INDONESIA

Thai Leader Promises to Crackdown on Human Trafficking in 2015

"He warned that the poor ranking will damage trade ties and has called for greater regulation of the fishing industry."

The Thai Military Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has vowed to crackdown this year on human trafficking in the sex trade and fishing industry.

He has said that he will punish any public officials involved.

The move comes after the U.S. State Department in June named Thailand as one of the world's worst centers for human trafficking, saying it was "not making significant efforts" and was a source, destination and transit country for forced labor.

According to the US state department Thailand is now consider no better than North Korea or Saudi Arabia in the way it treats workers and protects them from abuse.

The State Department said most victims of trafficking in Thailand are from neighboring countries and forced to work as modern day slaves mainly in the sex industry or in fishing boats.

In response Prayuth Chan-ocha, an army general who took power in a coup in May, said he would implement a number of measures to stop the human trade.

He warned that the poor ranking will damage trade ties and has called for greater regulation of the fishing industry.

“Every owner will have to register their ships and they need to be equipped with GPS by the end of January 2015. We have show to the world that we are working to solve the problem. Our poor ranking will affect stability and the well being of all Thais,” said Prayuth Chan-ocha.

Thailand is the world's third-largest exporter of fish is facing something of a crisis for its international reputation. 

US Rights activist Jean Geran who has works with hill tribe communities in the north says the Thai government also needs to focus on the issue of stateless people.

“They tend to be especially vulnerable to human trafficking because the traffickers can confiscate their documents or they don’t have any documents in the first place,” said Geran.

Santipong Moonfong who has been working with these stateless children for 20 years estimates there are around four million are stateless in Thailand. “I think believe 1 million of them are children,” said Santipong.

16 year old Tanawin was born in Thailand.  Her parents came across the border from Myanmar and have been living illegal in Thailand for nearly 20 years.

“I don’t have citizenship. That’s very difficult for me. I am afraid I will be arrested if I go too far away from my hometown,” said Tanawin

Being stateless means she can’t go to state schools and it will be very hard for her to get in university.

“There’s a chance but I have it will be hard. I just want citizenship, that’s the thing I want more than anything else in life,” said Tanawin.

Together with million of stateless children Tanawin will have to be smart to avoid becoming a victim in the human trafficking trade.

• Thailand
• human trafficking
• sex industry
• fish industry
• Kannikar Petchkaew