Welcome to the Thailand Rotary Action Group Against Slavery Team

Do you want to get involved in projects that will save the lives of children? Are you willing to put your heart and your skills into what may be the most heartbreaking and at the same time rewarding volunteer work you have ever encountered? Join Rotary, Join the Rotary Action Group Against Slavery and join our team!

10 May 2025, Chiang Rai Human Trafficking Awareness Event

Posted by Jerry Nelson

TRAGAST invites you to attend a special event to raise awareness of human trafficking featuring the film The Sound of Freedom. There is no charge to see the film. However seating is limited. Reserve your seat today. email to info@tragast.org.

Details:

The movie is complimentary and has Thai subtitles คำบรรยายไทย. However, there are only 70 seats available. Registration is easy, just

click here or send an email to treasurer@tragast.org to guarantee your seat.

Agenda:

15:00 Welcome (Chiang Rai International Christian School - 331 Moo 14, Baan Duu, Muang, Chiang Rai 57100)

15:30 Screening of "The Sound of Freedom"

18:00 Closing Comments - Ketsanee Chantrakul, Director ECPAT Thailand

18:30 Optional Potluck Dinner (Just bring a dish and enjoy the dinner and fellowship)!

20:30 Bon Voyage

Registration for Movie – complimentary. There are only 70 seats available.

Because of the strong sense of community at CRICS we will have a potluck dinner. We are confident that it will be better than any one restaurant!

Registration for Dinner on or before 1 May: Complimentary

Registration at the door 10 May, if not sold out: Complimentary

Sponsorship opportunities are available.

Learn More.

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Modern slavery and corruption

Modern slavery and corruption

As I have said many times, modern slavery is a terrible violation of human rights that involves exploiting people for forced labor or sexual purposes.

It's shocking to think that millions of individuals across different regions and backgrounds are affected by this serious global issue.

One major factor that keeps modern slavery alive is corruption, which relates to the misuse of power for personal gain.

When corruption is present, it undermines the rule of law, weakens democratic institutions, and stifles economic growth, creating a breeding ground for modern slavery.

The link between corruption and modern slavery is complicated and they often feed off each other in a vicious cycle.

For starters, corruption can create an environment where modern slavery goes unchecked. When government officials or law enforcement are involved in corrupt practices, they might ignore the exploitation of vulnerable individuals or even take part in it.

For example, they may accept bribes from traffickers, disregarding victims' cries for help or failing to look into reported abuses.

Some might even produce fake documents that allow traffickers to move victims across borders without any consequences, further strengthening modern slavery networks. We are seeing this play out in real time in the human trafficking into scam center issue.

On top of this, corruption drives the demand for modern slavery. Often, corrupt officials are linked with criminal organizations that profit from human trafficking.

These groups might rely on bribes to secure protection from law enforcement, letting them operate without fear of being caught.

This can lead to a breakdown of crucial laws, allowing unscrupulous employers to exploit workers with very little risk of getting into trouble.

For instance, corrupt officials might issue permits to businesses that underpay their employees or violate labor standards in exchange for kickbacks. This is a prevalent problem related to the scamming issue.

Corruption also makes it tough to investigate and prosecute those involved in trafficking and exploitation.

When officials are compromised, they might tip off criminals, interfere with legal processes, or just not pursue cases against modern slavery perpetrators. This means that offenders can escape justice, and it can leave victims feeling powerless. I have seen this happen many times related to sex trafficking raids.

Finally, corruption can block efforts to help and protect victims of modern slavery.

Those in authority may misuse funds meant for victim services, diverting resources away from providing shelter, rehabilitation, or legal aid to survivors.

As a result, victims might hesitate to seek help, fearing they won't be treated fairly.

Given how corruption plays a role in perpetuating modern slavery, it’s crucial to tackle this issue as part of any effective strategy to combat exploitation.

modernslavery humantrafficking compassion love

Signal for Help

Call 1387 - Child Line Thailand

Call 1300 - Social Assistance Center

Call 191 - Royal Thai Police

Call 1155 - Tourist Police

Call 1669 - Emergency Medical Assistance

The Signal for Help (or the Violence at Home Signal for Help) is a single-handed gesture that can be used by an individual to alert others that they feel threatened and need help over a video call, or in-person. It was originally created as a tool to combat the rise in domestic violence cases around the world as a result of the self-isolation measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The signal is performed by holding your hand up with your thumb tucked into your palm, then folding your fingers down, symbolically trapping your thumb in your fingers. It was intentionally designed as a single continuous hand movement, rather than a sign held in one position, that could be made easily visible.

The Signal for Help was first introduced in Canada by the Canadian Women's Foundation on April 14, 2020, and on April 28, 2020 in the United States by the Women's Funding Network (WFN). It received widespread praise from local, national, and international news organizations for helping provide a modern solution to the issue of a rise in domestic violence cases.

The signal has been recognized by over 40 organizations across Canada and the United States as a useful tool to help combat domestic violence.

Addressing concerns that abusers may become aware of such a widespread online initiative, the Canadian Women's Foundation and other organizations clarified that this signal is not "something that's going to save the day," but rather a tool someone could use to get help.

Instructions for what to do if an individual sees the signal, and how to check-in safely, were also created.

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Peace Culture Foundation's Recent Work

As we step into 2025, the Peace Culture Foundation (PCF) remains committed to protecting children and youth from all forms of violence. Over the past few months, we’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with multiple sectors, allowing us to expand our reach into diverse communities. We are especially encouraged to see increasing awareness of child and youth sexual violence prevention, particularly the issue of grooming.

In December 2024, PCF hosted an online training session for parents, guardians, and caregivers titled "Digital Parenting: Navigating Online Sexual Risks in the Digital Age." This session aimed to raise awareness about the growing severity of online child sexual exploitation, highlighting the sophisticated tactics used to target children. Participants overwhelmingly expressed that this information is crucial for all caregivers to understand in order to effectively protect their children. We’ve also made the training available for those who couldn’t attend live. You can watch the recording here: https://youtu.be/aMN4mLLrqiI.

In January 2025, we had the privilege of traveling to Bangkok, supported by the Department of Women's Affairs and Family Development under the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. We served as speakers at a workshop focused on implementing measures to prevent and address sexual harassment and abuse. Dr. Sombat Tapanya led a key discussion on “Sexual Harassment and Abuse: The Hidden Threat in Sports,” alongside clinical psychologist and PCF volunteer Suphatree Laohaviraphap. This collaboration marks the beginning of our efforts to strengthen sexual violence prevention in youth sports—a pressing global issue that demands attention and action.

This February, we hosted another Digital Parenting workshop, this time in-person at Renshinkan Dojo. The session received great feedback from parents and caregivers who attended. Later this month, we are also honored to observe a training workshop led by The Exodus Road on preventing child trafficking. This will be an invaluable opportunity to learn best practices and explore potential collaborations to enhance the effectiveness of our work.

Looking ahead, we are determined to keep driving preventive efforts forward—working with children, youth, parents, and multidisciplinary professionals. Our focus remains on building awareness through activities designed by psychologists, staying true to our mission of fostering a safer future for all.

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Anti Human Trafficking Training

The Rotary Club of Chiang Mai Wattana has been busy conducting Anti Human Trafficking training. On February 11th, training was conducted at Wat Srisupan Municipal School. Topics covered included Role Playing, Techniques, Causes of human trafficking and Prevention. Some 80 Students were in attendance.

On 28 February I had the honor of observing the training at Wat Suondok School. More than half of the students are ethnic minorities! Two were novice monks (Nane).

There are plans to return to Wat Suandok on 31 March to train parents. There are also plans to train and utilize more trainers.

Last Update

Last Update April 29, 2025

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