BANGKOK – The Pavena Foundation for Children and Women has successfully coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to return a Thai woman deceived into prostitution in Bahrain home.
The 21 year old woman from Chaiyaphum province was swindled into being a human trafficking victim after being told she could travel to Bahrain to apply for a job. After reaching out for help, the victim’s family was told by her captors that they would have send a replacement or pay 180,000 baht, prompting them to contact the Pavena Foundation, which in turn coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Thai Embassy in Bahrain and Bahraini police to secure her return.
Upon returning, the woman gave a statement to police indicating she was not harmed but was kept with 10 other Thai women being sold into prostitution.
The foundation has warned the public of being enticed into work abroad, especially to jobs promised in Bahrain, Malaysia and South Korea, where many Thai women have been deceived into prostitution or illegal labor.
Foundation Chairwoman Pavena Hongsakul reported that in 2016, her organization saved 95 women, the most from Bahrain at 33 followed by 16 from Malaysia. Since January of this year it has received 66 reports, 33 involving Bahrain.
