Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2017, published 107th ILC session (2018)

Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29) - Thailand (Ratification: 1969)
Protocol of 2014 to the Forced Labour Convention, 1930 - Thailand (Ratification: 2018)

Articles 1(1), 2(1) and 25 of the Convention. Trafficking in persons. 1. Law enforcement and penalties. In its earlier comments, the Committee noted the adoption of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act B.E. 2551 (2008). It noted a series of measures taken by the Government to strengthen law enforcement mechanisms, including the collaboration between law enforcement officials and the Office of the Attorney General and the targeting of particular locations for investigation, such as medium and small-sized factories, karaoke pubs and brothels. The Committee requested the Government to continue to provide information on the application in practice of the Anti-Trafficking Act.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication in its report that, under the amendment to the Anti-Trafficking Act No. 2 B.E. 2558 of 2015, the penalty was increased to imprisonment of up to 20 years if the offence causes the victim(s) serious injuries, and life imprisonment or death penalty if the offence causes the victim(s) death. It also indicates that the amendment of the Anti-Trafficking Act No. 3 B.E. 2560 of 2017 provides for more explicit provisions, including: (i) the revision of the definition of “exploitation” to cover slavery; and (ii) the revision of the definition of “forced labour or forced service” to cover confiscation of identification documents (IDs) and debt bondage. Moreover, a series of training courses were provided in 2017 on the Anti-Trafficking Act B.E. 2551 of 2008 to law enforcement bodies, including the police, Office of the Attorney General and officials from the Department of Special Investigation in order to enhance their capacity to identify victims of trafficking. The Committee encourages the Government to continue to take measures to enhance the capacity of the law enforcement authorities to identify victims of trafficking. It requests the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that the Anti-Trafficking Act, as amended, is effectively implemented and to provide information on the number of cases of trafficking for both sexual and labour exploitation that have been detected and investigated by the competent authorities as well as the penalties applied.

2. Protection and reintegration of victims of trafficking in persons. In its earlier comments, the Committee noted that repatriation programmes had been arranged with Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar and the Yunnan Province of China in order to develop effective and safe repatriation procedures.

The Committee notes the Government’s indication that it has established the 24-hour assistance channels that are accessible to migrant workers in their own languages, including for instance: Hotline 1300, Hotline 1546, or Hotline 1694, as well as the Complaint System for Foreign Workers Department of Employment (DOE) Help Me which operates through the Internet. The Committee further takes note of the statistics communicated by the Government on the number of victims of trafficking in persons who had benefited from such assistance. For instance, between January and July 2017, the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS) provided assistance to 224 victims of trafficking in persons. Most cases were related to forced labour and sexual exploitation. Lastly, the Government indicates that a questionnaire was developed to collect better data on victims of trafficking. The Committee welcomes the information provided and encourages the Government to pursue its efforts to ensure that all victims of trafficking, for both sexual and labour exploitation, are protected and can effectively have access to justice. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide statistical data on the number of victims identified, as well as those who have benefited from assistance.