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Judges and Academics Discuss Trafficking in Thailand

Thailand‘s top judicial personnel have been working with academics and non-governmental agencies to end trafficking problem. Over three days of seminars in Ubon Ratchathani, judges, prosecutors and leading academics tackled the problem of trafficking and discussed in depth the human rights of trafficked women, as well as the gender-based causes of the crime. Justice Vicha Mahakhun, president of the juvenile and family division of the Supreme Court, said: "The root of violence against women is power and gender relations. Society sees women and children as weak and therefore subordinate to men. Sharlardchai Ramitanondh, of the Women‘s Studies Centre at Chiang Mai University, told the seminar that human trafficking was an outcome of globalization. "Globalization causes poverty and a division between rich and poor countries. As a result, poor people have to migrate for better economic opportunities. Women are more severely affected by poverty. When they move to cities because they can no longer work in their villages, they are vulnerable to exploitation as prostituted women. Also, daughters are expected to sell their bodies to generate income for the family." Justice Jaran Pukdithanakul, secretary-general to the president of the Supreme Court, added: "Because of poverty, there are more than one million people willing to sell their bodies for very little money. Compared to neighboring countries, we consider ourselves more developed. But, on the other hand, we are less developed in terms of morality and allow trafficking and exploitation among human beings." Thailand has yet to pass a comprehensive law to deal with trafficking and so must rely on related criminal laws to adjudicate cases. Ending the trafficking cycle will require enforcing the law and punishing traffickers. But prosecutions have failed because there was not adequate support and protection of victims, who are needed as witnesses. Also, victims are often treated as criminals for offences they were forced to commit and charged with crimes such as prostitution or illegal immigration. Assoc Prof Virada Somswasdi, president of the Foundation for Women, Law and Rural Development (FORWARD), feels there needs to be greater awareness of the gender-based causes of trafficking by the judicial system and a focus on punishing the traffickers, not the victims.

Adapted from: "Anti-Trafficking Seminar." The Nation. 7 July 2006.