Thailand
Our work in Thailand
Both migrant and Thai children continue to be exploited for cheap labour. At a young age, they are forced to work to help their families or they become sexually exploited and sold like objects.
Sex tourism is a known problem in Thailand. Tens of thousands of children are sexually exploited. Abuse online is also rapidly increasing. We are seeking ways to prevent this and to track perpetrators.
Child trafficking mainly affects children from neighbouring countries. We are working to track down and care for trafficked children in Thailand. We take a stand against child exploitation in Thailand.
Migrant children are extra vulnerable
In Thailand, the Child Labor Act has been improved. Children working in agriculture must be at least 15 years old. Yet hundreds of thousands of children under the age of 14 still work every day. Children do heavy and dangerous work in the shrimp industry or fishing. Or they are forced to work as a beggar or housekeeper, often becoming victims of sexual exploitation.
We fight against child exploitation in Thailand. In the fishing and fish processing industry. Just like in the clothing industry, factories, begging and households.
We offer children the opportunity to learn a trade. Do they provide medical care. And we ensure that as many children as possible who are not yet working, simply stay at school. Because they are entitled to it.
Sexual exploitation
Sex tourism is a persistent problem in Thailand. Some 30,000 to 40,000 children are sexually exploited. Migrant children not counted. They are often invisible to the government. And extra vulnerable to exploitation.
Not only Western sex tourists travel to tropical Thailand. Asian tourists pose just as great a risk to children. Online abuse is also increasing rapidly. Increasing internet access in the country offers child abusers from all over the world more and more opportunities to exploit children sexually.
In tackling (online) sexual exploitation in Thailand, we focus on tracking down and prosecuting perpetrators, both from Europe and Asia. We provide medical care and legal support to victims of sexual exploitation. We help them with education, so that they learn a trade. And offer them the opportunity to find other work.
We also educate communities and help institutions to pay more attention to children. We urge the government to better comply with laws.
Child trafficking and migration
Children from Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia are usually not registered in Thailand. This makes them extra vulnerable to falling into the hands of human traffickers. But even if families are registered, they remain disadvantaged. They have more difficult access to education, health care and social integration. This perpetuates poverty and vulnerability to exploitation.
We help children in the Mae Sot border district. This is one of the main entry points into the country from Myanmar. We also work in Samut Sakhon, Pattaya, Chiang Mai. Areas known as child trafficking centers.
We fight against child exploitation in Thailand. Join the fight!
Our partners in Thailand
Together with experienced partners we are working towards a world without child exploitation, where young people can feel safe today and better about tomorrow. Join our fight.
Childline Thailand Foundation
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