China.

Mr. Suriya Kasemsirisawat of the Anti-Trafficking Coordination Unit of Northern Thailand, added that in Chiang Mai, more beggar gangs use Shan children to beg in the city or sell flowers at night.

¹ Adapted from: Irrawaddy Post. 9 May 2006. (Source: UNIAP Thailand)