Thai authorities nab human traffickers for abusing Myanmar workers

BANGKOK, June 13 (TNA) - Authorities of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) have arrested human traffickers who had allegedly abused Myanmar workers on fishing boats off eastern Thailand. DSI Director-General Tarit Pengdith told a press conference in Bangkok Wednesday afternoon that the DSI authorities rescued 11 Myanmar workers at a fish pier in Sattahip district of Thailand's eastern seaside Chon Buri province Tuesday evening. The operation followed a complaint from the Labour Right Promotion Network Foundation that there were people who had been forced to work 20 hours per day on fishing boats for a daily wage of only 30 baht and some Myanmar workers had to work for free to pay their job placement fees. Traffickers had reportedly sold each worker to employers at about 23,000 baht and each worker must work for free for seven months to pay for their job placement. They were kept on fishing boats for months and suffered from disintegrated skin on their hands and feet due to overwork. During the operation, the DSI authorities also apprehended three Myanmar people who are suspected of human-trafficking. The Thai authorities said that they believe the suspects abused and assaulted Myanmar workers on fishing boats, and that the DSI would also take legal actions against some fishing boat owners and others behind the labor abuse. (TNA)