Stain of child labour

COMMENTARY

Published: 26 Oct 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

The outcry from the seafood industry and the Labour Ministry following the release of a PBS documentary on the use of child migrant labour in the industry is giving me a case of deja vu.

Four years ago, when the Solidarity Center, a Washington-based labour group, released a report entitled "True Cost of Shrimp", seafood industrialists and state authorities reacted similarly, vehemently denying allegations of children being employed as workers.

The report contained interviews with labourers in the shrimp-processing industry in Thailand and Bangladesh and found child labour, human trafficking, debt bondage and forced labour as well as a failure to pay promised wages were prevalent in both countries.

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geoffp
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Discussion 7 : 26 Oct 2012 at 23.357
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"... but with less than 700 labour inspectors, who have to inspect hundreds of thousands of workplaces across the country, it was impossible for them to deal with the child labour problem effectively."
Here's a great opportunity to re-use some of the Armed Forces' surplus generals.
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lungstib
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Discussion 6 : 26 Oct 2012 at 13.456
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What it needs is for the employers to put the welfare of the kids before the size of their profits. Very Unlikely.
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mitrapaap
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Discussion 5 : 26 Oct 2012 at 08.515
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Unfortunately with a 'mai pen rai' mentality it is difficult to get things to change on a larger scale.
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phetpeter
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Discussion 4 : 26 Oct 2012 at 08.144
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Boycotting the purchase doesn't help solve the problem, It puts people out of work, what you must do is use your voice and your pen! Become a million voices and it will be hard for them not to hear you.
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brilliant
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Discussion 3 : 26 Oct 2012 at 05.323
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More "outrage" from Thailand about the truth. Just like when Lady Gaga called out the fake Rolexs. As long as there is an extra buck to made in Thailand by selling fakes or using child labor there will always be abuses.
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bkkmatt
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Discussion 2 : 26 Oct 2012 at 05.302
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It's all about money. The cheaper the labour the higher the profits.
Sad but true.
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nitnoi
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Discussion 1 : 26 Oct 2012 at 04.411
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When I shop for food if the packages said product of Thailand I nomally buy them to help Thai economy( even in such small scale). I won't buy any sea foods from Thailand any more. May be just stop eating sea food, period.
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Stain of child labour | Bangkok Post: opinion