Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation into Southern Thailand
|Chapter II. Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation into Ranong
Texte intégral
1. Introduction
1This study was based on archival and field research with in-depth interview of key informants – the stakeholders from local authorities in charge of and an NGO dealing with human trafficking as well as victims – during 14-18 December 2006.
2The local authorities included those from Ranong Provincial Social Development and Human Security Office, Provincial Labour Employment Office, Provincial Welfare and Labour Protection Office, and Provincial Health Care Office. NGO key informants are staff of World Vision Foundation in Ranong.
3The victims included twelve sex workers in Ranong, to whom the interview was carried within their workplaces – including Karaoke shops and sex sevice shops – at Paknum subdistrict, Muang district. All of them were female at age of 15-33 years old. Seven of them were single, four married, and one widow. Eight of them were Burmese from Yangon, three were Karen from Mawlamyine and one Mon from Dawei. The size of household at the place of origin ranged from two to ten person. Most of them have carried an identity card from the orgin country, compared to two without any documents from the country of origin. All of them had entered Ranong with a border pass, overstayed and had no work permit.
2. Geographic and Socio-Economic Background of Ranong
4Ranong is a southern province bordering by Myanmar and the Andaman Sea, the Indian Ocean to the west. It is located about 568 km southern from Bangkok, north to Chumphon, south to Phang-Nga (Takua Pa district), east to Chumphon and Surat Thani and west to Myanmar and Andaman Sea. Ranong is a long narrow and compact area covering 3,298 square kilometres extending 169 km from north to south; the narrowest part of Ranong is 9 km. Like much of southern Thailand, it under goes two monsoons.
5Ranong is administratively divided into five Amphoes (districts): Kra Buri, La-un, Muang Ranong, Kapoe and Suk Samran, respectively from north to south.
Figure 2: Map of Ranong Province
Boundary
■ North: Connecting with Amphoe Tha Sae (Chumphon Province) and Myanmar.
■ South: Connects with Amphoe Khirirat Nikom (Surat Thani Province) and Amphoe Khura Buri (Phang Nga Province).
■ East: Connecting with Amphoe Muang, Amphoe Sawi and Amphoe Pha To (Chumphon Province).
■ West: Connecting with Kawthaung (or Kawthoung, formerly known as Victoria Point) (Myanmar) and Indian Ocean.
Source: Patcharawalai Wongboonsin et al. (2007)
6Ranong was the least populated province of Thailand, 179,850 people in 2007. 94139 of them are male, and 85,711 female. The majority (85.23%) of population were buddhists, followed by Muslims (12.98%).
3. Situation of Migration and Trafficking into Ranong
Documented or Undocumented
7Bordering with Myanmar, Ranong set up a permanant immigration checkpoint at Kawthaung on the Myanmar territory, with Thai immigration authories to check immigration documents. Nevertheless, a number of migrant workers from Myanmar entered Ranong on a clandestine basis through certain parts of the mountainous border area.
8According to the Thai immigration office in Ranong in 2006 (January to December), there were 300,338 people crossing the border from Myanmar with a border pass. Nevertheless, there were only 265,698 peoples returning to Myanmar. There were 6,668 migrants from Myanmar being repatriated during January to December 2006.5,100 of them were male, compared to 1,588 female.
9Of the twelve sex workers interviewed during the period of investigation, only a few were part of those migrants entering Ranong and overstayed their border pass. Others have entered the territory 1-2, 6-7, 9 and 10 years earlier. It was the first time to have entered Thailand for 10 of them compared to two having been to Thailand several time already.
Voluntary or Trafficking
10Rather than forced, most of the interviewed sex workers were tricked to come with the traffickers into Ranong. The latter were mostly acquaintance or friends who had come to work as sex workers in Thailand, and returned to their place of origin several times to pursue persuasion and recruitment mission. Most of them made their own decision to come to work in Thailand, compared to one by her family. The reasons behind the decision included the following:
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In the place of origin: unemployment, low wages, insufficient income to support a big family
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In Thailand: False information given by the traffickers about better income and working conditions
11According to one of the interviewed sex workers:
«I got relationship with this friend in village when I was teenage. My friend came to Thailand for a long time. Last year, she told me to come to Thailand and work with her. My friend said that it was a good work place, good job, good employer and that I could have free time for shopping. After that I decided to come to Thailand with her. When I came to Ranong, I found that I was cheated by the friend to work as a prostitute. At the very first time, I didn’t want to do this job. But I had no money to get back and the employer forced me to do it because the employer had paid to my friend around 5,000 Baht. I had no choice to avoid doing this job.»
(Ms. Som, fictitious name, 17, Burmese women, interviewed on Dec. 14, 2006 at an unidentified address, Paknum subdistrict, Muang Ranong District, Ranong)
12The above notion does not mean that there was no case of involuntary engagement in the sex trade. A few cases were identified during the interview that they and/or their family had been informed that they would be recruited to engage in jobs allowed by the Thai government for migrant workers from Myanmar, including domestic workers. They finally ended up in a brothel in Ranong.
13According to one of the interviewed sex workers:
- 4 Translated by Patcharawalai Wongboonsin
«I didn’t want to do this job. I was bought from Chiang Kung. A broker told my parent that I would be taken to work in Thailand and that I would have a good income. Given that the family was poor, I decided to come to Thailand with the broker. At first, I thought that I would be working as a domestic worker in a premise of the Thai people. I was instead brought to work in this brothel. At first, I resisted in sexual services. Yet, the pimps said that my parents had sold me to them; that my parents had got the money from them already; and that they had advanced for my travel, accommodation, and food. Altogether, they had spent several ten thousands baht for me to be here. If I wanted to leave here, I had to pay them back all the money first. I myself had no money to return home at all. So, I had no other choice but to do the job.»4
(Ms. Yu – fictitious name, 19, Burmese women, interviewed on Dec. 14, 2006 at an unidentified address, Paknum subdistrict, Muang Ranong District, Ranong)
Routes of Migration/Trafficking
14Based on first-handed information from the interviewed sex workers, three routes of migration/trafficking into Ranong were identified:
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From Yangon city to Kawthaung by airplane, followed by a boat from Kawthaung in Myanmar to a fishery pier called Tha Saphan Pla in Ranong, Thailand, then by a motocycle or taxi to the workplace in Ranong.
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From Mawlanyine to Kawthaung by a bus to cross the sea by a boat to Tha Saphan Pla in Ranong, Thailand, then by a motocycle or taxi to the workplace in Ranong.
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From Dawei to Mawlanyine to Kawthaung by a bus to cross the sea by a boat to Tha Saphan Pla in Ranong, Thailand, then by a motocycle or taxi to the workplace in Ranong.
Kawthaung, a Myanmar’s Island is opposite to Tha Saphan Pla, Ranong. There is a Thai Immigration Checkpoint on Kawthaung.
Photographed by Samarn Laodumrongchai, on December 15, 2006.
Tha Saphan Pla, a pier in Ranong where most of fishery and commecial boats lie up. Migrant workers tends to come to this place.
Photographed by Samarn Laodumrongchai, on December 15, 2006.
15Most of the research samplings found it quite easy to travel to the workplace. They found no problem nor obstacle in their trip from the place of origin in Myanmar. Some of them were investigated by the Thai immigration authority before the border pass being issued to enter Ranong.
16All of them came to Thailand in an organized group of migrant workers, accompanied by recruitment agents. Besides coming to Rayong, some of the group went beyond to other provinces, including Samutsakorn and Bangkok. This was either by local transportation or on foot through the forest and the mountains in another district of Ranong, called Kraburi, so as to get transportaion to other places. The transportation to those other places in Thailand could be a bus, van, boat, motorcycle and taxi.
Figure 3: Route of Migration/Trafficking into Ranong and Other Places
Source: Patcharawalai Wongboonsin et al. (2007). Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation into Southern Thailand.
Cost of Migration and Recruitment
17Based on first-handed information from the interviewed sex workers, the study found that it costed them around 5,000 – 12,000 baht to get the job. This covered transportation, a border pass and recruitment fees. Most of the expanditures were for transportation. For example, they had to pay approximately 6,000 baht for airfare from Yangon to Kawthaung, 50 baht to travel by boat, and 20 baht for the motorcycle. For the border pass, it was 1,500 baht.
Migration/Trafficking Network
18According to interviewed sex workers, they mostly had relatives and friends working in similar occupation in Thailand before they migrated to Thailand. Some of the latter had formed themselves into an informal recruitment agency. Not all of them had to pay to the recruiters; but it was the employer who paid for it, and deduced the money from the sex workers.
19A Burmese worker told that:
«I came through an informal recruitment agency. She is Burmese who was working in Thailand several years ago. She told me that she would be responsible for all expenses incurred to me and told me that they are 12,000 baht. When I work at this place, half of the money when I got from customers is deducted. For example, if I got 500 baht, I had to give 250 baht to employer. The employer told me that income deduction would be over if the deduction reach 12,000 baht.»
(Ms. Yuyu, fiticious name, 19. Burmese women, interviewed on December 14, 2006 at an unidentified address number, Paknum subdistrict, Muang district, Ranong).»
4. Area and Form of Sex Industry
20In Ranong, the form of sex services was be divided into two major categories:
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Direct sex services: This refered to the services rendered to customers in sex service houses. The price ranged from 250 to 300 baht. The direct service workers in Ramong were mostly from Myanmar.
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Indirect sex services: This refered to the services rendered to customers via entertainment places, such as Karaoke shop, beer bars, etc., where they provided entertainment and drinking services, negotiated the price for sex services in some other places – including hotels – nearby thereafter. The price ranged from 500 to 1,500 baht. Besides those from Myanmar, there were indirect service workers from Laos in Ranong.
21Both kinds of sex services were located nearby a fishery pier, opposite Kawthaung in Myanmar.
Problems Encountered by Migrants/Victims
22Very few cases of physical and psychological abuses were identified among sex workers from Myanmar in a brothel in Ranong. They included beating, scolding, and cursing. They were mostly against undisciplined sex workers, who like to talk over their mobile phone while working. No serious abuses were identified. No abuses against non-services were identified as well.
23According to an interview with brothel-based sex workers, brothel owners usually took their sex workers for health services in case of sickness. A case of sex worker with HIV/AIDS was identified during the interview. She found it was alright to both the brothel owner and the clients for her to continue sexual services, as long as a condom was used, regular treatment were obtained with a treatment card to show before providing sexual services.
- 5 Translated by Patcharawalai Wongboonsin
24«I have HIV/AIDS and I am still doing the job. At first, the boss didn’t want me to do the job because it was not good to me and if the clients knew of my problems, they might not come here. Later on, I told the boss that I would tell my clients of my problem and that I would always use a condom. So, the boss let me do the job. I have to go back home for treatment every three months for ARV. I do not have health card in Thailand. So, I cannot obtain medication in Thailand. The boss let me do the job, but I have to tell the client first that I have HIV/AIDS. Usually, the clients do not mind as long as I use a condom during the services.»5
(Ms. Suai – fictitious name, 19, Burmese women, interviewed on Dec. 14, 2006 at an unidentified address number, Paknum subdistrict, Muang Ranong District, Ranong)
5. Intervention Mechanism and Role at the Provincial Level
25The Provincial Social Development and Human Security Office was in charge on protection and provision of rescues for women and children who were the victims of human trafficking.
26The office has set up a community network, of which the functions included: protection of trafficked victims, provision of a training program to provide knowleage on human trafficking and to rescue victims, based on cooperation with NGOs in and outside the area. The major problems and/or obstacles to perform their function included communication with migrants, langauge and cultural barriers against effective communication with migrant workers and the victims. A safety place at an appropriate size for the victims was also needed.
27The Provincial Labour Employment office was in charge of registration of migrant workers and law enforcement, including investigation of illegal migrant workers in workplace. The office was in close cooperation with local police and immigration authorities. The major problems and/or obstacles to perform their function included the cooperation from the employers to bring migrant workers to register; and that migrant workers tended to migrate to an inner area of Thailand, such as Samutsakorn and Bangkok.
28The Provincial Welfare and Labour Protection Office was in charge of welfare and protection of registered migrant workers. Problems and/or obstacles to perform their function included the fact that prostitution or sex trade was not protected by law. Relevant authorities, accordingly could not provide them appropriate protection. This was in addition to the langauge barriers for an effective communication with migrant workers.
29The Provincial Health Care Office provided health care services to Thai and migrant workers, documented as well as undocumented. and Thais in communities. The office was in close collaboration with NGOs such as World Vision foundation to help and give health information to migrants in the area. The major problems and/or obstacles to perform their function included langauge barries and difficulty to follow up sex workers’ cases because the latter often changed the workplace or hide themselves from Thai authorities.
30As an NGO in the area, the World Vision Foundation provided health care service and rescue to migrant workers, particularly the undocumented in Ranong, in close collaboration with the Provincial Health Care Office. The major problem and/or obstacle to perform their function included the difficulty to reach out to undocumented migrant workers who hide from Thai authorities. This included migrant sex workers.
6. Conclusion
31Ranong was found to function as both a destination and a transit point of sex trade. Sex workers from Myanmar and Laos were identified. Those from Myanmar were mainly Burmese, followed by Karen and Mon, They were trafficked from Yangon, Mawlamyine and Dawei, respectively, by airplane, bus, or on foot to Kawthaung to cross to Ranong with a border by boat, then a motorcycle or a taxi to the workplaces. They traveled in a group and accompanied by recruiters, who were from the same place of origin, engaged in this lucrative business for a period time. Most of them were tricked rather than forced to get into this lucrative business in Thailand. While the false information on a better income and working conditions was the incentive, they were mostly pushed by unemployment, low wages/income to support a big family.
32Language barriers and the mobility nature of sex workers were the major problems for local authorities and NGOs to reach out to help the victims.
Kruey buri, Ranong, Burmese people hire Thai boat cross the river at 10 baht, they came to buy consumer goods; and some people was trafficked by this channel because this area was not provided with any Thai authority checkpoint.
Photographed by Samarn Laodumrongchai, on December 15, 2006.
This is Myanmar communities. It is opposite Kruey buri, Ranong. It is easy to cross by boat and did not check any immigration documents.
Photographed by Samarn Laodumrongchai, on December 15, 2006.
Kokodkra is the narrowest area in Thai-Myanmar border. It is also easily to cross the border.
Photographed by Samarn Laodumrongchai, on December 15, 2006.
Table des illustrations
Titre | Figure 2: Map of Ranong Province |
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Légende | Boundary■ North: Connecting with Amphoe Tha Sae (Chumphon Province) and Myanmar.■ South: Connects with Amphoe Khirirat Nikom (Surat Thani Province) and Amphoe Khura Buri (Phang Nga Province).■ East: Connecting with Amphoe Muang, Amphoe Sawi and Amphoe Pha To (Chumphon Province).■ West: Connecting with Kawthaung (or Kawthoung, formerly known as Victoria Point) (Myanmar) and Indian Ocean. |
URL | http://books.openedition.org/irasec/docannexe/image/445/img-1.jpg |
Fichier | image/jpeg, 92k |
Légende | Kawthaung, a Myanmar’s Island is opposite to Tha Saphan Pla, Ranong. There is a Thai Immigration Checkpoint on Kawthaung. |
Crédits | Photographed by Samarn Laodumrongchai, on December 15, 2006. |
URL | http://books.openedition.org/irasec/docannexe/image/445/img-2.jpg |
Fichier | image/jpeg, 120k |
Légende | Tha Saphan Pla, a pier in Ranong where most of fishery and commecial boats lie up. Migrant workers tends to come to this place. |
Crédits | Photographed by Samarn Laodumrongchai, on December 15, 2006. |
URL | http://books.openedition.org/irasec/docannexe/image/445/img-3.jpg |
Fichier | image/jpeg, 100k |
Titre | Figure 3: Route of Migration/Trafficking into Ranong and Other Places |
Légende | Source: Patcharawalai Wongboonsin et al. (2007). Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation into Southern Thailand. |
URL | http://books.openedition.org/irasec/docannexe/image/445/img-4.jpg |
Fichier | image/jpeg, 468k |
Titre | Figure 4: Migration in Area |
URL | http://books.openedition.org/irasec/docannexe/image/445/img-5.jpg |
Fichier | image/jpeg, 116k |
Titre | Figure 5: Sex industry area in Ranong |
URL | http://books.openedition.org/irasec/docannexe/image/445/img-6.jpg |
Fichier | image/jpeg, 108k |
URL | http://books.openedition.org/irasec/docannexe/image/445/img-7.jpg |
Fichier | image/jpeg, 40k |
Légende | Kruey buri, Ranong, Burmese people hire Thai boat cross the river at 10 baht, they came to buy consumer goods; and some people was trafficked by this channel because this area was not provided with any Thai authority checkpoint. |
Crédits | Photographed by Samarn Laodumrongchai, on December 15, 2006. |
URL | http://books.openedition.org/irasec/docannexe/image/445/img-8.jpg |
Fichier | image/jpeg, 100k |
Légende | This is Myanmar communities. It is opposite Kruey buri, Ranong. It is easy to cross by boat and did not check any immigration documents. |
Crédits | Photographed by Samarn Laodumrongchai, on December 15, 2006. |
URL | http://books.openedition.org/irasec/docannexe/image/445/img-9.jpg |
Fichier | image/jpeg, 116k |
Légende | Kokodkra is the narrowest area in Thai-Myanmar border. It is also easily to cross the border. |
Crédits | Photographed by Samarn Laodumrongchai, on December 15, 2006. |
URL | http://books.openedition.org/irasec/docannexe/image/445/img-10.jpg |
Fichier | image/jpeg, 140k |
Légende | This is another area in Kokodkra. It is difficult to control and check every area in Ranong. |
Crédits | Photographed by Samarn Laodumrongchai, on December 15, 2006. |
URL | http://books.openedition.org/irasec/docannexe/image/445/img-11.jpg |
Fichier | image/jpeg, 101k |
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