Deciphering a Strategy to Combat Reiterating Human Trafficking Gangs: A Case Study of the Rohingya Minority in Southern Thailand

Abstract

Human trafficking has spread across the global and ASEAN regions, including Thailand as the one of members which has several forms of human trafficking. The study found that human trafficking of the Rohingya minority in the southern area has a unique aspect, from the growth of its organization, the process and the enormous volume of income it generates. Aims: This research has explored the roots of human trafficking issues in southern Thailand using case studies of the Rohingya ethnic minority. Research has also searched the connection of Social Security and human trafficking, which can provide solutions in the southern area. There is still no empirical research available about the Rohingya minority’s association with human trafficking issues in the south of Thailand. Qualitative research with in-depth interviews of experienced victims, experts and senior officials was carried out. Place and duration of the study is southern Thailand, from June 2016 to July 2019. Human trafficking has spread across the global and ASEAN regions, including Thailand as the one of members which has several forms of human trafficking. The study found that human trafficking of the Rohingya minority in the southern area has a unique aspect, from the growth of its organization, the process and the enormous volume of income it generates. Aims: This research has explored the roots of human trafficking issues in southern Thailand using case studies of the Rohingya ethnic minority. Research has also searched the connection of Social Security and human trafficking, which can provide solutions in the southern area. There is still no empirical research available about the Rohingya minority’s association with human trafficking issues in the south of Thailand. Qualitative research with in-depth interviews of experienced victims, experts and senior officials was carried out. Place and duration of the study is southern Thailand, from June 2016 to July 2019. The data collection process involved interviews with a semi-private structure and interviews of 19 Rohingya people, law enforcement officers and high‐level security officer, which found that the staff engaged in combatting trafficking had a problem in their knowledge of human trafficking crimes. The problem is they are not aware of Thai transnational crime organizations and their impact on the human rights of people and communities in the southern provinces. Results from the research show a significant key to assisting policy and law enforcement authorities, and also provide alternatives that can help protect people such as Rohingyas and to conduct litigation for those who seek justice. The discovery also builds trust in the Thai government to adjust the application of policy through the theory of security and organized crime related to human trafficking of the Rohingya ethnic minority, and to form up suggestions for policy‐makers that can be used to deal with human trafficking problem in the southern Thailand region.