2-10-2023 (BANGKOK) Thai police are intensifying efforts to collaborate with their counterparts in Hong Kong in order to combat transnational human trafficking networks. Pol Maj Gen Saruti Khwaengsopha, commander of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division (ATPD), has instructed his deputy, Pol Col Marut Kanchanakanthakul, to lead an ATPD delegation to attend an anti-human trafficking meeting in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region from September 20 to 22.
According to Pol Maj Gen Saruti, the meeting with authorities at Kowloon West Regional Police Headquarters focused on enhancing cooperation to combat human trafficking after Thai women were lured and coerced into prostitution in Hong Kong. He stated that the ATPD is directly responsible for investigating cases of human trafficking involving Thai women sent to Hong Kong for prostitution.
The collaboration between Hong Kong and Thai police was prompted by a case in which a Thai woman was found to be part of a transnational human trafficking ring, procuring other Thai women for prostitution. Acting on information provided by Hong Kong police during their visit to Thailand on March 23, the ATPD arrested a 45-year-old suspect in Kanchanaburi’s Tha Maka district on May 18. The suspect was charged with complicity in human trafficking. She confessed to luring Thai women for prostitution in Hong Kong, receiving a commission of 10,000 baht per victim.
The human trafficking gang in Hong Kong exploited victims in the illegal sex trade, while Hong Kong police subsequently rescued the victims and repatriated them to Thailand, where they received assistance from the ATPD. Pol Maj Gen Saruti hailed the successful cooperation between the ATPD and Hong Kong police, which has resulted in the arrest of additional human trafficking suspects. He expressed readiness for Thailand and Hong Kong to continue their joint efforts to combat human trafficking and prevent further victimization.
Pol Col Marut noted that both Thailand and Hong Kong were listed as Tier 2 countries in the 2023 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report issued by the US on June 15. During the ATPD delegation’s visit to Hong Kong, they met with members of the Hong Kong Police Force’s Organized Crime and Triad Bureau (OCTB) to discuss cooperation in dealing with human trafficking. The authorities agreed to enhance efficiency in anti-human trafficking efforts through information sharing and coordination.
Pol Col Marut acknowledged that following formal legal procedures could be time-consuming in arresting perpetrators, so personal channels of information sharing and coordination would aid in addressing transnational human trafficking, particularly related to prostitution. In Thailand, a system is already in place to identify trafficking victims and provide them with necessary services, and the police will expand their investigations to apprehend traffickers.
During their visit, the ATPD delegation observed a rescue exercise conducted by Hong Kong police to save victims of forced prostitution. The focus was on ensuring the security and well-being of the victims while efficiently apprehending the perpetrators. Pol Col Marut stated that Thai police could apply these practices to their own crime-fighting operations.
Additionally, the delegation visited the Hong Kong Police Force’s Emergency Unit Kowloon West, where they were briefed on the rescue of two Thai human trafficking victims who were held captive in an apartment on February 9. The rescue operation was conducted under the instructions of the OCTB chief, in collaboration with the Department of Consular Affairs and the ATPD.
Yan Fong-wai, the OCTB chief inspector, emphasized that the issue of human trafficking in Hong Kong is not unique and that most trafficking victims in the region come from mainland China. Many are deceived into working for call-center gangs, while others are coerced or tricked into the sex trade. Hong Kong police expressed their willingness to cooperate with Thai authorities to crack down on transnational human trafficking.
Alan Chung, superintendent of the Kowloon West regional crime unit, described the meeting as an opportunity for Thai and Hong Kong law enforcement agencies to exchange knowledge and experiences. The meeting served as a platform to further enhance cooperation between Thai and Hong Kong police. Chung added that Hong Kong police are also planning to send a delegation on a study trip to Thailand in the near future.
