Criminal Justice Challenges in Tackling Labour Trafficking in Thailand’s Fishing Industry
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Abstract
Despite Thailand’s internationally lauded legal reforms to combat labour trafficking, enforcement in the fishing industry remains weak and inconsistent. This study explores the disjuncture between Thailand’s formal anti-trafficking commitments and frontline implementation, focusing on the experiences and discretion of police officers, labour inspectors, prosecutors, and NGO workers. Drawing on procedural justice theory and street-level bureaucracy, the research analyses 38 semi-structured interviews conducted across four trafficking-affected provinces. Findings reveal systemic challenges in identifying trafficking cases, including misclassification as administrative or immigration offences, rigid operational procedures, and narrow perceptions of victimhood. Prosecution is further hindered by prohibitive evidentiary thresholds, victim attrition, and risk-averse institutional cultures. Fragmented inter-agency coordination and misaligned performance incentives exacerbate these issues, while reactive enforcement driven by international scrutiny undermines sustainable progress. The study argues that meaningful anti-trafficking enforcement requires more than legal frameworks—it demands structural reform of frontline practices, institutional incentives, and victim-centred engagement. Recommendations include redesigning inspection protocols, empowering prosecutors, realigning performance metrics, institutionalising coordination, and establishing independent oversight. This research contributes to global discussions on trafficking governance, particularly the importance of aligning legal commitments with operational realities.
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