CSD moves to curb trafficking at market !!!

 

 

Teeming Talad Thai wholesale produce market in Pathum Thani,
 where you can buy fruits, nuts, humans, etc
 (File photo by Jetjaras na Ranong)

 

Police have set their sights on combating human trafficking

 and mafia influence and found a gathering place of migrant

workers close to Bangkok where they can practice a systematic

 crackdown operation.

Talad Thai, the country's largest wholesale market for

agricultural products in Pathum Thani to the north of Bangkok,

provides the police with a real-life situation where they can

launch a comprehensive crackdown on activities ranging from

 human trade to other serious crimes such as drugs and predatory

 lending, according to Crime Suppression Division (CSD)

chief Akkaradej Pimolsri.

 He said various crimes can occur in the vast market and the

 local police are not adequately equipped to suppress them.

Talad Thai on the Asian Highway is known for its bustling trade.

 It is home to a large community of migrant workers, some of

whom fall prey to labour exploitation and illegal trafficking.

A sting operation on Sept 17, led by Pol Maj Gen Akkaradej,

 gave the CSD the idea of using Talad Thai as a pilot project

for a crackdown on human trafficking and other major crimes.

It gave the police an overview of how criminal activities are

 interconnected.

Police hope to design a comprehensive crime suppression model

 which, if successful, could be applied elsewhere in the country.

The so-called "Talad Thai model" will be explained to

 Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha before it is approved for

use in other areas. In the Sept 17 raid, a large contingent of

police and military were mobilised in and around the 500-rai

 market.

Apart from the 350 CSD police, 150 soldiers from the 1st Army

and another 30 police from the Narcotics Suppression Bureau

 also took part.

Their initial goal was to help local police, who face limited

 resources and manpower, deal with large-scale criminal

offences in the market. Based on the raid, the CSD categorised

 key crimes which take place in Talad Thai.

 Topping the list is human trafficking, which is the most serious,

 followed by organised crime, mafia influence, drugs and loan

 sharks. "Our emphasis is on human trade," Pol Maj Gen

Akkaradej said.

 He insisted the raid did not result from pressure from

Washington to solve human trafficking.

"We've found the human trade is linked to local influential figures

 in the area," he said, adding that human trafficking in Talad Thai

also leads to forced labour and prostitution. Pol Maj Gen

 Akkaradej said tackling problems that stem from human

 trafficking requires cooperation from employers.

The CSD plans to adopt methods to keep employers and

employees in check and prevent crime.

They include surveying and compiling records of labourers

 and their bosses, having workers wear T-shirts with different

colours, educating employers and seeking help from local

 people.

 The migrants will be assigned different coloured shirts to wear

according to their countries of origin and with the names of their

employers printed on them. The workers will also wear

an ID badge.

The move will help police detect where the workers gather.

 The authorities can also easily identify and reach them if need be,

according to the CSD. The measures will be carried out along

 with the police registration of workers and their bosses.

 Key details of the workers will be recorded, including

whether they have relatives and friends who also work in

 Thailand.

This will help systematise employment at Talad Thai for security

 and crime suppression purposes, Pol Maj Gen Akkaradej said.

 At the same time, the employers will be informed of the laws

 and penalties against human trafficking. Local people also will

 be asked to report any suspicious activities at the market.

 Pol Maj Gen Akkaradej added authorities also planned to rein

 in influential figures at the market.
The police are compiling a list of mafia individuals in Pathum

Thani who may be active at the market. Similar arrangements

 are planned for loan sharks and drug peddlers.

Pol Maj Gen Akkaradej said police will take tough legal

 measures against offenders if they fail to heed warnings

to cease their activities. The loan sharks, for example, could

 be charged with tax evasion and face criminal prosecution.

 Drug problems also need urgent attention as Talad Thai is

 believed to be a transit point of drugs transported mainly from

 the North to Bangkok.

 In the view of the CSD, the problems at Talad Thai could

 well represent a microcosm of the criminal situation in

 other areas of the country.

News,General,Bangkok Post,9 November 2015.

 

Glad to hear this news,hope all actions can complete

and lead to end of human trafficking in Thailand.

 

Sincerely Yours.