PATTAYA, Thailand – On 12 March 2025, Jerry Nelson delivered a compelling presentation to the Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC), shedding light on the critical issue of child trafficking. Jerry, a dedicated advocate for child rights and human rights, emphasized the urgent need for increased awareness and action against this grave problem.
Jerry began his talk by addressing the controversy surrounding the noise level of human trafficking discussions. He shared advice from his friend, Chamnan Chanruang, a human rights attorney and past District Governor of Rotary, who urged him to “get louder” in the fight against human trafficking. This set the tone for Jerry’s presentation, highlighting the importance of raising awareness and taking action.
Throughout his talk, Jerry provided insights into the structure of Rotary’s involvement in combating human trafficking. He mentioned the Rotary Action Group against Slavery, which he helped form in Thailand. This group focuses on prevention, one of the four key areas in the fight against modern slavery, alongside prosecution, protection, and restoration.
Jerry shared his personal motivations for his work, which include the children of his friends in various regions of Thailand. He stressed the importance of making the fight against trafficking personal and getting angry about the issue to stay motivated. He also highlighted the significance of building strong children to prevent future exploitation.
The presentation included a discussion on the various forms of modern slavery, such as forced marriage, and the different approaches to combating it. Jerry emphasized the importance of prevention, noting that it is easier to prevent trafficking than to fix its consequences.
Jerry also spoke about the Rotary Club’s efforts to provide human trafficking prevention training for every child in Thailand. He acknowledged the challenges but remained optimistic about achieving this goal through collaboration with other organizations. He encouraged the audience to get involved, whether by joining Rotary, writing articles, or participating in fundraising activities. In conclusion, Jerry’s talk was a powerful call to action, urging everyone to do something to combat child trafficking.
Following Jerry Nelson’s talk on child trafficking, his friend Stephan Turner, who is writing a play to highlight Jerry’s topic, gave a presentation on the Importance of Performing Arts. Stephan, the founder of the Gate Theater Group of Chiang Mai, spoke about his background and the significance of performing arts in Thailand.
He shared insights from his upcoming play, “Restive Souls,” which aims to expose the brutal realities of forced labor and exploitation. The play, set to have its first public reading on May 31, 2025, seeks to ignite the fight for freedom and justice.
Stephan, who has been involved in the performing arts for over 20 years, shared his experiences of establishing the first English-language Theater in Northern Thailand. He emphasized the importance of creativity, connection, and discovery in the arts, and how these elements have shaped his life in Thailand.
During his talk, Stephan highlighted the achievements of the Gate Theater Group, which recently concluded its 18th season with the production of “Echoes of Mystery.” He also discussed the challenges and rewards of running a theater group in Chiang Mai. He spoke about the need for a professional English-language theater company in Chiang Mai and invited artists from various disciplines to collaborate with the Gate Theater Group.
For more information about the Thailand Rotary Action Group against Slavery, visit their website at https://tragast.org/. For more information about the Gate Theater Group and how to get involved, visit their website or contact them at gatetheater@gmail.com. To view their presentations visit the PCEC’s YouTube Channel – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhAQYsTxShE&t=1126s for Jerry Nelson and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTFTIGKoTbw for Stephan Turner.
After the presentations, MC Ren Lexander brought everyone up to date on upcoming events. This was followed by the Open Forum portion of the meeting where the audience can ask questions or make comments about Expat living in Thailand, especially Pattaya. To learn more about the PCEC, visit their website at https:/pcec.club.
