More than two dozen local agencies, police and private organizations met to coordinate an action plan to combat human trafficking.
Banglamung District Chief Chakorn Kanchawattana presided over the May 25 summit organized by the Banglamung Peace and Order Committee and Banglamung Narcotics Control Board. They invited 24 organizations, including the Banglamung Security Affairs Section, Pattaya Police Station, and Huay Yai Police Station.
Chakorn stressed the important of combating human trafficking in a region well known for its many adult entertainment venues, factories, bustling construction industry, and fisheries – all areas where migrant workers, often trafficked, are employed.
Banglamung District Chief Charkorn Kanchawattana presides over a summit to combat human trafficking.
As an example, the district chief said Banglamung recently received a complaint about a Vietnamese karaoke bar that was alleged to be involved in prostitution and employing children, with suspicion those involved were victims of human trafficking.
Chakorn said he forwarded the issue to the police station to investigate.
Human trafficking has become a hot-button issue for Thailand’s leaders after the country was dropped last year to the bottom third tier in the U.S. State Department’s influential Trafficking in Persons Report. The new report is due in June and the military government has hoped its efforts to combat trafficking will see the country’s status raised.
Thailand also is under pressure from the European Union, which issued a “yellow card” warning to Thailand to clean up its human-trafficking problem in the fishing industry or face a ban of Thai seafood products to the E.U.
