PATTAYA, Thailand – On Tuesday, March 11, Charter President Rose Gamito of the Rotary Club Global Pattaya hosted an impactful fellowship meeting at the Hilton Hotel in Pattaya, featuring guest speaker Jerry Nelson. As the Thailand Coordinator for the Rotary Action Group Against Slavery (RAGAS), Nelson delivered a compelling presentation on “Preventing Human Trafficking.”
Nelson emphasized the critical mission of RAGAS, an organization dedicated to connecting, empowering, and equipping Rotarians worldwide to eradicate modern slavery and human trafficking. He detailed the RAGAS Community Awareness and Prevention Education (CAPE) Plan, a strategic initiative designed to help Rotary members launch awareness and prevention projects both locally and globally.
“Freedom is a basic human right,” Nelson stated, reinforcing the shared responsibility to combat one of the world’s most persistent issues. He explained that without freedom, individuals and communities struggle to achieve education, economic development, and peace. RAGAS members work together to promote education, justice, and healing in affected regions.
Nelson recounted his experience about the pressing issue of child trafficking, noting advice from his friend Chamnan Chanruang, a human rights attorney and Past Rotary District Governor, who urged him to “get louder” in advocating against human trafficking. This sentiment set the tone for his passionate appeal for greater awareness and action.
Nelson outlined Rotary’s structured approach to combating human trafficking, emphasizing prevention as a key focus alongside prosecution, protection, and restoration. He shared personal motivations, citing the children of his friends in various parts of Thailand as his inspiration. “If we build strong children, we can prevent future exploitation,” he said.
His presentation also covered different forms of modern slavery, including forced marriage, and stressed the importance of preventative measures. He discussed Rotary’s ambitious goal of providing human trafficking prevention training to every child in Thailand and acknowledged the challenges in achieving this, while remaining hopeful about progress through collaboration with other organizations.
Nelson encouraged attendees to take action—whether by joining Rotary, raising awareness through writing, or participating in fundraising activities. His speech served as a powerful call to action, urging everyone to contribute in some way to the fight against human trafficking.
About Jerry Nelson
Born in Durango, Colorado, in 1944, Jerry Nelson dedicated 20 years of service to the United States Army, where he was part of elite Special Forces units in Thailand, Vietnam, and Panama. The motto of the U.S. Army Special Forces, De oppresso liber (“To free the oppressed”), has guided his lifelong commitment to advocacy. Following his military career, Nelson worked in financial services and as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children in the Dependency Court system.
Since joining Rotary in 2013, Nelson has played a vital role in efforts to end human trafficking. He was a charter member of the Chiang Mai International Rotary Club (CMIRC) and later The Rotary Club to End Human Trafficking (RCEHT). Currently, he serves as the Thailand Coordinator for RAGAS and is a Director on the RAGAS board, continuing his mission to protect and empower vulnerable communities.
