Slavery in the Waters of Thailand| International Justice Mission

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Slavery in the Waters of Thailand

In the beauty of the sea, there is a treacherous reality.

The 7-billion-dollar Thai fishing industry employs hundreds of thousands on boats across international waters and on land in processing facilities. Some of the many fishermen at sea have been lured in by the false promise of a good-paying job.

Instead, they’re sold to boat captains and forced to take on non-stop, perilous work. Back home, their families are left to wonder if they’ll ever return.

To combat this particularly heinous form of slavery, IJM is partnering with the Walmart Foundation and the Thai government to bring each and every one of these men home to their families.

Will you join us?

In our study of Thailand’s labor trafficking conducted in 2016, we found:

Only 13% reported fair labor conditions at sea

Life can be incredibly dangerous for the surveyed migrant workers, with only 13% reporting fair labor conditions at sea.

16 Hour Days

Nearly 75% of fishermen surveyed reported working at least 16 hours a day. 89% of them received less than minimum wage.

Making only $166.80/month

Their average monthly pay was equivalent to $166.80/month. 76% of fishermen surveyed had debts before they even began their work.

Issara Institute & International Justice Mission. (September 2017). Not in the same boat: prevalence and patterns of labour abuse across Thailand’s diverse fishing industry. Bangkok, Thailand: Issara Institute.

He Just Wanted to Go Home

Ron thought the few years spent on Thai waters would have been worth it for his family. Little did he know, that ship would never return home.

Read Ron's Story

Read more about our work on forced labor in Thailand

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