Slavery in the Thai fishing industry

[fountainhall]

Thailand is not the West, and all those posters who breathe sighs of relief and mutter "thank god", "democracy and Thailand are incompatible" and other such shibboleths can't expect anything else when their beloved paradise doesn't measure up to their Western standards

I fail to understand how enslaving foreign nationals on ships has much to do with democracy and Western standards. Sure, a responsible government should be passing laws to prevent this. But given that in Thailand there appears to be a general view amongst the population that the Rohingya problem is anything but theirs, it's unlikely in my view that democracy would go anywhere near to solving the problem.

But I do agree this human slavery is one of the ugly parts of life, not just in Thailand and Indonesia but in quite a few other parts of the world. It was actually CNN that broke this fishing story several weeks before The Guardian. That documentary included two guys telling the interviewer that if the Indonesian ship owners decided the 'slave' workers were not working hard enough, they'd puncture their throats before throwing them over the side.

Human depravity on this horrific scale has much more to do with greed (and capitalism?) than it does democracy.

Democracy at its best is open and transparent, holding everyone accountable for their actions. Places that have truly independent courts and designated anti-corruption commissions, whistleblower protection ... None of that applies to Thailand

[Brad the Impala]

Democracy at its best is open and transparent, holding everyone accountable for their actions. Places that have truly independent courts and designated anti-corruption commissions, whistleblower protection ... None of that applies to Thailand

Agree completely. Thank heavens for the liberal PC Guardian readers.

[fountainhall]

Democracy at its best is open and transparent, holding everyone accountable for their actions. Places that have truly independent courts and designated anti-corruption commissions, whistleblower protection ... None of that applies to Thailand

Indeed it does not. But when almost the entire Thai population is against taking the Rohingya in to the country, I cannot see any elected Thai government agreeing to do so. Democracy would have nothing to do with the issue. A massive swell of public sentiment would.

Indeed it does not. But when almost the entire Thai population is against taking the Rohingya in to the country, I cannot see any elected Thai government agreeing to do so. Democracy would have nothing to do with the issue. A massive swell of public sentiment would.

Suddenly we've moved from slavery in a specific industry to questions of refugees generally!

[latintopxxx]

if they r really refugees why dont they move to Bangladesh, a nice welcoming muslim country, an sure they will be welcomed !!

[Oliver]

The Bangladeshis won't accept them because their homes are in Burma. And they are fleeing Burma because they are subjected to ethnic-cleansing there. Their homes have been burnt, their women raped and thousands killed. That is why they are desperate enough to attempt perilous sea crossings. One poster seems to think that they are doing it for fun.
Those who are in dire need, even if they are dark-skinned, poor and of a different faith, are worthy of compassion.

[Brad the Impala]

Thai officials among more than 100 charged with human trafficking

Army general, politicians and police among those charged after dozens of bodies, believed to be of migrants, exhumed from abandoned camps.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/201...an-trafficking

[latintopxxx]

oliver, u seem to simply gloss over the " fact" that bangladesh will not accept hem because their home is myanmar?!?! and thats fine??? right??? maybe its time their co-religionists actually stepped in and did something...just anything.\??!!

oliver, u seem to simply gloss over the " fact" that bangladesh will not accept hem because their home is myanmar?!?! and thats fine??? right??? maybe its time their co-religionists actually stepped in and did something...just anything.\??!!

Glossing over, eh? What's your definition of "co-religionist"? Are they both Sunnis or Shi'ites (each hates the other) or some other sub sect of Islam? I suspect there are still Baptists who hate Roman Catholics. Have you forgotten 30 years of "Troubles" in Northern Ireland? Why should religious similarities provide a solution?