Labor
After slavery, trafficked fishermen face lonely road to recovery
Hundreds of fishermen were rescued from slavery on Thai fishing boats off the coast of Indonesia earlier this year. Trafficked and sold to work on the boats, the men – mostly from Myanmar and Cambodia – had endured beatings, abuse and torture. After they were freed, ...
Thailand and Laos discuss anti-human trafficking campaign
Thai and international agencies have convened a meeting to discuss ways to bolster efforts against human trafficking along the border. The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security’s Anti-Human Trafficking Division, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the non-governmental organisation Alliance Anti-Trafic met to discuss ...
Working conditions in Cambodia's garment factories slightly improved: group
The International Labor Organization (ILO) has found a slight improvement in Cambodia’s garment factory working conditions, although issues of overtime and occupational safety and health continue, according to its latest report released on 8 July. The ILO’s Better Factories Cambodia (ILO-BFC) Program report said it ...
In Myanmar, a rising exodus but no trafficking arrests
Tens of thousands of Rohingya have fled Rakhine since the start of the year, joining perilous journeys on the boats of human traffickers through the Bay of Bengal. But local officials say no one has been arrested for trafficking in the Myanmar state that supplies the ...
Special Report: Inside Thailand's trafficking crackdown
Thai police continue to investigate trafficking in south Thailand, following the discovery of scores of jungle graves on the Thai-Malaysia border in May. Yet there are questions about the long-term effectiveness of Thailand’s crackdown on resilient and lucrative trafficking syndicates.Witnesses have been intimidated, police say. Key suspects are ...
Putting productivity on the menu
An ILO project that provides free lunch at garment factories is proving to be a hit with workers, but whether or not this 50-cent per worker “experiment” catches on will depend on factory owners and the brands they supply. Last July, eight garment factories in Phnom ...
Vietnam mulls lowest minimum-wage bump in 3 years
Vietnam looks to raise its minimum monthly salary by just above 10 percent next year, the lowest level since 2013, a move that apparently bows to the growing pressure of the corporate sector. Under a government decree that took effect early this year, Vietnam raised the ...
Migrant deadline passes in Thailand
Cambodian, Burmese and Laotian undocumented workers descended on Thailand’s one-stop service centres for visas and work permits before the closing deadline, as Thai authorities yesterday signalled a crackdown on illegal labour. More than 100,000 Cambodian workers in Thailand could face arrest and deportation after the deadline for ...
