To combat human trafficking among migrant workers in 22 coastal provinces, the Department of Fisheries organized a special training course for officers to enhance efficiency and raise standard of operation to prevent human trafficking in the fishery sector.
On 27 February 2023, Pol. Lt. Gen. Jaruwat Waisaya, Special Advisor to the Royal Thai Police, in his capacity as a Chair of subcommittee to monitor the enforcement of law related to fishery and labor in fishery sector, presided over the opening of training program on the screening of migrant workers in fishery sector in accordance with the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), organized by the Fisheries Department. The training is aimed to raise the officers’ standard of operation on human trafficking prevention among migrant workers in 22 coastal provinces.
Training attendees were 278 officers from 4 agencies — Fisheries Department, Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, Ministry of Labor (Department of Labor Protection and Welfare and the Department of Employment), and the Royal Thai Police.
The training was divided into two batches between 27-28 February 2023 and 1-2 March 2023 at the Grand Ratchapruek Hotel, Nonthaburi Province.
Topics of the training included project implementation guidelines, introduction to forced labor and human trafficking regulations, preliminary screening interview techniques focusing on migrant workers in fisheries, and workers identification documents review, among others. Participants were also divided into groups to practice using data collection tools for migrant fishery workers screening.
Officers completed the training, divided into 50 groups, will be appointed operational officers that will work on labor screening in 22 coastal provinces to control and prevent labor exploitation, forced labor, and human trafficking among migrant workers in the fishery sector.
Mr. Bancha Sukkaew, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Fisheries, reiterated that anti-human trafficking is the Thai Government’s priority, according to the 20-year National Strategy. The Government is committed to this effort, while strengthening integration between agencies, and determined to elevate the standard of operation under the NRM for effective and sustainable solutions – in every step from the initial response, preliminary screening, investigation, victim identification, to victim protection.
DDG Bancha was also confident that this training would significantly increase efficiency among officials in order to combat human trafficking in fishery sector, which is in line with Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives’ policy that prioritizes human rights, human dignity, and equal rights, with an aim to further build confidence and raise Thailand’s standards to meet the international ones.
